WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday directed a “pause” to U.S. assistance to Ukraine after a disastrous Oval Office meeting as he seeks to pressure Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;to engage in peace talks with Russia.

A White House official said Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal to end the more than three-year war sparked by Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine, and wants Zelenskyy “committed” to that goal. The official added that the U.S. was “pausing and reviewing” its aid to "ensure that it is contributing to a solution.” The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the assistance.

The moment comes some five years after Trump held up congressionally authorized assistance to Ukraine in 2019 as he sought to pressure Zelenskyy to launch investigations into Joe Biden, then a Democratic presidential candidate. The moment led to Trump’s first impeachment.

Trump in the leadup to his 2024 election win vowed to quickly end the war in Ukraine. He's expressed increasing frustration with Zelenskyy over the war, while simultaneously expressing confidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin can be trusted to keep the peace if a truce in the conflict is reached.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;earlier on Monday slammed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;for suggesting that the end of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia's war</a>&nbsp;against Ukraine likely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-starmer-trump-b025877c40ffe0ddf2a92adad1715231">"is still very, very far away."</a>

The comments come as prominent Trump allies escalate pressure on Zelenskyy to dramatically change his approach to the U.S. president, who has made quickly ending the war a top priority, or step aside.

The long complicated relationship between the leaders has reached a nadir following the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-zelenskyy-oval-office-ukraine-russia-blowup-8aa63e55c859e8fea963911478c376ee">disastrous White House meeting</a>&nbsp;in which Trump and Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>&nbsp;excoriated Zelenskyy for not being sufficiently thankful for U.S. support for Ukraine since Putin ordered the February 2022 invasion.

“This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform about the comments Zelenskyy made late Sunday while speaking to reporters in London.

Trump at an event at the White House later on Monday referred to Zelenskyy's reported comments, and asserted the Ukrainian leader “better not be right about that.”

“If somebody doesn’t want to make a deal, I think that person won’t be around very long,” Trump added. "That person will not be listened to very long.”

Trump took issue with Zelenskyy suggesting it would take time to come to an agreement to end the war. The Ukrainian leader also tried to offer a positive take on the U.S.-Ukraine relationship in the aftermath of last week's White House meeting.

Asked by a reporter about the outlines of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-britain-zelenskyy-europe-starmer-trump-russia-b980170ead74a1a7914c565f14ee6cc9">new European initiative</a>&nbsp;to end Russia’s war, Zelenskyy said: “We are talking about the first steps today, and, therefore, until they are on paper, I would not like to talk about them in great detail.”

“An agreement to end the war is still very, very far away, and no one has started all these steps yet," he added.

But Trump was only further irritated by Zelenskyy’s suggesting it will take time for the conflict to come to a close.

“It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. — Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia,” Trump added in his post. “What are they thinking?”

Zelenskyy&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1896619374469099824">took to social media</a>&nbsp;soon after Trump's latest criticism. He did not directly refer to Trump's comments, but underscored that it “is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest possible.”

“We need real peace and Ukrainians want it most because the war ruins our cities and towns,” Zelenskyy added. “We lose our people. We need to stop the war and to guarantee security.”

Trump's national security adviser said Zelenskyy’s posture during Friday’s Oval Office talks “put up in the air” whether he’s someone the U.S. administration will be able to deal with going forward.

“Is he ready, personally, politically, to move his country towards an end to the fighting?” Mike Waltz said on Fox News' "America’s Newsroom" earlier Monday. "And can he and will he make the compromises necessary?”

Waltz added another layer of doubt about U.S. support as other high-profile Trump allies have suggested that the relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy is becoming untenable.

House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday that Zelenskyy “needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude or someone else needs to lead the country” for Ukraine to continue pursuing a peace deal negotiated by the United States.

Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally who has been a vociferous supporter of Ukraine, said soon after the Oval Office meeting that Zelenskyy “either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change.”

Angela Stent, a former national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia at the National Intelligence Council, said Putin is likely in no rush to end the war amid the fissures between Trump and Zelenskyy and Europe and the U.S. about the way ahead.

“He is not interested in ending the war,” said Stent, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington. “He thinks Russia is winning. ... And he thinks that as time goes on, the West will be more fractured.”

Trump administration and Ukrainian officials had been expected to sign off on a deal during Zelenskyy's visit last week that would have given the U.S. access to Ukraine's critical minerals in part to pay back more than $180 billion in aid the U.S. has sent Kyiv since the start of the war. The White House has also billed such a pact as a way to tighten U.S.-Ukrainian relations in the long term.

The signing was scrapped after the leaders' Oval Office talks went off the rails and White House officials asked Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian delegation to leave.

Trump on Monday, however, suggested he hasn't given up on the economic pact, calling it “a great deal.” He added that he expected to speak to the deal during his Tuesday address before a joint session of Congress.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican who co-chairs the Congressional Ukraine Caucus,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/repbrianfitz/status/1896663350370566156?s=46">spoke</a>&nbsp;with Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, on Monday about getting the mineral rights deal back on track.

Fitzpatrick after the lengthy call predicted the “deal will be signed in short order.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740765106318.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday directed a “pause” to U.S. assistance to Ukraine after a disastrous Oval Office meeting as he seeks to pressure Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;to engage in peace talks with Russia.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">WATCH: Full Meeting between President Trump, Vice President Vance and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy in Oval Office. <a href="https://t.co/Xf6cyErem7">pic.twitter.com/Xf6cyErem7</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1895602226472550410?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A White House official said Trump is focused on reaching a peace deal to end the more than three-year war sparked by Russia's all-out invasion of Ukraine, and wants Zelenskyy “committed” to that goal. The official added that the U.S. was “pausing and reviewing” its aid to "ensure that it is contributing to a solution.” The official spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the assistance.The moment comes some five years after Trump held up congressionally authorized assistance to Ukraine in 2019 as he sought to pressure Zelenskyy to launch investigations into Joe Biden, then a Democratic presidential candidate. The moment led to Trump’s first impeachment.Trump in the leadup to his 2024 election win vowed to quickly end the war in Ukraine. He's expressed increasing frustration with Zelenskyy over the war, while simultaneously expressing confidence that Russian President Vladimir Putin can be trusted to keep the peace if a truce in the conflict is reached.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741050340181.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump</a>&nbsp;earlier on Monday slammed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;for suggesting that the end of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia's war</a>&nbsp;against Ukraine likely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-zelenskyy-starmer-trump-b025877c40ffe0ddf2a92adad1715231">"is still very, very far away."</a>The comments come as prominent Trump allies escalate pressure on Zelenskyy to dramatically change his approach to the U.S. president, who has made quickly ending the war a top priority, or step aside.The long complicated relationship between the leaders has reached a nadir following the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-zelenskyy-oval-office-ukraine-russia-blowup-8aa63e55c859e8fea963911478c376ee">disastrous White House meeting</a>&nbsp;in which Trump and Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>&nbsp;excoriated Zelenskyy for not being sufficiently thankful for U.S. support for Ukraine since Putin ordered the February 2022 invasion.“This is the worst statement that could have been made by Zelenskyy, and America will not put up with it for much longer!” Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform about the comments Zelenskyy made late Sunday while speaking to reporters in London.Trump at an event at the White House later on Monday referred to Zelenskyy's reported comments, and asserted the Ukrainian leader “better not be right about that.”“If somebody doesn’t want to make a deal, I think that person won’t be around very long,” Trump added. "That person will not be listened to very long.”Trump took issue with Zelenskyy suggesting it would take time to come to an agreement to end the war. The Ukrainian leader also tried to offer a positive take on the U.S.-Ukraine relationship in the aftermath of last week's White House meeting.Asked by a reporter about the outlines of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-britain-zelenskyy-europe-starmer-trump-russia-b980170ead74a1a7914c565f14ee6cc9">new European initiative</a>&nbsp;to end Russia’s war, Zelenskyy said: “We are talking about the first steps today, and, therefore, until they are on paper, I would not like to talk about them in great detail.”“An agreement to end the war is still very, very far away, and no one has started all these steps yet," he added.But Trump was only further irritated by Zelenskyy’s suggesting it will take time for the conflict to come to a close.“It is what I was saying, this guy doesn’t want there to be Peace as long as he has America’s backing and, Europe, in the meeting they had with Zelenskyy, stated flatly that they cannot do the job without the U.S. — Probably not a great statement to have been made in terms of a show of strength against Russia,” Trump added in his post. “What are they thinking?”Zelenskyy&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1896619374469099824">took to social media</a>&nbsp;soon after Trump's latest criticism. He did not directly refer to Trump's comments, but underscored that it “is very important that we try to make our diplomacy really substantive to end this war the soonest possible.”“We need real peace and Ukrainians want it most because the war ruins our cities and towns,” Zelenskyy added. “We lose our people. We need to stop the war and to guarantee security.”Trump's national security adviser said Zelenskyy’s posture during Friday’s Oval Office talks “put up in the air” whether he’s someone the U.S. administration will be able to deal with going forward.“Is he ready, personally, politically, to move his country towards an end to the fighting?” Mike Waltz said on Fox News' "America’s Newsroom" earlier Monday. "And can he and will he make the compromises necessary?”Waltz added another layer of doubt about U.S. support as other high-profile Trump allies have suggested that the relationship between Trump and Zelenskyy is becoming untenable.House Speaker Mike Johnson said Sunday that Zelenskyy “needs to come to his senses and come back to the table in gratitude or someone else needs to lead the country” for Ukraine to continue pursuing a peace deal negotiated by the United States.Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Trump ally who has been a vociferous supporter of Ukraine, said soon after the Oval Office meeting that Zelenskyy “either needs to resign and send somebody over that we can do business with, or he needs to change.”Angela Stent, a former national intelligence officer for Russia and Eurasia at the National Intelligence Council, said Putin is likely in no rush to end the war amid the fissures between Trump and Zelenskyy and Europe and the U.S. about the way ahead.“He is not interested in ending the war,” said Stent, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington. “He thinks Russia is winning. ... And he thinks that as time goes on, the West will be more fractured.”Trump administration and Ukrainian officials had been expected to sign off on a deal during Zelenskyy's visit last week that would have given the U.S. access to Ukraine's critical minerals in part to pay back more than $180 billion in aid the U.S. has sent Kyiv since the start of the war. The White House has also billed such a pact as a way to tighten U.S.-Ukrainian relations in the long term.The signing was scrapped after the leaders' Oval Office talks went off the rails and White House officials asked Zelenskyy and the Ukrainian delegation to leave.Trump on Monday, however, suggested he hasn't given up on the economic pact, calling it “a great deal.” He added that he expected to speak to the deal during his Tuesday address before a joint session of Congress.Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania Republican who co-chairs the Congressional Ukraine Caucus,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/repbrianfitz/status/1896663350370566156?s=46">spoke</a>&nbsp;with Zelenskyy's chief of staff, Andriy Yermak, on Monday about getting the mineral rights deal back on track.Fitzpatrick after the lengthy call predicted the “deal will be signed in short order.”

