BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas’ child care providers view the state’s child care subsidy program as cumbersome and ineffective, according to a new survey, but they also see ways to fix the underused system.&nbsp;

In partnership with Kansas State University, the Hutchinson-based United Methodist Health Ministry Fund highlighted&nbsp;<a href="https://healthfund.org/a/ccsubsidy/" target="_blank">a report</a>&nbsp;Wednesday detailing providers’ perceptions of the state’s child care subsidy program.&nbsp;

Child care providers and administrators across Kansas said that the state’s processes can be a barrier to those seeking assistance due to excessive paperwork, lack of communication and stringent eligibility requirements, the survey found. That’s in addition to inadequate reimbursement rates and delayed payments.

Jennifer Francois, the author of the survey and a K-State professor, said in a news release the goal of the study was to better understand providers and their thoughts on how to improve Kansas’ child care subsidy system to increase participation. Ninety-three Kansas counties were represented in Francois’ survey of nearly 300 child care providers and administrators.

In Kansas, families qualify for the state’s child care subsidy program if they fall into one of four categories: they receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, benefits; they are low income or a foster parent and working; they are pursuing education or training activities; or they are a teen parent completing high school or a GED. The Kansas Department for Children and Families administers the program and loads payments to families on their Electronic Benefit Transfer, or EBT cards, each month, and the family pays child care providers.

Desiree Streight, the owner of Little Explorers Playschool in Kingman, in south-central Kansas, accepts families using subsidies and said at a Wednesday news conference that families and child care providers are carrying the burden of a flawed system. Seven of the 12 children she cares for are part of families who are receiving child care subsidies, she said.&nbsp;

“Those families are working hard to get by,” Straight said.&nbsp;

Eligibility review takes too long, and families that are already struggling often can’t afford to shoulder the costs of child care or the penalties associated with the state’s subsidy program, she said.&nbsp;

More than 70% of providers identified higher reimbursement rates and direct payments to providers as ways to increase participation in the program, the health ministry fund’s survey found.&nbsp;

“Kansas is one of the few remaining states that pays families subsidies, or the assistance stipend, to then pay the provider, and oftentimes this is inefficient,” said David Jordan, executive director of the health ministry fund, at the news conference.&nbsp;

DCF’s subsidy program is underused. A report based on 2020 data from the Center for Law and Social Policy found that 12% of eligible families are participating. That was lower than the national rate of 14%.

Other states use presumptive eligibility, which allows families to enroll their kids in child care while they undergo the application process for assistance. Kansas has no such thing.&nbsp;

However, Kansas isn’t unique in its child care challenges.&nbsp;

“Every state is struggling in their own way,” said Emily Barnes, education policy advisor for the Topeka child advocacy nonprofit Kansas Action for Children. “Each state is working to increase the effectiveness of their system, and part of it is we have just not had adequate conversation for a really long time.”

As those working in the child care and child advocacy fields look toward the 2025 legislative session, more funding for providers, which could mean dipping into the state’s general fund, and reevaluating work requirements to qualify for child care subsidies could ease barriers.&nbsp;

Quality, affordable child care is important to Kansans. Kansas Speaks, a statewide comprehensive survey from Fort Hays State University’s Docking Institute, found that more than 85% of Kansans believed that “high-quality, affordable infant and toddler child care was extremely or highly important for families in Kansas, regardless of whether or not they had young children.”

The same survey found that nearly 80% of Kansans surveyed either strongly agree or somewhat agree that access to affordable child care strengthens the economy.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1647281893666.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas’ child care providers view the state’s child care subsidy program as cumbersome and ineffective, according to a new survey, but they also see ways to fix the underused system.&nbsp;In partnership with Kansas State University, the Hutchinson-based United Methodist Health Ministry Fund highlighted&nbsp;<a href="https://healthfund.org/a/ccsubsidy/" target="_blank">a report</a>&nbsp;Wednesday detailing providers’ perceptions of the state’s child care subsidy program.&nbsp;Child care providers and administrators across Kansas said that the state’s processes can be a barrier to those seeking assistance due to excessive paperwork, lack of communication and stringent eligibility requirements, the survey found. That’s in addition to inadequate reimbursement rates and delayed payments.Jennifer Francois, the author of the survey and a K-State professor, said in a news release the goal of the study was to better understand providers and their thoughts on how to improve Kansas’ child care subsidy system to increase participation. Ninety-three Kansas counties were represented in Francois’ survey of nearly 300 child care providers and administrators.In Kansas, families qualify for the state’s child care subsidy program if they fall into one of four categories: they receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF, benefits; they are low income or a foster parent and working; they are pursuing education or training activities; or they are a teen parent completing high school or a GED. The Kansas Department for Children and Families administers the program and loads payments to families on their Electronic Benefit Transfer, or EBT cards, each month, and the family pays child care providers.Desiree Streight, the owner of Little Explorers Playschool in Kingman, in south-central Kansas, accepts families using subsidies and said at a Wednesday news conference that families and child care providers are carrying the burden of a flawed system. Seven of the 12 children she cares for are part of families who are receiving child care subsidies, she said.&nbsp;“Those families are working hard to get by,” Straight said.&nbsp;Eligibility review takes too long, and families that are already struggling often can’t afford to shoulder the costs of child care or the penalties associated with the state’s subsidy program, she said.&nbsp;More than 70% of providers identified higher reimbursement rates and direct payments to providers as ways to increase participation in the program, the health ministry fund’s survey found.&nbsp;“Kansas is one of the few remaining states that pays families subsidies, or the assistance stipend, to then pay the provider, and oftentimes this is inefficient,” said David Jordan, executive director of the health ministry fund, at the news conference.&nbsp;DCF’s subsidy program is underused. A report based on 2020 data from the Center for Law and Social Policy found that 12% of eligible families are participating. That was lower than the national rate of 14%.Other states use presumptive eligibility, which allows families to enroll their kids in child care while they undergo the application process for assistance. Kansas has no such thing.&nbsp;However, Kansas isn’t unique in its child care challenges.&nbsp;“Every state is struggling in their own way,” said Emily Barnes, education policy advisor for the Topeka child advocacy nonprofit Kansas Action for Children. “Each state is working to increase the effectiveness of their system, and part of it is we have just not had adequate conversation for a really long time.”As those working in the child care and child advocacy fields look toward the 2025 legislative session, more funding for providers, which could mean dipping into the state’s general fund, and reevaluating work requirements to qualify for child care subsidies could ease barriers.&nbsp;Quality, affordable child care is important to Kansans. Kansas Speaks, a statewide comprehensive survey from Fort Hays State University’s Docking Institute, found that more than 85% of Kansans believed that “high-quality, affordable infant and toddler child care was extremely or highly important for families in Kansas, regardless of whether or not they had young children.”The same survey found that nearly 80% of Kansans surveyed either strongly agree or somewhat agree that access to affordable child care strengthens the economy.&nbsp;

Kansas child care providers say subsidies difficult to access, survey finds

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will host President-elect Donald Trump for a traditional postelection meeting in the Oval Office on Wednesday, the White House said Saturday.

Such a meeting is customary between the outgoing president and the incoming president, and is meant partly to mark the start of a peaceful transfer of power under America's democracy.

But Trump, a Republican, did not host Biden, a Democrat, for a sit-down after the 2020 election, when Trump lost his reelection bid.

Trump sought the presidency four years later, and this week he defeated Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat. Trump is the first former president to return to power since Grover Cleveland regained the White House in the 1892 election.

The White House said Biden called Trump this past Wednesday to congratulate him and invite him to meet in the Oval Office.

In a speech Thursday, Biden said he had assured Trump “that I would direct my entire administration to work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition. That’s what the American people deserve.”

Their upcoming meeting is set for 11 a.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731173511452.png" alt="File photo President Biden, former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg and President elect Donald Trump at a 9/11 ceremony in September" />
 <figcaption>File photo President Biden, former New York Mayor Mike Bloomberg and President elect Donald Trump at a 9/11 ceremony in September</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will host President-elect Donald Trump for a traditional postelection meeting in the Oval Office on Wednesday, the White House said Saturday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731174197816.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Such a meeting is customary between the outgoing president and the incoming president, and is meant partly to mark the start of a peaceful transfer of power under America's democracy.But Trump, a Republican, did not host Biden, a Democrat, for a sit-down after the 2020 election, when Trump lost his reelection bid.Trump sought the presidency four years later, and this week he defeated Vice President Kamala Harris, a Democrat. Trump is the first former president to return to power since Grover Cleveland regained the White House in the 1892 election.The White House said Biden called Trump this past Wednesday to congratulate him and invite him to meet in the Oval Office.In a speech Thursday, Biden said he had assured Trump “that I would direct my entire administration to work with his team to ensure a peaceful and orderly transition. That’s what the American people deserve.”Their upcoming meeting is set for 11 a.m.

