SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 6p.m. Thursday in Sedgwick County.

A moped driven by a 69-year-old man was eastbound on Walker Street when he collided with a Subaru Forrester driven by a 72-year-old who was southbound on Mclean, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

First responders located the moped rider who had been ejected from the vehicle.&nbsp;EMS and Wichita Fire rendered emergency medical aid to the rider and transported him to a local hospital with critical injuries. The rider did not regain consciousness after the impact, according to Rebolledo.&nbsp; He was later pronounced deceased by medical staff.

Currently, neither speed nor impairment are believed to be contributing factors to the accident, according to Rebolledo.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 6p.m. Thursday in Sedgwick County.A moped driven by a 69-year-old man was eastbound on Walker Street when he collided with a Subaru Forrester driven by a 72-year-old who was southbound on Mclean, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.First responders located the moped rider who had been ejected from the vehicle.&nbsp;EMS and Wichita Fire rendered emergency medical aid to the rider and transported him to a local hospital with critical injuries. The rider did not regain consciousness after the impact, according to Rebolledo.&nbsp; He was later pronounced deceased by medical staff.Currently, neither speed nor impairment are believed to be contributing factors to the accident, according to Rebolledo.

Police: Kansas man dies after moped crash into SUV

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The leaders of Kansas State University and the University of Kansas endorsed legislation overturning a federal ban on collection of student-level data on higher education enrollment rates, degree completion and post-college success across institutions and majors.

Support from KU chancellor Doug Girod and KSU president Richard Linton coincided with a commitment from U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, to advocate for approval by Congress of a measure expanding availability of practical information for use by individuals deciding where to enroll in college.

The U.S. House approved a version of the College Transparency Act in 2022, but the U.S. Senate didn’t concur. On Monday, a bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill aimed at closing gaps in U.S. college data reporting.

“Families and students should have access to all relevant information as they consider their higher education opportunities,” Girod said. “The understanding of student success at universities and a comparison between the cost to attend a university and potential job placement and lifetime earnings are important factors in the value of a degree.”

Linton said the proposal enabling the National Center for Education Statistics to securely report privacy-protected, student-level data would be helpful to students and their families.

“As a land-grant university,” Linton said, “K-State strives to be accessible to all Kansans and the data this bill provides to students, families, universities and others will help tell a complete story of student outcomes.”

Marshall said the objective was to package and deliver information that wasn’t distorted by colleges or universities in a quest to attract students. He said distribution of skewed statistics in the recruiting process would be “immoral and unfair.”

The senator said it made sense to create a central repository of comparative information on graduation rates, average student debt and starting salaries for graduates of every college or university in the nation.

“Deciding whether to attend college or not is one of the biggest choices students will make in their lifetimes, and they should know what they’re getting into before making that choice,” Marshall said. “I’m proud to support this bill and help empower students to make the best possible choice to meet their career goals after high school and beyond.”

Under the new bill introduced by U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, the National Center for Education Statistics would be responsible for securely storing student information, working with other federal agencies to generate post-college outcomes reports and presenting summary information on a public user-friendly website.

Information shared by NCES, which is part of the U.S. Department of Education, would allow students to compare colleges and academic programs while also aiding lawmakers attempting to improve U.S. higher education and support businesses searching for sources of potential employees.

Congress has weighed legislation for a half-dozen years that would remove a ban on implementation of a federal data system to track&nbsp; movement through higher education and into the workforce.

Some private colleges have opposed a federal mandate on disclosure of information on a national scale and some federal lawmakers have been skeptical of government prying into the lives of Americans. More than 150 higher education organizations and other groups have endorsed some form of a college transparency law.

In 2022, the U.S. House — not the U.S. Senate — attached a higher education transparency amendment to an economic development measure. The House sought to require systematic reporting of student enrollment, persistence, transfer and completion for all programs and degree levels. Data would have been disaggregated by demographics, including race and ethnicity, gender and age.

In addition, the House’s version would have enabled the Department of Education to share limited data with the Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration to calculate postgraduate outcomes, including income and career prospects.

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/KU_KSTATE_PREZ_16x9-1024x576.jpg" alt="University of Kansas chancellor Doug Girod, left, and Kansas State University president Richard Linton urged passage of federal legislation expanding access to higher education data helpful to people deciding where to attend college. U.S.S Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, also supports the latest version of the bipartisan College Transparency Act. (Photos by Sherman Smith and Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>University of Kansas chancellor Doug Girod, left, and Kansas State University president Richard Linton urged passage of federal legislation expanding access to higher education data helpful to people deciding where to attend college. U.S.S Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, also supports the latest version of the bipartisan College Transparency Act. (Photos by Sherman Smith and Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The leaders of Kansas State University and the University of Kansas endorsed legislation overturning a federal ban on collection of student-level data on higher education enrollment rates, degree completion and post-college success across institutions and majors.Support from KU chancellor Doug Girod and KSU president Richard Linton coincided with a commitment from U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, to advocate for approval by Congress of a measure expanding availability of practical information for use by individuals deciding where to enroll in college.The U.S. House approved a version of the College Transparency Act in 2022, but the U.S. Senate didn’t concur. On Monday, a bipartisan group of senators introduced a bill aimed at closing gaps in U.S. college data reporting.“Families and students should have access to all relevant information as they consider their higher education opportunities,” Girod said. “The understanding of student success at universities and a comparison between the cost to attend a university and potential job placement and lifetime earnings are important factors in the value of a degree.”Linton said the proposal enabling the National Center for Education Statistics to securely report privacy-protected, student-level data would be helpful to students and their families.“As a land-grant university,” Linton said, “K-State strives to be accessible to all Kansans and the data this bill provides to students, families, universities and others will help tell a complete story of student outcomes.”Marshall said the objective was to package and deliver information that wasn’t distorted by colleges or universities in a quest to attract students. He said distribution of skewed statistics in the recruiting process would be “immoral and unfair.”The senator said it made sense to create a central repository of comparative information on graduation rates, average student debt and starting salaries for graduates of every college or university in the nation.“Deciding whether to attend college or not is one of the biggest choices students will make in their lifetimes, and they should know what they’re getting into before making that choice,” Marshall said. “I’m proud to support this bill and help empower students to make the best possible choice to meet their career goals after high school and beyond.”Under the new bill introduced by U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, the National Center for Education Statistics would be responsible for securely storing student information, working with other federal agencies to generate post-college outcomes reports and presenting summary information on a public user-friendly website.Information shared by NCES, which is part of the U.S. Department of Education, would allow students to compare colleges and academic programs while also aiding lawmakers attempting to improve U.S. higher education and support businesses searching for sources of potential employees.Congress has weighed legislation for a half-dozen years that would remove a ban on implementation of a federal data system to track&nbsp; movement through higher education and into the workforce.Some private colleges have opposed a federal mandate on disclosure of information on a national scale and some federal lawmakers have been skeptical of government prying into the lives of Americans. More than 150 higher education organizations and other groups have endorsed some form of a college transparency law.In 2022, the U.S. House — not the U.S. Senate — attached a higher education transparency amendment to an economic development measure. The House sought to require systematic reporting of student enrollment, persistence, transfer and completion for all programs and degree levels. Data would have been disaggregated by demographics, including race and ethnicity, gender and age.In addition, the House’s version would have enabled the Department of Education to share limited data with the Internal Revenue Service and Social Security Administration to calculate postgraduate outcomes, including income and career prospects.

KU, KSU leaders endorse broader federal reporting on post-college success data

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

Thieves used a stolen pickup to break into an ATM at a south Salina financial institution and in the process also damaged the wall of a neighboring office building early Friday morning.

&nbsp;Just after 4 a.m. Friday, the Saline County dispatch center received a notification that an alarm had been activated at Great Plains Federal Credit Union, 2061 S. Ohio Street in Salina, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus.

Officers arrived at 4:17 a.m. and discovered a red 2000 Ford F250 pickup on the south side of the credit union. The pickup also was lodged in the north wall of Salina Family Vision, 2069 S. Ohio Street.

Hanus said the ATM had been ripped open with the hook and chains attached to the pickup and the ATM. The cash box, which contained an undisclosed amount of money, was missing.

The ATM was destroyed. A replacement will cost approximately $45,000, according to Hanus.

Although there was no damage estimate for the wall at Salina Family Vision, Hanus said it was expected to be in the thousands of dollars. He also said that a City of Salina Building inspector did declare the building safe.

