SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple allegations after a baby was hospitalized for a drug overdose.

On Monday, police responded to a home in the&nbsp;6100 block of East Boston Street in Wichita where a baby was suffering from a fentanyl exposure.

First responders used&nbsp;Narcan and the child was transported to a local hospital and is expected to survive, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

After an investigation, police arrested <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=494933">38-year-old Phillip Lee Saunders</a> on requested&nbsp; charge of aggravated child endangering, two drug charges, and outstanding warrants for contempt of court.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697550036756.png" alt="Saunders-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Saunders-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple allegations after a baby was hospitalized for a drug overdose.On Monday, police responded to a home in the&nbsp;6100 block of East Boston Street in Wichita where a baby was suffering from a fentanyl exposure.First responders used&nbsp;Narcan and the child was transported to a local hospital and is expected to survive, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.After an investigation, police arrested <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=494933">38-year-old Phillip Lee Saunders</a> on requested&nbsp; charge of aggravated child endangering, two drug charges, and outstanding warrants for contempt of court.

Fentanyl exposure: Kansas man jailed, baby hospitalized

JACKSON COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident during a police chase just before 3:30p.m. Monday in Jackson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Honda Civic driven by Heather D. Easter, 32, Topeka, was northbound on S Road just north of 142 Road pursued by law enforcement. 

The driver lost control of the vehicle. The car left the roadway to the right, entered the east ditch and overturned.

EMS transported Easter and a passenger Velda M. Harvey, 36, Topeka, to Holton Community Hospital for treatment before they were sent to jail.

Easter is being held on a $25,000 bond in Jackson County on requested charges of Flee or attempt to elude Law enforcement by engaging in reckless driving and Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked. Harvey is accused of failure to appear, according to online jail records.

Easter has previous convictions for aggravated endangering a child, theft and drug possession, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. She was released from custody in May.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697536877131.png" alt="Easter has previous convictions for aggravated endangering a child, theft and drug possession, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Easter has previous convictions for aggravated endangering a child, theft and drug possession, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident during a police chase just before 3:30p.m. Monday in Jackson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Honda Civic driven by Heather D. Easter, 32, Topeka, was northbound on S Road just north of 142 Road pursued by law enforcement. The driver lost control of the vehicle. The car left the roadway to the right, entered the east ditch and overturned.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697545038568.png" alt="Harvey-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Harvey-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>EMS transported Easter and a passenger Velda M. Harvey, 36, Topeka, to Holton Community Hospital for treatment before they were sent to jail.Easter is being held on a $25,000 bond in Jackson County on requested charges of Flee or attempt to elude Law enforcement by engaging in reckless driving and Driving while license cancelled/suspended/revoked. Harvey is accused of failure to appear, according to online jail records.Easter has previous convictions for aggravated endangering a child, theft and drug possession, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. She was released from custody in May.&nbsp;

Kan. felon moved from hospital to jail after crash during police chase

KANSAS CITY—A man injured in a two-vehicle accident October 13, has died.

&nbsp;A Nissan Murano driven by Christopher T. Lucas, 23, Kansas City, was southbound in the northbound lanes of U.S. 71 Highway. just north of 75th Street, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle.

 the Nissan traveled off the roadway into the grassy median and then back onto the highway, continued southbound in the #1 lane of northbound U.S. 71 Highway and&nbsp;struck the concrete bridge. After impact as the Nissan was rotating, a northbound Ram 1500 pickup struck the Nissan, struck a guardrail and partially overturned.&nbsp;

Lucas received life threatening injuries. On Tuesday, police reported he died from his injuries. The driver of the Ram pickup received serious injuries and the passenger received minor injuries.&nbsp; The accident remains under investigation and driver impairment is part of the investigation.

KANSAS CITY—A man injured in a two-vehicle accident October 13, has died.&nbsp;A Nissan Murano driven by Christopher T. Lucas, 23, Kansas City, was southbound in the northbound lanes of U.S. 71 Highway. just north of 75th Street, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle. the Nissan traveled off the roadway into the grassy median and then back onto the highway, continued southbound in the #1 lane of northbound U.S. 71 Highway and&nbsp;struck the concrete bridge. After impact as the Nissan was rotating, a northbound Ram 1500 pickup struck the Nissan, struck a guardrail and partially overturned.&nbsp;Lucas received life threatening injuries. On Tuesday, police reported he died from his injuries. The driver of the Ram pickup received serious injuries and the passenger received minor injuries.&nbsp; The accident remains under investigation and driver impairment is part of the investigation.&nbsp;

Police: Driver dies three days after wrong-way Kansas City crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s efforts to tamp down tensions in the escalating war between Israel and Hamas faced massive setbacks even before he departed for the Middle East on Tuesday, as Jordan called off the president's planned summit with Arab leaders after a deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital killed hundreds.

Biden now will visit only Israel and will postpone his travel to Jordan, a White House official said as Biden departed.

The postponement of the Amman summit comes after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas withdrew from the scheduled meetings in protest of the attacks, which the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza blamed on an Israeli airstrike. The Israeli military said it had no involvement and pinned the blame on a misfired Palestinian rocket.

“This war and this aggression are pushing the region to the brink,” Ayman Safadi, Jordan’s foreign minister, told al-Mamlaka TV, a state-run network. He said Jordan would only host the summit when all participants agreed on its purpose, which would be to “stop the war, respect the humanity of the Palestinians, and deliver the aid they deserve.”

The cancellation reflects an increasingly volatile situation that will test the limits of American influence in the region as Biden visits Wednesday.

Biden’s decision to put himself in a conflict zone —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-biden-f00af220669457d5ba07127c7e57a27b">the same year he made a surprise visit to Ukraine</a>&nbsp;— demonstrates his willingness to take personal and political risks as he becomes heavily invested in another intractable foreign conflict with no clear end game and plenty of opportunity for things to spiral out of control.

The high-stakes presidential trip is emblematic of Biden’s belief that the United States should not turn back from its central role on the global stage and his faith that personal diplomacy can play a decisive role.

“This is how Joe Biden believes politics works and history is made,” said Jon Alterman, a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who worked on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee while Biden was a member.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-palestinian-civilians-safety-airstrikes-f38f27da1dd995acc14e6db1524761e7">There's been no water, fuel or food delivered to Gaza since the brutal Oct. 7 attack</a>&nbsp;by Hamas that killed more than 1,400 Israelis and triggered the unfolding war. Mediators have been struggling to break a deadlock over providing supplies to desperate civilians, aid groups and hospitals.

As the humanitarian crisis grows, so too does the concern of a spiraling conflict that stretches beyond the borders of Gaza. There have already been skirmishes on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hezbollah-israel-hamas-lebanon-war-423f5f20d691dcd0cc8af1788f11857b">Israel’s northern border with Hezbollah</a>, an Iran-backed group that’s based in Southern Lebanon.

“There’s a lot that can go wrong on this trip,” Alterman said.

Biden's travels will be rife with security concerns, and visits by other U.S. officials have been disrupted by rocket launches into Israel. Additional Israeli airstrikes in Gaza could also prompt more condemnation at a time when Biden is intending to demonstrate solidarity with the United States' closest ally in the region.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-war-egypt-elsissi-a08b6e4f8fe5edeab4c97753d254f8b9">The U.S. has subtly shifted its message over the past week</a>, maintaining full-throated support for Israel while slowly turning up the diplomatic volume on the need for humanitarian assistance in Gaza, as Biden and aides have heard increasingly dire predictions about the potential for images of suffering Palestinians to ignite protests and broader unrest throughout the Middle East.

U.S. officials said it has become clear that already limited Arab tolerance of Israel’s military operations would evaporate entirely if conditions in Gaza worsened.

Their analysis projected that outright condemnation of Israel by Arab leaders would not only be a boon to Hamas but would likely encourage Iran to step up its anti-Israel activity, adding to fears that a regional conflagration might erupt, according to four officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration thinking.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, bouncing back and forth between Arab and Israeli leadership ahead of Biden's visit, spent seven and a half hours meeting Monday in Tel Aviv in an effort to broker some kind of aid agreement and emerged with a green light to create a plan on how aid can enter Gaza and be distributed to civilians.

It was on the surface a modest accomplishment, but U.S. officials stressed that it represented a significant change in Israel’s position going in — that Gaza would remain cut off from fuel, electricity, water and other essential supplies.

