JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating an officer shooting and an&nbsp;armed suspect who died inside a Kansas home identified the suspect as&nbsp;33-year-old Dane Laing from Olathe, according to Police Sergeant John Moncayo.&nbsp;&nbsp;Laing died as a result of a gunshot wound.&nbsp; Moncayo did not confirm whether the officer who fired at Laing struck him as the investigation continues.

Just before 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a previous assault investigation in the 23500 block of West 126th&nbsp;Terrace in Olathe, according to a media release.

Officers arrived and contacted the reporting party. During the course of the investigation, the suspect, later identified as Laing, ran past officers and was carrying a handgun.

As Laing was gaining entry into a neighbor’s house, one officer discharged their department issued handgun at him. Laing then ran inside the neighbor’s house and residents ran outside.

A police react team was established, and a drone was used to clear the residence. Police found Laing deceased inside the home.&nbsp;&nbsp;Officers were not injured.

&nbsp;Investigators from multiple agencies are leading the investigation of the incident.&nbsp; The Johnson County Crime Lab is processed the scene.

As a matter of standard procedure, the involved Officers will be placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation by the Johnson County Officer Involved Critical Incident Investigation Team&nbsp;&nbsp; Authorities have released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697020259585.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating an officer shooting and an&nbsp;armed suspect who died inside a Kansas home identified the suspect as&nbsp;33-year-old Dane Laing from Olathe, according to Police Sergeant John Moncayo.&nbsp;&nbsp;Laing died as a result of a gunshot wound.&nbsp; Moncayo did not confirm whether the officer who fired at Laing struck him as the investigation continues.Just before 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a previous assault investigation in the 23500 block of West 126th&nbsp;Terrace in Olathe, according to a media release.Officers arrived and contacted the reporting party. During the course of the investigation, the suspect, later identified as Laing, ran past officers and was carrying a handgun.As Laing was gaining entry into a neighbor’s house, one officer discharged their department issued handgun at him. Laing then ran inside the neighbor’s house and residents ran outside.A police react team was established, and a drone was used to clear the residence. Police found Laing deceased inside the home.&nbsp;&nbsp;Officers were not injured.&nbsp;Investigators from multiple agencies are leading the investigation of the incident.&nbsp; The Johnson County Crime Lab is processed the scene.As a matter of standard procedure, the involved Officers will be placed on paid administrative leave pending the investigation by the Johnson County Officer Involved Critical Incident Investigation Team&nbsp;&nbsp; Authorities have released no additional details.

Police ID armed suspect found dead after entering Kan. home 

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged theft at a convenience store in Manhattan.

Just after 3p.m. Thursday, officers filed a report for theft in the 1300 block of Anderson Avenue in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

Kwik Shop reported a known female suspect took books of lottery tickets, activated them and cashed out winning tickets. 

The estimated total loss associated with this case is approximately $3,000.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged theft at a convenience store in Manhattan.Just after 3p.m. Thursday, officers filed a report for theft in the 1300 block of Anderson Avenue in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.Kwik Shop reported a known female suspect took books of lottery tickets, activated them and cashed out winning tickets. The estimated total loss associated with this case is approximately $3,000.

Police: Kansas woman stole, cashed winning lottery tickets

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Authorities are working to investigating the cause of a fatal apartment building fire in Wichita.

Just after 4a.m. Friday, crews responded to the fire in the&nbsp;8100 block of E. Central, according to a social media report from the Wichita Fire Department.

Crews issued a second alarm, reported a person trapped and also issued a May day call.  There were four victims transported for treatment including one code blue, one code red and two were code yellow, according to the fire department. On Friday afternoon, the fire department reported one of those transported, a 22-year-old died of her injuries.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Authorities are working to investigating the cause of an apartment building fire in Wichita.

Crews issued a second alarm, reported a person trapped and also issued a May day call.&nbsp; There were four victims transported for treatment including one code blue, one code red and two were code yellow, according to the fire department. Authorities released no additional details early Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697198255875.png" alt="Photo Wichita Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo Wichita Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Authorities are working to investigating the cause of a fatal apartment building fire in Wichita.Just after 4a.m. Friday, crews responded to the fire in the&nbsp;8100 block of E. Central, according to a social media report from the Wichita Fire Department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697206015603.png" alt="photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Crews issued a second alarm, reported a person trapped and also issued a May day call. There were four victims transported for treatment including one code blue, one code red and two were code yellow, according to the fire department. On Friday afternoon, the fire department reported one of those transported, a 22-year-old died of her injuries.------------SEDGWICK COUNTY —Authorities are working to investigating the cause of an apartment building fire in Wichita.Just after 4a.m. Friday, crews responded to the fire in the&nbsp;8100 block of E. Central, according to a social media report from the Wichita Fire Department.Crews issued a second alarm, reported a person trapped and also issued a May day call.&nbsp; There were four victims transported for treatment including one code blue, one code red and two were code yellow, according to the fire department. Authorities released no additional details early Friday.

22-year-old dead after Kansas apartment building fire

DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling more than 238,000 Explorers in the U.S. because a rear axle bolt can fail, potentially causing a loss of drive power or allowing the SUVs to roll away while in park.

The recall comes after U.S. safety regulators opened an investigation into the problem after getting two complaints that repairs didn't work in two previous recalls this year and in 2022.

Affected are&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCAK-23V675-9899.pdf">certain Explorers from the 2020 through 2022</a>&nbsp;model years.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents posted Friday on its website that the rear axle horizontal mounting bolt can fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect, increasing the risk of a crash.

Dealers will replace a bushing and the rear axle bolt. They also will inspect the rear axle cover for damage near the bolt hole and replace the cover if damage is found. Owners will be notified by letter starting Nov. 6.

Ford said in documents that it knows of 396 reports of rear axle bolt failures, and fewer than 5% caused loss of power or let vehicles roll while they were in park. The company says it’s not aware of any crashes or injuries.

NHTSA opened its&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2023/INOA-RQ23002-8721.PDF">investigation in June</a>&nbsp;after getting complaints alleging loss of power due to failure of rear axle bolts even though the Explorers had received repairs under the previous recalls.

Ford's remedy was to update software that automatically applied the parking brake to keep the vehicles from rolling away. But the agency said in documents that there was no remedy addressing the failed axle bolt.

Ford said Friday that it was replacing axle bolts under service campaigns before the latest recall.

DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling more than 238,000 Explorers in the U.S. because a rear axle bolt can fail, potentially causing a loss of drive power or allowing the SUVs to roll away while in park.The recall comes after U.S. safety regulators opened an investigation into the problem after getting two complaints that repairs didn't work in two previous recalls this year and in 2022.Affected are&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCAK-23V675-9899.pdf">certain Explorers from the 2020 through 2022</a>&nbsp;model years.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says in documents posted Friday on its website that the rear axle horizontal mounting bolt can fracture and cause the driveshaft to disconnect, increasing the risk of a crash.Dealers will replace a bushing and the rear axle bolt. They also will inspect the rear axle cover for damage near the bolt hole and replace the cover if damage is found. Owners will be notified by letter starting Nov. 6.Ford said in documents that it knows of 396 reports of rear axle bolt failures, and fewer than 5% caused loss of power or let vehicles roll while they were in park. The company says it’s not aware of any crashes or injuries.NHTSA opened its&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/inv/2023/INOA-RQ23002-8721.PDF">investigation in June</a>&nbsp;after getting complaints alleging loss of power due to failure of rear axle bolts even though the Explorers had received repairs under the previous recalls.Ford's remedy was to update software that automatically applied the parking brake to keep the vehicles from rolling away. But the agency said in documents that there was no remedy addressing the failed axle bolt.Ford said Friday that it was replacing axle bolts under service campaigns before the latest recall.

Ford recalls over 238,000 Explorers to replace axle bolts that can fail

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and Qatar have reached an agreement that the Qataris will not act on any request from Tehran for the time being to access $6 billion in Iranian funds that were unblocked as part of a prisoner swap last month, a U.S. official said Thursday.

The move, which stops short of a full refreezing of Iranian funds in Qatar's banking system, follows the deadly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/israel-hamas-war-live-updates">attacks by Hamas on Israel</a>&nbsp;and continued Republican criticism of the Biden administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-prisoner-swap-sanctions-assets-4e1fa477f8e6af45fb764acd259c2f1a">deal with Iran</a>, in which $6 billion was unfrozen in exchange for the release of five detained Americans. The official who outlined the understanding between the U.S. and Qatar was not authorized to comment and spoke on condition of anonymity.

U.S. officials have strenuously pushed back against the criticism, noting that the money had yet to be spent by Iran and can only be used for humanitarian needs.

“None of the funds that have now gone to Qatar have actually been spent or accessed in any way by Iran,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters in Israel on Thursday when asked about the funds. “Indeed, funds from that account are overseen by the Treasury Department, can only be dispensed for humanitarian goods — food, medicine, medical equipment — and never touch Iranian hands.”