Using license plate registration information, officers made contact with the owner of the pickup, who didn't know his pickup had been stolen until the officers showed up at his door. The pickup, valued at $5,000, had been parked in the 2100 block of Linden Drive, a few blocks away from the credit union.

Hanus said officers were canvassing the area and had found a witness who reported seeing two to three shorter stature males at the scene of the theft.

Officers have checked surveillance video from the credit union and are checking the Salina Police Department's Flock traffic cameras for possible leads.

Hanus encouraged anyone in the area with surveillance cameras to check their video for suspicious persons or activity. If anyone has alerts or sees suspicious activity on their surveillance videos, they are asked to contact the Salina Police Department's Detective Division.

Hanus said the Salina Police Department has been in contact with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation concerning this incident.

He noted that while the department is not able at this time to definitively say who committed the theft, one possibility detectives are checking into is that an organized crime group was involved.

 Hanus explained that information shared amongst law enforcement agencies indicates that such organized crime groups are targeting ATMs across the United States, including in Kansas. "Part of the groups' modus operandi, or MO, is to steal early 2000s Ford F250s to use in such heists."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683303642486.jpeg" alt="A tarp covers part of the north wall at&nbsp;Salina Family Vision, right, after thieves rammed a stolen pickup into the building while stealing the cash box from the ATM at neighboring Great Plains Federal Credit Union, left.&nbsp;Photo by Leslie Eikleberry/Salina Post" />
 <figcaption>A tarp covers part of the north wall at&nbsp;Salina Family Vision, right, after thieves rammed a stolen pickup into the building while stealing the cash box from the ATM at neighboring Great Plains Federal Credit Union, left.&nbsp;Photo by Leslie Eikleberry/Salina Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostThieves used a stolen pickup to break into an ATM at a south Salina financial institution and in the process also damaged the wall of a neighboring office building early Friday morning.&nbsp;Just after 4 a.m. Friday, the Saline County dispatch center received a notification that an alarm had been activated at Great Plains Federal Credit Union, 2061 S. Ohio Street in Salina, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus.Officers arrived at 4:17 a.m. and discovered a red 2000 Ford F250 pickup on the south side of the credit union. The pickup also was lodged in the north wall of Salina Family Vision, 2069 S. Ohio Street.Hanus said the ATM had been ripped open with the hook and chains attached to the pickup and the ATM. The cash box, which contained an undisclosed amount of money, was missing.The ATM was destroyed. A replacement will cost approximately $45,000, according to Hanus.Although there was no damage estimate for the wall at Salina Family Vision, Hanus said it was expected to be in the thousands of dollars. He also said that a City of Salina Building inspector did declare the building safe.Using license plate registration information, officers made contact with the owner of the pickup, who didn't know his pickup had been stolen until the officers showed up at his door. The pickup, valued at $5,000, had been parked in the 2100 block of Linden Drive, a few blocks away from the credit union.Hanus said officers were canvassing the area and had found a witness who reported seeing two to three shorter stature males at the scene of the theft.Officers have checked surveillance video from the credit union and are checking the Salina Police Department's Flock traffic cameras for possible leads.Hanus encouraged anyone in the area with surveillance cameras to check their video for suspicious persons or activity. If anyone has alerts or sees suspicious activity on their surveillance videos, they are asked to contact the Salina Police Department's Detective Division.Hanus said the Salina Police Department has been in contact with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation concerning this incident.He noted that while the department is not able at this time to definitively say who committed the theft, one possibility detectives are checking into is that an organized crime group was involved. Hanus explained that information shared amongst law enforcement agencies indicates that such organized crime groups are targeting ATMs across the United States, including in Kansas. "Part of the groups' modus operandi, or MO, is to steal early 2000s Ford F250s to use in such heists."

Police: Cash box stolen from Kansas credit union ATM 

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that occurred just after 6:30a.m. Friday near Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 The incident involved a driver of a brown Peterbilt semi pulling a grain hauler and the driver of a black GMC Denali. 

 The incident is believed to have started on U.S. Highway 75 north of Holton and continued thru the City of Holton, according to Morse.

It is believed that multiple shots were fired during the incident. Investigators were questioning the driver who were involved.

  The Sheriff’s Office is requesting assistance from the public. If anyone has any information regarding this early morning incident, they are asked to contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at 785-364-2251.

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that occurred just after 6:30a.m. Friday near Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. The incident involved a driver of a brown Peterbilt semi pulling a grain hauler and the driver of a black GMC Denali. The incident is believed to have started on U.S. Highway 75 north of Holton and continued thru the City of Holton, according to Morse.It is believed that multiple shots were fired during the incident. Investigators were questioning the driver who were involved. The Sheriff’s Office is requesting assistance from the public. If anyone has any information regarding this early morning incident, they are asked to contact the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office at 785-364-2251.

Sheriff investigates multiple shots fired on Kansas highway

Detroit (AP) —Ford Motor Co. is recalling certain 2004 to 2006 Ranger vehicles because replacement front passenger air bag inflators may have been installed incorrectly.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a letter that the recall includes 231,942 vehicles.

The vehicles had received replacement front passenger air bag inflators under a previous recall. The NHTSA said that an incorrectly installed inflator may not properly inflate the passenger air bag, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.

Dealers will inspect and reinstall the front passenger air bag inflator, if needed, for free.

Notification letters are expected to be mailed to owners of the impacted vehicles on May 22.

Vehicle owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or the NHTSA at vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).

A day earlier, BMW&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bmw-takata-air-bag-inflator-explode-killed-0167b6f727a20595a3c9a710faf1f660">warned</a>&nbsp;the owners of about 90,000 older vehicles in the U.S. not to drive them due to an increasing threat that the air bags might explode in a crash.

The warning covers vehicles from the 2000 through 2006 model years that previously had been recalled to replace faulty and dangerous air bag inflators made by Takata.

The company used volatile ammonium nitrate to inflate the air bags in a crash. But the chemical can deteriorate over time when exposed to heat and humidity and blow apart a metal canister, hurling shrapnel that can injure or kill drivers and passengers.

Since 2009, the exploding air bags made by Takata have killed at least 33 people worldwide, including 24 in the United States. Most of the deaths and about 400 injuries have happened in U.S., but they also have occurred in Australia and Malaysia.

Detroit (AP) —Ford Motor Co. is recalling certain 2004 to 2006 Ranger vehicles because replacement front passenger air bag inflators may have been installed incorrectly.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in a letter that the recall includes 231,942 vehicles.The vehicles had received replacement front passenger air bag inflators under a previous recall. The NHTSA said that an incorrectly installed inflator may not properly inflate the passenger air bag, increasing the risk of injury during a crash.Dealers will inspect and reinstall the front passenger air bag inflator, if needed, for free.Notification letters are expected to be mailed to owners of the impacted vehicles on May 22.Vehicle owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332 or the NHTSA at vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153).A day earlier, BMW&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bmw-takata-air-bag-inflator-explode-killed-0167b6f727a20595a3c9a710faf1f660">warned</a>&nbsp;the owners of about 90,000 older vehicles in the U.S. not to drive them due to an increasing threat that the air bags might explode in a crash.The warning covers vehicles from the 2000 through 2006 model years that previously had been recalled to replace faulty and dangerous air bag inflators made by Takata.The company used volatile ammonium nitrate to inflate the air bags in a crash. But the chemical can deteriorate over time when exposed to heat and humidity and blow apart a metal canister, hurling shrapnel that can injure or kill drivers and passengers.Since 2009, the exploding air bags made by Takata have killed at least 33 people worldwide, including 24 in the United States. Most of the deaths and about 400 injuries have happened in U.S., but they also have occurred in Australia and Malaysia.

Ford recalls some vehicles for air bag inflator installation

GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization said Friday that COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a global emergency, marking a symbolic end to the devastating coronavirus pandemic that triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies worldwide and killed at least 7 million people worldwide.

WHO said that even though the emergency phase was over, the pandemic hasn't come to an end, noting recent spikes in cases in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The U.N. health agency says that thousands of people are still dying from the virus every week.

“It’s with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.

“That does not mean COVID-19 is over as a global health threat,” he said, adding he wouldn't hesitate to reconvene experts to reassess the situation should COVID-19 “put our world in peril.”

