SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an encounter with a deputy.&nbsp;

Just after 11a.m. August 6,&nbsp;a sheriff's deputy made contact with two individuals with a red 2003 Dodge Ram pickup truck backed into the bushes of a business in the 2600 block of SW Rochester Road in rural Shawnee County, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the investigation, it was determined that the man had a felony warrant for his arrest and illegal narcotics were located.

Todd A. Lohness, 59, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requeste charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Possession of marijuana, and Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia.

Lohness also had a felony warrant out of the county for a probation violation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754665135292.png" alt="Lohness photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Lohness photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an encounter with a deputy.&nbsp;Just after 11a.m. August 6,&nbsp;a sheriff's deputy made contact with two individuals with a red 2003 Dodge Ram pickup truck backed into the bushes of a business in the 2600 block of SW Rochester Road in rural Shawnee County, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian.During the investigation, it was determined that the man had a felony warrant for his arrest and illegal narcotics were located.Todd A. Lohness, 59, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requeste charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Possession of marijuana, and Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia.Lohness also had a felony warrant out of the county for a probation violation.

Wanted suspect was hiding in bushes of rural Kan. business

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/rob-gillies">ROB GILLIES</a>

TORONTO (AP) — U.S. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;raised the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-economy-imports-inflation-62d52742c0bb0a5b8304755c6ee9af4d">tariffs on Canadian goods</a>&nbsp;to 35% last week, but a key exemption for Canada and Mexico shields the vast majority of goods from the punishing duties.

Goods that comply with the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement that Trump negotiated during his first term are excluded from the tariffs.

Here’s a look at Trump’s tariffs on the two countries and their exemptions:

Most Canadian exports reaching the US duty free

Canada’s central bank says 100% of energy exports and 95% of other exports are compliant with the trade pact, known as USMCA. The Royal Bank estimated that almost 90% of Canadian exports appear to have accessed the U.S. market duty free in April.

Canadian&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/canadian-pm-carney-hopes-for-a-constructive-deal-over-trumps-tariff-increase-6f12152d5917413b8ed6cff562949e2f">Prime Minister Mark Carney</a>&nbsp;said the commitment of the U.S. to the core of USMCA, reaffirmed again last week, means the U.S. average tariff rate on Canadian goods remains one of its lowest, and over 85% of Canada-U.S. trade continues to be tariff free.

“Canada is better off than any of the trading partners right now because the Americans appear to be relying as a default on USMCA,” said Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association. “That gives them the tough tariff headline but also allows them the access to the stuff they need from us. Because of that we’re in a relative better position.”

Canadian and Mexican companies can claim preferential treatment under the USMCA based on where the products are made.

“The headline news is 35% tariffs but it’s somewhat targeted,” said John Manley, Canada’s former industry minister, finance minister, foreign affairs minister and deputy prime minister.

Manley said Canada is doing okay despite the economic uncertainty.

“There is a lot of resilience I’d say. The Canadian economy has done relatively well, better than most of us expected, and remember that there is no tariffs on any of our energy exports,” he said.

25% tariffs on Mexican goods target a small slice of trade

Trump said last week he would enter into a 90-day negotiating period with Mexico, also one of America’s largest trading partners. The current&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-mexico-canada-b19e004dddb579c373b247037e04424b">25% tariff rates are staying in place</a>, down from the 30% he had threatened earlier.

But that 25% only applies to the fraction of Mexico’s trade with the U.S. that isn’t covered by the USMCA. Shortly after speaking with Trump on Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/claudia-sheinbaum">President Claudia Sheinbaum</a>&nbsp;said that within the “new commercial world order,” Mexico was still the best positioned nation because of the free trade agreement.

“What’s within (USMCA) has no tariff, with the exception of what we already know: autos, steel and aluminum; and what is outside the treaty has 25%,” Sheinbaum said.

But Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard pointed out that under the USMCA no tariffs were paid on more than 84% of Mexico’s trade with the United States.

Most imports from Canada and Mexico are still protected by the USMCA, but the deal is up for review next year. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said last month: “I think the president is absolutely going to renegotiate USMCA.”

Preserving the free trade pact will be critical for Canada and Mexico.

“It would be an incredible disruption to lose it especially if you lost it to the levels of tariffs Trump is imposing, 30%, 25% or even 20%. You can absorb a single digit tariff level across the board but you can’t adjust that kind of increase,” Manley said.

More than 75% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. while more than 80% of Mexico’s exports go there.

Manley said that depending on how the trade war plays out the risk to the USMCA is very high. “Uncertainty in business is the enemy of decision making,” he said.

Carney said in a series of recent agreements with other countries that America is, in effect, charging for access to its economy.

Manley said the investment thesis for Canada is pretty straightforward as Canada is rich in natural resources, has a skilled labor force, is open to immigration and has unfettered access to the U.S. market, the largest economy in the world.

“If that latter point is no longer the case, we’ve still got all the others, but we’ve got to really redevelop the investment thesis for attracting investment to Canada,” Manley said.

Trump has some sector specific tariffs, known as 232 tariffs, that are having an impact. There is a 50% tariff on steel and aluminum imports and a 25% tariff on auto imports, though there is a carve-out for Canadian and Mexican made cars.

“Despite our advantages, certain major Canadian industries are being severely impacted by U.S. trade actions. These strategic sectors include autos, steel, aluminum, copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and of course, softwood lumber,” Carney said on Tuesday as he announced an aid package for the lumber industry as the U.S, ratches up duties.

“It is clear we cannot count or fully rely on what has been our most valued trading relationship for our prosperity,” he added.

Associated Press writer Fabiola Sánchez in Mexico City contributed to this report.

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/rob-gillies">ROB GILLIES</a>TORONTO (AP) — U.S. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;raised the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trump-economy-imports-inflation-62d52742c0bb0a5b8304755c6ee9af4d">tariffs on Canadian goods</a>&nbsp;to 35% last week, but a key exemption for Canada and Mexico shields the vast majority of goods from the punishing duties.Goods that comply with the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement that Trump negotiated during his first term are excluded from the tariffs.Here’s a look at Trump’s tariffs on the two countries and their exemptions:<h2>Most Canadian exports reaching the US duty free</h2>Canada’s central bank says 100% of energy exports and 95% of other exports are compliant with the trade pact, known as USMCA. The Royal Bank estimated that almost 90% of Canadian exports appear to have accessed the U.S. market duty free in April.Canadian&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/canadian-pm-carney-hopes-for-a-constructive-deal-over-trumps-tariff-increase-6f12152d5917413b8ed6cff562949e2f">Prime Minister Mark Carney</a>&nbsp;said the commitment of the U.S. to the core of USMCA, reaffirmed again last week, means the U.S. average tariff rate on Canadian goods remains one of its lowest, and over 85% of Canada-U.S. trade continues to be tariff free.“Canada is better off than any of the trading partners right now because the Americans appear to be relying as a default on USMCA,” said Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association. “That gives them the tough tariff headline but also allows them the access to the stuff they need from us. Because of that we’re in a relative better position.”Canadian and Mexican companies can claim preferential treatment under the USMCA based on where the products are made.“The headline news is 35% tariffs but it’s somewhat targeted,” said John Manley, Canada’s former industry minister, finance minister, foreign affairs minister and deputy prime minister.Manley said Canada is doing okay despite the economic uncertainty.“There is a lot of resilience I’d say. The Canadian economy has done relatively well, better than most of us expected, and remember that there is no tariffs on any of our energy exports,” he said.<h2>25% tariffs on Mexican goods target a small slice of trade</h2>Trump said last week he would enter into a 90-day negotiating period with Mexico, also one of America’s largest trading partners. The current&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-mexico-canada-b19e004dddb579c373b247037e04424b">25% tariff rates are staying in place</a>, down from the 30% he had threatened earlier.But that 25% only applies to the fraction of Mexico’s trade with the U.S. that isn’t covered by the USMCA. Shortly after speaking with Trump on Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/claudia-sheinbaum">President Claudia Sheinbaum</a>&nbsp;said that within the “new commercial world order,” Mexico was still the best positioned nation because of the free trade agreement.“What’s within (USMCA) has no tariff, with the exception of what we already know: autos, steel and aluminum; and what is outside the treaty has 25%,” Sheinbaum said.But Economy Secretary Marcelo Ebrard pointed out that under the USMCA no tariffs were paid on more than 84% of Mexico’s trade with the United States.Most imports from Canada and Mexico are still protected by the USMCA, but the deal is up for review next year. U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said last month: “I think the president is absolutely going to renegotiate USMCA.”Preserving the free trade pact will be critical for Canada and Mexico.“It would be an incredible disruption to lose it especially if you lost it to the levels of tariffs Trump is imposing, 30%, 25% or even 20%. You can absorb a single digit tariff level across the board but you can’t adjust that kind of increase,” Manley said.More than 75% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S. while more than 80% of Mexico’s exports go there.Manley said that depending on how the trade war plays out the risk to the USMCA is very high. “Uncertainty in business is the enemy of decision making,” he said.<h2>Charging for access</h2>Carney said in a series of recent agreements with other countries that America is, in effect, charging for access to its economy.Manley said the investment thesis for Canada is pretty straightforward as Canada is rich in natural resources, has a skilled labor force, is open to immigration and has unfettered access to the U.S. market, the largest economy in the world.“If that latter point is no longer the case, we’ve still got all the others, but we’ve got to really redevelop the investment thesis for attracting investment to Canada,” Manley said.Trump has some sector specific tariffs, known as 232 tariffs, that are having an impact. There is a 50% tariff on steel and aluminum imports and a 25% tariff on auto imports, though there is a carve-out for Canadian and Mexican made cars.“Despite our advantages, certain major Canadian industries are being severely impacted by U.S. trade actions. These strategic sectors include autos, steel, aluminum, copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and of course, softwood lumber,” Carney said on Tuesday as he announced an aid package for the lumber industry as the U.S, ratches up duties.“It is clear we cannot count or fully rely on what has been our most valued trading relationship for our prosperity,” he added.___Associated Press writer Fabiola Sánchez in Mexico City contributed to this report.