Biden has a long track record of showing public support for Israel while expressing concerns privately to the Israelis about their behavior.

“He believes the only way to get inside the Israelis’ heads is to demonstrate profound empathy, but also to be there,” Alterman said.

In the U.S., Biden has won rare praise from Republicans over his leadership on Israel, but prospects for providing additional aid are uncertain. The administration has said it would ask for more than $2 billion in aid for both Israel and Ukraine,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jim-jordan-house-speaker-mccarthy-trump-f2b2bf9dc834742bde93d5fc918d9940">though House Republicans remain in disarray.</a>

Still,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-budget-security-assistance-799067491a1bba9671b4dfdf491d0a8e">Biden is committed to both Ukraine and Israel.</a>

“We’re the United States of America, for God’s sake, the most powerful nation in the history of the world,” he said this week on CBS' “60 Minutes” when asked whether the wars in Israel and Ukraine were more than the U.S. can take on at once. “We have the capacity to do this and we have an obligation to. ... And if we don’t, who does?”

In Israel, Biden was expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials. His plans to then meet in Jordan with King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas were scrapped.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-palestinian-conflict">The Israel-Palestinian conflict</a>&nbsp;has been ongoing for decades, and to a large extent, it's involved the same cadre of men. Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history. Abbas has been Palestinian president for nearly 20 years. Abdullah II has been king since 1999 — Biden has called the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-middle-east-government-and-politics-jordan-5c527e77c5e9c5b74f88dbfa9920e707">Jordanian king a loyal ally in a “tough neighborhood."</a>&nbsp;El-Sissi is the newest leader, president since 2014.

It's important for these leaders, too, to avoid a prolonged and engulfing regional escalation, particularly as Egypt and Jordan face growing economic tumult.

In September, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/fandd/issues/2023/09/debt-clouds-over-the-middle-east-adnan-mazarei">International Monetary Fund</a>&nbsp;issued a report saying that Egypt and Jordan are among the countries in the region that “stand at the brink of a debt crisis.” Egypt in particular is struggling with high inflation.

Neither nation wants to absorb refugees. Jordan already has a large Palestinian population, and the country is coping with hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighboring Syria, Iraq and elsewhere.

With tens of thousands of troops massed along the Israel-Gaza border, Israel has been expected to launch a ground invasion — but plans remain uncertain. U.S. officials have refused to say whether the Israelis were holding off in order for Biden to visit.

“We are preparing for the next stages of war,” Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht said. “We haven’t said what they will be. Everybody’s talking about a ground offensive. It might be something different.”

Meanwhile, the death toll is mounting even without the war's next stage. Israeli strikes on Gaza have killed at least 2,700 people and wounded more than 9,700, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Nearly two-thirds of those killed were children, a ministry official said.

Another 1,200 people across Gaza are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-siege-airstrikes-rescue-war-b4147d61a1fd1628e1029349224ab708">believed to be buried under the rubble</a>, alive or dead.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-c8b4fc20e4fd2ef381d5edb7e9e8308c">More than 1 million Palestinians have fled their homes</a>&nbsp;— roughly half of Gaza’s population — and 60% are now in the approximately 8-mile-long (14-kilometer-long) area south of the evacuation zone, according to the United Nations.

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The Hamas-run Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip says at least 500 people have been killed in an explosion that it says was caused by an Israeli airstrike on a Gaza City Hospital.

If confirmed, the attack on the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City would be by far the deadliest Israeli airstrike in five wars fought since 2008. Hundreds of people were seeking shelter at the hospital at the time of the blast.

Hamas authorities said most of the people killed were hospital patients and displaced families.

“A new war crime committed by the (Israeli) occupation by bombing the Al-Ahli Hospital in the center of Gaza City,” said Salama Marouf, a spokesperson for Hamas. ” The hospital was housing hundreds of patients, wounded, and those forcibly displaced from their homes due to the strikes.”

&nbsp;The Israeli military says it had no involvement and that the blast was caused by a misfired Palestinian rocket.

A senior Palestinian official says President Mahmoud Abbas canceled his participation in a meeting scheduled Wednesday with President Joe Biden and other Mideast leaders.

Abbas was scheduled to join Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi at Wednesday’s summit in Amman, Jordan, where they are to discuss the Israel-Hamas war with Biden.

But the senior official said Abbas was withdrawing to protest an alleged Israeli airstrike on the hospital&nbsp;

“The president is very angry after the news of the Israeli massacre at the hospital in Gaza, and he decided to immediately return to Ramallah,” the official said.