Tedros said the pandemic had been on a downward trend for more than a year, acknowledging that most countries have already returned to life before COVID-19. He bemoaned the damage that COVID-19 had done to the global community, saying the virus had shattered businesses and plunged millions into poverty.

“COVID has changed our world and it has changed us,” he said, warning that the risk of new variants still remained.

When the U.N. health agency first declared the coronavirus to be an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-japan-france-south-korea-virus-outbreak-0f0f07b30c8cdd2b0f30c6081acc7599">international crisis</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 30, 2020, it hadn't yet been named COVID-19 and there were no major outbreaks beyond China.

More than three years later, the virus has caused an estimated 764 million cases globally and about 5 billion people have received at least one dose of vaccine.

In the U.S., the public health emergency declaration made regarding COVID-19 is set to expire on May 11, when wide-ranging measures to support the pandemic response, including vaccine mandates, will end. Many other countries, including Germany, France and Britain, dropped many of their provisions against the pandemic last year.

When Tedros declared COVID-19 to be an emergency in 2020, he said his greatest fear was the virus’ potential to spread in countries with weak health systems he described as “ill-prepared.”

In fact, some of the countries that suffered the worst COVID-19 death tolls were previously judged to be the best-prepared for a pandemic, including the U.S. and Britain. According to WHO data, the number of deaths reported in Africa account for just 3% of the global total.

WHO made its decision to lower its highest level of alert on Friday, after convening an expert group on Thursday. The U.N. agency doesn't “declare” pandemics, but first used the term to describe the outbreak in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-michael-pence-religion-travel-virus-outbreak-52e12ca90c55b6e0c398d134a2cc286e">March 2020</a>, when the virus had spread to every continent except Antarctica, long after many other scientists had said a pandemic was already underway.

WHO is the only agency mandated to coordinate the world’s response to acute health threats, but the organization faltered repeatedly as the coronavirus unfolded. In January 2020, WHO publicly applauded China for its supposed speedy and transparent response, even though recordings of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-health-ap-top-news-virus-outbreak-public-health-3c061794970661042b18d5aeaaed9fae">private meetings obtained by The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;showed top officials were frustrated at the country’s lack of cooperation.

WHO also recommended against members of the public wearing masks to protect against COVID-19 for months, a mistake many health officials say cost lives.

Numerous scientists also slammed WHO’s reluctance to acknowledge that COVID-19 was frequently spread in the air and by people without symptoms, criticizing the agency’s lack of strong guidance to prevent such exposure.

Tedros was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-geneva-5670593f4f3fd55113a9dea64b4bdc9d">vociferous critic</a>&nbsp;of rich countries who hoarded the limited supplies of COVID-19 vaccines, warning that the world was on the brink of a “catastrophic moral failure” by failing to share shots with poor countries.

Most recently, WHO has been struggling to investigate the origins of the coronavirus, a challenging scientific endeavour that has also become politically fraught.

After a weeks-long visit to China, WHO released a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-report-animals-source-covid-19-coronavirus-8a839c179c330c56fa46a763b7286a7f">report</a>&nbsp;in 2021 concluding that COVID-19 most likely jumped into humans from animals, dismissing the possibility that it originated in a lab as “extremely unlikely.”

But the U.N. agency backtracked the following year, saying “key pieces of data” were still missing and that it was premature to rule out that COVID-19 might have ties to a lab.

A panel commissioned by WHO to review its performance criticized China and other countries for not moving quicker to stop the virus and said the organization was constrained both by its limited finances and inability to compel countries to act.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583945487828.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>GENEVA (AP) — The World Health Organization said Friday that COVID-19 no longer qualifies as a global emergency, marking a symbolic end to the devastating coronavirus pandemic that triggered once-unthinkable lockdowns, upended economies worldwide and killed at least 7 million people worldwide.WHO said that even though the emergency phase was over, the pandemic hasn't come to an end, noting recent spikes in cases in Southeast Asia and the Middle East. The U.N. health agency says that thousands of people are still dying from the virus every week.“It’s with great hope that I declare COVID-19 over as a global health emergency,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said.“That does not mean COVID-19 is over as a global health threat,” he said, adding he wouldn't hesitate to reconvene experts to reassess the situation should COVID-19 “put our world in peril.”Tedros said the pandemic had been on a downward trend for more than a year, acknowledging that most countries have already returned to life before COVID-19. He bemoaned the damage that COVID-19 had done to the global community, saying the virus had shattered businesses and plunged millions into poverty.“COVID has changed our world and it has changed us,” he said, warning that the risk of new variants still remained.When the U.N. health agency first declared the coronavirus to be an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-japan-france-south-korea-virus-outbreak-0f0f07b30c8cdd2b0f30c6081acc7599">international crisis</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 30, 2020, it hadn't yet been named COVID-19 and there were no major outbreaks beyond China.More than three years later, the virus has caused an estimated 764 million cases globally and about 5 billion people have received at least one dose of vaccine.In the U.S., the public health emergency declaration made regarding COVID-19 is set to expire on May 11, when wide-ranging measures to support the pandemic response, including vaccine mandates, will end. Many other countries, including Germany, France and Britain, dropped many of their provisions against the pandemic last year.When Tedros declared COVID-19 to be an emergency in 2020, he said his greatest fear was the virus’ potential to spread in countries with weak health systems he described as “ill-prepared.”In fact, some of the countries that suffered the worst COVID-19 death tolls were previously judged to be the best-prepared for a pandemic, including the U.S. and Britain. According to WHO data, the number of deaths reported in Africa account for just 3% of the global total.WHO made its decision to lower its highest level of alert on Friday, after convening an expert group on Thursday. The U.N. agency doesn't “declare” pandemics, but first used the term to describe the outbreak in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-michael-pence-religion-travel-virus-outbreak-52e12ca90c55b6e0c398d134a2cc286e">March 2020</a>, when the virus had spread to every continent except Antarctica, long after many other scientists had said a pandemic was already underway.WHO is the only agency mandated to coordinate the world’s response to acute health threats, but the organization faltered repeatedly as the coronavirus unfolded. In January 2020, WHO publicly applauded China for its supposed speedy and transparent response, even though recordings of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-health-ap-top-news-virus-outbreak-public-health-3c061794970661042b18d5aeaaed9fae">private meetings obtained by The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;showed top officials were frustrated at the country’s lack of cooperation.WHO also recommended against members of the public wearing masks to protect against COVID-19 for months, a mistake many health officials say cost lives.Numerous scientists also slammed WHO’s reluctance to acknowledge that COVID-19 was frequently spread in the air and by people without symptoms, criticizing the agency’s lack of strong guidance to prevent such exposure.Tedros was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-geneva-5670593f4f3fd55113a9dea64b4bdc9d">vociferous critic</a>&nbsp;of rich countries who hoarded the limited supplies of COVID-19 vaccines, warning that the world was on the brink of a “catastrophic moral failure” by failing to share shots with poor countries.Most recently, WHO has been struggling to investigate the origins of the coronavirus, a challenging scientific endeavour that has also become politically fraught.After a weeks-long visit to China, WHO released a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-report-animals-source-covid-19-coronavirus-8a839c179c330c56fa46a763b7286a7f">report</a>&nbsp;in 2021 concluding that COVID-19 most likely jumped into humans from animals, dismissing the possibility that it originated in a lab as “extremely unlikely.”But the U.N. agency backtracked the following year, saying “key pieces of data” were still missing and that it was premature to rule out that COVID-19 might have ties to a lab.A panel commissioned by WHO to review its performance criticized China and other countries for not moving quicker to stop the virus and said the organization was constrained both by its limited finances and inability to compel countries to act.

WHO: COVID-19 no longer a global health emergency

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Bowing his head in prayer, Rep. Bill Rhiley asked God to sway journalists into Christian reporting during a Thursday prayer ceremony. He was one of several Statehouse Republicans who attended the ceremony to pray for more Godly influence in society at large.&nbsp;

“On this National Day of Prayer, grant that the people of media, social media and entertainment media may be used for your works and good,” Rhiley said, standing near a large banner that read “Kansas for Jesus.” “These forms of media, TV, radio, movies, email, newspapers and the Internet have betrayed your trust and truth and created turmoil amongst your people. We offer our prayers that you may inspire through your whole spirit, the people of the media to use their gifts that you have given them, to know and respect the truth.”