Trump orders 'pause' on US aid to Ukraine after Oval dustup

WASHINGTON—After a weekend off social media, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall returned to the online platform Monday. Marshall commented on a post from President Donald Trump suggesting "paid troublemakers" are attending town hall meetings.

&nbsp;Marshall hosted a town hall to visit with voters on Saturday morning at the Logan County Hospital in Oakley.&nbsp; Many in attendance said Marshall left the meeting before they were finished asking questions.&nbsp; On Monday morning, NBC's TODAY Show&nbsp; featured a clip of Marshall telling those at the the meeting he would leave if they were rude to him.

The Senator did answered questions on budget cuts, layoffs and funding freezes from the somewhat hostile crowd and according to a video taken by Colin McRoberts, Marshall left the event before it was finished.

Marshall did not use social media to promote the town hall in Oakley or livestream the event. On Sunday, a member of Marshall's staff used social media to explain what happened to those who believed he left the town hall meeting early.

Marshall is back in Washington to vote for Linda  McMahon to run President Trump's Education Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1740919102880.png" alt="Image from the video by Colin McRoberts went viral" />
 <figcaption>Image from the video by Colin McRoberts went viral</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON—After a weekend off social media, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall returned to the online platform Monday. Marshall commented on a post from President Donald Trump suggesting "paid troublemakers" are attending town hall meetings.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Can confirm. <a href="https://t.co/Ru9qbspeOY">pic.twitter.com/Ru9qbspeOY</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1896583775557243254?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The REAL Oakley, KS. <a href="https://t.co/JfQBqvycQf">pic.twitter.com/JfQBqvycQf</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1896641733808795946?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;Marshall hosted a town hall to visit with voters on Saturday morning at the Logan County Hospital in Oakley.&nbsp; Many in attendance said Marshall left the meeting before they were finished asking questions.&nbsp; On Monday morning, NBC's TODAY Show&nbsp; featured a clip of Marshall telling those at the the meeting he would leave if they were rude to him.The Senator did answered questions on budget cuts, layoffs and funding freezes from the somewhat hostile crowd and according to a video taken by Colin McRoberts, Marshall left the event before it was finished.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kansas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kansas</a> Sen. Roger Marshall town hall in far western Kansas. Really far. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ksleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ksleg</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/senate?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#senate</a> <a href="https://t.co/C2SjdAX8Os">pic.twitter.com/C2SjdAX8Os</a>&mdash; sam zeff (@samzeff) <a href="https://twitter.com/samzeff/status/1895932702429159626?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Marshall did not use social media to promote the town hall in Oakley or livestream the event. On Sunday, a member of Marshall's staff used social media to explain what happened to those who believed he left the town hall meeting early.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Brent Robertson, Chief of Staff to Senator Roger Marshall, released the following statement in response to the town hall hosted by <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RogerMarshallMD</a> in Oakley, KS today: <a href="https://t.co/JPQfDLh54N">pic.twitter.com/JPQfDLh54N</a>&mdash; Emily Flower (@_emily_flower) <a href="https://twitter.com/_emily_flower/status/1896043930598412594?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Marshall is back in Washington to vote for Linda McMahon to run President Trump's Education Department.

🎥Kan. U.S. Senator's town hall mentioned on network TV morning show

NASHVILLE (AP) —Carl Dean,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/dolly-parton">Dolly Parton's</a>&nbsp;devoted husband of nearly 60 years who avoided the spotlight and inspired her timeless hit “Jolene,” died Monday. He was 82.

According to a statement provided to The Associated Press by Parton's publicist, Dean died in Nashville, Tennessee. He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending.

“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy," Parton wrote in a statement.

The family has asked for respect and privacy. No cause of death was announced.

Parton met Dean outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat the day she moved to Nashville at 18.

“I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me)," Parton described the meeting. "He seemed to be genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about.”

They married two years later, on Memorial Day — May 30, 1966 — in a small ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia.

Dean was a businessman, having owned an asphalt-paving business in Nashville. His parents, Virginia “Ginny” Bates Dean and Edgar “Ed” Henry Dean, had three children. Parton referred to his mother as “Mama Dean.”

Dean is survived by Parton and his two siblings, Sandra and Donnie.

He inspired Parton’s classic, “Jolene.” Parton&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2008/10/09/95520570/dolly-partons-jolene-still-haunts-singers">told NPR in 2008</a>&nbsp;that she wrote the song about a flirty a bank teller who seemed to take an interest in Dean.

“She got this terrible crush on my husband,” she said. “And he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention. It was kinda like a running joke between us — when I was saying, ‘Hell, you’re spending a lot of time at the bank. I don’t believe we’ve got that kind of money.’ So it’s really an innocent song all around, but sounds like a dreadful one.”

Parton and Dean kept strict privacy around their relationship for decades, Parton telling The Associated Press in 1984: “A lot of people say there’s no Carl Dean, that he’s just somebody I made up to keep other people off me.”

She joked that she’d like to pose with him on the cover of a magazine “So that people could at least know that I’m not married to a wart or something.”

In 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dolly-parton-new-album-rockstar-15f6efbfe89e9370eee4bf71e0ea26de">Parton told AP</a>&nbsp;Dean helped inspired her 2023 “Rockstar” album.

“He’s a big rock and roller,” she said. The song “My Blue Tears,” which was written when Parton was with “The Porter Wagoner Show” in the late 1960s and early ’70s, is “one of my husband’s favorite songs that I ever wrote,” she said. “I thought, ’Well, I better put one of Carl’s favorites of mine in here.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680118652824.jpeg" alt="Dolly Parton File photo AP" />
 <figcaption>Dolly Parton File photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE (AP) —Carl Dean,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/dolly-parton">Dolly Parton's</a>&nbsp;devoted husband of nearly 60 years who avoided the spotlight and inspired her timeless hit “Jolene,” died Monday. He was 82.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/RMTaz47BdC">pic.twitter.com/RMTaz47BdC</a>&mdash; Dolly Parton (@DollyParton) <a href="https://twitter.com/DollyParton/status/1896718434941173792?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>According to a statement provided to The Associated Press by Parton's publicist, Dean died in Nashville, Tennessee. He will be laid to rest in a private ceremony with immediate family attending.“Carl and I spent many wonderful years together. Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy," Parton wrote in a statement.The family has asked for respect and privacy. No cause of death was announced.Parton met Dean outside the Wishy Washy Laundromat the day she moved to Nashville at 18.“I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face (a rare thing for me)," Parton described the meeting. "He seemed to be genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about.”They married two years later, on Memorial Day — May 30, 1966 — in a small ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia.Dean was a businessman, having owned an asphalt-paving business in Nashville. His parents, Virginia “Ginny” Bates Dean and Edgar “Ed” Henry Dean, had three children. Parton referred to his mother as “Mama Dean.”Dean is survived by Parton and his two siblings, Sandra and Donnie.He inspired Parton’s classic, “Jolene.” Parton&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2008/10/09/95520570/dolly-partons-jolene-still-haunts-singers">told NPR in 2008</a>&nbsp;that she wrote the song about a flirty a bank teller who seemed to take an interest in Dean.“She got this terrible crush on my husband,” she said. “And he just loved going to the bank because she paid him so much attention. It was kinda like a running joke between us — when I was saying, ‘Hell, you’re spending a lot of time at the bank. I don’t believe we’ve got that kind of money.’ So it’s really an innocent song all around, but sounds like a dreadful one.”Parton and Dean kept strict privacy around their relationship for decades, Parton telling The Associated Press in 1984: “A lot of people say there’s no Carl Dean, that he’s just somebody I made up to keep other people off me.”She joked that she’d like to pose with him on the cover of a magazine “So that people could at least know that I’m not married to a wart or something.”In 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dolly-parton-new-album-rockstar-15f6efbfe89e9370eee4bf71e0ea26de">Parton told AP</a>&nbsp;Dean helped inspired her 2023 “Rockstar” album.“He’s a big rock and roller,” she said. The song “My Blue Tears,” which was written when Parton was with “The Porter Wagoner Show” in the late 1960s and early ’70s, is “one of my husband’s favorite songs that I ever wrote,” she said. “I thought, ’Well, I better put one of Carl’s favorites of mine in here.”

