ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a registered Kansas sex offender on new allegations.

On Tuesday, police arrested 53-year-old David W. Chapman of Lancaster on a District Court warrant for violation of a protective order and District and Municipal Court warrants failure to appear in court, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

Chapman has previous convictions for aggravated criminal sodomy involving a child under the age of 14, perjury and trafficking contraband into a correctional facility, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. He has been a registered offender since 2013.

In November, police arrested Chapman for alleged failure to appear. In January and&nbsp; April of 2022, he was in custody for alleged bond violations, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682516639495.png" alt="Chapman-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Chapman-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a registered Kansas sex offender on new allegations.On Tuesday, police arrested 53-year-old David W. Chapman of Lancaster on a District Court warrant for violation of a protective order and District and Municipal Court warrants failure to appear in court, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.Chapman has previous convictions for aggravated criminal sodomy involving a child under the age of 14, perjury and trafficking contraband into a correctional facility, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. He has been a registered offender since 2013.In November, police arrested Chapman for alleged failure to appear. In January and&nbsp; April of 2022, he was in custody for alleged bond violations, according to online jail records.

Kansas sex offender jailed on new allegations

JACKSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 11a.m. Wednesday in Jackson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Dodge Avenger driven by&nbsp;Ayinde-Jriel James, 44, Fort Worth, Texas, was northbound on U.S. 75 two miles north of Holton at excess speeds. 

The driver began to pass numerous vehicles without sufficient clearance and struck a southbound 2010 Mercury Grand Marquis driven by Melinda J.&nbsp;Wareham, 74, Whiting. The vehicles collided head-on, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.

Wareham was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Frontier Forensics. James was not hospitalized. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682537465769.png" alt="Traffic backed up after the crash -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Traffic backed up after the crash -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 11a.m. Wednesday in Jackson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Dodge Avenger driven by&nbsp;Ayinde-Jriel James, 44, Fort Worth, Texas, was northbound on U.S. 75 two miles north of Holton at excess speeds. The driver began to pass numerous vehicles without sufficient clearance and struck a southbound 2010 Mercury Grand Marquis driven by Melinda J.&nbsp;Wareham, 74, Whiting. The vehicles collided head-on, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.Wareham was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Frontier Forensics. James was not hospitalized. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman dead after head-on crash

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A former Arkansas state senator has been sentenced to four years and two months in prison for accepting multiple bribes in Missouri, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.

Jeremy Hutchinson, 48, of Little Rock, was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in Kansas City for his conviction on a charge of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release. That sentence will run after previous sentences of three years and 10 months for similar convictions in the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas, bringing a total of eight years in prison, the department said.

Hutchinson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3b658e167dcf4a14b697ad410e329ef3">admitted</a>&nbsp;that as a senator he was hired as outside counsel for Preferred Family Healthcare Inc., and in exchange took action in the Arkansas Legislature to help the Springfield, Missouri-based nonprofit.

Hutchinson admitted to holding up agency budgets, initiating legislative audits, and sponsoring and voting for legislation that would help Preferred Family, according to his plea agreement. Hutchinson was paid more than $350,000 in charity funds between May 2014 and 2017 and also received hotel rooms and Major League Baseball tickets paid for by the nonprofit.

In 2022, Preferred Family Healthcare agreed to pay more than $8 million in forfeiture and restitution to the federal government and the state of Arkansas under the terms of a non-prosecution agreement, in which the company admitted to criminal conduct by former officers and employees, prosecutors said.

Hutchinson is the son of former U.S. Sen. Tim Hutchinson of Arkansas and is former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s nephew.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1648930941495.png" alt="Former State Senator Jeremy Hutchinson of Little Rock, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Former State Senator Jeremy Hutchinson of Little Rock, Arkansas, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit federal program bribery-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A former Arkansas state senator has been sentenced to four years and two months in prison for accepting multiple bribes in Missouri, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.Jeremy Hutchinson, 48, of Little Rock, was sentenced Tuesday in federal court in Kansas City for his conviction on a charge of conspiracy to commit federal program bribery, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release. That sentence will run after previous sentences of three years and 10 months for similar convictions in the Eastern and Western Districts of Arkansas, bringing a total of eight years in prison, the department said.Hutchinson&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3b658e167dcf4a14b697ad410e329ef3">admitted</a>&nbsp;that as a senator he was hired as outside counsel for Preferred Family Healthcare Inc., and in exchange took action in the Arkansas Legislature to help the Springfield, Missouri-based nonprofit.Hutchinson admitted to holding up agency budgets, initiating legislative audits, and sponsoring and voting for legislation that would help Preferred Family, according to his plea agreement. Hutchinson was paid more than $350,000 in charity funds between May 2014 and 2017 and also received hotel rooms and Major League Baseball tickets paid for by the nonprofit.In 2022, Preferred Family Healthcare agreed to pay more than $8 million in forfeiture and restitution to the federal government and the state of Arkansas under the terms of a non-prosecution agreement, in which the company admitted to criminal conduct by former officers and employees, prosecutors said.Hutchinson is the son of former U.S. Sen. Tim Hutchinson of Arkansas and is former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s nephew.

Ex- lawmaker sentenced in Kansas City for bribery 

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/kansas-house-agrees-to-raise-legal-smoking-age-to-21/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The GOP-dominated House overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of three anti-abortion laws Wednesday over objections about state-mandated misinformation, alienating OB-GYN workers and ignoring the will of voters.

The Senate subsequently voted to override the governor’s veto of one of the bills, and was expected to attempt an override of the others.

Republican leaders have pursued anti-abortion legislation without regard for the 59-41 vote in August 2022 to reject a constitutional amendment stripping women of the right to terminate a pregnancy. Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the bills passed by lawmakers before they adjourned earlier this month.

They include&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2313/">House Bill 2313</a>, which requires medical care for babies “born alive,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2325/">House Bill 2325</a>, which bans abortion providers from buying liability insurance from a state fund, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2264/">House Bill 2264</a>, which requires physicians to give patients medically inaccurate information about the potential to reverse the abortion pill.

Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Shawnee Democrat, said she was insulted by the name of the reversal bill, which is known as the “Woman’s Right to Know Act.”

“Here’s what women really know: The Kansas Supreme Court affirmed bodily autonomy to women in Kansas, and this Legislature is trying to take it away,” Ruiz said.

The abortion pill, mifepristone, is used for about two-thirds of abortions in Kansas.

The legislation requires clinics, hospitals and pharmacies where the abortion pill is prescribed or dispensed to post a conspicuous sign that is clearly visible to patients with lettering at least 3/4 of an inch in boldfaced type that says it may be possible to reverse the intended effects of mifepristone. Physicians also must provide information about the reversal before administering the abortion pill.

Research supporting the claim that the abortion pill can be reversed by taking a another drug has been debunked. Other research has shown reversal attempts to be hazardous to women’s health.

“What I hear over and over and over and over from those of us who are not pro life, I hear, ‘Trust women. Trust women,’ ” said Rep. Clarke Sanders, a Salina Republican. “Do you really believe that? If you really believe ‘trust women,’ you’re going to vote to override this veto. Women have a right to know this. They can make a decision about whether or not they want to try to change the decision they made initially about having a chemical abortion.”

A veto override requires the support of two-thirds of the members of both chambers. Those thresholds are 84 votes in the House and 27 in the Senate.

The House overrode the veto of the abortion pill reversal and liability insurance bills on 84-40 votes, and overrode the veto of the “born alive” bill on an 87-37 vote. The Senate overrode the veto of the “born alive” bill on a 31-9 vote.

The “born alive” bill requires medical care for infants extracted from the mother with a beating heart or ability to breathe, under the false pretense that “failed abortions” are performed on infants that are capable of surviving. Kansas law bans abortion at 22 weeks from gestation, except to save the life of a mother.

Rep. Ron Bryce, a Republican physician from Coffeyville, said he personally provided aid to 27 babies who survived an abortion.

“We are moral people,” Bryce said. “We provide care for those who are weak, for those who are disadvantaged, for those who are innocent and powerless.”

The third piece of legislation bans abortion providers from obtaining liability insurance through the Health Care Stabilization Fund, which all physicians are required to contribute pay into. However, the bill allows “maternity centers” to have access to the fund.

“These bills are going to drive providers out of our state, and we already have a problem in rural Kansas,” said Rep. Melissa Oropeza, a Democrat from Kansas City. “This will continue to alienate new providers from coming into our state.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682547109946.png" alt="Debate in the Kansas House Wednesday-photo Legislative YouTube&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Debate in the Kansas House Wednesday-photo Legislative YouTube&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/kansas-house-agrees-to-raise-legal-smoking-age-to-21/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The GOP-dominated House overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of three anti-abortion laws Wednesday over objections about state-mandated misinformation, alienating OB-GYN workers and ignoring the will of voters.The Senate subsequently voted to override the governor’s veto of one of the bills, and was expected to attempt an override of the others.Republican leaders have pursued anti-abortion legislation without regard for the 59-41 vote in August 2022 to reject a constitutional amendment stripping women of the right to terminate a pregnancy. Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed the bills passed by lawmakers before they adjourned earlier this month.They include&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2313/">House Bill 2313</a>, which requires medical care for babies “born alive,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2325/">House Bill 2325</a>, which bans abortion providers from buying liability insurance from a state fund, and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/hb2264/">House Bill 2264</a>, which requires physicians to give patients medically inaccurate information about the potential to reverse the abortion pill.Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Shawnee Democrat, said she was insulted by the name of the reversal bill, which is known as the “Woman’s Right to Know Act.”“Here’s what women really know: The Kansas Supreme Court affirmed bodily autonomy to women in Kansas, and this Legislature is trying to take it away,” Ruiz said.The abortion pill, mifepristone, is used for about two-thirds of abortions in Kansas.The legislation requires clinics, hospitals and pharmacies where the abortion pill is prescribed or dispensed to post a conspicuous sign that is clearly visible to patients with lettering at least 3/4 of an inch in boldfaced type that says it may be possible to reverse the intended effects of mifepristone. Physicians also must provide information about the reversal before administering the abortion pill.Research supporting the claim that the abortion pill can be reversed by taking a another drug has been debunked. Other research has shown reversal attempts to be hazardous to women’s health.“What I hear over and over and over and over from those of us who are not pro life, I hear, ‘Trust women. Trust women,’ ” said Rep. Clarke Sanders, a Salina Republican. “Do you really believe that? If you really believe ‘trust women,’ you’re going to vote to override this veto. Women have a right to know this. They can make a decision about whether or not they want to try to change the decision they made initially about having a chemical abortion.”A veto override requires the support of two-thirds of the members of both chambers. Those thresholds are 84 votes in the House and 27 in the Senate.The House overrode the veto of the abortion pill reversal and liability insurance bills on 84-40 votes, and overrode the veto of the “born alive” bill on an 87-37 vote. The Senate overrode the veto of the “born alive” bill on a 31-9 vote.The “born alive” bill requires medical care for infants extracted from the mother with a beating heart or ability to breathe, under the false pretense that “failed abortions” are performed on infants that are capable of surviving. Kansas law bans abortion at 22 weeks from gestation, except to save the life of a mother.Rep. Ron Bryce, a Republican physician from Coffeyville, said he personally provided aid to 27 babies who survived an abortion.“We are moral people,” Bryce said. “We provide care for those who are weak, for those who are disadvantaged, for those who are innocent and powerless.”The third piece of legislation bans abortion providers from obtaining liability insurance through the Health Care Stabilization Fund, which all physicians are required to contribute pay into. However, the bill allows “maternity centers” to have access to the fund.“These bills are going to drive providers out of our state, and we already have a problem in rural Kansas,” said Rep. Melissa Oropeza, a Democrat from Kansas City. “This will continue to alienate new providers from coming into our state.”