Biden, Trump set date for meeting in the Oval Office

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating alleged criminal damage in Kansas City have made an arrest.

Early Friday, police arrested a suspect responsible for vandalizing a Vietnamese business in the Columbus Park neighborhood this week, according to a social media report from Kansas City Police.

Officers worked with detectives from a neighboring agency to track down this criminal. Police are now checking into other crimes this suspect may have committed, and charges are pending.

Police did not release the name of the suspect or additional details.

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating alleged criminal damage in Kansas City have made an arrest.Early Friday, police arrested a suspect responsible for vandalizing a Vietnamese business in the Columbus Park neighborhood this week, according to a social media report from Kansas City Police.Officers worked with detectives from a neighboring agency to track down this criminal. Police are now checking into other crimes this suspect may have committed, and charges are pending.Police did not release the name of the suspect or additional details.

Suspect accused of vandalism at Vietnamese business in KC

WASHINGTON (AP) —Democratic incumbent Sen. Jacky Rosen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nevada-senate-election-race-2024-f6646cfc6bdfb00d78897322cd25ae44">won reelection</a>&nbsp;early Saturday morning after The Associated Press declared she had beat Republican Sam Brown in a race that turned on Rosen’s strong performance in the state’s two largest counties — Clark and Washoe.

With nearly all of the vote counted, the AP called the race for Rosen.

At the time the AP called the race at 12:15 a.m. ET on Saturday, there were not enough votes left to count, according to AP’s estimates, in the state’s rural areas to make up the gap created by Rosen’s performance in the counties that are home to Las Vegas and Reno.

Republican Rep. Don Bacon won a fifth term representing the Omaha-centered U.S. House district for Nebraska on Friday. In yet another hard-fought bid, Bacon defeated Democrat Tony Vargas, a state lawmaker, in a rematch of their 2022 race. Unlike other GOP candidates in the solidly Republican state, Bacon emphasized his bipartisan credentials and highlighted his vote for the Biden administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Democrat Joe Biden won the 2nd District’s vote in the Electoral College in 2020, making it a top target as Democrats attempt to win back the House majority.

The second update of the day in Arizona’s Maricopa County saw the race for U.S. Senate draw tighter, while Trump expanded his margin over Harris in the race for the state’s 11 electoral votes.

There are still hundreds of thousands of ballots left to count in the state, and AP will be watching for additional vote result updates in Maricopa County and across the state over the weekend.

Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump won his sixth battleground state of the 2024 election early Saturday, beating Vice President Kamala Harris in Nevada.

The Associated Press declared Trump the winner after concluding there were not enough uncounted ballots in the state’s strongest Democratic areas to overcome the former president’s 46,000-vote lead over the Democratic nominee.

Trump clinched a second term early Wednesday when Wisconsin pushed him past the 270 electoral votes needed to win, so Nevada’s six electoral votes only added to the size of his victory: He now has 301 electoral votes and has won six of the seven battleground states. Only Arizona remains to be called.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731154057115.png" alt="Image Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Image Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Democratic incumbent Sen. Jacky Rosen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nevada-senate-election-race-2024-f6646cfc6bdfb00d78897322cd25ae44">won reelection</a>&nbsp;early Saturday morning after The Associated Press declared she had beat Republican Sam Brown in a race that turned on Rosen’s strong performance in the state’s two largest counties — Clark and Washoe.With nearly all of the vote counted, the AP called the race for Rosen.At the time the AP called the race at 12:15 a.m. ET on Saturday, there were not enough votes left to count, according to AP’s estimates, in the state’s rural areas to make up the gap created by Rosen’s performance in the counties that are home to Las Vegas and Reno.Republican Rep. Don Bacon won a fifth term representing the Omaha-centered U.S. House district for Nebraska on Friday. In yet another hard-fought bid, Bacon defeated Democrat Tony Vargas, a state lawmaker, in a rematch of their 2022 race. Unlike other GOP candidates in the solidly Republican state, Bacon emphasized his bipartisan credentials and highlighted his vote for the Biden administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Democrat Joe Biden won the 2nd District’s vote in the Electoral College in 2020, making it a top target as Democrats attempt to win back the House majority.The second update of the day in Arizona’s Maricopa County saw the race for U.S. Senate draw tighter, while Trump expanded his margin over Harris in the race for the state’s 11 electoral votes.There are still hundreds of thousands of ballots left to count in the state, and AP will be watching for additional vote result updates in Maricopa County and across the state over the weekend.Meanwhile, President-elect Donald Trump won his sixth battleground state of the 2024 election early Saturday, beating Vice President Kamala Harris in Nevada.The Associated Press declared Trump the winner after concluding there were not enough uncounted ballots in the state’s strongest Democratic areas to overcome the former president’s 46,000-vote lead over the Democratic nominee.Trump clinched a second term early Wednesday when Wisconsin pushed him past the 270 electoral votes needed to win, so Nevada’s six electoral votes only added to the size of his victory: He now has 301 electoral votes and has won six of the seven battleground states. Only Arizona remains to be called.

Dems pick up U.S. Senate seat; control of House still uncertain

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of an apartment fire in Kansas City.

Just after 12:30p.m. Friday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported apartment fire in the 200 block of N. Clinton Place, according to&nbsp;Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

Crews found smoke showing from the three-story apartment building. Crews initiated an interior offensive attack using three handlines. Searches of the structure came back all clear. Heavy fire damage on the second-floor apartment with water and smoke damage throughout the structure. The Red Cross was ordered for 12 individuals. There were no injuries were reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731100741509.png" alt="Photos KC Fire Dept." />
 <figcaption>Photos KC Fire Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of an apartment fire in Kansas City.Just after 12:30p.m. Friday, crews&nbsp;responded to a reported apartment fire in the 200 block of N. Clinton Place, according to&nbsp;Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731100764172.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Crews found smoke showing from the three-story apartment building. Crews initiated an interior offensive attack using three handlines. Searches of the structure came back all clear. Heavy fire damage on the second-floor apartment with water and smoke damage throughout the structure. The Red Cross was ordered for 12 individuals. There were no injuries were reported.

Fire damages 3-story apartment building in Kansas City

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday congratulated Donald Trump on his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-trump-harris-white-house-83c8e246ab97f5b97be45cdc156af4e2">election victory</a>&nbsp;in his first public comment on the U.S. vote, and he praised the president-elect's courage during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/attempted-assassination-of-donald-trump">the July assassination attempt</a>.

“His behavior at the moment of an attempt on his life left an impression on me. He turned out to be a brave man," Putin said at an international forum following a speech in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.

"He manifested himself in the very correct way, bravely as a man,” he added.

Putin also said that what Trump has said “about the desire to restore relations with Russia, to help end the Ukrainian crisis, in my opinion, deserves attention at least.”

The Kremlin earlier welcomed Trump’s claim that he could negotiate an end to the conflict in Ukraine “in 24 hours” but emphasized that it will wait for concrete policy steps.

″I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate him on his election as president of the United States of America,” Putin said in a question-and-answer session at the conference.

As to what he expects from a second Trump administration, Putin said, “I don’t know what will happen now. I have no idea.”

"For him, this is still his last presidential term. What he will do is his matter,” added Putin, who this year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-election-putin-2024-updates-ebdaae1bf12b44343b88ba471f9f0cb0">began a fifth term</a>&nbsp;that will keep him in power until 2030 and could seek six more years in office after that.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday the Kremlin is not ruling out the possibility of contact between Putin and Trump before the inauguration, given that Trump “said he would call Putin before the inauguration.”

Peskov has emphasized that Moscow views the U.S. as an “unfriendly” country that is directly involved in the Ukrainian conflict. He dismissed arguments that Putin’s failure to reach out quickly to Trump could hurt future ties, saying that Moscow's relations with Washington already are at the “lowest point in history” and arguing that it will be up to the new U.S. leadership to change the situation.

