KANSAS CITY (AP) — Missouri's attorney general filed a lawsuit Thursday accusing Planned Parenthood of illegally taking minors into Kansas to obtain abortions without parental consent, basing the allegation on a video from a conservative group that has promoted false claims on other issues.

Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey's lawsuit accuses Kansas City, Missouri-based Planned Parenthood Great Plains of violating Missouri law, which makes it illegal to “intentionally cause, aid, or assist a minor to obtain an abortion” without consent from a parent or guardian. The lawsuit filed in state district court in Columbia, Missouri, asks the court to stop Planned Parenthood from engaging in the conduct it alleges.

Bailey's lawsuit provides no evidence of the actions alleged outside of a hidden camera video from a conservative group, Project Veritas. The video is of a conversation between Planned Parenthood employees and someone impersonating someone seeking an abortion for a fictitious 13-year-old.

Project Veritas is known for conducting such hidden camera stings. Earlier this month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-pennsylvania-postmaster-ballots-2020-project-veritas-327d470d18ec40792ffe4ead61feeb92">it acknowledged</a>&nbsp;that claims it made in a video alleging ballot mishandling at a Pennsylvania post office in 2020 were untrue as it settled a lawsuit against the group by a postmaster. In 2021, a Project Veritas video fueled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-social-media-b0c5633662b18765458d7abfe9203708">a false claim</a>&nbsp;online that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine contains aborted fetal cells.

Planned Parenthood Great Plains President and CEO Emily Wales said the lawsuit is based on false information. She said in a statement that Planned Parenthood does not provide any form of transportation for patients. Besides, she said, Kansas law requires minor patients seeking abortion services to have parental consent or to show an order from a Kansas judge authorizing it.

“We will continue following state and federal laws and proudly providing Missourians with the compassionate sexual and reproductive care that remains available to them in a state with a total abortion ban,” Wales said.

Project Veritas did not immediately respond Thursday to a telephone message or email seeking comment.

Missouri is among several conservative-led states that adopted restrictive abortion laws in 2022, after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision</a>&nbsp;establishing the nationwide right to abortion. State law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-missouri-government-and-politics-7bb5798bae32c3f15abad3a10941dfb5">prohibits almost all abortions</a>, except in cases of “medical emergencies.”

GOP lawmakers and state officials have long been at odds with Planned Parenthood. The Republican-led Missouri House on Wednesday gave initial approval to a bill that would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-medicaid-planned-parenthood-abortion-e7e22d27dd201e32afed756653277aa0">bar Medicaid funding</a>&nbsp;from going to Planned Parenthood. Weeks earlier, the Missouri Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-medicaid-planned-parenthood-5e343d00de4cc4b3e3a7bcbe5f56">thwarted a previous attempt</a>&nbsp;to end that funding.

Bailey said in a statement it is time to “eradicate Planned Parenthood once and for all."

Bailey's lawsuit, based on the Project Vertias video, alleges that Planned Parenthood employees said they could take the girl to a Kansas clinic without parental knowledge, using a doctor’s note written by someone at Planned Parenthood to get the girl out of school.

“This is the beginning of the end for Planned Parenthood in the State of Missouri. What they conceal and conspire to do in the dark of night has now been uncovered,” Bailey said.

Bailey did not say whether he planned to file criminal charges against Planned Parenthood over the conduct the lawsuit alleges. His spokesperson said the office's investigation is ongoing but did not immediately respond to a question about whether criminal charges could be coming.

But Wales said the Project Veritas video “is heavily doctored and edited.” She called the lawsuit “a press release dressed up as legal action from an unelected attorney general.”

The lawsuit also asks the court to prohibit Planned Parenthood from referring minors for abortions, providing doctor's notes for minors, paying for lodging for out-of-state abortions for minors, or coordinating with others for any of those activities.

Democratic House Minority Leader Crystal Quade told reporters that she believes that Bailey's action “falls in the bucket again of another lawsuit just to try to get some headlines in an election year.”

Bailey was appointed attorney general by Republican Gov. Mike Parson after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-senate-race-2022-midterm-elections-91f950681a72abe1ea6bc20f45bf42ec#:~:text=(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20Republican%20Missouri%20Attorney,for%20control%20of%20the%20Senate.">Eric Schmitt</a>&nbsp;was elected to the U.S. Senate in November 2022. Bailey is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-missouri-ad410ff9ea2f278ba0058d56bf27f8b2">running for election</a>&nbsp;to the post this year.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709305902379.png" alt="The Planned Parenthood office at&nbsp;6013 Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, Kansas-Google image" />
 <figcaption>The Planned Parenthood office at&nbsp;6013 Leavenworth Road, Kansas City, Kansas-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>By JIM SALTER and JOHN HANNA&nbsp;KANSAS CITY (AP) — Missouri's attorney general filed a lawsuit Thursday accusing Planned Parenthood of illegally taking minors into Kansas to obtain abortions without parental consent, basing the allegation on a video from a conservative group that has promoted false claims on other issues.Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey's lawsuit accuses Kansas City, Missouri-based Planned Parenthood Great Plains of violating Missouri law, which makes it illegal to “intentionally cause, aid, or assist a minor to obtain an abortion” without consent from a parent or guardian. The lawsuit filed in state district court in Columbia, Missouri, asks the court to stop Planned Parenthood from engaging in the conduct it alleges.Bailey's lawsuit provides no evidence of the actions alleged outside of a hidden camera video from a conservative group, Project Veritas. The video is of a conversation between Planned Parenthood employees and someone impersonating someone seeking an abortion for a fictitious 13-year-old.Project Veritas is known for conducting such hidden camera stings. Earlier this month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-pennsylvania-postmaster-ballots-2020-project-veritas-327d470d18ec40792ffe4ead61feeb92">it acknowledged</a>&nbsp;that claims it made in a video alleging ballot mishandling at a Pennsylvania post office in 2020 were untrue as it settled a lawsuit against the group by a postmaster. In 2021, a Project Veritas video fueled&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-social-media-b0c5633662b18765458d7abfe9203708">a false claim</a>&nbsp;online that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine contains aborted fetal cells.Planned Parenthood Great Plains President and CEO Emily Wales said the lawsuit is based on false information. She said in a statement that Planned Parenthood does not provide any form of transportation for patients. Besides, she said, Kansas law requires minor patients seeking abortion services to have parental consent or to show an order from a Kansas judge authorizing it.“We will continue following state and federal laws and proudly providing Missourians with the compassionate sexual and reproductive care that remains available to them in a state with a total abortion ban,” Wales said.Project Veritas did not immediately respond Thursday to a telephone message or email seeking comment.Missouri is among several conservative-led states that adopted restrictive abortion laws in 2022, after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">U.S. Supreme Court overturned the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision</a>&nbsp;establishing the nationwide right to abortion. State law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-missouri-government-and-politics-7bb5798bae32c3f15abad3a10941dfb5">prohibits almost all abortions</a>, except in cases of “medical emergencies.”GOP lawmakers and state officials have long been at odds with Planned Parenthood. The Republican-led Missouri House on Wednesday gave initial approval to a bill that would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-medicaid-planned-parenthood-abortion-e7e22d27dd201e32afed756653277aa0">bar Medicaid funding</a>&nbsp;from going to Planned Parenthood. Weeks earlier, the Missouri Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-medicaid-planned-parenthood-5e343d00de4cc4b3e3a7bcbe5f56">thwarted a previous attempt</a>&nbsp;to end that funding.Bailey said in a statement it is time to “eradicate Planned Parenthood once and for all."Bailey's lawsuit, based on the Project Vertias video, alleges that Planned Parenthood employees said they could take the girl to a Kansas clinic without parental knowledge, using a doctor’s note written by someone at Planned Parenthood to get the girl out of school.“This is the beginning of the end for Planned Parenthood in the State of Missouri. What they conceal and conspire to do in the dark of night has now been uncovered,” Bailey said.Bailey did not say whether he planned to file criminal charges against Planned Parenthood over the conduct the lawsuit alleges. His spokesperson said the office's investigation is ongoing but did not immediately respond to a question about whether criminal charges could be coming.But Wales said the Project Veritas video “is heavily doctored and edited.” She called the lawsuit “a press release dressed up as legal action from an unelected attorney general.”The lawsuit also asks the court to prohibit Planned Parenthood from referring minors for abortions, providing doctor's notes for minors, paying for lodging for out-of-state abortions for minors, or coordinating with others for any of those activities.Democratic House Minority Leader Crystal Quade told reporters that she believes that Bailey's action “falls in the bucket again of another lawsuit just to try to get some headlines in an election year.”Bailey was appointed attorney general by Republican Gov. Mike Parson after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-senate-race-2022-midterm-elections-91f950681a72abe1ea6bc20f45bf42ec#:~:text=(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20Republican%20Missouri%20Attorney,for%20control%20of%20the%20Senate.">Eric Schmitt</a>&nbsp;was elected to the U.S. Senate in November 2022. Bailey is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-missouri-ad410ff9ea2f278ba0058d56bf27f8b2">running for election</a>&nbsp;to the post this year.