Carl Dean, Dolly Parton's husband who inspired 'Jolene,' dies at 82

WASHINGTON (AP)—<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/melania-trump">Melania Trump</a>&nbsp;went to Capitol Hill on Monday to lobby for a bill that would make it a federal crime to post intimate imagery online, whether they are real or AI-created, without an individual's consent and require technology companies to swiftly remove such content.

It was her first solo public appearance since she resumed the role of first lady on Jan. 20.

The first lady said it was “heartbreaking” to see teenagers and especially girls grapple with the fallout after they become the targets of malicious and sexually explicit online content. She called on Congress to prioritize the well-being of young people.

“This toxic environment can be severely damaging. We must prioritize their well-being by equipping them with the support and tools necessary to navigate this hostile digital landscape,” she said during a roundtable discussion about the “Take It Down Act" at the U.S. Capitol.

“Every young person deserves a safe online space to express themself freely, without the looming threat of exploitation or harm,” she said.

The “Take It Down Act,” sponsored by Sens.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-congress-ted-cruz-nil-0a047afaee0087817f64802216109792">Ted Cruz</a>, R-Texas, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senator-amy-klobuchar-breast-cancer-049efe56e9674767b6fd98be66a4fdd0">Amy Klobuchar</a>, D-Minn., passed the Senate in February. Melania Trump's public support for the legislation could help get it through the Republican-controlled House and to President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-speech-congress-musk-zelenskyy-3b7c80f39606911b9f12e732131fe7d1">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;desk to become law.

Cruz was among the lawmakers who joined the first lady for the discussion in the Capitol's Mansfield Room. Online safety advocates and survivors of non-consensual intimate imagery also participated.

Cruz said Monday on social media that the measure was inspired by Elliston Berry and her mother, who visited his office after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snapchat-snap-layoffs-tech-b67df4deb437af7fc1612425a379cdd4">Snapchat</a>&nbsp;refused for nearly a year to remove an AI-generated nonconsensual graphic image, also known as a “deepfake.”

“No one should have to experience the pain, humiliation, and trauma that so many Americans have at the hands of AI deepfakes,” Cruz said.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/meta-facts-trump-musk-community-notes-413b8495939a058ff2d25fd23f2e0f43">Meta</a>, which owns and operates Facebook and Instagram, supports the legislation.

The bill would make it a federal crime to knowingly publish or threaten to publish intimate imagery online without an individual's consent, including realistic, computer-generated intimate images of people who can be identified.

If the bill becomes law, social media platforms would be required to remove such images within 48 hours of a victim's request and take steps to delete duplicate content.

“Having an intimate image – real or AI-generated - shared without consent can be devastating and Meta developed and backs many efforts to help prevent it,” Meta communications director Andy Stone said on X.

In the first Trump administration, Melania Trump led a youth initiative she called “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/parenting-united-states-government-2aefddc6f11044d4ac340809f9e75bb3">Be Best</a>,” which included a focus on online safety. She has said she’s interested in reviving the program.

The first lady has made few public appearances since the start of the administration.

She accompanied the president to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-first-trip-california-north-carolina-nevada-b906880254ce7bf249c3dcefa45bf846">survey natural disaster sites</a>&nbsp;in North Carolina and California at the end of inauguration week in January, and on Feb. 22 joined her husband to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-conservative-conference-russia-ukraine-duda-b1339273857da7d3310636bc90ab77a8">host the nation's governors</a>&nbsp;for a black-tie dinner at the White House.

The first lady is expected at the Capitol again on Tuesday for the president's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-speech-congress-musk-zelenskyy-3b7c80f39606911b9f12e732131fe7d1">prime-time address</a>&nbsp;to a joint session of Congress.

WASHINGTON (AP)—<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/melania-trump">Melania Trump</a>&nbsp;went to Capitol Hill on Monday to lobby for a bill that would make it a federal crime to post intimate imagery online, whether they are real or AI-created, without an individual's consent and require technology companies to swiftly remove such content.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">First Lady <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FLOTUS</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MELANIATRUMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MELANIATRUMP</a> on &#39;Take it Down Act&#39;: &quot;I must admit, however, I expected to see more Democrat leaders with us here today to address this serious issue. Surely as adults we can prioritize America&#39;s children ahead of partisan politics.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/0j9MIRv3cu">pic.twitter.com/0j9MIRv3cu</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1896643926146105364?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It was her first solo public appearance since she resumed the role of first lady on Jan. 20.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BE BEST: “I am here with you today with a common goal – to protect our youth from online harm. The widespread presence of abusive behavior in the digital domain affects the daily lives of our children, families, and communities.” First Lady Melania Trump Be Best Roundtable on… <a href="https://t.co/UCETDXELY8">pic.twitter.com/UCETDXELY8</a>&mdash; First Lady Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/1896698231557652810?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The first lady said it was “heartbreaking” to see teenagers and especially girls grapple with the fallout after they become the targets of malicious and sexually explicit online content. She called on Congress to prioritize the well-being of young people.“This toxic environment can be severely damaging. We must prioritize their well-being by equipping them with the support and tools necessary to navigate this hostile digital landscape,” she said during a roundtable discussion about the “Take It Down Act" at the U.S. Capitol.“Every young person deserves a safe online space to express themself freely, without the looming threat of exploitation or harm,” she said.The “Take It Down Act,” sponsored by Sens.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-congress-ted-cruz-nil-0a047afaee0087817f64802216109792">Ted Cruz</a>, R-Texas, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senator-amy-klobuchar-breast-cancer-049efe56e9674767b6fd98be66a4fdd0">Amy Klobuchar</a>, D-Minn., passed the Senate in February. Melania Trump's public support for the legislation could help get it through the Republican-controlled House and to President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-speech-congress-musk-zelenskyy-3b7c80f39606911b9f12e732131fe7d1">Donald Trump's</a>&nbsp;desk to become law.Cruz was among the lawmakers who joined the first lady for the discussion in the Capitol's Mansfield Room. Online safety advocates and survivors of non-consensual intimate imagery also participated.Cruz said Monday on social media that the measure was inspired by Elliston Berry and her mother, who visited his office after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/snapchat-snap-layoffs-tech-b67df4deb437af7fc1612425a379cdd4">Snapchat</a>&nbsp;refused for nearly a year to remove an AI-generated nonconsensual graphic image, also known as a “deepfake.”“No one should have to experience the pain, humiliation, and trauma that so many Americans have at the hands of AI deepfakes,” Cruz said.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/meta-facts-trump-musk-community-notes-413b8495939a058ff2d25fd23f2e0f43">Meta</a>, which owns and operates Facebook and Instagram, supports the legislation.The bill would make it a federal crime to knowingly publish or threaten to publish intimate imagery online without an individual's consent, including realistic, computer-generated intimate images of people who can be identified.If the bill becomes law, social media platforms would be required to remove such images within 48 hours of a victim's request and take steps to delete duplicate content.“Having an intimate image – real or AI-generated - shared without consent can be devastating and Meta developed and backs many efforts to help prevent it,” Meta communications director Andy Stone said on X.In the first Trump administration, Melania Trump led a youth initiative she called “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/parenting-united-states-government-2aefddc6f11044d4ac340809f9e75bb3">Be Best</a>,” which included a focus on online safety. She has said she’s interested in reviving the program.The first lady has made few public appearances since the start of the administration.She accompanied the president to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-first-trip-california-north-carolina-nevada-b906880254ce7bf249c3dcefa45bf846">survey natural disaster sites</a>&nbsp;in North Carolina and California at the end of inauguration week in January, and on Feb. 22 joined her husband to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-conservative-conference-russia-ukraine-duda-b1339273857da7d3310636bc90ab77a8">host the nation's governors</a>&nbsp;for a black-tie dinner at the White House.The first lady is expected at the Capitol again on Tuesday for the president's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-speech-congress-musk-zelenskyy-3b7c80f39606911b9f12e732131fe7d1">prime-time address</a>&nbsp;to a joint session of Congress.