Exemption allows majority of Canadian and Mexican goods to be shipped to US without tariffs

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday terminated a $7 billion grant program that was intended to help pay for residential solar projects for more than 900,000 lower-income U.S. households.

It’s the latest Trump administration move hindering the nation’s shift to cleaner energy.

The funding, part of Democratic President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-earth-day-solar-grants-epa-climate-5bece7e419e9141241287575abb0fefc">Solar for All program</a>, was awarded to 60 recipients including states, tribes and regions for investments such as rooftop solar and community solar gardens.

Solar, a renewable energy, is widely regarded as a way to introduce cleaner power onto the electrical grid and lower energy bills for American consumers.

EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in a statement on social media that authority for the program was eliminated under the tax-and-spending bill signed last month by Republican President Donald Trump. The law eliminated the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/green-bank-biden-epa-clean-energy-solar-317513a5d6eae45e6e4cc0239dd0c89c">Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund</a>&nbsp;that was approved under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. The fund set aside&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-billions-clean-green-energy-community-grants-8f6c76cb41783a5e838ac4f7f7cce086">$20 billion in “green bank”</a>&nbsp;money for community development projects to boost renewable energy, and an additional $7 billion for the solar program.

“The bottom line is this: EPA no longer has the statutory authority to administer the program or the appropriated funds to keep this boondoggle alive,″ Zeldin said. “Today, the Trump EPA is announcing that we are ending Solar for All for good, saving US taxpayers ANOTHER $7 BILLION!”

Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, who introduced the Solar for All program to slash electric bills for working families, called Zeldin’s action illegal.

“Solar for All means lower utility bills, many thousands of good-paying jobs and real action to address the existential threat of climate change,″ Sanders said in a statement. ”At a time when working families are getting crushed by skyrocketing energy costs and the planet is literally burning, sabotaging this program isn’t just wrong — it’s absolutely insane. We will fight back to preserve this enormously important program.”

The Trump administration has already targeted the “green bank” funds, first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/green-bank-epa-zeldin-climate-clean-energy-191b394cda251ef772867369f61f07b7">freezing the grants</a>, then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-green-bank-zeldin-climate-trump-5168d11b7f63aeaf72001b50221c3c19">terminating the agreements altogether</a>. Zeldin called them “a clear cut case of waste and abuse” and a “gold bar” scheme earlier this year.

The EPA&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-green-bank-trump-big-beautiful-bill-9678b82c1b5cfac53e5c956ede69a92b">has argued</a>&nbsp;that the tax and policy bill law repealed the green bank and allows the agency to rescind the money it has already obligated. The recipients of that money disagree. They say the bulk of the money had already been disbursed and isn’t affected by the law.

Grant recipients have filed lawsuits challenging the administration’s actions, and a judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-green-bank-grants-clean-energy-projects-1bcc9dd5c92f8dfb4304add043711278">ruled in April the EPA cannot freeze</a>&nbsp;the contracts.

Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the Senate Environment Committee, called Zeldin’s elimination of the solar program a betrayal “that will further hike electricity costs and make our power grid less reliable.”

“Trump is — yet again — putting his fossil fuel megadonors first,” he added.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683731181866.jpg" alt="photo Pixaby" />
 <figcaption>photo Pixaby</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday terminated a $7 billion grant program that was intended to help pay for residential solar projects for more than 900,000 lower-income U.S. households.It’s the latest Trump administration move hindering the nation’s shift to cleaner energy.The funding, part of Democratic President Joe Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-earth-day-solar-grants-epa-climate-5bece7e419e9141241287575abb0fefc">Solar for All program</a>, was awarded to 60 recipients including states, tribes and regions for investments such as rooftop solar and community solar gardens.Solar, a renewable energy, is widely regarded as a way to introduce cleaner power onto the electrical grid and lower energy bills for American consumers.EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin said in a statement on social media that authority for the program was eliminated under the tax-and-spending bill signed last month by Republican President Donald Trump. The law eliminated the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/green-bank-biden-epa-clean-energy-solar-317513a5d6eae45e6e4cc0239dd0c89c">Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund</a>&nbsp;that was approved under the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. The fund set aside&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-billions-clean-green-energy-community-grants-8f6c76cb41783a5e838ac4f7f7cce086">$20 billion in “green bank”</a>&nbsp;money for community development projects to boost renewable energy, and an additional $7 billion for the solar program.“The bottom line is this: EPA no longer has the statutory authority to administer the program or the appropriated funds to keep this boondoggle alive,″ Zeldin said. “Today, the Trump EPA is announcing that we are ending Solar for All for good, saving US taxpayers ANOTHER $7 BILLION!”Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt, who introduced the Solar for All program to slash electric bills for working families, called Zeldin’s action illegal.“Solar for All means lower utility bills, many thousands of good-paying jobs and real action to address the existential threat of climate change,″ Sanders said in a statement. ”At a time when working families are getting crushed by skyrocketing energy costs and the planet is literally burning, sabotaging this program isn’t just wrong — it’s absolutely insane. We will fight back to preserve this enormously important program.”The Trump administration has already targeted the “green bank” funds, first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/green-bank-epa-zeldin-climate-clean-energy-191b394cda251ef772867369f61f07b7">freezing the grants</a>, then&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-green-bank-zeldin-climate-trump-5168d11b7f63aeaf72001b50221c3c19">terminating the agreements altogether</a>. Zeldin called them “a clear cut case of waste and abuse” and a “gold bar” scheme earlier this year.The EPA&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-green-bank-trump-big-beautiful-bill-9678b82c1b5cfac53e5c956ede69a92b">has argued</a>&nbsp;that the tax and policy bill law repealed the green bank and allows the agency to rescind the money it has already obligated. The recipients of that money disagree. They say the bulk of the money had already been disbursed and isn’t affected by the law.Grant recipients have filed lawsuits challenging the administration’s actions, and a judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-green-bank-grants-clean-energy-projects-1bcc9dd5c92f8dfb4304add043711278">ruled in April the EPA cannot freeze</a>&nbsp;the contracts.Rhode Island Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, the top Democrat on the Senate Environment Committee, called Zeldin’s elimination of the solar program a betrayal “that will further hike electricity costs and make our power grid less reliable.”“Trump is — yet again — putting his fossil fuel megadonors first,” he added.

EPA cancels $7 billion Biden-era grant program to boost solar energy

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Two juveniles were injured and three others are in custody after a shooting on Friday at a mall in Wichita.