Kansas House overrides governor’s vetoes of three anti-abortion bills

BARTON COUNTY —One person died in a fire last week in Great Bend.

On April 20, fire crews responded to the report of a shed on fire in the 200 block of Heizer Street in Great Bend, according to a media release Wednesday.

Fire crews found a small outbuilding fully involved in fire.  Crews made a quick knockdown of the fire and initiated an interior search where a deceased victim was located. 

 Crews extinguished remaining hotspots.   The fire is accidental in nature and was investigated by fire investigators from the Great Bend Fire Department, Office of the State Fire Marshal, and detectives from the Great Bend Police Department.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details Wednesday afternoon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682541520813.jpeg" alt="Police released no additional details Wednesday" />
 <figcaption>Police released no additional details Wednesday</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —One person died in a fire last week in Great Bend.On April 20, fire crews responded to the report of a shed on fire in the 200 block of Heizer Street in Great Bend, according to a media release Wednesday.Fire crews found a small outbuilding fully involved in fire. Crews made a quick knockdown of the fire and initiated an interior search where a deceased victim was located. Crews extinguished remaining hotspots. The fire is accidental in nature and was investigated by fire investigators from the Great Bend Fire Department, Office of the State Fire Marshal, and detectives from the Great Bend Police Department.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details Wednesday afternoon.

One person found dead in Great Bend fire

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating another homicide in Topeka.

Just after 8a.m. Wednesday, police&nbsp;responded to report of a possible shooting at a home in the 2000 block of SW Clay Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson.

First responders located a man later identified as 26-year-old Semaj O. Jackson suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. Jackson was transported by ambulance to a local hospital where he died.

The Topeka police Homicide Unit was called to the scene. Police released no additional details Wednesday afternoon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682537553895.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo by Phil Anderson courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo by Phil Anderson courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating another homicide in Topeka.Just after 8a.m. Wednesday, police&nbsp;responded to report of a possible shooting at a home in the 2000 block of SW Clay Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson.First responders located a man later identified as 26-year-old Semaj O. Jackson suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. Jackson was transported by ambulance to a local hospital where he died.The Topeka police Homicide Unit was called to the scene. Police released no additional details Wednesday afternoon.

Homicide: Kansas shooting victim dies at hospital 

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-south-korea-north-japan-united-states-government-06eda2aee0a8b33c30419251e06cd69f">South Korea's Yoon Suk Yeol</a>&nbsp;announced Wednesday the two nations will bolster the response to North Korea’s persistent nuclear threat with an agreement that includes plans to dock U.S. nuclear-armed submarines in South Korea for the first time in over 40 years, bolster training between the two countries and improve information sharing between the allies.

The new extended nuclear deterrence effort was unveiled as Biden hosted Yoon for a state visit at a moment of heightened anxiety over an increased pace of ballistic missile tests by North Korea.

Biden delivered a blunt warning to Pyongyang at an afternoon Rose Garden news conference with Yoon, saying: “A nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies and partners is unacceptable, and will result in the end of whatever regime were to take such an action."

Yoon said that the new commitment by the “righteous alliance” includes plans for bilateral presidential consultations in the event of a North Korean nuclear attack, the establishment of a nuclear consultative group and improved sharing of information on nuclear and strategic weapons operation plans.

“Sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula does not happen automatically,” Yoon said.

Biden and Yoon aides have been working on details of the plan for months and agreed that “occasional” and “very clear demonstrations of the strength” of U.S. extended deterrence capabilities needed to be an essential aspect of the agreement, according to three senior Biden administration officials who briefed reporters ahead of the announcement.

The officials said the so-called Washington Declaration was designed to allay South Korean fears over the North's aggressive nuclear weapons program and to keep the country from restarting its own nuclear program, which it gave up nearly 50 years ago when it signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Yoon earlier this year said his country was weighing developing its own nuclear weapons or asking the U.S. to redeploy them on the Korean Peninsula.

The U.S. and South Korea also would coordinate more deeply on nuclear response strategy in the event of the North attacking the South — but operational control of such weapons would remain in U.S. control, and no nuclear weapons are being deployed onto South Korean shores.

“We are not going to be stationing nuclear weapons on the peninsula,” Biden underscored.

Biden said coordination between the U.S. and South Korea remains crucial in the face of increased North Korean threats and blatant violation of international sanctions. The president repeated that the U.S. remains open to talks with the North without preconditions.

“At the same time, we continue to seek serious a substantial diplomatic breakthrough for the DPRK to bolster stability on the peninsula,” Biden said of the North.

During a brief appearance before reporters at the start of their Oval Office talks, Biden stressed that both nations are committed to “doubling down on our cooperation as allies" as North Korea “ramps up its challenges.”

The state visit comes as the U.S. and South Korea mark the 70th year of the countries' alliance that began at the end of the Korean War and committed the United States to help South Korea defend itself, particularly from North Korea. Approximately 28,500 U.S. troops are currently based in South Korea.

“Why did they sacrifice their lives for this faraway country and for the people that you’ve never met?” Yoon said of the U.S. troops who served during the war. “That was for one noble cause: to defend freedom.”

The agreement also calls for the U.S. and South Korean militaries to strengthen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usa-korea-japan-defense-drills-pyongyang-missiles-736bf7b4b6928a40b5ae0758d1e8447c">joint training</a>&nbsp;and better integrate South Korean military assets into the joint strategic deterrence effort. As part of the declaration, South Korea will reaffirm its commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, an agreement signed by several major nuclear and non-nuclear powers that pledged their cooperation to stem the spread of nuclear technology, the officials said.

As&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-elections-voting-campaigns-seoul-f29dd8982b18c1f7318d579b9afc83f1">a candidate for the presidency</a>&nbsp;last year, Yoon said he would call for the increased deployment of U.S. bombers, aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines to South Korea as he looked to offer a firmer response to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-missile-launches-us-drills-55e946567117c176b027ee7c4253483e">the North's threats</a>&nbsp;than his predecessor Moon Jae-in.

In the midst of the Cold War in the late 1970s, U.S. nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines made frequent port visits to South Korea, sometimes two to three visits per month, according to the Federation of American Scientists. It was a period when the U.S. had hundreds of nuclear warheads located in South Korea.

But in 1991, the United States withdrew all of its nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula, and the following year Seoul and Pyongyang signed a joint declaration pledging that neither would “test, manufacture, produce, receive, possess, store, deploy or use nuclear weapons.” But as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-north-korea-international-news-asia-pacific-seoul-8009312c92974485a4eef13bdc4ddd8d">the North has repeatedly violated the joint declaration</a>&nbsp;over the years, there's been increased support in South Korea for the United States to return nuclear weapons to the country.

One Biden administration official cautioned it is “crystal clear” that there are no plans by the administration for "returning tactical or any other kind of nuclear weapon to the Korean Peninsula.” Instead, administration officials said they envision that the visit of ballistic missile submarines will be followed by the U.S. military more regularly deploying assets such as bombers or aircraft carriers to South Korea.

North Korea’s increasing nuclear threats, along with concerns about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-aquilino-china-security-north-korea-bb41e692490b13cfcc0a6e28fd8f9bef">China’s military and economic assertiveness in the region</a>, have pushed the Biden administration to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-asia-indonesia-united-states-china-a9fa80404afe5d16fa9cce953780ab6e">expand its Asian alliance</a>. To that end, Biden has thrown plenty of attention at Yoon as well as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Next week, Biden will host&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ferdinand-marcos-jr-philippines-30fa00e8a8e357e201d4f64e43d03466">Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.</a>&nbsp;for Oval Office talks.

In the past year, North Korea has been steadily expanding its nuclear arsenal, while China and Russia repeatedly block U.S.-led efforts to toughen sanctions on the North over its barrage of banned missile tests.

The stepped-up testing by North Korea includes the flight-testing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-icbm-solid-fuel-kim-jong-un-6382097edf024c2aa43afbd0575f9524">a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile</a>&nbsp;for the first time earlier this month. The recent test is seen as a possible breakthrough in the North’s efforts to acquire a more powerful, harder-to-detect weapon targeting the continental United States.

Besides nuclear deterrence, Biden and Yoon, and their aides, also are expected to discuss&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine</a>. The Biden administration has praised South Korea for sending some $230 million in humanitarian aid to Kyiv, but Biden would welcome Seoul taking an even bigger role in helping the Ukrainians repel Russia.