🎥First lady lobbies for bill to crack down on revenge porn

SEDGWICK COUNTY—The Wichita Police Department continues asking for information about the whereabouts of Brent Cruz, who is wanted in connection with a homicide investigation from 2022.

If you know his whereabouts, please call 911 immediately or contact WPD Detectives at 316-268-4407.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—The Wichita Police Department continues asking for information about the whereabouts of Brent Cruz, who is wanted in connection with a homicide investigation from 2022.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740681835763.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>If you know his whereabouts, please call 911 immediately or contact WPD Detectives at 316-268-4407.

Police: Kansas homicide suspect is still at large

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks tumbled Monday and wiped out out even more of their gains since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;’s election in November, after he said that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-trade-china-mexico-canada-inflation-753a09d56cd318f2eb1d2efe3c43b7d4">tariffs announced earlier on Canada and Mexico</a>&nbsp;would take effect within hours.

The S&amp;P 500 dropped 1.8% after Trump said there was “no room left” for negotiations that could lower the tariffs set to begin Tuesday for imports from Canada and Mexico. Trump had already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-china-sheinbaum-trudeau-017efa8c3343b8d2a9444f7e65356ae9">delayed the tariffs once before</a>&nbsp;to allow more time for talks.

Trump’s announcement dashed hopes on Wall Street that he would choose a less painful path for global trade, and it followed the latest warning signal on the U.S. economy’s strength. Monday's loss shaved the S&amp;P 500's gain since Election Day down to just over 1% from a peak of more than 6%. That rally had been built largely on hopes for policies from Trump that would help strengthen the U.S. economy and businesses.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 649 points, or 1.5%, and the Nasdaq composite slumped 2.6%.

Monday’s slide punctuated a rocky couple of weeks for Wall Street. After the S&amp;P 500&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-market-china-asia-technology-5d60888d8ea6f1e9c7dc19e8c89833e8">set a record</a>&nbsp;last month following a parade of fatter-than-expected profit reports from big U.S. companies, the market began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-nvidia-91a42e60248e389f1650bd744e6d9a2e">diving</a>&nbsp;following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-tariffs-china-86706b1215b5be59466c77f577ae888b">weaker-than-expected reports</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. economy, including a couple showing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-confidence-conference-board-economy-spending-4ec3430138e6d872a6dae273e212edd1">U.S. households are getting much more pessimistic</a>&nbsp;about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-48e77a855078b37bf3ccd58c9db94c82">inflation</a>&nbsp;because of the threat of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-reciprocal-imports-tax-trade-economy-54c0a26687dc96157d96229068894720">tariffs</a>.

The latest such report arrived Monday on U.S. manufacturing. Overall activity is still growing, but not by quite as much as economists had forecast. Perhaps more discouragingly, manufacturers are seeing a contraction in new orders. Prices, meanwhile, rose amid discussions about who will pay for Trump’s tariffs.

“Demand eased, production stabilized, and destaffing continued as panelists’ companies experience the first operational shock of the new administration’s tariff policy,” said Timothy Fiore, chair of the Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing business survey committee.

The hope on Wall Street had been that Trump was using the threat of tariffs as a tool for negotiations and that he would ultimately go through with potentially less damaging policies for the global economy and trade. But Trump’s going forward with the Mexican and Canadian tariffs hit a market that wasn't certain about what would happen next.

The market’s recent slump has hit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-chips-revenue-deepseek-apple-1063d50f560f48c04fb97539d566c46e">Nvidia</a>&nbsp;and some other formerly high-flying areas of the market particularly hard. They fell even more Monday, with Nvidia down 8.8% and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-tesla-boycott-showrooms-stock-european-sales-e6459a0207f1318a1110e3d15e89956c">Elon Musk’s Tesla</a>&nbsp;down 2.8%.

Elsewhere on Wall Street, Kroger fell 3% after the grocery chain’s Chairman and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-mcmullen-resignation-ohio-da4088a0b626d56b55e2fe75f4520476">CEO Rodney McMullen resigned</a>&nbsp;following an internal investigation into his personal conduct.

Wall Street’s blue Monday even pulled down stocks of companies enmeshed in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crypto-bitcoin-digital-assets-reserve-2f4246434a657f248cd85296f14382f9">cryptocurrency</a>&nbsp;economy, which rose strongly in the morning. They initially bounced after Trump said over the weekend that his administration was moving forward with a crypto strategic reserve.

But MicroStrategy, the company that’s now known as Strategy and has been raising money to buy bitcoin, slid to a loss of 1.8%. Coinbase, the crypto trading platform, fell 4.6%.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 104.78 to 5,849.72. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 649.67 to 43,191.24, and the Nasdaq composite slumped 497.09 to 18,350.19.

Across the Pacific in China, manufacturers reported an uptick in orders in February as importers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-manufacturing-tariffs-trump-b439ce7e8148f6c9b266b1c183c36a1b">rushed to beat higher U.S. tariffs</a>&nbsp;and a Chinese state media report said that Beijing was considering ways to retaliate.

Trump had imposed a tariff of 10% on imports from China and that’s scheduled to rise to 20% beginning Tuesday. He also ended the “de minimis” loophole that exempted imports worth less than $800 from tariffs.

In Hong Kong, Chinese bubble tea chain Mixue Bingcheng’s stock soared 43% following its $444 million debut on the market. The company claims to be the world’s largest food retail chain, with more than 45,000 outlets, and its jump came as the Hang Seng index rose 0.3%.

Indexes rose by even more across Europe and in Tokyo. European markets leaped after a report showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eurozone-inflation-ecb-europe-economy-cb555f0a040aed0c505d957769d96e9a">an easing of inflation</a>&nbsp;in February. That should help the European Central Bank, which investors widely expect will deliver another cut to interest rates later this week.

Germany’s DAX surged 2.6%, and France’s CAC 40 jumped 1.1%.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-market-wall-street-america-first-96533ff5252eef1d335da379729748e8">Stocks outside the United States have performed better</a>&nbsp;than the S&amp;P 500 this year, even with Trump’s promises for “America First” policies

In the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.15% from 4.24% just before the manufacturing report’s release. It’s come down sharply since January, when it was approaching 4.80%, as worries have built about the possibility of a slowing U.S. economy.

Often, drops in Treasury yields can give a boost to stock prices because they make loans cheaper to get and give a boost to the economy. But the reason for this recent drop in yields, softer economic growth expectations, may mean that’s not the case this time, according to Morgan Stanley strategists led by Michael Wilson.

