ROME (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;remained in critical condition Monday but showed slight improvement in laboratory tests and resumed some work, the Vatican said, including calling a parish in Gaza City that he has kept in touch with since the war there began.

The Vatican’s evening bulletin was more upbeat than in recent days, as the 88-year-old Francis battles pneumonia in both lungs at Rome's Gemelli hospital. It was issued shortly before the Vatican No. 2 led the faithful in a somber night-time recitation of the Rosary prayer in St. Peter's Square that evoked the vigils when St. John Paul II was dying.

“For 2,000 years the Christian people have prayed for the pope when he was in danger or sick," Cardinal Pietro Parolin told the rain-dappled piazza. Standing on the same stage where Francis usually presides, Parolin said ever since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-vatican-respiratory-francis-3898caa324da9b0f7a100b73a35b436a">Francis had been hospitalized</a>, a chorus of prayers for his recovery had swelled up from around the world.

“Starting this evening, we want to unite ourselves publicly to this prayer here, in his house,” Parolin said, praying that Francis “in this moment of illness and trial" would recover quickly.

The Argentine pope, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has been hospitalized since Feb. 14 and doctors have said his condition is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and pre-existing lung disease.

But in Monday's update, they said he hadn’t had any more respiratory crises since Saturday, and the supplemental oxygen he is using continued but with a slightly reduced oxygen flow and concentrations. The slight kidney insufficiency detected on Sunday was not causing alarm at the moment, doctors said, while saying his prognosis remained guarded.

Francis received the Eucharist Monday morning and resumed working in the afternoon.

“In the evening he called the parish priest of the Gaza parish to express his fatherly closeness,” the statement said.

For over a year, Francis has checked in daily via videocall with the Argentine priest, the Rev. Gabriel Romanelli, who leads the Catholic community at the church, which during Israel's war had served as a shelter for Palestinians. Romanelli had reported hearing from Francis soon after he was hospitalized, but not since. He had sent Francis a video, and the pope called to thank him, the Vatican said.

Francis was in good spirits, was not in pain and was not receiving artificial nutrition, the Vatican said. The work he was doing included reading and signing documents, and indeed the Vatican's daily noon bulletin has included new bishop nominations nearly every day, even though most were decided in advance.

At the Gemelli hospital, the mood was nevertheless grim. Bishop Claudio Giuliodori presided over an emotional, standing-room-only Mass in the chapel named for John Paul, who was hospitalized there many times. Some of the estimated 200 people who attended were in white doctor’s coats or green surgical scrubs; some knelt in prayer.

“We are very sorry. Pope Francis is a good pope, let’s hope that he makes it. Let us hope," said a choked-up Filomena Ferraro, who was visiting a relative at Gemelli on Monday. “We are joining him with our prayers but what else can we do?”

Doctors have warned that the main threat facing Francis is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-illness-explainer-pneumonia-vatican-6c90fdb0d03ed1703293564686a80978">sepsis</a>, a serious infection that can occur as a complication of pneumonia. To date there has been no reference to any onset of sepsis in the medical updates provided by the Vatican.

At 10 full days, this hospitalization now stands as Francis' longest as pope. He spent 10 days at Rome’s Gemelli hospital in 2021 after he had 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his colon removed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740262535769.png" alt="Candles and a photo of Pope Francis are seen in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, where the Pontiff is hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)" />
 <figcaption>Candles and a photo of Pope Francis are seen in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, where the Pontiff is hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;remained in critical condition Monday but showed slight improvement in laboratory tests and resumed some work, the Vatican said, including calling a parish in Gaza City that he has kept in touch with since the war there began.The Vatican’s evening bulletin was more upbeat than in recent days, as the 88-year-old Francis battles pneumonia in both lungs at Rome's Gemelli hospital. It was issued shortly before the Vatican No. 2 led the faithful in a somber night-time recitation of the Rosary prayer in St. Peter's Square that evoked the vigils when St. John Paul II was dying.“For 2,000 years the Christian people have prayed for the pope when he was in danger or sick," Cardinal Pietro Parolin told the rain-dappled piazza. Standing on the same stage where Francis usually presides, Parolin said ever since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-vatican-respiratory-francis-3898caa324da9b0f7a100b73a35b436a">Francis had been hospitalized</a>, a chorus of prayers for his recovery had swelled up from around the world.“Starting this evening, we want to unite ourselves publicly to this prayer here, in his house,” Parolin said, praying that Francis “in this moment of illness and trial" would recover quickly.The Argentine pope, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has been hospitalized since Feb. 14 and doctors have said his condition is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and pre-existing lung disease.But in Monday's update, they said he hadn’t had any more respiratory crises since Saturday, and the supplemental oxygen he is using continued but with a slightly reduced oxygen flow and concentrations. The slight kidney insufficiency detected on Sunday was not causing alarm at the moment, doctors said, while saying his prognosis remained guarded.Francis received the Eucharist Monday morning and resumed working in the afternoon.“In the evening he called the parish priest of the Gaza parish to express his fatherly closeness,” the statement said.For over a year, Francis has checked in daily via videocall with the Argentine priest, the Rev. Gabriel Romanelli, who leads the Catholic community at the church, which during Israel's war had served as a shelter for Palestinians. Romanelli had reported hearing from Francis soon after he was hospitalized, but not since. He had sent Francis a video, and the pope called to thank him, the Vatican said.Francis was in good spirits, was not in pain and was not receiving artificial nutrition, the Vatican said. The work he was doing included reading and signing documents, and indeed the Vatican's daily noon bulletin has included new bishop nominations nearly every day, even though most were decided in advance.At the Gemelli hospital, the mood was nevertheless grim. Bishop Claudio Giuliodori presided over an emotional, standing-room-only Mass in the chapel named for John Paul, who was hospitalized there many times. Some of the estimated 200 people who attended were in white doctor’s coats or green surgical scrubs; some knelt in prayer.“We are very sorry. Pope Francis is a good pope, let’s hope that he makes it. Let us hope," said a choked-up Filomena Ferraro, who was visiting a relative at Gemelli on Monday. “We are joining him with our prayers but what else can we do?”Doctors have warned that the main threat facing Francis is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-illness-explainer-pneumonia-vatican-6c90fdb0d03ed1703293564686a80978">sepsis</a>, a serious infection that can occur as a complication of pneumonia. To date there has been no reference to any onset of sepsis in the medical updates provided by the Vatican.At 10 full days, this hospitalization now stands as Francis' longest as pope. He spent 10 days at Rome’s Gemelli hospital in 2021 after he had 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his colon removed.

Vatican: Pope Francis shows slight improvement and resumes some work

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Authorities are investigating the work place death of a man in Wichita.

At approximately 12:10 p.m. on Monday, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s deputies, Sedgwick County EMS and firefighters from Sedgwick County Fire District 1 and the Wichita Fire Department responded to Textron Aviation’s east campus in the 9700 block of East Central for a report of an employee not breathing, according to a media release.

Fire and EMS personnel found a 61-year-old man in a facility paint booth, wearing a ventilator mask and not breathing. Life-saving measures were attempted, but the man was pronounced dead at 12:28 p.m.

The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death, with assistance from Sedgwick County Fire District 1 and the Sedgwick County Coroner’s Office.

The identity of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Authorities are investigating the work place death of a man in Wichita.At approximately 12:10 p.m. on Monday, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s deputies, Sedgwick County EMS and firefighters from Sedgwick County Fire District 1 and the Wichita Fire Department responded to Textron Aviation’s east campus in the 9700 block of East Central for a report of an employee not breathing, according to a media release.Fire and EMS personnel found a 61-year-old man in a facility paint booth, wearing a ventilator mask and not breathing. Life-saving measures were attempted, but the man was pronounced dead at 12:28 p.m.The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the circumstances surrounding the death, with assistance from Sedgwick County Fire District 1 and the Sedgwick County Coroner’s Office.The identity of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of next of kin. Additional information will be released as it becomes available.

Sheriff investigating on-the-job death of a man in Wichita

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a deadly robbery and have two suspects in custody

Just after midnight Saturday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2900 block of SW Topeka Boulevard, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

First responders located a man later identified as 31-year-old Earon Cooper of Lawrence,&nbsp; suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.