Yoon's visit comes just weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-us-leaked-documents-yoon-biden-5d88d7c6624865ca5d5b361ed8ce0d26">the leaks of scores of highly classified documents</a>&nbsp;that have complicated relations with allies, including South Korea. The papers viewed by The Associated Press indicate that South Korea’s National Security Council “grappled” with the U.S. in early March over an American request to provide artillery ammunition to Ukraine.

The documents, which cited a signals intelligence report, said then-NSC Director Kim Sung-han suggested the possibility of selling the 330,000 rounds of 155 mm munitions to Poland, since getting the ammunition to Ukraine quickly was the United States’ ultimate goal.

Asked at the joint news conference if the leak came up in their private talks, Yoon replied, "We are communicating between our two countries.”

Later Wednesday, Biden and first lady Jill Biden will honor Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-state-dinner-south-korea-7df97aaaa3dfd6ef33ac7dcdde1a926c">a state dinner</a>&nbsp;at the White House.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Presidents&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-south-korea-north-japan-united-states-government-06eda2aee0a8b33c30419251e06cd69f">Yoon Suk Yeol</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday will sign an agreement that includes plans to have U.S. nuclear-armed submarines dock in South Korea for the first time in more than 40 years, a conspicuous show of support to Seoul amid growing concern about nuclear threats by North Korea, according to senior Biden administration officials.

The planned dock visits are a key element of what's being dubbed the “Washington Declaration,” aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-nuclear-deterrence-south-korea-north-korea-65f725fa5ab24d3aab98aafa34b23c45">deterring North Korea</a>&nbsp;from carrying out an attack on its neighbor. It is being unveiled as Biden is hosting Yoon for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-state-dinner-south-korea-chef-05270a9fa17a4982edbb7f2ca2b08372">a state visit</a>&nbsp;during a moment of heightened anxiety for both leaders over an increased pace of ballistic missile tests by North Korea over the last several months.

The three senior Biden administration officials, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity ahead of the official announcement, said that Biden and Yoon aides have been working on details of the plan for months and agreed that “occasional” and “very clear demonstrations of the strength” of U.S. extended deterrence capabilities needed to be an essential aspect of the agreement.

The agreement seeks to allay South Korean fears over the North's aggressive nuclear weapons program and to ward off the country from restarting its own nuclear program, which it gave up nearly 50 years ago when it signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The U.S. and South Korea also would coordinate more deeply on nuclear response strategy in the event of the North attacking the South — but operational control of such weapons would remain in U.S. control, and no nuclear weapons are being deployed onto South Korean shores.

One Biden administration official said that Biden planned to talk to Yoon about “what it means for all like-minded allies to continue to support Ukraine” and ask the South Korean leader "what the future of their support might look like.”

Besides their talks on Wednesday, Biden and Yoon are scheduled to host a joint news conference. In the evening, Biden and first lady Jill Biden will honor Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-state-dinner-south-korea-7df97aaaa3dfd6ef33ac7dcdde1a926c">a state dinner</a>&nbsp;at the White House.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-south-korea-north-japan-united-states-government-06eda2aee0a8b33c30419251e06cd69f">South Korea's Yoon Suk Yeol</a>&nbsp;announced Wednesday the two nations will bolster the response to North Korea’s persistent nuclear threat with an agreement that includes plans to dock U.S. nuclear-armed submarines in South Korea for the first time in over 40 years, bolster training between the two countries and improve information sharing between the allies.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Welcome to the White House, President Yoon and Mrs. Kim. <a href="https://t.co/Soolh6Lx9S">pic.twitter.com/Soolh6Lx9S</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1651221357575667712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The new extended nuclear deterrence effort was unveiled as Biden hosted Yoon for a state visit at a moment of heightened anxiety over an increased pace of ballistic missile tests by North Korea.Biden delivered a blunt warning to Pyongyang at an afternoon Rose Garden news conference with Yoon, saying: “A nuclear attack by North Korea against the United States or its allies and partners is unacceptable, and will result in the end of whatever regime were to take such an action."Yoon said that the new commitment by the “righteous alliance” includes plans for bilateral presidential consultations in the event of a North Korean nuclear attack, the establishment of a nuclear consultative group and improved sharing of information on nuclear and strategic weapons operation plans.“Sustainable peace on the Korean Peninsula does not happen automatically,” Yoon said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Tune in as I hold a joint press conference with President Yoon of the Republic of Korea in the Rose Garden. <a href="https://t.co/eYtkEd4tfg">https://t.co/eYtkEd4tfg</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1651280828872245261?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden and Yoon aides have been working on details of the plan for months and agreed that “occasional” and “very clear demonstrations of the strength” of U.S. extended deterrence capabilities needed to be an essential aspect of the agreement, according to three senior Biden administration officials who briefed reporters ahead of the announcement.The officials said the so-called Washington Declaration was designed to allay South Korean fears over the North's aggressive nuclear weapons program and to keep the country from restarting its own nuclear program, which it gave up nearly 50 years ago when it signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. Yoon earlier this year said his country was weighing developing its own nuclear weapons or asking the U.S. to redeploy them on the Korean Peninsula.The U.S. and South Korea also would coordinate more deeply on nuclear response strategy in the event of the North attacking the South — but operational control of such weapons would remain in U.S. control, and no nuclear weapons are being deployed onto South Korean shores.“We are not going to be stationing nuclear weapons on the peninsula,” Biden underscored.Biden said coordination between the U.S. and South Korea remains crucial in the face of increased North Korean threats and blatant violation of international sanctions. The president repeated that the U.S. remains open to talks with the North without preconditions.“At the same time, we continue to seek serious a substantial diplomatic breakthrough for the DPRK to bolster stability on the peninsula,” Biden said of the North.During a brief appearance before reporters at the start of their Oval Office talks, Biden stressed that both nations are committed to “doubling down on our cooperation as allies" as North Korea “ramps up its challenges.”The state visit comes as the U.S. and South Korea mark the 70th year of the countries' alliance that began at the end of the Korean War and committed the United States to help South Korea defend itself, particularly from North Korea. Approximately 28,500 U.S. troops are currently based in South Korea.“Why did they sacrifice their lives for this faraway country and for the people that you’ve never met?” Yoon said of the U.S. troops who served during the war. “That was for one noble cause: to defend freedom.”The agreement also calls for the U.S. and South Korean militaries to strengthen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usa-korea-japan-defense-drills-pyongyang-missiles-736bf7b4b6928a40b5ae0758d1e8447c">joint training</a>&nbsp;and better integrate South Korean military assets into the joint strategic deterrence effort. As part of the declaration, South Korea will reaffirm its commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, an agreement signed by several major nuclear and non-nuclear powers that pledged their cooperation to stem the spread of nuclear technology, the officials said.As&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-elections-voting-campaigns-seoul-f29dd8982b18c1f7318d579b9afc83f1">a candidate for the presidency</a>&nbsp;last year, Yoon said he would call for the increased deployment of U.S. bombers, aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines to South Korea as he looked to offer a firmer response to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-missile-launches-us-drills-55e946567117c176b027ee7c4253483e">the North's threats</a>&nbsp;than his predecessor Moon Jae-in.In the midst of the Cold War in the late 1970s, U.S. nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines made frequent port visits to South Korea, sometimes two to three visits per month, according to the Federation of American Scientists. It was a period when the U.S. had hundreds of nuclear warheads located in South Korea.But in 1991, the United States withdrew all of its nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula, and the following year Seoul and Pyongyang signed a joint declaration pledging that neither would “test, manufacture, produce, receive, possess, store, deploy or use nuclear weapons.” But as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-north-korea-international-news-asia-pacific-seoul-8009312c92974485a4eef13bdc4ddd8d">the North has repeatedly violated the joint declaration</a>&nbsp;over the years, there's been increased support in South Korea for the United States to return nuclear weapons to the country.One Biden administration official cautioned it is “crystal clear” that there are no plans by the administration for "returning tactical or any other kind of nuclear weapon to the Korean Peninsula.” Instead, administration officials said they envision that the visit of ballistic missile submarines will be followed by the U.S. military more regularly deploying assets such as bombers or aircraft carriers to South Korea.North Korea’s increasing nuclear threats, along with concerns about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-aquilino-china-security-north-korea-bb41e692490b13cfcc0a6e28fd8f9bef">China’s military and economic assertiveness in the region</a>, have pushed the Biden administration to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-asia-indonesia-united-states-china-a9fa80404afe5d16fa9cce953780ab6e">expand its Asian alliance</a>. To that end, Biden has thrown plenty of attention at Yoon as well as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Next week, Biden will host&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ferdinand-marcos-jr-philippines-30fa00e8a8e357e201d4f64e43d03466">Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.</a>&nbsp;for Oval Office talks.In the past year, North Korea has been steadily expanding its nuclear arsenal, while China and Russia repeatedly block U.S.-led efforts to toughen sanctions on the North over its barrage of banned missile tests.The stepped-up testing by North Korea includes the flight-testing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-icbm-solid-fuel-kim-jong-un-6382097edf024c2aa43afbd0575f9524">a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile</a>&nbsp;for the first time earlier this month. The recent test is seen as a possible breakthrough in the North’s efforts to acquire a more powerful, harder-to-detect weapon targeting the continental United States.Besides nuclear deterrence, Biden and Yoon, and their aides, also are expected to discuss&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine</a>. The Biden administration has praised South Korea for sending some $230 million in humanitarian aid to Kyiv, but Biden would welcome Seoul taking an even bigger role in helping the Ukrainians repel Russia.Yoon's visit comes just weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-us-leaked-documents-yoon-biden-5d88d7c6624865ca5d5b361ed8ce0d26">the leaks of scores of highly classified documents</a>&nbsp;that have complicated relations with allies, including South Korea. The papers viewed by The Associated Press indicate that South Korea’s National Security Council “grappled” with the U.S. in early March over an American request to provide artillery ammunition to Ukraine.The documents, which cited a signals intelligence report, said then-NSC Director Kim Sung-han suggested the possibility of selling the 330,000 rounds of 155 mm munitions to Poland, since getting the ammunition to Ukraine quickly was the United States’ ultimate goal.Asked at the joint news conference if the leak came up in their private talks, Yoon replied, "We are communicating between our two countries.”Later Wednesday, Biden and first lady Jill Biden will honor Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-state-dinner-south-korea-7df97aaaa3dfd6ef33ac7dcdde1a926c">a state dinner</a>&nbsp;at the White House.--------------WASHINGTON (AP) — Presidents&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-south-korea-north-japan-united-states-government-06eda2aee0a8b33c30419251e06cd69f">Yoon Suk Yeol</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday will sign an agreement that includes plans to have U.S. nuclear-armed submarines dock in South Korea for the first time in more than 40 years, a conspicuous show of support to Seoul amid growing concern about nuclear threats by North Korea, according to senior Biden administration officials.The planned dock visits are a key element of what's being dubbed the “Washington Declaration,” aimed at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-nuclear-deterrence-south-korea-north-korea-65f725fa5ab24d3aab98aafa34b23c45">deterring North Korea</a>&nbsp;from carrying out an attack on its neighbor. It is being unveiled as Biden is hosting Yoon for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-state-dinner-south-korea-chef-05270a9fa17a4982edbb7f2ca2b08372">a state visit</a>&nbsp;during a moment of heightened anxiety for both leaders over an increased pace of ballistic missile tests by North Korea over the last several months.The three senior Biden administration officials, who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity ahead of the official announcement, said that Biden and Yoon aides have been working on details of the plan for months and agreed that “occasional” and “very clear demonstrations of the strength” of U.S. extended deterrence capabilities needed to be an essential aspect of the agreement.The agreement seeks to allay South Korean fears over the North's aggressive nuclear weapons program and to ward off the country from restarting its own nuclear program, which it gave up nearly 50 years ago when it signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. The U.S. and South Korea also would coordinate more deeply on nuclear response strategy in the event of the North attacking the South — but operational control of such weapons would remain in U.S. control, and no nuclear weapons are being deployed onto South Korean shores.The agreement also calls for the U.S. and South Korean militaries to strengthen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usa-korea-japan-defense-drills-pyongyang-missiles-736bf7b4b6928a40b5ae0758d1e8447c">joint training</a>&nbsp;and better integrate South Korean military assets into the joint strategic deterrence effort. As part of the declaration, South Korea will reaffirm its commitment to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, an agreement signed by several major nuclear and non-nuclear powers that pledged their cooperation to stem the spread of nuclear technology, the officials said.As&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-elections-voting-campaigns-seoul-f29dd8982b18c1f7318d579b9afc83f1">a candidate for the presidency</a>&nbsp;last year, Yoon said he would call for the increased deployment of U.S. bombers, aircraft carriers and nuclear submarines to South Korea as he looked to offer a firmer response to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-missile-launches-us-drills-55e946567117c176b027ee7c4253483e">the North's threats</a>&nbsp;than his predecessor Moon Jae-in.In the midst of the Cold War in the late 1970s, U.S. nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarines made frequent port visits to South Korea, sometimes two to three visits per month, according to the Federation of American Scientists. It was a period when the U.S. had hundreds of nuclear warheads located in South Korea.But in 1991, the United States withdrew all of its nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula, and the following year Seoul and Pyongyang signed a joint declaration pledging that neither would “test, manufacture, produce, receive, possess, store, deploy or use nuclear weapons.” But as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-north-korea-international-news-asia-pacific-seoul-8009312c92974485a4eef13bdc4ddd8d">the North has repeatedly violated the joint declaration</a>&nbsp;over the years, there's been increased support in South Korea for the United States to return nuclear weapons to the country.One Biden administration official cautioned it is “crystal clear” that there are no plans by the administration for "returning tactical or any other kind of nuclear weapon to the Korean Peninsula.” Instead, administration officials said they envision that the visit of ballistic missile submarines will be followed by the U.S. military more regularly deploying assets such as bombers or aircraft carriers to South Korea.North Korea’s increasing nuclear threats, along with concerns about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-aquilino-china-security-north-korea-bb41e692490b13cfcc0a6e28fd8f9bef">China’s military and economic assertiveness in the region</a>, have pushed the Biden administration to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-asia-indonesia-united-states-china-a9fa80404afe5d16fa9cce953780ab6e">expand its Asian alliance</a>. To that end, Biden has thrown plenty of attention at Yoon as well as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Next week, Biden will host&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ferdinand-marcos-jr-philippines-30fa00e8a8e357e201d4f64e43d03466">Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.</a>&nbsp;for Oval Office talks.In the past year, North Korea has been steadily expanding its nuclear arsenal, while China and Russia repeatedly block U.S.-led efforts to toughen sanctions on the North over its barrage of banned missile tests.The stepped-up testing by North Korea includes the flight-testing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-icbm-solid-fuel-kim-jong-un-6382097edf024c2aa43afbd0575f9524">a solid-fuel intercontinental ballistic missile</a>&nbsp;for the first time earlier this month. The recent test is seen as a possible breakthrough in the North’s efforts to acquire a more powerful, harder-to-detect weapon targeting the continental United States.Besides nuclear deterrence, Biden and Yoon, and their aides, also are expected to discuss&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine</a>. The Biden administration has praised South Korea for sending some $230 million in humanitarian aid to Kyiv, but Biden would welcome Seoul taking an even bigger role in helping the Ukrainians repel Russia.Yoon's visit comes just weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-us-leaked-documents-yoon-biden-5d88d7c6624865ca5d5b361ed8ce0d26">the leaks of scores of highly classified documents</a>&nbsp;that have complicated relations with allies, including South Korea. The papers viewed by The Associated Press indicate that South Korea’s National Security Council “grappled” with the U.S. in early March over an American request to provide artillery ammunition to Ukraine.The documents, which cited a signals intelligence report, said then-NSC Director Kim Sung-han suggested the possibility of selling the 330,000 rounds of 155 mm munitions to Poland, since getting the ammunition to Ukraine quickly was the United States’ ultimate goal.One Biden administration official said that Biden planned to talk to Yoon about “what it means for all like-minded allies to continue to support Ukraine” and ask the South Korean leader "what the future of their support might look like.”Besides their talks on Wednesday, Biden and Yoon are scheduled to host a joint news conference. In the evening, Biden and first lady Jill Biden will honor Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee, for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-state-dinner-south-korea-7df97aaaa3dfd6ef33ac7dcdde1a926c">a state dinner</a>&nbsp;at the White House.