The White House has said it has yet to uncover information that Iran was directly involved in the multipronged Hamas operation — the biggest attack on Israel in decades. Even so, Iran is the principal financial and military sponsor of Hamas. U.S. officials have said their intelligence does not show a direct role by Iran and have not pointed blame at Tehran.

As Israel prepares to escalate retaliatory action against Hamas militants for the weekend attacks, the White House announced the U.S. government will begin evacuation flights on Friday for Americans who want to leave Israel.

In a deliberate show of support for Israel, a U.S. official confirmed that U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin plans to visit on Friday, following Thursday's visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

Austin is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to determine what additional military aid is needed in the war with Hamas, said the U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive travel details

Speaking to reporters in Brussels on Thursday, Austin said the U.S. is “working urgently to get Israel what it needs to defend itself, including munitions and our iron Dome interceptor interceptors.”

The White House confirmed that the death toll in the fighting now includes at least 27 Americans, while 14 more U.S. citizens in Israel remain unaccounted for. The White House has said a “handful” of Americans are among the dozens of people that Hamas took hostage.

U.S. officials estimate 160,000-170,000 Americans are in Israel, as residents, tourists or in some other capacity. An estimated 500 to 600 American citizens are in Gaza, including people who have been working as humanitarian workers or visiting relatives. Israel has sealed its crossing out of Gaza as part of a harsh siege on the territory since Saturday's Hamas attacks. And Gaza’s sole crossing point with Egypt was forced to close after Israeli airstrikes hit nearby.

The U.S. government is arranging for at least four charter flights a day out of Israel, according to people familiar with the planning.

The State Department said it expects to facilitate the departure of thousands of U.S. citizens per week from Israel. The overall security situation, availability and reliability of commercial transportation, and U.S. citizen demand will all influence the duration of this departure assistance. The department asked U.S. citizens in need of evacuation assistance to complete the crisis intake form at&nbsp;<a href="http://travel.state.gov/">travel.state.gov</a>.

There are still some commercial carriers flying in and out of Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport, and ground routes are open to leave Israel. White House officials, however, have voiced concern that those options may not be feasible or affordable for some Americans in Israel who want to leave.

Blinken visited Israel on Thursday to meet with Netanyahu and Israeli citizens. He was joined by the deputy special representative for hostage affairs, Steve Gillen, who will stay in Israel to to support the efforts to free the hostages.

Blinken said Americans would continue pushing regional countries for a safe passage in and out of Gaza, which could help the hundreds of American civilians trapped in the blockaded enclave.

Israeli defense officials have yet to order a ground invasion of the pummeled territory, but have been planning for the possibility. The military has called over 300,000 reservists into action in preparation.

Meanwhile, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who joined from Air Force Two en route to Las Vegas met on Thursday with senior administration officials to discuss efforts to safeguard the U.S., including Jewish, Arab and Muslim communities, following the Hamas attacks in Israel.

Biden administration officials have been speaking with lawmakers about the contours of a supplemental aid package as it continues to determine Israel’s needs.

Some key Republicans, including House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, have advocated for a larger package that would lump in funding for Ukraine, Taiwan and border security along with Israel aid, and the White House has started to prepare such a package, according to an official familiar with the deliberations. The person was granted anonymity to speak about private conversations, and no final decisions have been made on a supplemental package.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697159427463.png" alt="The White House has said it has yet to uncover information that Iran was directly involved in the multipronged Hamas operation- President Biden meeting with the national security team on Thursday-White House Photo" />
 <figcaption>The White House has said it has yet to uncover information that Iran was directly involved in the multipronged Hamas operation- President Biden meeting with the national security team on Thursday-White House Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. and Qatar have reached an agreement that the Qataris will not act on any request from Tehran for the time being to access $6 billion in Iranian funds that were unblocked as part of a prisoner swap last month, a U.S. official said Thursday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We&#39;re calling on Joe Biden to IMMEDIATELY freeze the $6B he signed over to Iran. Iran has bankrolled Hamas and helped them plan their barbaric attacks on Israel. The president should have NEVER brokered billion-dollar deals with rogue nations like Iran. <a href="https://t.co/HPAKjUHbWl">https://t.co/HPAKjUHbWl</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1711797706476183970?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 10, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">One month ago, Joe Biden paid a $6 BILLION ransom to Iran—the leading state sponsor of terrorism in the world. Now Iran-backed Hamas terrorists are slaughtering innocent Israeli citizens. The Biden administration should IMMEDIATELY freeze these funds.&mdash; Rep. Jake LaTurner (@RepLaTurner) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepLaTurner/status/1712215925527662782?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The move, which stops short of a full refreezing of Iranian funds in Qatar's banking system, follows the deadly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/israel-hamas-war-live-updates">attacks by Hamas on Israel</a>&nbsp;and continued Republican criticism of the Biden administration’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-us-prisoner-swap-sanctions-assets-4e1fa477f8e6af45fb764acd259c2f1a">deal with Iran</a>, in which $6 billion was unfrozen in exchange for the release of five detained Americans. The official who outlined the understanding between the U.S. and Qatar was not authorized to comment and spoke on condition of anonymity.U.S. officials have strenuously pushed back against the criticism, noting that the money had yet to be spent by Iran and can only be used for humanitarian needs.“None of the funds that have now gone to Qatar have actually been spent or accessed in any way by Iran,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken told reporters in Israel on Thursday when asked about the funds. “Indeed, funds from that account are overseen by the Treasury Department, can only be dispensed for humanitarian goods — food, medicine, medical equipment — and never touch Iranian hands.”The White House has said it has yet to uncover information that Iran was directly involved in the multipronged Hamas operation — the biggest attack on Israel in decades. Even so, Iran is the principal financial and military sponsor of Hamas. U.S. officials have said their intelligence does not show a direct role by Iran and have not pointed blame at Tehran.As Israel prepares to escalate retaliatory action against Hamas militants for the weekend attacks, the White House announced the U.S. government will begin evacuation flights on Friday for Americans who want to leave Israel.In a deliberate show of support for Israel, a U.S. official confirmed that U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin plans to visit on Friday, following Thursday's visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken.Austin is expected to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant to determine what additional military aid is needed in the war with Hamas, said the U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive travel detailsSpeaking to reporters in Brussels on Thursday, Austin said the U.S. is “working urgently to get Israel what it needs to defend itself, including munitions and our iron Dome interceptor interceptors.”The White House confirmed that the death toll in the fighting now includes at least 27 Americans, while 14 more U.S. citizens in Israel remain unaccounted for. The White House has said a “handful” of Americans are among the dozens of people that Hamas took hostage.U.S. officials estimate 160,000-170,000 Americans are in Israel, as residents, tourists or in some other capacity. An estimated 500 to 600 American citizens are in Gaza, including people who have been working as humanitarian workers or visiting relatives. Israel has sealed its crossing out of Gaza as part of a harsh siege on the territory since Saturday's Hamas attacks. And Gaza’s sole crossing point with Egypt was forced to close after Israeli airstrikes hit nearby.The U.S. government is arranging for at least four charter flights a day out of Israel, according to people familiar with the planning.The State Department said it expects to facilitate the departure of thousands of U.S. citizens per week from Israel. The overall security situation, availability and reliability of commercial transportation, and U.S. citizen demand will all influence the duration of this departure assistance. The department asked U.S. citizens in need of evacuation assistance to complete the crisis intake form at&nbsp;<a href="http://travel.state.gov/">travel.state.gov</a>.There are still some commercial carriers flying in and out of Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion airport, and ground routes are open to leave Israel. White House officials, however, have voiced concern that those options may not be feasible or affordable for some Americans in Israel who want to leave.Blinken visited Israel on Thursday to meet with Netanyahu and Israeli citizens. He was joined by the deputy special representative for hostage affairs, Steve Gillen, who will stay in Israel to to support the efforts to free the hostages.Blinken said Americans would continue pushing regional countries for a safe passage in and out of Gaza, which could help the hundreds of American civilians trapped in the blockaded enclave.Israeli defense officials have yet to order a ground invasion of the pummeled territory, but have been planning for the possibility. The military has called over 300,000 reservists into action in preparation.Meanwhile, President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, who joined from Air Force Two en route to Las Vegas met on Thursday with senior administration officials to discuss efforts to safeguard the U.S., including Jewish, Arab and Muslim communities, following the Hamas attacks in Israel.Biden administration officials have been speaking with lawmakers about the contours of a supplemental aid package as it continues to determine Israel’s needs.Some key Republicans, including House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Michael McCaul, R-Texas, have advocated for a larger package that would lump in funding for Ukraine, Taiwan and border security along with Israel aid, and the White House has started to prepare such a package, according to an official familiar with the deliberations. The person was granted anonymity to speak about private conversations, and no final decisions have been made on a supplemental package.