As a result of the investigation police arrested two suspects. Silas Kriner, 21, of Baldwin City, Kansas, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of 1 st Degree Murder, Aggravated Robbery.&nbsp; Delano A. Washington, 19, of Topeka, is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;1st Degree Murder, Aggravated Robbery, Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer, Criminal Damage to property and a Shawnee County Warrant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740409293845.png" alt="Washington-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Washington-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a deadly robbery and have two suspects in custodyJust after midnight Saturday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2900 block of SW Topeka Boulevard, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740409166527.png" alt="Kriner-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Kriner-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders located a man later identified as 31-year-old Earon Cooper of Lawrence,&nbsp; suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.As a result of the investigation police arrested two suspects. Silas Kriner, 21, of Baldwin City, Kansas, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of 1 st Degree Murder, Aggravated Robbery.&nbsp; Delano A. Washington, 19, of Topeka, is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;1st Degree Murder, Aggravated Robbery, Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer, Criminal Damage to property and a Shawnee County Warrant.

2 jailed for deadly Kansas robbery

NEW YORK (AP) — Apple announced Monday that it plans to invest more than $500 billion in the United States over the next four years, including plans to hire 20,000 people and build a new server factory in Texas.

The move comes just days after President Donald Trump said Apple CEO Tim Cook promised him that the tech giant’s manufacturing would shift from Mexico to the U.S. Trump noted the company was doing so to avoid paying tariffs. That pledge, coupled with Monday’s investment commitment, came as Trump continues to threaten to impose tariffs that could drive up the cost of iPhones made in China.

“We are bullish on the future of American innovation, and we’re proud to build on our long-standing U.S. investments with this $500 billion commitment to our country’s future,” Cook said in a company&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/02/apple-will-spend-more-than-500-billion-usd-in-the-us-over-the-next-four-years/" target="_blank">blog post</a>.

Apple outlined several concrete moves in its announcement, the most significant of which is the construction of a new factory in Houston — slated to open in 2026 — that will produce servers to power Apple Intelligence, its suite of AI features. The company claims this factory will create “thousands of jobs.”

The announcement is similar to one Apple made in early 2018 — during the first Trump administration — that promised to create 20,000 new jobs as part of a $350 billion spend in the U.S. Trump was also mulling a tariff then that could have affected iPhones at the time, but he didn’t end up targeting those devices during his first administration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740416399652.png" alt="White House image" />
 <figcaption>White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Apple announced Monday that it plans to invest more than $500 billion in the United States over the next four years, including plans to hire 20,000 people and build a new server factory in Texas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740428118054.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The move comes just days after President Donald Trump said Apple CEO Tim Cook promised him that the tech giant’s manufacturing would shift from Mexico to the U.S. Trump noted the company was doing so to avoid paying tariffs. That pledge, coupled with Monday’s investment commitment, came as Trump continues to threaten to impose tariffs that could drive up the cost of iPhones made in China.“We are bullish on the future of American innovation, and we’re proud to build on our long-standing U.S. investments with this $500 billion commitment to our country’s future,” Cook said in a company&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/02/apple-will-spend-more-than-500-billion-usd-in-the-us-over-the-next-four-years/" target="_blank">blog post</a>.Apple outlined several concrete moves in its announcement, the most significant of which is the construction of a new factory in Houston — slated to open in 2026 — that will produce servers to power Apple Intelligence, its suite of AI features. The company claims this factory will create “thousands of jobs.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740416459994.png" alt="Apple suppliers already manufacture silicon in 24 factories across 12 states. Pictured: Texas Instruments’ new semiconductor wafer fabrication plant in Lehi, Utah.-image courtesy Apple" />
 <figcaption>Apple suppliers already manufacture silicon in 24 factories across 12 states. Pictured: Texas Instruments’ new semiconductor wafer fabrication plant in Lehi, Utah.-image courtesy Apple</figcaption>
 </figure>The announcement is similar to one Apple made in early 2018 — during the first Trump administration — that promised to create 20,000 new jobs as part of a $350 billion spend in the U.S. Trump was also mulling a tariff then that could have affected iPhones at the time, but he didn’t end up targeting those devices during his first administration.

Apple announces historic $500 billion investment in US

RENO COUNTY —Fire officials in Hutchinson on Monday released the Battalion Chief Dashcam of the gas explosion on Ave. E and Main on Saturday.

Just before 9:30a.m., crews were in the area for a report of a gas odor.  Crews found the issue at the intersection of Ave E and South Main Street.  The video starts as crews were setting up operations per protocol.

&nbsp;Responding crews could not find a source at that location so they moved their way down Main Street.&nbsp;

When they arrived to the corner of Avenue E and Main Street, they saw the gas coming up through the road and sidewalk.  They entered the business there and their monitors activated.

Crews noted that all the occupants of the building were out, and they exited the building and within 30 seconds the building exploded.

The area between Avenue A and Frank Hart Crossing and Popular Street and Adams Street were ordered to evacuate. Later Saturday night, the evacuation zone was reduced to the area bounded by Avenue C to Avenue F, and Walnut to Adams.

Kansas Gas Service crews&nbsp;continue to work on repairs and restoration in the area of the explosion. There were no injuries reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740421883145.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY —Fire officials in Hutchinson on Monday released the Battalion Chief Dashcam of the gas explosion on Ave. E and Main on Saturday.Just before 9:30a.m., crews were in the area for a report of a gas odor. Crews found the issue at the intersection of Ave E and South Main Street. The video starts as crews were setting up operations per protocol.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FHutchinsonFireDept%2Fvideos%2F1327633965049644%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=16" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>&nbsp;Responding crews could not find a source at that location so they moved their way down Main Street.&nbsp;When they arrived to the corner of Avenue E and Main Street, they saw the gas coming up through the road and sidewalk. They entered the business there and their monitors activated.Crews noted that all the occupants of the building were out, and they exited the building and within 30 seconds the building exploded.The area between Avenue A and Frank Hart Crossing and Popular Street and Adams Street were ordered to evacuate. Later Saturday night, the evacuation zone was reduced to the area bounded by Avenue C to Avenue F, and Walnut to Adams.Kansas Gas Service crews&nbsp;continue to work on repairs and restoration in the area of the explosion. There were no injuries reported.

🎥 New video shows Hutch firefighters flee building explosion

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations. Just after 10:30a.m. February 21, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a silver Acura on 150th Road, just west of U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

A Jackson County Sheriff’s Office K-9 alerted to the presence of illegal drugs in the vehicle. The driver, David Douglas Friend, 53, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended, failure to provide proof of insurance and for an outstanding Jackson County warrant.

The passenger, Lisa Tumey, 51, of Topeka, was arrested and released to the Topeka Police Department’s custody for outstanding warrants.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740361190453.png" alt="Friend photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Friend photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations. Just after 10:30a.m. February 21, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a silver Acura on 150th Road, just west of U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.A Jackson County Sheriff’s Office K-9 alerted to the presence of illegal drugs in the vehicle. The driver, David Douglas Friend, 53, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended, failure to provide proof of insurance and for an outstanding Jackson County warrant.The passenger, Lisa Tumey, 51, of Topeka, was arrested and released to the Topeka Police Department’s custody for outstanding warrants.

Sheriff's K9 alerted to illegal drugs during Kansas traffic stop

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/roberta-flack">Roberta Flack,</a>&nbsp;the Grammy-winning singer and pianist whose intimate vocal and musical style made her one of the top recordings artists of the 1970s and an influential performer long after, died Monday. She was 88.

She died at home surrounded by her family, publicist Elaine Schock said in a statement. Flack announced in 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roberta-flack-als-diagnosis-403caf46fc277d8fddeb438a1f57979d">she had ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease,</a>&nbsp;and could no longer sing,

Little known before her early 30s, Flack became an overnight star after Clint Eastwood used “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face” as the soundtrack for one of cinema’s more memorable and explicit love scenes, between the actor and Donna Mills in his 1971 film “Play Misty for Me.” The hushed, hymn-like ballad, with Flack’s graceful soprano afloat on a bed of soft strings and piano, topped the Billboard pop chart in 1972 and received a Grammy for record of the year.

“The record label wanted to have it re-recorded with a faster tempo, but he said he wanted it exactly as it was,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/music-aa6118fdbf324b23aec794c066a75e15">Flack told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;in 2018. “With the song as a theme song for his movie, it gained a lot of popularity and then took off.”

In 1973, she matched both achievements with “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” becoming the first artist to win consecutive Grammys for best record.