Nuclear deterrence: US to move nuclear subs to South Korea

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-roberts">Chief Justice John Roberts</a>&nbsp;has declined&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-clarence-thomas-ethics-john-roberts-262a6d56854c2eb8f5d2f5f29f780a0e">a request from the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify</a>&nbsp;at a hearing next week on ethical standards at the court, instead providing the panel with a statement of ethics reaffirmed by the court's nine justices.

Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., invited Roberts' testimony last week, saying that there had been a “steady stream of revelations” regarding Supreme Court justices “falling short of ethical standards expected of other federal judges.”

The invitation came after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/clarence-thomas-harlan-crow-supreme-court-ethics-7e5d967b1174f224497e53955c55434f">news reports that detailed a close relationship between Justice Clarence Thomas and a conservative donor from Texas</a>. The donor, Dallas billionaire Harlan Crow, had purchased three properties belonging to Thomas and his family in a transaction worth more than $100,000 that Thomas never reported, according to the nonprofit investigative journalism organization ProPublica.

In a letter to Durbin on Tuesday, Roberts said he would “respectfully decline” the committee's request.

“Testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee by the Chief Justice of the United States is exceedingly rare, as one might expect in light of separation of powers concerns and the importance of preserving judicial independence.”

Accompanying the letter to Durbin was a “Statement on Ethics Principles and Practices” signed by all nine justices describing the ethical rules they follow about travel, gifts and outside income. While the rules are not new, the statement said that the undersigned justices “today reaffirm and restate foundational ethics principles and practices to which they subscribe in carrying out their responsibilities as Members of the Supreme Court of the United States.”

The statement details standards for justices' activities outside the court and describes the recusal process, which is generally up to each individual justice. It does not require any justice to say why they are recusing from a case.

Nothing about Roberts’ letter or the statement attributed to all nine justices suggests that they feel chastened in any way by recent reports. But it is the first time the current membership has spoken on ethics issues as a group.

Durbin said in a statement that he was surprised because the response from the court “suggests current law is adequate and ignores the obvious.”

“The actions of one Justice, including trips on yachts and private jets, were not reported to the public,” Durbin said. “That same Justice failed to disclose the sale of properties he partly owned to a party with interests before the Supreme Court.”

Durbin said he would proceed with the hearing, which will “review common sense proposals” to hold Supreme Court justices more accountable to ethics guidelines.

Gabe Roth, executive director of the court transparency group Fix the Court, said the justices' statements rehashed inadequate ethical standards.

“Make no mistake: Roberts’ statement is nowhere near an appropriate response to the ethical failures of the current Court,” Roth said in a statement.

ProPublica also revealed that Crow gifted Thomas and his wife Ginni with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of annual vacations and trips over several decades — including international cruises on his mega-yacht, private jet flights and stays at Crow’s invitation-only resort in the Adirondacks. But the 2014 real estate deal is the first public evidence of a direct financial transaction between the pair.

Ethics experts have offered conflicting views about whether Thomas was required to disclose the luxury trips funded by Crow. Thomas said in a statement that he was advised by colleagues that “this sort of personal hospitality from close personal friends, who did not have business before the Court, was not reportable.”

Thomas did not name the other justices or those in the judiciary with whom he had consulted.

Last month, the federal judiciary bolstered disclosure requirements for all judges, including the high court justices, although overnight stays at personal vacation homes owned by friends remain exempt from disclosure.

The ethics statement sent to Durbin notes that the Judicial Conference’s Committee on Financial Disclosure had “provided clarification on the scope of the ‘personal hospitality’ exemption to the disclosure rules."

The original letter from Durbin had asked Roberts or another justice to appear before the committee on May 2. He told Roberts that the scope of his testimony would be limited to the ethics rules governing justices of the Supreme Court and potential changes to those rules.