Rep. Emil Bergquist, a Park City Republican, along with state Treasurer Steven Johnson and Kansas State Board of Education member Danny Zeck, also led prayers at the National Day of Prayer event in the Statehouse,

Prayer topics included politics, family life, news media, government and education.&nbsp;

Bergquist, who said his prayer was for himself and his colleagues, said some House lawmakers had suffered “the persecution that happens when you stand up for truth.”&nbsp;

In an interview after the event, Bergquist said he wasn’t referring to any specific event or legislation when referring to “persecution,” but he knew that lawmakers experienced pushback when standing up for their beliefs.&nbsp;

“There’s a time in every day to take a stand for the Lord,” Bergquist said during his prayer. “There’s a lot of folks in this house who love the Lord.”

The event comes after rising concern from Kansans who believe religion has seeped into the state’s lawmaking process, particularly among Republicans. Sen. Mark Steffen, a Hutchinson Republican, recently offered to convert a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/28/muslim-advocacy-group-asks-kansas-senator-for-equal-representation-after-offer-to-convert/">Muslim woman and also a reporter to Christianity</a>&nbsp;when asked how he represented his non-Christian constituents.&nbsp;

Rep. Kristey Williams, an Augusta Republican involved in K-12 education budget allocations, has spent the legislative session pushing for a voucher program that would give unregulated private school funding state tax dollars, telling a local forum that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/20/kansas-lawmaker-tells-concerned-augusta-community-educators-some-kids-do-need-jesus-first/">“there are some kids that do need Jesus first.</a>”&nbsp;

In his prayer, Zeck asked for more accountability in school communities.&nbsp;

“Please pour your wisdom into each of our administrators, teachers, support staff and local school board members,” Zeck said.&nbsp;

Several members of the audience, who followed along in song and prayer, expressed their support of that message.&nbsp;

Vince Bateman, a Kansan who attended the event wearing biblical garb, said it was difficult to catch people’s attention in the age of social media. Bateman said he used his outfit as a conversation starter in his ministry efforts.&nbsp;

“So many people are caught up in phones, so their attention spans are very short, and to go out and preach the gospel nowadays, it’s so hard to do because you have split seconds,” Bateman said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/P5042115-2-1024x576.jpg" alt="Vince Bateman attends a prayer ceremony held Thursday at the Statehouse. He said spreading a Christian message can be difficult. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Vince Bateman attends a prayer ceremony held Thursday at the Statehouse. He said spreading a Christian message can be difficult. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Bowing his head in prayer, Rep. Bill Rhiley asked God to sway journalists into Christian reporting during a Thursday prayer ceremony. He was one of several Statehouse Republicans who attended the ceremony to pray for more Godly influence in society at large.&nbsp;“On this National Day of Prayer, grant that the people of media, social media and entertainment media may be used for your works and good,” Rhiley said, standing near a large banner that read “Kansas for Jesus.” “These forms of media, TV, radio, movies, email, newspapers and the Internet have betrayed your trust and truth and created turmoil amongst your people. We offer our prayers that you may inspire through your whole spirit, the people of the media to use their gifts that you have given them, to know and respect the truth.”Rep. Emil Bergquist, a Park City Republican, along with state Treasurer Steven Johnson and Kansas State Board of Education member Danny Zeck, also led prayers at the National Day of Prayer event in the Statehouse,Prayer topics included politics, family life, news media, government and education.&nbsp;Bergquist, who said his prayer was for himself and his colleagues, said some House lawmakers had suffered “the persecution that happens when you stand up for truth.”&nbsp;In an interview after the event, Bergquist said he wasn’t referring to any specific event or legislation when referring to “persecution,” but he knew that lawmakers experienced pushback when standing up for their beliefs.&nbsp;“There’s a time in every day to take a stand for the Lord,” Bergquist said during his prayer. “There’s a lot of folks in this house who love the Lord.”The event comes after rising concern from Kansans who believe religion has seeped into the state’s lawmaking process, particularly among Republicans. Sen. Mark Steffen, a Hutchinson Republican, recently offered to convert a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/28/muslim-advocacy-group-asks-kansas-senator-for-equal-representation-after-offer-to-convert/">Muslim woman and also a reporter to Christianity</a>&nbsp;when asked how he represented his non-Christian constituents.&nbsp;Rep. Kristey Williams, an Augusta Republican involved in K-12 education budget allocations, has spent the legislative session pushing for a voucher program that would give unregulated private school funding state tax dollars, telling a local forum that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/20/kansas-lawmaker-tells-concerned-augusta-community-educators-some-kids-do-need-jesus-first/">“there are some kids that do need Jesus first.</a>”&nbsp;In his prayer, Zeck asked for more accountability in school communities.&nbsp;“Please pour your wisdom into each of our administrators, teachers, support staff and local school board members,” Zeck said.&nbsp;Several members of the audience, who followed along in song and prayer, expressed their support of that message.&nbsp;Vince Bateman, a Kansan who attended the event wearing biblical garb, said it was difficult to catch people’s attention in the age of social media. Bateman said he used his outfit as a conversation starter in his ministry efforts.&nbsp;“So many people are caught up in phones, so their attention spans are very short, and to go out and preach the gospel nowadays, it’s so hard to do because you have split seconds,” Bateman said.

Kan. lawmakers ask for Godly influences during Statehouse prayer ceremony

KANSAS CITY (AP) —A judge has extended her order barring the enforcement of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-gender-affirming-care-restrictions-missouri-4def2189dac9979a00d298efb3baf12a">unique rule</a>&nbsp;pushed by Missouri's Republican attorney general that would require adults and children to undergo more than a year of therapy and fulfill other requirements before they could receive gender-affirming treatments such as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery.

Attorney General Andrew Bailey initially sought to implement the rule effective April 27, prompting a lawsuit on behalf of transgender people. St. Louis County Judge Ellen Ribaudo on Monday granted a temporary restraining order and originally scheduled a May 11 hearing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-missouri-attorney-general-ef30b41658d95b7206535c5fd67513ae">on the lawsuit</a>.

A posting Thursday on Missouri's online court system shows that Ribaudo pushed back the hearing to July 20, following a joint request from both sides. The posting said the order will remain in effect until July 24 or until the judge rules on whether to grant a preliminary injunction.

A spokeswoman for Bailey confirmed the date change, saying the July hearing date was the one that worked best for all parties in the case.

Ribaudo's ruling granting the temporary restraining order noted that patients are at “high risk” of having their medical care interrupted indefinitely and losing care through their current providers if the rule takes effect.

Legal experts and transgender advocates say that implementation of the rule would make Missouri the first state to restrict gender-affirming care for adults and the first to enact such restrictions through emergency rule-making instead of through a new law.

On Thursday, the Kansas City Council introduced a resolution making Missouri's largest city a “sanctuary city” for transgender people receiving gender-affirming care. The resolution now goes to a committee, which will receive public input before deciding on further action.

The lawsuit argues that Bailey sidestepped the Republican-led Legislature and exceeded his authority by attempting to regulate the health care through Missouri’s consumer-protection law.

Bailey said the rule would shield minors from what he describes as experimental medical treatments, though puberty blockers and sex hormones have been prescribed for decades and the rule would also apply to adults.

The attorney general’s office has said there are 12,400 Missourians who identify as transgender. The office has estimated that 600 to 700 Missourians would begin intervention in the next year.

The rule would require people to have experienced an “intense pattern” of documented gender dysphoria for three years and to have received at least 15 hourly sessions with a therapist over at least 18 months before they could receive treatment. Prospective patients also would be required to be screened for autism, and any psychiatric symptoms from mental health issues would have to be treated and resolved.

Minors, but not adults, also would have to be screened for “social media addiction” before treatments could begin.

Bailey issued the restrictions after launching an investigation in February into the Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. The probe was prompted by a former employee who alleged that the center was providing children with gender-affirming care without informed consent, a sufficient individualized case review and wraparound mental health services.

The university’s internal review found no misconduct, determining the claims were unsubstantiated.