Kan. lawmakers demand: U.S.denies Iran access to $6 Billion in prisoner swap

WICHITA (AP) — A rare&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ring-of-fire-eclipse-what-to-know-df2bd3b1d69854421f241bf9b49cf123">“ring of fire” eclipse of the sun</a>&nbsp;cuts across the Americas on Saturday, stretching from Oregon to Brazil.

For the small towns and cities along its narrow path, there was a mix of excitement, worries about the weather and concerns they'd be overwhelmed by visitors flocking to see the celestial event, also called an annular solar eclipse.

Unlike a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/11d5c10bf3be44c994eedab6e39f4e6f">total solar eclipse</a>, the moon doesn’t completely cover the sun during a ring of fire eclipse. When the moon lines up between Earth and the sun, it leaves a bright, blazing border.

Saturday’s path: Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Texas in the U.S., with a sliver of California, Arizona and Colorado. Next: Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Brazil. Much of the rest of the Western Hemisphere gets a partial eclipse.

Viewing all depends on clear skies — part of the U.S. path could see clouds. NASA and other groups planned to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlY79zjud-Q&amp;ab_channel=NASA">livestream it</a>.

With a chance of rain in its forecast, the small town of Reedsport near Oregon's Pacific Coast moved its eclipse festival inside so that a bounce house and games wouldn’t get soaked in the mud.

"But we’re still hoping that we might get a glimpse of it,” said city official Rosa Solano.

Weather was less of a concern in tiny Baker, Nevada, where the population hovers around 100. Inn and general store owner Liz Woolsey made T-shirts and planned a slate of activities including a drum circle and a dance party. Her seven rooms have been booked for over a year.

“For a little place, we’re putting on a good show," said Woolsey, who became an eclipse enthusiast after seeing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/11d5c10bf3be44c994eedab6e39f4e6f">2017 total solar eclipse</a>&nbsp;that swept the U.S. from coast to coast.

Tens of thousands could get a double treat in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For the city's annual air balloon fiesta, which ends this weekend, hundreds of colorful hot air balloons lift off around dawn, hours before the eclipse briefly dims the skies.

Colombia’s Tatacoa desert was playing host to astronomers helping a group of visually impaired people experience the eclipse through raised maps and temperature changes as the moon blots out the sun.

At the Cancun Planetarium, young visitors built box projectors to indirectly and safely view the ring of fire. The ancient Maya — who called eclipses “broken sun” — may have used dark volcanic glass to protect their eyes, said archeologist Arturo Montero of Tepeyac University in Mexico City.

Towns and national parks in the path braced for a huge throngs. Officials in Oregon's Klamath County urged residents to stock up on groceries and fill their gas tanks in case traffic backs up on its two-lane highways. Utah's Bryce Canyon expected Saturday to be the park's busiest day of the year, spokesperson Peter Densmore said. Brazil's Pedra da Boca state park, known for its rocky outcrops for climbing and rappelling was also expecting crowds.

The entire eclipse — from the moment the moon starts to obscure the sun until it’s back to normal — is 2 1/2 to three hours at any given spot. The ring of fire portion lasts from three to five minutes, depending on location.

Next April, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/where-to-see-2024-total-solar-eclipse-113061a08d63e579c698017312f7eea0">total solar eclipse</a>&nbsp;will crisscross the U.S. in the opposite direction. That one will begin in Mexico and go from Texas to New England before ending in eastern Canada.

The next ring of fire eclipse is in October next year at the southernmost tip of South America. Antarctica gets one in 2026. It will be 2039 before another ring of fire is visible in the U.S., and Alaska will be the only state in its direct path.

WICHITA (AP) — A rare&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ring-of-fire-eclipse-what-to-know-df2bd3b1d69854421f241bf9b49cf123">“ring of fire” eclipse of the sun</a>&nbsp;cuts across the Americas on Saturday, stretching from Oregon to Brazil.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A partial solar eclipse of the sun will occur late this morning across southwest KS. The obscuration of the sun by the moon will be anywhere between 70% at Hays to around 80% at Elkhart. Maximum eclipse of the sun across all of southwest KS will occur at 11:43 AM CDT. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a> <a href="https://t.co/tHdzv2o4cn">pic.twitter.com/tHdzv2o4cn</a>&mdash; NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSDodgeCity/status/1713160279167746121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>For the small towns and cities along its narrow path, there was a mix of excitement, worries about the weather and concerns they'd be overwhelmed by visitors flocking to see the celestial event, also called an annular solar eclipse.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Here&#39;s some additional information on the solar eclipse that will take place on Saturday. Additional safety info can be found here: <a href="https://t.co/1A6W8Iyjta">https://t.co/1A6W8Iyjta</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a> <a href="https://t.co/iVJSCzgU15">pic.twitter.com/iVJSCzgU15</a>&mdash; NWS Wichita (@NWSWichita) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSWichita/status/1712999444734709954?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Unlike a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/11d5c10bf3be44c994eedab6e39f4e6f">total solar eclipse</a>, the moon doesn’t completely cover the sun during a ring of fire eclipse. When the moon lines up between Earth and the sun, it leaves a bright, blazing border.Saturday’s path: Oregon, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico and Texas in the U.S., with a sliver of California, Arizona and Colorado. Next: Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula, Belize, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Panama, Colombia and Brazil. Much of the rest of the Western Hemisphere gets a partial eclipse.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">As expected, we&#39;re waking up to widespread clouds across eastern Kansas this morning. This will unfortunately spoil our viewing of today&#39;s annular solar eclipse. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a> <a href="https://t.co/UGGJt2DVSF">pic.twitter.com/UGGJt2DVSF</a>&mdash; NWS Topeka (@NWSTopeka) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSTopeka/status/1713189464254849381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Viewing all depends on clear skies — part of the U.S. path could see clouds. NASA and other groups planned to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlY79zjud-Q&amp;ab_channel=NASA">livestream it</a>.With a chance of rain in its forecast, the small town of Reedsport near Oregon's Pacific Coast moved its eclipse festival inside so that a bounce house and games wouldn’t get soaked in the mud."But we’re still hoping that we might get a glimpse of it,” said city official Rosa Solano.Weather was less of a concern in tiny Baker, Nevada, where the population hovers around 100. Inn and general store owner Liz Woolsey made T-shirts and planned a slate of activities including a drum circle and a dance party. Her seven rooms have been booked for over a year.“For a little place, we’re putting on a good show," said Woolsey, who became an eclipse enthusiast after seeing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/11d5c10bf3be44c994eedab6e39f4e6f">2017 total solar eclipse</a>&nbsp;that swept the U.S. from coast to coast.Tens of thousands could get a double treat in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For the city's annual air balloon fiesta, which ends this weekend, hundreds of colorful hot air balloons lift off around dawn, hours before the eclipse briefly dims the skies.Colombia’s Tatacoa desert was playing host to astronomers helping a group of visually impaired people experience the eclipse through raised maps and temperature changes as the moon blots out the sun.At the Cancun Planetarium, young visitors built box projectors to indirectly and safely view the ring of fire. The ancient Maya — who called eclipses “broken sun” — may have used dark volcanic glass to protect their eyes, said archeologist Arturo Montero of Tepeyac University in Mexico City.Towns and national parks in the path braced for a huge throngs. Officials in Oregon's Klamath County urged residents to stock up on groceries and fill their gas tanks in case traffic backs up on its two-lane highways. Utah's Bryce Canyon expected Saturday to be the park's busiest day of the year, spokesperson Peter Densmore said. Brazil's Pedra da Boca state park, known for its rocky outcrops for climbing and rappelling was also expecting crowds.The entire eclipse — from the moment the moon starts to obscure the sun until it’s back to normal — is 2 1/2 to three hours at any given spot. The ring of fire portion lasts from three to five minutes, depending on location.Next April, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/where-to-see-2024-total-solar-eclipse-113061a08d63e579c698017312f7eea0">total solar eclipse</a>&nbsp;will crisscross the U.S. in the opposite direction. That one will begin in Mexico and go from Texas to New England before ending in eastern Canada.The next ring of fire eclipse is in October next year at the southernmost tip of South America. Antarctica gets one in 2026. It will be 2039 before another ring of fire is visible in the U.S., and Alaska will be the only state in its direct path.

Rare 'ring of fire' solar eclipse Saturday

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —The suspect in the September 15th shots-fired incident outside a Wyandotte High School football game, was arrested and charged Thursday afternoon, according to Kansas City, Kansas police.

The U. S. Marshals Service, with combined assistance from the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools Police Department, Kansas City, Kansas Police Department and the public, tracked the suspect, a juvenile male, to Manhattan, Kansas where he was taken into custody without incident.

 He is a resident of Kansas City, Kansas.