Roberts’ refusal to testify is the latest hitch for Democrats on the Judiciary panel. With Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California absent indefinitely, the committee has a tied number of Democrats and Republicans and can’t move certain judges to the floor - or presumably subpoena Roberts, if Democrats wanted to.

In declining to testify, Roberts ignored Durbin’s invitation to have another justice appear instead. The last time justices met with the Senate Judiciary Committee was in October 2011, when Justices Antonin Scalia and Stephen Breyer testified.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-roberts">Chief Justice John Roberts</a>&nbsp;has declined&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-clarence-thomas-ethics-john-roberts-262a6d56854c2eb8f5d2f5f29f780a0e">a request from the Senate Judiciary Committee to testify</a>&nbsp;at a hearing next week on ethical standards at the court, instead providing the panel with a statement of ethics reaffirmed by the court's nine justices.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682524645888.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., invited Roberts' testimony last week, saying that there had been a “steady stream of revelations” regarding Supreme Court justices “falling short of ethical standards expected of other federal judges.”The invitation came after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/clarence-thomas-harlan-crow-supreme-court-ethics-7e5d967b1174f224497e53955c55434f">news reports that detailed a close relationship between Justice Clarence Thomas and a conservative donor from Texas</a>. The donor, Dallas billionaire Harlan Crow, had purchased three properties belonging to Thomas and his family in a transaction worth more than $100,000 that Thomas never reported, according to the nonprofit investigative journalism organization ProPublica.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651591949777.png" alt="Chief Justice John Roberts- photo courtesy U.S. Supreme Court" />
 <figcaption>Chief Justice John Roberts- photo courtesy U.S. Supreme Court</figcaption>
 </figure>In a letter to Durbin on Tuesday, Roberts said he would “respectfully decline” the committee's request.“Testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee by the Chief Justice of the United States is exceedingly rare, as one might expect in light of separation of powers concerns and the importance of preserving judicial independence.”Accompanying the letter to Durbin was a “Statement on Ethics Principles and Practices” signed by all nine justices describing the ethical rules they follow about travel, gifts and outside income. While the rules are not new, the statement said that the undersigned justices “today reaffirm and restate foundational ethics principles and practices to which they subscribe in carrying out their responsibilities as Members of the Supreme Court of the United States.”The statement details standards for justices' activities outside the court and describes the recusal process, which is generally up to each individual justice. It does not require any justice to say why they are recusing from a case.Nothing about Roberts’ letter or the statement attributed to all nine justices suggests that they feel chastened in any way by recent reports. But it is the first time the current membership has spoken on ethics issues as a group.Durbin said in a statement that he was surprised because the response from the court “suggests current law is adequate and ignores the obvious.”“The actions of one Justice, including trips on yachts and private jets, were not reported to the public,” Durbin said. “That same Justice failed to disclose the sale of properties he partly owned to a party with interests before the Supreme Court.”Durbin said he would proceed with the hearing, which will “review common sense proposals” to hold Supreme Court justices more accountable to ethics guidelines.Gabe Roth, executive director of the court transparency group Fix the Court, said the justices' statements rehashed inadequate ethical standards.“Make no mistake: Roberts’ statement is nowhere near an appropriate response to the ethical failures of the current Court,” Roth said in a statement.ProPublica also revealed that Crow gifted Thomas and his wife Ginni with hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of annual vacations and trips over several decades — including international cruises on his mega-yacht, private jet flights and stays at Crow’s invitation-only resort in the Adirondacks. But the 2014 real estate deal is the first public evidence of a direct financial transaction between the pair.Ethics experts have offered conflicting views about whether Thomas was required to disclose the luxury trips funded by Crow. Thomas said in a statement that he was advised by colleagues that “this sort of personal hospitality from close personal friends, who did not have business before the Court, was not reportable.”Thomas did not name the other justices or those in the judiciary with whom he had consulted.Last month, the federal judiciary bolstered disclosure requirements for all judges, including the high court justices, although overnight stays at personal vacation homes owned by friends remain exempt from disclosure.The ethics statement sent to Durbin notes that the Judicial Conference’s Committee on Financial Disclosure had “provided clarification on the scope of the ‘personal hospitality’ exemption to the disclosure rules."The original letter from Durbin had asked Roberts or another justice to appear before the committee on May 2. He told Roberts that the scope of his testimony would be limited to the ethics rules governing justices of the Supreme Court and potential changes to those rules.Roberts’ refusal to testify is the latest hitch for Democrats on the Judiciary panel. With Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California absent indefinitely, the committee has a tied number of Democrats and Republicans and can’t move certain judges to the floor - or presumably subpoena Roberts, if Democrats wanted to.In declining to testify, Roberts ignored Durbin’s invitation to have another justice appear instead. The last time justices met with the Senate Judiciary Committee was in October 2011, when Justices Antonin Scalia and Stephen Breyer testified.

Read Chief Justice letter rejecting request to testify on court ethics

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;Health reported 569&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">&nbsp;new</a> <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">coronavirus cases</a> in Kansas from April 19, to April 26, for a total of 944,383 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported 730 cases the previous week.

On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">the state reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;11 additional COVID-19 deaths since the report on April 19 for a total of 10,183 since the state started reporting COVID illness and deaths.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">Click here</a>&nbsp;for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

Kansas provides fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

The state continues to support access to free COVID-19 testing, works to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”

The health department updates data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;Health reported 569&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">&nbsp;new</a> <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">coronavirus cases</a> in Kansas from April 19, to April 26, for a total of 944,383 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;The state reported 730 cases the previous week.On Wednesday, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">the state reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;11 additional COVID-19 deaths since the report on April 19 for a total of 10,183 since the state started reporting COVID illness and deaths.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/3097/2023-COVID-19-Summary-and-Historical-Binder-PDF?bidId=">Click here</a>&nbsp;for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.Kansas provides fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.The state continues to support access to free COVID-19 testing, works to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”The health department updates data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

KDHE: COVID cases continue to decline; 11 more deaths

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a possible road-rage shooting in Johnson County.

Just before 7p.m. Tuesday, police responded to 87th Street and Lackman on the report of someone in a vehicle shooting towards at least one other vehicle, according to a statement from Lenexa Police.

Officers pursued a suspect into Kansas City Kansas and onto Interstate 70.

 The victim remained on scene. There were no injuries&nbsp; reported. Police have no suspect in custody. Westbound 87th Street between Lackman and Allman was temporarily closed during the investigation.

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a possible road-rage shooting in Johnson County.Just before 7p.m. Tuesday, police responded to 87th Street and Lackman on the report of someone in a vehicle shooting towards at least one other vehicle, according to a statement from Lenexa Police.Officers pursued a suspect into Kansas City Kansas and onto Interstate 70. The victim remained on scene. There were no injuries&nbsp; reported. Police have no suspect in custody. Westbound 87th Street between Lackman and Allman was temporarily closed during the investigation.

Police: Suspect was shooting at car on Kansas highway

WASHINGTON (AP) — Older Americans and people with weak immune systems can get an extra COVID-19 booster dose this spring.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on a more flexible booster schedule for people who remain at the highest risk from COVID-19 — giving them the choice of a second “bivalent” Pfizer or Moderna booster, the most up-to-date formula.

“Many in the population are experiencing vaccine fatigue but there is a subset who are eager to receive additional doses,” CDC’s Dr. Sara Oliver told an agency advisory panel that expressed support for the change.

The move came a day after the Food and Drug Administration took steps to make coronavirus vaccinations simpler for everyone. From now on, anyone getting a Pfizer or Moderna dose — whether it’s a booster or their first-ever vaccination — will get an updated version rather than the outdated original shots.

Anyone who’s gotten their original vaccinations but hasn’t had an updated booster yet can still get one. Only 42% of Americans 65 and older — and just 20% of all adults — have gotten one of those updated boosters since September.

People 65 or older who already had one Pfizer or Moderna updated booster can roll up their sleeves again as long as it’s been at least four months since that last shot.

The schedule is a little different for people with weak immune systems. Most can choose a second Pfizer or Moderna updated booster at least two months after their first. Under the latest FDA and CDC guidelines, they also could get additional doses if and when their physician decides they need one.

Older adults continue to have the highest rates of hospitalization from COVID-19, even as cases have declined. But a frail 85-year-old may want another booster right away while a robust 65-year-old may not see the need — or might instead time another shot for peak protection ahead of a summer vacation or other special event.

CDC officials stressed there’s even more variety among immune-compromised patients, from people with only mild impairment to those trying to replenish immunity that grueling cancer treatment knocked out.

The changes put the U.S. in line with Britain and Canada, which also are offering certain vulnerable populations a spring shot. It’s a reasonable choice, Dr. Matthew Laurens, of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said before the announcement.

“We do have vaccines that are available to protect against these severe consequences, so why not use them?” he said. “They don’t do any good just sitting on a shelf.”

WILL YOUNGER, HEALTHIER PEOPLE GET A FALL DOSE?

Stay tuned. The FDA will hold a public meeting in June to consider if the vaccine recipe needs more adjusting to better match the latest coronavirus strains — just like it adjusts flu vaccines every year. And part of that discussion will be whether younger, healthier people also need a booster.

The updated Pfizer and Moderna shots being used now target the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron versions, which have been replaced by an ever-changing list of omicron descendants. Still, while protection against mild infections is short-lived, those updated doses continue to do a good job fighting severe disease and death even against the newest variants.

TOTS ARE LEAST LIKELY TO BE VACCINATED YET

CDC’s advisers were dismayed at how few of the youngest children are vaccinated. Just 6% of 2- to 4-year-olds have gotten their initial COVID-19 shots and 4.5% of those younger than 2. Far fewer got an updated booster.

The FDA’s new rules mean tots under 5 who’ve never been vaccinated can get the most up-to-date formula – two Moderna shots or three of the Pfizer-BioNTech version. Unvaccinated 5-year-olds can get two Moderna doses or a single Pfizer shot. And tots already fully or partially vaccinated may get a bivalent shot or two depending on their vaccination history.

Novavax makes a more traditional type of COVID-19 vaccine, and its original formula remains available for people who don’t want the Pfizer or Moderna option. Novavax also is getting ready in case FDA urges a fall update, by manufacturing several additional formulas. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators on Tuesday cleared another booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for older Americans and people with weak immune systems.