The Kremlin’s cautious stand reflected its view of the U.S. vote as a choice between two unappealing possibilities. While Trump is known for his admiration of Putin, the Russian leader has repeatedly noted that during Trump’s first term, there were “so many restrictions and sanctions against Russia like no other president has ever introduced before him.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663760963726.jpeg" alt="File photo (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)" />
 <figcaption>File photo (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday congratulated Donald Trump on his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-trump-harris-white-house-83c8e246ab97f5b97be45cdc156af4e2">election victory</a>&nbsp;in his first public comment on the U.S. vote, and he praised the president-elect's courage during&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/attempted-assassination-of-donald-trump">the July assassination attempt</a>.“His behavior at the moment of an attempt on his life left an impression on me. He turned out to be a brave man," Putin said at an international forum following a speech in the Black Sea resort of Sochi."He manifested himself in the very correct way, bravely as a man,” he added.Putin also said that what Trump has said “about the desire to restore relations with Russia, to help end the Ukrainian crisis, in my opinion, deserves attention at least.”The Kremlin earlier welcomed Trump’s claim that he could negotiate an end to the conflict in Ukraine “in 24 hours” but emphasized that it will wait for concrete policy steps.″I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate him on his election as president of the United States of America,” Putin said in a question-and-answer session at the conference.As to what he expects from a second Trump administration, Putin said, “I don’t know what will happen now. I have no idea.”"For him, this is still his last presidential term. What he will do is his matter,” added Putin, who this year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-election-putin-2024-updates-ebdaae1bf12b44343b88ba471f9f0cb0">began a fifth term</a>&nbsp;that will keep him in power until 2030 and could seek six more years in office after that.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Thursday the Kremlin is not ruling out the possibility of contact between Putin and Trump before the inauguration, given that Trump “said he would call Putin before the inauguration.”Peskov has emphasized that Moscow views the U.S. as an “unfriendly” country that is directly involved in the Ukrainian conflict. He dismissed arguments that Putin’s failure to reach out quickly to Trump could hurt future ties, saying that Moscow's relations with Washington already are at the “lowest point in history” and arguing that it will be up to the new U.S. leadership to change the situation.The Kremlin’s cautious stand reflected its view of the U.S. vote as a choice between two unappealing possibilities. While Trump is known for his admiration of Putin, the Russian leader has repeatedly noted that during Trump’s first term, there were “so many restrictions and sanctions against Russia like no other president has ever introduced before him.”

Putin says he is ready for dialogue with Trump to end Ukraine crisis

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for a shooting incident at a health care office.

On Thursday evening, sheriff's deputies driving in the area of the Johnson County Mental Health Center, 1125 West Spruce Street in Olathe when they observed a subject shooting into the front of the building, according to a statement from the Johnson County Sheriff.

Sheriff's deputies and Olathe police responded immediately to the scene and were able to detain the subject, later identified as 34-year-old Joseph S. Longman without further incident. The office was closed and there were no injuries.

Longman is being held on a requested charge of aggravated assault, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731086634489.png" alt="Longman-photo from an earlier arrest in Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Longman-photo from an earlier arrest in Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for a shooting incident at a health care office.On Thursday evening, sheriff's deputies driving in the area of the Johnson County Mental Health Center, 1125 West Spruce Street in Olathe when they observed a subject shooting into the front of the building, according to a statement from the Johnson County Sheriff.Sheriff's deputies and Olathe police responded immediately to the scene and were able to detain the subject, later identified as 34-year-old Joseph S. Longman without further incident. The office was closed and there were no injuries.Longman is being held on a requested charge of aggravated assault, according to online jail records.

Suspect fired gun into front of Kan. mental health office

WASHINGTON (AP)—The judge overseeing Trump’s 2020 election interference case canceled any remaining court deadlines Friday after prosecutors said they need time to assess “the appropriate course going forward” after the Republican’s presidential victory this week.

Special Counsel Jack Smith charged Trump last year with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate</a>. But Smith’s team has been evaluating how to wind down the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">two federal cases</a>&nbsp;before the president-elect takes office in light of longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.

Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris means that the Justice Department believes he can no longer face prosecution in accordance with department legal opinions meant to shield presidents from criminal charges while in office.

In a court filing Friday in the 2020 election case, Smith’s team said it needs “time to assess this unprecedented circumstance and determine the appropriate course going forward consistent with Department of Justice policy.”

Smith’s team said it would inform the judge of “the result of its deliberations” by Dec. 2.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661941600753.jpeg" alt="This image contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice on Aug. 30, 2022, and redacted by in part by the FBI, shows a photo of documents seized during the Aug. 8 search by the FBI of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.&nbsp; (Department of Justice via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This image contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice on Aug. 30, 2022, and redacted by in part by the FBI, shows a photo of documents seized during the Aug. 8 search by the FBI of former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida.&nbsp; (Department of Justice via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP)—The judge overseeing Trump’s 2020 election interference case canceled any remaining court deadlines Friday after prosecutors said they need time to assess “the appropriate course going forward” after the Republican’s presidential victory this week.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731103832768.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Special Counsel Jack Smith charged Trump last year with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">plotting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">illegally hoarding classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate</a>. But Smith’s team has been evaluating how to wind down the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">two federal cases</a>&nbsp;before the president-elect takes office in light of longstanding Justice Department policy that says sitting presidents cannot be prosecuted, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press.Trump’s victory over Vice President Kamala Harris means that the Justice Department believes he can no longer face prosecution in accordance with department legal opinions meant to shield presidents from criminal charges while in office.In a court filing Friday in the 2020 election case, Smith’s team said it needs “time to assess this unprecedented circumstance and determine the appropriate course going forward consistent with Department of Justice policy.”Smith’s team said it would inform the judge of “the result of its deliberations” by Dec. 2.

Judge cancels court deadlines in Trump’s 2020 election case

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks cruised to more records as they closed their best week in a year on Friday.

The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.4% to cap its biggest weekly gain since early November 2023 and briefly crossed above the 6,000 level for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 259 points, or 0.6%, while the Nasdaq composite added 0.1%.

The relatively quiet trading followed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-rates-china-93421462d761eb1402d813cb381fe6e9">huge gains</a>&nbsp;earlier in the week after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-key-coalitions-coalitions-ap-votecast-ce3d9fc91beae8d3647efd6d5e08b1d8">Donald Trump won the presidential election</a>&nbsp;and the Federal Reserve&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-election-inflation-trump-economy-prices-e6b837fd85cff5ad71d4e40939b97237">cut interest rates again</a>&nbsp;to make things easier for the economy.

Axon Enterprise, which sells Tasers and body cameras used by police officers, helped lead the market. It jumped 28.7% after delivering stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also raised its revenue forecast for the full year to $2.07 billion, which would mean 32% growth.

Expedia Group rose 3.8% after likewise topping profit expectations. It said booked room nights rose 9% from a year earlier.

Helping to keep the market in check was Airbnb, which sank 8.7% after the online vacation rental platform posted a mixed third-quarter earnings report and issued forecasts for the fourth quarter that disappointed investors.

Digital pinboard and shopping site Pinterest slid 14% after the company’s revenue guidance came in lower than investors expected, even as it easily beat Wall Street’s sales and profit targets.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 22.44 points to 5,995.54. The Dow gained 259.65 to 43,988.99, and the Nasdaq composite edged up 17.32 to 19,286.78.

In the bond market, longer-term Treasury yields eased.

A preliminary report in the morning suggested sentiment among U.S. consumers rose for a fourth straight month to its highest level in six months. The survey from the University of Michigan, which was conducted before Tuesday’s election, also said expectations for inflation in the coming year eased to the lowest level since 2020.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 4.30% from 4.33% late Thursday. But it’s still well above where it was in mid-September, when it was close to 3.60%.

Treasury yields climbed in large part because the U.S. economy has remained much more resilient than feared. The hope is that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-election-economy-inflation-unemployment-presidential-dcf54cd3b40f01ca78bccf86cd8e13d5">it can continue to stay solid</a>&nbsp;as the Federal Reserve continues to cut interest rates in order to keep the job market humming, now that it’s helped get&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-election-federal-reserve-rates-economy-e4ff4b6745ea1c8badd6a0502f372f25">inflation nearly down to its 2% target</a>.

Some of the rise in yields has also been because of Trump. He talks up tariffs and other policies that economists say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inflation-tariffs-taxes-immigration-federal-reserve-a18de763fcc01557258c7f33cab375ed">could drive inflation and the U.S. government’s debt higher</a>, along with the economy’s growth.

Traders have already begun paring forecasts for how many cuts to rates the Fed will deliver next year because of that. While lower rates can boost the economy, they can also give inflation more fuel.