Typically, the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates if the economy needs help. But when inflation is high, or at least worries about it are, the Fed has less leeway to ease rates.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722962507580.png" alt="File (AP Photo/Richard Drew)" />
 <figcaption>File (AP Photo/Richard Drew)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks tumbled Monday and wiped out out even more of their gains since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;’s election in November, after he said that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-trade-china-mexico-canada-inflation-753a09d56cd318f2eb1d2efe3c43b7d4">tariffs announced earlier on Canada and Mexico</a>&nbsp;would take effect within hours.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;On the tariffs, is there any room left for Canada and Mexico to make a deal before midnight?&quot; President Trump: &quot;No room left for Mexico or for Canada. No. The tariffs you know, they&#39;re all set. They go into effect tomorrow.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Ou4ssKMtmt">pic.twitter.com/Ou4ssKMtmt</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1896653494863503797?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 3, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The S&amp;P 500 dropped 1.8% after Trump said there was “no room left” for negotiations that could lower the tariffs set to begin Tuesday for imports from Canada and Mexico. Trump had already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-canada-mexico-china-sheinbaum-trudeau-017efa8c3343b8d2a9444f7e65356ae9">delayed the tariffs once before</a>&nbsp;to allow more time for talks.Trump’s announcement dashed hopes on Wall Street that he would choose a less painful path for global trade, and it followed the latest warning signal on the U.S. economy’s strength. Monday's loss shaved the S&amp;P 500's gain since Election Day down to just over 1% from a peak of more than 6%. That rally had been built largely on hopes for policies from Trump that would help strengthen the U.S. economy and businesses.The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 649 points, or 1.5%, and the Nasdaq composite slumped 2.6%.Monday’s slide punctuated a rocky couple of weeks for Wall Street. After the S&amp;P 500&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-market-china-asia-technology-5d60888d8ea6f1e9c7dc19e8c89833e8">set a record</a>&nbsp;last month following a parade of fatter-than-expected profit reports from big U.S. companies, the market began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-nvidia-91a42e60248e389f1650bd744e6d9a2e">diving</a>&nbsp;following&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-tariffs-china-86706b1215b5be59466c77f577ae888b">weaker-than-expected reports</a>&nbsp;on the U.S. economy, including a couple showing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/consumer-confidence-conference-board-economy-spending-4ec3430138e6d872a6dae273e212edd1">U.S. households are getting much more pessimistic</a>&nbsp;about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-federal-reserve-48e77a855078b37bf3ccd58c9db94c82">inflation</a>&nbsp;because of the threat of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-reciprocal-imports-tax-trade-economy-54c0a26687dc96157d96229068894720">tariffs</a>.The latest such report arrived Monday on U.S. manufacturing. Overall activity is still growing, but not by quite as much as economists had forecast. Perhaps more discouragingly, manufacturers are seeing a contraction in new orders. Prices, meanwhile, rose amid discussions about who will pay for Trump’s tariffs.“Demand eased, production stabilized, and destaffing continued as panelists’ companies experience the first operational shock of the new administration’s tariff policy,” said Timothy Fiore, chair of the Institute for Supply Management’s manufacturing business survey committee.The hope on Wall Street had been that Trump was using the threat of tariffs as a tool for negotiations and that he would ultimately go through with potentially less damaging policies for the global economy and trade. But Trump’s going forward with the Mexican and Canadian tariffs hit a market that wasn't certain about what would happen next.The market’s recent slump has hit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nvidia-chips-revenue-deepseek-apple-1063d50f560f48c04fb97539d566c46e">Nvidia</a>&nbsp;and some other formerly high-flying areas of the market particularly hard. They fell even more Monday, with Nvidia down 8.8% and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-doge-tesla-boycott-showrooms-stock-european-sales-e6459a0207f1318a1110e3d15e89956c">Elon Musk’s Tesla</a>&nbsp;down 2.8%.Elsewhere on Wall Street, Kroger fell 3% after the grocery chain’s Chairman and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-mcmullen-resignation-ohio-da4088a0b626d56b55e2fe75f4520476">CEO Rodney McMullen resigned</a>&nbsp;following an internal investigation into his personal conduct.Wall Street’s blue Monday even pulled down stocks of companies enmeshed in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crypto-bitcoin-digital-assets-reserve-2f4246434a657f248cd85296f14382f9">cryptocurrency</a>&nbsp;economy, which rose strongly in the morning. They initially bounced after Trump said over the weekend that his administration was moving forward with a crypto strategic reserve.But MicroStrategy, the company that’s now known as Strategy and has been raising money to buy bitcoin, slid to a loss of 1.8%. Coinbase, the crypto trading platform, fell 4.6%.All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 104.78 to 5,849.72. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 649.67 to 43,191.24, and the Nasdaq composite slumped 497.09 to 18,350.19.Across the Pacific in China, manufacturers reported an uptick in orders in February as importers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-economy-manufacturing-tariffs-trump-b439ce7e8148f6c9b266b1c183c36a1b">rushed to beat higher U.S. tariffs</a>&nbsp;and a Chinese state media report said that Beijing was considering ways to retaliate.Trump had imposed a tariff of 10% on imports from China and that’s scheduled to rise to 20% beginning Tuesday. He also ended the “de minimis” loophole that exempted imports worth less than $800 from tariffs.In Hong Kong, Chinese bubble tea chain Mixue Bingcheng’s stock soared 43% following its $444 million debut on the market. The company claims to be the world’s largest food retail chain, with more than 45,000 outlets, and its jump came as the Hang Seng index rose 0.3%.Indexes rose by even more across Europe and in Tokyo. European markets leaped after a report showed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eurozone-inflation-ecb-europe-economy-cb555f0a040aed0c505d957769d96e9a">an easing of inflation</a>&nbsp;in February. That should help the European Central Bank, which investors widely expect will deliver another cut to interest rates later this week.Germany’s DAX surged 2.6%, and France’s CAC 40 jumped 1.1%.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-market-wall-street-america-first-96533ff5252eef1d335da379729748e8">Stocks outside the United States have performed better</a>&nbsp;than the S&amp;P 500 this year, even with Trump’s promises for “America First” policiesIn the bond market, the yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.15% from 4.24% just before the manufacturing report’s release. It’s come down sharply since January, when it was approaching 4.80%, as worries have built about the possibility of a slowing U.S. economy.Often, drops in Treasury yields can give a boost to stock prices because they make loans cheaper to get and give a boost to the economy. But the reason for this recent drop in yields, softer economic growth expectations, may mean that’s not the case this time, according to Morgan Stanley strategists led by Michael Wilson.Typically, the Federal Reserve would cut interest rates if the economy needs help. But when inflation is high, or at least worries about it are, the Fed has less leeway to ease rates.

🎥U.S. stocks tumble following Trump's tariff announcement

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

TOPEKA — U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas said President Donald Trump’s administration shouldn’t cancel a $2.4 billion contract with Verizon and transfer work on the Federal Aviation Administration’s traffic control system to presidential adviser Elon Musk’s own company.

Davids, the 3rd District Democrat who serves on the aviation subcommittee of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the potential deal with Musk raised conflict-of-interest issues.

Starlink is part of Musk’s SpaceX satellite and rocket company — a business rival of Verizon. Musk also was hired by Trump to lead an effort to reduce federal government spending, including at the FAA.

“Elon Musk’s reported interference in a competitively awarded FAA contract is deeply concerning and raises serious questions about conflicts of interest,” Davids said. “Aviation safety — not private gain — must be the priority in our air traffic control system.”

Verizon was issued a 15-year contract in 2023 to integrate fiber-optic cables into the network allowing FAA facilities to communicate. The current federal air traffic control system is the responsibility of L3Harris, not Verizon, but Musk has repeatedly blamed Verizon for technology shortcomings.

“The administration must ensure federal contracts are awarded through a fair and transparent process, not at the whim of a billionaire with political ties to those in power,” Davids said.

In the past week, The New York Times, CNN and other news outlets reported Musk was interested in deploying his own company, Starlink, to operate the federal air traffic control system. The Trump administration has allowed Starlink equipment to be tested at at least two airports.

The issue of aviation safety was brought into focus for the Kansas congressional delegation Jan. 29 when American Airlines Flight 5342 originating from Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita collided mid-air with a U.S. Army helicopter while over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.

All 67 people aboard the aircraft, including Kansans, were killed in the first major U.S. commercial passenger flight crash in more than 15 years.

In aftermath of the accident, members of the Kansas congressional delegation shared empathy for victims and their families and vowed to make certain the crash was thoroughly investigated. Five of the six members of the delegation took part in a moment of silence on the U.S. House chamber.

“Together, we commit to finding answers, and to working to ensure another tragedy like this doesn’t happen again,” said U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, a Republican serving the 4th District centered on Wichita.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741033089425.png" alt=" Kansas Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, left, said the suggestion from billionaire Elon Musk, a budget adviser to President Donald Trump, to cancel Verizon’s $2.4 billion, 15-year contract with FAA and hand that work to his own company Starlink created a conflict of interest. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, left, said the suggestion from billionaire Elon Musk, a budget adviser to President Donald Trump, to cancel Verizon’s $2.4 billion, 15-year contract with FAA and hand that work to his own company Starlink created a conflict of interest. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas said President Donald Trump’s administration shouldn’t cancel a $2.4 billion contract with Verizon and transfer work on the Federal Aviation Administration’s traffic control system to presidential adviser Elon Musk’s own company.Davids, the 3rd District Democrat who serves on the aviation subcommittee of the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, said the potential deal with Musk raised conflict-of-interest issues.Starlink is part of Musk’s SpaceX satellite and rocket company — a business rival of Verizon. Musk also was hired by Trump to lead an effort to reduce federal government spending, including at the FAA.“Elon Musk’s reported interference in a competitively awarded FAA contract is deeply concerning and raises serious questions about conflicts of interest,” Davids said. “Aviation safety — not private gain — must be the priority in our air traffic control system.”Verizon was issued a 15-year contract in 2023 to integrate fiber-optic cables into the network allowing FAA facilities to communicate. The current federal air traffic control system is the responsibility of L3Harris, not Verizon, but Musk has repeatedly blamed Verizon for technology shortcomings.“The administration must ensure federal contracts are awarded through a fair and transparent process, not at the whim of a billionaire with political ties to those in power,” Davids said.In the past week, The New York Times, CNN and other news outlets reported Musk was interested in deploying his own company, Starlink, to operate the federal air traffic control system. The Trump administration has allowed Starlink equipment to be tested at at least two airports.The issue of aviation safety was brought into focus for the Kansas congressional delegation Jan. 29 when American Airlines Flight 5342 originating from Eisenhower National Airport in Wichita collided mid-air with a U.S. Army helicopter while over the Potomac River in Washington, D.C.All 67 people aboard the aircraft, including Kansans, were killed in the first major U.S. commercial passenger flight crash in more than 15 years.In aftermath of the accident, members of the Kansas congressional delegation shared empathy for victims and their families and vowed to make certain the crash was thoroughly investigated. Five of the six members of the delegation took part in a moment of silence on the U.S. House chamber.“Together, we commit to finding answers, and to working to ensure another tragedy like this doesn’t happen again,” said U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, a Republican serving the 4th District centered on Wichita.

Kansas Rep. Sharice Davids objects to Musk’s call for cancellation of $2.4 billion FAA contract

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/fernanda-figueroa">FERNANDA FIGUEROA</a>

&nbsp;President Donald Trump signed an executive order Saturday designating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-english-national-language-d4b000e593ae7db2ac8264a6dbc5078f">English as the official language</a>&nbsp;of the United States. Activists and advocacy groups are alarmed by what it will mean for non-English speakers when it comes to immigration, voter access and other issues.