The Food and Drug Administration also took steps to make coronavirus vaccinations simpler for everyone, saying that anyone getting a Pfizer or Moderna dose — whether it's a booster or their first-ever vaccination — will get the newest formula, not the original shots.

The FDA said those 65 or older can opt to roll up their sleeves again for another booster as long as it's been at least four months since their first dose of the so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-omicron-booster-shot-227514678d25a99b65b7ee092735fb03">bivalent vaccine</a>&nbsp;that targets omicron strains.

And most people who are immune-compromised also can choose that extra spring booster at least two months after their first, with additional doses in the future at the discretion of their physician, the agency said.

If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signs off, those spring boosters could begin within days. The CDC's advisers are set to meet Wednesday.

“COVID-19 remains a very real risk for many people,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said.

It's too soon to know if younger, healthy people will eventually be offered yet another shot but the extra dose for the most vulnerable is one of several steps FDA is taking to simplify COVID-19 vaccinations going forward.

COVID-19 vaccines have saved millions of lives but protection wanes over time and as new, more contagious variants have popped up. So last fall, Pfizer and Moderna rolled out updated “bivalent” boosters that added protection against omicron strains then circulating to the original vaccine recipe. Tuesday, the FDA said that updated formula will be used for anyone getting a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. For unvaccinated adults, that means one combo shot would replace having to get several doses of the original vaccine first.

Anyone who's gotten their original vaccinations but hasn't had an updated booster yet can still get one. Only 42% of Americans 65 and older — and just 20% of all adults — have gotten one of those updated boosters since September. “Those individuals certainly could go out and get a bivalent booster now to improve their protection,” Marks said.

For many Americans, COVID-19 has become less of a health fear and more of an inconvenience, and masking, routine testing and other precautions have largely fallen by the wayside. But at least 250 people in the U.S. a day still die from COVID-19, and high-risk Americans who last got a dose in the fall have anxiously wondered when they could get&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-immunizations-us-food-and-drug-administration-business-covid-6fe66fb4b7c9ac6568fb055544b13e20">another.</a>

Letting seniors and the immune-compromised get an extra booster dose puts the U.S. in line with Britain and Canada, which also are offering certain vulnerable populations a spring shot. It’s a reasonable choice, said Dr. Matthew Laurens of the University of Maryland School of Medicine.

“We do have vaccines that are available to protect against these severe consequences, so why not use them?” he said. “They don’t do any good just sitting on a shelf."

The updated Pfizer and Moderna shots being used now target the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron versions, which have been replaced by an ever-changing list of omicron descendants. Still, while protection against mild infections is short-lived, those updated doses continue to do a good job fighting severe disease and death even against the newest variants, Marks said.

Whether the recipe gets adjusted again or not, Tuesday's move “is essentially preparing to have a simpler, more straightforward way of going about vaccinating people," he said. “It’s essentially a single dose of the appropriately strained vaccine as we move into the fall and winter months.”

Millions of U.S. children still haven't gotten their initial COVID-19 vaccinations but Tuesday's step means they, too, can get the most updated version of the shots. Tots ages 6 months through 5 years who are unvaccinated can choose two Moderna shots or three of the Pfizer-BioNTech version. Children who are 5 years old can get two Moderna doses or a single Pfizer shot.

Children already fully or partially vaccinated with the original Pfizer or Moderna shots may get a bivalent vaccine, but how many doses will depend on their vaccination history, the FDA said.

Novavax makes a more traditional type of COVID-19 vaccine, and its original formula remains available for people who don't want the Pfizer or Moderna option. Novavax said Tuesday it also is getting ready in case FDA urges a fall update, by manufacturing several additional formulas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634902668202.jpeg" alt="Photo courtesy Moderna" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Moderna</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Older Americans and people with weak immune systems can get an extra COVID-19 booster dose this spring.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signed off on a more flexible booster schedule for people who remain at the highest risk from COVID-19 — giving them the choice of a second “bivalent” Pfizer or Moderna booster, the most up-to-date formula.“Many in the population are experiencing vaccine fatigue but there is a subset who are eager to receive additional doses,” CDC’s Dr. Sara Oliver told an agency advisory panel that expressed support for the change.The move came a day after the Food and Drug Administration took steps to make coronavirus vaccinations simpler for everyone. From now on, anyone getting a Pfizer or Moderna dose — whether it’s a booster or their first-ever vaccination — will get an updated version rather than the outdated original shots.Here are some things to know:WHO NEEDS A BOOSTER?Anyone who’s gotten their original vaccinations but hasn’t had an updated booster yet can still get one. Only 42% of Americans 65 and older — and just 20% of all adults — have gotten one of those updated boosters since September.WHO CAN GET A SECOND UPDATED BOOSTER?People 65 or older who already had one Pfizer or Moderna updated booster can roll up their sleeves again as long as it’s been at least four months since that last shot.The schedule is a little different for people with weak immune systems. Most can choose a second Pfizer or Moderna updated booster at least two months after their first. Under the latest FDA and CDC guidelines, they also could get additional doses if and when their physician decides they need one.WHY THE EXTRA LEEWAY?Older adults continue to have the highest rates of hospitalization from COVID-19, even as cases have declined. But a frail 85-year-old may want another booster right away while a robust 65-year-old may not see the need — or might instead time another shot for peak protection ahead of a summer vacation or other special event.CDC officials stressed there’s even more variety among immune-compromised patients, from people with only mild impairment to those trying to replenish immunity that grueling cancer treatment knocked out.The changes put the U.S. in line with Britain and Canada, which also are offering certain vulnerable populations a spring shot. It’s a reasonable choice, Dr. Matthew Laurens, of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said before the announcement.“We do have vaccines that are available to protect against these severe consequences, so why not use them?” he said. “They don’t do any good just sitting on a shelf.”WILL YOUNGER, HEALTHIER PEOPLE GET A FALL DOSE?Stay tuned. The FDA will hold a public meeting in June to consider if the vaccine recipe needs more adjusting to better match the latest coronavirus strains — just like it adjusts flu vaccines every year. And part of that discussion will be whether younger, healthier people also need a booster.The updated Pfizer and Moderna shots being used now target the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron versions, which have been replaced by an ever-changing list of omicron descendants. Still, while protection against mild infections is short-lived, those updated doses continue to do a good job fighting severe disease and death even against the newest variants.TOTS ARE LEAST LIKELY TO BE VACCINATED YETCDC’s advisers were dismayed at how few of the youngest children are vaccinated. Just 6% of 2- to 4-year-olds have gotten their initial COVID-19 shots and 4.5% of those younger than 2. Far fewer got an updated booster.The FDA’s new rules mean tots under 5 who’ve never been vaccinated can get the most up-to-date formula – two Moderna shots or three of the Pfizer-BioNTech version. Unvaccinated 5-year-olds can get two Moderna doses or a single Pfizer shot. And tots already fully or partially vaccinated may get a bivalent shot or two depending on their vaccination history.WHAT ABOUT THE NOVAVAX VACCINE?Novavax makes a more traditional type of COVID-19 vaccine, and its original formula remains available for people who don’t want the Pfizer or Moderna option. Novavax also is getting ready in case FDA urges a fall update, by manufacturing several additional formulas. ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.----------------WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators on Tuesday cleared another booster dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for older Americans and people with weak immune systems.The Food and Drug Administration also took steps to make coronavirus vaccinations simpler for everyone, saying that anyone getting a Pfizer or Moderna dose — whether it's a booster or their first-ever vaccination — will get the newest formula, not the original shots.The FDA said those 65 or older can opt to roll up their sleeves again for another booster as long as it's been at least four months since their first dose of the so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-omicron-booster-shot-227514678d25a99b65b7ee092735fb03">bivalent vaccine</a>&nbsp;that targets omicron strains.And most people who are immune-compromised also can choose that extra spring booster at least two months after their first, with additional doses in the future at the discretion of their physician, the agency said.If the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention signs off, those spring boosters could begin within days. The CDC's advisers are set to meet Wednesday.“COVID-19 remains a very real risk for many people,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said.It's too soon to know if younger, healthy people will eventually be offered yet another shot but the extra dose for the most vulnerable is one of several steps FDA is taking to simplify COVID-19 vaccinations going forward.Here are some things to know:ONE FORMULA FOR PFIZER AND MODERNA SHOTSCOVID-19 vaccines have saved millions of lives but protection wanes over time and as new, more contagious variants have popped up. So last fall, Pfizer and Moderna rolled out updated “bivalent” boosters that added protection against omicron strains then circulating to the original vaccine recipe. Tuesday, the FDA said that updated formula will be used for anyone getting a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. For unvaccinated adults, that means one combo shot would replace having to get several doses of the original vaccine first.WHO NEEDS A BOOSTER?Anyone who's gotten their original vaccinations but hasn't had an updated booster yet can still get one. Only 42% of Americans 65 and older — and just 20% of all adults — have gotten one of those updated boosters since September. “Those individuals certainly could go out and get a bivalent booster now to improve their protection,” Marks said.SOME PEOPLE ARE AT HIGHER RISKFor many Americans, COVID-19 has become less of a health fear and more of an inconvenience, and masking, routine testing and other precautions have largely fallen by the wayside. But at least 250 people in the U.S. a day still die from COVID-19, and high-risk Americans who last got a dose in the fall have anxiously wondered when they could get&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-immunizations-us-food-and-drug-administration-business-covid-6fe66fb4b7c9ac6568fb055544b13e20">another.</a>Letting seniors and the immune-compromised get an extra booster dose puts the U.S. in line with Britain and Canada, which also are offering certain vulnerable populations a spring shot. It’s a reasonable choice, said Dr. Matthew Laurens of the University of Maryland School of Medicine.“We do have vaccines that are available to protect against these severe consequences, so why not use them?” he said. “They don’t do any good just sitting on a shelf."WILL YOUNGER, HEALTHIER PEOPLE GET A FALL DOSE?Stay tuned. The FDA will hold a public meeting in June to consider if the vaccine recipe needs more adjusting to better match the latest coronavirus strains — just like it adjusts flu vaccines every year. And part of that discussion will be whether younger, healthier people also need a booster.The updated Pfizer and Moderna shots being used now target the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron versions, which have been replaced by an ever-changing list of omicron descendants. Still, while protection against mild infections is short-lived, those updated doses continue to do a good job fighting severe disease and death even against the newest variants, Marks said.Whether the recipe gets adjusted again or not, Tuesday's move “is essentially preparing to have a simpler, more straightforward way of going about vaccinating people," he said. “It’s essentially a single dose of the appropriately strained vaccine as we move into the fall and winter months.”TWEAKS TO CHILD SHOTS, TOOMillions of U.S. children still haven't gotten their initial COVID-19 vaccinations but Tuesday's step means they, too, can get the most updated version of the shots. Tots ages 6 months through 5 years who are unvaccinated can choose two Moderna shots or three of the Pfizer-BioNTech version. Children who are 5 years old can get two Moderna doses or a single Pfizer shot.Children already fully or partially vaccinated with the original Pfizer or Moderna shots may get a bivalent vaccine, but how many doses will depend on their vaccination history, the FDA said.WHAT ABOUT THE NOVAVAX VACCINE?Novavax makes a more traditional type of COVID-19 vaccine, and its original formula remains available for people who don't want the Pfizer or Moderna option. Novavax said Tuesday it also is getting ready in case FDA urges a fall update, by manufacturing several additional formulas.