The Wyandotte County District Attorney has charged the juvenile with attempted 2nd degree murder and shooting into an occupied building.

 He is currently being held in Riley County as he awaits extradition back to Wyandotte County. 

Just before 9:30p.m. Sept. 15, police responded to Wyandotte High School, 2500 Minnesota, after shots were fired during the football game, according to a media release from Kansas City, Kansas police.

At the scene, police learned that with one minute left in the game, two unknown suspects approached the entrance to the field from outside the stadium and began shooting toward a USD 500 police officer standing at the gate.

The officer returned fire until the suspect fled north to a vehicle and fled. Police have not reported anyone struck by gunfire.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694868319517.png" alt="Police at the scene of the investigation Sept. 15. photo courtesy KSHB TV" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the investigation Sept. 15. photo courtesy KSHB TV</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —The suspect in the September 15th shots-fired incident outside a Wyandotte High School football game, was arrested and charged Thursday afternoon, according to Kansas City, Kansas police.The U. S. Marshals Service, with combined assistance from the Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools Police Department, Kansas City, Kansas Police Department and the public, tracked the suspect, a juvenile male, to Manhattan, Kansas where he was taken into custody without incident. He is a resident of Kansas City, Kansas.The Wyandotte County District Attorney has charged the juvenile with attempted 2nd degree murder and shooting into an occupied building. He is currently being held in Riley County as he awaits extradition back to Wyandotte County. Just before 9:30p.m. Sept. 15, police responded to Wyandotte High School, 2500 Minnesota, after shots were fired during the football game, according to a media release from Kansas City, Kansas police.At the scene, police learned that with one minute left in the game, two unknown suspects approached the entrance to the field from outside the stadium and began shooting toward a USD 500 police officer standing at the gate.The officer returned fire until the suspect fled north to a vehicle and fled. Police have not reported anyone struck by gunfire.&nbsp;

Police capture suspect in Kansas high school football game gunfire 

NEW YORK (AP) —Rudolph Isley, a founding member of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-a59324c730c0c56a584e560d47ae49cd">the Isley Brothers</a>&nbsp;who helped perform such raw rhythm and blues classics as “Shout" and “Twist and Shout” and the funky hits “That Lady” and “It's Your Thing,” has died at age 84.

“There are no words to express my feelings and the love I have for my brother. Our family will miss him. But I know he’s in a better place," Ronald Isley said in a statement released Thursday by an Isley Brothers publicist. Further details were not immediately available.

A Cincinnati native, Rudolph Isley began singing in church with brothers Ronald and O'Kelly (another sibling, Vernon, died at age 13) and was still in his teens when they broke through in the late 1950s with “Shout,” a secularized gospel rave that was later immortalized during the toga party scene in “Animal House.” The Isleys scored again in the early 1960s with the equally spirited “Twist and Shout,” which the Beatles liked so much they used it as the closing song on their debut album and opened with it for their famed 1965 concert at Shea Stadium.

The Isleys' other hits included “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You),” later covered by Rod Stewart, and the Grammy-winning “It's Your Thing.” In the 1970s, after younger brother Ernest and Marvin joined the group, they had even greater success with such singles as “That Lady" and “Fight the Power (Part 1)” and such million-selling albums as “The Heat Is On” and “Go for Your Guns.”

Rudolph Isley left the group in 1989, three years after the sudden death of O'Kelly Isley, to become a Christian minister. He was among the Isleys inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

NEW YORK (AP) —Rudolph Isley, a founding member of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-a59324c730c0c56a584e560d47ae49cd">the Isley Brothers</a>&nbsp;who helped perform such raw rhythm and blues classics as “Shout" and “Twist and Shout” and the funky hits “That Lady” and “It's Your Thing,” has died at age 84.“There are no words to express my feelings and the love I have for my brother. Our family will miss him. But I know he’s in a better place," Ronald Isley said in a statement released Thursday by an Isley Brothers publicist. Further details were not immediately available.A Cincinnati native, Rudolph Isley began singing in church with brothers Ronald and O'Kelly (another sibling, Vernon, died at age 13) and was still in his teens when they broke through in the late 1950s with “Shout,” a secularized gospel rave that was later immortalized during the toga party scene in “Animal House.” The Isleys scored again in the early 1960s with the equally spirited “Twist and Shout,” which the Beatles liked so much they used it as the closing song on their debut album and opened with it for their famed 1965 concert at Shea Stadium.The Isleys' other hits included “This Old Heart of Mine (Is Weak for You),” later covered by Rod Stewart, and the Grammy-winning “It's Your Thing.” In the 1970s, after younger brother Ernest and Marvin joined the group, they had even greater success with such singles as “That Lady" and “Fight the Power (Part 1)” and such million-selling albums as “The Heat Is On” and “Go for Your Guns.”Rudolph Isley left the group in 1989, three years after the sudden death of O'Kelly Isley, to become a Christian minister. He was among the Isleys inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992.

Rudolph Isley, founding member of Isley Brothers, has died

HARVEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a three vehicle crash and fire that shut down portions of U.S. 50 in Harvey County have identified the drivers involved.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported that just after 1:30p.m. Wednesday, a 2017 Buick Enclave driven by Mary K. Hall, 84, Newton, was eastbound on U.S. 50 one half mile east of Anderson Street.&nbsp;

The driver attempted to change lanes and struck an eastbound 2022 Peterbilt semi driven by Jose E&nbsp;Chaves-Rosales, 38,&nbsp;Canutillo, Texas.&nbsp; The impact caused the Buick to cross the median and strike a westbound 2013 Freightliner semi driven by Luis R. Simon, 60, Emporia.

After impact, the Freightliner crossed the median, entered the south ditch, traveled&nbsp; through a KDOT fence and struck a storage facility that started a fire.&nbsp;

Multiple RVs burned in the fire, and the building structure was seriously damaged, according to Newton Fire and EMS. About 25 acres on the north side of U.S. 50 burned, but crews were able to keep the fire from jumping SW 14th Street toward the residential neighborhood.

EMS transported Hall to Wesley Medical Center and Simon to Newton Medical Center.&nbsp;Chaves-Rosales was not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697051057034.jpeg" alt="Photo Newton Fire and EMS&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo Newton Fire and EMS&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a three vehicle crash and fire that shut down portions of U.S. 50 in Harvey County have identified the drivers involved.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported that just after 1:30p.m. Wednesday, a 2017 Buick Enclave driven by Mary K. Hall, 84, Newton, was eastbound on U.S. 50 one half mile east of Anderson Street.&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FNewtonKSPolice%2Fposts%2Fpfbid028C69ZYUEKvDZjQBU2Sm9ZfSrcJT4pjFxfDzTWLshBVHAVersN8HwkpHXqGsj48tml&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="690" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The driver attempted to change lanes and struck an eastbound 2022 Peterbilt semi driven by Jose E&nbsp;Chaves-Rosales, 38,&nbsp;Canutillo, Texas.&nbsp; The impact caused the Buick to cross the median and strike a westbound 2013 Freightliner semi driven by Luis R. Simon, 60, Emporia.After impact, the Freightliner crossed the median, entered the south ditch, traveled&nbsp; through a KDOT fence and struck a storage facility that started a fire.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697071540357.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Multiple RVs burned in the fire, and the building structure was seriously damaged, according to Newton Fire and EMS. About 25 acres on the north side of U.S. 50 burned, but crews were able to keep the fire from jumping SW 14th Street toward the residential neighborhood.EMS transported Hall to Wesley Medical Center and Simon to Newton Medical Center.&nbsp;Chaves-Rosales was not injured. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

KHP IDs drivers in crash, fire that destroyed multiple RVs

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s military told some 1 million Palestinians on Friday to evacuate northern Gaza and head to the southern part of the besieged territory, an unprecedented order applying to almost half the population ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-military-ground-reoccupation-3e6f08a75643b21e41a498277e84b5b9">an expected ground invasion</a>&nbsp;against the ruling Hamas militant group.

The U.N. warned that so many people fleeing en masse would be calamitous. Hamas, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">staged a shocking and brutal attack</a>&nbsp;on Israel nearly a week ago and has fired thousands of rockets since, dismissed it as a ploy and called on people to stay in their homes.

The evacuation order, which includes Gaza City, home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, sparked widespread panic among civilians and aid workers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-war-hamas-militants-civilians-casualites-8469bbcb566446d78f368bf2a1b49d88">already running from Israeli airstrikes</a>&nbsp;and contending with a total siege and a territory-wide blackout.

“Forget about food, forget about electricity, forget about fuel. The only concern now is just if you’ll make it, if you’re going to live,” said Nebal Farsakh, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent in Gaza City, as she broke into heaving sobs.