She was a classically trained pianist discovered in the late 1960s by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/les-mccann-died-88-compared-to-what-587892db9a20cc4331c8c51f636e115d">jazz musician Les McCann,</a>&nbsp;who later wrote that “her voice touched, tapped, trapped, and kicked every emotion I’ve ever known.” Versatile enough to summon the up-tempo gospel passion of Aretha Franklin, Flack often favored a more reflective and measured approach.

For Flack’s many admirers, she was a sophisticated and bold new presence in the music world and in the social and civil rights movements of the time, her friends including the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jesse-jackson">Rev. Jesse Jackson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/angela-davis">Angela Davis,</a>&nbsp;whom Flack visited in prison while Davis faced charges — for which she was acquitted — for murder and kidnapping. Flack sang at the funeral of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jackie-robinson">Jackie Robinson,</a>&nbsp;major league baseball’s first Black player, and was among the many guest performers on the feminist children’s entertainment project&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/parenting-celebrity-relationships-131d7b4b0bb04f258b57d218d8d9f6b2">created by Marlo Thomas,</a>&nbsp;“Free to Be ... You and Me.”

Roberta Cleopatra Flack, the daughter of musicians, was born in Black Mountain, North Carolina, and raised in Arlington, Virginia. A gospel fan as a child, she was so talented a piano player that at age 15 she received a full scholarship to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-democracy-presidency-howard-university-d383801895d8d107a9aa12af5b941821">Howard, the historically Black university.</a>

Flack’s other hits from the 1970s included the cozy “Feel Like Makin’ Love” and two duets with her close friend and former Howard University classmate Donny Hathaway, “Where Is the Love” and ”The Closer I Get to You” — a partnership that ended in tragedy. In 1979, she and Hathaway were working on an album of duets when he suffered a breakdown during recording and later that night fell to his death from his hotel room in Manhattan.

“We were deeply connected creatively,” Flack told Vibe in 2022, upon the 50th anniversary of the million-selling “Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway” album. “He could play anything, sing anything. Our musical synergy was unlike (anything) I’d had before or since.”

She never matched her first run of success, although she did have a hit in the 1980s with the Peabo Bryson duet “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love” and in the 1990s with the Maxi Priest duet “Set the Night to Music.” In the mid-90s, Flack received new attention&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pras-michel-fugees-concert-d2f31e013e693b516169bd4c7bcdcdab">after the Fugees recorded</a>&nbsp;a Grammy-winning cover of “Killing Me Softly,” which she eventually performed on stage with the hip-hop group.

Overall,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ba4d62572ce84d4f99c05585db7dd263">she won five Grammys</a>&nbsp;(three for “Killing Me Softly”), was nominated eight other times and was given a lifetime achievement Grammy in 2020, with John Legend and Ariana Grande among those praising her.

“I love that connection to other artists because we understand music, we live music, it’s our language,” Flack told songwriteruniverse.com in 2020. “Through music we understand what we are thinking and feeling. No matter what challenge life presents, I am at home with my piano, on a stage, with my band, in the studio, listening to music. I can find my way when I hear music.”

In 2022, Beyoncé placed Flack, Franklin and Diana Ross among others in a special pantheon of heroines name-checked in the Grammy-nominated “Queens Remix” of “Break My Soul.”

Flack was briefly married to Stephen Novosel, an interracial relationship that led to tension with each of their families, and earlier had a son, the singer and keyboardist Bernard Wright. For years, she lived in Manhattan’s Dakota apartment building, on the same floor as John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who became a close friend and provided liner notes for a Flack album of Beatles covers, “Let It Be Roberta.” She also devoted extensive time to the Roberta Flack School of Music, based in New York and attended mostly by students between ages 6 to 14.

Flack had taught music in D.C.-area junior high schools for several years in her 20s, while performing after hours in clubs. She sometimes backed other singers, but her own shows at Washington’s renowned Mr. Henry’s attracted such celebrity patrons as Burt Bacharach, Ramsey Lewis and Johnny Mathis. The club’s owner, Henry Yaffe, converted an apartment directly above into a private studio, the Roberta Flack Room.

“I wanted to be successful, a serious all-round musician,” she told The Telegraph in 2015. “I listened to a lot of Aretha, the Drifters, trying to do some of that myself, playing, teaching.”

Flack was signed to Atlantic Records and her debut album, “First Take,” a blend of gospel, soul, flamenco and jazz, came out in 1969. One track was a love song by the English folk artist Ewan MacColl: “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” written in 1957 for his future wife, singer Peggy Seeger. Flack not only knew of the ballad, but used it while working with a glee club during her years as an educator.

“I was teaching at Banneker Junior High in Washington, D.C. It was part of the city where kids weren’t that privileged, but they were privileged enough to have music education. I really wanted them to read music. First, I’d get their attention. (Flack starts singing a Supremes hit) ‘Stop, in the name of love.’ Then I could teach them!” she told the Tampa Bay Times in 2012.

“You have to do all sorts of things when you’re dealing with kids in the inner-city,” she said. “I knew they’d like the part where (‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’) goes ‘The first time ever I kissed your mouth.’ Ooh, ‘Kissed your mouth!’ Once the kids got past the giggles, we were good.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740411515381.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/roberta-flack">Roberta Flack,</a>&nbsp;the Grammy-winning singer and pianist whose intimate vocal and musical style made her one of the top recordings artists of the 1970s and an influential performer long after, died Monday. She was 88.She died at home surrounded by her family, publicist Elaine Schock said in a statement. Flack announced in 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roberta-flack-als-diagnosis-403caf46fc277d8fddeb438a1f57979d">she had ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's disease,</a>&nbsp;and could no longer sing,Little known before her early 30s, Flack became an overnight star after Clint Eastwood used “The First Time I Ever Saw Your Face” as the soundtrack for one of cinema’s more memorable and explicit love scenes, between the actor and Donna Mills in his 1971 film “Play Misty for Me.” The hushed, hymn-like ballad, with Flack’s graceful soprano afloat on a bed of soft strings and piano, topped the Billboard pop chart in 1972 and received a Grammy for record of the year.“The record label wanted to have it re-recorded with a faster tempo, but he said he wanted it exactly as it was,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/music-aa6118fdbf324b23aec794c066a75e15">Flack told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;in 2018. “With the song as a theme song for his movie, it gained a lot of popularity and then took off.”In 1973, she matched both achievements with “Killing Me Softly With His Song,” becoming the first artist to win consecutive Grammys for best record.She was a classically trained pianist discovered in the late 1960s by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/les-mccann-died-88-compared-to-what-587892db9a20cc4331c8c51f636e115d">jazz musician Les McCann,</a>&nbsp;who later wrote that “her voice touched, tapped, trapped, and kicked every emotion I’ve ever known.” Versatile enough to summon the up-tempo gospel passion of Aretha Franklin, Flack often favored a more reflective and measured approach.For Flack’s many admirers, she was a sophisticated and bold new presence in the music world and in the social and civil rights movements of the time, her friends including the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jesse-jackson">Rev. Jesse Jackson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/angela-davis">Angela Davis,</a>&nbsp;whom Flack visited in prison while Davis faced charges — for which she was acquitted — for murder and kidnapping. Flack sang at the funeral of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jackie-robinson">Jackie Robinson,</a>&nbsp;major league baseball’s first Black player, and was among the many guest performers on the feminist children’s entertainment project&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/parenting-celebrity-relationships-131d7b4b0bb04f258b57d218d8d9f6b2">created by Marlo Thomas,</a>&nbsp;“Free to Be ... You and Me.”Roberta Cleopatra Flack, the daughter of musicians, was born in Black Mountain, North Carolina, and raised in Arlington, Virginia. A gospel fan as a child, she was so talented a piano player that at age 15 she received a full scholarship to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-democracy-presidency-howard-university-d383801895d8d107a9aa12af5b941821">Howard, the historically Black university.</a>Flack’s other hits from the 1970s included the cozy “Feel Like Makin’ Love” and two duets with her close friend and former Howard University classmate Donny Hathaway, “Where Is the Love” and ”The Closer I Get to You” — a partnership that ended in tragedy. In 1979, she and Hathaway were working on an album of duets when he suffered a breakdown during recording and later that night fell to his death from his hotel room in Manhattan.“We were deeply connected creatively,” Flack told Vibe in 2022, upon the 50th anniversary of the million-selling “Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway” album. “He could play anything, sing anything. Our musical synergy was unlike (anything) I’d had before or since.”She never matched her first run of success, although she did have a hit in the 1980s with the Peabo Bryson duet “Tonight, I Celebrate My Love” and in the 1990s with the Maxi Priest duet “Set the Night to Music.” In the mid-90s, Flack received new attention&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pras-michel-fugees-concert-d2f31e013e693b516169bd4c7bcdcdab">after the Fugees recorded</a>&nbsp;a Grammy-winning cover of “Killing Me Softly,” which she eventually performed on stage with the hip-hop group.Overall,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ba4d62572ce84d4f99c05585db7dd263">she won five Grammys</a>&nbsp;(three for “Killing Me Softly”), was nominated eight other times and was given a lifetime achievement Grammy in 2020, with John Legend and Ariana Grande among those praising her.“I love that connection to other artists because we understand music, we live music, it’s our language,” Flack told songwriteruniverse.com in 2020. “Through music we understand what we are thinking and feeling. No matter what challenge life presents, I am at home with my piano, on a stage, with my band, in the studio, listening to music. I can find my way when I hear music.”In 2022, Beyoncé placed Flack, Franklin and Diana Ross among others in a special pantheon of heroines name-checked in the Grammy-nominated “Queens Remix” of “Break My Soul.”Flack was briefly married to Stephen Novosel, an interracial relationship that led to tension with each of their families, and earlier had a son, the singer and keyboardist Bernard Wright. For years, she lived in Manhattan’s Dakota apartment building, on the same floor as John Lennon and Yoko Ono, who became a close friend and provided liner notes for a Flack album of Beatles covers, “Let It Be Roberta.” She also devoted extensive time to the Roberta Flack School of Music, based in New York and attended mostly by students between ages 6 to 14.Flack had taught music in D.C.-area junior high schools for several years in her 20s, while performing after hours in clubs. She sometimes backed other singers, but her own shows at Washington’s renowned Mr. Henry’s attracted such celebrity patrons as Burt Bacharach, Ramsey Lewis and Johnny Mathis. The club’s owner, Henry Yaffe, converted an apartment directly above into a private studio, the Roberta Flack Room.“I wanted to be successful, a serious all-round musician,” she told The Telegraph in 2015. “I listened to a lot of Aretha, the Drifters, trying to do some of that myself, playing, teaching.”Flack was signed to Atlantic Records and her debut album, “First Take,” a blend of gospel, soul, flamenco and jazz, came out in 1969. One track was a love song by the English folk artist Ewan MacColl: “The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face,” written in 1957 for his future wife, singer Peggy Seeger. Flack not only knew of the ballad, but used it while working with a glee club during her years as an educator.“I was teaching at Banneker Junior High in Washington, D.C. It was part of the city where kids weren’t that privileged, but they were privileged enough to have music education. I really wanted them to read music. First, I’d get their attention. (Flack starts singing a Supremes hit) ‘Stop, in the name of love.’ Then I could teach them!” she told the Tampa Bay Times in 2012.“You have to do all sorts of things when you’re dealing with kids in the inner-city,” she said. “I knew they’d like the part where (‘The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face’) goes ‘The first time ever I kissed your mouth.’ Ooh, ‘Kissed your mouth!’ Once the kids got past the giggles, we were good.”