The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the cancelation has not been formally announced.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697584258512.png" alt="Biden now will visit only Israel and will postpone his travel to Jordan, a White House official said as Biden departed.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>Biden now will visit only Israel and will postpone his travel to Jordan, a White House official said as Biden departed.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s efforts to tamp down tensions in the escalating war between Israel and Hamas faced massive setbacks even before he departed for the Middle East on Tuesday, as Jordan called off the president's planned summit with Arab leaders after a deadly explosion at a Gaza hospital killed hundreds.Biden now will visit only Israel and will postpone his travel to Jordan, a White House official said as Biden departed.The postponement of the Amman summit comes after Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas withdrew from the scheduled meetings in protest of the attacks, which the Hamas-run Health Ministry in Gaza blamed on an Israeli airstrike. The Israeli military said it had no involvement and pinned the blame on a misfired Palestinian rocket.“This war and this aggression are pushing the region to the brink,” Ayman Safadi, Jordan’s foreign minister, told al-Mamlaka TV, a state-run network. He said Jordan would only host the summit when all participants agreed on its purpose, which would be to “stop the war, respect the humanity of the Palestinians, and deliver the aid they deserve.”The cancellation reflects an increasingly volatile situation that will test the limits of American influence in the region as Biden visits Wednesday.Biden’s decision to put himself in a conflict zone —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-zelenskyy-biden-f00af220669457d5ba07127c7e57a27b">the same year he made a surprise visit to Ukraine</a>&nbsp;— demonstrates his willingness to take personal and political risks as he becomes heavily invested in another intractable foreign conflict with no clear end game and plenty of opportunity for things to spiral out of control.The high-stakes presidential trip is emblematic of Biden’s belief that the United States should not turn back from its central role on the global stage and his faith that personal diplomacy can play a decisive role.“This is how Joe Biden believes politics works and history is made,” said Jon Alterman, a senior vice president at the Center for Strategic and International Studies who worked on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee while Biden was a member.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-palestinian-civilians-safety-airstrikes-f38f27da1dd995acc14e6db1524761e7">There's been no water, fuel or food delivered to Gaza since the brutal Oct. 7 attack</a>&nbsp;by Hamas that killed more than 1,400 Israelis and triggered the unfolding war. Mediators have been struggling to break a deadlock over providing supplies to desperate civilians, aid groups and hospitals.As the humanitarian crisis grows, so too does the concern of a spiraling conflict that stretches beyond the borders of Gaza. There have already been skirmishes on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hezbollah-israel-hamas-lebanon-war-423f5f20d691dcd0cc8af1788f11857b">Israel’s northern border with Hezbollah</a>, an Iran-backed group that’s based in Southern Lebanon.“There’s a lot that can go wrong on this trip,” Alterman said.Biden's travels will be rife with security concerns, and visits by other U.S. officials have been disrupted by rocket launches into Israel. Additional Israeli airstrikes in Gaza could also prompt more condemnation at a time when Biden is intending to demonstrate solidarity with the United States' closest ally in the region.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-war-egypt-elsissi-a08b6e4f8fe5edeab4c97753d254f8b9">The U.S. has subtly shifted its message over the past week</a>, maintaining full-throated support for Israel while slowly turning up the diplomatic volume on the need for humanitarian assistance in Gaza, as Biden and aides have heard increasingly dire predictions about the potential for images of suffering Palestinians to ignite protests and broader unrest throughout the Middle East.U.S. officials said it has become clear that already limited Arab tolerance of Israel’s military operations would evaporate entirely if conditions in Gaza worsened.Their analysis projected that outright condemnation of Israel by Arab leaders would not only be a boon to Hamas but would likely encourage Iran to step up its anti-Israel activity, adding to fears that a regional conflagration might erupt, according to four officials who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss internal administration thinking.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, bouncing back and forth between Arab and Israeli leadership ahead of Biden's visit, spent seven and a half hours meeting Monday in Tel Aviv in an effort to broker some kind of aid agreement and emerged with a green light to create a plan on how aid can enter Gaza and be distributed to civilians.It was on the surface a modest accomplishment, but U.S. officials stressed that it represented a significant change in Israel’s position going in — that Gaza would remain cut off from fuel, electricity, water and other essential supplies.Biden has a long track record of showing public support for Israel while expressing concerns privately to the Israelis about their behavior.“He believes the only way to get inside the Israelis’ heads is to demonstrate profound empathy, but also to be there,” Alterman said.In the U.S., Biden has won rare praise from Republicans over his leadership on Israel, but prospects for providing additional aid are uncertain. The administration has said it would ask for more than $2 billion in aid for both Israel and Ukraine,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jim-jordan-house-speaker-mccarthy-trump-f2b2bf9dc834742bde93d5fc918d9940">though House Republicans remain in disarray.</a>Still,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-budget-security-assistance-799067491a1bba9671b4dfdf491d0a8e">Biden is committed to both Ukraine and Israel.</a>“We’re the United States of America, for God’s sake, the most powerful nation in the history of the world,” he said this week on CBS' “60 Minutes” when asked whether the wars in Israel and Ukraine were more than the U.S. can take on at once. “We have the capacity to do this and we have an obligation to. ... And if we don’t, who does?”In Israel, Biden was expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other Israeli officials. His plans to then meet in Jordan with King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas were scrapped.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-palestinian-conflict">The Israel-Palestinian conflict</a>&nbsp;has been ongoing for decades, and to a large extent, it's involved the same cadre of men. Netanyahu is the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history. Abbas has been Palestinian president for nearly 20 years. Abdullah II has been king since 1999 — Biden has called the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-middle-east-government-and-politics-jordan-5c527e77c5e9c5b74f88dbfa9920e707">Jordanian king a loyal ally in a “tough neighborhood."</a>&nbsp;El-Sissi is the newest leader, president since 2014.It's important for these leaders, too, to avoid a prolonged and engulfing regional escalation, particularly as Egypt and Jordan face growing economic tumult.In September, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.imf.org/en/Publications/fandd/issues/2023/09/debt-clouds-over-the-middle-east-adnan-mazarei">International Monetary Fund</a>&nbsp;issued a report saying that Egypt and Jordan are among the countries in the region that “stand at the brink of a debt crisis.” Egypt in particular is struggling with high inflation.Neither nation wants to absorb refugees. Jordan already has a large Palestinian population, and the country is coping with hundreds of thousands of refugees from neighboring Syria, Iraq and elsewhere.With tens of thousands of troops massed along the Israel-Gaza border, Israel has been expected to launch a ground invasion — but plans remain uncertain. U.S. officials have refused to say whether the Israelis were holding off in order for Biden to visit.“We are preparing for the next stages of war,” Israeli military spokesman Lt. Col. Richard Hecht said. “We haven’t said what they will be. Everybody’s talking about a ground offensive. It might be something different.”Meanwhile, the death toll is mounting even without the war's next stage. Israeli strikes on Gaza have killed at least 2,700 people and wounded more than 9,700, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Nearly two-thirds of those killed were children, a ministry official said.Another 1,200 people across Gaza are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-siege-airstrikes-rescue-war-b4147d61a1fd1628e1029349224ab708">believed to be buried under the rubble</a>, alive or dead.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-c8b4fc20e4fd2ef381d5edb7e9e8308c">More than 1 million Palestinians have fled their homes</a>&nbsp;— roughly half of Gaza’s population — and 60% are now in the approximately 8-mile-long (14-kilometer-long) area south of the evacuation zone, according to the United Nations.-----------RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The Hamas-run Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip says at least 500 people have been killed in an explosion that it says was caused by an Israeli airstrike on a Gaza City Hospital.If confirmed, the attack on the al-Ahli Hospital in Gaza City would be by far the deadliest Israeli airstrike in five wars fought since 2008. Hundreds of people were seeking shelter at the hospital at the time of the blast.Hamas authorities said most of the people killed were hospital patients and displaced families.“A new war crime committed by the (Israeli) occupation by bombing the Al-Ahli Hospital in the center of Gaza City,” said Salama Marouf, a spokesperson for Hamas. ” The hospital was housing hundreds of patients, wounded, and those forcibly displaced from their homes due to the strikes.”&nbsp;The Israeli military says it had no involvement and that the blast was caused by a misfired Palestinian rocket.A senior Palestinian official says President Mahmoud Abbas canceled his participation in a meeting scheduled Wednesday with President Joe Biden and other Mideast leaders.Abbas was scheduled to join Jordan’s King Abdullah II and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi at Wednesday’s summit in Amman, Jordan, where they are to discuss the Israel-Hamas war with Biden.But the senior official said Abbas was withdrawing to protest an alleged Israeli airstrike on the hospital&nbsp;“The president is very angry after the news of the Israeli massacre at the hospital in Gaza, and he decided to immediately return to Ramallah,” the official said.The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the cancelation has not been formally announced.

Summit with Arab leaders called off as President Biden heads to Israel

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House of Representatives has rejected Jim Jordan's nomination for speaker two weeks after the chamber ousted Kevin McCarthy from the top spot.

Jordan scrambled unsuccessfully to shore up the votes needed to clinch the speakership in the closely divided chamber. He could only afford to lose a few GOP votes to win the nod.

The Ohio congressman did even worse than Kevin McCarthy did on the first balloting of his election back in January.

Jordan lost 20 Republican votes, well more than the three he could spare to win the speaker's gavel.

More rounds of voting are expected as Jordan works to shore up support to replace McCarthy for the job and the leader of the GOP’s hard-right flank moves to take a central seat of U.S. power. But it's unclear when the next vote will take place.

The Jordan holdouts are a mix of pragmatists, ranging from seasoned legislators and committee chairs worried about governing to newer lawmakers from districts where their voters back home prefer President Joe Biden to former President Donald Trump.

Twenty Republicans voted against Jordan, an outcome way worse than his allies were hoping for.&nbsp; Republican members of the Kansas and Missouri delegation voted for Jordan.

Leading up to the vote, some Republicans were resentful of the pressure put on them by Jordan’s allies and complained they were being threatened with primary opponents if they didn't support him as speaker.

McCarthy says he does not expected another vote on House speaker right away.

The House went into recess shortly Tuesday afternoon after Jordan lost the first round of voting to become the chamber's leader.

McCarthy said the Republican conference would regroup and talk to the members who have “differences of opinion” on who the next House speaker should be.

Republicans rejected&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jim-jordan-house-speaker-republicans-0f759a46f63aa9daf9e6939e45799329">Rep. Jim Jordan</a>&nbsp;for House speaker on Tuesday on the first ballot, as holdouts denied the hard-charging ally of Donald Trump the majority needed to seize the gavel.

More voting is expected as Jordan works to shore up support to replace the ousted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;for the job and the leader of the GOP's hard-right flank moves to take a central seat of U.S. power.

But after two weeks of angry Republican infighting since McCarthy was removed by hard-liners, the House vote quickly has become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speaker-jordan-scalise-mccarthy-election-votes-explainer-db85c1d80dcc36f296245851ad1278ab">a showdown for the gavel</a>. Some 20 reluctant Republicans are refusing to give Jordan their votes, viewing the Ohio congressman as too extreme for the powerful position of House speaker, second in line to the presidency.

The holdouts are a mix of pragmatists, ranging from seasoned legislators and committee chairs worried about governing to newer lawmakers from districts where their voters back home prefer President Joe Biden to Trump.

But with public pressure bearing down on lawmakers from Trump's allies including Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity, it's unclear how long the holdouts can last. Jordan swiftly flipped dozens of detractors in a matter of days, shoring up Republicans who have few options left.

“Jim Jordan will be a great speaker,” the former president said outside the courthouse in Manhattan, where he is facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-trial-net-worth-new-york-067501b1d742d4dccba2521ac3262fdb">business fraud charges</a>. "I think he’s going to have the votes soon, if not today, over the next day or two."

The political climb has been steep for Jordan, the combative Judiciary Committee chairman and a founding member of the right-flank Freedom Caucus. He is known more as a chaos agent than a skilled legislator, raising questions about how he would lead. Congress faces daunting challenges, risking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-congress-republicans-732baaa19c91f981e492fd0e6a76aba8">a federal shutdown</a>&nbsp;if it fails to fund the government and fielding President Joe Biden's requests for aid to help&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">Ukraine</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/a">Israel</a>&nbsp;in the wars abroad.