<a href="https://apnews.com/b6ea877aa1ee96303aa0870d741da777">The war</a>&nbsp;has already claimed over 2,800 lives on both sides and sent tensions soaring across the region. Israel has traded fire in recent days with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group, sparking fears of an ever wider conflict, though that frontier is currently calm.

Weekly Muslim prayers brought protests in some nearby countries, and tensions ran high in Jerusalem's Old City. The Islamic endowment that manages&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-violence-jerusalem-explainer-1a269c8cc748d8e6f5eb9eabb6d9b860">a flashpoint holy site</a>&nbsp;in the city, the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, said Israeli authorities were barring all Palestinian men under the age of 50 from entering.

Israel has bombarded Gaza round-the-clock since a weekend attack in which Hamas fighters stormed into the country’s south and massacred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/52a847e489cd13ccf61b403618e61c36">hundreds, including killing children in their homes</a>&nbsp;and young people at a music festival. Militants also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-war-822b214252a77f3c3556bb71d9ce7c89">snatched some 150 people</a>&nbsp;and dragged them into Gaza.

Hamas said Israel’s bombardment has killed 13 of the hostages, including foreigners. It did not give their nationalities, saying they were killed over the last 24 hours.

Israeli military spokesperson spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari denied that airstrikes killed hostages, telling Al-Jazeera Arabic that “we have our own information and do not believe the lies of Hamas.”

The military urged all civilians in Gaza’s north to move south, according to Hagari — an order that the U.N. said affects 1.1 million people.

Israel said it needed to target Hamas’ military infrastructure, much of which is buried deep underground. Another spokesperson, Jonathan Conricus, said the military would take “extensive efforts to avoid harming civilians” and that residents would be allowed to return when the war is over.

Hamas militants operate in civilian areas, where Israel has long accused them of using Palestinians as human shields. A mass evacuation of civilians, if carried out, would leave their fighters exposed as never before.

But U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said it would be impossible to stage such an evacuation without “devastating humanitarian consequences.” He called on Israel to rescind any such orders, saying they could “transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation.”

Hamas, meanwhile, called on Palestinians to stay in their homes, saying Israel “is trying to create confusion among citizens and harm the cohesion of our internal front.” It called on Palestinians to ignore what it said was ”psychological warfare.”

Gaza’s Health Ministry said it was not possible to evacuate the many wounded from hospitals, and that hospital staff would not heed the warning.

“We have a duty and a humanitarian mission, and we cannot evacuate hospitals and leave the wounded and sick to die,” spokesperson Ashraf al-Qidra said. In the event of severe Israeli strikes, he said there was simply no other place in the Gaza Strip to take and treat patients.

The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, also said it was not evacuating its schools, where hundreds of thousands have taken shelter. But it has relocated its headquarters to southern Gaza, according to spokesperson Juliette Touma.

Pressed by reporters on whether the army would protect hospitals, U.N. shelters and other civilian locations, Hagari, the Israeli military spokesperson, warned that “it’s a war zone.”

He added: “If Hamas prevents residents from evacuating, the responsibility lies with them.”

The evacuation orders were taken as a further signal of an already expected Israeli ground offensive, though Israel has not yet announced such a decision.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to “crush” Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007. His government is under intense public pressure to topple the group rather than merely bottle it up in Gaza as it has for years.

A visit by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday, along with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-military-navy-carrier-e648c53dc53a46e2e12950784ea5e8d2">shipments of U.S. weapons,</a>&nbsp;offered a powerful green light for Israel to drive ahead with its retaliation. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-us-hamas-austin-blinken-c4a39169dc5ee7256f20bc1534c4f0cb">arrived in Israel on Friday</a>.

Still, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-militants-conflict-war-b6ea877aa1ee96303aa0870d741da777">ground offensive in densely populated and impoverished Gaza</a>&nbsp;would likely bring even higher casualties on both sides in brutal house-to-house fighting.

Yasser Hassouna, an activist in Gaza City, said “everyone panicked” when they saw the U.N. staff leaving. “Hamas said it was psychological warfare, and we know there has been a lot of that. No one knows what is real and what is fake news right now.”

Farsakh, of the Palestinian Red Crescent, said there was no way so many people could be safely moved — especially those with ailments.

“What will happen to our patients?” she asked. “We have wounded, we have elderly, we have children who are in hospitals.” Farsakh said many of the medics were refusing to evacuate hospitals and abandon patients. Instead, she said, they called their colleagues to say goodbye.

Beyond the immediate fear and logistical difficulties, the order has deep resonance in Gaza, where more than half of the Palestinians are the descendants of refugees from the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation, when hundreds of thousands fled or were expelled from what is now Israel. That exodus is deeply seared into their collective memory.

Already, at least 423,000 people — nearly one in five Gazans — have been forced from their homes by Israeli airstrikes, the U.N. said Thursday.

Neighboring Egypt has meanwhile taken “unprecedented measures” to reinforce its border with Gaza and prevent any breaches, a senior Egyptian security official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters.

Egypt, which made peace with Israel decades ago and has long served as a regional mediator, is staunchly opposed to resettling Palestinians on its territory, both because of the costs involved and because it would undermine their quest for an independent state. The Rafah crossing from Gaza into Egypt, the only one not controlled by Israel, has ben closed because of airstrikes.

Hamas’ unprecedented assault last Saturday, and days of heavy rocket fire since, have killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/israel-hamas-war-live-updates">more than 1,300 people in Israel</a>, including 247 soldiers — a toll unseen in Israel for decades. The ensuing Israeli bombardment has killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-war-hamas-militants-civilians-casualites-8469bbcb566446d78f368bf2a1b49d88">more than 1,530 people in Gaza</a>, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.

Israel says roughly 1,500 Hamas militants were killed inside Israel, and that hundreds of the dead in Gaza are Hamas members.

On Thursday, Israel said its complete siege of Gaza — which has left Palestinians desperate for food, fuel and medicine — would remain in place until Hamas militants free the hostages taken.