In stock markets abroad, Trump’s talk about tariffs has raised worries about possible trade tensions and disruptions to the global economy.

European indexes mostly sank to close out a losing week.

Markets in Hong Kong and Shanghai fell as investors awaited much-anticipated steps by Beijing to rev up the slowing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-stimulus-d3ba981eb1fb9894fa9e8a08ffac40ee">Chinese economy</a>&nbsp;following a meeting of the legislature’s Standing Committee. Officials announced a 6 trillion yuan ($839 billion), three-year plan to help local governments refinance their many trillions of debt that has ballooned during the COVID-19 pandemic and a collapse of the property market.

Financial markets worldwide have swung sharply as investors lay bets on what Trump’s plans for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wins-second-term-policies-de3dcf0f173b42602b258042fd7aaafb">higher tariffs, lower tax rates and lighter regulation</a>&nbsp;could mean for the global economy. But many professional investors have also urged caution, saying snaps back in prices could occur as it becomes more clear what proposals will become policy versus just starting points for negotiations.

“Our experience is that such narrow reactions have not historically made for durable investment opportunities, and we favor pausing to look more closely at the likely main policy initiatives,” according to Paul Christopher, head of global investment strategy at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.

U.S. banks and the stocks of more domestically focused companies have seen some of the wildest moves, as some of the poster children of the “Trump trade.”

The stock that’s become most synonymous with the president-elect,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-media-stock-musk-x-social-5328feb1a782cc65bd05b7e30756b8db">Trump Media &amp; Technology Group</a>, rose 15.2% Friday in its latest sharp swing to wipe out what had been a loss for the week.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks cruised to more records as they closed their best week in a year on Friday.The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.4% to cap its biggest weekly gain since early November 2023 and briefly crossed above the 6,000 level for the first time. The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 259 points, or 0.6%, while the Nasdaq composite added 0.1%.The relatively quiet trading followed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-rates-china-93421462d761eb1402d813cb381fe6e9">huge gains</a>&nbsp;earlier in the week after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-key-coalitions-coalitions-ap-votecast-ce3d9fc91beae8d3647efd6d5e08b1d8">Donald Trump won the presidential election</a>&nbsp;and the Federal Reserve&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-election-inflation-trump-economy-prices-e6b837fd85cff5ad71d4e40939b97237">cut interest rates again</a>&nbsp;to make things easier for the economy.Axon Enterprise, which sells Tasers and body cameras used by police officers, helped lead the market. It jumped 28.7% after delivering stronger profit for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It also raised its revenue forecast for the full year to $2.07 billion, which would mean 32% growth.Expedia Group rose 3.8% after likewise topping profit expectations. It said booked room nights rose 9% from a year earlier.Helping to keep the market in check was Airbnb, which sank 8.7% after the online vacation rental platform posted a mixed third-quarter earnings report and issued forecasts for the fourth quarter that disappointed investors.Digital pinboard and shopping site Pinterest slid 14% after the company’s revenue guidance came in lower than investors expected, even as it easily beat Wall Street’s sales and profit targets.All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 22.44 points to 5,995.54. The Dow gained 259.65 to 43,988.99, and the Nasdaq composite edged up 17.32 to 19,286.78.In the bond market, longer-term Treasury yields eased.A preliminary report in the morning suggested sentiment among U.S. consumers rose for a fourth straight month to its highest level in six months. The survey from the University of Michigan, which was conducted before Tuesday’s election, also said expectations for inflation in the coming year eased to the lowest level since 2020.The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 4.30% from 4.33% late Thursday. But it’s still well above where it was in mid-September, when it was close to 3.60%.Treasury yields climbed in large part because the U.S. economy has remained much more resilient than feared. The hope is that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-hiring-election-economy-inflation-unemployment-presidential-dcf54cd3b40f01ca78bccf86cd8e13d5">it can continue to stay solid</a>&nbsp;as the Federal Reserve continues to cut interest rates in order to keep the job market humming, now that it’s helped get&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-election-federal-reserve-rates-economy-e4ff4b6745ea1c8badd6a0502f372f25">inflation nearly down to its 2% target</a>.Some of the rise in yields has also been because of Trump. He talks up tariffs and other policies that economists say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-inflation-tariffs-taxes-immigration-federal-reserve-a18de763fcc01557258c7f33cab375ed">could drive inflation and the U.S. government’s debt higher</a>, along with the economy’s growth.Traders have already begun paring forecasts for how many cuts to rates the Fed will deliver next year because of that. While lower rates can boost the economy, they can also give inflation more fuel.In stock markets abroad, Trump’s talk about tariffs has raised worries about possible trade tensions and disruptions to the global economy.European indexes mostly sank to close out a losing week.Markets in Hong Kong and Shanghai fell as investors awaited much-anticipated steps by Beijing to rev up the slowing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-stimulus-d3ba981eb1fb9894fa9e8a08ffac40ee">Chinese economy</a>&nbsp;following a meeting of the legislature’s Standing Committee. Officials announced a 6 trillion yuan ($839 billion), three-year plan to help local governments refinance their many trillions of debt that has ballooned during the COVID-19 pandemic and a collapse of the property market.Financial markets worldwide have swung sharply as investors lay bets on what Trump’s plans for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wins-second-term-policies-de3dcf0f173b42602b258042fd7aaafb">higher tariffs, lower tax rates and lighter regulation</a>&nbsp;could mean for the global economy. But many professional investors have also urged caution, saying snaps back in prices could occur as it becomes more clear what proposals will become policy versus just starting points for negotiations.“Our experience is that such narrow reactions have not historically made for durable investment opportunities, and we favor pausing to look more closely at the likely main policy initiatives,” according to Paul Christopher, head of global investment strategy at Wells Fargo Investment Institute.U.S. banks and the stocks of more domestically focused companies have seen some of the wildest moves, as some of the poster children of the “Trump trade.”The stock that’s become most synonymous with the president-elect,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-media-stock-musk-x-social-5328feb1a782cc65bd05b7e30756b8db">Trump Media &amp; Technology Group</a>, rose 15.2% Friday in its latest sharp swing to wipe out what had been a loss for the week.___

Wall Street cruises to its best week in a year

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly and legislative leadership approved Thursday a $150,000 settlement in a lawsuit stemming from a 2023 killing in a state prison.

Gary Raburn’s cellmate killed him in January 2023 at the Lansing Correctional Facility, and Raburn’s brother and daughter sued the state of Kansas, the Kansas Department of Corrections and the state’s prison health care provider, Centurion of Kansas.

In a closed-door meeting, the State Finance Council voted unanimously to offer public funds to confidentially settle one piece of the case that allows Centurion, and only Centurion, to avoid a jury trial scheduled for July 2025.

The finance council consists of Kelly and top legislators, including Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins. They approved the settlement Thursday without disclosing any details of the case or terms of the agreement. The motion to settle was filed Wednesday, and a judge hadn’t yet approved the motion as of Thursday afternoon, according to court records.

Raburn was 62 years old at the time of his death. He was serving time for violating the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.gov/kbi/info/docs/pdf/KORA%20Brochure%20March%202023.pdf" target="_blank">Kansas Offender Registry Act</a>, which was a condition of his probation after he pleaded guilty to a 2005 aggravated kidnapping charge in Neosho County and failed to register multiple times.

His cellmate, Ladarious Barkers, was serving a 15-year sentence after pleading guilty to charges connected to robbing and beating&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/crime/2017/01/12/2-admit-robbing-82-year-old-priest-pastor-another-person-kansas-city/16560551007/" target="_blank">a priest</a>&nbsp;in Kansas City, Kansas, as a 19-year-old.

The lawsuit said prison staff disciplined Barkers 100 times between March 2017 and the attack on Raburn. It alleges the state, the Department of Corrections and Centurion acted negligently and failed to protect Raburn and other inmates.

“Despite foreknowledge of Barkers’ extensive violent history, Defendants assigned Barkers to a cell with Raburn, who was approximately 37 years older than Barkers and physically infirm,” court records allege.

Prosecutors charged Barkers in March 2023 with capital murder. He pleaded not guilty, and the case was scheduled to go to trial in March. However, Barkers’ mental status appeared to be in question. Court records indicate he has been waiting to be admitted to Larned State Hospital since the trial was postponed. If convicted by a unanimous jury, Barkers could face the death penalty.