To seize the gavel, Jordan will need almost the full majority of his colleagues behind him in a House floor vote, as Democrats are certain to back their own nominee, Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.

With the House Republican majority narrowly held at 221-212, Jordan can afford to lose only a few votes to reach the 217 majority threshold, if there are no further absences.

As the somber roll call was underway, each lawmaker verbally announcing their choice, the holdouts quickly surfaced.

One, Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., a leader of the centrists, voted McCarthy, the ousted former speaker. Murmurs rippled through the chamber. Others voted for Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who was the party's first nominee to replace McCarthy before he, too, was rejected by hardl-iners last week.

Making the official nominating speech was another top Trump ally, GOP conference chairwoman Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, who drew from the lessons of the Old Testament before declaring Jordan will be “We the People’s speaker.”

On the other side of the aisle, Democratic caucus chairman Rep. Pete Aguilar of California nominated Jeffries and warned that handing the speaker’s gavel to a “vocal election denier” would be “a terrible message” at home and abroad.

Aguilar recited all the times Jordan voted against various measures -- abortion access, government aid and others, Democrats chanting “He said no!”

Upset that a small band of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-republican-lawmakers-house-opponents-33c7d984964916f29d548b5b1dfe508b">hard-liners have upended the House</a>&nbsp;by ousting McCarthy, Republicans have watched their majority control of the chamber descend into public infighting. All House business has ground to a halt.

After a late-evening meeting Monday at the Capitol turned into a venting session of angry Republicans, Jordan acknowledged: “We’ve got a few more people to talk to, listen to.”

One holdout, Republican Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado, said Jordan’s role in the runup to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">the Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the Capitol and his refusal to admit that Biden, a Democrat, won the 2020 election remained an issue.

“Jim, at some point, if he’s going to lead this conference during the presidential election cycle and particularly in a presidential election year ... is going to have to be strong and say Donald Trump didn’t win the election and we need to move forward,” Buck said.

But Jordan can rely on Trump's support as well as pressure on colleagues from an army of grassroots activists who recognize him from cable news and fiery performances at committee hearings. Republicans say it will be hard for rank-and-file lawmakers to oppose him in a public floor vote.

Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who engineered McCarthy's ouster by a handful of hard-liners, publicly praised each lawmaker who has flipped to Jordan's column — and berated those who have not.

“Thank you Rep. Ann Wagner!” Gaetz posted on social media, after the Missouri Republican announced her support.

One by one, others also announced their support. Still, it could take multiple rounds during House floor voting, not unlike in January when it took McCarthy 15 ballots to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-us-republican-party-0938c7358f41c83759246f8949ac7c15">win the gavel</a>.

Democrats have decried the far-right shift, calling Jordan the leader of the chaos wing of the GOP.

Jordan has been a top Trump ally, particularly during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6 Capitol attack</a>&nbsp;by the former president's backers who were trying to overturn the 2020 election he lost to Biden. Days later, Trump awarded Jordan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-jim-jordan-impeachments-capitol-siege-eeadab127460dd5170e79608f654aca6">a Medal of Freedom</a>.

“Jim Jordan is an insurrectionist who has no place being second in line to the presidency,” said Michael Fanone, a former District of Columbia police officer who was wounded fighting the mob on Jan. 6.

Now the Republican Party’s front-runner to challenge Biden in the 2024 election, Trump backed Jordan to replace McCarthy early on and was working against the nomination of Scalise, who withdrew last week after colleagues rejected their own rules and failed to coalesce around him.

Tensions remained high among Republicans ahead of voting. Rank-and-file Republicans are exhausted by the internal party infighting with no other work being done in Congress.

Some Republicans resent being pressured by Jordan's allies and say they are being threatened with primary opponents if they don’t support him as speaker. One aide said their office received an email from Hannity's team pushing Jordan.

Others are simply upset at the way the whole process has dragged out. One, Scalise backer Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., began circulating an option to give Rep Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., the interim speaker pro-tempore, more authority to lead.

First elected in 2006, Jordan has few bills to his name from his time in office. He also faces questions about his past. Some years ago, Jordan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-6fb5bfff7db9439883907efce5c119fb">denied allegations</a>&nbsp;from former wrestlers during his time as an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State University who accused him of knowing about claims they were inappropriately groped by an Ohio doctor. Jordan has said he was never aware of any abuse.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697564676639.png" alt="View of the House floor duing the Tuesday afternoon vote count photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>View of the House floor duing the Tuesday afternoon vote count photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House of Representatives has rejected Jim Jordan's nomination for speaker two weeks after the chamber ousted Kevin McCarthy from the top spot.Jordan scrambled unsuccessfully to shore up the votes needed to clinch the speakership in the closely divided chamber. He could only afford to lose a few GOP votes to win the nod.The Ohio congressman did even worse than Kevin McCarthy did on the first balloting of his election back in January.Jordan lost 20 Republican votes, well more than the three he could spare to win the speaker's gavel.More rounds of voting are expected as Jordan works to shore up support to replace McCarthy for the job and the leader of the GOP’s hard-right flank moves to take a central seat of U.S. power. But it's unclear when the next vote will take place.The Jordan holdouts are a mix of pragmatists, ranging from seasoned legislators and committee chairs worried about governing to newer lawmakers from districts where their voters back home prefer President Joe Biden to former President Donald Trump.Twenty Republicans voted against Jordan, an outcome way worse than his allies were hoping for.&nbsp; Republican members of the Kansas and Missouri delegation voted for Jordan.Leading up to the vote, some Republicans were resentful of the pressure put on them by Jordan’s allies and complained they were being threatened with primary opponents if they didn't support him as speaker.McCarthy says he does not expected another vote on House speaker right away.The House went into recess shortly Tuesday afternoon after Jordan lost the first round of voting to become the chamber's leader.McCarthy said the Republican conference would regroup and talk to the members who have “differences of opinion” on who the next House speaker should be.--------Republicans rejected&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jim-jordan-house-speaker-republicans-0f759a46f63aa9daf9e6939e45799329">Rep. Jim Jordan</a>&nbsp;for House speaker on Tuesday on the first ballot, as holdouts denied the hard-charging ally of Donald Trump the majority needed to seize the gavel.More voting is expected as Jordan works to shore up support to replace the ousted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;for the job and the leader of the GOP's hard-right flank moves to take a central seat of U.S. power.But after two weeks of angry Republican infighting since McCarthy was removed by hard-liners, the House vote quickly has become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speaker-jordan-scalise-mccarthy-election-votes-explainer-db85c1d80dcc36f296245851ad1278ab">a showdown for the gavel</a>. Some 20 reluctant Republicans are refusing to give Jordan their votes, viewing the Ohio congressman as too extreme for the powerful position of House speaker, second in line to the presidency.The holdouts are a mix of pragmatists, ranging from seasoned legislators and committee chairs worried about governing to newer lawmakers from districts where their voters back home prefer President Joe Biden to Trump.But with public pressure bearing down on lawmakers from Trump's allies including Fox News Channel's Sean Hannity, it's unclear how long the holdouts can last. Jordan swiftly flipped dozens of detractors in a matter of days, shoring up Republicans who have few options left.“Jim Jordan will be a great speaker,” the former president said outside the courthouse in Manhattan, where he is facing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-trial-net-worth-new-york-067501b1d742d4dccba2521ac3262fdb">business fraud charges</a>. "I think he’s going to have the votes soon, if not today, over the next day or two."The political climb has been steep for Jordan, the combative Judiciary Committee chairman and a founding member of the right-flank Freedom Caucus. He is known more as a chaos agent than a skilled legislator, raising questions about how he would lead. Congress faces daunting challenges, risking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-mccarthy-congress-republicans-732baaa19c91f981e492fd0e6a76aba8">a federal shutdown</a>&nbsp;if it fails to fund the government and fielding President Joe Biden's requests for aid to help&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">Ukraine</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/a">Israel</a>&nbsp;in the wars abroad.To seize the gavel, Jordan will need almost the full majority of his colleagues behind him in a House floor vote, as Democrats are certain to back their own nominee, Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York.With the House Republican majority narrowly held at 221-212, Jordan can afford to lose only a few votes to reach the 217 majority threshold, if there are no further absences.As the somber roll call was underway, each lawmaker verbally announcing their choice, the holdouts quickly surfaced.One, Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., a leader of the centrists, voted McCarthy, the ousted former speaker. Murmurs rippled through the chamber. Others voted for Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who was the party's first nominee to replace McCarthy before he, too, was rejected by hardl-iners last week.Making the official nominating speech was another top Trump ally, GOP conference chairwoman Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York, who drew from the lessons of the Old Testament before declaring Jordan will be “We the People’s speaker.”On the other side of the aisle, Democratic caucus chairman Rep. Pete Aguilar of California nominated Jeffries and warned that handing the speaker’s gavel to a “vocal election denier” would be “a terrible message” at home and abroad.Aguilar recited all the times Jordan voted against various measures -- abortion access, government aid and others, Democrats chanting “He said no!”Upset that a small band of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-republican-lawmakers-house-opponents-33c7d984964916f29d548b5b1dfe508b">hard-liners have upended the House</a>&nbsp;by ousting McCarthy, Republicans have watched their majority control of the chamber descend into public infighting. All House business has ground to a halt.After a late-evening meeting Monday at the Capitol turned into a venting session of angry Republicans, Jordan acknowledged: “We’ve got a few more people to talk to, listen to.”One holdout, Republican Rep. Ken Buck of Colorado, said Jordan’s role in the runup to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">the Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the Capitol and his refusal to admit that Biden, a Democrat, won the 2020 election remained an issue.“Jim, at some point, if he’s going to lead this conference during the presidential election cycle and particularly in a presidential election year ... is going to have to be strong and say Donald Trump didn’t win the election and we need to move forward,” Buck said.But Jordan can rely on Trump's support as well as pressure on colleagues from an army of grassroots activists who recognize him from cable news and fiery performances at committee hearings. Republicans say it will be hard for rank-and-file lawmakers to oppose him in a public floor vote.Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who engineered McCarthy's ouster by a handful of hard-liners, publicly praised each lawmaker who has flipped to Jordan's column — and berated those who have not.“Thank you Rep. Ann Wagner!” Gaetz posted on social media, after the Missouri Republican announced her support.One by one, others also announced their support. Still, it could take multiple rounds during House floor voting, not unlike in January when it took McCarthy 15 ballots to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-us-republican-party-0938c7358f41c83759246f8949ac7c15">win the gavel</a>.Democrats have decried the far-right shift, calling Jordan the leader of the chaos wing of the GOP.Jordan has been a top Trump ally, particularly during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6 Capitol attack</a>&nbsp;by the former president's backers who were trying to overturn the 2020 election he lost to Biden. Days later, Trump awarded Jordan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-jim-jordan-impeachments-capitol-siege-eeadab127460dd5170e79608f654aca6">a Medal of Freedom</a>.“Jim Jordan is an insurrectionist who has no place being second in line to the presidency,” said Michael Fanone, a former District of Columbia police officer who was wounded fighting the mob on Jan. 6.Now the Republican Party’s front-runner to challenge Biden in the 2024 election, Trump backed Jordan to replace McCarthy early on and was working against the nomination of Scalise, who withdrew last week after colleagues rejected their own rules and failed to coalesce around him.Tensions remained high among Republicans ahead of voting. Rank-and-file Republicans are exhausted by the internal party infighting with no other work being done in Congress.Some Republicans resent being pressured by Jordan's allies and say they are being threatened with primary opponents if they don’t support him as speaker. One aide said their office received an email from Hannity's team pushing Jordan.Others are simply upset at the way the whole process has dragged out. One, Scalise backer Rep. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., began circulating an option to give Rep Patrick McHenry, R-N.C., the interim speaker pro-tempore, more authority to lead.First elected in 2006, Jordan has few bills to his name from his time in office. He also faces questions about his past. Some years ago, Jordan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-6fb5bfff7db9439883907efce5c119fb">denied allegations</a>&nbsp;from former wrestlers during his time as an assistant wrestling coach at Ohio State University who accused him of knowing about claims they were inappropriately groped by an Ohio doctor. Jordan has said he was never aware of any abuse.