“Not a single electricity switch will be flipped on, not a single faucet will be turned on and not a single fuel truck will enter until the Israeli hostages are returned home,” Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz said on social media.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696679013332.png" alt="Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Yousef Masoud)" />
 <figcaption>Palestinians wave their national flag and celebrate by a destroyed Israeli tank at the Gaza Strip fence east of Khan Younis southern Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023. (AP Photo/Yousef Masoud)</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s military told some 1 million Palestinians on Friday to evacuate northern Gaza and head to the southern part of the besieged territory, an unprecedented order applying to almost half the population ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-military-ground-reoccupation-3e6f08a75643b21e41a498277e84b5b9">an expected ground invasion</a>&nbsp;against the ruling Hamas militant group.The U.N. warned that so many people fleeing en masse would be calamitous. Hamas, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">staged a shocking and brutal attack</a>&nbsp;on Israel nearly a week ago and has fired thousands of rockets since, dismissed it as a ploy and called on people to stay in their homes.The evacuation order, which includes Gaza City, home to hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, sparked widespread panic among civilians and aid workers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-war-hamas-militants-civilians-casualites-8469bbcb566446d78f368bf2a1b49d88">already running from Israeli airstrikes</a>&nbsp;and contending with a total siege and a territory-wide blackout.“Forget about food, forget about electricity, forget about fuel. The only concern now is just if you’ll make it, if you’re going to live,” said Nebal Farsakh, a spokesperson for the Palestinian Red Crescent in Gaza City, as she broke into heaving sobs.<a href="https://apnews.com/b6ea877aa1ee96303aa0870d741da777">The war</a>&nbsp;has already claimed over 2,800 lives on both sides and sent tensions soaring across the region. Israel has traded fire in recent days with Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group, sparking fears of an ever wider conflict, though that frontier is currently calm.Weekly Muslim prayers brought protests in some nearby countries, and tensions ran high in Jerusalem's Old City. The Islamic endowment that manages&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-violence-jerusalem-explainer-1a269c8cc748d8e6f5eb9eabb6d9b860">a flashpoint holy site</a>&nbsp;in the city, the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, said Israeli authorities were barring all Palestinian men under the age of 50 from entering.Israel has bombarded Gaza round-the-clock since a weekend attack in which Hamas fighters stormed into the country’s south and massacred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/52a847e489cd13ccf61b403618e61c36">hundreds, including killing children in their homes</a>&nbsp;and young people at a music festival. Militants also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-war-822b214252a77f3c3556bb71d9ce7c89">snatched some 150 people</a>&nbsp;and dragged them into Gaza.Hamas said Israel’s bombardment has killed 13 of the hostages, including foreigners. It did not give their nationalities, saying they were killed over the last 24 hours.Israeli military spokesperson spokesperson Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari denied that airstrikes killed hostages, telling Al-Jazeera Arabic that “we have our own information and do not believe the lies of Hamas.”The military urged all civilians in Gaza’s north to move south, according to Hagari — an order that the U.N. said affects 1.1 million people.Israel said it needed to target Hamas’ military infrastructure, much of which is buried deep underground. Another spokesperson, Jonathan Conricus, said the military would take “extensive efforts to avoid harming civilians” and that residents would be allowed to return when the war is over.Hamas militants operate in civilian areas, where Israel has long accused them of using Palestinians as human shields. A mass evacuation of civilians, if carried out, would leave their fighters exposed as never before.But U.N. spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said it would be impossible to stage such an evacuation without “devastating humanitarian consequences.” He called on Israel to rescind any such orders, saying they could “transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation.”Hamas, meanwhile, called on Palestinians to stay in their homes, saying Israel “is trying to create confusion among citizens and harm the cohesion of our internal front.” It called on Palestinians to ignore what it said was ”psychological warfare.”Gaza’s Health Ministry said it was not possible to evacuate the many wounded from hospitals, and that hospital staff would not heed the warning.“We have a duty and a humanitarian mission, and we cannot evacuate hospitals and leave the wounded and sick to die,” spokesperson Ashraf al-Qidra said. In the event of severe Israeli strikes, he said there was simply no other place in the Gaza Strip to take and treat patients.The U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, known as UNRWA, also said it was not evacuating its schools, where hundreds of thousands have taken shelter. But it has relocated its headquarters to southern Gaza, according to spokesperson Juliette Touma.Pressed by reporters on whether the army would protect hospitals, U.N. shelters and other civilian locations, Hagari, the Israeli military spokesperson, warned that “it’s a war zone.”He added: “If Hamas prevents residents from evacuating, the responsibility lies with them.”The evacuation orders were taken as a further signal of an already expected Israeli ground offensive, though Israel has not yet announced such a decision.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to “crush” Hamas, which has ruled Gaza since 2007. His government is under intense public pressure to topple the group rather than merely bottle it up in Gaza as it has for years.A visit by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday, along with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-military-navy-carrier-e648c53dc53a46e2e12950784ea5e8d2">shipments of U.S. weapons,</a>&nbsp;offered a powerful green light for Israel to drive ahead with its retaliation. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-us-hamas-austin-blinken-c4a39169dc5ee7256f20bc1534c4f0cb">arrived in Israel on Friday</a>.Still, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-militants-conflict-war-b6ea877aa1ee96303aa0870d741da777">ground offensive in densely populated and impoverished Gaza</a>&nbsp;would likely bring even higher casualties on both sides in brutal house-to-house fighting.Yasser Hassouna, an activist in Gaza City, said “everyone panicked” when they saw the U.N. staff leaving. “Hamas said it was psychological warfare, and we know there has been a lot of that. No one knows what is real and what is fake news right now.”Farsakh, of the Palestinian Red Crescent, said there was no way so many people could be safely moved — especially those with ailments.“What will happen to our patients?” she asked. “We have wounded, we have elderly, we have children who are in hospitals.” Farsakh said many of the medics were refusing to evacuate hospitals and abandon patients. Instead, she said, they called their colleagues to say goodbye.Beyond the immediate fear and logistical difficulties, the order has deep resonance in Gaza, where more than half of the Palestinians are the descendants of refugees from the 1948 war surrounding Israel’s creation, when hundreds of thousands fled or were expelled from what is now Israel. That exodus is deeply seared into their collective memory.Already, at least 423,000 people — nearly one in five Gazans — have been forced from their homes by Israeli airstrikes, the U.N. said Thursday.Neighboring Egypt has meanwhile taken “unprecedented measures” to reinforce its border with Gaza and prevent any breaches, a senior Egyptian security official said. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief reporters.Egypt, which made peace with Israel decades ago and has long served as a regional mediator, is staunchly opposed to resettling Palestinians on its territory, both because of the costs involved and because it would undermine their quest for an independent state. The Rafah crossing from Gaza into Egypt, the only one not controlled by Israel, has ben closed because of airstrikes.Hamas’ unprecedented assault last Saturday, and days of heavy rocket fire since, have killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/israel-hamas-war-live-updates">more than 1,300 people in Israel</a>, including 247 soldiers — a toll unseen in Israel for decades. The ensuing Israeli bombardment has killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-palestinians-war-hamas-militants-civilians-casualites-8469bbcb566446d78f368bf2a1b49d88">more than 1,530 people in Gaza</a>, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry.Israel says roughly 1,500 Hamas militants were killed inside Israel, and that hundreds of the dead in Gaza are Hamas members.On Thursday, Israel said its complete siege of Gaza — which has left Palestinians desperate for food, fuel and medicine — would remain in place until Hamas militants free the hostages taken.“Not a single electricity switch will be flipped on, not a single faucet will be turned on and not a single fuel truck will enter until the Israeli hostages are returned home,” Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz said on social media.

Israel warns 1 million in Gaza to get out as ground offensive looms

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Regulators on Thursday gave the go-ahead for a multistate wind-energy power line to provide the equivalent of four nuclear power plants' worth of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chicago-illinois-utilities-21076d0df54985077f6e3999bbe79bbc">energy</a>&nbsp;to Missouri consumers.

At issue is the Grain Belt Express, a power line that will carry wind energy from Kansas across Missouri and Illinois before hooking into a power grid in Indiana that serves eastern states.

Invenergy Transmission, the Chicago-based company attempting to build the Grain Belt Express, last year proposed expanding the high-voltage power line's capacity after years of complaints from Missouri farmers and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/44cb00ef903f41179651e1ec65695e8e">lawmakers</a>&nbsp;worried that the line would trample property rights without providing much service to Missouri residents.

Under the new plan, approved 4-1 by Missouri's Public Service Commission, Grain Belt Express plans to bring as much as 2,500 megawatts of power to Missouri. Previously, state utility&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7b4013b6938741698d3c26e4c8447740">regulators approved</a>&nbsp;a line that would have brought only 500 megawatts of energy to the state.

Investment in the project, which would stretch about 800 miles (1287 kilometers) from Kansas to Indiana on a route crossing Missouri and Illinois, also is expected to soar to about $7 billion, Invenergy said.

Various municipal utilities in Missouri have long intended to buy power from the project, but now five times as much electricity will be delivered to the state — rising from 500 to 2,500 megawatts — compared to earlier plans.

“The approval of this transmission line and the ability to bring five times as much power to Missouri as originally planned will not only help us tap a significant source of domestic energy, but it will also help improve reliability and affordability for the Missouri business community,” said Ray McCarty, president and CEO of Associated Industries of Missouri, in a statement.

The project will help unlock $7.5 billion in energy cost savings in Missouri and Illinois, according to its developers.

Some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/illinois-wind-power-kansas-missouri-5133291a7b714523ac6d62732a1c0f29">farmers</a>&nbsp;who don’t want high-power transmission lines on their land have fought the project for years.

Commissioner Kayla Hahn, the only Missouri regulator to vote against the amended proposal Thursday, said she's worried there are not enough safeguards for farmers and other property owners, such as how compensation for damaged crops is handled.

“I want this line to benefit everyone to the maximum extent practicable,” Hahn said. “I don't think this order goes far enough.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675437301633.jpeg" alt="Map of phase one of the Grainbelt Express project showing where power will flow into from Ford County, Kansas./ Photo by Matt Pike" />
 <figcaption>Map of phase one of the Grainbelt Express project showing where power will flow into from Ford County, Kansas./ Photo by Matt Pike</figcaption>
 </figure>COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Regulators on Thursday gave the go-ahead for a multistate wind-energy power line to provide the equivalent of four nuclear power plants' worth of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chicago-illinois-utilities-21076d0df54985077f6e3999bbe79bbc">energy</a>&nbsp;to Missouri consumers.At issue is the Grain Belt Express, a power line that will carry wind energy from Kansas across Missouri and Illinois before hooking into a power grid in Indiana that serves eastern states.Invenergy Transmission, the Chicago-based company attempting to build the Grain Belt Express, last year proposed expanding the high-voltage power line's capacity after years of complaints from Missouri farmers and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/44cb00ef903f41179651e1ec65695e8e">lawmakers</a>&nbsp;worried that the line would trample property rights without providing much service to Missouri residents.Under the new plan, approved 4-1 by Missouri's Public Service Commission, Grain Belt Express plans to bring as much as 2,500 megawatts of power to Missouri. Previously, state utility&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7b4013b6938741698d3c26e4c8447740">regulators approved</a>&nbsp;a line that would have brought only 500 megawatts of energy to the state.Investment in the project, which would stretch about 800 miles (1287 kilometers) from Kansas to Indiana on a route crossing Missouri and Illinois, also is expected to soar to about $7 billion, Invenergy said.Various municipal utilities in Missouri have long intended to buy power from the project, but now five times as much electricity will be delivered to the state — rising from 500 to 2,500 megawatts — compared to earlier plans.“The approval of this transmission line and the ability to bring five times as much power to Missouri as originally planned will not only help us tap a significant source of domestic energy, but it will also help improve reliability and affordability for the Missouri business community,” said Ray McCarty, president and CEO of Associated Industries of Missouri, in a statement.The project will help unlock $7.5 billion in energy cost savings in Missouri and Illinois, according to its developers.Some&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/illinois-wind-power-kansas-missouri-5133291a7b714523ac6d62732a1c0f29">farmers</a>&nbsp;who don’t want high-power transmission lines on their land have fought the project for years.Commissioner Kayla Hahn, the only Missouri regulator to vote against the amended proposal Thursday, said she's worried there are not enough safeguards for farmers and other property owners, such as how compensation for damaged crops is handled.“I want this line to benefit everyone to the maximum extent practicable,” Hahn said. “I don't think this order goes far enough.”