CDC: Extra COVID booster now open to some at high-risk

MANHATTAN — Kansas State University Athletics showed their support for the LGBTQ+ community on Tuesday with a video on social media from Saturday's annual Pride Parade and events.

In addition to the parade, there were <a href="https://www.bkstr.com/kansasstatestore/product/flag-outdoor-3-x5--scspc-------190420-1">vendors,</a> a drag show and the after party at The Hat in Aggieville.

Little Apple Pride Parade was launched in 2010 to show support for the LGBTQ+ Community, according to the organization's social media page.

MANHATTAN — Kansas State University Athletics showed their support for the LGBTQ+ community on Tuesday with a video on social media from Saturday's annual Pride Parade and events.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Pride in the Little Apple 💜<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KState?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KState</a> x <a href="https://twitter.com/LilApplePride?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@LilApplePride</a> <a href="https://t.co/uMnoW81Yks">pic.twitter.com/uMnoW81Yks</a>&mdash; K-State Athletics (@kstatesports) <a href="https://twitter.com/kstatesports/status/1650930172965580800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 25, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FLittleApplePride%2Fvideos%2F3542783989343840%2F&show_text=false&width=267&t=0" width="267" height="476" 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>In addition to the parade, there were <a href="https://www.bkstr.com/kansasstatestore/product/flag-outdoor-3-x5--scspc-------190420-1">vendors,</a> a drag show and the after party at The Hat in Aggieville.Little Apple Pride Parade was launched in 2010 to show support for the LGBTQ+ Community, according to the organization's social media page.

🎥 University shows support for LGBTQ+ community

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) Tuesday introduced the&nbsp;Love Lives On Act, according to a statement from the Senator's office.

This legislation would allow spouses of deceased servicemembers to retain their survivor benefits if they remarry. This legislation was cosponsored by Sens. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)

Currently, a surviving spouse under the age of 55 could lose survivor benefits if they remarry. The&nbsp;Love Lives On Act&nbsp;would make certain surviving spouses are able to retain their benefits from both the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) upon remarriage at any age. The bill includes surviving spouses from active-duty, veteran and retired servicemembers.

“Military service is family service, and our country owes a great debt to the surviving spouses of fallen servicemembers,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran. “As Gold Star spouses heal from their loss and choose to remarry, they should not have to worry about losing their survivors’ benefits provided by the VA and DoD.”&nbsp;

“The men and women in our military serve our country courageously—and their spouses serve our country, too,”&nbsp;said Sen. Reverend Warnock.&nbsp;“If one of our heroes loses their life in the line of duty, we should honor our servicemember’s sacrifice by ensuring their spouse can retain survivor benefits if they choose to remarry. I’m proud to continue leading this bipartisan effort to fulfill our promise to these patriotic&nbsp;military families.”

“TAPS is grateful to Senators Moran, Warnock, Cotton, Hirono, and Warren for their leadership in introducing the first comprehensive&nbsp;remarriage&nbsp;bill, the&nbsp;Love&nbsp;Lives&nbsp;On Act of 2023,”&nbsp;said Bonnie Carroll, President and Founder, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. “This important legislation will ensure surviving military spouses retain their benefits upon remarriage at any age.&nbsp;Being widowed should not penalize them from finding&nbsp;love&nbsp;in the future.”

This legislation is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/1/c/1c56c57b-4a9a-4086-b7a0-f5d75eb937fe/79C50A5334CC2BFD5C8C37DB8AD49513.taps-los-remarriage-legislation-2023.docx-2-.pdf" target="_blank">supported</a>&nbsp;by 41 Veterans Service Organizations and others, including the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Gold Star Wives of America, Inc., Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), The American Legion and Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).

The&nbsp;Love Lives On Act&nbsp;would:

WASHINGTON&nbsp;– U.S. Senator Jerry Moran, the Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs – and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) Tuesday introduced the&nbsp;Love Lives On Act, according to a statement from the Senator's office.This legislation would allow spouses of deceased servicemembers to retain their survivor benefits if they remarry. This legislation was cosponsored by Sens. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.)Currently, a surviving spouse under the age of 55 could lose survivor benefits if they remarry. The&nbsp;Love Lives On Act&nbsp;would make certain surviving spouses are able to retain their benefits from both the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) upon remarriage at any age. The bill includes surviving spouses from active-duty, veteran and retired servicemembers.“Military service is family service, and our country owes a great debt to the surviving spouses of fallen servicemembers,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran. “As Gold Star spouses heal from their loss and choose to remarry, they should not have to worry about losing their survivors’ benefits provided by the VA and DoD.”&nbsp;“The men and women in our military serve our country courageously—and their spouses serve our country, too,”&nbsp;said Sen. Reverend Warnock.&nbsp;“If one of our heroes loses their life in the line of duty, we should honor our servicemember’s sacrifice by ensuring their spouse can retain survivor benefits if they choose to remarry. I’m proud to continue leading this bipartisan effort to fulfill our promise to these patriotic&nbsp;military families.”“TAPS is grateful to Senators Moran, Warnock, Cotton, Hirono, and Warren for their leadership in introducing the first comprehensive&nbsp;remarriage&nbsp;bill, the&nbsp;Love&nbsp;Lives&nbsp;On Act of 2023,”&nbsp;said Bonnie Carroll, President and Founder, Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors. “This important legislation will ensure surviving military spouses retain their benefits upon remarriage at any age.&nbsp;Being widowed should not penalize them from finding&nbsp;love&nbsp;in the future.”This legislation is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.moran.senate.gov/public/_cache/files/1/c/1c56c57b-4a9a-4086-b7a0-f5d75eb937fe/79C50A5334CC2BFD5C8C37DB8AD49513.taps-los-remarriage-legislation-2023.docx-2-.pdf" target="_blank">supported</a>&nbsp;by 41 Veterans Service Organizations and others, including the Disabled American Veterans (DAV), Elizabeth Dole Foundation, Gold Star Wives of America, Inc., Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America (IAVA), Military Officers Association of America (MOAA), The American Legion and Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS).The&nbsp;Love Lives On Act&nbsp;would:<ul>
 <li>Allow surviving spouses to retain Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) and Dependency and Indemnity Compensation (DIC) upon remarriage at any age.</li><li>Allow surviving spouses to maintain eligibility for education benefits under the Fry Scholarship and Dependents Education Assistance upon remarriage.</li><li>Allow remarried surviving spouses access to Commissary and Exchange benefits.</li><li>Allow remarried surviving&nbsp;spouses to regain their TRICARE benefits if that marriage subsequently ends due to death, divorce or annulment.</li><li>Allow access to electronic medical records, appointments, referrals, and prescription refills for remarried spouses with dependent children, and ensure that remarried surviving spouses are treated as the parents to minor children not just the fiduciary.</li>
 </ul>

Moran introduces Love Lives on Act to help military spouses

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The officer involved in a fatal gun fight at a home in Wichita will not face charges, according to a report released Tuesday the Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett.

In June of 2021, police were dispatched to check welfare of a 32-year-0ld woman at a home in the 500 Block of West Carlyle in Wichita, according to&nbsp;Deputy Police Chief Jose Salcido. 

Officers received information that the woman could be in danger. It was reported she was yelling for help and her 13-year-old daughter was scared.

Upon arrival, the woman told police of physical disturbance between her and her boyfriend identified as 28-year-old Tyler Hodge. She believed he had left.

Hodge's vehicle was at the home and police began checking the home and property to make sure the woman and her daughter were safe.

During their search, offices found Hodge hiding in a shed on the back of the property. He was armed with a rifle and ran toward the officers and fired the rifle multiple times, according to Salcido.

The officers took cover and called other officers to assist. As they arrived, Hodge continued shooting at those officers arriving to assist.&nbsp; One Wichita officers was hit multiple times. The injured officer returned fire and other officers were able to pull him to safety, began life-saving measures, placed him in a police vehicle and transported him to a hospital where he was listed in critical condition.

Hodge continued shooting at police and moved to the front of the home where an officer shot him.&nbsp; Officers moved the suspect to a safe location and began life-saving measures. Despite their efforts, Hodge was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Salcido.