No winner in House Speaker vote; Kan. GOP lawmakers vote for Jordan

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fifth deadly shooting over the past week in Topeka. Two suspects are in custody.

At 10:30 p.m. Oct. 10, police responded to a shooting in the 2000 block of SE Pennsylvania Street in Topeka.

First responders located 17-year-old Victor Carlton suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. Medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.&nbsp; Early Tuesday police reported the arrest of a 17-year-old suspect on requested charges of murder and aggravated robbery.

Just after 9:30 a.m. Oct. 15, police responded to a report of an individual laying in the front yard of a home in the 1600 block of SW 21st Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson.&nbsp;

First responder located 23-year-old Jackson E. Danner of Topeka who was pronounced deceased at the scene. This incident is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest.

On Oct. 14, police responded to a shooting in the 400 block of NE Grattan Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.

&nbsp;Officers were able to secure the scene and located 4-year-old Lawrencia Perez-Belair who appeared to be suffering from a gunshot wound.&nbsp; The girl was transported to a local hospital and died.

Early Sunday police reported the arrest of 24-year-old&nbsp;Mariann L. Belair, 24, Topeka.&nbsp; She is being held in Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges Murder in the 1st degree, in the commission of a felony and Aggravated Endangering a child, reckless situation.&nbsp; Police have not reported the relationship between the woman and the child victim.

On Oct. 13, police responded to a report of a shooting victim at a local hospital, according to Topeka Police Captain Jerry Monasmith.

At the hospital, officers located 17-year-old Damayah Calhoun suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound.&nbsp; Medical personnel pronounce Calhoun deceased. The Oct. 13, incident is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp;

Just after 5:30 p.m. Oct.11, police responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of SW Clay Street in Topeka.&nbsp; First responders located&nbsp;Ra’Juan Spicer, 18, Topeka, suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. EMS personnel pronounced him deceased at the scene. Police have not reported an arrest in this case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697120006665.png" alt="Police on the scene of the deadly shooting Oct. 11-photo courtesy&nbsp; WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the deadly shooting Oct. 11-photo courtesy&nbsp; WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fifth deadly shooting over the past week in Topeka. Two suspects are in custody.At 10:30 p.m. Oct. 10, police responded to a shooting in the 2000 block of SE Pennsylvania Street in Topeka.First responders located 17-year-old Victor Carlton suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. Medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.&nbsp; Early Tuesday police reported the arrest of a 17-year-old suspect on requested charges of murder and aggravated robbery.Just after 9:30 a.m. Oct. 15, police responded to a report of an individual laying in the front yard of a home in the 1600 block of SW 21st Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson.&nbsp;First responder located 23-year-old Jackson E. Danner of Topeka who was pronounced deceased at the scene. This incident is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest.On Oct. 14, police responded to a shooting in the 400 block of NE Grattan Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.&nbsp;Officers were able to secure the scene and located 4-year-old Lawrencia Perez-Belair who appeared to be suffering from a gunshot wound.&nbsp; The girl was transported to a local hospital and died.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697371794491.png" alt="Belair-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Belair-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Early Sunday police reported the arrest of 24-year-old&nbsp;Mariann L. Belair, 24, Topeka.&nbsp; She is being held in Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges Murder in the 1st degree, in the commission of a felony and Aggravated Endangering a child, reckless situation.&nbsp; Police have not reported the relationship between the woman and the child victim.On Oct. 13, police responded to a report of a shooting victim at a local hospital, according to Topeka Police Captain Jerry Monasmith.At the hospital, officers located 17-year-old Damayah Calhoun suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound.&nbsp; Medical personnel pronounce Calhoun deceased. The Oct. 13, incident is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp;Just after 5:30 p.m. Oct.11, police responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of SW Clay Street in Topeka.&nbsp; First responders located&nbsp;Ra’Juan Spicer, 18, Topeka, suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. EMS personnel pronounced him deceased at the scene. Police have not reported an arrest in this case.

2nd arrest made in series 5 homicides in Kansas last week

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

TOPEKA — A computer network incident in Kansas interrupting electronic filings and payments in the state’s appellate courts and the district courts in all but populous Johnson County has been extended indefinitely, officials said Monday.

The Kansas Supreme Court issued an updated administrative order indicating clerks in 104 counties were unable to receive online filings. The cause, which hasn’t been precisely explained, hasn’t forbidden clerk offices from operating. However, all filings must be executed with paper, delivered by hand or through the mail, or with a fax machine.

The order signed by Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert would allow individuals to request relief from the courts if filings were late.