Missouri suing Planned Parenthood based on a sting video

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a

Sheriff's deputies responded to reports of vehicle thefts on February 23 and 24, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade.

The first incident occurred on February 23, when deputies were alerted to the theft of a black 2012 Hyundai Elantra from south Brookside Avenue in rural Independence. 

In addition to the vehicle, other items were reported stolen. Despite initial challenges, deputies continued their efforts to recover the stolen property.

A breakthrough came on February 24, when a diligent employee at Ralph Mitchell Park discovered some of the stolen items near the Lone Chief cabin. 

Later that day, the owner of the stolen vehicle located the it at the Apple Tree Inn, prompting a joint response from the Independence Kansas Police Department and deputies.

 The vehicle was successfully processed and returned to its rightful owner. However, on the same day, another vehicle theft was reported on South Cement Street. 

Deputies responded and learned the stolen Silver 2006 Chrysler 300 went into Independence City limits. Later deputies located the Chrysler 300 traveling south on County Road 3900. 

 The deputies attempted to stop the vehicle.  The driver failed to stop and continued fleeing from the deputies.  The deputies gave chase for a few miles when the vehicle stopped on South Second Street, south of Independence. 

 The suspect bailed out of the vehicle and ran. Deputies gave chase&nbsp; and were able to successfully apprehend the suspect identified as Andy Ochoa. 

Further investigation revealed Ochoa was in possession of stolen property, including a handgun that was reported stolen out of the City of Independence. 

 Deputies also located methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and suspected fentanyl. 

 Ochoa was transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections where he was booked on multiple requested charges.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709124552856.png" alt="Ochoa-photo Montgomery Co." />
 <figcaption>Ochoa-photo Montgomery Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after aSheriff's deputies responded to reports of vehicle thefts on February 23 and 24, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade.The first incident occurred on February 23, when deputies were alerted to the theft of a black 2012 Hyundai Elantra from south Brookside Avenue in rural Independence. In addition to the vehicle, other items were reported stolen. Despite initial challenges, deputies continued their efforts to recover the stolen property.A breakthrough came on February 24, when a diligent employee at Ralph Mitchell Park discovered some of the stolen items near the Lone Chief cabin. Later that day, the owner of the stolen vehicle located the it at the Apple Tree Inn, prompting a joint response from the Independence Kansas Police Department and deputies. The vehicle was successfully processed and returned to its rightful owner. However, on the same day, another vehicle theft was reported on South Cement Street. Deputies responded and learned the stolen Silver 2006 Chrysler 300 went into Independence City limits. Later deputies located the Chrysler 300 traveling south on County Road 3900. The deputies attempted to stop the vehicle. The driver failed to stop and continued fleeing from the deputies. The deputies gave chase for a few miles when the vehicle stopped on South Second Street, south of Independence. The suspect bailed out of the vehicle and ran. Deputies gave chase&nbsp; and were able to successfully apprehend the suspect identified as Andy Ochoa. Further investigation revealed Ochoa was in possession of stolen property, including a handgun that was reported stolen out of the City of Independence. Deputies also located methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and suspected fentanyl. Ochoa was transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections where he was booked on multiple requested charges.

Sheriff: Kan. stolen car suspect had stolen handgun, fentanyl

BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — Three hundred miles apart, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and likely Republican challenger&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;walked the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas Thursday, dueling trips underscoring how important immigration has become for the 2024 election and how much each man wants to use it to his advantage.

Each chose an optimal location to make his points, their schedules remarkably similar. They each got a briefing on operations and issues, walked along the border and gave remarks that overlapped. But that's where the comparisons ended.

Biden, who sought to spotlight how Republicans tanked a bipartisan border security deal on Trump's orders, went to the Rio Grande Valley city of Brownsville. For nine years, this was the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, but they have dropped sharply in recent months.

The president walked a quiet stretch of the border along the Rio Grande, and received a lengthy operations briefing from Homeland Security agents who talked to him bluntly about what more they needed.

“I want the American people to know what we're trying to get done," he said to officials there. "We can't afford not to do this."

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?533927-1/donald-trump-visits-us-southern-border">Click here to watch </a>Trump's comments from the border

Trump, meanwhile, continued his dialed-up attacks on migrants arriving to the border, deriding them as “terrorists” and criminals after harnessing rhetoric once used by Adolf Hitler to argue migrants are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hitler-poison-blood-history-f8c3ff512edd120252596a4743324352">poisoning the blood of America</a>.

“This is a Joe Biden invasion," Trump said.

Trump was in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-border-brownsville-eagle-pass-texas-32920274b7dcf5464b0fea30e004bade">Eagle Pass, roughly 325 miles</a>&nbsp;northwest of Brownsville, in the corridor that's currently seeing the largest number of crossings. He went to a local park that has become a Republican symbol of defiance against the federal immigration enforcement practices it mocks.

Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas National Guard soldiers gave him a tour, showing off razor wire they put up on Abbott's orders and in defiance of a U.S. Supreme Court order.

The number of people who are illegally crossing the U.S. border has been rising for years for complicated reasons that include climate change, war and unrest in other nations, the economy, and cartels that see migration as a cash cow.

The administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-immigration-congress-government-and-politics-a6b7a3f19297e9d6675fd625634dd41f">approach has been to pair crackdowns at the border</a>&nbsp;with increasing legal pathways for migrants designed to steer people into arriving by plane with sponsors, not illegally on foot to the border.

Arrests for illegal crossings fell by half in January, but there were record highs in December. The numbers of migrants flowing across the U.S-Mexico border have far outpaced the capacity of an immigration system that has not been substantially updated in decades. Trump and Republicans claim Biden is refusing to act, but absent law change from Congress, any major policies are likely to be challenged or held up in court.

Among those voters, worries about the nation’s broken immigration system are rising on both sides of the political divide, which could be especially problematic for Biden.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-top-issues-poll-foreign-policy-israel-d89db59deb07f53382cc9292b49f4d1c">According to an AP-NORC poll in January</a>, the share of voters concerned about immigration rose to 35% from 27% last year. Fifty-five percent of Republicans say the government needs to focus on immigration in 2024, while 22% of Democrats listed immigration as a priority. That’s up from 45% and 14%, respectively, from December 2022.

Trump landed to cheers from a crowd gathered at the small airport who held signs that read: “Trump 2024.” Some yelled, “Way to go, Trump.” He chatted with supporters for a few minutes before getting into his waiting SUV.

From Air Force One, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas dismissed claims the president's visit was political, and noted how badly his department that manages the U.S.-Mexico border needed extra funding that would have been contained in the collapsed bill.

“This visit is focused on the work that we do, not the rhetoric of others,” he said. “This is focused on operational needs, operational challenges and the significant impact that legislation would have in enhancing our border security.”

In a symbol of the political divide, the Republican-controlled House voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-republicans-impeach-homeland-security-secretary-mayorkas-8209736501ed4fe12e4b164443d6a8a9">impeach Mayorkas</a>&nbsp;over the Biden administration’s handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. Democrats say the charges amount to a policy dispute, not the “high crimes and misdemeanors” laid out as a bar for impeachment in the Constitution.

Since the president was last at the border&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-mexico-el-paso-2e30ea26bbc55c7af509a6e60ad3d33c">a year ago</a>, the debate over immigration in Washington&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-immigration-asylum-border-congress-7507034034ba49a8f170777600cad46e">has shifted</a>&nbsp;further to the right. Democrats have become increasingly eager to embrace border restrictions now that migrants are sleeping in police stations and airplane hangars in major cities.

During bipartisan talks on an immigration deal that would have toughened access for migrants, Biden himself said he'd be willing to “shut down the border” right now, should the deal pass.

The talks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-humanitarian-parole-biden-mexico-border-republicans-e6bdd78abac8892cefd117556d6aa5f5https://apnews.com/article/immigration-humanitarian-parole-biden-mexico-border-republicans-e6bdd78abac8892cefd117556d6aa5f5">looked promising for a while.</a>&nbsp;But Trump, who didn't want to give Biden a political win on one of his signature campaign issues, persuaded Republicans to kill the deal. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., declared it dead on arrival.

Biden vowed to make sure everyone knew why.

“Every day, between now and November, the American people are gonna know that the only reason the border is not secure is Donald Trump and his MAGA Republican friends,” Biden said this month, referring to the former president's Make America Great Again slogan.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-biden-razor-wire-park-50e0964fab96708954bd773b791f02da">was also to be interviewed by Fox News' Sean Hannity from Shelby Park</a>, an expanse along the Rio Grande owned by the city of Eagle Pass.

Trump has laid out updated immigration proposals that would mark a dramatic escalation of the approach he used in office and that drew alarms from civil rights activists and numerous court challenges.

Some of those include reviving and expanding his controversial travel ban, imposing "ideological screening” for migrants, terminating all work permits and cutting off funding for shelter and transportation for people who are in the country illegally. Trump also is likely to bring up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-riley-immigrants-crime-63181cbc7a89fe9fe28b1d0cf84c8b9a">the killing of a 22-year-old nursing</a>&nbsp;student in Georgia. The suspect is a Venezuelan migrant.