Investigators have determined Hodge fired the rifle 18 times. In addition to the wounded officer, three homes and a patrol vehicle were damaged by the gunfire.&nbsp; Later, investigators found a loaded handgun in the detached shed where Hodge had been hiding, according to Salcido.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624218247273.png" alt="Tyler Hodge as seen from police body camera. He was hiding in the shed on the property with the rifle he used to attack police-Image Wichita Police&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Tyler Hodge as seen from police body camera. He was hiding in the shed on the property with the rifle he used to attack police-Image Wichita Police&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —The officer involved in a fatal gun fight at a home in Wichita will not face charges, according to a report released Tuesday the Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett.In June of 2021, police were dispatched to check welfare of a 32-year-0ld woman at a home in the 500 Block of West Carlyle in Wichita, according to&nbsp;Deputy Police Chief Jose Salcido. Officers received information that the woman could be in danger. It was reported she was yelling for help and her 13-year-old daughter was scared.Upon arrival, the woman told police of physical disturbance between her and her boyfriend identified as 28-year-old Tyler Hodge. She believed he had left.Hodge's vehicle was at the home and police began checking the home and property to make sure the woman and her daughter were safe.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624198277511.png" alt="-Investigators have determined Hodge fired the rifle 18 times. In addition to the wounded officer, three homes and a patrol vehicle were damaged by the gunfire. Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>-Investigators have determined Hodge fired the rifle 18 times. In addition to the wounded officer, three homes and a patrol vehicle were damaged by the gunfire. Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>During their search, offices found Hodge hiding in a shed on the back of the property. He was armed with a rifle and ran toward the officers and fired the rifle multiple times, according to Salcido.The officers took cover and called other officers to assist. As they arrived, Hodge continued shooting at those officers arriving to assist.&nbsp; One Wichita officers was hit multiple times. The injured officer returned fire and other officers were able to pull him to safety, began life-saving measures, placed him in a police vehicle and transported him to a hospital where he was listed in critical condition.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1626172583597.png" alt="-The injured officer was a 5-year-veteran of the Wichita police department.-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>-The injured officer was a 5-year-veteran of the Wichita police department.-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Hodge continued shooting at police and moved to the front of the home where an officer shot him.&nbsp; Officers moved the suspect to a safe location and began life-saving measures. Despite their efforts, Hodge was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Salcido.Investigators have determined Hodge fired the rifle 18 times. In addition to the wounded officer, three homes and a patrol vehicle were damaged by the gunfire.&nbsp; Later, investigators found a loaded handgun in the detached shed where Hodge had been hiding, according to Salcido.

Kan. officer won't face charges in deadly standoff shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) — A ground assault by the Taliban killed the Islamic State militant who spearheaded the August 2021&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-bombings-kabul-taliban-80dde38aa7c28451b2dc55b466e31228">suicide bombing at the Kabul airport</a>&nbsp;that left 13 U.S. troops and about 170 Afghans dead during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, U.S. officials said Tuesday.

Initially, neither the U.S. — nor apparently the Taliban — were aware that the mastermind was dead. He was killed during a series of battles early this month in southern Afghanistan between the Taliban and the Islamic State group’s affiliate, according to several officials.

But in the past few days, U.S. intelligence confirmed “with high confidence” that the Islamic State leader had been killed, a senior administration official said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters.

Over the weekend, the U.S. military began to inform the parents of the 11 Marines, the sailor and the soldier who were killed in the blast at Abbey Gate, and they shared the information in a private group messaging chat. The father of one of the Marines said the death of his son's killer brings little comfort.

“Whatever happens, it’s not going to bring Taylor back and I understand that,” Darin Hoover, the father of Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover, said in a phone call with The Associated Press. “About the only thing his mom and I can do now is be an advocate for him. All we want is the truth. And we’re not getting it. That’s the frustrating part.”

Hoover said he and his son’s mother, Kelly Henson, have spent the past year and a half grieving his death and praying for accountability from the Biden administration for the handling of the withdrawal.

He added that the Marines provided only limited information to him and did not identify the Islamic State leader or give the circumstances of his death. U.S. officials declined to provide many details because of sensitivities in the intelligence gathering.

The administration official said it was their “moral responsibility” to let the victims’ families know that the “mastermind” and “person most responsible for the airport attack” had been taken off the battlefield. The official added that intelligence officials determined that the leader had “remained a key plotter and overseer” for the group.

Several officials said the U.S. played no role in the killing and did not coordinate at all with the Taliban. The administration official called the Taliban action “significant” and said the U.S. only learned of the operation through its “over the horizon” intelligence capabilities.

Hoover is among a group of 12 Gold Star families that have kept in touch since the bombing, supporting one another and sharing information through the messaging chat. The chat was created by Cheryl Rex, the mother of Marine Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, who died in the blast.

Rex, who has been a vocal critic of the Biden administration’s handling of the withdrawal, told the AP it was through the chat group that they were informed late Monday about the killing as they awaited official confirmation from U.S. military officials.

The fallen service members were among those screening the thousands of Afghans frantically trying on Aug. 26, 2021, to get onto one of the crowded flights out of the country after the brutal Taliban takeover. The scene of desperation quickly turned into one of horror when a suicide bomber attacked. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility.

The blast at Abbey Gate came hours after Western officials warned of a major attack, urging people to leave the airport. But that advice went largely unheeded by Afghans desperate to escape the country in the last few days of an American-led evacuation before the U.S. officially ended its 20-year presence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630691600635.png" alt="U.S. Army soldiers with the 82nd Airborne Division escort evacuees to buses at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan in August of 2021 -photo courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Army soldiers with the 82nd Airborne Division escort evacuees to buses at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan in August of 2021 -photo courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A ground assault by the Taliban killed the Islamic State militant who spearheaded the August 2021&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-bombings-kabul-taliban-80dde38aa7c28451b2dc55b466e31228">suicide bombing at the Kabul airport</a>&nbsp;that left 13 U.S. troops and about 170 Afghans dead during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, U.S. officials said Tuesday.Initially, neither the U.S. — nor apparently the Taliban — were aware that the mastermind was dead. He was killed during a series of battles early this month in southern Afghanistan between the Taliban and the Islamic State group’s affiliate, according to several officials.But in the past few days, U.S. intelligence confirmed “with high confidence” that the Islamic State leader had been killed, a senior administration official said. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters.Over the weekend, the U.S. military began to inform the parents of the 11 Marines, the sailor and the soldier who were killed in the blast at Abbey Gate, and they shared the information in a private group messaging chat. The father of one of the Marines said the death of his son's killer brings little comfort.“Whatever happens, it’s not going to bring Taylor back and I understand that,” Darin Hoover, the father of Staff Sgt. Darin Taylor Hoover, said in a phone call with The Associated Press. “About the only thing his mom and I can do now is be an advocate for him. All we want is the truth. And we’re not getting it. That’s the frustrating part.”Hoover said he and his son’s mother, Kelly Henson, have spent the past year and a half grieving his death and praying for accountability from the Biden administration for the handling of the withdrawal.He added that the Marines provided only limited information to him and did not identify the Islamic State leader or give the circumstances of his death. U.S. officials declined to provide many details because of sensitivities in the intelligence gathering.The administration official said it was their “moral responsibility” to let the victims’ families know that the “mastermind” and “person most responsible for the airport attack” had been taken off the battlefield. The official added that intelligence officials determined that the leader had “remained a key plotter and overseer” for the group.Several officials said the U.S. played no role in the killing and did not coordinate at all with the Taliban. The administration official called the Taliban action “significant” and said the U.S. only learned of the operation through its “over the horizon” intelligence capabilities.Hoover is among a group of 12 Gold Star families that have kept in touch since the bombing, supporting one another and sharing information through the messaging chat. The chat was created by Cheryl Rex, the mother of Marine Lance Cpl. Dylan Merola, who died in the blast.Rex, who has been a vocal critic of the Biden administration’s handling of the withdrawal, told the AP it was through the chat group that they were informed late Monday about the killing as they awaited official confirmation from U.S. military officials.The fallen service members were among those screening the thousands of Afghans frantically trying on Aug. 26, 2021, to get onto one of the crowded flights out of the country after the brutal Taliban takeover. The scene of desperation quickly turned into one of horror when a suicide bomber attacked. The Islamic State group claimed responsibility.The blast at Abbey Gate came hours after Western officials warned of a major attack, urging people to leave the airport. But that advice went largely unheeded by Afghans desperate to escape the country in the last few days of an American-led evacuation before the U.S. officially ended its 20-year presence.The Afghanistan-based offshoot of the Islamic State — called Islamic State-Khorasan — has up to 4,000 members and is the Taliban’s most bitter enemy and top military threat. The group has continued to carry out attacks in Afghanistan since the Taliban takeover, especially against the country’s minority groups.After the Trump administration reached a 2020 deal with the Taliban to withdraw U.S. troops from Afghanistan and the Biden administration followed through on that agreement in 2021, there had been hope in Washington that the Taliban’s desire for international recognition and assistance for the country’s impoverished population might moderate their behavior.But relations between the U.S. and the Taliban have deteriorated further since they imposed draconian new measures banning girls from school and excluding women from working for international aid and health agencies.However, a line of communication still exists between the two sides, led by the U.S. special envoy for Afghanistan, Tom West. West’s contacts are primarily with Taliban officials in Kabul and not with the group’s more ideological wing based in Kandahar.The U.S. decision to withdraw all troops fueled the swift collapse of the Afghan government and military, which the U.S. had supported for nearly two decades, and the return to power of the Taliban. In the aftermath, President Joe Biden directed that a broad review examine “every aspect of this from top to bottom” and it was released earlier this month.The Biden administration in the publicly released version of the review largely laid blame on President Donald Trump for the deadly and chaotic 2021 withdrawal, which was punctuated by the suicide bombing at Abbey Gate.News of the killing came on the same day that Biden formally announced he will seek a second term as president, offering a reminder of one of the most difficult chapters of his presidency. The disastrous drawdown was, at the time, the biggest crisis that the relatively new administration had faced. It left sharp questions about Biden and his team’s competence and experience — the twin pillars central to his campaign for the White House.White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Tuesday the U.S. has “made clear to the Taliban that it is their responsibility to ensure that they give no safe haven to terrorists,” whether from al-Qaida or the Islamic State.“We have made good on the President’s pledge to establish an over-the-horizon capacity to monitor potential terrorist threats, not only from in Afghanistan but elsewhere around the world where that threat has metastasized as we have done in Somalia and Syria,” Kirby said in a statement.Yet Rex said the administration has not done enough to take responsibility for what happened at Abbey Gate."I feel like this is the administration trying to get the pressure off of them for accountability by saying that we’re holding ISIS accountable for our kids’ death,” Rex said.