Roberta Flack, Grammy-winning singer with an intimate style, dies at 88

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/daniel-bongino">Dan Bongino</a>, a former U.S. Secret Service agent who has penned best-selling books, ran unsuccessfully for office and gained fame as a conservative pundit with TV shows and a popular podcast, has been chosen to serve as FBI deputy director.

President Donald Trump announced the appointment Sunday night in a post on his Truth Social platform, praising Bongino as “a man of incredible love and passion for our Country.” He called the announcement “great news for Law Enforcement and American Justice.”

The selection places two staunch Trump allies atop the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency at a time when Democrats are concerned that the president could seek to target his adversaries. Bongino would serve under Kash Patel,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-patel-justice-department-8fa2f99b7915ee18def9fdf61150741f">who was sworn in as FBI director at the White House on Friday</a>&nbsp;and who has signaled his intent to reshape the bureau, including by relocating hundreds of employees from its Washington headquarters and placing greater emphasis on the FBI’s traditional crime-fighting duties.

The deputy director serves as the FBI’s second-in-command and is traditionally a career agent responsible for the bureau’s day-to-day law enforcement operations. Bongino, like Patel, has never served in the FBI, raising questions about their experience level when the U.S. is facing escalating national security threats.

The two are inheriting an FBI gripped by turmoil as the Justice Department over the past month has forced out a group of senior bureau officials and made a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-justice-department-jan-6-ff003e46ea48c4e8be710d1ba2eb2d02">highly unusual demand for the names of thousands of agents</a>&nbsp;who participated in investigations related to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

Bongino served on the presidential details for then-Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, before becoming a popular right-wing figure. He became one of the leading personalities in the Make America Great Again political movement to spread false information about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">the 2020 election</a>, which Trump and allies have continued to maintain was marred by widespread false&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-2020-election-lies-debunked-4fc26546b07962fdbf9d66e739fbb50d">even though such claims have been widely rejected</a>&nbsp;as false by judges and former Trump attorney general William Barr.

For a few years following Rush Limbaugh’s death in 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-arts-and-entertainment-63a666e68368c60ac11af1377714a46c">he was chosen for a radio show</a>&nbsp;on the same time slot of the famous commentator.

Bongino worked for the New York Police Department for several years in the 1990s before joining the Secret Service. He began doing commentary on Fox News more than a decade ago, and had a Saturday night show with the network from 2021 to 2023. He is now a host of The Dan Bongino Show, one of the most popular podcasts, according to Spotify.

Bongino ran for a U.S. Senate seat in Maryland in 2012 and for congressional seats in 2014 and 2016 in Maryland and Florida, after moving in 2015. He lost the three races.

During an interview last fall, Bongino asked Trump to commit to forming a commission to reform the Secret Service, calling it a “failed” agency and criticizing it for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/attempted-assassination-of-donald-trump">two assassination attempts</a>&nbsp;last year.

“That guy should have been nowhere near you,” Bongino said about the man who authorities say camped outside Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, before he was spotted with a rifle.

During the same interview, Trump praised the Secret Service agent who saw the rifle’s barrel coming out of a bush.

Patel and Bongino will succeed the two acting FBI leaders, Brian Driscoll and Robert Kissane, who have led the bureau since the departure in January of former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chris-wray-fbi-farewell-trump-patel-partisanship-afe159a6e112e68dd5319ceac905d517">Director Christopher Wray</a>, who was appointed by Trump in 2017 and held the job for the next seven years before resigning at the end of the Biden administration to make way for his chosen success.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740405860491.png" alt="Bongino photo CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Bongino photo CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/daniel-bongino">Dan Bongino</a>, a former U.S. Secret Service agent who has penned best-selling books, ran unsuccessfully for office and gained fame as a conservative pundit with TV shows and a popular podcast, has been chosen to serve as FBI deputy director.President Donald Trump announced the appointment Sunday night in a post on his Truth Social platform, praising Bongino as “a man of incredible love and passion for our Country.” He called the announcement “great news for Law Enforcement and American Justice.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Congratulations to <a href="https://twitter.com/dbongino?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@dbongino</a> for being named Deputy Director of the FBI! Dan’s experience in law enforcement as an NYPD officer and a Special Agent in the Secret Service makes him an excellent choice to serve alongside FBI Director Kash Patel and Attorney General Pam Bondi. I… <a href="https://t.co/n5VizLUYAC">pic.twitter.com/n5VizLUYAC</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1893846825347457509?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The selection places two staunch Trump allies atop the nation’s premier federal law enforcement agency at a time when Democrats are concerned that the president could seek to target his adversaries. Bongino would serve under Kash Patel,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-patel-justice-department-8fa2f99b7915ee18def9fdf61150741f">who was sworn in as FBI director at the White House on Friday</a>&nbsp;and who has signaled his intent to reshape the bureau, including by relocating hundreds of employees from its Washington headquarters and placing greater emphasis on the FBI’s traditional crime-fighting duties.The deputy director serves as the FBI’s second-in-command and is traditionally a career agent responsible for the bureau’s day-to-day law enforcement operations. Bongino, like Patel, has never served in the FBI, raising questions about their experience level when the U.S. is facing escalating national security threats.The two are inheriting an FBI gripped by turmoil as the Justice Department over the past month has forced out a group of senior bureau officials and made a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-justice-department-jan-6-ff003e46ea48c4e8be710d1ba2eb2d02">highly unusual demand for the names of thousands of agents</a>&nbsp;who participated in investigations related to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.Bongino served on the presidential details for then-Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush, before becoming a popular right-wing figure. He became one of the leading personalities in the Make America Great Again political movement to spread false information about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">the 2020 election</a>, which Trump and allies have continued to maintain was marred by widespread false&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-2020-election-lies-debunked-4fc26546b07962fdbf9d66e739fbb50d">even though such claims have been widely rejected</a>&nbsp;as false by judges and former Trump attorney general William Barr.For a few years following Rush Limbaugh’s death in 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-arts-and-entertainment-63a666e68368c60ac11af1377714a46c">he was chosen for a radio show</a>&nbsp;on the same time slot of the famous commentator.Bongino worked for the New York Police Department for several years in the 1990s before joining the Secret Service. He began doing commentary on Fox News more than a decade ago, and had a Saturday night show with the network from 2021 to 2023. He is now a host of The Dan Bongino Show, one of the most popular podcasts, according to Spotify.Bongino ran for a U.S. Senate seat in Maryland in 2012 and for congressional seats in 2014 and 2016 in Maryland and Florida, after moving in 2015. He lost the three races.During an interview last fall, Bongino asked Trump to commit to forming a commission to reform the Secret Service, calling it a “failed” agency and criticizing it for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/attempted-assassination-of-donald-trump">two assassination attempts</a>&nbsp;last year.“That guy should have been nowhere near you,” Bongino said about the man who authorities say camped outside Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach, Florida, before he was spotted with a rifle.During the same interview, Trump praised the Secret Service agent who saw the rifle’s barrel coming out of a bush.Patel and Bongino will succeed the two acting FBI leaders, Brian Driscoll and Robert Kissane, who have led the bureau since the departure in January of former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/chris-wray-fbi-farewell-trump-patel-partisanship-afe159a6e112e68dd5319ceac905d517">Director Christopher Wray</a>, who was appointed by Trump in 2017 and held the job for the next seven years before resigning at the end of the Biden administration to make way for his chosen success.