“Biden is preposterously trying to blame me and Congressional Republicans for the national security and public safety disaster he has created,” Trump wrote in an op-ed in the British newspaper The Daily Mail. “He created this catastrophe. "

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709241939951.png" alt="Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWNSVILLE, Texas (AP) — Three hundred miles apart, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and likely Republican challenger&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;walked the U.S.-Mexico border in Texas Thursday, dueling trips underscoring how important immigration has become for the 2024 election and how much each man wants to use it to his advantage.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden to Donald Trump: &quot;Join me or I&#39;ll join you in telling the Congress to pass this bipartisan border security bill. We can do it together....So, instead of playing politics, why don&#39;t we just get together and get it done.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/gYLRxoXoOJ">pic.twitter.com/gYLRxoXoOJ</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1763340505700503929?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Each chose an optimal location to make his points, their schedules remarkably similar. They each got a briefing on operations and issues, walked along the border and gave remarks that overlapped. But that's where the comparisons ended.Biden, who sought to spotlight how Republicans tanked a bipartisan border security deal on Trump's orders, went to the Rio Grande Valley city of Brownsville. For nine years, this was the busiest corridor for illegal crossings, but they have dropped sharply in recent months.The president walked a quiet stretch of the border along the Rio Grande, and received a lengthy operations briefing from Homeland Security agents who talked to him bluntly about what more they needed.“I want the American people to know what we're trying to get done," he said to officials there. "We can't afford not to do this."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709251999416.png" alt="Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Trump-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Texas Governor Greg Abbott and Trump-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?533927-1/donald-trump-visits-us-southern-border">Click here to watch </a>Trump's comments from the borderTrump, meanwhile, continued his dialed-up attacks on migrants arriving to the border, deriding them as “terrorists” and criminals after harnessing rhetoric once used by Adolf Hitler to argue migrants are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hitler-poison-blood-history-f8c3ff512edd120252596a4743324352">poisoning the blood of America</a>.“This is a Joe Biden invasion," Trump said.Trump was in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-border-brownsville-eagle-pass-texas-32920274b7dcf5464b0fea30e004bade">Eagle Pass, roughly 325 miles</a>&nbsp;northwest of Brownsville, in the corridor that's currently seeing the largest number of crossings. He went to a local park that has become a Republican symbol of defiance against the federal immigration enforcement practices it mocks.Gov. Greg Abbott and Texas National Guard soldiers gave him a tour, showing off razor wire they put up on Abbott's orders and in defiance of a U.S. Supreme Court order.“This is like a war,” Trump said.The number of people who are illegally crossing the U.S. border has been rising for years for complicated reasons that include climate change, war and unrest in other nations, the economy, and cartels that see migration as a cash cow.The administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-immigration-congress-government-and-politics-a6b7a3f19297e9d6675fd625634dd41f">approach has been to pair crackdowns at the border</a>&nbsp;with increasing legal pathways for migrants designed to steer people into arriving by plane with sponsors, not illegally on foot to the border.Arrests for illegal crossings fell by half in January, but there were record highs in December. The numbers of migrants flowing across the U.S-Mexico border have far outpaced the capacity of an immigration system that has not been substantially updated in decades. Trump and Republicans claim Biden is refusing to act, but absent law change from Congress, any major policies are likely to be challenged or held up in court.Among those voters, worries about the nation’s broken immigration system are rising on both sides of the political divide, which could be especially problematic for Biden.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-top-issues-poll-foreign-policy-israel-d89db59deb07f53382cc9292b49f4d1c">According to an AP-NORC poll in January</a>, the share of voters concerned about immigration rose to 35% from 27% last year. Fifty-five percent of Republicans say the government needs to focus on immigration in 2024, while 22% of Democrats listed immigration as a priority. That’s up from 45% and 14%, respectively, from December 2022.Trump landed to cheers from a crowd gathered at the small airport who held signs that read: “Trump 2024.” Some yelled, “Way to go, Trump.” He chatted with supporters for a few minutes before getting into his waiting SUV.From Air Force One, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas dismissed claims the president's visit was political, and noted how badly his department that manages the U.S.-Mexico border needed extra funding that would have been contained in the collapsed bill.“This visit is focused on the work that we do, not the rhetoric of others,” he said. “This is focused on operational needs, operational challenges and the significant impact that legislation would have in enhancing our border security.”In a symbol of the political divide, the Republican-controlled House voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-republicans-impeach-homeland-security-secretary-mayorkas-8209736501ed4fe12e4b164443d6a8a9">impeach Mayorkas</a>&nbsp;over the Biden administration’s handling of the U.S.-Mexico border. Democrats say the charges amount to a policy dispute, not the “high crimes and misdemeanors” laid out as a bar for impeachment in the Constitution.Since the president was last at the border&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-mexico-el-paso-2e30ea26bbc55c7af509a6e60ad3d33c">a year ago</a>, the debate over immigration in Washington&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-immigration-asylum-border-congress-7507034034ba49a8f170777600cad46e">has shifted</a>&nbsp;further to the right. Democrats have become increasingly eager to embrace border restrictions now that migrants are sleeping in police stations and airplane hangars in major cities.During bipartisan talks on an immigration deal that would have toughened access for migrants, Biden himself said he'd be willing to “shut down the border” right now, should the deal pass.The talks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-humanitarian-parole-biden-mexico-border-republicans-e6bdd78abac8892cefd117556d6aa5f5https://apnews.com/article/immigration-humanitarian-parole-biden-mexico-border-republicans-e6bdd78abac8892cefd117556d6aa5f5">looked promising for a while.</a>&nbsp;But Trump, who didn't want to give Biden a political win on one of his signature campaign issues, persuaded Republicans to kill the deal. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., declared it dead on arrival.Biden vowed to make sure everyone knew why.“Every day, between now and November, the American people are gonna know that the only reason the border is not secure is Donald Trump and his MAGA Republican friends,” Biden said this month, referring to the former president's Make America Great Again slogan.Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-biden-razor-wire-park-50e0964fab96708954bd773b791f02da">was also to be interviewed by Fox News' Sean Hannity from Shelby Park</a>, an expanse along the Rio Grande owned by the city of Eagle Pass.Trump has laid out updated immigration proposals that would mark a dramatic escalation of the approach he used in office and that drew alarms from civil rights activists and numerous court challenges.Some of those include reviving and expanding his controversial travel ban, imposing "ideological screening” for migrants, terminating all work permits and cutting off funding for shelter and transportation for people who are in the country illegally. Trump also is likely to bring up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-riley-immigrants-crime-63181cbc7a89fe9fe28b1d0cf84c8b9a">the killing of a 22-year-old nursing</a>&nbsp;student in Georgia. The suspect is a Venezuelan migrant.“Biden is preposterously trying to blame me and Congressional Republicans for the national security and public safety disaster he has created,” Trump wrote in an op-ed in the British newspaper The Daily Mail. “He created this catastrophe. "

🎥Biden invites Trump to work together during dueling border visits

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — A court employee and a police officer were fatally shot Thursday after the court process server tried to serve an eviction notice at a home in Missouri, authorities said.

A second officer was critically injured, but is expected to survive, police said.

Just after 7:30pm tactical response officers concluded their operations at the location of the shooting on Elsea Smith Road, according to KCPD Captian Jake Becchina. 

Officers carefully searched the property to ensure the safety of the investigators and the surrounding community. No additional people were located inside the residence and the scene was secured and released to Missouri Highway Patrol criminal investigators. KCPD crime Scene investigators are assisting with the processing as well.

Independence Police Chief Adam Dustman said Thursday afternoon at a news conference outside Centerpoint Medical Center that two of his police officers were met with gunfire while coming to the aid of Drexel Mack, the man who had been trying to serve the eviction notice.

Mack, or another civil process server also at the home, had called 911 saying Mack had been shot, Dustman said. The officers responded at about 1:10 p.m. and approached Mack to help him when someone shot at them, he said.

“I’m very tragically sorry to report that we lost one of our own," Dustman said, identifying the officer as Cody Allen, 35.

The second officer, whose name wasn’t released, underwent surgery and is expected to recover, Dustman said. A third officer also “took gunshot rounds” and had minor injuries, the police chief said.

Dustman called Allen a hero and described the police department as a “broken family,” over Allen's death.

“He always had a smile,” Dustman said.

A man suspected in the shooting was in custody and sustained minor injuries, Corporal Justin Ewing with Missouri State Highway Patrol said during an earlier news conference.

Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said no details were immediately available about what exactly happened before the shootings began.

Mack, who was in his early 40s, had worked for Jackson County for over a decade, officials said.

“We are devastated that a court employee, who is a public servant, was shot by a member of the public while performing their job,” Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto said in a statement. “Our hearts are heavy and our thoughts are with our employee, our entire Court family, and the Independence Police Department.”

More than a dozen officers lined up outside the hospital late Thursday afternoon to escort the bodies of the slain to the medical examiner’s office. People hugged and consoled each other after the procession left.