The order will allow government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer documents and services in languages other than English, according to a fact sheet. The move rescinds a mandate from former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bill-clinton">Bill Clinton</a>&nbsp;that required the government and organizations that received federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.

Designating English as the national language “promotes unity, establishes efficiency in government operations, and creates a pathway for civic engagement,” according to the White House. But some activists and organizations think the move is just another way for the president to stoke division and fear.

“This isn’t just an offensive gesture that sticks a thumb in the eye of millions of U.S. citizens who speak other languages, but also will directly harm those who have previously relied on language assistance for vital information,” Vanessa Cárdenas, executive director of America’s Voice, an advocacy group for immigration reform, said in an email.

What does it mean to have an official language?

According to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, an official language is what is used by the government to conduct official, day-to-day business. Having one or more official languages can help define a nation’s character and the cultural identity of those who live in it.

Prioritizing one language may place certain people in position of power and exclude others whose language is not recognized, according to the institute.

U.S. English, a group that advocates for making English the official language in the United States, believes having an official language provides a common means of communication, encourages immigrants to learn English to use government services and “defines a much-needed common sense language policy.”

Currently there are more than 350 languages spoken in the United States, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The most widely spoken languages other than English are Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Arabic.

People in the U.S. also speak Native North American languages such as Navajo, Yupik, Dakota, Apache, Keres and Cherokee, among others.

Potential impact on citizenship and voting

Anabel Mendoza, the communications director for United We Dream, a nonprofit immigrant advocacy organization, said limiting the language of federal communication will make it harder for people to become citizens if they are denied the ability to speak their native tongue throughout the process. Currently, people of certain age and residency requirements can qualify for a waiver to do the citizenship test and interview in their native language.

“Trump is trying to send the message that if you’re not white, rich and speak English you don’t belong here,” Mendoza said. “Let me be clear: Immigrants are here to stay. No matter how hard Trump tries, he can’t erase us.”

The Congressional Hispanic Caucus announced Friday that New York Rep. Adriano Espaillat, caucus chair, will deliver, on behalf of Democrats, the official Spanish-language response to Trump’s upcoming joint address to Congress.

George Carrillo, co-founder &amp; CEO of the Hispanic Construction Council, said it seems like a step backwards in a country that has championed its diversity. He is also concerned how limiting governmental communication might affect U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico where the predominant language is Spanish.

“This executive order, while framed as promoting unity, risks dismantling critical supports like ESL programs and multilingual resources that help immigrants adapt and contribute,” Carrillo said. “Imagine families navigating healthcare or legal systems without materials in a language they understand, it’s a barrier, not a bridge.”

APIAVote, a nonpartisan nonprofit focused on registering Asian American and Pacific Islander voters, also expressed worry this could mean barriers for millions of voters such as naturalized citizens or elderly residents who aren’t English-proficient.

“It will make it harder for them to participate civically and vote, as well as access critical healthcare, economic and education resources,” the group said in a statement.

Furthermore, the organization says this action could make anyone who speaks another language a target.

“The exclusionary nature of this policy will only fuel xenophobia and discrimination at a time when anti-Asian hate and hate against other minority and immigrant groups are rising.”

States that have English as the official language

More than 30 states, from California to New Hampshire, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands have already passed laws designating English as their official language, according to U.S. English. Hawaii is the only state to declare two official languages, English and Hawaiian.

For decades, lawmakers in Congress have introduced legislation to designate English as the official language, but those efforts failed. The most recent effort was in 2023, when Sens. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and JD Vance, R-Ohio, introduced the English Language Unity Act. Vance is now vice president.

How many countries have official languages?

It is estimated that over 170 countries have an official language, with some having more than one language.

Mexico does not have an official language. In Canada the official languages are English and French. According to Canada’s Official Languages Act of 1969, the purpose of designating two languages ensures “the equality of status” and protecting linguistic minorities “while taking into account the fact that they have different needs.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1740878733683.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/fernanda-figueroa">FERNANDA FIGUEROA</a>&nbsp;President Donald Trump signed an executive order Saturday designating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-english-national-language-d4b000e593ae7db2ac8264a6dbc5078f">English as the official language</a>&nbsp;of the United States. Activists and advocacy groups are alarmed by what it will mean for non-English speakers when it comes to immigration, voter access and other issues.The order will allow government agencies and organizations that receive federal funding to choose whether to continue to offer documents and services in languages other than English, according to a fact sheet. The move rescinds a mandate from former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/bill-clinton">Bill Clinton</a>&nbsp;that required the government and organizations that received federal funding to provide language assistance to non-English speakers.Designating English as the national language “promotes unity, establishes efficiency in government operations, and creates a pathway for civic engagement,” according to the White House. But some activists and organizations think the move is just another way for the president to stoke division and fear.“This isn’t just an offensive gesture that sticks a thumb in the eye of millions of U.S. citizens who speak other languages, but also will directly harm those who have previously relied on language assistance for vital information,” Vanessa Cárdenas, executive director of America’s Voice, an advocacy group for immigration reform, said in an email.<h2>What does it mean to have an official language?</h2>According to the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance, an official language is what is used by the government to conduct official, day-to-day business. Having one or more official languages can help define a nation’s character and the cultural identity of those who live in it.Prioritizing one language may place certain people in position of power and exclude others whose language is not recognized, according to the institute.U.S. English, a group that advocates for making English the official language in the United States, believes having an official language provides a common means of communication, encourages immigrants to learn English to use government services and “defines a much-needed common sense language policy.”Currently there are more than 350 languages spoken in the United States, according to U.S. Census Bureau data. The most widely spoken languages other than English are Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese and Arabic.People in the U.S. also speak Native North American languages such as Navajo, Yupik, Dakota, Apache, Keres and Cherokee, among others.<h2>Potential impact on citizenship and voting</h2>Anabel Mendoza, the communications director for United We Dream, a nonprofit immigrant advocacy organization, said limiting the language of federal communication will make it harder for people to become citizens if they are denied the ability to speak their native tongue throughout the process. Currently, people of certain age and residency requirements can qualify for a waiver to do the citizenship test and interview in their native language.“Trump is trying to send the message that if you’re not white, rich and speak English you don’t belong here,” Mendoza said. “Let me be clear: Immigrants are here to stay. No matter how hard Trump tries, he can’t erase us.”The Congressional Hispanic Caucus announced Friday that New York Rep. Adriano Espaillat, caucus chair, will deliver, on behalf of Democrats, the official Spanish-language response to Trump’s upcoming joint address to Congress.George Carrillo, co-founder &amp; CEO of the Hispanic Construction Council, said it seems like a step backwards in a country that has championed its diversity. He is also concerned how limiting governmental communication might affect U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico where the predominant language is Spanish.“This executive order, while framed as promoting unity, risks dismantling critical supports like ESL programs and multilingual resources that help immigrants adapt and contribute,” Carrillo said. “Imagine families navigating healthcare or legal systems without materials in a language they understand, it’s a barrier, not a bridge.”APIAVote, a nonpartisan nonprofit focused on registering Asian American and Pacific Islander voters, also expressed worry this could mean barriers for millions of voters such as naturalized citizens or elderly residents who aren’t English-proficient.“It will make it harder for them to participate civically and vote, as well as access critical healthcare, economic and education resources,” the group said in a statement.Furthermore, the organization says this action could make anyone who speaks another language a target.“The exclusionary nature of this policy will only fuel xenophobia and discrimination at a time when anti-Asian hate and hate against other minority and immigrant groups are rising.”<h2>States that have English as the official language</h2>More than 30 states, from California to New Hampshire, as well as the U.S. Virgin Islands have already passed laws designating English as their official language, according to U.S. English. Hawaii is the only state to declare two official languages, English and Hawaiian.For decades, lawmakers in Congress have introduced legislation to designate English as the official language, but those efforts failed. The most recent effort was in 2023, when Sens. Kevin Cramer, R-N.D., and JD Vance, R-Ohio, introduced the English Language Unity Act. Vance is now vice president.<h2>How many countries have official languages?</h2>It is estimated that over 170 countries have an official language, with some having more than one language.Mexico does not have an official language. In Canada the official languages are English and French. According to Canada’s Official Languages Act of 1969, the purpose of designating two languages ensures “the equality of status” and protecting linguistic minorities “while taking into account the fact that they have different needs.”

What Trump’s order making English the official language in the US could mean

UPDATE: The hearing scheduled on March 3 was continued.  According to court records, Barrioz's next court date is set for March 31.&nbsp;&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A woman accused of driving a stolen vehicle that was involved in a crash that killed a Hutchinson woman has made is due back in court Monday afternoon.

Katelyn Elizabeth Barrioz, 24, Wichita, is schedule for a preliminary hearing before Judge Seth Rundle, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In November she was charged with First-Degree Felony Murder, Second-Degree Murder – Reckless, Felony Flee and Elude, Aggravated Burglary, Auto Theft and Criminal Damage to Property, according to Wichita Police spokesman Andrew Ford.