“This order and other information on our website will guide&nbsp;court&nbsp;users on our operations while our information systems are offline,” Luckert said. “We continue to serve our communities, but we are using different methods until our systems are restored.”

The&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Courts&nbsp;eFiling system and other elements of the judicial branch’s online presence “experienced a security incident” that was publicly revealed Oct. 12.

In addition, the incident disrupted the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Protection Order Portal,&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;District&nbsp;Court&nbsp;Public Access Portal, Appellate Case Inquiry System,&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Attorney Registration,&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;online marriage license application system, Central Payment Center and the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;eCourt case management system.

The Office of&nbsp;Judicial&nbsp;Administration sought input from computer experts to analyze what occurred during the security incident. Until operational questions have been answered, court officials said,&nbsp; the state couldn’t predict when the network systems would be brought online.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1611847076223.png" alt="Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert signed a new administrative order extending rules related to a security incident that interrupted operation of electronic filing systems in district and appellate courts.&nbsp;Attorneys in Kansas must operate, at least temporarily, use real paper.&nbsp; File photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert signed a new administrative order extending rules related to a security incident that interrupted operation of electronic filing systems in district and appellate courts.&nbsp;Attorneys in Kansas must operate, at least temporarily, use real paper.&nbsp; File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A computer network incident in Kansas interrupting electronic filings and payments in the state’s appellate courts and the district courts in all but populous Johnson County has been extended indefinitely, officials said Monday.The Kansas Supreme Court issued an updated administrative order indicating clerks in 104 counties were unable to receive online filings. The cause, which hasn’t been precisely explained, hasn’t forbidden clerk offices from operating. However, all filings must be executed with paper, delivered by hand or through the mail, or with a fax machine.The order signed by Kansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert would allow individuals to request relief from the courts if filings were late.“This order and other information on our website will guide&nbsp;court&nbsp;users on our operations while our information systems are offline,” Luckert said. “We continue to serve our communities, but we are using different methods until our systems are restored.”The&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Courts&nbsp;eFiling system and other elements of the judicial branch’s online presence “experienced a security incident” that was publicly revealed Oct. 12.In addition, the incident disrupted the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Protection Order Portal,&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;District&nbsp;Court&nbsp;Public Access Portal, Appellate Case Inquiry System,&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;Attorney Registration,&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;online marriage license application system, Central Payment Center and the&nbsp;Kansas&nbsp;eCourt case management system.The Office of&nbsp;Judicial&nbsp;Administration sought input from computer experts to analyze what occurred during the security incident. Until operational questions have been answered, court officials said,&nbsp; the state couldn’t predict when the network systems would be brought online.

Computer network woes force Kan. courts to rely on old-school methods of operation

SHERMAN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 352 officials are investigating a suspect in connection with an alleged school threat.

On Monday, morning the Sherman county law enforcement required the Goodland Junior/Senior High School go to a lockdown situation, according to&nbsp;Superintendent Bill Bierman.

According to the sheriff's office, all schools were put on high alert for a threat made against staff and the High School. Deputies located the suspect and placed them into custody.&nbsp; Authorities have not released the name of the suspect or details on possible charges.

SHERMAN COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities and USD 352 officials are investigating a suspect in connection with an alleged school threat.On Monday, morning the Sherman county law enforcement required the Goodland Junior/Senior High School go to a lockdown situation, according to&nbsp;Superintendent Bill Bierman.According to the sheriff's office, all schools were put on high alert for a threat made against staff and the High School. Deputies located the suspect and placed them into custody.&nbsp; Authorities have not released the name of the suspect or details on possible charges.

Suspect in custody after alleged threat at Kansas high school

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal&nbsp; &nbsp;shooting in Wichita continue asking the public for help to locate a suspect identified as Luis Jackson, according to a Crime Stoppers report.

Just after 2a.m. September 10, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 4000 block of West Memory Lane in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

First responders&nbsp; located&nbsp;19-year-old Zyles James of Wichita unconscious and not breathing with gunshot wounds to his upper and lower body.

Officers began providing life-saving efforts until EMS arrived. James was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.

During the initial response, officers located another victim with a graze wound to the arm. The victim was transported to a local hospital and was treated and released.

If you see Jackson or know his location, call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694602061567.png" alt="Jackson-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Jackson-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal&nbsp; &nbsp;shooting in Wichita continue asking the public for help to locate a suspect identified as Luis Jackson, according to a Crime Stoppers report.Just after 2a.m. September 10, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 4000 block of West Memory Lane in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.First responders&nbsp; located&nbsp;19-year-old Zyles James of Wichita unconscious and not breathing with gunshot wounds to his upper and lower body.Officers began providing life-saving efforts until EMS arrived. James was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced deceased.During the initial response, officers located another victim with a graze wound to the arm. The victim was transported to a local hospital and was treated and released.If you see Jackson or know his location, call 911 or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Suspect in murder of Kansas teen still at large

MANHATTAN—In August, Kansas State University president Richard Linton shared news of his cancer diagnosis. On Monday he wrote a letter to share an an update:

Last Friday, I completed my seven-week cancer treatment program and officially (and excitedly) packed up my remote office in Kansas City for the last time. Wildcats — I AM HOME! I cannot tell you how good it feels to be back in Manhattan.&nbsp;

I am beyond thankful for the incredible care provided by my medical team throughout my diagnosis, treatment and now, recovery. The photos I am sharing with you today were taken when I celebrated the completion of my chemotherapy and radiation treatments. As many of you likely know, there is a tradition to ring the bell on the last day of each of those treatments, and the cheers that filled that space when I did so filled my heart just as much. It was an incredible and momentous experience, and I like to think it felt the same for the medical professionals who pour their lives into that space every day as well.&nbsp;

Over the last two months, I have received tremendous support from my immediate family and the entire Wildcat community. Many of you shared well wishes and prayers from across the country that lifted me up and reinforced for me how special the K-State family truly is. Plainly stated, your encouragement made me fight harder against the cancer, and because of this experience, my appreciation for the K-State family has grown beyond what I ever thought possible. Your support made a huge difference during my treatment, and I know it will continue to do the same during my recovery.&nbsp;

During the upcoming weeks, I am planning to conduct much of my work from the Pres Res as I regain my strength. I'm excited to feel the energy of this campus surround me again in that space, and I know that I will steadily be able to be more and more visible across campus as time progresses.&nbsp;

I am truly blessed by the support I've received that has allowed me to continue to lead during this time. Your flexibility and belief in the great things we are doing have allowed us to continue to push this institution forward together. As I said when I announced my diagnosis in August, K-Staters face difficult situations and uncertainty head-on, fighting for the greatest outcome. I told you I would do that during this journey, and I believe I've made good on my promise.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697507588486.png" alt="Photo courtesy KSU" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KSU</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN—In August, Kansas State University president Richard Linton shared news of his cancer diagnosis. On Monday he wrote a letter to share an an update:Last Friday, I completed my seven-week cancer treatment program and officially (and excitedly) packed up my remote office in Kansas City for the last time. Wildcats — I AM HOME! I cannot tell you how good it feels to be back in Manhattan.&nbsp;I am beyond thankful for the incredible care provided by my medical team throughout my diagnosis, treatment and now, recovery. The photos I am sharing with you today were taken when I celebrated the completion of my chemotherapy and radiation treatments. As many of you likely know, there is a tradition to ring the bell on the last day of each of those treatments, and the cheers that filled that space when I did so filled my heart just as much. It was an incredible and momentous experience, and I like to think it felt the same for the medical professionals who pour their lives into that space every day as well.&nbsp;Over the last two months, I have received tremendous support from my immediate family and the entire Wildcat community. Many of you shared well wishes and prayers from across the country that lifted me up and reinforced for me how special the K-State family truly is. Plainly stated, your encouragement made me fight harder against the cancer, and because of this experience, my appreciation for the K-State family has grown beyond what I ever thought possible. Your support made a huge difference during my treatment, and I know it will continue to do the same during my recovery.&nbsp;During the upcoming weeks, I am planning to conduct much of my work from the Pres Res as I regain my strength. I'm excited to feel the energy of this campus surround me again in that space, and I know that I will steadily be able to be more and more visible across campus as time progresses.&nbsp;I am truly blessed by the support I've received that has allowed me to continue to lead during this time. Your flexibility and belief in the great things we are doing have allowed us to continue to push this institution forward together. As I said when I announced my diagnosis in August, K-Staters face difficult situations and uncertainty head-on, fighting for the greatest outcome. I told you I would do that during this journey, and I believe I've made good on my promise.&nbsp;Thank you, and as always, Go 'Cats!Richard&nbsp;LintonPresident&nbsp;

K-State president Richard Linton home from cancer treatment

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just after 8:30a.m. Monday,&nbsp;the Barton County Sheriff’s Office executed search warrants at two separate locations in the City of Great Bend, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir. Sheriff’s deputies and detectives had been working for several weeks on a cocaine distribution investigation.