&nbsp;Just after&nbsp;3:36 p.m. on Friday, police were dispatched to a reported shooting in the Town East Mall parking lot, near Round 1 Bowling, according to a media release.

Investigators discovered that a fight involving five males escalated into gunfire. Two victims were injured: one was shot in the torso and the other in the leg. Officers applied a tourniquet to the leg injury before Sedgwick County EMS arrived.

An off-duty officer from the Great Bend Police Department, who was in plain clothes, detained one suspect just as Wichita officers arrived. This suspect was found to be in possession of what appeared to be a rifle-caliber pistol. Officers subsequently took two additional males into custody.

The two victims, aged 17 and 15, were transported to a nearby hospital, where they were listed in critical condition on Saturday morning, according to police.

 The victims were on the ground when the primary suspect continued to shoot at them. The primary suspect, age 17, has been arrested for two counts of attempted murder. The two other suspects, both 16 years old, will be booked with disorderly conduct related to fighting.

Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan highlighted the dangers of youth access to high-powered weapons, stating, “Once again, we have an incident involving teenagers with a high-powered weapon that resulted in two young people being hospitalized. This was the result of poor decision-making by these teens. Lives were saved due to the quick and decisive actions of the off-duty Great Bend Police officer who happened to be at the scene and the rapid response of Wichita officers, which helped prevent further tragedy. I urge parents to monitor their children’s activities, possessions, and associates. Community involvement is crucial if we are to keep our youth safe and prevent these incidents from occurring.”

This incident remains under active investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Wichita Police Department detectives or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754688094504.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Two juveniles were injured and three others are in custody after a shooting on Friday at a mall in Wichita.&nbsp;Just after&nbsp;3:36 p.m. on Friday, police were dispatched to a reported shooting in the Town East Mall parking lot, near Round 1 Bowling, according to a media release.Investigators discovered that a fight involving five males escalated into gunfire. Two victims were injured: one was shot in the torso and the other in the leg. Officers applied a tourniquet to the leg injury before Sedgwick County EMS arrived.An off-duty officer from the Great Bend Police Department, who was in plain clothes, detained one suspect just as Wichita officers arrived. This suspect was found to be in possession of what appeared to be a rifle-caliber pistol. Officers subsequently took two additional males into custody.The two victims, aged 17 and 15, were transported to a nearby hospital, where they were listed in critical condition on Saturday morning, according to police. The victims were on the ground when the primary suspect continued to shoot at them. The primary suspect, age 17, has been arrested for two counts of attempted murder. The two other suspects, both 16 years old, will be booked with disorderly conduct related to fighting.Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan highlighted the dangers of youth access to high-powered weapons, stating, “Once again, we have an incident involving teenagers with a high-powered weapon that resulted in two young people being hospitalized. This was the result of poor decision-making by these teens. Lives were saved due to the quick and decisive actions of the off-duty Great Bend Police officer who happened to be at the scene and the rapid response of Wichita officers, which helped prevent further tragedy. I urge parents to monitor their children’s activities, possessions, and associates. Community involvement is crucial if we are to keep our youth safe and prevent these incidents from occurring.”This incident remains under active investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Wichita Police Department detectives or Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Teens critically injured in Kan. mall parking lot shooting

ALLEN COUNTY — A Kansas man was hospitalized after a grain bin accident in rural Allen County.

Just before 8p.m. Thursday emergency crews responded to the Bernsten Farms, 3061 Utah Road near La Harpe, according to a statement from The&nbsp;Allen County Sheriff’s Office.

The farmer was working inside the 10,000 bushel bin when the corn shifted and he was trapped. After four hours, emergency crews were able to extricate him through the roof. He was transported to the Allen County Hospital

Crews from La Harpe, Iola, Colony and Anderson County assisted in the rescue.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754702271561.png" alt="Photos Allen County Sheriff'f office" />
 <figcaption>Photos Allen County Sheriff'f office</figcaption>
 </figure>ALLEN COUNTY — A Kansas man was hospitalized after a grain bin accident in rural Allen County.Just before 8p.m. Thursday emergency crews responded to the Bernsten Farms, 3061 Utah Road near La Harpe, according to a statement from The&nbsp;Allen County Sheriff’s Office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754743823489.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The farmer was working inside the 10,000 bushel bin when the corn shifted and he was trapped. After four hours, emergency crews were able to extricate him through the roof. He was transported to the Allen County HospitalCrews from La Harpe, Iola, Colony and Anderson County assisted in the rescue.&nbsp;

Kansas man rescued after trapped for hours in grain bin

WASHINGTON (AP) — The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan shook hands Friday at a White House peace summit before signing an agreement aimed at ending decades of conflict.

President Donald Trump was in the middle as Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan flanked him on either side. As the two extended their arms in front of Trump to shake hands, the U.S. leader reached up and clasped his hands around theirs.

The two countries in the South Caucasus signed agreements with each other and the U.S. that will reopen key transportation routes while allowing the U.S. to seize on Russia’s declining influence in the region. The deal includes an agreement that will create a major transit corridor to be named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, the White House said.

Trump said at the White House on Friday that naming the route after him was “a great honor for me” but “I didn’t ask for this.” A senior administration official, on a call before the event with reporters, said it was the Armenians who suggested the name.

Trump has sought to be known as a peacemaker and made no secret of the fact that he covets a Nobel Peace Prize. Friday’s signing adds to a series of peace and economic agreements brokered by the U.S. this year.

Both leaders said the breakthrough was made possible by Trump and his team.

“We are laying a foundation to write a better story than the one we had in the past,” Pashinyan said, calling the agreement a “significant milestone.”

“President Trump in six months did a miracle,” Aliyev said.

Trump remarked on how long the conflict went on between the two countries. “Thirty-five years they fought, and now they’re friends and they’re going to be friends a long time,” he said.

That route will connect Azerbaijan and its autonomous Nakhchivan exclave, which are separated by a 32-kilometer-wide (20-mile-wide) patch of Armenian territory. The demand from Azerbaijan had held up peace talks in the past.

For Azerbaijan, a major producer of oil and gas, the route also provides a more direct link to Turkey and onward to Europe.

Trump indicated he'd like to visit the route, saying, “We're going to have to get over there."

Asked how he feels about lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Trump said “very confident."

Aliyev and Pashinyan on Friday joined a growing list of foreign leaders and other officials who have said Trump should receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in helping ease long-running conflicts across the globe.

The peace deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda helped end the decadeslong&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congo-rwanda-drc-peace-deal-m23-trump-5e5b52100729ad6587a6f267c6c79ae0">conflict in eastern Congo</a>, and the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-india-pakistan-kashmir-trade-e3cedcad801ce78c85194fcbf3b917f0">mediated a ceasefire</a>&nbsp;between India and Pakistan, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/thailand-cambodia-border-clash-ceasefire-36da6c2ba1a1c33a16ca6ddf1cb82bda">Trump intervened in clashes between Cambodia and Thailand</a>&nbsp;by threatening to withhold trade agreements with both countries if their fighting continued. Yet peace deals in Gaza and Ukraine have been elusive.

US takes advantage of Russia's waning influence

The signing of a deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan, both former Soviet republics, also strikes a geopolitical blow to their former imperial master, Russia. Throughout the nearly four-decade conflict, Moscow played mediator to expand its clout in the strategic South Caucasus region, but its influence waned quickly after it launched the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">full-scale invasion of Ukraine</a>&nbsp;in February 2022. The Trump-brokered deal would allow the U.S. to deepen its reach in the region as Moscow retreats, senior U.S. administration officials said.

The Trump administration began engaging with Armenia and Azerbaijan in earnest earlier this year, when Trump’s key diplomatic envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Aliyev in Baku and started to discuss what a senior administration official called a “regional reset.”

Negotiations over who will develop the Trump Route — which will eventually include a rail line, oil and gas pipelines, and fiber optic lines — will likely begin next week, and at least nine developers have expressed interest already, according to the senior administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity.

Separate from the joint agreement, both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/armenia">Armenia</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/azerbaijan">Azerbaijan</a>&nbsp;signed deals with the United States meant to bolster cooperation in energy, technology and the economy, the White House said.

Trump previewed much of Friday’s plan in a social media post Thursday evening, in which he said the agreements would “fully unlock the potential" of the South Caucasus region.