Regulators ok wind-power transmission line across Kansas and Missouri

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a high-speed chase.

Just before 1p.m. Tuesday, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a suspicious person on the porch of a residence in the 700 block of East 205th Street, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

While deputies were traveling to the address, the homeowner advised that the suspect made entry to the unoccupied house and then proceeded to take a truck from the residence and left the scene prior to deputies’ arrival.

Deputies immediately began canvassing the area and spotted the vehicle near West 229th and Fairlawn Road traveling westbound. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, which failed to yield, and a pursuit ensued.

The pursuit ended in a field near West 217th and Auburn Road. The suspect later identified as Kelsey N. Ritter, 28, of Burlingame then fled on foot. 

Deputies and Kansas Highway Patrol Troopers set up a perimeter. A KHP helicopter, two K-9 units, a drone, and deputies on foot were utilized in searching the wooded area. Ritter was eventually located and taken into custody.

She is being held on requested charges of Burglary of a dwelling, Felony theft, Aggravated battery on law enforcement, Interference with law enforcement, Flee or attempt to elude law enforcement by engaging in reckless driving, Criminal damage to property

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696983554969.png" alt="Ritter-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Ritter-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a high-speed chase.Just before 1p.m. Tuesday, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office was notified of a suspicious person on the porch of a residence in the 700 block of East 205th Street, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.While deputies were traveling to the address, the homeowner advised that the suspect made entry to the unoccupied house and then proceeded to take a truck from the residence and left the scene prior to deputies’ arrival.Deputies immediately began canvassing the area and spotted the vehicle near West 229th and Fairlawn Road traveling westbound. The deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, which failed to yield, and a pursuit ensued.The pursuit ended in a field near West 217th and Auburn Road. The suspect later identified as Kelsey N. Ritter, 28, of Burlingame then fled on foot. Deputies and Kansas Highway Patrol Troopers set up a perimeter. A KHP helicopter, two K-9 units, a drone, and deputies on foot were utilized in searching the wooded area. Ritter was eventually located and taken into custody.She is being held on requested charges of Burglary of a dwelling, Felony theft, Aggravated battery on law enforcement, Interference with law enforcement, Flee or attempt to elude law enforcement by engaging in reckless driving, Criminal damage to property

KHP helicopter, drone help capture Kan. burglary suspect

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A youth football coach in St. Louis has been hospitalized in critical but stable condition after being shot at practice, allegedly by a father who was upset about his son’s playing time, authorities said.

Shaquille Latimore, 30, was shot multiple times Tuesday evening at Sherman Park. Daryl Clemmons, 43, later turned himself in, police said. He was charged Wednesday with first-degree assault and armed criminal action.

Clemmons does not yet have an attorney who could speak on his behalf, according to Missouri’s online court-reporting system. A call to a phone number listed for him went unanswered. He remains jailed without bond.

Relatives told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-courts/football-coach-recovering-after-being-shot-four-times-by-players-parent-at-st-louis-park/article_087cd1cc-6906-11ee-a092-6f5e1c6d1cab.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">St. Louis Post-Dispatch</a>&nbsp;that Shaquille Latimore has undergone surgery and is in good spirits.

Shaquille Latimore coaches a little league football team made up primarily of 7- and 8-year-olds, his mother, SeMiko Latimore, told the newspaper.

Shaquille Latimore told police that Clemmons was “upset with him for not starting his son," according to a probable cause statement provided Thursday by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office.

SeMiko Latimore called the shooting “senseless.”

“We’re supposed to be bringing these kids off the streets and teaching them what to do, what not to do. We’ve got all these kids traumatized because their coach was shot in front of them," she said. “He could have easily hit one of those children.”

The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis is partnering with the city to offer counseling to the players and others who witnessed the shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697123209562.png" alt="Clemmons-photo St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department" />
 <figcaption>Clemmons-photo St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. LOUIS (AP) — A youth football coach in St. Louis has been hospitalized in critical but stable condition after being shot at practice, allegedly by a father who was upset about his son’s playing time, authorities said.Shaquille Latimore, 30, was shot multiple times Tuesday evening at Sherman Park. Daryl Clemmons, 43, later turned himself in, police said. He was charged Wednesday with first-degree assault and armed criminal action.Clemmons does not yet have an attorney who could speak on his behalf, according to Missouri’s online court-reporting system. A call to a phone number listed for him went unanswered. He remains jailed without bond.Relatives told the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stltoday.com/news/local/crime-courts/football-coach-recovering-after-being-shot-four-times-by-players-parent-at-st-louis-park/article_087cd1cc-6906-11ee-a092-6f5e1c6d1cab.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">St. Louis Post-Dispatch</a>&nbsp;that Shaquille Latimore has undergone surgery and is in good spirits.Shaquille Latimore coaches a little league football team made up primarily of 7- and 8-year-olds, his mother, SeMiko Latimore, told the newspaper.Shaquille Latimore told police that Clemmons was “upset with him for not starting his son," according to a probable cause statement provided Thursday by the St. Louis Circuit Attorney's Office.SeMiko Latimore called the shooting “senseless.”“We’re supposed to be bringing these kids off the streets and teaching them what to do, what not to do. We’ve got all these kids traumatized because their coach was shot in front of them," she said. “He could have easily hit one of those children.”The Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis is partnering with the city to offer counseling to the players and others who witnessed the shooting.

Father shoots youth football coach over his son's playing time

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Steve Scalise has ended his bid to become House speaker after failing to secure the votes to win the gavel.

Scalise told GOP colleagues at a closed-door meeting late Thursday of his decision.

Next steps are uncertain as the House is essentially closed while Republicans try to elect a speaker after ousting Kevin McCarthy from the job.

“I just shared with my colleagues that I’m withdrawing my name as a candidate for speaker-designee,” Scalise said as he emerged from the closed-door meeting at the Capitol.

Scalise, R-La., said the Republican majority “still has to come together and is not there.”

He had been working furiously secure the votes after being nominated by a majority of his colleagues, but after hours of private meetings over two days and late into the evening at the Capitol it was clear lawmakers were not budging from their refusal to support him.

“There are still some people that have their own agendas,” Scalise said. "And I was very clear, we have to have everybody put their agendas on the side and focus on what this country needs.”

Frustrations mounted as the crisis deepened and Republicans lost another day without a House speaker. Scalise was trying to peel off more than 100 votes, mostly from those who backed his chief rival, Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jim-jordan">Jim Jordan</a>, the Judiciary Committee chairman favored by hard-liners, who announced he was no longer in the running and tossed his vote to Scalise.

But many hard-liners taking their cues from Donald Trump have dug in for a prolonged fight to replace&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-ousted-mccarthy-3fccfca11fe61c36fe399880f2679f12">McCarthy</a>&nbsp;after his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">historic ouster from the job</a>. They argue that Majority Leader Scalise is no better choice, that he should be focusing on his health as he battles cancer and that he is not the leader they will support. No House votes were scheduled.

“We’re going to get this done,” Scalise had said after an earlier closed-door meeting at the Capitol.

Scalise said he took every question thrown his way and pledged during the two-hour session to work through the issues raised. But there is no easy endgame in sight.

“Time is of the essence,” McCarthy said when he arrived at the Capitol Thursday.

Asked if it was still possible for Scalise to find enough support, McCarthy said, “It's possible — it's a big hill, though.”

The House is entering its second week without a speaker and is essentially unable to function, and the political pressure increasingly is on Republicans to reverse course, reassert majority control and govern in Congress.

Action is needed to fund the government or face the threat of a federal shutdown in a month. Lawmakers also want Congress to deliver a strong statement of support for Israel in the war with Hamas, but a bipartisan resolution has been sidelined by the stalemate in the House. The White House is expected to soon ask for money for Israel, Ukraine and the backfill of the U.S. weapons stockpile.

The situation is not fully different from the start of the year, when McCarthy faced a similar backlash from a different group of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-republican-lawmakers-house-opponents-33c7d984964916f29d548b5b1dfe508b">far-right holdouts</a>&nbsp;who ultimately gave their votes to elect him speaker, then engineered his historic downfall.