Warrants were served simultaneously in the 2200 block of Heizer Street and in the 1700 block of Washington Street. Sheriff’s officers located cocaine, currency, firearms and drug paraphernalia. The Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the Great Bend Fire Department to force entry into a safe. The firemen were successful and further evidence was found.

At the Heiser Street location, deputies arrested 31-year-old Fausto Hernandez, Junior of Great Bend and booked him on requested charges of distribution of cocaine and criminal use of a firearm. He’s being held in lieu of a $100,000 bond. Fausto Hernandez also had an outstanding warrant for attempting to flee and elude, which carries an additional $1,000 bond.

Evidence found at the scene implicates other individuals and further arrests are expected.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697487158767.jpeg" alt="Fausto Hernandez" />
 <figcaption>Fausto Hernandez</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just after 8:30a.m. Monday,&nbsp;the Barton County Sheriff’s Office executed search warrants at two separate locations in the City of Great Bend, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir. Sheriff’s deputies and detectives had been working for several weeks on a cocaine distribution investigation.Warrants were served simultaneously in the 2200 block of Heizer Street and in the 1700 block of Washington Street. Sheriff’s officers located cocaine, currency, firearms and drug paraphernalia. The Sheriff’s Office requested the assistance of the Great Bend Fire Department to force entry into a safe. The firemen were successful and further evidence was found.At the Heiser Street location, deputies arrested 31-year-old Fausto Hernandez, Junior of Great Bend and booked him on requested charges of distribution of cocaine and criminal use of a firearm. He’s being held in lieu of a $100,000 bond. Fausto Hernandez also had an outstanding warrant for attempting to flee and elude, which carries an additional $1,000 bond.Evidence found at the scene implicates other individuals and further arrests are expected.

Kansas deputies found cocaine, cash and guns

JERUSALEM, Israel — President Joe Biden will travel to Israel on Wednesday to show support for the U.S. ally amid concerns the Israel-Hamas war could become a larger regional conflict, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.

Biden will then go to Jordan to meet with Arab leaders, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.

Blinken's announcement followed hours of talks with Israeli officials, as well as an invitation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

As the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip grows more dire, Blinken also said the U.S. and Israel had agreed to develop a plan to enable humanitarian aid from donor nations to reach civilians in Gaza, "including the possibility of creating areas to help keep civilians out of harm’s way.”

“We share Israel’s concern that Hamas may seize or destroy aid entering Gaza or otherwise prevent it from reaching the people who need it,” Blinken said.

JERUSALEM, Israel (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;will travel to Israel and on to Jordan Wednesday to meet with both Israeli and Arab leadership, as concerns increase that the raging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-palestinian-conflict">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;could expand into a larger regional conflict.

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Biden’s travel to Israel as the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip grows more dire and as Israel prepares for a possible ground attack on the 141-square-mile (365-square-kilometer) territory to root out Hamas militants responsible for what U.S. and Israeli officials say was the most lethal assault against Jews since the Holocaust.

Biden is looking to send the strongest message yet that the U.S. is behind Israel. His Democratic administration has pledged military support, sending U.S. carriers and aid to the region. Officials have said they would ask Congress for upward of $2 billion in additional aid for both Israel and Ukraine, which is fighting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s invasion</a>.

Blinken made the announcement early Tuesday after more than seven hours of talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials.

“He is coming here at a critical moment for Israel, for the region and for the world,” Blinken said.

Shortly after in Washington, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby announced that Biden would also go to Jordan to meet with King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

“We’ve been crystal clear about the need for humanitarian aid to be able to continue to flow into Gaza," Kirby said. “That has been a consistent call by President Biden and certainly by this entire administration.”

Truckloads of aid idled Monday at Egypt’s border with Gaza,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-781b3c63af4ae6e51c313a68f314e66d">barred from entry,</a>&nbsp;as residents and humanitarian groups pleaded for water, food and fuel for dying generators, saying the tiny Palestinian territory sealed off by Israel after last week’s rampage by Hamas was near total collapse.

Biden had been scheduled to travel to Pueblo, Colorado, on Monday but decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-boebert-colorado-economy-ab1424ffde9a8178083fe987db5cc839">postpone the visit</a>&nbsp;so he could consult with his aides and speak with fellow leaders about the unfolding situation in the Middle East.

The announcements came after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Biden</a>&nbsp;consulted with a trio of world leaders and his own national security team on Monday amid growing global concern about the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Gaza Strip and fears that the Israel-Hamas war could metastasize into a broader regional conflict.

Biden spoke by phone with Egypt's el-Sissi, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz about the fallout from Hamas militants’ surprise attacks on Israel that left 1,400 dead and retaliatory strikes that have killed at least 2,778 Palestinians.

European Union leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-eu-hamas-7674278ef4f7750244c0a772efdb33a7">will hold an emergency summit on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;as concern mounts that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/israel-hamas-war-live-updates">the war</a>&nbsp;between Israel and Hamas could fuel tensions in Europe and bring more refugees in search of sanctuary.

Biden’s call with the Egyptian leader came one day after el-Sissi met with Blinken in Cairo. Egypt’s state-run media said el-Sissi told Blinken that Israel’s Gaza operation has exceeded “the right of self-defense” and turned into “a collective punishment.”

Kirby declined to comment on el-Sissi's concerns about how Israel is conducting the war.

“The humanitarian situation was high on the list of the discussion with President el-Sissi,” Kirby said.

Earlier Monday, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed in the Oval Office by their national security team on the situation on the ground in Israel and Gaza. White House chief of staff Jeff Zients joined the briefing led by national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and Central Intelligence Agency Director Bill Burns, according to the White House.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/antony-blinken">Blinken</a>&nbsp;was in Israel on Monday for his second visit in less than a week for talks with Israeli leaders. He has been crisscrossing the Middle East with stops in Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

Blinken, in talks Monday with Netanyahu and other Israeli officials, carried back some of the feedback he received from Arab leaders. He also “underlined his firm support for Israel’s right to defend itself from Hamas’ terrorism and reaffirmed U.S. determination to provide the Israeli government with what it needs to protect its citizens,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