Mike Atkinson, an Oklahoma-based lawyer representing Raburn’s surviving family, declined to comment because of confidentiality provisions embedded in the settlement agreement.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach recommended the $150,000 settlement amount to the finance council. The state’s tort claim fund is housed under the attorney general’s budget.

The governor’s office, Department of Corrections and Attorney General’s Office didn’t respond to Kansas Reflector’s requests for comment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731097523341.png" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly addresses legislative leadership during a Nov. 7, 2024, virtual meeting of the State Finance Council. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature video)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly addresses legislative leadership during a Nov. 7, 2024, virtual meeting of the State Finance Council. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature video)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly and legislative leadership approved Thursday a $150,000 settlement in a lawsuit stemming from a 2023 killing in a state prison.Gary Raburn’s cellmate killed him in January 2023 at the Lansing Correctional Facility, and Raburn’s brother and daughter sued the state of Kansas, the Kansas Department of Corrections and the state’s prison health care provider, Centurion of Kansas.In a closed-door meeting, the State Finance Council voted unanimously to offer public funds to confidentially settle one piece of the case that allows Centurion, and only Centurion, to avoid a jury trial scheduled for July 2025.The finance council consists of Kelly and top legislators, including Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins. They approved the settlement Thursday without disclosing any details of the case or terms of the agreement. The motion to settle was filed Wednesday, and a judge hadn’t yet approved the motion as of Thursday afternoon, according to court records.Raburn was 62 years old at the time of his death. He was serving time for violating the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.gov/kbi/info/docs/pdf/KORA%20Brochure%20March%202023.pdf" target="_blank">Kansas Offender Registry Act</a>, which was a condition of his probation after he pleaded guilty to a 2005 aggravated kidnapping charge in Neosho County and failed to register multiple times.His cellmate, Ladarious Barkers, was serving a 15-year sentence after pleading guilty to charges connected to robbing and beating&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/crime/2017/01/12/2-admit-robbing-82-year-old-priest-pastor-another-person-kansas-city/16560551007/" target="_blank">a priest</a>&nbsp;in Kansas City, Kansas, as a 19-year-old.The lawsuit said prison staff disciplined Barkers 100 times between March 2017 and the attack on Raburn. It alleges the state, the Department of Corrections and Centurion acted negligently and failed to protect Raburn and other inmates.“Despite foreknowledge of Barkers’ extensive violent history, Defendants assigned Barkers to a cell with Raburn, who was approximately 37 years older than Barkers and physically infirm,” court records allege.Prosecutors charged Barkers in March 2023 with capital murder. He pleaded not guilty, and the case was scheduled to go to trial in March. However, Barkers’ mental status appeared to be in question. Court records indicate he has been waiting to be admitted to Larned State Hospital since the trial was postponed. If convicted by a unanimous jury, Barkers could face the death penalty.Mike Atkinson, an Oklahoma-based lawyer representing Raburn’s surviving family, declined to comment because of confidentiality provisions embedded in the settlement agreement.Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach recommended the $150,000 settlement amount to the finance council. The state’s tort claim fund is housed under the attorney general’s budget.The governor’s office, Department of Corrections and Attorney General’s Office didn’t respond to Kansas Reflector’s requests for comment.

Kansas officials meet in secret to offer $150K settlement in Lansing prison death

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Friday disclosed an Iranian murder-for-hire plot to kill&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, charging a man who said he had been tasked by a government official before this week's election with planning the assassination of the Republican president-elect.

Investigators learned of the plan to kill Trump from Farhad Shakeri, an accused Iranian government asset who spent time in American prisons for robbery and who authorities say maintains a network of criminal associates enlisted by Tehran for surveillance and murder-for-hire plots.

Shakeri told investigators that a contact in Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard instructed him this past September to set aside other work he was doing and assemble a plan within seven days to surveil and ultimately kill Trump, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in federal court in Manhattan.

The official was quoted by Shakeri as saying that “We have already spent a lot of money" and that “money’s not an issue.” Shakeri told investigators the official told him that if he could not put together a plan within the seven-day timeframe, then the plot would be paused until after the election because the official assumed Trump would lose and that it would be easier to kill him then, the complaint said.

Shakeri is at large and remains in Iran. Two other men were arrested on charges that Shakeri recruited them to follow and kill&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-murderforhire-human-rights-alinejad-1c12a0add2181238568109754f5ed6bd">prominent Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad</a>, who has endured mulitple Iranian murder-for-hire plots foiled by law enforcement.

“I’m very shocked,” said Alinejad, speaking by telephone to The Associated Press from Berlin, where she was about to attend a ceremony to mark the anniversary of the tearing down of the wall. “This is the third attempt against me and that’s shocking.”

In a post on the social media platform X, she said: "I came to America to practice my First Amendment right to freedom of speech — I don’t want to die. I want to fight against tyranny, and I deserve to be safe. Thank you to law enforcement for protecting me, but I urge the U.S. government to protect the national security of America."

Lawyers for the two other defendants, identified as Jonathan Loadholt and Carlisle Rivera, did not immediately return messages seeking comment. Iran's U.N. Mission declined to comment.

Shakeri, an Afghan national who immigrated to the U.S. as a child but was later deported after spending 14 years in prison for robbery, also told investigators that he was tasked by his Revolutionary Guard contact with plotting the killings of two Jewish-Americans living in New York and Israeli tourists in Sri Lanka. Officials say he overlapped with Rivera while in prison as well as an unidentified co-conspirator.

The criminal complaint says Shakeri disclosed some of the details of the alleged plots in a series of recorded telephone interviews with FBI agents while in Iran. The stated reason for his cooperation, he told investigators, was to try to get a reduced prison sentence for an associate behind bars in the U.S.

According to the complaint, though officials determined that some of the information he provided was false, his statements regarding a plot to kill Trump and Iran's willingness to pay large sums of money were determined to be accurate.

The plot, disclosed just days after Trump's defeat of Democrat Kamala Harris, reflects what federal officials have described as ongoing efforts by Iran to target U.S. government officials, including Trump, on U.S. soil. Last summer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-pakistan-murderforhire-trump-justice-department-5a3abe0895ae7c2be14f89fc4e49bc53">the Justice Department charged a Pakistani man with ties to Iran</a>&nbsp;in a murder-for-hire plot targeting American officials.

“There are few actors in the world that pose as grave a threat to the national security of the United States as does Iran,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement Friday. FBI Director Christopher Wray said the case shows Iran's “continued brazen attempts to target U.S. citizens,” including Trump, “other government leaders and dissidents who criticize the regime in Tehran.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-fbi-election-interference-dni-ae96f57f438772dac08e076be7aa4904">Iranian operatives also conducted a hack-and-leak operation</a>&nbsp;of emails belonging to Trump campaign associates in what officials have assessed was an effort to interfere in the presidential election.

Intelligence officials have said Iran opposed Trump’s reelection, seeing him as more likely to increase tension between Washington and Tehran. Trump’s administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-iran-cead755353a1455bbef08ef289448994">ended a nuclear deal with Iran</a>, reimposed sanctions and ordered the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-politics-government-iraq-qassim-soleimani-3353602bd30e683afec45d8c78196886">killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani</a>, an act that prompted Iran’s leaders to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-tehran-international-news-iraq-e36db7c72c1adba1a6cae75091bc273d">vow revenge</a>.

Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said the president-elect was aware of the assassination plot and nothing will deter him “from returning to the White House and restoring peace around the world.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728861603734.png" alt="file photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>file photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department on Friday disclosed an Iranian murder-for-hire plot to kill&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, charging a man who said he had been tasked by a government official before this week's election with planning the assassination of the Republican president-elect.Investigators learned of the plan to kill Trump from Farhad Shakeri, an accused Iranian government asset who spent time in American prisons for robbery and who authorities say maintains a network of criminal associates enlisted by Tehran for surveillance and murder-for-hire plots.Shakeri told investigators that a contact in Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard instructed him this past September to set aside other work he was doing and assemble a plan within seven days to surveil and ultimately kill Trump, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in federal court in Manhattan.The official was quoted by Shakeri as saying that “We have already spent a lot of money" and that “money’s not an issue.” Shakeri told investigators the official told him that if he could not put together a plan within the seven-day timeframe, then the plot would be paused until after the election because the official assumed Trump would lose and that it would be easier to kill him then, the complaint said.Shakeri is at large and remains in Iran. Two other men were arrested on charges that Shakeri recruited them to follow and kill&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-murderforhire-human-rights-alinejad-1c12a0add2181238568109754f5ed6bd">prominent Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad</a>, who has endured mulitple Iranian murder-for-hire plots foiled by law enforcement.“I’m very shocked,” said Alinejad, speaking by telephone to The Associated Press from Berlin, where she was about to attend a ceremony to mark the anniversary of the tearing down of the wall. “This is the third attempt against me and that’s shocking.”In a post on the social media platform X, she said: "I came to America to practice my First Amendment right to freedom of speech — I don’t want to die. I want to fight against tyranny, and I deserve to be safe. Thank you to law enforcement for protecting me, but I urge the U.S. government to protect the national security of America."Lawyers for the two other defendants, identified as Jonathan Loadholt and Carlisle Rivera, did not immediately return messages seeking comment. Iran's U.N. Mission declined to comment.Shakeri, an Afghan national who immigrated to the U.S. as a child but was later deported after spending 14 years in prison for robbery, also told investigators that he was tasked by his Revolutionary Guard contact with plotting the killings of two Jewish-Americans living in New York and Israeli tourists in Sri Lanka. Officials say he overlapped with Rivera while in prison as well as an unidentified co-conspirator.The criminal complaint says Shakeri disclosed some of the details of the alleged plots in a series of recorded telephone interviews with FBI agents while in Iran. The stated reason for his cooperation, he told investigators, was to try to get a reduced prison sentence for an associate behind bars in the U.S.According to the complaint, though officials determined that some of the information he provided was false, his statements regarding a plot to kill Trump and Iran's willingness to pay large sums of money were determined to be accurate.The plot, disclosed just days after Trump's defeat of Democrat Kamala Harris, reflects what federal officials have described as ongoing efforts by Iran to target U.S. government officials, including Trump, on U.S. soil. Last summer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-pakistan-murderforhire-trump-justice-department-5a3abe0895ae7c2be14f89fc4e49bc53">the Justice Department charged a Pakistani man with ties to Iran</a>&nbsp;in a murder-for-hire plot targeting American officials.“There are few actors in the world that pose as grave a threat to the national security of the United States as does Iran,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement Friday. FBI Director Christopher Wray said the case shows Iran's “continued brazen attempts to target U.S. citizens,” including Trump, “other government leaders and dissidents who criticize the regime in Tehran.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-fbi-election-interference-dni-ae96f57f438772dac08e076be7aa4904">Iranian operatives also conducted a hack-and-leak operation</a>&nbsp;of emails belonging to Trump campaign associates in what officials have assessed was an effort to interfere in the presidential election.Intelligence officials have said Iran opposed Trump’s reelection, seeing him as more likely to increase tension between Washington and Tehran. Trump’s administration&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-iran-cead755353a1455bbef08ef289448994">ended a nuclear deal with Iran</a>, reimposed sanctions and ordered the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-politics-government-iraq-qassim-soleimani-3353602bd30e683afec45d8c78196886">killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani</a>, an act that prompted Iran’s leaders to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-tehran-international-news-iraq-e36db7c72c1adba1a6cae75091bc273d">vow revenge</a>.Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said the president-elect was aware of the assassination plot and nothing will deter him “from returning to the White House and restoring peace around the world.”____

DOJ unseals charges in thwarted Iranian plot to kill Trump 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a deadly shooting in Wichita and asking for help with information.

Just after 11p.m.&nbsp;Wednesday, police&nbsp; responded to a reported shooting in the 2300 block of Mascot in Wichita, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford.

First found two victims a 49-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman identified as Deanna Garcia.

The male victim reported hearing several gunshots outside their residence as they prepared for bed. The male victim sustained a gunshot wound to his lower left leg and was transported to a local hospital by Sedgwick County EMS with non-life-threatening injuries. 

He has since been released. Garcia sustained critical injuries from a gunshot wound to her upper body. She was transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced deceased&nbsp;at 11:54 p.m.&nbsp;by medical staff, according to Ford. Police have not reported an arrest or possible suspect information.

Anyone with information is urged to contact WPD Investigators at&nbsp;316-268-4407. For those wishing to remain anonymous, please call Crime Stoppers at&nbsp;316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731033478348.png" alt="View near the crime scene -image courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>View near the crime scene -image courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a deadly shooting in Wichita and asking for help with information.Just after 11p.m.&nbsp;Wednesday, police&nbsp; responded to a reported shooting in the 2300 block of Mascot in Wichita, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford.First found two victims a 49-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman identified as Deanna Garcia.The male victim reported hearing several gunshots outside their residence as they prepared for bed. The male victim sustained a gunshot wound to his lower left leg and was transported to a local hospital by Sedgwick County EMS with non-life-threatening injuries. He has since been released. Garcia sustained critical injuries from a gunshot wound to her upper body. She was transported to the hospital, where she was pronounced deceased&nbsp;at 11:54 p.m.&nbsp;by medical staff, according to Ford. Police have not reported an arrest or possible suspect information.Anyone with information is urged to contact WPD Investigators at&nbsp;316-268-4407. For those wishing to remain anonymous, please call Crime Stoppers at&nbsp;316-267-2111.

Homicide: Kan. couple preparing for bed shot in their home

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. rose for the sixth straight week, returning to its highest level since early July.

The rate ticked up to 6.79% from 6.72% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. That’s still down from a year ago, when the rate averaged 7.5%.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners seeking to refinance their home loan to a lower rate, also edged higher this week. The average rate rose to 6% from 5.99% last week. A year ago, it averaged 6.81%, Freddie Mac said.

When mortgage rates increase they can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, reducing homebuyers’ purchasing power at a time when home prices remain near all-time highs, even though the housing market remains in a sales slump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-9b36e34fe194713d10fd585fa3fd48f9">going back to 2022.</a>

Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, including the yield on U.S. 10-year Treasury bonds, which lenders use as a guide to price home loans. Bond yields have been rising following encouraging reports on inflation and the economy.

This week, bond yields surged on expectations that President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wins-second-term-policies-de3dcf0f173b42602b258042fd7aaafb">higher tariffs, lower tax rates and lighter regulation</a>&nbsp;could lead to bigger economic growth, inflation and U.S. government debt.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury was at 4.36% at midday Thursday. It was at 3.62% as recently as mid-September.

The average rate on a 30-year home loan hasn’t been this high since July 11, when it was 6.89%. In late September, the average rate got as low as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-loan-ba6cacf5d43b97d1fad77c688ef15d70">6.08% — its lowest level in two years</a>&nbsp;— following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-inflation-prices-federal-reserve-economy-0283bc6f92e9f9920094b78d821df227">the Federal Reserve’s decision to cut its main interest rate</a>&nbsp;for the first time in more than four years.

While the central bank doesn’t set mortgage rates,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-election-inflation-trump-economy-prices-e6b837fd85cff5ad71d4e40939b97237">its policy pivot</a>&nbsp;cleared a path for mortgage rates to generally go lower.

“While we still expect mortgage rates to stabilize by the end of the year, they will likely be at a higher level than markets were initially expecting prior to election week,” said Ralph McLaughlin, senior economist at Realtor.com.

The recent uptick in mortgage rates has discouraged some would-be home shoppers. Mortgage applications fell last week for the sixth week in a row, sliding 10.8% on a seasonally adjusted basis from the prior week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.

Applications for loans to refinance a mortgage fell 19%, though they were still 48% higher than in the same week last year, when rates were higher.