Helicopter video from KMBC-TV earlier in the day showed emergency vehicles converged around a large, isolated house in the middle of a field. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the homes.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol is leading an investigation.

Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709258406014.png" alt="Photo from above the crime scene courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Photo from above the crime scene courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — A court employee and a police officer were fatally shot Thursday after the court process server tried to serve an eviction notice at a home in Missouri, authorities said.A second officer was critically injured, but is expected to survive, police said.Just after 7:30pm tactical response officers concluded their operations at the location of the shooting on Elsea Smith Road, according to KCPD Captian Jake Becchina. Officers carefully searched the property to ensure the safety of the investigators and the surrounding community. No additional people were located inside the residence and the scene was secured and released to Missouri Highway Patrol criminal investigators. KCPD crime Scene investigators are assisting with the processing as well.Independence Police Chief Adam Dustman said Thursday afternoon at a news conference outside Centerpoint Medical Center that two of his police officers were met with gunfire while coming to the aid of Drexel Mack, the man who had been trying to serve the eviction notice.Mack, or another civil process server also at the home, had called 911 saying Mack had been shot, Dustman said. The officers responded at about 1:10 p.m. and approached Mack to help him when someone shot at them, he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709258563931.png" alt="Independence Officer Cody Allen courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Independence Officer Cody Allen courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“I’m very tragically sorry to report that we lost one of our own," Dustman said, identifying the officer as Cody Allen, 35.The second officer, whose name wasn’t released, underwent surgery and is expected to recover, Dustman said. A third officer also “took gunshot rounds” and had minor injuries, the police chief said.Dustman called Allen a hero and described the police department as a “broken family,” over Allen's death.“He always had a smile,” Dustman said.A man suspected in the shooting was in custody and sustained minor injuries, Corporal Justin Ewing with Missouri State Highway Patrol said during an earlier news conference.Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said no details were immediately available about what exactly happened before the shootings began.Mack, who was in his early 40s, had worked for Jackson County for over a decade, officials said.“We are devastated that a court employee, who is a public servant, was shot by a member of the public while performing their job,” Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto said in a statement. “Our hearts are heavy and our thoughts are with our employee, our entire Court family, and the Independence Police Department.”More than a dozen officers lined up outside the hospital late Thursday afternoon to escort the bodies of the slain to the medical examiner’s office. People hugged and consoled each other after the procession left.Helicopter video from KMBC-TV earlier in the day showed emergency vehicles converged around a large, isolated house in the middle of a field. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the homes.The Missouri State Highway Patrol is leading an investigation.Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents.

KCPD clears scene of deadly officer shooting; no one else found in house

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress passed another short-term spending measure Thursday that would keep one set of federal agencies operating through March 8 and another set through March 22, avoiding a shutdown for parts of the federal government that would otherwise kick in Saturday. The bill now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.

The short-term&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-johnson-government-shutdown-biden-ukraine-05afe588d798717a74b93af0e2a82e6c">extension</a>&nbsp;is the fourth in recent months, and many lawmakers expect it to be the last for the current fiscal year. House Speaker Mike Johnson said negotiators had completed six of the annual spending bills that fund federal agencies and had “almost final agreement on the others.”

“We'll get the job done,” Johnson said as he exited a closed-door meeting with Republican colleagues.

The House acted first Thursday. The vote to approve the extension was 320-99. It easily cleared the two-thirds majority needed for passage. Democrats overwhelmingly voted to avert a partial shutdown. But the vote was much more divided with Republicans, 113 in support and 97 against.

The Senate then took up the bill and approved it during an evening vote of 77-13. Kansas Senator Roger Marshall joined Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt of Missouri and Senators Marsha Blackburn,&nbsp;Mike Braun,&nbsp;Ted Budd, Mike Crapo,&nbsp;Ted Cruz, Ron Johnson,&nbsp;Mike Lee,&nbsp; Rick Scott,&nbsp; Tommy Turberville and J.D. Vance to vote against the measure.&nbsp;

“When we pass this bill, we will have, thank God, avoided a shutdown with all its harmful effects on the American people,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said moments before the vote.

Biden called Thursday night's vote “good news for the American people” but added, “I want to be clear: this is a short-term fix — not a long-term solution.”

Next week, the House and Senate are expected to take up a package of six spending bills and get them to the president before March 8. Then, lawmakers would work to fund the rest of the government by the new March 22 deadline.

At the end of the process, Congress is expected to have approved more than $1.6 trillion in spending for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1. That amount is roughly in line with the previous fiscal year and is what former Speaker Kevin McCarthy negotiated with the White House last year before eight disgruntled Republican lawmakers joined with Democrats a few months later and voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-3542dd134dccf35bc67db3463baec53b">oust him</a>&nbsp;from the position.

Some of the House's most conservative members wanted deeper cuts for non-defense programs than that agreement allowed through its spending caps. They also sought an array of policy changes that Democrats opposed. They were hoping the prospect of a shutdown could leverage more concessions.

“Last I checked, the Republicans actually have a majority in the House of Representatives, but you wouldn’t know it if you looked at our checkbook because we are all too willing to continue the policy choices of Joe Biden and the spending levels of Nancy Pelosi,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.

But Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., countered before the vote that shutdowns are damaging and encouraged lawmakers to vote for the short-term extension.

“I want the American people to know, Mr. Speaker, that this negotiation has been difficult, but to close the government down at a time like this would hurt people who should not be hurt,” Fleischmann said.

The split within the GOP conference on spending and their tiny House majority bogged down the efforts to get the bills passed on a timely basis. With the Senate also struggling to complete work on all 12 appropriations bills, lawmakers have resorted to a series of short-term measures to keep the government funded.

Republican leadership said that the broader funding legislation being teed up for votes in March would lead to spending cuts for many nondefense agencies. By dividing the spending bill up into chunks, they are hoping to avoid an omnibus bill — a massive, all-encompassing bill that lawmakers generally had little time to digest or understand before voting on it. Republicans vowed there would be no omnibus this time.

“When you take away Defense and Veterans Affairs, the rest of the agencies are going to be seeing spending cuts in many cases," said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La. “There are also some policy changes that we pushed through the House that will be in the final product. Of course, some of those are still being negotiated.”

The temporary extension funds the departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Interior and others through March 8. It funds the Pentagon, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services and the State Department through March 22.

While congressional leaders have said they've reached final agreement on what will be in the first package of spending bills voted on next week, there's still room for an impasse on the second package to be voted on later in the month.

“We are working in a divided government. That means to get anything done, we have to work together, in good faith to reach reasonable outcomes," said Sen. Patty Murray, the Democratic chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

The renewed focus on this year's spending bills doesn't include the separate, $95.3 billion aid package that the Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-senate-5fdcf8cb1964681dcce0f4fe7b9a0f86">approved</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan earlier this month, with much of that money being spent in the U.S. to replenish America's military arsenal. The bill also contained about $9 billion in humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, Ukraine and other war zones.

In his statement Thursday, Biden said, “It is time for House Republicans to put our national security first and move with urgency to get this bipartisan bill to my desk.”

Biden had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-johnson-israel-ukraine-shutdown-government-dc6d39b2a652130c6e3021394c1a3ee3">summoned</a>&nbsp;congressional leaders to the White House on Tuesday, during which he and others urged Johnson to also move forward with the aid package. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the U.S. can't afford to wait months to provide more military assistance to Ukraine, which is running short of the arms and ammunition necessary to repel Russia's military invasion.

“We’ve got a lot of priorities before us, but we have to get the government funded and secure our border and then we’ll address everything else," Johnson told reporters upon exiting his meeting with GOP colleagues.

Democrats urged quicker action on Ukraine as the temporary spending bill was debated.