Kan. U.S. Senator congratulates media personality picked as FBI deputy director

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A woman accused in connection with a shooting on Halloween that left a 13-year-old boy dead is due back in court Monday afternoon for a preliminary hearing.

Carrice&nbsp; Profit, 19, was charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder and criminal discharge of a firearm, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. Police arrested her November 6.

Just after 10:30p.m. October 31, police responded to a report of gunfire at the QuikTrip located at Central and Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

Officers discovered evidence of a shooting a convenience store. Simultaneously, a walk-in report was received from a local hospital indicating that a private vehicle had transported victims of this incident for treatment.

The victims included a 15-year-old boy from Wichita, who suffered a gunshot wound to the leg, and a 13-year-old boy who sustained a fatal gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased shortly after arrival at the hospital.

Profit met the requirement of a $350,000 bond and is no longer in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730979564649.png" alt="Profit photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Profit photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A woman accused in connection with a shooting on Halloween that left a 13-year-old boy dead is due back in court Monday afternoon for a preliminary hearing.Carrice&nbsp; Profit, 19, was charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder and criminal discharge of a firearm, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. Police arrested her November 6.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1730455429350.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 10:30p.m. October 31, police responded to a report of gunfire at the QuikTrip located at Central and Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.Officers discovered evidence of a shooting a convenience store. Simultaneously, a walk-in report was received from a local hospital indicating that a private vehicle had transported victims of this incident for treatment.The victims included a 15-year-old boy from Wichita, who suffered a gunshot wound to the leg, and a 13-year-old boy who sustained a fatal gunshot wound and was pronounced deceased shortly after arrival at the hospital.Profit met the requirement of a $350,000 bond and is no longer in custody.

Kan. suspect in Halloween killing of 13-year-old is due back in court

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;STEVE PEOPLES,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/eric-tucker">ERIC TUCKER</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/amanda-seitz">AMANDA SEITZ</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — Confusion and chaos loom as hundreds of thousands of federal employees begin their workweek on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-trump-federal-workers-f44257ce4cf8c04c96c8ce0ce262842f">facing a deadline</a>&nbsp;from President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting chief, Elon Musk, to explain their recent accomplishments or risk losing their jobs.

Musk’s unusual demand has faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-federal-workers-trump-demand-firings-06553df358086db05917d3c50f3699d6">resistance from several key U.S. agencies</a>&nbsp;led by the president’s loyalists — including the FBI, State Department, Homeland Security and the Pentagon — which instructed their employees over the weekend not to comply. Lawmakers in both parties said that Musk’s mandate may be illegal, while unions are threatening to sue.

Trump over the weekend called for Musk to be more aggressive in his cost-cutting crusade through the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, and posted a meme on social media mocking federal employees who “cried about Trump and Elon.”

Musk’s team sent an email to hundreds of thousands of federal employees on Saturday giving them roughly 48 hours to report five specific things they had accomplished last week. In a separate message on X, Musk said any employee who failed to respond by the deadline — set in the email as 11:59 p.m. EST Monday — would lose their job.

Mass confusion followed on the eve of the deadline as some agencies resisted the order, others encouraged their workers to comply, and still others offered conflicting guidance.

One message on Sunday morning from the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., instructed its roughly 80,000 employees to comply. That was shortly after the acting general counsel, Sean Keveney, had instructed some not to. And by Sunday evening, agency leadership issued new instructions that employees should “pause activities” related to the request until noon on Monday.

“I’ll be candid with you. Having put in over 70 hours of work last week advancing Administration’s priorities, I was personally insulted to receive the below email,” Keveney said in an email viewed by The Associated Press that acknowledged a broad sense of “uncertainty and stress” within the agency.

Keveney laid out security concerns and pointed out some of the work done by the agency’s employees may be protected by attorney-client privilege: “I have received no assurances that there are appropriate protections in place to safeguard responses to this email.”

Democrats and even some Republicans, including Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, were critical of Musk’s ultimatum.

“If I could say one thing to Elon Musk, it’s like, please put a dose of compassion in this,” Curtis, whose state has 33,000 federal employees, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “These are real people. These are real lives. These are mortgages. ... It’s a false narrative to say we have to cut and you have to be cruel to do it as well.”

Newly confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-patel-fbi-justice-department-518329110ea230e2989095bfcbe34c59">FBI Director Kash Patel</a>, an outspoken Trump ally, instructed employees to ignore Musk’s request, at least for now.

“The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures,” Patel wrote in an email confirmed by the AP. “When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-us-attorney-federal-prosecutor-martin-trump-58e8b630e5a450cf10982e5fe9011a56">Ed Martin</a>, interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, sent his staff a message Sunday that may have caused more confusion.

“Let me clarify: We will comply with this OPM request whether by replying or deciding not to reply,” Martin wrote in the email obtained by the AP, referring to the Office of Personnel Management.

“Please make a good faith effort to reply and list your activities (or not, as you prefer), and I will, as I mentioned, have your back regarding any confusion,” Martin continued. “We can do this.”

Officials at the Departments of State, Defense and Homeland Security were more consistent.

Tibor Nagy, acting undersecretary of state for management, told employees in an email that department leadership would respond on behalf of workers. “No employee is obligated to report their activities outside of their Department chain of command,” Nagy wrote in an email.

Pentagon leadership instructed employees to “pause” any response to Musk’s team, according to an email from Jules Hurst, the deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.

The Homeland Security Department, meanwhile, told employees that “no reporting action from you is needed at this time” and that agency managers would respond, according to an email from R.D. Alles, deputy undersecretary for management.

Thousands of government employees have already been forced out of the federal workforce — either by being fired or through a “deferred resignation″ offer — during the first month of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump’s second term</a>. There is no official figure available for the total firings or layoffs so far, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-d33cdd7872d64d2bdd8fe70c28652654">the AP has tallied</a>&nbsp;hundreds of thousands of workers who are being affected. Many work outside of Washington.

Musk on Sunday called his latest request “a very basic pulse check.”

“The reason this matters is that a significant number of people who are supposed to be working for the government are doing so little work that they are not checking their email at all!” Musk wrote on X. “In some cases, we believe non-existent people or the identities of dead people are being used to collect paychecks. In other words, there is outright fraud.”

He has provided no evidence of such fraud. Separately, Musk and Trump have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-payments-deceased-false-claims-doge-ed2885f5769f368853ac3615b4852cf7#">falsely claimed</a>&nbsp;in recent days that tens of millions of dead people over 100 years old are receiving Social Security payments.