Bailey’s emergency rule on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-laws-states-gender-affirming-zephyr-fc2528326823c8232cb0aaa7ece0beab">gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;comes amid a push by Republicans throughout the country to pass laws aimed at transgender people. More than a dozen states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for minors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681466878038.png" alt="On Thursday, the Kansas City Council introduced a resolution making Missouri's largest city a “sanctuary city” for transgender people receiving gender-affirming care. -Missouri AG Andrew Bailey -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>On Thursday, the Kansas City Council introduced a resolution making Missouri's largest city a “sanctuary city” for transgender people receiving gender-affirming care. -Missouri AG Andrew Bailey -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —A judge has extended her order barring the enforcement of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-gender-affirming-care-restrictions-missouri-4def2189dac9979a00d298efb3baf12a">unique rule</a>&nbsp;pushed by Missouri's Republican attorney general that would require adults and children to undergo more than a year of therapy and fulfill other requirements before they could receive gender-affirming treatments such as puberty blockers, hormones and surgery.Attorney General Andrew Bailey initially sought to implement the rule effective April 27, prompting a lawsuit on behalf of transgender people. St. Louis County Judge Ellen Ribaudo on Monday granted a temporary restraining order and originally scheduled a May 11 hearing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-health-care-missouri-attorney-general-ef30b41658d95b7206535c5fd67513ae">on the lawsuit</a>.A posting Thursday on Missouri's online court system shows that Ribaudo pushed back the hearing to July 20, following a joint request from both sides. The posting said the order will remain in effect until July 24 or until the judge rules on whether to grant a preliminary injunction.A spokeswoman for Bailey confirmed the date change, saying the July hearing date was the one that worked best for all parties in the case.Ribaudo's ruling granting the temporary restraining order noted that patients are at “high risk” of having their medical care interrupted indefinitely and losing care through their current providers if the rule takes effect.Legal experts and transgender advocates say that implementation of the rule would make Missouri the first state to restrict gender-affirming care for adults and the first to enact such restrictions through emergency rule-making instead of through a new law.On Thursday, the Kansas City Council introduced a resolution making Missouri's largest city a “sanctuary city” for transgender people receiving gender-affirming care. The resolution now goes to a committee, which will receive public input before deciding on further action.The lawsuit argues that Bailey sidestepped the Republican-led Legislature and exceeded his authority by attempting to regulate the health care through Missouri’s consumer-protection law.Bailey said the rule would shield minors from what he describes as experimental medical treatments, though puberty blockers and sex hormones have been prescribed for decades and the rule would also apply to adults.The attorney general’s office has said there are 12,400 Missourians who identify as transgender. The office has estimated that 600 to 700 Missourians would begin intervention in the next year.The rule would require people to have experienced an “intense pattern” of documented gender dysphoria for three years and to have received at least 15 hourly sessions with a therapist over at least 18 months before they could receive treatment. Prospective patients also would be required to be screened for autism, and any psychiatric symptoms from mental health issues would have to be treated and resolved.Minors, but not adults, also would have to be screened for “social media addiction” before treatments could begin.Bailey issued the restrictions after launching an investigation in February into the Washington University Transgender Center at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. The probe was prompted by a former employee who alleged that the center was providing children with gender-affirming care without informed consent, a sufficient individualized case review and wraparound mental health services.The university’s internal review found no misconduct, determining the claims were unsubstantiated.Bailey’s emergency rule on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lgbtq-laws-states-gender-affirming-zephyr-fc2528326823c8232cb0aaa7ece0beab">gender-affirming care</a>&nbsp;comes amid a push by Republicans throughout the country to pass laws aimed at transgender people. More than a dozen states have enacted laws restricting or banning gender-affirming care for minors.

Kansas City could be “sanctuary city” for transgender care

OSAGE COUNTY—Crews working a grass fire that started as prescribed burn in Osage County found the body of a man.

Just before 4:30p.m. Wednesday, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a grass fire out of control in the 3100 block of E K-68 Highway, near Quenemo, Kansas, according Sheriff Chris Wells.

Osage County Fire Districts #7—Quenemo, #3—Melvern, and #5—Lyndon responded. During their efforts to fight the fire, they found the body of a man later identified as 84-year-old Leo O. Williams of Osage City.

Osage County Sheriff’s Deputies, Investigators and Osage County EMS responded to the scene. An investigator from the State Fire Marshal’s Office assisting with the investigation, according to

OSAGE COUNTY—Crews working a grass fire that started as prescribed burn in Osage County found the body of a man.Just before 4:30p.m. Wednesday, the Osage County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a grass fire out of control in the 3100 block of E K-68 Highway, near Quenemo, Kansas, according Sheriff Chris Wells.Osage County Fire Districts #7—Quenemo, #3—Melvern, and #5—Lyndon responded. During their efforts to fight the fire, they found the body of a man later identified as 84-year-old Leo O. Williams of Osage City.Osage County Sheriff’s Deputies, Investigators and Osage County EMS responded to the scene. An investigator from the State Fire Marshal’s Office assisting with the investigation, according to

Kan. man found dead after prescribed burn gets out of control

WYANDOTTE —The search continues for a suspect in the shooting&nbsp; in the 3100 block of Greeley Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas that took the life of a boy playing in his front yard.

On Thursday, police confirmed they had located the vehicle involved.

The attack, when it was still daylight, doesn't appear to have been a “random act,” police Maj. Violeta Magee told reporters at the scene. Police didn't release the name or age of the child but described him as a “young juvenile.”

Officers found the wounded boy in the front yard. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Magee said.

Police found more than 30 shell casings at the scene.&nbsp;

Police haven't said whether they think more than one person was involved in the attack, or whether the intended target was the boy or the adult he was with.&nbsp;

 Anyone with info should call  TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — One or more shooters opened fire on a child playing in the front yard of a Kansas home, killing him, authorities said.

The attack Wednesday evening in Kansas City, Kansas, when it was still daylight, doesn't appear to have been a “random act,” police Maj. Violeta Magee told reporters at the scene. Police didn't release the name or age of the child but described him as a “young juvenile.”

Police found more than 30 shell casings at the scene. They are looking for a maroon Subaru Legacy with a missing front bumper that may be connected to the attack.

Police haven't said whether they think more than one person was involved in the attack, or whether the intended target was the boy or the adult he was with. Police didn’t immediately respond Thursday to phone and email messages seeking additional information.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide that left one juvenile dead.&nbsp;

Just after 6p.m. Wednesday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 3100 Block of Greeley Avenue, in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release. First responders found a boy who had been shot while playing in the front yard of a home. EMS transported the child to an area hospital where he later died of his injuries.

Detectives are looking for a mid 2000s, maroon Subaru Legacy missing the front bumper and with a possible Kansas tag.

The Kansas City, Kansas Police Departments Major Case/Homicide Unit is in charge of the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683195620849.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE —The search continues for a suspect in the shooting&nbsp; in the 3100 block of Greeley Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas that took the life of a boy playing in his front yard.On Thursday, police confirmed they had located the vehicle involved.The attack, when it was still daylight, doesn't appear to have been a “random act,” police Maj. Violeta Magee told reporters at the scene. Police didn't release the name or age of the child but described him as a “young juvenile.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683195327042.png" alt="Photo KCK Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCK Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers found the wounded boy in the front yard. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Magee said.Police found more than 30 shell casings at the scene.&nbsp;Police haven't said whether they think more than one person was involved in the attack, or whether the intended target was the boy or the adult he was with.&nbsp; Anyone with info should call TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).--------KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — One or more shooters opened fire on a child playing in the front yard of a Kansas home, killing him, authorities said.The attack Wednesday evening in Kansas City, Kansas, when it was still daylight, doesn't appear to have been a “random act,” police Maj. Violeta Magee told reporters at the scene. Police didn't release the name or age of the child but described him as a “young juvenile.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683195327042.png" alt="Photo KCK Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCK Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers found the wounded boy in the front yard. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, Magee said.Police found more than 30 shell casings at the scene. They are looking for a maroon Subaru Legacy with a missing front bumper that may be connected to the attack.Police haven't said whether they think more than one person was involved in the attack, or whether the intended target was the boy or the adult he was with. Police didn’t immediately respond Thursday to phone and email messages seeking additional information.--------------------WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide that left one juvenile dead.&nbsp;Just after 6p.m. Wednesday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 3100 Block of Greeley Avenue, in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release. First responders found a boy who had been shot while playing in the front yard of a home. EMS transported the child to an area hospital where he later died of his injuries.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683195327042.png" alt="photo KCK Police" />
 <figcaption>photo KCK Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Detectives are looking for a mid 2000s, maroon Subaru Legacy missing the front bumper and with a possible Kansas tag.The Kansas City, Kansas Police Departments Major Case/Homicide Unit is in charge of the investigation.

Search continues for suspect who shot Kan. boy playing in front yard

CASS COUNTY, Mo. —One person died in an accident just after 8p.m. Thursday in Cass County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2002 GMC passenger vehicle driven by a 16-year-old Freeman, Missouri boy was eastbound on MO 2 at 271st Street.