“Without swift action, the legacy of this Congress will be the destruction of Ukraine, the appeasement of a dictator, and the abandonment of starving children and ailing families,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress passed another short-term spending measure Thursday that would keep one set of federal agencies operating through March 8 and another set through March 22, avoiding a shutdown for parts of the federal government that would otherwise kick in Saturday. The bill now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are over $34T in debt, and still, there have been no meaningful efforts taken by Congress to reverse course. This is irresponsible and highlights how out of touch D.C. is with hardworking Americans. Where I&#39;m from when ends don&#39;t meet, we hunker down, shrink spending and…&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1763377190475895126?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The short-term&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-johnson-government-shutdown-biden-ukraine-05afe588d798717a74b93af0e2a82e6c">extension</a>&nbsp;is the fourth in recent months, and many lawmakers expect it to be the last for the current fiscal year. House Speaker Mike Johnson said negotiators had completed six of the annual spending bills that fund federal agencies and had “almost final agreement on the others.”“We'll get the job done,” Johnson said as he exited a closed-door meeting with Republican colleagues.The House acted first Thursday. The vote to approve the extension was 320-99. It easily cleared the two-thirds majority needed for passage. Democrats overwhelmingly voted to avert a partial shutdown. But the vote was much more divided with Republicans, 113 in support and 97 against.The Senate then took up the bill and approved it during an evening vote of 77-13. Kansas Senator Roger Marshall joined Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt of Missouri and Senators Marsha Blackburn,&nbsp;Mike Braun,&nbsp;Ted Budd, Mike Crapo,&nbsp;Ted Cruz, Ron Johnson,&nbsp;Mike Lee,&nbsp; Rick Scott,&nbsp; Tommy Turberville and J.D. Vance to vote against the measure.&nbsp;“When we pass this bill, we will have, thank God, avoided a shutdown with all its harmful effects on the American people,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said moments before the vote.Biden called Thursday night's vote “good news for the American people” but added, “I want to be clear: this is a short-term fix — not a long-term solution.”Next week, the House and Senate are expected to take up a package of six spending bills and get them to the president before March 8. Then, lawmakers would work to fund the rest of the government by the new March 22 deadline.At the end of the process, Congress is expected to have approved more than $1.6 trillion in spending for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1. That amount is roughly in line with the previous fiscal year and is what former Speaker Kevin McCarthy negotiated with the White House last year before eight disgruntled Republican lawmakers joined with Democrats a few months later and voted to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-3542dd134dccf35bc67db3463baec53b">oust him</a>&nbsp;from the position.Some of the House's most conservative members wanted deeper cuts for non-defense programs than that agreement allowed through its spending caps. They also sought an array of policy changes that Democrats opposed. They were hoping the prospect of a shutdown could leverage more concessions.“Last I checked, the Republicans actually have a majority in the House of Representatives, but you wouldn’t know it if you looked at our checkbook because we are all too willing to continue the policy choices of Joe Biden and the spending levels of Nancy Pelosi,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.But Rep. Chuck Fleischmann, R-Tenn., countered before the vote that shutdowns are damaging and encouraged lawmakers to vote for the short-term extension.“I want the American people to know, Mr. Speaker, that this negotiation has been difficult, but to close the government down at a time like this would hurt people who should not be hurt,” Fleischmann said.The split within the GOP conference on spending and their tiny House majority bogged down the efforts to get the bills passed on a timely basis. With the Senate also struggling to complete work on all 12 appropriations bills, lawmakers have resorted to a series of short-term measures to keep the government funded.Republican leadership said that the broader funding legislation being teed up for votes in March would lead to spending cuts for many nondefense agencies. By dividing the spending bill up into chunks, they are hoping to avoid an omnibus bill — a massive, all-encompassing bill that lawmakers generally had little time to digest or understand before voting on it. Republicans vowed there would be no omnibus this time.“When you take away Defense and Veterans Affairs, the rest of the agencies are going to be seeing spending cuts in many cases," said House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La. “There are also some policy changes that we pushed through the House that will be in the final product. Of course, some of those are still being negotiated.”The temporary extension funds the departments of Agriculture, Transportation, Interior and others through March 8. It funds the Pentagon, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services and the State Department through March 22.While congressional leaders have said they've reached final agreement on what will be in the first package of spending bills voted on next week, there's still room for an impasse on the second package to be voted on later in the month.“We are working in a divided government. That means to get anything done, we have to work together, in good faith to reach reasonable outcomes," said Sen. Patty Murray, the Democratic chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.The renewed focus on this year's spending bills doesn't include the separate, $95.3 billion aid package that the Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-senate-5fdcf8cb1964681dcce0f4fe7b9a0f86">approved</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan earlier this month, with much of that money being spent in the U.S. to replenish America's military arsenal. The bill also contained about $9 billion in humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza and the West Bank, Ukraine and other war zones.In his statement Thursday, Biden said, “It is time for House Republicans to put our national security first and move with urgency to get this bipartisan bill to my desk.”Biden had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-johnson-israel-ukraine-shutdown-government-dc6d39b2a652130c6e3021394c1a3ee3">summoned</a>&nbsp;congressional leaders to the White House on Tuesday, during which he and others urged Johnson to also move forward with the aid package. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the U.S. can't afford to wait months to provide more military assistance to Ukraine, which is running short of the arms and ammunition necessary to repel Russia's military invasion.“We’ve got a lot of priorities before us, but we have to get the government funded and secure our border and then we’ll address everything else," Johnson told reporters upon exiting his meeting with GOP colleagues.Democrats urged quicker action on Ukraine as the temporary spending bill was debated.“Without swift action, the legacy of this Congress will be the destruction of Ukraine, the appeasement of a dictator, and the abandonment of starving children and ailing families,” said Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.

Marshall No: Congress OKs short-term extension to avoid shutdown

HODGEMAN COUNTY—Crews fighting a large grass fire in Hodgeman County Thursday finally contained the blaze at approximately 7:25p.m., according to Sheriff Jared Walker.&nbsp;

Fire crews from all over southwest Kansas arrived to assist with the fire on Lake Road east of the city of Jetmore.

"There was still some trees burning but in the burned area late Thursday, according to Walker.&nbsp; Fire personnel remained on scene mopping up some spots. The sheriff thanedk everyone that came and assisted including Hanston Fire; Ford County; Ness County;&nbsp; Gray County; Finney County;&nbsp; Pawnee County and the SW Kansas Regional Task Force which had trucks from Kiowa, Minneola, and Ashland. Also all the companies and farmers that brought trailers of water and Hodgeman County Road and Bridge and KDOT employees.

Officials have not released details on the acres burned or what caused the fire. There were no injuries reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709291613888.png" alt="Photos Hodgeman County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photos Hodgeman County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>HODGEMAN COUNTY—Crews fighting a large grass fire in Hodgeman County Thursday finally contained the blaze at approximately 7:25p.m., according to Sheriff Jared Walker.&nbsp;Fire crews from all over southwest Kansas arrived to assist with the fire on Lake Road east of the city of Jetmore.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1709292454566.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"There was still some trees burning but in the burned area late Thursday, according to Walker.&nbsp; Fire personnel remained on scene mopping up some spots. The sheriff thanedk everyone that came and assisted including Hanston Fire; Ford County; Ness County;&nbsp; Gray County; Finney County;&nbsp; Pawnee County and the SW Kansas Regional Task Force which had trucks from Kiowa, Minneola, and Ashland. Also all the companies and farmers that brought trailers of water and Hodgeman County Road and Bridge and KDOT employees.Officials have not released details on the acres burned or what caused the fire. There were no injuries reported.

Sheriff: Large southwest Kansas grass fire contained

Mack had called 911 saying he had been shot, Dustman said. The officers responded at about 1:10 p.m. and approached Mack to help him when someone shot at them, he said.

The second officer, whose name wasn’t released, underwent surgery and is expected to recover, Dustman said.

Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said no details were immediately available about what led to the shooting.

Mack had worked for Jackson County for over a decade, officials said.

Helicopter video from KMBC-TV earlier in the day showed emergency vehicles converged around an isolated house in the middle of a field. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on large, multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the homes.

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — A court employee and a police officer were fatally shot Thursday after the court process server tried to serve an eviction notice at a home in Independence, Missouri, authorities said.

A second officer was critically injured, but is expected to survive, police said at a news conference.

A male suspect sustained minor injuries, Corporal Justin Ewing with Missouri State Highway Patrol said during a separate news conference.

Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said no details are immediately available about what led to the shooting.

Helicopter video from KMBC-TV showed emergency vehicles converged around an isolated house in the middle of a field. The media was cordoned off in an area about 1 mile (1.61 kilometers) from the crime scene. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on large, multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the houses.

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Two police officers and a court employee were shot and wounded Thursday at a home in Independence, Missouri, authorities said.

Corporal Justin Ewing with Missouri State Highway Patrol said during a news conference the two officers were critically injured and were transported to a hospital. Their conditions were not immediately known.

The 16th Judicial Court of Missouri said a court process server also was shot and critically injured by someone inside the home while serving an eviction notice.

A male suspect sustained minor injuries, Kansas City police Capt. Jake Becchina said at the news conference.

Capt. Ronda Montgomery of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said she could confirm that police officers were shot, but that she couldn’t comment further. She said it’s under the jurisdiction of the Independence police and that it’s their scene.

Schools in the Fort Osage School District were locked down for about 20-30 minutes until authorities gave the all-clear, spokesperson Stephanie Smith said.

“The incident occurred several miles from our nearest school, so it really was out of caution,” she said. “Safety is always our first priority for our students.”

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Two police officers and a court employee were shot and wounded Thursday while serving an eviction at a home in Independence, Missouri, authorities said.

Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said the two officers were taken to a hospital, and their conditions were not immediately known. One person was arrested, he said.

The 16th Judicial Court of Missouri said a court process server also was shot by someone inside the home while serving an eviction notice.

Taylor said no details are immediately available about what led to the shooting. A news conference is planned for later, he said.

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Authorities said two police officers were shot and wounded Thursday in Independence, Missouri.

Independence Police Officer Kelley Rupert said a process server — a person who typically helps serve warrants — was also injured.

The Police Department said in a Facebook post that there were reports of shots fired near a residence in the area.

The Police Department said in a Facebook post that there were reports of shots fired near a residence.

Taylor said no details are immediately available about what led to the shooting.

Police will provide updates as more information becomes available.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities were at a residence near Elsea Smith Road and Bundschu Road in Independence on Thursday, according to a social media report from police.