“Many Leaders have tried to end the War, with no success, until now, thanks to ‘TRUMP,’” Trump said on his Truth Social site.

The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict has lasted for decades

The two nations were locked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/armenia-azerbaijan-aliyev-pashinyan-abu-dhabi-72cf31b11dd3dfe2e47fafce6f325251">in conflict for nearly four decades</a>&nbsp;as they fought for control of the Karabakh region, known internationally as Nagorno-Karabakh.

The area was largely populated by Armenians during the Soviet era but is located within Azerbaijan. The two nations battled for control of the region through multiple violent clashes that left tens of thousands of people dead over the decades, all while international mediation efforts failed.

Most recently,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/azerbaijan-armenia-explosions-nagornokarabakh-73df9b8b03c3748868e2e358b67bd018">Azerbaijan reclaimed all of Karabakh in 2023</a>&nbsp;and had been in talks with Armenia to normalize ties. Azerbaijan’s insistence on a land bridge to Nakhchivan had been a major sticking point, because while Azerbaijan did not trust Armenia to control the so-called Zangezur corridor, Armenia resisted control by a third party because it viewed it as a breach of sovereignty.

But the prospect of closer ties with the United States, as well as being able to move in and out of the landlocked nation more freely without having to access Georgia or Iran, helped entice Armenia on the broader agreement, according to U.S. officials.

Meanwhile, Russia stood back when Azerbaijan reclaimed control of Karabakh in the September 2023 offensive, angering Armenia, which has moved to shed Russian influence and turn westward. Azerbaijan, emboldened by its victory in Karabakh, also has become increasingly defiant in its relations with Moscow.

Associated Press writers Meg Kinnard and Will Weissert contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754688307887.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan shook hands Friday at a White House peace summit before signing an agreement aimed at ending decades of conflict.President Donald Trump was in the middle as Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan flanked him on either side. As the two extended their arms in front of Trump to shake hands, the U.S. leader reached up and clasped his hands around theirs.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Donald J. Trump, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sign peace and economic agreements at the White House <a href="https://t.co/yUvKZf0g0r">pic.twitter.com/yUvKZf0g0r</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1953914524081201264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev <a href="https://twitter.com/presidentaz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@presidentaz</a>: We will turn the page of standoff, confrontation, and bloodshed ... I am very happy because today, we are writing a great new history. Mr. President, thank you for what you are doing for us, for our region, and for the whole world. <a href="https://t.co/5FPTM0afwf">pic.twitter.com/5FPTM0afwf</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1953913464629735696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Armenian Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/NikolPashinyan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NikolPashinyan</a>: &quot;I think President Trump deserves to have the Nobel Peace Prize... we will promote for that... Today&#39;s event I think is a very bright expression of that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/p7nzMswU8l">https://t.co/p7nzMswU8l</a> <a href="https://t.co/pk0AqmaMYd">pic.twitter.com/pk0AqmaMYd</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1953915878287851540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/presidentaz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@presidentaz</a>: &quot;Maybe we agree with Prime Minister Pashinyan to send a joint appeal to the Nobel committee to award President Trump with the Nobel Peace Prize... This is a tangible result of President Trump&#39;s leadership and no one could&#39;ve achieved that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/CVE1GkXL5X">pic.twitter.com/CVE1GkXL5X</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1953916600542757100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The two countries in the South Caucasus signed agreements with each other and the U.S. that will reopen key transportation routes while allowing the U.S. to seize on Russia’s declining influence in the region. The deal includes an agreement that will create a major transit corridor to be named the Trump Route for International Peace and Prosperity, the White House said.Trump said at the White House on Friday that naming the route after him was “a great honor for me” but “I didn’t ask for this.” A senior administration official, on a call before the event with reporters, said it was the Armenians who suggested the name.Trump has sought to be known as a peacemaker and made no secret of the fact that he covets a Nobel Peace Prize. Friday’s signing adds to a series of peace and economic agreements brokered by the U.S. this year.Both leaders said the breakthrough was made possible by Trump and his team.“We are laying a foundation to write a better story than the one we had in the past,” Pashinyan said, calling the agreement a “significant milestone.”“President Trump in six months did a miracle,” Aliyev said.Trump remarked on how long the conflict went on between the two countries. “Thirty-five years they fought, and now they’re friends and they’re going to be friends a long time,” he said.That route will connect Azerbaijan and its autonomous Nakhchivan exclave, which are separated by a 32-kilometer-wide (20-mile-wide) patch of Armenian territory. The demand from Azerbaijan had held up peace talks in the past.For Azerbaijan, a major producer of oil and gas, the route also provides a more direct link to Turkey and onward to Europe.Trump indicated he'd like to visit the route, saying, “We're going to have to get over there."Asked how he feels about lasting peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan, Trump said “very confident."Aliyev and Pashinyan on Friday joined a growing list of foreign leaders and other officials who have said Trump should receive the Nobel Peace Prize for his role in helping ease long-running conflicts across the globe.The peace deal between the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda helped end the decadeslong&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congo-rwanda-drc-peace-deal-m23-trump-5e5b52100729ad6587a6f267c6c79ae0">conflict in eastern Congo</a>, and the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-india-pakistan-kashmir-trade-e3cedcad801ce78c85194fcbf3b917f0">mediated a ceasefire</a>&nbsp;between India and Pakistan, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/thailand-cambodia-border-clash-ceasefire-36da6c2ba1a1c33a16ca6ddf1cb82bda">Trump intervened in clashes between Cambodia and Thailand</a>&nbsp;by threatening to withhold trade agreements with both countries if their fighting continued. Yet peace deals in Gaza and Ukraine have been elusive.<h2>US takes advantage of Russia's waning influence</h2>The signing of a deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan, both former Soviet republics, also strikes a geopolitical blow to their former imperial master, Russia. Throughout the nearly four-decade conflict, Moscow played mediator to expand its clout in the strategic South Caucasus region, but its influence waned quickly after it launched the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-europe-russia-moscow-kyiv-626a8c5ec22217bacb24ece60fac4fe1">full-scale invasion of Ukraine</a>&nbsp;in February 2022. The Trump-brokered deal would allow the U.S. to deepen its reach in the region as Moscow retreats, senior U.S. administration officials said.The Trump administration began engaging with Armenia and Azerbaijan in earnest earlier this year, when Trump’s key diplomatic envoy, Steve Witkoff, met with Aliyev in Baku and started to discuss what a senior administration official called a “regional reset.”Negotiations over who will develop the Trump Route — which will eventually include a rail line, oil and gas pipelines, and fiber optic lines — will likely begin next week, and at least nine developers have expressed interest already, according to the senior administration official, who briefed reporters on condition of anonymity.Separate from the joint agreement, both&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/armenia">Armenia</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/azerbaijan">Azerbaijan</a>&nbsp;signed deals with the United States meant to bolster cooperation in energy, technology and the economy, the White House said.Trump previewed much of Friday’s plan in a social media post Thursday evening, in which he said the agreements would “fully unlock the potential" of the South Caucasus region.“Many Leaders have tried to end the War, with no success, until now, thanks to ‘TRUMP,’” Trump said on his Truth Social site.<h2>The Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict has lasted for decades</h2>The two nations were locked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/armenia-azerbaijan-aliyev-pashinyan-abu-dhabi-72cf31b11dd3dfe2e47fafce6f325251">in conflict for nearly four decades</a>&nbsp;as they fought for control of the Karabakh region, known internationally as Nagorno-Karabakh.The area was largely populated by Armenians during the Soviet era but is located within Azerbaijan. The two nations battled for control of the region through multiple violent clashes that left tens of thousands of people dead over the decades, all while international mediation efforts failed.Most recently,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/azerbaijan-armenia-explosions-nagornokarabakh-73df9b8b03c3748868e2e358b67bd018">Azerbaijan reclaimed all of Karabakh in 2023</a>&nbsp;and had been in talks with Armenia to normalize ties. Azerbaijan’s insistence on a land bridge to Nakhchivan had been a major sticking point, because while Azerbaijan did not trust Armenia to control the so-called Zangezur corridor, Armenia resisted control by a third party because it viewed it as a breach of sovereignty.But the prospect of closer ties with the United States, as well as being able to move in and out of the landlocked nation more freely without having to access Georgia or Iran, helped entice Armenia on the broader agreement, according to U.S. officials.Meanwhile, Russia stood back when Azerbaijan reclaimed control of Karabakh in the September 2023 offensive, angering Armenia, which has moved to shed Russian influence and turn westward. Azerbaijan, emboldened by its victory in Karabakh, also has become increasingly defiant in its relations with Moscow.___Associated Press writers Meg Kinnard and Will Weissert contributed to this report.