Meanwhile, thousands of other employees are preparing to leave the federal workforce this coming week, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-job-cuts-trump-doge-31e3ed62f5f35a5e5a4a07fd8708232f">probationary civilian workers at the Pentagon</a>&nbsp;and all but a fraction of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-trump-musk-foreign-aid-firings-a3af8ce6ef17878b718c8e2ed3bf98e4">U.S. Agency for International Development staffers</a>&nbsp;through cuts or leave.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740270477857.png" alt="Musk’s team sent an email to federal employees on Saturday giving them roughly 48 hours to report five specific things they had accomplished last week.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Musk’s team sent an email to federal employees on Saturday giving them roughly 48 hours to report five specific things they had accomplished last week.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;STEVE PEOPLES,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/eric-tucker">ERIC TUCKER</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/amanda-seitz">AMANDA SEITZ</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — Confusion and chaos loom as hundreds of thousands of federal employees begin their workweek on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-trump-federal-workers-f44257ce4cf8c04c96c8ce0ce262842f">facing a deadline</a>&nbsp;from President Donald Trump’s cost-cutting chief, Elon Musk, to explain their recent accomplishments or risk losing their jobs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739917649688.png" alt="-File photo Elon Musk during his address to the World Government's Summit last week" />
 <figcaption>-File photo Elon Musk during his address to the World Government's Summit last week</figcaption>
 </figure>Musk’s unusual demand has faced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-federal-workers-trump-demand-firings-06553df358086db05917d3c50f3699d6">resistance from several key U.S. agencies</a>&nbsp;led by the president’s loyalists — including the FBI, State Department, Homeland Security and the Pentagon — which instructed their employees over the weekend not to comply. Lawmakers in both parties said that Musk’s mandate may be illegal, while unions are threatening to sue.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Defense Department Statement on OPM Mail Guidance. <a href="https://t.co/fq8V7ltI2A">pic.twitter.com/fq8V7ltI2A</a>&mdash; Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofDefense/status/1893749113876787235?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump over the weekend called for Musk to be more aggressive in his cost-cutting crusade through the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, and posted a meme on social media mocking federal employees who “cried about Trump and Elon.”Musk’s team sent an email to hundreds of thousands of federal employees on Saturday giving them roughly 48 hours to report five specific things they had accomplished last week. In a separate message on X, Musk said any employee who failed to respond by the deadline — set in the email as 11:59 p.m. EST Monday — would lose their job.Mass confusion followed on the eve of the deadline as some agencies resisted the order, others encouraged their workers to comply, and still others offered conflicting guidance.One message on Sunday morning from the Department of Health and Human Services, led by Robert F. Kennedy Jr., instructed its roughly 80,000 employees to comply. That was shortly after the acting general counsel, Sean Keveney, had instructed some not to. And by Sunday evening, agency leadership issued new instructions that employees should “pause activities” related to the request until noon on Monday.“I’ll be candid with you. Having put in over 70 hours of work last week advancing Administration’s priorities, I was personally insulted to receive the below email,” Keveney said in an email viewed by The Associated Press that acknowledged a broad sense of “uncertainty and stress” within the agency.Keveney laid out security concerns and pointed out some of the work done by the agency’s employees may be protected by attorney-client privilege: “I have received no assurances that there are appropriate protections in place to safeguard responses to this email.”Democrats and even some Republicans, including Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, were critical of Musk’s ultimatum.“If I could say one thing to Elon Musk, it’s like, please put a dose of compassion in this,” Curtis, whose state has 33,000 federal employees, said on CBS’ “Face the Nation.” “These are real people. These are real lives. These are mortgages. ... It’s a false narrative to say we have to cut and you have to be cruel to do it as well.”Newly confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-patel-fbi-justice-department-518329110ea230e2989095bfcbe34c59">FBI Director Kash Patel</a>, an outspoken Trump ally, instructed employees to ignore Musk’s request, at least for now.“The FBI, through the Office of the Director, is in charge of all of our review processes, and will conduct reviews in accordance with FBI procedures,” Patel wrote in an email confirmed by the AP. “When and if further information is required, we will coordinate the responses. For now, please pause any responses.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dc-us-attorney-federal-prosecutor-martin-trump-58e8b630e5a450cf10982e5fe9011a56">Ed Martin</a>, interim U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, sent his staff a message Sunday that may have caused more confusion.“Let me clarify: We will comply with this OPM request whether by replying or deciding not to reply,” Martin wrote in the email obtained by the AP, referring to the Office of Personnel Management.“Please make a good faith effort to reply and list your activities (or not, as you prefer), and I will, as I mentioned, have your back regarding any confusion,” Martin continued. “We can do this.”Officials at the Departments of State, Defense and Homeland Security were more consistent.Tibor Nagy, acting undersecretary of state for management, told employees in an email that department leadership would respond on behalf of workers. “No employee is obligated to report their activities outside of their Department chain of command,” Nagy wrote in an email.Pentagon leadership instructed employees to “pause” any response to Musk’s team, according to an email from Jules Hurst, the deputy undersecretary of defense for personnel and readiness.The Homeland Security Department, meanwhile, told employees that “no reporting action from you is needed at this time” and that agency managers would respond, according to an email from R.D. Alles, deputy undersecretary for management.Thousands of government employees have already been forced out of the federal workforce — either by being fired or through a “deferred resignation″ offer — during the first month of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Trump’s second term</a>. There is no official figure available for the total firings or layoffs so far, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/doge-firings-layoffs-federal-government-workers-musk-d33cdd7872d64d2bdd8fe70c28652654">the AP has tallied</a>&nbsp;hundreds of thousands of workers who are being affected. Many work outside of Washington.Musk on Sunday called his latest request “a very basic pulse check.”“The reason this matters is that a significant number of people who are supposed to be working for the government are doing so little work that they are not checking their email at all!” Musk wrote on X. “In some cases, we believe non-existent people or the identities of dead people are being used to collect paychecks. In other words, there is outright fraud.”He has provided no evidence of such fraud. Separately, Musk and Trump have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-payments-deceased-false-claims-doge-ed2885f5769f368853ac3615b4852cf7#">falsely claimed</a>&nbsp;in recent days that tens of millions of dead people over 100 years old are receiving Social Security payments.Meanwhile, thousands of other employees are preparing to leave the federal workforce this coming week, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-job-cuts-trump-doge-31e3ed62f5f35a5e5a4a07fd8708232f">probationary civilian workers at the Pentagon</a>&nbsp;and all but a fraction of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-trump-musk-foreign-aid-firings-a3af8ce6ef17878b718c8e2ed3bf98e4">U.S. Agency for International Development staffers</a>&nbsp;through cuts or leave.

Key federal agencies fight Musk over latest demand in cost-cutting crusade

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Authorities are investigating a fatal dog attack in Wichita.

Just after 4 p.m. Saturday, police responded to report of a dog bite at a home in the 2900 block of West Murdock in Wichita, according to a media release. First responders found 40-year-old Moeshae Thomas, who was injured.

Investigators determined there were two pit bulls, owned by the family, inside the home and they were fighting. Thomas attempted to break up the dogs when she was attacked.&nbsp;

EMS transported Thomas a local hospital in extremely critical condition, but later died.

The dogs have&nbsp;been surrendered to Wichita Animal Services.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Authorities are investigating a fatal dog attack in Wichita.Just after 4 p.m. Saturday, police responded to report of a dog bite at a home in the 2900 block of West Murdock in Wichita, according to a media release. First responders found 40-year-old Moeshae Thomas, who was injured.Investigators determined there were two pit bulls, owned by the family, inside the home and they were fighting. Thomas attempted to break up the dogs when she was attacked.&nbsp;EMS transported Thomas a local hospital in extremely critical condition, but later died.The dogs have&nbsp;been surrendered to Wichita Animal Services.

Kansas woman dies from injuries in dog attack

KANSAS CITY, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Saturday morning in Kansas City, Kansas.

Preliminary information indicates that at around 4 a.m., a male subject, later identified as&nbsp; Brian Hilt, 33, of Kansas City, Missouri, damaged property in order to enter an apartment building in the 700 Block of Nebraska Ave, in Kansas City. Surveillance video showed Hilt was armed with a firearm.

Around 5:10 a.m., a fire alarm was activated and firefighters from KCKFD responded.&nbsp; Upon seeing the property damage, officers from KCKPD were requested. A resident of the building called 911 a short time later reporting an armed disturbance. Two officers encountered Hilt in a hallway in the apartment building. Shots were fired after he disregarded commands to drop the gun he was holding. Despite medical aid rendered on scene, Hilt sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;No officers were injured during the incident.