“Rates and borrower demand will likely remain volatile in the coming weeks as financial markets digest both the election results and the Fed’s upcoming monetary policy decisions,” said MBA CEO Bob Broeksmit

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659001075252.jpeg" alt="Photo AP" />
 <figcaption>Photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;ALEX VEIGA, Associated PressThe average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the U.S. rose for the sixth straight week, returning to its highest level since early July.The rate ticked up to 6.79% from 6.72% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. That’s still down from a year ago, when the rate averaged 7.5%.Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, popular with homeowners seeking to refinance their home loan to a lower rate, also edged higher this week. The average rate rose to 6% from 5.99% last week. A year ago, it averaged 6.81%, Freddie Mac said.When mortgage rates increase they can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, reducing homebuyers’ purchasing power at a time when home prices remain near all-time highs, even though the housing market remains in a sales slump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-home-sales-real-estate-home-prices-9b36e34fe194713d10fd585fa3fd48f9">going back to 2022.</a>Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, including the yield on U.S. 10-year Treasury bonds, which lenders use as a guide to price home loans. Bond yields have been rising following encouraging reports on inflation and the economy.This week, bond yields surged on expectations that President-elect Donald Trump’s plans for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wins-second-term-policies-de3dcf0f173b42602b258042fd7aaafb">higher tariffs, lower tax rates and lighter regulation</a>&nbsp;could lead to bigger economic growth, inflation and U.S. government debt.The yield on the 10-year Treasury was at 4.36% at midday Thursday. It was at 3.62% as recently as mid-September.The average rate on a 30-year home loan hasn’t been this high since July 11, when it was 6.89%. In late September, the average rate got as low as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-loan-ba6cacf5d43b97d1fad77c688ef15d70">6.08% — its lowest level in two years</a>&nbsp;— following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/interest-rates-inflation-prices-federal-reserve-economy-0283bc6f92e9f9920094b78d821df227">the Federal Reserve’s decision to cut its main interest rate</a>&nbsp;for the first time in more than four years.While the central bank doesn’t set mortgage rates,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-election-inflation-trump-economy-prices-e6b837fd85cff5ad71d4e40939b97237">its policy pivot</a>&nbsp;cleared a path for mortgage rates to generally go lower.“While we still expect mortgage rates to stabilize by the end of the year, they will likely be at a higher level than markets were initially expecting prior to election week,” said Ralph McLaughlin, senior economist at Realtor.com.The recent uptick in mortgage rates has discouraged some would-be home shoppers. Mortgage applications fell last week for the sixth week in a row, sliding 10.8% on a seasonally adjusted basis from the prior week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association.Applications for loans to refinance a mortgage fell 19%, though they were still 48% higher than in the same week last year, when rates were higher.“Rates and borrower demand will likely remain volatile in the coming weeks as financial markets digest both the election results and the Fed’s upcoming monetary policy decisions,” said MBA CEO Bob Broeksmit

Average rate on a 30-year mortgage in the US rises for 6th straight week

JOHNSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Thursday in Johnson County.

The incident involved a pedestrian and a pickup truck, according to Olathe Police Sergeant John Moncayo.

Officers were dispatched to the area of South Lone Elm Road and Interstate 35 Highway in Olathe regarding an injury crash involving a pickup truck and a pedestrian. 

Officers arrived and found unresponsive 37-year-old female pedestrian. Life-saving measures were performed on the woman while on scene, but she was later declared deceased. The 57-year-old male driver of the pickup truck remained on scene and is cooperating in the investigation.

JOHNSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Thursday in Johnson County.The incident involved a pedestrian and a pickup truck, according to Olathe Police Sergeant John Moncayo.Officers were dispatched to the area of South Lone Elm Road and Interstate 35 Highway in Olathe regarding an injury crash involving a pickup truck and a pedestrian. Officers arrived and found unresponsive 37-year-old female pedestrian. Life-saving measures were performed on the woman while on scene, but she was later declared deceased. The 57-year-old male driver of the pickup truck remained on scene and is cooperating in the investigation.

37-year-old Kansas woman dies in pedestrian accident

WASHINGTON (AP) —Republican leaders projected confidence Thursday that they will keep&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/trump-harris-election-updates-11-7-2024">control of the U.S. House</a>&nbsp;as more races were decided in their favor, while Democrats insisted they still see a path toward the majority and sought assurances&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/explaining-election-2024">every vote will be counted</a>.

The GOP picked up two more hard-fought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-congress-2024-election-perry-mackenzie-bresnahan-3c79f724690fb734cdcc921512165b72">seats in Pennsylvania</a>, which became a stark battlefield of Democratic losses up and down the ticket. Democrats notched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-congress-new-york-laura-gillen-93e9baf64a66f0d7172ab461cfa678af">another win in New York</a>, defeating a third Republican incumbent in that state.

Both parties in the House huddled privately on conference calls to assess the political landscape as Congress prepared to return next week to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wins-second-term-policies-de3dcf0f173b42602b258042fd7aaafb">a changed Washington</a>, where a sweep of MAGA-infused GOP power is within reach for President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.

Meanwhile, Republican Dave McCormick’s win in Pennsylvania added to his party’s Senate majority and completed their dominance in a state that was crucial to both the presidential and congressional elections.

McCormick unseated Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, giving Republicans their 53rd seat in the Senate.

Close races in Arizona and Nevada have not been called.

The GOP’s rise to a Senate majority for the first time in four years is prompting praise for Sen. Steve Daines, who chairs the Republican campaign arm, and has insisted on getting involved in primary races to help mainstream candidates.

When Trump entered the White House the first time, Republicans held a 51-seat majority and many within the party were willing to resist his plans.

Now, Trump is going back with a healthy Senate majority — at least 53 seats — and a party transformed by his MAGA movement.

A couple of Republican senators are still willing to publicly buck Trump. But there are enough GOP senators to confirm Trump’s Cabinet -- or a possible Supreme Court justice -- even if a few split.

Republican leaders say they want to keep the Senate’s filibuster rules, which require a 60-vote margin for most legislation. But they’re also looking at using a process called budget reconciliation to pass some legislation with a simple majority.

Republican lawmakers want to extend tax cuts from Trump’s first term and fund tougher border enforcement measures.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731072841127.png" alt="Image Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Image Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Republican leaders projected confidence Thursday that they will keep&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/trump-harris-election-updates-11-7-2024">control of the U.S. House</a>&nbsp;as more races were decided in their favor, while Democrats insisted they still see a path toward the majority and sought assurances&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/explaining-election-2024">every vote will be counted</a>.The GOP picked up two more hard-fought&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-congress-2024-election-perry-mackenzie-bresnahan-3c79f724690fb734cdcc921512165b72">seats in Pennsylvania</a>, which became a stark battlefield of Democratic losses up and down the ticket. Democrats notched&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-congress-new-york-laura-gillen-93e9baf64a66f0d7172ab461cfa678af">another win in New York</a>, defeating a third Republican incumbent in that state.Both parties in the House huddled privately on conference calls to assess the political landscape as Congress prepared to return next week to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wins-second-term-policies-de3dcf0f173b42602b258042fd7aaafb">a changed Washington</a>, where a sweep of MAGA-infused GOP power is within reach for President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.Meanwhile, Republican Dave McCormick’s win in Pennsylvania added to his party’s Senate majority and completed their dominance in a state that was crucial to both the presidential and congressional elections.McCormick unseated Democratic Sen. Bob Casey, giving Republicans their 53rd seat in the Senate.Close races in Arizona and Nevada have not been called.The GOP’s rise to a Senate majority for the first time in four years is prompting praise for Sen. Steve Daines, who chairs the Republican campaign arm, and has insisted on getting involved in primary races to help mainstream candidates.When Trump entered the White House the first time, Republicans held a 51-seat majority and many within the party were willing to resist his plans.Now, Trump is going back with a healthy Senate majority — at least 53 seats — and a party transformed by his MAGA movement.A couple of Republican senators are still willing to publicly buck Trump. But there are enough GOP senators to confirm Trump’s Cabinet -- or a possible Supreme Court justice -- even if a few split.Republican leaders say they want to keep the Senate’s filibuster rules, which require a 60-vote margin for most legislation. But they’re also looking at using a process called budget reconciliation to pass some legislation with a simple majority.Republican lawmakers want to extend tax cuts from Trump’s first term and fund tougher border enforcement measures.

GOP's comfortable Senate majority grows; control of House uncertain

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement and fire investigators found the body of a man after a standoff and fire at a home in Kansas City.

On Thursday afternoon police were called to a house in the 11500 block of N. Cherry on a concern of a suicidal person, according t KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

The caller was not at the residence but was concerned about a man who was inside the home and they believed he was suicidal based on contact they had with him.

Responding officers made verbal contact with a man inside the residence from a distance. They attempted to get him to come outside to check his well-being. After a short time officers heard the sound of several rounds of gunfire coming from inside the residence. Officers backed away to protect those in the surrounding area and prevent any escape. They continued to try to make contact with the man to get him to come outside with negative result. 

All indications are the man was inside the residence alone. Based on the shots being fired and the potential of danger to the surrounding area Officers called for an Operation 100 / Police Stand-off to bring additional resources and trained negotiators to the scene, according to Becchina.

Tactical officers with rescue vehicles worked to evacuate surrounding residents and a nearby school was placed on lock and teach. School staff and Clay County Sheriff’s Office Deputies worked to arrange for safe school departure for the students.&nbsp; Officers continued to hear the sound of gunfire from inside the residence.