The vehicle crossed the center line into the path of a westbound 2012 Ford passenger vehicle driven by Cynthia L. Wasser, 66, Ottawa, Kansas. The GMC struck the Ford head-on. After impact the Ford traveled into the ditch.

&nbsp;Wasser was pronounced dead at the scene. Central Cass EMS transported the teen driver to Children's Mercy Hospital.&nbsp; EMS transported a 16-year-old male passenger and a 17-year-old male passenger in the GMC to Research Medical Center. The occupants of the GMC were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

CASS COUNTY, Mo. —One person died in an accident just after 8p.m. Thursday in Cass County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2002 GMC passenger vehicle driven by a 16-year-old Freeman, Missouri boy was eastbound on MO 2 at 271st Street.The vehicle crossed the center line into the path of a westbound 2012 Ford passenger vehicle driven by Cynthia L. Wasser, 66, Ottawa, Kansas. The GMC struck the Ford head-on. After impact the Ford traveled into the ditch.&nbsp;Wasser was pronounced dead at the scene. Central Cass EMS transported the teen driver to Children's Mercy Hospital.&nbsp; EMS transported a 16-year-old male passenger and a 17-year-old male passenger in the GMC to Research Medical Center. The occupants of the GMC were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

Kansas woman dies, 3 teens injured after head-on crash

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/king-charles-iii">King Charles III's coronation</a>&nbsp;Saturday will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronation-king-charles-queen-elizabeth-57485899e7a3ad8df0909f8e58599f75">mix of a thousand-year tradition</a>&nbsp;with the streaming age.

Click below to watch a livestream at 4a.m. CDT Saturday

The pomp and ceremony will be unmissable for U.K. residents, but what about royal watchers across the Atlantic? There are plenty of options to watch the regalia-heavy event that serves as a formal confirmation of King Charles' dual role as head of state and titular leader of the Church of England — for those willing to wake up early enough.

While it might seem odd that Americans might want to tune in, there have been large audiences for previous royal milestones, such as the wedding of Charles and Diana in 1981 and the weddings of their children, William and Harry.

The longevity of the king's mother,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-health-update-b2578aa91c3fef9c5d6ad4a557bf63e4">Queen Elizabeth II</a>, means that many people alive have never seen a coronation.

Well, first King Charles and his wife Camilla have to get to the ceremony. That begins with a procession to Westminster Abbey, which will get started at about 4 a.m. CDT.

Broadcast networks ABC, CBS and NBC as well as cable channels CNN and Fox News all plan live coverage starting at 4 a.m. CDT.&nbsp;

The day will be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-iii-coronation-britain-crown-monarchy-d0f34a0b5489f673844c7d1c8135db86">filled with pageantry</a>&nbsp;— the handing over of a rod, sceptre and orb, all medieval symbols of power — and loads of other traditions. Despite that, Charles has slimmed down the event, shortening the procession route and the Westminster Abbey ceremony.

More than 100 heads of state will be in the audience, but President Joe Biden will keep with U.S. tradition and not attend. Instead, first lady Jill Biden will be there.

The celebration continues on Sunday with the Coronation Concert, but U.S. audiences won't be able to watch headliners Lionel Richie and Katy Perry. That will be shown on BBC's iPlayer, which isn't available outside the U.K.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683290869828.png" alt="On Thursday, first lady Jill Biden left on her trip to attend the coronation-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>On Thursday, first lady Jill Biden left on her trip to attend the coronation-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://apnews.com/hub/king-charles-iii">King Charles III's coronation</a>&nbsp;Saturday will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronation-king-charles-queen-elizabeth-57485899e7a3ad8df0909f8e58599f75">mix of a thousand-year tradition</a>&nbsp;with the streaming age.Click below to watch a livestream at 4a.m. CDT Saturday<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/EG3LUnZE6WM" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The pomp and ceremony will be unmissable for U.K. residents, but what about royal watchers across the Atlantic? There are plenty of options to watch the regalia-heavy event that serves as a formal confirmation of King Charles' dual role as head of state and titular leader of the Church of England — for those willing to wake up early enough.While it might seem odd that Americans might want to tune in, there have been large audiences for previous royal milestones, such as the wedding of Charles and Diana in 1981 and the weddings of their children, William and Harry.The longevity of the king's mother,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-health-update-b2578aa91c3fef9c5d6ad4a557bf63e4">Queen Elizabeth II</a>, means that many people alive have never seen a coronation.WHAT TIME DOES THE CORONATION START?Well, first King Charles and his wife Camilla have to get to the ceremony. That begins with a procession to Westminster Abbey, which will get started at about 4 a.m. CDT.Broadcast networks ABC, CBS and NBC as well as cable channels CNN and Fox News all plan live coverage starting at 4 a.m. CDT.&nbsp;WHAT SHOULD I KNOW AHEAD OF TIME?The day will be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-iii-coronation-britain-crown-monarchy-d0f34a0b5489f673844c7d1c8135db86">filled with pageantry</a>&nbsp;— the handing over of a rod, sceptre and orb, all medieval symbols of power — and loads of other traditions. Despite that, Charles has slimmed down the event, shortening the procession route and the Westminster Abbey ceremony.More than 100 heads of state will be in the audience, but President Joe Biden will keep with U.S. tradition and not attend. Instead, first lady Jill Biden will be there.The celebration continues on Sunday with the Coronation Concert, but U.S. audiences won't be able to watch headliners Lionel Richie and Katy Perry. That will be shown on BBC's iPlayer, which isn't available outside the U.K.___

🎥 Watch King Charles' coronation all day Saturday 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in a 16-year-old sexual assault case has made a first appearance in court.

Ted Foy, 52 of Augusta, is charged with aggravated criminal sodomy, rape, aggravated sexual battery, and attempted rape, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In November of 2007, police were dispatched to a reported sex assault case at 1900 S Tara Falls in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

Investigators learned that a suspect had broken into a home and sexually assaulted a female victim. Investigators worked to identify a suspect but were unable to despite exhausting all available resources at the time.

Recently, in collaboration with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Cold Case Team and the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center, Wichita Police Investigators were able to utilize genealogical investigative techniques to assist them in identifying a potential suspect. 

The suspect’s identity was confirmed through DNA as Ted Foy.

On Monday, police arrested Foy and booked him into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp;&nbsp;Attorneys are scheduled to discuss the case on May 15. Foy remains in jail on a $500,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1682984799056.png" alt="Foy-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Foy-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in a 16-year-old sexual assault case has made a first appearance in court.Ted Foy, 52 of Augusta, is charged with aggravated criminal sodomy, rape, aggravated sexual battery, and attempted rape, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In November of 2007, police were dispatched to a reported sex assault case at 1900 S Tara Falls in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.Investigators learned that a suspect had broken into a home and sexually assaulted a female victim. Investigators worked to identify a suspect but were unable to despite exhausting all available resources at the time.Recently, in collaboration with the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Cold Case Team and the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center, Wichita Police Investigators were able to utilize genealogical investigative techniques to assist them in identifying a potential suspect. The suspect’s identity was confirmed through DNA as Ted Foy.On Monday, police arrested Foy and booked him into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp;&nbsp;Attorneys are scheduled to discuss the case on May 15. Foy remains in jail on a $500,000 bond.

DNA test led to arrest in 16-year-old Kansas sex assault case

CLOUD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for an alleged knife attack.

Just before 3a.m. Thursday, police&nbsp;were sent to report of a domestic disturbance in 300 block of E. First Street in Concordia, according to a media release.

First responders found a person who had been stabbed. EMS transported the victim to the North Central Kansas Medical Center in Concordia, and then on to Salina Regional Health Center.

Police arrested 23-year-old Blake Snodgrass of Concordia at the scene. He was booked into the Cloud County Jail just after 3:30a.m. on a requested charge of attempted murder, according to the release.

CLOUD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for an alleged knife attack.Just before 3a.m. Thursday, police&nbsp;were sent to report of a domestic disturbance in 300 block of E. First Street in Concordia, according to a media release.First responders found a person who had been stabbed. EMS transported the victim to the North Central Kansas Medical Center in Concordia, and then on to Salina Regional Health Center.Police arrested 23-year-old Blake Snodgrass of Concordia at the scene. He was booked into the Cloud County Jail just after 3:30a.m. on a requested charge of attempted murder, according to the release.