This independent investigation aims to discover all events leading up to the officer-involved shooting. In police use of force cases, the KBI releases details to the public as soon as possible. This information is preliminary in nature, and is based on evidence collected and early statements of the parties involved, witnesses, medical personnel and others. It does not represent final or thorough findings which take several weeks to complete.

When this investigation concludes, case findings will be presented to the Wyandotte County District Attorney

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740394754079.png" alt="Hilt from a previous arrest in Wyandotte County" />
 <figcaption>Hilt from a previous arrest in Wyandotte County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. –&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Saturday morning in Kansas City, Kansas.Preliminary information indicates that at around 4 a.m., a male subject, later identified as&nbsp; Brian Hilt, 33, of Kansas City, Missouri, damaged property in order to enter an apartment building in the 700 Block of Nebraska Ave, in Kansas City. Surveillance video showed Hilt was armed with a firearm.Around 5:10 a.m., a fire alarm was activated and firefighters from KCKFD responded.&nbsp; Upon seeing the property damage, officers from KCKPD were requested. A resident of the building called 911 a short time later reporting an armed disturbance. Two officers encountered Hilt in a hallway in the apartment building. Shots were fired after he disregarded commands to drop the gun he was holding. Despite medical aid rendered on scene, Hilt sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;No officers were injured during the incident.This independent investigation aims to discover all events leading up to the officer-involved shooting. In police use of force cases, the KBI releases details to the public as soon as possible. This information is preliminary in nature, and is based on evidence collected and early statements of the parties involved, witnesses, medical personnel and others. It does not represent final or thorough findings which take several weeks to complete.When this investigation concludes, case findings will be presented to the Wyandotte County District Attorney

Break-in leads to fatal Kansas officer-involved shooting

KANSAS CITY —One person died in a house fire Saturday in Kansas City. Just after 11:30p.m. Saturday, crews responded to a reported house fire in the 1600 block of Bristol, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

Crews reported heavy fire from a two-story occupied residence on arrival.&nbsp; Reports of two occupants were made by the initial caller. One occupant was able to escape. A second occupant, a 65-year-old immobile occupant, was unable to escape and was overcome by the fire. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The surviving occupant was transported to a local hospital for evaluation.&nbsp; Officials released no additional details including the name of the man who died and a possible cause of the fire.

KANSAS CITY —One person died in a house fire Saturday in Kansas City. Just after 11:30p.m. Saturday, crews responded to a reported house fire in the 1600 block of Bristol, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.Crews reported heavy fire from a two-story occupied residence on arrival.&nbsp; Reports of two occupants were made by the initial caller. One occupant was able to escape. A second occupant, a 65-year-old immobile occupant, was unable to escape and was overcome by the fire. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The surviving occupant was transported to a local hospital for evaluation.&nbsp; Officials released no additional details including the name of the man who died and a possible cause of the fire.

65-year-old overcome by fire at Kansas City home

DAMASCUS —U.S. forces continue to battle terrorist activity in the Middle East.

On Feb. 21, U.S. forces conducted a precision airstrike in Northwest Syria, killing Wasim Tahsin Bayraqdar, a senior leadership facilitator of the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din (HaD), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

"The airstrike is part of CENTCOM's ongoing commitment, along with partners in the region, to disrupt and degrade efforts by terrorists to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against civilians and military personnel from the U.S., our allies, and our partners throughout the region and beyond."

"We will relentlessly pursue and destroy terrorist threats, no matter their location, in order to protect our homeland and our allies and partners," said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander, U.S. Central Command.⁩

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740235103563.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command." />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command.</figcaption>
 </figure>DAMASCUS —U.S. forces continue to battle terrorist activity in the Middle East.On Feb. 21, U.S. forces conducted a precision airstrike in Northwest Syria, killing Wasim Tahsin Bayraqdar, a senior leadership facilitator of the terrorist organization Hurras al-Din (HaD), an Al-Qaeda affiliate, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command."The airstrike is part of CENTCOM's ongoing commitment, along with partners in the region, to disrupt and degrade efforts by terrorists to plan, organize, and conduct attacks against civilians and military personnel from the U.S., our allies, and our partners throughout the region and beyond.""We will relentlessly pursue and destroy terrorist threats, no matter their location, in order to protect our homeland and our allies and partners," said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, commander, U.S. Central Command.⁩

U.S. forces kill Al Qaeda affiliate, Hurras al-Din, leader in Syria

BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/ellen-knickmeyer">ELLEN KNICKMEYER</a>

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration moved its fast-paced dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development toward what appeared to be its final phases, telling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-musk-doge-7ec0a2b4032d4782d41c00164003b5de">all but a fraction of staffers</a>&nbsp;worldwide that they were on leave as of Monday and notifying at least 1,600 of the U.S.-based staffers they were being fired.

The move was the latest and one of the biggest steps in what President Donald Trump and cost-cutting ally Elon Musk say is their goal of gutting the six-decade-old aid and development agency in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-federal-workers-trump-demand-firings-06553df358086db05917d3c50f3699d6">broader campaign to slash the size of the federal government</a>.

The move comes after a federal judge on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-staffing-cuts-lawsuits-d1ec029b4d14c37c25abc5dc07066471">allowed the administration to move forward</a>&nbsp;with its plan to pull thousands of USAID staffers off the job in the United States and around the world. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols rejected pleas in a lawsuit from employees to keep&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-foreign-aid-trump-rubio-48f8460804d33bdaa18d7765c4b24f9e">temporarily blocking</a>&nbsp;the government’s plan.

“As of 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 23, 2025, all USAID direct hire personnel, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and/or specially designated programs, will be placed on administrative leave globally,” according to the notices sent to USAID workers that were viewed by The Associated Press.

At the same time, the agency said in the notices to staffers that it was beginning a firing process called reduction in force that would eliminate 2,000 U.S.-based jobs. A version of the notice posted later on USAID's website put the number of positions to be eliminated lower, at 1,600.

The administration gave no explanation for the discrepancy. USAID and the State Department did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.

Within hours of that notice, individual staffers began reporting receiving the notices of their upcoming dismissal under the reduction in force.

The Trump appointee running USAID, deputy administrator Pete Marocco, has indicated he plans to keep about 600 mostly U.S.-based staffers on the job in the meantime, in part to arrange travel for USAID staffers and families abroad.

The move escalates a monthlong push to dismantle the agency, which has included closing its headquarters in Washington and shutting down thousands of aid and development programs worldwide following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-department-trump-foreign-aid-bf047e17ef64cb42a1a1b7fdf05caffa">freeze on all foreign assistance</a>. A judge later temporarily blocked the funding freeze. Trump and Musk contend that USAID's work is wasteful and furthers a liberal agenda.

Lawsuits by government workers' unions, USAID contractors and others say the administration lacks the constitutional authority to eliminate an independent agency or congressionally funded programs without lawmakers' approval.

The Trump administration efforts upend decades of U.S. policy that aid and development work overseas serves national security by stabilizing regions and economies and building alliances.

The notices of firings and leaves come on top of hundreds of USAID contractors receiving no-name form letters of termination in the past week, according to copies that AP viewed.

The blanket nature of the notification letters to USAID contractors, excluding the names or positions of those receiving them, could make it difficult for the dismissed workers to get unemployment benefits, workers noted.

A different judge in a second lawsuit tied to USAID said this past week that the administration had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-freeze-judge-f995a8ccf69fc62826f69442196e94ed">kept withholding foreign aid</a>&nbsp;despite his order temporarily blocking the funding freeze and must restore the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-aid-usaid-pepfar-africa-hiv-396263cd9e7281af7d543d3c68fa465a">funding to programs worldwide</a>.

The separate ruling from Nichols, a Trump appointee, on Friday also cleared the way for the administration to start the clock on a planned 30-day deadline for USAID staffers and their families to return home if they want their travel paid for by the government.

The judge said he was satisfied by Trump administration assurances that workers abroad would be allowed to stay in their jobs while on leave beyond the 30 days even if they chose to remain overseas.

Foreign staffers fear that continued problems with funding flows and the gutting of most of the headquarters staff will make a safe and orderly return difficult, especially those with children in school, houses to sell and ill family members.