Trump seals peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan

CLAY COUNTY, Mo. —Investigators have positively identified the individual whose body was located in the Missouri River on Wednesday evening as&nbsp;32-year-old Dusenge Y. Mukiza of Kansas City, Kansas, according to a statement from the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.

&nbsp;An autopsy revealed no evidence of trauma or foul play.

Just after 8:30p.m. a couple who were fishing called 911 and reported seeing a body in the water near 210 Highway and Edwards Road. 

When deputies arrived, they found Mukiz'a body of the man on the north side of the river. The Missouri State Highway Patrol's Water Patrol Division assisted with recovering the body.

CLAY COUNTY, Mo. —Investigators have positively identified the individual whose body was located in the Missouri River on Wednesday evening as&nbsp;32-year-old Dusenge Y. Mukiza of Kansas City, Kansas, according to a statement from the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.&nbsp;An autopsy revealed no evidence of trauma or foul play.Just after 8:30p.m. a couple who were fishing called 911 and reported seeing a body in the water near 210 Highway and Edwards Road. When deputies arrived, they found Mukiz'a body of the man on the north side of the river. The Missouri State Highway Patrol's Water Patrol Division assisted with recovering the body.

Body found by couple fishing in river identified as Kansas man

Merit-based selection adherents keen to keep status quo, reformists want direct elections

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

LAWRENCE — Campaigns for and against a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution allowing direct election of justices to the Kansas Supreme Court have begun the one-year charge to the August 2026 primary election where the issue will be decided.

While Attorney General Kris Kobach lauded the potential switch to statewide elections at an Americans for Prosperity-Kansas dinner in Wichita, a panel of skeptics brought together by Kansas Appleseed outlined Wednesday for an audience on the University of Kansas campus the reasons it would be a mistake to abandon the existing merit-based selection process.

Retired Kansas Supreme Court Justice Carol Beier, who served on the high court from 2003 to 2020, said opening the process up to expensive popular elections financed by special interests was contrary to the idea of an independent judiciary. Vague language of the amendment in terms of the process for electing justices to had yet to be clarified by the Legislature, she said.

“It is exceedingly vague,” she said. “It will be decided by the Legislature. Do you trust them?”

Mark Tallman, who lobbied for three decades at the Capitol and continues to work with the Kansas Association of School Boards, said the state Constitution mandated the Legislature make suitable provision for the financing of public education. Four major lawsuits over the past 60 years delved into constitutionality of school aid and the Supreme Court weighed into each of those disputes, he said.

He said the current school funding formula for K-12 public schools was due to expire in 2027 and substantive changes could trigger more lawsuits likely to work their way to the Supreme Court.

“Those who have been active in our association fundamentally believe that the system works and we shouldn’t risk change,” Tallman said.

Teresa Woody, litigation director of the advocacy organization Kansas Appleseed, said it would be impossible for elections of Supreme Court justices to be anything other than partisan brawls. She said the current system properly relied on candidates submitting applications, the selection of three finalists by an independent commission and appointment of new justices by a Kansas governor.

“It will work much better than the best iteration of a (proposed) constitutional amendment in really protecting Kansans’ rights,” Woody said. “Judges are there to interpret the law, not to make the law.”

Conventional wisdom says the amendment on next year’s ballot was the creation of conservative politicians frustrated with Supreme Court decisions leading to increases in state funding of K-12 public schools and declaring women had a constitutional right to abortion.

Steady reshuffling of the Supreme Court at the ballot box could influence judicial review of those poignant issues, but the Supreme Court also could assume a transformative role in voting rights and capital punishment cases.

“The Legislature appears to believe that partisan judges are likely to side with them on certain issues regardless of the rule of law,” Woody said. “They’re trying to change the rules of the game to be more favorable to those special interests and not to the general citizens of Kansas.”

Meanwhile, Kobach said he was pleased to be with AFP-Kansas to kick off of the campaign to gain voter approval for the judicial selection amendment. The amendment was endorsed by two-thirds majorities of the House and Senate. To be added to the state constitution, a simple majority of people casting votes on the August 2026 issue would resolve whether the amendment was added or discarded.

“People, not only lawyers in smoke-filled back rooms, should have a voice in selecting Kansas Supreme Court justices,” Kobach said.

In the past, Kobach said, adoption of the constitutional amendment would enable Kansans to reclaim the right to vote for justices.

“Polling shows that Kansans overwhelmingly prefer voting on Supreme Court justices to the status quo,” Kobach said. “Seventy-four percent support the direct election of Supreme Court justices, while only 20% like the current attorney-controlled system.”

In Kansas, the merit-based selection process used to fill the seven seats on the Supreme Court relied on work of a nominating commission. It has nine members, with five elected by attorneys who passed the state bar exam. The four nonlawyers are appointed by the governor.

Commission interviews with candidates and the voting by commission members are open to the public and livestreamed on the internet. On Thursday, Gov. Laura Kelly selected a new justice to the Supreme Court by choosing from among three finalists nominated by the commission. She could have rejected all three nominees, which would have returned it to the nominating commission for a redo.

“It’s an ultra-rigorous vetting process. I’ve been through it myself,” said Beier, who was appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals by Republican Gov. Bill Graves and to the Supreme Court by Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

Appellate judges and justices in Kansas must stand every six years for retention elections by Kansas voters.

In 2013, GOP Gov. Sam Brownback and the Legislature agreed to alter state law to replace the merit-based process for vacancies on the Court of Appeals with a system of appointment by the governor subject to confirmation by the Kansas Senate. Kelly has voluntarily made use of merit selection as she submitted Court of Appeals nominees to the Senate.

Brownback couldn’t use statute to amend the selection method for the Supreme Court because the structure was embedded in the Constitution.

Woody said rural voters ought to be wary of the proposed constitutional amendment because a majority vote would be applied to candidates for the Supreme Court. Kelly won reelection as governor in 2022 by winning fewer than 10 of the state’s 105 counties. That outcome suggested a cluster of urban centers — perhaps Johnson, Douglas, Wyandotte, Sedgwick and Riley counties — could dictate who sat on the Supreme Court.

Beier said legislative and executive branch politicians by their nature were expected to declare policy preferences and allow voters to hold accountable to their personal pledges and the platforms of political parties.

She said judges and justices should operate in a manner that concentrated on facts in evidence, weighed issues raised by participants and took into account laws enacted by government.