Kansas man jailed for alleged knife attack

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Proud Boys leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/proud-boys-government-informant-dc84086d78b688bc585f874452d2b481">Enrique Tarrio</a>&nbsp;and three other members of the far-right extremist group were convicted Thursday of a plot to attack the U.S. Capitol in a desperate bid to keep Donald Trump in power after the Republican lost the 2020 presidential election.

A jury in Washington, D.C., found Tarrio and three lieutenants guilty of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-legal-proceedings-united-states-government-violence-proud-boys-0eedce46cf5375f3417f4a9c968a8e62">seditious conspiracy</a>&nbsp;after hearing from dozens of witnesses over more than three months in one of the most serious cases brought in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">stunning attack that unfolded on Jan. 6, 2021,</a>&nbsp;as the world watched on live TV.

Jurors cleared a fifth defendant — Dominic Pezzola — of the sedition charge, though he was convicted of other serious felonies. The judge excused the jury without delivering a verdict on some counts — including another conspiracy charge for Pezzola — after jurors failed to reach a unanimous decision.

It’s a significant milestone for the Justice Department, which has now secured seditious conspiracy convictions against the leaders of two major extremist groups prosecutors say were intent on keeping Democratic President Joe Biden out of the White House at all costs. The charge carries a prison sentence of up to 20 years.

“The Justice Department will never stop working to defend the democracy to which all Americans are entitled,” Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters after the verdict.

Tarrio, behind bars since his March 2022 arrest, didn't appear to show any emotion as the verdict was read. He hugged one of his lawyers and shook the hand of the other before leaving the courtroom. A few of the people sitting among the defendants’ relatives wiped away tears as the verdict was read.

The verdict comes after a trial that took more than twice as long as originally expected,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legal-proceedings-proud-boys-timothy-kelly-20648ad33f958aa2d6f0dbd80a2474ad">slowed by bickering</a>, mistrial motions and revelations of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/proud-boys-enrique-tarrio-capitol-riot-informant-ce0a1cf20c17c95b1ea3306fb70d93c4">government informants</a>&nbsp;in the group. Securing the conviction of Tarrio, a high-profile leader who wasn’t at the riot itself, could embolden the Justice Department as a special counsel investigates Trump, including key aspects of the Jan. 6 insurrection.

Special Counsel Jack Smith in recent weeks has sought the testimony of many people close to Trump. They include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-trump-grand-jury-2020-jan-6-9dac6db37ab8923ff1b0f09f3a9a32c8">former Vice President Mike Pence</a>, who testified before a grand jury last week, likely giving prosecutors a key first-person account about certain conversations and events in the weeks preceding the riot.

Tarrio was a top target of what has become the largest Justice Department investigation in American history. He led the neo-fascist group — known for street fights with left-wing activists — when Trump infamously told the Proud Boys to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-race-and-ethnicity-donald-trump-chris-wallace-0b32339da25fbc9e8b7c7c7066a1db0f">“stand back and stand by”</a>&nbsp;during his first debate with Biden.

Tarrio wasn’t in Washington on Jan. 6, because he had been arrested two days earlier in a separate case and ordered out of the capital city. But prosecutors said he organized and directed the attack by Proud Boys who stormed the Capitol that day.

In addition to Tarrio, a Miami resident, three other Proud Boys were convicted of seditious conspiracy: Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs and Zachary Rehl.

Tarrio, Nordean, Biggs and Rehl were also convicted of obstructing Congress’ certification of Biden’s electoral victory and obstructing law enforcement as well as two other conspiracy charges. The four were cleared of an assault charge stemming from Pezzola, who stole an officer’s riot shield.

The judge told jurors to keep deliberating on a few remaining counts where they haven’t reached agreement.

Rehl's attorney, Carmen Hernandez, said her client “continues to maintain his innocence.” Lawyers for Biggs and Pezzola declined to comment. An attorney for Tarrio declined to comment.

Prosecutors told jurors the group viewed itself as “Trump’s army” and was prepared for “all-out war” to stop Biden from becoming president.

The Proud Boys were “lined up behind Donald Trump and willing to commit violence on his behalf,” prosecutor Conor Mulroe said in his closing argument.

The backbone of the government’s case was hundreds of messages exchanged by Proud Boys in the days leading up to Jan. 6 that show the far-right extremist group peddling Trump’s false claims of a stolen election and trading fears over what would happen when Biden took office.

As Proud Boys swarmed the Capitol, Tarrio cheered them on from afar, writing on social media: “Do what must be done.” In a Proud Boys encrypted group chat later that day someone asked what they should do next. Tarrio responded: “Do it again.”

“Make no mistake,” Tarrio wrote in another message. “We did this.”

Defense lawyers denied there was any plot to attack the Capitol or stop Congress’ certification of Biden’s win. A lawyer for Tarrio sought to push the blame onto Trump, arguing the former president incited the pro-Trump mob’s attack when he urged the crowd near the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-capitol-siege-media-e79eb5164613d6718e9f4502eb471f27">White House to “fight like hell.”</a>

“It was Donald Trump’s words. It was his motivation. It was his anger that caused what occurred on January 6th in your beautiful and amazing city,” attorney Nayib Hassan said in his final appeal to jurors. “It was not Enrique Tarrio. They want to use Enrique Tarrio as a scapegoat for Donald J. Trump and those in power.”

The Justice Department hadn’t tried a seditious conspiracy case in a decade before a jury convicted another extremist group leader, Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, of the Civil War-era charge last year.

Over the course of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oath-keepers-capitol-riot-jan-6-trial-conspiracy-437b0d2598829d951a5dbb60908e7a4a">two Oath Keepers trials,</a>&nbsp;Rhodes and five other members were convicted of seditious conspiracy for what prosecutors said was a separate plot to forcibly halt the transfer of presidential power from Trump to Biden. Three defendants were acquitted of the sedition charge, but convicted of obstructing Congress’ certification of Biden’s electoral victory.