On October 27, police located an occupied stolen vehicle at the Riverwalk Apartments, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. Officers monitored the vehicle using unmarked cars, and air support was requested from the Kansas Highway Patrol.

&nbsp;The vehicle stopped at Walmart, 29th and Rock Road in Wichita. Officers deployed spike strips to prevent the vehicle from leaving, successfully deflating two tires.

Despite this, the suspect later identified as Barrioz, fled the Walmart parking lot, striking a police vehicle.

Officers did not pursue the vehicle, but KHP air support continued to track it from above. The vehicle proceeded to a business on North Webb Road, where two individuals exited the vehicle and fled on foot.

One individual was apprehended, while&nbsp; Barrioz stole the van from the business and fled south on Webb, then west on 29th Street, according to Gupilan.

KHP Air maintained surveillance of the stolen vehicle, which, at 29th and Wilderness, collided with a&nbsp; Chevy Cobalt.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported the stolen 2024 Ford Transit Van driven by Barrioz, 24, Wichita, was westbound in the eastbound lanes in the&nbsp;8700 block of E 29th St N in Wichita traveling in the inside lane.

The van struck an eastbound 2010 Chevy Cobalt driven by Mandy Lynn&nbsp;Buckwalter, 43, Hutchinson, head-on.

Buckwalter was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Barrioz to Wesley Medical Center for treatment. She was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on Tuesday evening, according to online jail records. Police presented their case to the district attorney on Thursday.

Barrioz remains jailed on a bond of $1.2 million.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730458850794.png" alt="The red dot from a laser pointer used by Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan shows Barrioz driving the wihite van just before the fatal head-on crash" />
 <figcaption>The red dot from a laser pointer used by Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan shows Barrioz driving the wihite van just before the fatal head-on crash</figcaption>
 </figure>UPDATE: The hearing scheduled on March 3 was continued. According to court records, Barrioz's next court date is set for March 31.&nbsp;&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY — A woman accused of driving a stolen vehicle that was involved in a crash that killed a Hutchinson woman has made is due back in court Monday afternoon.Katelyn Elizabeth Barrioz, 24, Wichita, is schedule for a preliminary hearing before Judge Seth Rundle, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In November she was charged with First-Degree Felony Murder, Second-Degree Murder – Reckless, Felony Flee and Elude, Aggravated Burglary, Auto Theft and Criminal Damage to Property, according to Wichita Police spokesman Andrew Ford.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1730284905956.png" alt="Barrioz photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Barrioz photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>On October 27, police located an occupied stolen vehicle at the Riverwalk Apartments, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. Officers monitored the vehicle using unmarked cars, and air support was requested from the Kansas Highway Patrol.&nbsp;The vehicle stopped at Walmart, 29th and Rock Road in Wichita. Officers deployed spike strips to prevent the vehicle from leaving, successfully deflating two tires.Despite this, the suspect later identified as Barrioz, fled the Walmart parking lot, striking a police vehicle.Officers did not pursue the vehicle, but KHP air support continued to track it from above. The vehicle proceeded to a business on North Webb Road, where two individuals exited the vehicle and fled on foot.One individual was apprehended, while&nbsp; Barrioz stole the van from the business and fled south on Webb, then west on 29th Street, according to Gupilan.KHP Air maintained surveillance of the stolen vehicle, which, at 29th and Wilderness, collided with a&nbsp; Chevy Cobalt.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported the stolen 2024 Ford Transit Van driven by Barrioz, 24, Wichita, was westbound in the eastbound lanes in the&nbsp;8700 block of E 29th St N in Wichita traveling in the inside lane.The van struck an eastbound 2010 Chevy Cobalt driven by Mandy Lynn&nbsp;Buckwalter, 43, Hutchinson, head-on.Buckwalter was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Barrioz to Wesley Medical Center for treatment. She was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on Tuesday evening, according to online jail records. Police presented their case to the district attorney on Thursday.Barrioz remains jailed on a bond of $1.2 million.&nbsp;

Plea hearing for stolen vehicle crash that killed Kansas woman

WASHINGTON (AP) —The nation’s top health official wrote Sunday that the measles vaccine has benefits but he stopped short of calling on parents to inoculate their children from the deadly disease.

In an opinion piece for Fox News, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urged parents to consult with “healthcare providers” on whether their children should get the vaccine that protects against measles, mumps and rubella.

“Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons,” Kennedy wrote in the piece, published Sunday.

Kennedy has previously criticized the vaccines, although research and real-world use has proven that they are safe and effective.

Meanwhile, the top spokesman for the U.S. Health and Human Services agency abruptly resigned on Friday, just two weeks after being sworn in to lead communications for the agency overseen by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Tom Corry said on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tom-corry-3029799_i-want-to-announce-to-my-friends-and-colleagues-activity-7302324708060909569-bpAa?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAgTyYABTGxEnx2nxAn5AxrjeODw8iENnzs">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;that he resigned from the job on Friday. His resignation comes as Kennedy has struggled with his public response to the measles outbreak in West Texas, first calling it “not unusual,” then on Sunday describing it as a “call to action.”

Corry previously oversaw communications for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services agency during the first Trump administration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740583865667.png" alt="A sign is seen outside a clinic with the South Plains Public Health District Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, in Brownfield, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)" />
 <figcaption>A sign is seen outside a clinic with the South Plains Public Health District Sunday, Feb. 23, 2025, in Brownfield, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The nation’s top health official wrote Sunday that the measles vaccine has benefits but he stopped short of calling on parents to inoculate their children from the deadly disease.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The measles outbreak in Texas is a call to action for all of us to reaffirm our commitment to public health. By working together -- parents, healthcare providers, community leaders, and government officials, we can prevent future outbreaks and protect the health of our nation.…&mdash; Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1896329038962339893?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In an opinion piece for Fox News, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. urged parents to consult with “healthcare providers” on whether their children should get the vaccine that protects against measles, mumps and rubella.“Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons,” Kennedy wrote in the piece, published Sunday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My heart goes out to the families impacted by the current measles outbreak in TX. I recognize the serious impact of this outbreak on families, children, and healthcare workers. Here at <a href="https://twitter.com/HHSGov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HHSGov</a> we have: • Supported Texas Department of Health through technical assistance and…&mdash; Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1895585297351799198?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 28, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Kennedy has previously criticized the vaccines, although research and real-world use has proven that they are safe and effective.Meanwhile, the top spokesman for the U.S. Health and Human Services agency abruptly resigned on Friday, just two weeks after being sworn in to lead communications for the agency overseen by Robert F. Kennedy Jr.Tom Corry said on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.linkedin.com/posts/tom-corry-3029799_i-want-to-announce-to-my-friends-and-colleagues-activity-7302324708060909569-bpAa?utm_source=share&amp;utm_medium=member_desktop&amp;rcm=ACoAAAgTyYABTGxEnx2nxAn5AxrjeODw8iENnzs">LinkedIn</a>&nbsp;that he resigned from the job on Friday. His resignation comes as Kennedy has struggled with his public response to the measles outbreak in West Texas, first calling it “not unusual,” then on Sunday describing it as a “call to action.”Corry previously oversaw communications for the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services agency during the first Trump administration.

RFK Jr. lays out benefits of measles vaccines, stops short of calling for people to get a dose

CINCINNATI&nbsp; (AP)—Kroger Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen has resigned after an internal investigation into his personal conduct.

Kroger, the nation’s largest grocery chain, said Monday that the investigation into McMullen’s personal conduct was unrelated to the business, but was found to be inconsistent with its business ethics policy.

Board member Ronald Sargent will serve as chairman and interim CEO, effective immediately.

Sargent has been on Kroger’s board since 2006 and has served as the lead director of the company since 2017. He’s worked in several roles at the grocery chain across stores, sales, marketing, manufacturing and strategy. Sargent is also the former Chairman and CEO of Staples.

McMullen, 64, began his career with Kroger in 1978 as a part-time stock clerk and bagger at a store in Lexington, Kentucky. He worked his way up through the company, becoming chief financial officer in 1995 and chief operating officer in 2009. McMullen was named Kroger’s CEO in 2014 and became the company’s chairman the following year.

Cincinnati-based Kroger said its board was made aware of the situation on Feb. 21 and immediately hired an outside independent counsel to conduct an investigation, overseen by a special board committee.

The company said that McMullen’s conduct is not related to its financial performance, operations or reporting, and did not involve any Kroger associates.

Kroger will conduct a search for its next CEO, with Sargent agreeing to remain as interim CEO until someone is appointed to the role permanently.

Kroger shares fell more than 3.5% ahead of the opening bell Monday.

McMullen’s departure comes as Kroger is regrouping from its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-79e366723d7287b2df71d96730fba76e">failed effort</a>&nbsp;to merger with Albertsons. The two companies proposed what would have been the largest supermarket merger in U.S. history in 2022, saying they needed to combine forces to better compete with rivals like Walmart.

