Kansas could lose more than 40,000 jobs next year, most of them in the private sector, if no deal is reached to avert mandatory tax hikes and spending cuts to defense and other federal operations under the "fiscal cliff," according to an economic analysis.

A federal judge ruled that a trial is necessary to decide claims brought against Boeing by two unions over pension and retiree medical benefits.

Former Boeing employees were unable to demonstrate a patern of age discrimination after the 2005 sale of businesses in Kansas and Oklahoma.

A federal judge refused Thursday to block a new Kansas law restricting insurance coverage for abortions, meaning women will have to pay for the procedure on their own or buy separate policies as a lawsuit challenging the controversial law plays out in court.