 There were reports of shots fired around that residence.  Two officers have been transported with gunshot wounds.&nbsp;One person was arrested, according to&nbsp; Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709258563931.png" alt="-Independence Police Officer Cody Allen -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>-Independence Police Officer Cody Allen -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — A court employee and a police officer were fatally shot Thursday after the court process server tried to serve an eviction notice at a home in Missouri, authorities said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709244314466.png" alt="Law enforcement near the crime scene in rural Jackson Co.-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement near the crime scene in rural Jackson Co.-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>A second officer was critically injured, but is expected to survive, police said.Independence Police Chief Adam Dustman said Thursday afternoon at a news conference outside Centerpoint Medical Center that two of his police officers were met with gunfire while coming to the aid of Drexel Mack, the man who had been trying to serve the eviction notice.Mack had called 911 saying he had been shot, Dustman said. The officers responded at about 1:10 p.m. and approached Mack to help him when someone shot at them, he said.“I’m very tragically sorry to report that we lost one of our own," Dustman said, identifying the officer as Cody Allen, 35.The second officer, whose name wasn’t released, underwent surgery and is expected to recover, Dustman said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We continue to receive updates on the situation this afternoon in Independence, in which police officers have been shot and injured. <a href="https://twitter.com/MSHPTrooperGHQ?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MSHPTrooperGHQ</a> is assisting. Teresa and I are praying for the <a href="https://twitter.com/IndepMoPolice?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@IndepMoPolice</a> officers involved and all who work to protect us.&mdash; Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovParsonMO/status/1763306137519030284?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My heart breaks for the Independence Police Department and all the family and friends of their officer who succumbed to injuries from a shooting earlier today. I am praying for all others impacted today and all of the women and men of law enforcement in the Kansas City area.&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1763312000065519700?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Dustman called Allen a hero and described the police department as a “broken family,” over Allen's death.“He always had a smile,” Dustman said.A man suspected in the shooting was in custody and sustained minor injuries, Corporal Justin Ewing with Missouri State Highway Patrol said during an earlier news conference.Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said no details were immediately available about what led to the shooting.Mack had worked for Jackson County for over a decade, officials said.“We are devastated that a court employee, who is a public servant, was shot by a member of the public while performing their job,” Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto said in a statement. “Our hearts are heavy and our thoughts are with our employee, our entire Court family, and the Independence Police Department.”More than a dozen officers lined up outside the hospital late Thursday afternoon to escort the bodies of the slain to the medical examiner’s office. People hugged and consoled each other after the procession left.Helicopter video from KMBC-TV earlier in the day showed emergency vehicles converged around an isolated house in the middle of a field. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on large, multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the homes.Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents.------------------INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — A court employee and a police officer were fatally shot Thursday after the court process server tried to serve an eviction notice at a home in Independence, Missouri, authorities said.A second officer was critically injured, but is expected to survive, police said at a news conference.A male suspect sustained minor injuries, Corporal Justin Ewing with Missouri State Highway Patrol said during a separate news conference.Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said no details are immediately available about what led to the shooting.Helicopter video from KMBC-TV showed emergency vehicles converged around an isolated house in the middle of a field. The media was cordoned off in an area about 1 mile (1.61 kilometers) from the crime scene. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on large, multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the houses.Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents.----------------INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Two police officers and a court employee were shot and wounded Thursday at a home in Independence, Missouri, authorities said.Corporal Justin Ewing with Missouri State Highway Patrol said during a news conference the two officers were critically injured and were transported to a hospital. Their conditions were not immediately known.The 16th Judicial Court of Missouri said a court process server also was shot and critically injured by someone inside the home while serving an eviction notice.“We are devastated that a court employee, who is a public servant, was shot by a member of the public while performing their job,” Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto said in a statement. “Our hearts are heavy and our thoughts are with our employee, our entire Court family, and the Independence Police Department.”A male suspect sustained minor injuries, Kansas City police Capt. Jake Becchina said at the news conference.Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said no details are immediately available about what led to the shooting.Helicopter video from KMBC-TV showed emergency vehicles converged around an isolated house in the middle of a field. The media was cordoned off in an area about 1 mile (1.61 kilometers) from the crime scene. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on large, multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the houses.Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents.Capt. Ronda Montgomery of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said she could confirm that police officers were shot, but that she couldn’t comment further. She said it’s under the jurisdiction of the Independence police and that it’s their scene.Schools in the Fort Osage School District were locked down for about 20-30 minutes until authorities gave the all-clear, spokesperson Stephanie Smith said.“The incident occurred several miles from our nearest school, so it really was out of caution,” she said. “Safety is always our first priority for our students.”-----------INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Two police officers and a court employee were shot and wounded Thursday while serving an eviction at a home in Independence, Missouri, authorities said.Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said the two officers were taken to a hospital, and their conditions were not immediately known. One person was arrested, he said.The 16th Judicial Court of Missouri said a court process server also was shot by someone inside the home while serving an eviction notice.“We are devastated that a court employee, who is a public servant, was shot by a member of the public while performing their job,” Presiding Judge Jalilah Otto said in a statement. “Our hearts are heavy and our thoughts are with our employee, our entire Court family, and the Independence Police Department.”Taylor said no details are immediately available about what led to the shooting. A news conference is planned for later, he said.Helicopter video from KMBC-TV showed emergency vehicles converged around an isolated house in the middle of a field. The media was cordoned off in an area about 1 mile (1.61 kilometers) from the crime scene. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on large, multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the houses.Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents.Capt. Ronda Montgomery of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said she could confirm that police officers were shot, but that she couldn’t comment further. She said it’s under the jurisdiction of the Independence police and that it’s their scene.Schools in the Fort Osage School District were locked down for about 20-30 minutes until authorities gave the all-clear, spokesperson Stephanie Smith said.“The incident occurred several miles from our nearest school, so it really was out of caution,” she said. “Safety is always our first priority for our students.”--------INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Authorities said two police officers were shot and wounded Thursday in Independence, Missouri.Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said the two officers were taken to a hospital, and their conditions were not immediately known. One person was arrested, he said.Independence Police Officer Kelley Rupert said a process server — a person who typically helps serve warrants — was also injured.Taylor said no details are immediately available about what led to the shooting. A news conference is planned for later, he said.Helicopter video from KMBC-TV showed emergency vehicles converged around an isolated house in the middle of a field. The media was cordoned off in an area about 1 mile (1.61 kilometers) from the crime scene. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on large, multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the houses.Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents.The Police Department said in a Facebook post that there were reports of shots fired near a residence in the area.Capt. Ronda Montgomery of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said she could confirm that police officers were shot, but that she couldn’t comment further. She said it’s under the jurisdiction of the Independence police and that it’s their scene.Schools in the Fort Osage School District were locked down for about 20-30 minutes until authorities gave the all-clear, spokesperson Stephanie Smith said.“The incident occurred several miles from our nearest school, so it really was out of caution,” she said. “Safety is always our first priority for our students.”-----------------INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Authorities said two police officers were shot and wounded Thursday in Independence, Missouri.Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said the two officers were taken to a hospital, and their conditions were not immediately known. One person was arrested, he said.Independence Police Officer Kelley Rupert said a process server — a person who typically helps serve warrants — was also injured.Taylor said no details are immediately available about what led to the shooting. A news conference is planned for later, he said.Helicopter video from KMBC-TV showed emergency vehicles converged around an isolated house in the middle of a field. The media was cordoned off in an area about 1 mile (1.61 kilometers) from the crime scene. The area was a mixture of woods and farmland with a smattering of houses on large, multi-acre lots. A church was mixed in among the houses.Independence is a suburb of Kansas City, with about 122,000 residents.The Police Department said in a Facebook post that there were reports of shots fired near a residence in the area.Capt. Ronda Montgomery of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said she could confirm that police officers were shot, but that she couldn’t comment further. She said it’s under the jurisdiction of the Independence police and that it’s their scene.--------------INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Authorities said two police officers were shot and wounded Thursday in Independence, Missouri.Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor said the two officers were taken to a hospital, and their conditions were not immediately known. One person was arrested, he said.Independence Police Officer Kelley Rupert said a process server — a person who typically helps serve warrants — was also injured.The Police Department said in a Facebook post that there were reports of shots fired near a residence.Taylor said no details are immediately available about what led to the shooting.Capt. Ronda Montgomery of the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office said she could confirm that police officers were shot, but that she couldn’t comment further. She said it’s under the jurisdiction of the Independence police and that it’s their scene.Police will provide updates as more information becomes available.----------------KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities were at a residence near Elsea Smith Road and Bundschu Road in Independence on Thursday, according to a social media report from police. There were reports of shots fired around that residence. Two officers have been transported with gunshot wounds.&nbsp;One person was arrested, according to&nbsp; Independence Police Department spokesperson Officer Jack Taylor.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Police ID officer, court worker fatally shot near Kansas City

JERUSALEM —U.S. Forces closed out the month of February facing additional attacks in the Red Sea.