JERUSALEM, Israel — President Joe Biden will travel to Israel on Wednesday to show support for the U.S. ally amid concerns the Israel-Hamas war could become a larger regional conflict, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">On Wednesday, President Biden will travel to Israel to demonstrate his steadfast support for Israel in the face of Hamas’s brutal terrorist attack and to consult on next steps.&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1714088491695398975?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">On Wednesday, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> will visit Israel. He’s coming here at a critical moment for Israel, for the region, and for the world.&mdash; Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken/status/1714074816272089510?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 17, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden will then go to Jordan to meet with Arab leaders, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said.Blinken's announcement followed hours of talks with Israeli officials, as well as an invitation from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I returned to Israel to meet with <a href="https://twitter.com/IsraeliPM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IsraeliPM</a> Netanyahu. We discussed U.S. support for Israel’s right to defend itself and its citizens from Hamas’ terrorism. <a href="https://t.co/qoX5074VAM">pic.twitter.com/qoX5074VAM</a>&mdash; Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken/status/1713941111670964738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>As the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip grows more dire, Blinken also said the U.S. and Israel had agreed to develop a plan to enable humanitarian aid from donor nations to reach civilians in Gaza, "including the possibility of creating areas to help keep civilians out of harm’s way.”“We share Israel’s concern that Hamas may seize or destroy aid entering Gaza or otherwise prevent it from reaching the people who need it,” Blinken said.---------JERUSALEM, Israel (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;will travel to Israel and on to Jordan Wednesday to meet with both Israeli and Arab leadership, as concerns increase that the raging&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-palestinian-conflict">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;could expand into a larger regional conflict.U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced Biden’s travel to Israel as the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip grows more dire and as Israel prepares for a possible ground attack on the 141-square-mile (365-square-kilometer) territory to root out Hamas militants responsible for what U.S. and Israeli officials say was the most lethal assault against Jews since the Holocaust.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I returned to Israel to meet with <a href="https://twitter.com/IsraeliPM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IsraeliPM</a> Netanyahu. We discussed U.S. support for Israel’s right to defend itself and its citizens from Hamas’ terrorism. <a href="https://t.co/qoX5074VAM">pic.twitter.com/qoX5074VAM</a>&mdash; Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken/status/1713941111670964738?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 16, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden is looking to send the strongest message yet that the U.S. is behind Israel. His Democratic administration has pledged military support, sending U.S. carriers and aid to the region. Officials have said they would ask Congress for upward of $2 billion in additional aid for both Israel and Ukraine, which is fighting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s invasion</a>.Blinken made the announcement early Tuesday after more than seven hours of talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials.“He is coming here at a critical moment for Israel, for the region and for the world,” Blinken said.Shortly after in Washington, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby announced that Biden would also go to Jordan to meet with King Abdullah II, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.“We’ve been crystal clear about the need for humanitarian aid to be able to continue to flow into Gaza," Kirby said. “That has been a consistent call by President Biden and certainly by this entire administration.”Truckloads of aid idled Monday at Egypt’s border with Gaza,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-781b3c63af4ae6e51c313a68f314e66d">barred from entry,</a>&nbsp;as residents and humanitarian groups pleaded for water, food and fuel for dying generators, saying the tiny Palestinian territory sealed off by Israel after last week’s rampage by Hamas was near total collapse.Biden had been scheduled to travel to Pueblo, Colorado, on Monday but decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-boebert-colorado-economy-ab1424ffde9a8178083fe987db5cc839">postpone the visit</a>&nbsp;so he could consult with his aides and speak with fellow leaders about the unfolding situation in the Middle East.The announcements came after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Biden</a>&nbsp;consulted with a trio of world leaders and his own national security team on Monday amid growing global concern about the humanitarian crisis unfolding in the Gaza Strip and fears that the Israel-Hamas war could metastasize into a broader regional conflict.Biden spoke by phone with Egypt's el-Sissi, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz about the fallout from Hamas militants’ surprise attacks on Israel that left 1,400 dead and retaliatory strikes that have killed at least 2,778 Palestinians.European Union leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-eu-hamas-7674278ef4f7750244c0a772efdb33a7">will hold an emergency summit on Tuesday</a>&nbsp;as concern mounts that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/israel-hamas-war-live-updates">the war</a>&nbsp;between Israel and Hamas could fuel tensions in Europe and bring more refugees in search of sanctuary.Biden’s call with the Egyptian leader came one day after el-Sissi met with Blinken in Cairo. Egypt’s state-run media said el-Sissi told Blinken that Israel’s Gaza operation has exceeded “the right of self-defense” and turned into “a collective punishment.”Kirby declined to comment on el-Sissi's concerns about how Israel is conducting the war.“The humanitarian situation was high on the list of the discussion with President el-Sissi,” Kirby said.Earlier Monday, Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed in the Oval Office by their national security team on the situation on the ground in Israel and Gaza. White House chief of staff Jeff Zients joined the briefing led by national security adviser Jake Sullivan, Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines and Central Intelligence Agency Director Bill Burns, according to the White House.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/antony-blinken">Blinken</a>&nbsp;was in Israel on Monday for his second visit in less than a week for talks with Israeli leaders. He has been crisscrossing the Middle East with stops in Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.Blinken, in talks Monday with Netanyahu and other Israeli officials, carried back some of the feedback he received from Arab leaders. He also “underlined his firm support for Israel’s right to defend itself from Hamas’ terrorism and reaffirmed U.S. determination to provide the Israeli government with what it needs to protect its citizens,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said in a statement.

Israel trip: Biden to meet Abbas, Egypt's Sisi and Jordan's King

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fifth deadly shooting over the past week in Topeka.

Just after 9:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a report of an individual laying in the front yard of a home in the 1600 block of SW 21st Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson.&nbsp;

First responder located 23-year-old Jackson E. Danner of Topeka who was pronounced deceased at the scene. This incident is being investigated as a homicide.

On Saturday, police responded to a shooting in the 400 block of NE Grattan Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.

On Friday, police responded to a report of a shooting victim at a local hospital, according to Topeka Police Captain Jerry Monasmith.

At the hospital, officers located 17-year-old Damayah Calhoun suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound.&nbsp; Medical personnel pronounce Calhoun deceased.

The Friday incident is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp;

Just after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of SW Clay Street in Topeka.&nbsp; First responders located&nbsp;Ra’Juan Spicer, 18, Topeka, suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound.

EMS personnel pronounced him deceased at the scene.&nbsp;

At 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting in the 2000 block of SE Pennsylvania Street in Topeka.

First responders located 17-year-old Victor Carlton suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. Medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest in these cases.

Danner's death is the city’s 31st homicide of 2023.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fifth deadly shooting over the past week in Topeka.Just after 9:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a report of an individual laying in the front yard of a home in the 1600 block of SW 21st Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson.&nbsp;First responder located 23-year-old Jackson E. Danner of Topeka who was pronounced deceased at the scene. This incident is being investigated as a homicide.On Saturday, police responded to a shooting in the 400 block of NE Grattan Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.&nbsp;Officers were able to secure the scene and located 4-year-old Lawrencia Perez-Belair who appeared to be suffering from a gunshot wound.&nbsp; The girl was transported to a local hospital and died.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697371794491.png" alt="Belair-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Belair-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Early Sunday police reported the arrest of 24-year-old&nbsp;Mariann L. Belair, 24, Topeka.&nbsp; She is being held in Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges Murder in the 1st degree, in the commission of a felony and Aggravated Endangering a child, reckless situation.&nbsp; Police have not reported the relationship between the woman and the child victim.On Friday, police responded to a report of a shooting victim at a local hospital, according to Topeka Police Captain Jerry Monasmith.At the hospital, officers located 17-year-old Damayah Calhoun suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound.&nbsp; Medical personnel pronounce Calhoun deceased.The Friday incident is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp;Just after 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of SW Clay Street in Topeka.&nbsp; First responders located&nbsp;Ra’Juan Spicer, 18, Topeka, suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound.EMS personnel pronounced him deceased at the scene.&nbsp;At 10:30 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting in the 2000 block of SE Pennsylvania Street in Topeka.First responders located 17-year-old Victor Carlton suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. Medical personnel pronounced him dead at the scene.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest in these cases.Danner's death is the city’s 31st homicide of 2023.

5 homicides in Kansas over the past 6 days 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 7p.m. Sunday in Sedgwick County.

A 2012 Nissan Sentra driven by Varun Aithagoni, a 22-year old foreign exchange student was eastbound on 21st&nbsp;Street North and failed to yield at the stop sign at 391 Street West, according to Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs.

A northbound 1999 Chevy Tahoe driven by Brandon Schroeder 36,&nbsp; Cheney, struck the Nissan.

EMS transported Aithagoni and the front seat passenger identified as&nbsp; 22-year-old Pratiksha Kunwar, also a foreign exchange student, to a local hospital where she was pronounced deceased at 8:10 p.m., according to Gibbs. Aithagoni’s two rear seat passengers were released at the scene.

EMS also transported Schroeder and his two passengers, a 2-year-old boy and 3-year-old boy, to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries. All occupants were wearing seatbelts and there were no signs of intoxication at this time. The incident is still under investigation, according to Gibbs.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 7p.m. Sunday in Sedgwick County.A 2012 Nissan Sentra driven by Varun Aithagoni, a 22-year old foreign exchange student was eastbound on 21st&nbsp;Street North and failed to yield at the stop sign at 391 Street West, according to Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs.A northbound 1999 Chevy Tahoe driven by Brandon Schroeder 36,&nbsp; Cheney, struck the Nissan.EMS transported Aithagoni and the front seat passenger identified as&nbsp; 22-year-old Pratiksha Kunwar, also a foreign exchange student, to a local hospital where she was pronounced deceased at 8:10 p.m., according to Gibbs. Aithagoni’s two rear seat passengers were released at the scene.EMS also transported Schroeder and his two passengers, a 2-year-old boy and 3-year-old boy, to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries. All occupants were wearing seatbelts and there were no signs of intoxication at this time. The incident is still under investigation, according to Gibbs.