“Nowhere in that did you hear judges should worry about their popularity,” Beier said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754657223916.png" alt=" From left, Mark Tallman of the Kansas Association of School Boards, Teresa Woody, litigation director of Kansas Appleseed, and retired Kansas Supreme Court Justice Carol Beier participate in a panel discussion Wednesday at the University of Kansas on a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution to allow direct election of Supreme Court justices. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> From left, Mark Tallman of the Kansas Association of School Boards, Teresa Woody, litigation director of Kansas Appleseed, and retired Kansas Supreme Court Justice Carol Beier participate in a panel discussion Wednesday at the University of Kansas on a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution to allow direct election of Supreme Court justices. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Merit-based selection adherents keen to keep status quo, reformists want direct elections</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>LAWRENCE — Campaigns for and against a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution allowing direct election of justices to the Kansas Supreme Court have begun the one-year charge to the August 2026 primary election where the issue will be decided.While Attorney General Kris Kobach lauded the potential switch to statewide elections at an Americans for Prosperity-Kansas dinner in Wichita, a panel of skeptics brought together by Kansas Appleseed outlined Wednesday for an audience on the University of Kansas campus the reasons it would be a mistake to abandon the existing merit-based selection process.Retired Kansas Supreme Court Justice Carol Beier, who served on the high court from 2003 to 2020, said opening the process up to expensive popular elections financed by special interests was contrary to the idea of an independent judiciary. Vague language of the amendment in terms of the process for electing justices to had yet to be clarified by the Legislature, she said.“It is exceedingly vague,” she said. “It will be decided by the Legislature. Do you trust them?”Mark Tallman, who lobbied for three decades at the Capitol and continues to work with the Kansas Association of School Boards, said the state Constitution mandated the Legislature make suitable provision for the financing of public education. Four major lawsuits over the past 60 years delved into constitutionality of school aid and the Supreme Court weighed into each of those disputes, he said.He said the current school funding formula for K-12 public schools was due to expire in 2027 and substantive changes could trigger more lawsuits likely to work their way to the Supreme Court.“Those who have been active in our association fundamentally believe that the system works and we shouldn’t risk change,” Tallman said.Teresa Woody, litigation director of the advocacy organization Kansas Appleseed, said it would be impossible for elections of Supreme Court justices to be anything other than partisan brawls. She said the current system properly relied on candidates submitting applications, the selection of three finalists by an independent commission and appointment of new justices by a Kansas governor.“It will work much better than the best iteration of a (proposed) constitutional amendment in really protecting Kansans’ rights,” Woody said. “Judges are there to interpret the law, not to make the law.”Conventional wisdom says the amendment on next year’s ballot was the creation of conservative politicians frustrated with Supreme Court decisions leading to increases in state funding of K-12 public schools and declaring women had a constitutional right to abortion.Steady reshuffling of the Supreme Court at the ballot box could influence judicial review of those poignant issues, but the Supreme Court also could assume a transformative role in voting rights and capital punishment cases.“The Legislature appears to believe that partisan judges are likely to side with them on certain issues regardless of the rule of law,” Woody said. “They’re trying to change the rules of the game to be more favorable to those special interests and not to the general citizens of Kansas.”Meanwhile, Kobach said he was pleased to be with AFP-Kansas to kick off of the campaign to gain voter approval for the judicial selection amendment. The amendment was endorsed by two-thirds majorities of the House and Senate. To be added to the state constitution, a simple majority of people casting votes on the August 2026 issue would resolve whether the amendment was added or discarded.“People, not only lawyers in smoke-filled back rooms, should have a voice in selecting Kansas Supreme Court justices,” Kobach said.In the past, Kobach said, adoption of the constitutional amendment would enable Kansans to reclaim the right to vote for justices.“Polling shows that Kansans overwhelmingly prefer voting on Supreme Court justices to the status quo,” Kobach said. “Seventy-four percent support the direct election of Supreme Court justices, while only 20% like the current attorney-controlled system.”In Kansas, the merit-based selection process used to fill the seven seats on the Supreme Court relied on work of a nominating commission. It has nine members, with five elected by attorneys who passed the state bar exam. The four nonlawyers are appointed by the governor.Commission interviews with candidates and the voting by commission members are open to the public and livestreamed on the internet. On Thursday, Gov. Laura Kelly selected a new justice to the Supreme Court by choosing from among three finalists nominated by the commission. She could have rejected all three nominees, which would have returned it to the nominating commission for a redo.“It’s an ultra-rigorous vetting process. I’ve been through it myself,” said Beier, who was appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals by Republican Gov. Bill Graves and to the Supreme Court by Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.Appellate judges and justices in Kansas must stand every six years for retention elections by Kansas voters.In 2013, GOP Gov. Sam Brownback and the Legislature agreed to alter state law to replace the merit-based process for vacancies on the Court of Appeals with a system of appointment by the governor subject to confirmation by the Kansas Senate. Kelly has voluntarily made use of merit selection as she submitted Court of Appeals nominees to the Senate.Brownback couldn’t use statute to amend the selection method for the Supreme Court because the structure was embedded in the Constitution.Woody said rural voters ought to be wary of the proposed constitutional amendment because a majority vote would be applied to candidates for the Supreme Court. Kelly won reelection as governor in 2022 by winning fewer than 10 of the state’s 105 counties. That outcome suggested a cluster of urban centers — perhaps Johnson, Douglas, Wyandotte, Sedgwick and Riley counties — could dictate who sat on the Supreme Court.Beier said legislative and executive branch politicians by their nature were expected to declare policy preferences and allow voters to hold accountable to their personal pledges and the platforms of political parties.She said judges and justices should operate in a manner that concentrated on facts in evidence, weighed issues raised by participants and took into account laws enacted by government.“Nowhere in that did you hear judges should worry about their popularity,” Beier said.

Rivals launch fight over Kansas constitutional amendment to elect Supreme Court justices

DOUGLAS COUNTY–&nbsp;A motorcyclist died in an accident that occurred just after 4p.m. Friday in Lawrence.

According to Lawrence Police spokesperson Laura McCabe, a car was westbound on 21 Street.&nbsp; The motorcycle was northbound on Naismith Drive.&nbsp; The two collided.&nbsp;

Officers immediately blocked traffic heading north on Naismith while paramedics worked to assess the driver of the motorcycle.&nbsp; Medics from Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical pronounced the motorcyclist dead at the scene.

 A helicopter, which was set to respond, was cancelled once it was obvious the motorcycle driver did not survive.  He was wearing a helmet. The driver of the car had minor physical injuries and cooperated fully with the investigation.

Responding officers interviewed several witnesses who saw the crash happen. LKPD’s Accident Investigations Unit responded and is working to determine the exact cause of the crash.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the man who died.

DOUGLAS COUNTY–&nbsp;A motorcyclist died in an accident that occurred just after 4p.m. Friday in Lawrence.According to Lawrence Police spokesperson Laura McCabe, a car was westbound on 21 Street.&nbsp; The motorcycle was northbound on Naismith Drive.&nbsp; The two collided.&nbsp;Officers immediately blocked traffic heading north on Naismith while paramedics worked to assess the driver of the motorcycle.&nbsp; Medics from Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical pronounced the motorcyclist dead at the scene. A helicopter, which was set to respond, was cancelled once it was obvious the motorcycle driver did not survive. He was wearing a helmet. The driver of the car had minor physical injuries and cooperated fully with the investigation.Responding officers interviewed several witnesses who saw the crash happen. LKPD’s Accident Investigations Unit responded and is working to determine the exact cause of the crash.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the man who died.

Motorcyclist dies in 2-vehicle Kansas crash

KANSAS CITY, Kan.&nbsp;– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Friday afternoon in Kansas City, Kansas.

Preliminary information indicates that at 2:49 p.m., a male subject, later identified as Paul Beasley Jr., 24, of Kansas City, Kansas, entered a business at 8301 State Avene and pointed a firearm at the cashier, according to a media release from the KBI. Beasley demanded that the cashier call 911 and indicate the store was being robbed.

At approximately 2:50 p.m., a KCKPD officer entered the store and was confronted by Beasley. The officer observed the suspect was holding a firearm, and retreated outside. Beasley followed the officer out of the store, where police had gathered, and a shooting occurred. Five officers fired during the shooting, striking the suspect.

Officers rendered aid until EMS arrived and transported Beasley to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.

This independent investigation aims to discover all events leading up to the officer-involved shooting. In police use of force cases, the KBI releases details to the public as soon as possible. This information is preliminary in nature, and is based on evidence collected and early statements of the parties involved, witnesses, medical personnel and others. It does not represent final or thorough findings which take several weeks to complete.

When this investigation concludes case findings will be presented to the Wyandotte County District Attorney for determination of charges. The investigation is ongoing.

KANSAS CITY, Kan.&nbsp;– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Friday afternoon in Kansas City, Kansas.Preliminary information indicates that at 2:49 p.m., a male subject, later identified as Paul Beasley Jr., 24, of Kansas City, Kansas, entered a business at 8301 State Avene and pointed a firearm at the cashier, according to a media release from the KBI. Beasley demanded that the cashier call 911 and indicate the store was being robbed.At approximately 2:50 p.m., a KCKPD officer entered the store and was confronted by Beasley. The officer observed the suspect was holding a firearm, and retreated outside. Beasley followed the officer out of the store, where police had gathered, and a shooting occurred. Five officers fired during the shooting, striking the suspect.Officers rendered aid until EMS arrived and transported Beasley to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.This independent investigation aims to discover all events leading up to the officer-involved shooting. In police use of force cases, the KBI releases details to the public as soon as possible. This information is preliminary in nature, and is based on evidence collected and early statements of the parties involved, witnesses, medical personnel and others. It does not represent final or thorough findings which take several weeks to complete.When this investigation concludes case findings will be presented to the Wyandotte County District Attorney for determination of charges. The investigation is ongoing.