But the math this time is even more daunting. Scalise, who is seen by some colleagues as hero for having survived a 2017 shooting on lawmakers at a congressional baseball game practice, won the closed-door Republican vote 113-99. But McCarthy, R-Calif., noted that Scalise, a longtime rival, had indicated he would have 150 votes behind closed doors, but missed that mark.

Scalise would have needed 217 votes to reach a majority that likely would be needed in a floor battle with Democrats. The chamber is narrowly split 221-212, with two vacancies, meaning Scalise could lose just a few Republicans in the face of opposition from Democrats who will most certainly back their own leader, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. Absences heading into the weekend could lower the majority threshold needed.

Exasperated Democrats, who have been watching and waiting for the Republican majority to recover from McCarthy’s ouster, urged them to figure it out, warning the world is watching.

“The House Republicans need to end the GOP Civil War, now,” Jeffries said.

“The House Democrats have continued to make clear that we are ready, willing and able to find a bipartisan path forward,” he said, urging that the House reopen and change GOP-led rules that allowed a single lawmaker to put in motion the process to remove the speaker.

As Congress sat idle, the Republicans spent a second day behind closed doors, arguing and airing grievances but failing to follow their own party rules and unite behind the nominee.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, said the meetings had been marked by “emotional” objections to voting for Scalise.

“It’s not for your personal grievances, but that’s unfortunately what I keep seeing,” he said.

Some Republicans simply took their Chick-fil-A lunches to go.

Jordan, a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus who was backed by Trump in the speaker’s race, announced he did not plan to continue running for the leadership position.

“We need to come together and support Steve,” Jordan, R-Ohio, told reporters before the closed session.

It was the most vocal endorsement yet from Jordan, who had earlier offered to give his rival a nominating speech on the floor, and privately was telling lawmakers he would vote for Scalise and was encouraging his colleagues to do the same.

But it was not enough to sway the holdouts.

Handfuls of hard-liners announced they were sticking with Jordan, McCarthy or someone other than Scalise.

Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, reaffirmed his support for Trump as speaker; the position does not need to go to a member of Congress.

Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, repeatedly discussed Scalise's health during a radio interview that aired Thursday.

“Well, I like Steve. I like both of them very much. But the problem, you know, Steve is a man that is in serious trouble, from the standpoint of his cancer,” Trump said on Fox News host Brian Kilmeade’s radio show.

Scalise has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-scalise-blood-cancer-house-republican-leader-f98d35f1d09e8c8009e180068b191daa">diagnosed with a form of blood cancer known as multiple myeloma</a>&nbsp;and is being treated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697046038480.png" alt="Scalise told GOP colleagues at a closed-door meeting late Thursday of his decision.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Scalise told GOP colleagues at a closed-door meeting late Thursday of his decision.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican Steve Scalise has ended his bid to become House speaker after failing to secure the votes to win the gavel.Scalise told GOP colleagues at a closed-door meeting late Thursday of his decision.Next steps are uncertain as the House is essentially closed while Republicans try to elect a speaker after ousting Kevin McCarthy from the job.“I just shared with my colleagues that I’m withdrawing my name as a candidate for speaker-designee,” Scalise said as he emerged from the closed-door meeting at the Capitol.Scalise, R-La., said the Republican majority “still has to come together and is not there.”He had been working furiously secure the votes after being nominated by a majority of his colleagues, but after hours of private meetings over two days and late into the evening at the Capitol it was clear lawmakers were not budging from their refusal to support him.“There are still some people that have their own agendas,” Scalise said. "And I was very clear, we have to have everybody put their agendas on the side and focus on what this country needs.”Frustrations mounted as the crisis deepened and Republicans lost another day without a House speaker. Scalise was trying to peel off more than 100 votes, mostly from those who backed his chief rival, Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jim-jordan">Jim Jordan</a>, the Judiciary Committee chairman favored by hard-liners, who announced he was no longer in the running and tossed his vote to Scalise.But many hard-liners taking their cues from Donald Trump have dug in for a prolonged fight to replace&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-speaker-ousted-mccarthy-3fccfca11fe61c36fe399880f2679f12">McCarthy</a>&nbsp;after his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-gaetz-speaker-motion-to-vacate-congress-327e294a39f8de079ef5e4abfb1fa555">historic ouster from the job</a>. They argue that Majority Leader Scalise is no better choice, that he should be focusing on his health as he battles cancer and that he is not the leader they will support. No House votes were scheduled.“We’re going to get this done,” Scalise had said after an earlier closed-door meeting at the Capitol.Scalise said he took every question thrown his way and pledged during the two-hour session to work through the issues raised. But there is no easy endgame in sight.“Time is of the essence,” McCarthy said when he arrived at the Capitol Thursday.Asked if it was still possible for Scalise to find enough support, McCarthy said, “It's possible — it's a big hill, though.”The House is entering its second week without a speaker and is essentially unable to function, and the political pressure increasingly is on Republicans to reverse course, reassert majority control and govern in Congress.Action is needed to fund the government or face the threat of a federal shutdown in a month. Lawmakers also want Congress to deliver a strong statement of support for Israel in the war with Hamas, but a bipartisan resolution has been sidelined by the stalemate in the House. The White House is expected to soon ask for money for Israel, Ukraine and the backfill of the U.S. weapons stockpile.The situation is not fully different from the start of the year, when McCarthy faced a similar backlash from a different group of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-republican-lawmakers-house-opponents-33c7d984964916f29d548b5b1dfe508b">far-right holdouts</a>&nbsp;who ultimately gave their votes to elect him speaker, then engineered his historic downfall.But the math this time is even more daunting. Scalise, who is seen by some colleagues as hero for having survived a 2017 shooting on lawmakers at a congressional baseball game practice, won the closed-door Republican vote 113-99. But McCarthy, R-Calif., noted that Scalise, a longtime rival, had indicated he would have 150 votes behind closed doors, but missed that mark.Scalise would have needed 217 votes to reach a majority that likely would be needed in a floor battle with Democrats. The chamber is narrowly split 221-212, with two vacancies, meaning Scalise could lose just a few Republicans in the face of opposition from Democrats who will most certainly back their own leader, New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries. Absences heading into the weekend could lower the majority threshold needed.Exasperated Democrats, who have been watching and waiting for the Republican majority to recover from McCarthy’s ouster, urged them to figure it out, warning the world is watching.“The House Republicans need to end the GOP Civil War, now,” Jeffries said.“The House Democrats have continued to make clear that we are ready, willing and able to find a bipartisan path forward,” he said, urging that the House reopen and change GOP-led rules that allowed a single lawmaker to put in motion the process to remove the speaker.As Congress sat idle, the Republicans spent a second day behind closed doors, arguing and airing grievances but failing to follow their own party rules and unite behind the nominee.Rep. Dan Crenshaw, R-Texas, said the meetings had been marked by “emotional” objections to voting for Scalise.“It’s not for your personal grievances, but that’s unfortunately what I keep seeing,” he said.Some Republicans simply took their Chick-fil-A lunches to go.Jordan, a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus who was backed by Trump in the speaker’s race, announced he did not plan to continue running for the leadership position.“We need to come together and support Steve,” Jordan, R-Ohio, told reporters before the closed session.It was the most vocal endorsement yet from Jordan, who had earlier offered to give his rival a nominating speech on the floor, and privately was telling lawmakers he would vote for Scalise and was encouraging his colleagues to do the same.But it was not enough to sway the holdouts.Handfuls of hard-liners announced they were sticking with Jordan, McCarthy or someone other than Scalise.Rep. Troy Nehls, R-Texas, reaffirmed his support for Trump as speaker; the position does not need to go to a member of Congress.Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, repeatedly discussed Scalise's health during a radio interview that aired Thursday.“Well, I like Steve. I like both of them very much. But the problem, you know, Steve is a man that is in serious trouble, from the standpoint of his cancer,” Trump said on Fox News host Brian Kilmeade’s radio show.Scalise has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-scalise-blood-cancer-house-republican-leader-f98d35f1d09e8c8009e180068b191daa">diagnosed with a form of blood cancer known as multiple myeloma</a>&nbsp;and is being treated.“I think it’s going to be very hard, maybe in either case, for somebody to get,” Trump said. "And then you end up in one of these crazy stalemates. It’s a very interesting situation.”Otherwise, Trump was expected to take a hands-off approach to the internal GOP fight once Scalise, rather than his choice of Jordan, became the nominee, according to one person familiar with Trump’s thinking who spoke on condition of anonymity.Many Republicans want to prevent the spectacle of a messy House floor fight like the grueling January brawl when McCarthy became speaker.But others said it was time for Republicans to get out from behind closed doors and vote.“Stop dragging it out,” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., on social media. “If Kevin McCarthy had to go 15 rounds then the next Speaker should be able to do the same or more if they have to.”___