Just after 4:30 pm officers reported seeing a small fire coming from inside the residence. The fire slowly spread and negotiators continued to make attempts to contact the man and get him to come out. Tactical officers helped arrange for fire personnel to safely deploy water onto the house from a safe distance away in an attempt to extinguish the fire.

As the house remained on fire, officers attempted to use KCFD and KCPD drone technology to get an overview of the scene.

At approximately 8:45 pm officers used robot video and drone video and approached the rear of the residence and cleared the back yard and an out-building in the rear of the residence. Officers didn’t locate the man in that area.

Fire crews moved in closer to the house to more aggressively deploy water to fight the fire.&nbsp;&nbsp;As KCFD began closer and more aggressive efforts to extinguish the fire they located the man deceased inside the front of the residence, according to Becchina. Police have not released his name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731066050296.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement and fire investigators found the body of a man after a standoff and fire at a home in Kansas City.On Thursday afternoon police were called to a house in the 11500 block of N. Cherry on a concern of a suicidal person, according t KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.The caller was not at the residence but was concerned about a man who was inside the home and they believed he was suicidal based on contact they had with him.Responding officers made verbal contact with a man inside the residence from a distance. They attempted to get him to come outside to check his well-being. After a short time officers heard the sound of several rounds of gunfire coming from inside the residence. Officers backed away to protect those in the surrounding area and prevent any escape. They continued to try to make contact with the man to get him to come outside with negative result. All indications are the man was inside the residence alone. Based on the shots being fired and the potential of danger to the surrounding area Officers called for an Operation 100 / Police Stand-off to bring additional resources and trained negotiators to the scene, according to Becchina.Tactical officers with rescue vehicles worked to evacuate surrounding residents and a nearby school was placed on lock and teach. School staff and Clay County Sheriff’s Office Deputies worked to arrange for safe school departure for the students.&nbsp; Officers continued to hear the sound of gunfire from inside the residence.Just after 4:30 pm officers reported seeing a small fire coming from inside the residence. The fire slowly spread and negotiators continued to make attempts to contact the man and get him to come out. Tactical officers helped arrange for fire personnel to safely deploy water onto the house from a safe distance away in an attempt to extinguish the fire.As the house remained on fire, officers attempted to use KCFD and KCPD drone technology to get an overview of the scene.At approximately 8:45 pm officers used robot video and drone video and approached the rear of the residence and cleared the back yard and an out-building in the rear of the residence. Officers didn’t locate the man in that area.Fire crews moved in closer to the house to more aggressively deploy water to fight the fire.&nbsp;&nbsp;As KCFD began closer and more aggressive efforts to extinguish the fire they located the man deceased inside the front of the residence, according to Becchina. Police have not released his name.

Body found in fire debris after standoff at Kansas City home

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a fatal accident have identified the victim as&nbsp;69-year-old Joseph Weixelman.&nbsp;

Just after 10 a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to report of an injury accident in the parking lot of Ace Hardware at 3110 E. Douglas in Wichita, according to Officer Andrew Ford.

First responders found Weixelman had died after a collision with the iron rod fence near the store's home and garden area.

Preliminary findings indicate that Weixelman attempted to flee in his vehicle after reportedly stealing a $15 air filter from the store, according to Ford.

 As he tried to retrieve the item after dropping it, he was partially outside the drivers side door when his vehicle continued moving, ultimately colliding with the fence and pinning him in the door frame. 

Store employees discovered him and used a forklift to free him, but despite efforts by Sedgwick County EMS and Wichita Fire to perform CPR, he was pronounced deceased at 10:41 a.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730930679068.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a fatal accident have identified the victim as&nbsp;69-year-old Joseph Weixelman.&nbsp;Just after 10 a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to report of an injury accident in the parking lot of Ace Hardware at 3110 E. Douglas in Wichita, according to Officer Andrew Ford.First responders found Weixelman had died after a collision with the iron rod fence near the store's home and garden area.Preliminary findings indicate that Weixelman attempted to flee in his vehicle after reportedly stealing a $15 air filter from the store, according to Ford. As he tried to retrieve the item after dropping it, he was partially outside the drivers side door when his vehicle continued moving, ultimately colliding with the fence and pinning him in the door frame. Store employees discovered him and used a forklift to free him, but despite efforts by Sedgwick County EMS and Wichita Fire to perform CPR, he was pronounced deceased at 10:41 a.m.

Police ID Kan. man run over by his own vehicle in store parking lot

WASHINGTON (AP) —A federal judge on Thursday struck down a Biden administration policy that aimed to ease a path to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants who are married to U.S. citizens.

The program, lauded as one of the biggest presidential actions to help immigrant families in years, allowed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-biden-spouses-citizenship-registration-da37d9cbdb45a4baca837f6dc2a09aba">undocumented spouses and stepchildren</a>&nbsp;of U.S. citizens to apply for a green card without first having to leave the country.

The temporary relief from deportation brought a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-biden-spouses-9b282ce79793004d43e393f75081f331">brief sense of security</a>&nbsp;to some 500,000 immigrants estimated to benefit from the program before Texas-based U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-spouses-biden-program-hault-80df0dafd913a22fd7a9074d31eeab65">put it on hold</a>&nbsp;in August, days after applicants filed their paperwork.

Barker ruled Thursday that the Biden administration had overstepped its authority by implementing the program and had stretched the legal interpretation of relevant immigration law “past its breaking point.”

The short-lived Biden administration initiative known as “Keeping Families Together” would have been unlikely to remain in place after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;took office in January. But its early termination creates greater uncertainty for immigrant families as many are bracing for Trump's return to the White House.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673215903534.png" alt="File Photo White House" />
 <figcaption>File Photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —A federal judge on Thursday struck down a Biden administration policy that aimed to ease a path to citizenship for some undocumented immigrants who are married to U.S. citizens.The program, lauded as one of the biggest presidential actions to help immigrant families in years, allowed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-biden-spouses-citizenship-registration-da37d9cbdb45a4baca837f6dc2a09aba">undocumented spouses and stepchildren</a>&nbsp;of U.S. citizens to apply for a green card without first having to leave the country.The temporary relief from deportation brought a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-biden-spouses-9b282ce79793004d43e393f75081f331">brief sense of security</a>&nbsp;to some 500,000 immigrants estimated to benefit from the program before Texas-based U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-spouses-biden-program-hault-80df0dafd913a22fd7a9074d31eeab65">put it on hold</a>&nbsp;in August, days after applicants filed their paperwork.Barker ruled Thursday that the Biden administration had overstepped its authority by implementing the program and had stretched the legal interpretation of relevant immigration law “past its breaking point.”The short-lived Biden administration initiative known as “Keeping Families Together” would have been unlikely to remain in place after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;took office in January. But its early termination creates greater uncertainty for immigrant families as many are bracing for Trump's return to the White House.Trump's election victory this week sets the stage for a swift crackdown on undocumented individuals after the Republican ran on promises of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-border-asylum-mass-deportation-a681c4980ef25e2b3a7ae670c9094f4a">“mass deportation.”</a>&nbsp;The president-elect energized his supporters on the campaign trail with a litany of anti-immigrant statements, including that immigrants were “poisoning the blood” of the nation.During his first term, Trump appointed Barker as a judge in Tyler, Texas, which lies in the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, a favored venue for advocates pushing conservative arguments.Barker had placed the immigration initiative on hold after Texas and 15 other states, led by their Republican attorneys general, filed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-citizen-spouse-biden-d02243b21b8490c912008b896a83bcd2">legal challenge</a>&nbsp;accusing the executive branch of bypassing Congress to help immigrant families for “blatant political purposes.”Republicans argued the initiative created costs for their states and could draw more migrants to the U.S.The policy would have applied to people who have been living continuously in the U.S. for at least 10 years, do not pose a security threat and have utilized the existing legal authority known as “parole in place” that offers deportation protections.Those married to a citizen by June 17, the day before the program was announced, could pay a $580 application fee and fill out a lengthy application explaining why they deserve humanitarian parole. If approved, applicants would have three years to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-immigration-border-immigrants-11486c86ba620a04ae9dc66a3d44f346">seek permanent residency</a>&nbsp;and obtain work authorization.It was not immediately clear Thursday whether anyone had received approval under the program, which only accepted applications for about a week before the judge placed it on hold.Noncitizen spouses are already eligible for legal status but often have to apply from their home countries. The process typically includes a years-long wait outside of the U.S., which can separate family members with different immigration statuses.