Between the hours of 6 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. Thursday, the U.S. Navy conducted two self-defense strikes against six mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch towards the Red Sea, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

Earlier that evening, at approximately 5:10 p.m. (Sanna time), forces shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over the southern Red Sea in self-defense.

CENTCOM forces determined that the missiles and UAV presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the U.S. Navy ships in the region. These actions will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy and merchant vessels.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;President Joe Biden said Thursday that a deal to pause fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and release some hostages held by the militant group would “probably” not be done by Monday. His comments at the White House came days after he said he hoped to have an agreement in place by the end of the upcoming weekend.

“Hope springs eternal,” Biden told reporters on the South Lawn before departing for Texas, where he is to visit the U.S.-Mexico border. “I was on the telephone with people from the region. Probably not by Monday, but I’m hopeful.”

The White House later said the president had spoken by phone Thursday with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. The calls focused on the war in Gaza and cease-fire negotiations, as well as plans to get more humanitarian aid into the besieged territory.

Biden and the two leaders emphasized in their calls how “the release of hostages would result in an immediate and sustained cease-fire in Gaza over a period of at least six weeks,” a White House statement said.

Biden also said the U.S. was still trying to determined what happened in Gaza City on Thursday, where witnesses say Israeli troops fired on a large crowd of Palestinians racing to pull food off an aid convoy. Biden said the loss of life would complicate ongoing talks to free hostages and pause fighting between Israel and Hamas.

“We’re checking it out right now,” Biden told reporters. “There’s two competing versions of what happened. I don’t have an answer yet.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703990687604.png" alt="Photo U.S.&nbsp; Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S.&nbsp; Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM —U.S. Forces closed out the month of February facing additional attacks in the Red Sea.Between the hours of 6 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. Thursday, the U.S. Navy conducted two self-defense strikes against six mobile anti-ship cruise missiles that were prepared to launch towards the Red Sea, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.Earlier that evening, at approximately 5:10 p.m. (Sanna time), forces shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) over the southern Red Sea in self-defense.CENTCOM forces determined that the missiles and UAV presented an imminent threat to merchant vessels and to the U.S. Navy ships in the region. These actions will protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S. Navy and merchant vessels.Meanwhile,&nbsp;President Joe Biden said Thursday that a deal to pause fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza and release some hostages held by the militant group would “probably” not be done by Monday. His comments at the White House came days after he said he hoped to have an agreement in place by the end of the upcoming weekend.“Hope springs eternal,” Biden told reporters on the South Lawn before departing for Texas, where he is to visit the U.S.-Mexico border. “I was on the telephone with people from the region. Probably not by Monday, but I’m hopeful.”The White House later said the president had spoken by phone Thursday with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. The calls focused on the war in Gaza and cease-fire negotiations, as well as plans to get more humanitarian aid into the besieged territory.Biden and the two leaders emphasized in their calls how “the release of hostages would result in an immediate and sustained cease-fire in Gaza over a period of at least six weeks,” a White House statement said.Biden also said the U.S. was still trying to determined what happened in Gaza City on Thursday, where witnesses say Israeli troops fired on a large crowd of Palestinians racing to pull food off an aid convoy. Biden said the loss of life would complicate ongoing talks to free hostages and pause fighting between Israel and Hamas.“We’re checking it out right now,” Biden told reporters. “There’s two competing versions of what happened. I don’t have an answer yet.”

U.S. warships end February facing additional Red Sea threats

SHAWNEE COUNTY&nbsp; –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a an arrest this week.

Just after 1a.m. Wednesday, police responded to reported suspicious persons in the 1800 block of NW Brickyard Road, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichold

Officers did not find that a crime had been committed but noticed a vehicle near the railroad tracks. Upon further investigation, officers determined one of the rail cars had open doors and there was wire on the ground.

An individual emerged from the rail car, identified later as Matthew G. Allender, 41, of Topeka. He ran from police. Officers ultimately took him into custody and contacted Union Pacific Railroad. It was determined there was around $550,000 in damage to the rail cars that had been burglarized.

As a result of the investigation, Allender was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department on requested&nbsp;charges of Burglary; Vehicle to commit felony, theft, DV, or sexually motivated crime Felony theft $25,000 &lt; $100,000 Motor Vehicle Parts or Accessories Criminal damage to property; Felony Interference with LEO; knowingly flee by means other than motor vehicle for felony cases Criminal trespass; Property as posted per KSA 32-1013.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709154582078.png" alt="Allender-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Allender-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY&nbsp; –Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a an arrest this week.Just after 1a.m. Wednesday, police responded to reported suspicious persons in the 1800 block of NW Brickyard Road, according to police spokesperson Rosie NicholdOfficers did not find that a crime had been committed but noticed a vehicle near the railroad tracks. Upon further investigation, officers determined one of the rail cars had open doors and there was wire on the ground.An individual emerged from the rail car, identified later as Matthew G. Allender, 41, of Topeka. He ran from police. Officers ultimately took him into custody and contacted Union Pacific Railroad. It was determined there was around $550,000 in damage to the rail cars that had been burglarized.As a result of the investigation, Allender was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department on requested&nbsp;charges of Burglary; Vehicle to commit felony, theft, DV, or sexually motivated crime Felony theft $25,000 &lt; $100,000 Motor Vehicle Parts or Accessories Criminal damage to property; Felony Interference with LEO; knowingly flee by means other than motor vehicle for felony cases Criminal trespass; Property as posted per KSA 32-1013.

Kan. man accused of $500,000 damage in railroad burglary

TOPEKA – The Wichita Police Department reported that Patrick Miller was located and is now safe. Thanks for your assistance during the silver alert.

SEDGWICK COUNTY –&nbsp;The Wichita Police Department requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Wichita man, according to a media release.

The whereabouts of 79-year-old Patrick Miller are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him.

Patrick is likely driving a white 2004 Ford F150 bearing Kansas tag 787FBW. He may be in the El Dorado area, near Highway 254 west and Interstate 35.

Patrick is described as a black male, approximately 5 foot 7 inches tall, and weighing around 145 pounds. He has grey hair, brown eyes, and a beard. Patrick&nbsp;has dementia and may need assistance to return safely.

If you see Patrick Miller or his vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about this case, please call the Wichita Police Department at&nbsp;(316) 268-4111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709257815645.png" alt="Patrick Miller-photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Patrick Miller-photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – The Wichita Police Department reported that Patrick Miller was located and is now safe. Thanks for your assistance during the silver alert.SEDGWICK COUNTY –&nbsp;The Wichita Police Department requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Wichita man, according to a media release.The whereabouts of 79-year-old Patrick Miller are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709257859934.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Patrick is likely driving a white 2004 Ford F150 bearing Kansas tag 787FBW. He may be in the El Dorado area, near Highway 254 west and Interstate 35.Patrick is described as a black male, approximately 5 foot 7 inches tall, and weighing around 145 pounds. He has grey hair, brown eyes, and a beard. Patrick&nbsp;has dementia and may need assistance to return safely.If you see Patrick Miller or his vehicle, please call 911 immediately. If you have other information about this case, please call the Wichita Police Department at&nbsp;(316) 268-4111.

KBI: Silver Alert canceled, missing Kansas man found

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-election-campaign-425e275ffbe6da60c9b9e5dbfc590379">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;vowed Thursday to fulfill Moscow’s goals in Ukraine and sternly warned the West against deeper involvement in the fighting, saying that such a move is fraught with the risk of a global nuclear conflict.

Putin's warning came in a state-of-the-nation address ahead of next month’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-presidential-election-2024-what-to-know-04a363dd56d4b3f15d3048ed8585fe55">election</a>&nbsp;he’s all but certain to win, underlining his readiness to protect Russian gains in Ukraine.

In an apparent reference to French President Emmanuel Macron's statement earlier this week that the future deployment of Western ground troops to Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paris-conference-support-ukraine-zelenskyy-c458a1df3f9a7626128cdeb84050d469#:~:text=PARIS%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20French%20President,grinds%20into%20a%20third%20year.">should not be “ruled out”</a>, Putin warned that it would lead to “tragic” consequences for the countries who decide to do that.

Putin noted that while accusing Russia of plans tp attack NATO allies in Europe, Western allies were “selecting targets for striking our territory and selecting the most efficient as they think striking assets and talking about the possibility of sending a NATO contingent to Ukraine.”

“We remember the fate of those who sent their troop contingents to the territory of our country,” the Russian leader said. “Now the consequences for the potential invaders will be far more tragic.”

Speaking before an audience of lawmakers and top officials, Putin said the West should keep in mind that “we also have the weapons that can strike targets on their territory, and what they are now suggesting and scaring the world with, all that raises the real threat of a nuclear conflict that will mean the destruction of our civilization.”

“Don't they understand it?” he said, alleging that Western leaders are playing with options of deeper involvement in the conflict, as in a simulation. “Those people haven't been through any tough challenges and they have forgotten what war means.”

The strong statement followed earlier warnings from Putin, who has issued frequent reminders of Russia's nuclear might since he sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022 as he sought to discourage the West from expanding its military support for Kyiv.