But two judges&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-court-decision-41263bd9137d5046a642e7d26e98cdfc">halted the $24.6 billion deal</a>&nbsp;in December, saying it was likely to lessen competition and raise prices. Albertsons later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-79e366723d7287b2df71d96730fba76e">sued Kroger</a>, saying it had failed to make every effort to ensure that the merger would win regulatory approval.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741014152963.png" alt="File photo Kroger Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen in testimony before a Senate committee in 2022-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo Kroger Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen in testimony before a Senate committee in 2022-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>CINCINNATI&nbsp; (AP)—Kroger Chairman and CEO Rodney McMullen has resigned after an internal investigation into his personal conduct.Kroger, the nation’s largest grocery chain, said Monday that the investigation into McMullen’s personal conduct was unrelated to the business, but was found to be inconsistent with its business ethics policy.Board member Ronald Sargent will serve as chairman and interim CEO, effective immediately.Sargent has been on Kroger’s board since 2006 and has served as the lead director of the company since 2017. He’s worked in several roles at the grocery chain across stores, sales, marketing, manufacturing and strategy. Sargent is also the former Chairman and CEO of Staples.McMullen, 64, began his career with Kroger in 1978 as a part-time stock clerk and bagger at a store in Lexington, Kentucky. He worked his way up through the company, becoming chief financial officer in 1995 and chief operating officer in 2009. McMullen was named Kroger’s CEO in 2014 and became the company’s chairman the following year.Cincinnati-based Kroger said its board was made aware of the situation on Feb. 21 and immediately hired an outside independent counsel to conduct an investigation, overseen by a special board committee.The company said that McMullen’s conduct is not related to its financial performance, operations or reporting, and did not involve any Kroger associates.Kroger will conduct a search for its next CEO, with Sargent agreeing to remain as interim CEO until someone is appointed to the role permanently.Kroger shares fell more than 3.5% ahead of the opening bell Monday.McMullen’s departure comes as Kroger is regrouping from its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-79e366723d7287b2df71d96730fba76e">failed effort</a>&nbsp;to merger with Albertsons. The two companies proposed what would have been the largest supermarket merger in U.S. history in 2022, saying they needed to combine forces to better compete with rivals like Walmart.But two judges&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-court-decision-41263bd9137d5046a642e7d26e98cdfc">halted the $24.6 billion deal</a>&nbsp;in December, saying it was likely to lessen competition and raise prices. Albertsons later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-79e366723d7287b2df71d96730fba76e">sued Kroger</a>, saying it had failed to make every effort to ensure that the merger would win regulatory approval.

Kroger CEO resigns following investigation into personal conduct

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal employees received another email requiring them to explain their recent accomplishments, a renewed attempt by President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and billionaire entrepreneur&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;to demand answers from the government workforce.

Originally expected to go out Saturday, the new request began landing in the inboxes of some employees late Friday. The plan to send a second round of emails was initially disclosed by a person with knowledge of the situation who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-trump-federal-workers-f44257ce4cf8c04c96c8ce0ce262842f">first email</a>, which was distributed a week ago, asked employees “what did you do last week?” and prompted them to list five tasks that they completed. Musk, whose Department of Government Efficiency has been empowered by Trump with a mission to downsize agencies and eliminate thousands of federal jobs, said anyone who didn’t respond would be fired. Many agencies, meanwhile, told their workforces not to respond or issued conflicting guidance.

The second email was delivered in a different way, according to the person with knowledge of the situation, potentially making it easier to discipline employees for noncompliance.

Instead of being sent by the Office of Personnel Management, which functions as a human resources agency for the federal government but doesn’t have the power to hire or fire, the email was to come from individual agencies that have direct oversight of career officials.

A version of the email received late Friday by some employees at two separate agencies — with the subject line, “What did you do last week? Part II” — came from “hr@opm.gov,” the same OPM address that sent the first version. Employees at a third agency received the email from an internal department address.

“Please reply to this email with approx. 5 bullets describing what you accomplished last week and cc your manager,” the message read, adding that going forward, employees would be expected to submit a response each week by the following Monday at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.

It’s unclear how national security agencies will handle the second email. After the first one, they directed employees not to write back because much of the agencies’ work is sensitive or classified. Less than half of federal workers responded, according to the White House.

The version viewed late Friday by The Associated Press reads in part: “If all of your activities are classified or sensitive, please write, ‘All of my activities are sensitive.’” That may not eliminate all security concerns given that sending an email creates a digital footprint regardless of the message’s content.

A spokesperson for OPM did not immediately respond to a request for clarification Friday night.

On Wednesday, at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-doge-cabinet-briefing-d7c881a79a57a9014a915d815280a790">Trump’s first Cabinet meeting</a>&nbsp;of his second term, Musk argued that his request was a “pulse check” to ensure that those working for the government have “a pulse and two neurons.”

Both Musk and Trump have claimed that some workers are either dead or fictional, and the president has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-federal-workers-firings-email-9785e7f74eb2a8b8fde5e01ff0c7717f">publicly backed Musk’s approach.</a>

Addressing people who didn’t respond to the first email, Trump said “they are on the bubble,” and he added that he wasn’t “thrilled” about them not responding.

“Now, maybe they don’t exist,” he said without providing evidence. “Maybe we’re paying people that don’t exist.”

In addition to recent firings of probationary employees,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">a memo distributed this week</a>&nbsp;set the stage for large-scale layoffs and consolidation of programs.

The Education Department offered employees a $25,000 buyout and warned of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">looming layoffs</a>. An email sent to all agency workers gave them until the end of Monday to decide on the offer, which was touted as coming “in advance of a very significant Reduction in Force.”

It was sent from the department’s chief human capital officer. The agency did not immediately offer comment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741008760702.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal employees received another email requiring them to explain their recent accomplishments, a renewed attempt by President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and billionaire entrepreneur&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>&nbsp;to demand answers from the government workforce.Originally expected to go out Saturday, the new request began landing in the inboxes of some employees late Friday. The plan to send a second round of emails was initially disclosed by a person with knowledge of the situation who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss it publicly.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740590759153.png" alt="Elon Musk spoke to members of the Trump Cabinet last week-image courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>Elon Musk spoke to members of the Trump Cabinet last week-image courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-trump-federal-workers-f44257ce4cf8c04c96c8ce0ce262842f">first email</a>, which was distributed a week ago, asked employees “what did you do last week?” and prompted them to list five tasks that they completed. Musk, whose Department of Government Efficiency has been empowered by Trump with a mission to downsize agencies and eliminate thousands of federal jobs, said anyone who didn’t respond would be fired. Many agencies, meanwhile, told their workforces not to respond or issued conflicting guidance.The second email was delivered in a different way, according to the person with knowledge of the situation, potentially making it easier to discipline employees for noncompliance.Instead of being sent by the Office of Personnel Management, which functions as a human resources agency for the federal government but doesn’t have the power to hire or fire, the email was to come from individual agencies that have direct oversight of career officials.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I am now directing each member of the department’s civilian federal workforce to provide 5 bullets of what they accomplished last week and comply with OPM’s email directive. <a href="https://t.co/BJOoEvVTza">https://t.co/BJOoEvVTza</a>&mdash; Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth (@SecDef) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecDef/status/1896269106980217312?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A version of the email received late Friday by some employees at two separate agencies — with the subject line, “What did you do last week? Part II” — came from “hr@opm.gov,” the same OPM address that sent the first version. Employees at a third agency received the email from an internal department address.“Please reply to this email with approx. 5 bullets describing what you accomplished last week and cc your manager,” the message read, adding that going forward, employees would be expected to submit a response each week by the following Monday at 11:59 p.m. Eastern.It’s unclear how national security agencies will handle the second email. After the first one, they directed employees not to write back because much of the agencies’ work is sensitive or classified. Less than half of federal workers responded, according to the White House.The version viewed late Friday by The Associated Press reads in part: “If all of your activities are classified or sensitive, please write, ‘All of my activities are sensitive.’” That may not eliminate all security concerns given that sending an email creates a digital footprint regardless of the message’s content.A spokesperson for OPM did not immediately respond to a request for clarification Friday night.On Wednesday, at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-doge-cabinet-briefing-d7c881a79a57a9014a915d815280a790">Trump’s first Cabinet meeting</a>&nbsp;of his second term, Musk argued that his request was a “pulse check” to ensure that those working for the government have “a pulse and two neurons.”Both Musk and Trump have claimed that some workers are either dead or fictional, and the president has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-trump-federal-workers-firings-email-9785e7f74eb2a8b8fde5e01ff0c7717f">publicly backed Musk’s approach.</a>Addressing people who didn’t respond to the first email, Trump said “they are on the bubble,” and he added that he wasn’t “thrilled” about them not responding.“Now, maybe they don’t exist,” he said without providing evidence. “Maybe we’re paying people that don’t exist.”In addition to recent firings of probationary employees,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">a memo distributed this week</a>&nbsp;set the stage for large-scale layoffs and consolidation of programs.The Education Department offered employees a $25,000 buyout and warned of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">looming layoffs</a>. An email sent to all agency workers gave them until the end of Monday to decide on the offer, which was touted as coming “in advance of a very significant Reduction in Force.”It was sent from the department’s chief human capital officer. The agency did not immediately offer comment.<h2>___</h2>