The Justice Department has yet to disclose how much prison time it will seek when the Oath Keepers are sentenced later this month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1614042711157.png" alt="A jury in Washington, D.C., found Tarrio and three lieutenants guilty of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-legal-proceedings-united-states-government-violence-proud-boys-0eedce46cf5375f3417f4a9c968a8e62">seditious conspiracy</a>-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>A jury in Washington, D.C., found Tarrio and three lieutenants guilty of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-legal-proceedings-united-states-government-violence-proud-boys-0eedce46cf5375f3417f4a9c968a8e62">seditious conspiracy</a>-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Proud Boys leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/proud-boys-government-informant-dc84086d78b688bc585f874452d2b481">Enrique Tarrio</a>&nbsp;and three other members of the far-right extremist group were convicted Thursday of a plot to attack the U.S. Capitol in a desperate bid to keep Donald Trump in power after the Republican lost the 2020 presidential election.A jury in Washington, D.C., found Tarrio and three lieutenants guilty of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-legal-proceedings-united-states-government-violence-proud-boys-0eedce46cf5375f3417f4a9c968a8e62">seditious conspiracy</a>&nbsp;after hearing from dozens of witnesses over more than three months in one of the most serious cases brought in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">stunning attack that unfolded on Jan. 6, 2021,</a>&nbsp;as the world watched on live TV.Jurors cleared a fifth defendant — Dominic Pezzola — of the sedition charge, though he was convicted of other serious felonies. The judge excused the jury without delivering a verdict on some counts — including another conspiracy charge for Pezzola — after jurors failed to reach a unanimous decision.It’s a significant milestone for the Justice Department, which has now secured seditious conspiracy convictions against the leaders of two major extremist groups prosecutors say were intent on keeping Democratic President Joe Biden out of the White House at all costs. The charge carries a prison sentence of up to 20 years.“The Justice Department will never stop working to defend the democracy to which all Americans are entitled,” Attorney General Merrick Garland told reporters after the verdict.Tarrio, behind bars since his March 2022 arrest, didn't appear to show any emotion as the verdict was read. He hugged one of his lawyers and shook the hand of the other before leaving the courtroom. A few of the people sitting among the defendants’ relatives wiped away tears as the verdict was read.The verdict comes after a trial that took more than twice as long as originally expected,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legal-proceedings-proud-boys-timothy-kelly-20648ad33f958aa2d6f0dbd80a2474ad">slowed by bickering</a>, mistrial motions and revelations of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/proud-boys-enrique-tarrio-capitol-riot-informant-ce0a1cf20c17c95b1ea3306fb70d93c4">government informants</a>&nbsp;in the group. Securing the conviction of Tarrio, a high-profile leader who wasn’t at the riot itself, could embolden the Justice Department as a special counsel investigates Trump, including key aspects of the Jan. 6 insurrection.Special Counsel Jack Smith in recent weeks has sought the testimony of many people close to Trump. They include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-trump-grand-jury-2020-jan-6-9dac6db37ab8923ff1b0f09f3a9a32c8">former Vice President Mike Pence</a>, who testified before a grand jury last week, likely giving prosecutors a key first-person account about certain conversations and events in the weeks preceding the riot.Tarrio was a top target of what has become the largest Justice Department investigation in American history. He led the neo-fascist group — known for street fights with left-wing activists — when Trump infamously told the Proud Boys to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-race-and-ethnicity-donald-trump-chris-wallace-0b32339da25fbc9e8b7c7c7066a1db0f">“stand back and stand by”</a>&nbsp;during his first debate with Biden.Tarrio wasn’t in Washington on Jan. 6, because he had been arrested two days earlier in a separate case and ordered out of the capital city. But prosecutors said he organized and directed the attack by Proud Boys who stormed the Capitol that day.In addition to Tarrio, a Miami resident, three other Proud Boys were convicted of seditious conspiracy: Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs and Zachary Rehl.Tarrio, Nordean, Biggs and Rehl were also convicted of obstructing Congress’ certification of Biden’s electoral victory and obstructing law enforcement as well as two other conspiracy charges. The four were cleared of an assault charge stemming from Pezzola, who stole an officer’s riot shield.The judge told jurors to keep deliberating on a few remaining counts where they haven’t reached agreement.Rehl's attorney, Carmen Hernandez, said her client “continues to maintain his innocence.” Lawyers for Biggs and Pezzola declined to comment. An attorney for Tarrio declined to comment.Prosecutors told jurors the group viewed itself as “Trump’s army” and was prepared for “all-out war” to stop Biden from becoming president.The Proud Boys were “lined up behind Donald Trump and willing to commit violence on his behalf,” prosecutor Conor Mulroe said in his closing argument.The backbone of the government’s case was hundreds of messages exchanged by Proud Boys in the days leading up to Jan. 6 that show the far-right extremist group peddling Trump’s false claims of a stolen election and trading fears over what would happen when Biden took office.As Proud Boys swarmed the Capitol, Tarrio cheered them on from afar, writing on social media: “Do what must be done.” In a Proud Boys encrypted group chat later that day someone asked what they should do next. Tarrio responded: “Do it again.”“Make no mistake,” Tarrio wrote in another message. “We did this.”Defense lawyers denied there was any plot to attack the Capitol or stop Congress’ certification of Biden’s win. A lawyer for Tarrio sought to push the blame onto Trump, arguing the former president incited the pro-Trump mob’s attack when he urged the crowd near the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-joe-biden-donald-trump-capitol-siege-media-e79eb5164613d6718e9f4502eb471f27">White House to “fight like hell.”</a>“It was Donald Trump’s words. It was his motivation. It was his anger that caused what occurred on January 6th in your beautiful and amazing city,” attorney Nayib Hassan said in his final appeal to jurors. “It was not Enrique Tarrio. They want to use Enrique Tarrio as a scapegoat for Donald J. Trump and those in power.”The Justice Department hadn’t tried a seditious conspiracy case in a decade before a jury convicted another extremist group leader, Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes, of the Civil War-era charge last year.Over the course of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oath-keepers-capitol-riot-jan-6-trial-conspiracy-437b0d2598829d951a5dbb60908e7a4a">two Oath Keepers trials,</a>&nbsp;Rhodes and five other members were convicted of seditious conspiracy for what prosecutors said was a separate plot to forcibly halt the transfer of presidential power from Trump to Biden. Three defendants were acquitted of the sedition charge, but convicted of obstructing Congress’ certification of Biden’s electoral victory.The Justice Department has yet to disclose how much prison time it will seek when the Oath Keepers are sentenced later this month.____

Proud Boys' leader guilty of Jan. 6 seditious conspiracy

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. approved the first vaccine for RSV on Wednesday, shots to protect older adults against a respiratory virus that’s most notorious for attacking babies but endangers their grandparents, too.

The Food and Drug Administration decision makes GSK’s shot, called Arexvy, the first of several potential vaccines in the pipeline for RSV to be licensed anywhere.

The move sets the stage for adults 60 and older to get vaccinated this fall — but first, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must decide if every senior really needs RSV protection or only those considered at high risk from the respiratory syncytial virus. CDC’s advisers will debate that question in June.

After decades of failure in the quest for an RSV vaccine, doctors are anxious to finally have something to offer — especially after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-covid-pandemics-072e11e5e3af77aac19fe95773a69610">virus surge</a>&nbsp;that strained hospitals last fall.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. approved the first vaccine for RSV on Wednesday, shots to protect older adults against a respiratory virus that’s most notorious for attacking babies but endangers their grandparents, too.The Food and Drug Administration decision makes GSK’s shot, called Arexvy, the first of several potential vaccines in the pipeline for RSV to be licensed anywhere.The move sets the stage for adults 60 and older to get vaccinated this fall — but first, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must decide if every senior really needs RSV protection or only those considered at high risk from the respiratory syncytial virus. CDC’s advisers will debate that question in June.After decades of failure in the quest for an RSV vaccine, doctors are anxious to finally have something to offer — especially after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-covid-pandemics-072e11e5e3af77aac19fe95773a69610">virus surge</a>&nbsp;that strained hospitals last fall.“This is a great first step ... to protect older persons from serious RSV disease,” said Dr. William Schaffner, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, who wasn't involved with its development. Next, “we’re going to be working our way down the age ladder” for what’s expected to be a string of new protections.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rsv-vaccine-fda-pfizer-539a72ec51e11e4f8fc319af99b632e6">FDA is considering competitor Pfizer’s similar vaccine</a>&nbsp;for older adults. Pfizer also is seeking approval to vaccinate pregnant women, so their babies are born with some of mom’s protection.There isn't a vaccine for kids yet but high-risk infants often get monthly doses of a protective drug during RSV season — and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-europe-european-commission-respiratory-syncytial-virus-government-and-politics-c46168af1b123bc8e26e1f13da7116aa">European regulators recently approved the first one-dose option</a>. The FDA also is considering whether to approve Sanofi and AstraZeneca's one-shot medicine.“This is a very exciting time with multiple potential RSV solutions coming out after years of really nothing,” said Dr. Phil Dormitzer, chief of vaccine research and development for GSK, formerly known as GlaxoSmithKline.RSV is a cold-like nuisance for most people but it can be life-threatening for the very young, the elderly and people with certain high-risk health problems. It can impede babies’ breathing by inflaming their tiny airways, or creep deep into seniors’ lungs to cause pneumonia.In the U.S., about 58,000 children younger than 5 are hospitalized for RSV each year and several hundred die. Among older adults, as many as 177,000 are hospitalized with RSV and up to 14,000 die annually.Why has it taken so long to come up with a vaccine? The field suffered a major setback in the 1960s when an experimental shot worsened infections in children. Scientists finally figured out a better way to develop these vaccines — although modern candidates still were first tested with adults.GSK’s new vaccine for older adults trains the immune system to recognize a protein on RSV’s surface, and contains an ingredient called an adjuvant to further rev up that immune reaction.In an international study of about 25,000 people 60 and older, one dose of the vaccine was nearly 83% effective at preventing RSV lung infections, and reduced the risk of severe infections by 94%.To see how long protection lasts, GSK is tracking study participants for three years, comparing some who get just one vaccination during that time and others given a yearly booster.Shot reactions were typical of vaccinations, such as muscle pain and fatigue.There was a hint of a rare but serious risk — one case of Guillain-Barre syndrome, which can cause usually temporary paralysis, and two cases of a type of brain and spinal cord inflammation. The FDA said it was requiring the company to continue studying if there really is a link to the vaccine.If the CDC ultimately recommends the vaccination for some or even all seniors, it will add another shot for the fall along with their yearly flu vaccine – and maybe another COVID-19 booster.“We’ll have to educate the population that this virus that not everyone has heard about is actually an important threat to their health in the wintertime,” said Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University. ___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.