Putin emphasized that Russia’s nuclear forces are in “full readiness,” saying that the military has deployed potent new weapons, some of them tested on the battlefield in Ukraine.

The Kremlin leader said they include the new Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic missile that has entered service with Russian nuclear forces, along with the Burevestnik atomic-powered cruise missile and the Poseidon atomic-powered, nuclear-armed drone, which are completing their tests.

He added that the Kinzhal and Zircon hypersonic missiles have proven their efficacy on the battlefield in Ukraine.

At the same time, he rejected Western leaders’ statements about the threat of a Russian attack on NATO allies in Europe as “ravings” and again dismissed Washington's claim that Moscow was pondering the deployment of space-based nuclear weapons.

Putin charged that the U.S. allegations were part of a ploy to draw Russia into talks on nuclear arms control on American terms even as Washington continues its efforts to deliver a “strategic defeat” to Moscow in Ukraine.

“Ahead of the U.S. election, they just want to show their citizens, as well as others, that they continue to rule the world,” he said. “It won't work.”

In his speech that focused heavily on economic and social issues ahead of the March 15-17 presidential vote, Putin argued that Russia was “defending its sovereignty and security and protecting our compatriots” in Ukraine, charging that the Russian forces have the upper hand in the fighting.

He hailed Russian soldiers and honored those who were killed in fighting with a moment of silence.

Putin has repeatedly said that he sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022 to protect Russian interests and prevent Ukraine from posing a major security threat to Russia by joining NATO. Kyiv and its allies have denounced it as an unprovoked act of aggression.

The Russian leader has repeatedly signaled a desire to negotiate an end to the fighting but warned that Russia will hold onto its gains.

Putin, 71, who is running as an independent candidate in the March 15-17 presidential election, relies on the tight control over Russia’s political system that he has established during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0dc36e0cdf7e6fa3c5e0d735b4c55197">24 years in power</a>.

Prominent critics who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-russia-successors-president-election-kremlin-58154b1f252908e76083c944efc6828e">could challenge him</a>&nbsp;have either been imprisoned or are living abroad, while most independent media have been banned, meaning that Putin’s reelection is all but assured. He faces token opposition from three other candidates nominated by Kremlin-friendly parties represented in parliament.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-navalny-life-timeline-0722708e19e51b10699b2cc73ece0bae">Russia’s best-known opposition leader Alexei Navalny</a>, whose attempt to run against Putin in 2018 was rejected,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/alexei-navalny-death-russia-updates">died suddenly in an Arctic prison colony</a>&nbsp;earlier this month, while serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges. Navalny’s funeral is set for Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663760963726.jpeg" alt="File Image from a video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the nation in Moscow (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)" />
 <figcaption>File Image from a video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, Russian President Vladimir Putin addressed the nation in Moscow (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-election-campaign-425e275ffbe6da60c9b9e5dbfc590379">Vladimir Putin</a>&nbsp;vowed Thursday to fulfill Moscow’s goals in Ukraine and sternly warned the West against deeper involvement in the fighting, saying that such a move is fraught with the risk of a global nuclear conflict.Putin's warning came in a state-of-the-nation address ahead of next month’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-presidential-election-2024-what-to-know-04a363dd56d4b3f15d3048ed8585fe55">election</a>&nbsp;he’s all but certain to win, underlining his readiness to protect Russian gains in Ukraine.In an apparent reference to French President Emmanuel Macron's statement earlier this week that the future deployment of Western ground troops to Ukraine&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paris-conference-support-ukraine-zelenskyy-c458a1df3f9a7626128cdeb84050d469#:~:text=PARIS%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20French%20President,grinds%20into%20a%20third%20year.">should not be “ruled out”</a>, Putin warned that it would lead to “tragic” consequences for the countries who decide to do that.Putin noted that while accusing Russia of plans tp attack NATO allies in Europe, Western allies were “selecting targets for striking our territory and selecting the most efficient as they think striking assets and talking about the possibility of sending a NATO contingent to Ukraine.”“We remember the fate of those who sent their troop contingents to the territory of our country,” the Russian leader said. “Now the consequences for the potential invaders will be far more tragic.”Speaking before an audience of lawmakers and top officials, Putin said the West should keep in mind that “we also have the weapons that can strike targets on their territory, and what they are now suggesting and scaring the world with, all that raises the real threat of a nuclear conflict that will mean the destruction of our civilization.”“Don't they understand it?” he said, alleging that Western leaders are playing with options of deeper involvement in the conflict, as in a simulation. “Those people haven't been through any tough challenges and they have forgotten what war means.”The strong statement followed earlier warnings from Putin, who has issued frequent reminders of Russia's nuclear might since he sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022 as he sought to discourage the West from expanding its military support for Kyiv.Putin emphasized that Russia’s nuclear forces are in “full readiness,” saying that the military has deployed potent new weapons, some of them tested on the battlefield in Ukraine.The Kremlin leader said they include the new Sarmat heavy intercontinental ballistic missile that has entered service with Russian nuclear forces, along with the Burevestnik atomic-powered cruise missile and the Poseidon atomic-powered, nuclear-armed drone, which are completing their tests.He added that the Kinzhal and Zircon hypersonic missiles have proven their efficacy on the battlefield in Ukraine.At the same time, he rejected Western leaders’ statements about the threat of a Russian attack on NATO allies in Europe as “ravings” and again dismissed Washington's claim that Moscow was pondering the deployment of space-based nuclear weapons.Putin charged that the U.S. allegations were part of a ploy to draw Russia into talks on nuclear arms control on American terms even as Washington continues its efforts to deliver a “strategic defeat” to Moscow in Ukraine.“Ahead of the U.S. election, they just want to show their citizens, as well as others, that they continue to rule the world,” he said. “It won't work.”In his speech that focused heavily on economic and social issues ahead of the March 15-17 presidential vote, Putin argued that Russia was “defending its sovereignty and security and protecting our compatriots” in Ukraine, charging that the Russian forces have the upper hand in the fighting.He hailed Russian soldiers and honored those who were killed in fighting with a moment of silence.Putin has repeatedly said that he sent troops into Ukraine in February 2022 to protect Russian interests and prevent Ukraine from posing a major security threat to Russia by joining NATO. Kyiv and its allies have denounced it as an unprovoked act of aggression.The Russian leader has repeatedly signaled a desire to negotiate an end to the fighting but warned that Russia will hold onto its gains.Putin, 71, who is running as an independent candidate in the March 15-17 presidential election, relies on the tight control over Russia’s political system that he has established during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0dc36e0cdf7e6fa3c5e0d735b4c55197">24 years in power</a>.Prominent critics who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-russia-successors-president-election-kremlin-58154b1f252908e76083c944efc6828e">could challenge him</a>&nbsp;have either been imprisoned or are living abroad, while most independent media have been banned, meaning that Putin’s reelection is all but assured. He faces token opposition from three other candidates nominated by Kremlin-friendly parties represented in parliament.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-navalny-life-timeline-0722708e19e51b10699b2cc73ece0bae">Russia’s best-known opposition leader Alexei Navalny</a>, whose attempt to run against Putin in 2018 was rejected,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/alexei-navalny-death-russia-updates">died suddenly in an Arctic prison colony</a>&nbsp;earlier this month, while serving a 19-year sentence on extremism charges. Navalny’s funeral is set for Friday.

Putin threatens nuclear war if NATO sends troops to Ukraine

KANSAS CITY —Two Kansas City area men have been charged in connection with the late-afternoon Jan. 17, 2024, shootings inside Crown Center, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Joel Olivas, 23, and Brian Favela, 22, collectively face 26 felony charges. Each defendant faces three counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, six counts of Armed Criminal Action, Terroristic Threat in the 1st&nbsp;Degree and three counts of Harassment in the 1st&nbsp;Degree. Both charged defendants are affiliated with the East Side Gang.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709159745533.png" alt="Olivas-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Olivas-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Two Kansas City area men have been charged in connection with the late-afternoon Jan. 17, 2024, shootings inside Crown Center, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Joel Olivas, 23, and Brian Favela, 22, collectively face 26 felony charges. Each defendant faces three counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, six counts of Armed Criminal Action, Terroristic Threat in the 1st&nbsp;Degree and three counts of Harassment in the 1st&nbsp;Degree. Both charged defendants are affiliated with the East Side Gang.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1709159804082.png" alt="Favela photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Favela photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>According to court records, a total of six persons were wounded in the shooting, including three victims not involved in the disturbance between two groups. Crime scene technicians located 54 spent shell casings, observed live rounds on the ground and recovered eight spent bullets and 22 bullet fragments. Witnesses stated a groups of males could be heard in a verbal disturbance at Crown Center.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705578148945.png" alt="Police at the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure> They fired their weapons in a public space with blatant disregard for the safety of many persons inside a mall, including families and children.Prosecutors worked closely with the police investigative team on the timing of criminal charges in this case to protect officer safety in taking these defendants into custody. The charges were placed under seal this month. The seal was lifted today.Prosecutors requested a $500,000 cash bond for each defendant.