KBI: Man dead after Kansas officer shooting

WICHITA, KAN, – A Kansas businessman pleaded guilty to various charges related to defrauding clients of his accounting firm by falsely claiming money he had stolen was being used to pay business expenses, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Quintin Flanagin, 45, of Colby pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of false statements, and one count of money laundering.

Flanagin, a certified public accountant (CPA), used his status as a signatory on the accounts of his clients’ business, Diamond M. Farms, to make unauthorized transactions between December 2021 and August 2022. He wrote multiple checks and initiated wire transfers totaling approximately $409,710 to Middle Finger Ranch under the guise of being payments for farm operations. 

Middle Finger Ranch is a fictitious business name that Flanagin connected to his personal bank account. Flanagin actually used the illegally obtained funds to pay for the construction on his new home.

Flanagin is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714043354777.png" alt="Flanagin from his booking in Sedgwick County in April 2024" />
 <figcaption>Flanagin from his booking in Sedgwick County in April 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN, – A Kansas businessman pleaded guilty to various charges related to defrauding clients of his accounting firm by falsely claiming money he had stolen was being used to pay business expenses, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents, Quintin Flanagin, 45, of Colby pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of false statements, and one count of money laundering.Flanagin, a certified public accountant (CPA), used his status as a signatory on the accounts of his clients’ business, Diamond M. Farms, to make unauthorized transactions between December 2021 and August 2022. He wrote multiple checks and initiated wire transfers totaling approximately $409,710 to Middle Finger Ranch under the guise of being payments for farm operations. Middle Finger Ranch is a fictitious business name that Flanagin connected to his personal bank account. Flanagin actually used the illegally obtained funds to pay for the construction on his new home.Flanagin is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

Kan. CPA, creator of ‘Middle Finger Ranch,’ admits fraud scheme

OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations. Just before 7a.m. August 5, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp;conducted a narcotic search warrant in the 1100 block of Laing Street in Osage City, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

John C. Neu, 42, of Osage City was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of&nbsp;Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754409688637.png" alt="Neu photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Neu photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations. Just before 7a.m. August 5, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp;conducted a narcotic search warrant in the 1100 block of Laing Street in Osage City, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.John C. Neu, 42, of Osage City was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of&nbsp;Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia

Kansas man accused of meth possession after drug bust

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday in Alaska&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-poll-trump-sanctions-deadline-7cefb2df66f494f58a16b684a2c76687">to discuss ending the war in Ukraine</a>, a potential breakthrough after weeks of expressing frustration that more was not being done to quell the fighting.

The Kremlin has not yet confirmed the details, which Trump announced on social media, but both nations had said they expected a meeting could happen as soon as next week.

Such a summit could be a pivotal moment in a war that began more than three years ago when Russia invaded its western neighbor and has led to tens of thousands of deaths, although there’s no guarantee it will stop the fighting since Moscow and Kyiv remain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-memorandum-talks-instanbul-6014fb7e87c15aa60e30bf72bf6cd2fd">far apart on their conditions for peace</a>.

Trump earlier Friday suggested that any agreement would likely involve “some swapping of territories," but he gave no details. Analysts, including some close to the Kremlin, have suggested that Russia could offer to give up territory it controls outside of the four regions it claims to have annexed.

Earlier in the day, Trump indicated his meeting with Putin would come before any sit-down discussion involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump also previously agreed to meet with Putin even if the Russian leader would not meet with Zelenskyy. That stoked fears in Europe that Ukraine could be sidelined in efforts to stop the continent’s biggest conflict since World War II.

Trump's announcement that he planned to host one of America's adversaries on U.S. soil broke with expectations that he'd meet Putin in a third country. The gesture gives Putin validation after the U.S. and its allies had long sought to make him a pariah over his war against Ukraine.

Early in Putin's tenure, he regularly met with his U.S. counterparts. That dropped off and the tone became icier as tensions mounted between Russia and the West after Moscow illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and faced allegations of meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections.

Putin's last visit to the U.S. was in 2015, when he attended the U.N. General Assembly Meeting in New York. The meeting in Alaska would be the first U.S.-Russia summit since 2021, when former President Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva.

Speaking to reporters earlier Friday at the White House after announcing a framework aimed at ending decades of conflict elsewhere in the world — between Armenia and Azerbaijan — Trump said he would meet with Putin “very shortly," but refused to say exactly when or where.

Later on social media, he announced what he called “the highly anticipated meeting” would happen Aug. 15 in Alaska. He said more details would follow.

Trump had told reporters that the summit would have been sooner, “but I guess there’s security arrangements that unfortunately people have to make.”

Trump said, “President Putin, I believe, wants to see peace, and Zelenskyy wants to see peace." He said that, “In all fairness to President Zelenskyy, he’s getting everything he needs to, assuming we get something done.”

Trump said a peace deal would likely mean Ukraine and Russia would swap some territory they each control.

“Nothing easy," the president said. “But we’re gonna get some back. We’re gonna get some switched. There’ll be some swapping of territories, to the betterment of both.”

Pressed on if this was the last chance to make a major peace deal, Trump said, “I don’t like using the term last chance,” and said that, “When those guns start going off, it’s awfully tough to get ’em to stop.”

Exasperated that Putin did not heed his calls to stop bombing Ukrainian cities, Trump almost two weeks ago&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-trump-putin-deadline-ultimatum-0e4cfb5969be5d02217be90f7521ce48">moved up his ultimatum</a>&nbsp;to impose additional sanctions on Russia and introduce secondary tariffs targeting countries that buy Russian oil if the Kremlin did not move toward a settlement. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-sanctions-tariffs-witkoff-9444ab7b042944090d51a73ae871571a">deadline was Friday.</a>

Prior to his announcing the meeting with Putin, Trump’s efforts to pressure Russia into stopping the fighting have so far&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-peace-talks-drone-attacks-0c2e0a4aeccd86c3fe18edf5cc73b250">delivered no progress</a>. The Kremlin's bigger army is slowly advancing deeper into Ukraine at great cost in troops and armor while it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kyiv-attack-trump-putin-42474bc80c492190ec88861322ff0f84">relentlessly bombards Ukrainian cities</a>. Russia and Ukraine are far apart on their terms for peace.

Ukrainian troops say they are ready to keep fighting

Ukrainian forces are locked in intense battles along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line that snakes from northeast to southeast Ukraine. The Pokrovsk area of the eastern Donetsk region is taking the brunt of punishment as Russia seeks to break out into the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region. Ukraine has significant manpower shortages.

Intense fighting is also taking place in Ukraine's northern Sumy border region, where Ukrainian forces are engaging Russian soldiers to prevent reinforcements being sent from there to Donetsk.

In the Pokrovsk area of Donetsk, a commander said he believes Moscow isn’t interested in peace.

“It is impossible to negotiate with them. The only option is to defeat them,” Buda, a commander of a drone unit in the Spartan Brigade, told The Associated Press. He used only his call sign, in keeping with the rules of the Ukrainian military.

“I would like them to agree and for all this to stop, but Russia will not agree to that. It does not want to negotiate. So the only option is to defeat them,” he said.

In the southern Zaporizhzhia region, a howitzer commander using the call sign Warsaw, said troops are determined to thwart Russia’s invasion.

“We are on our land, we have no way out,” he said. “So we stand our ground, we have no choice.”

The Kremlin said Friday that Putin had a phone call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, during which he informed Xi about the results of his meeting earlier this week with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-witkoff-special-envoy-russia-ukraine-mideast-d26c80c87a57fd3a811e4b0aa0eda58e">Trump envoy Steve Witkoff</a>. Kremlin officials said Xi “expressed support for the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis on a long-term basis.”

Putin is due to visit China next month. China, along with North Korea and Iran, have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pacific-russia-china-north-korea-weapons-ukraine-8ad7156898f1391557d5e53d5d09a02c">provided military support</a>&nbsp;for Russia’s war effort, the U.S. says.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X that he also had a call with Putin to speak about the latest Ukraine developments. Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-india-russia-oil-tariffs-2db9dc22d7b56624bdceb2e15c134d60">signed an executive order</a>&nbsp;Wednesday to place an additional 25% tariff on India for its purchases of Russian oil, which the American president says is helping to finance Russia’s war.

Putin’s calls followed his phone conversations with the leaders of South Africa, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Belarus, the Kremlin said.

The calls suggested to at least one analyst that Putin perhaps wanted to brief Russia’s most important allies about a potential settlement that could be reached at a summit with Trump.

“It means that some sort of real peace agreement has been reached for the first time,” said Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin Moscow-based analyst.

Analysts say Putin is aiming to outlast the West

Putin said in a previous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">statement</a>&nbsp;that he hoped to meet with Trump as early as next week, possibly in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-arab-emirates">United Arab Emirates</a>.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank, said in an assessment Thursday that “Putin remains uninterested in ending his war and is attempting to extract bilateral concessions from the United States without meaningfully engaging in a peace process.”

“Putin continues to believe that time is on Russia’s side and that Russia can outlast Ukraine and the West,” it said.

Stepanenko reported from the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine. Associated Press writers Samya Kullab in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday in Alaska&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-poll-trump-sanctions-deadline-7cefb2df66f494f58a16b684a2c76687">to discuss ending the war in Ukraine</a>, a potential breakthrough after weeks of expressing frustration that more was not being done to quell the fighting.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 <a href="https://t.co/ClTl6TjL0S">pic.twitter.com/ClTl6TjL0S</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1953940364290572777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Kremlin has not yet confirmed the details, which Trump announced on social media, but both nations had said they expected a meeting could happen as soon as next week.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska. Further details to follow. Thank you for your attention to this… <a href="https://t.co/SI3twRJayp">pic.twitter.com/SI3twRJayp</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1953945651857052106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Such a summit could be a pivotal moment in a war that began more than three years ago when Russia invaded its western neighbor and has led to tens of thousands of deaths, although there’s no guarantee it will stop the fighting since Moscow and Kyiv remain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-memorandum-talks-instanbul-6014fb7e87c15aa60e30bf72bf6cd2fd">far apart on their conditions for peace</a>.Trump earlier Friday suggested that any agreement would likely involve “some swapping of territories," but he gave no details. Analysts, including some close to the Kremlin, have suggested that Russia could offer to give up territory it controls outside of the four regions it claims to have annexed.Earlier in the day, Trump indicated his meeting with Putin would come before any sit-down discussion involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump also previously agreed to meet with Putin even if the Russian leader would not meet with Zelenskyy. That stoked fears in Europe that Ukraine could be sidelined in efforts to stop the continent’s biggest conflict since World War II.Trump's announcement that he planned to host one of America's adversaries on U.S. soil broke with expectations that he'd meet Putin in a third country. The gesture gives Putin validation after the U.S. and its allies had long sought to make him a pariah over his war against Ukraine.Early in Putin's tenure, he regularly met with his U.S. counterparts. That dropped off and the tone became icier as tensions mounted between Russia and the West after Moscow illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and faced allegations of meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections.Putin's last visit to the U.S. was in 2015, when he attended the U.N. General Assembly Meeting in New York. The meeting in Alaska would be the first U.S.-Russia summit since 2021, when former President Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva.Speaking to reporters earlier Friday at the White House after announcing a framework aimed at ending decades of conflict elsewhere in the world — between Armenia and Azerbaijan — Trump said he would meet with Putin “very shortly," but refused to say exactly when or where.Later on social media, he announced what he called “the highly anticipated meeting” would happen Aug. 15 in Alaska. He said more details would follow.Trump had told reporters that the summit would have been sooner, “but I guess there’s security arrangements that unfortunately people have to make.”Trump said, “President Putin, I believe, wants to see peace, and Zelenskyy wants to see peace." He said that, “In all fairness to President Zelenskyy, he’s getting everything he needs to, assuming we get something done.”Trump said a peace deal would likely mean Ukraine and Russia would swap some territory they each control.“Nothing easy," the president said. “But we’re gonna get some back. We’re gonna get some switched. There’ll be some swapping of territories, to the betterment of both.”Pressed on if this was the last chance to make a major peace deal, Trump said, “I don’t like using the term last chance,” and said that, “When those guns start going off, it’s awfully tough to get ’em to stop.”Exasperated that Putin did not heed his calls to stop bombing Ukrainian cities, Trump almost two weeks ago&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-trump-putin-deadline-ultimatum-0e4cfb5969be5d02217be90f7521ce48">moved up his ultimatum</a>&nbsp;to impose additional sanctions on Russia and introduce secondary tariffs targeting countries that buy Russian oil if the Kremlin did not move toward a settlement. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-sanctions-tariffs-witkoff-9444ab7b042944090d51a73ae871571a">deadline was Friday.</a>Prior to his announcing the meeting with Putin, Trump’s efforts to pressure Russia into stopping the fighting have so far&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-peace-talks-drone-attacks-0c2e0a4aeccd86c3fe18edf5cc73b250">delivered no progress</a>. The Kremlin's bigger army is slowly advancing deeper into Ukraine at great cost in troops and armor while it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kyiv-attack-trump-putin-42474bc80c492190ec88861322ff0f84">relentlessly bombards Ukrainian cities</a>. Russia and Ukraine are far apart on their terms for peace.<h2>Ukrainian troops say they are ready to keep fighting</h2>Ukrainian forces are locked in intense battles along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line that snakes from northeast to southeast Ukraine. The Pokrovsk area of the eastern Donetsk region is taking the brunt of punishment as Russia seeks to break out into the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region. Ukraine has significant manpower shortages.Intense fighting is also taking place in Ukraine's northern Sumy border region, where Ukrainian forces are engaging Russian soldiers to prevent reinforcements being sent from there to Donetsk.In the Pokrovsk area of Donetsk, a commander said he believes Moscow isn’t interested in peace.“It is impossible to negotiate with them. The only option is to defeat them,” Buda, a commander of a drone unit in the Spartan Brigade, told The Associated Press. He used only his call sign, in keeping with the rules of the Ukrainian military.“I would like them to agree and for all this to stop, but Russia will not agree to that. It does not want to negotiate. So the only option is to defeat them,” he said.In the southern Zaporizhzhia region, a howitzer commander using the call sign Warsaw, said troops are determined to thwart Russia’s invasion.“We are on our land, we have no way out,” he said. “So we stand our ground, we have no choice.”<h2>Putin makes a flurry of phone calls</h2>The Kremlin said Friday that Putin had a phone call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, during which he informed Xi about the results of his meeting earlier this week with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-witkoff-special-envoy-russia-ukraine-mideast-d26c80c87a57fd3a811e4b0aa0eda58e">Trump envoy Steve Witkoff</a>. Kremlin officials said Xi “expressed support for the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis on a long-term basis.”Putin is due to visit China next month. China, along with North Korea and Iran, have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pacific-russia-china-north-korea-weapons-ukraine-8ad7156898f1391557d5e53d5d09a02c">provided military support</a>&nbsp;for Russia’s war effort, the U.S. says.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X that he also had a call with Putin to speak about the latest Ukraine developments. Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-india-russia-oil-tariffs-2db9dc22d7b56624bdceb2e15c134d60">signed an executive order</a>&nbsp;Wednesday to place an additional 25% tariff on India for its purchases of Russian oil, which the American president says is helping to finance Russia’s war.Putin’s calls followed his phone conversations with the leaders of South Africa, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Belarus, the Kremlin said.The calls suggested to at least one analyst that Putin perhaps wanted to brief Russia’s most important allies about a potential settlement that could be reached at a summit with Trump.“It means that some sort of real peace agreement has been reached for the first time,” said Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin Moscow-based analyst.<h2>Analysts say Putin is aiming to outlast the West</h2>Putin said in a previous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">statement</a>&nbsp;that he hoped to meet with Trump as early as next week, possibly in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-arab-emirates">United Arab Emirates</a>.The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank, said in an assessment Thursday that “Putin remains uninterested in ending his war and is attempting to extract bilateral concessions from the United States without meaningfully engaging in a peace process.”“Putin continues to believe that time is on Russia’s side and that Russia can outlast Ukraine and the West,” it said.___Stepanenko reported from the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine. Associated Press writers Samya Kullab in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.