USAID's notice Sunday said it was “committed to keeping its overseas personnel safe” and pledged not to cut off USAID staffers abroad from agency systems and other support.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1738896794184.jpeg" alt="File photo-Members of Congress protest USAID cuts earlier this month -Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo-Members of Congress protest USAID cuts earlier this month -Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/ellen-knickmeyer">ELLEN KNICKMEYER</a>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration moved its fast-paced dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development toward what appeared to be its final phases, telling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-musk-doge-7ec0a2b4032d4782d41c00164003b5de">all but a fraction of staffers</a>&nbsp;worldwide that they were on leave as of Monday and notifying at least 1,600 of the U.S.-based staffers they were being fired.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740351671351.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The move was the latest and one of the biggest steps in what President Donald Trump and cost-cutting ally Elon Musk say is their goal of gutting the six-decade-old aid and development agency in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/musk-federal-workers-trump-demand-firings-06553df358086db05917d3c50f3699d6">broader campaign to slash the size of the federal government</a>.The move comes after a federal judge on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-staffing-cuts-lawsuits-d1ec029b4d14c37c25abc5dc07066471">allowed the administration to move forward</a>&nbsp;with its plan to pull thousands of USAID staffers off the job in the United States and around the world. U.S. District Judge Carl Nichols rejected pleas in a lawsuit from employees to keep&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/usaid-foreign-aid-trump-rubio-48f8460804d33bdaa18d7765c4b24f9e">temporarily blocking</a>&nbsp;the government’s plan.“As of 11:59 p.m. EST on Sunday, February 23, 2025, all USAID direct hire personnel, with the exception of designated personnel responsible for mission-critical functions, core leadership and/or specially designated programs, will be placed on administrative leave globally,” according to the notices sent to USAID workers that were viewed by The Associated Press.At the same time, the agency said in the notices to staffers that it was beginning a firing process called reduction in force that would eliminate 2,000 U.S.-based jobs. A version of the notice posted later on USAID's website put the number of positions to be eliminated lower, at 1,600.The administration gave no explanation for the discrepancy. USAID and the State Department did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.Within hours of that notice, individual staffers began reporting receiving the notices of their upcoming dismissal under the reduction in force.The Trump appointee running USAID, deputy administrator Pete Marocco, has indicated he plans to keep about 600 mostly U.S.-based staffers on the job in the meantime, in part to arrange travel for USAID staffers and families abroad.The move escalates a monthlong push to dismantle the agency, which has included closing its headquarters in Washington and shutting down thousands of aid and development programs worldwide following a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-department-trump-foreign-aid-bf047e17ef64cb42a1a1b7fdf05caffa">freeze on all foreign assistance</a>. A judge later temporarily blocked the funding freeze. Trump and Musk contend that USAID's work is wasteful and furthers a liberal agenda.Lawsuits by government workers' unions, USAID contractors and others say the administration lacks the constitutional authority to eliminate an independent agency or congressionally funded programs without lawmakers' approval.The Trump administration efforts upend decades of U.S. policy that aid and development work overseas serves national security by stabilizing regions and economies and building alliances.The notices of firings and leaves come on top of hundreds of USAID contractors receiving no-name form letters of termination in the past week, according to copies that AP viewed.The blanket nature of the notification letters to USAID contractors, excluding the names or positions of those receiving them, could make it difficult for the dismissed workers to get unemployment benefits, workers noted.A different judge in a second lawsuit tied to USAID said this past week that the administration had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-usaid-foreign-aid-freeze-judge-f995a8ccf69fc62826f69442196e94ed">kept withholding foreign aid</a>&nbsp;despite his order temporarily blocking the funding freeze and must restore the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-aid-usaid-pepfar-africa-hiv-396263cd9e7281af7d543d3c68fa465a">funding to programs worldwide</a>.The separate ruling from Nichols, a Trump appointee, on Friday also cleared the way for the administration to start the clock on a planned 30-day deadline for USAID staffers and their families to return home if they want their travel paid for by the government.The judge said he was satisfied by Trump administration assurances that workers abroad would be allowed to stay in their jobs while on leave beyond the 30 days even if they chose to remain overseas.Foreign staffers fear that continued problems with funding flows and the gutting of most of the headquarters staff will make a safe and orderly return difficult, especially those with children in school, houses to sell and ill family members.USAID's notice Sunday said it was “committed to keeping its overseas personnel safe” and pledged not to cut off USAID staffers abroad from agency systems and other support.

Read the notice: Trump admin. placing USAID staffers on leave worldwide, firing hundreds

KANSAS CITY —A suspect has been charged&nbsp;in the fatal shooting that took place outside a South Kansas City convenience store earlier this month.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2514/Herring-Complaint-Packet-Redact">Kevin L. Herring. 24, has been charged</a>&nbsp;with 2nd Degree Murder and Armed Criminal Action, according to the Jackson County Prosecutor's office.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2515/K-Herring-PC-Statement-Redacted">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to a convenience store on the 8000 block of Hickman Mills Drive on Feb. 10 and found the victim deceased. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Detectives determined, based on surveillance footage, that three suspects arrived at the convenience store in a white Ford Expedition. Surveillance footage inside the store showed two of the suspects, including the defendant, armed with firearms in plain view. One of the suspects appeared to have taken items without paying for them and then all the suspects exited the store and got back into the Expedition. Herring was observed getting into the driver’s seat.

The victim then exited the store, approached the Expedition, and pointed a pistol toward the vehicle. Herring returned the items to the victim through the window.&nbsp;

The Expedition drove to exit the parking lot, and the victim walked back to the front of the store. As he approached the door, the Expedition stopped, and Herring exited and shot in the direction of the victim multiple times. The front passenger also shot multiple times from the Expedition. The Expedition left the scene.&nbsp;

Herring is being held on a $500,000 bond.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1739240797760.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A suspect has been charged&nbsp;in the fatal shooting that took place outside a South Kansas City convenience store earlier this month.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2514/Herring-Complaint-Packet-Redact">Kevin L. Herring. 24, has been charged</a>&nbsp;with 2nd Degree Murder and Armed Criminal Action, according to the Jackson County Prosecutor's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740163461819.png" alt="Herring-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Herring-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2515/K-Herring-PC-Statement-Redacted">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to a convenience store on the 8000 block of Hickman Mills Drive on Feb. 10 and found the victim deceased. &nbsp;&nbsp;Detectives determined, based on surveillance footage, that three suspects arrived at the convenience store in a white Ford Expedition. Surveillance footage inside the store showed two of the suspects, including the defendant, armed with firearms in plain view. One of the suspects appeared to have taken items without paying for them and then all the suspects exited the store and got back into the Expedition. Herring was observed getting into the driver’s seat.The victim then exited the store, approached the Expedition, and pointed a pistol toward the vehicle. Herring returned the items to the victim through the window.&nbsp;The Expedition drove to exit the parking lot, and the victim walked back to the front of the store. As he approached the door, the Expedition stopped, and Herring exited and shot in the direction of the victim multiple times. The front passenger also shot multiple times from the Expedition. The Expedition left the scene.&nbsp;Herring is being held on a $500,000 bond.&nbsp;

Suspect charged in KC convenience store killing

JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged drug sales.

On the night February 20, a couple of patrol sergeants conducted a traffic stop near 87th Street and Interstate 35 in Lenexa for what some might call a "routine" violation, according to a social media report from Lenexa. Police.

"SIDE NOTE: Many significant arrests start with traffic stops—alert officers often uncover crimes in progress, illegal drugs, firearms, and wanted individuals."

During this stop, the sergeants quickly noticed illegal drugs in plain view, along with suspicious behavior from the passenger. A thorough investigation led to the discovery of suspected fentanyl, meth, cocaine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia, all with evidence of distribution.

The adult male suspect was arrested and has since been charged by the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office with Distribution of Fentanyl, Distribution of Methamphetamine, Distribution of Cocaine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia/

"This case is a great example of sharp police work by our officers, even in record-breaking cold."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740084516056.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged drug sales.On the night February 20, a couple of patrol sergeants conducted a traffic stop near 87th Street and Interstate 35 in Lenexa for what some might call a "routine" violation, according to a social media report from Lenexa. Police."SIDE NOTE: Many significant arrests start with traffic stops—alert officers often uncover crimes in progress, illegal drugs, firearms, and wanted individuals."During this stop, the sergeants quickly noticed illegal drugs in plain view, along with suspicious behavior from the passenger. A thorough investigation led to the discovery of suspected fentanyl, meth, cocaine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia, all with evidence of distribution.The adult male suspect was arrested and has since been charged by the Johnson County District Attorney’s Office with Distribution of Fentanyl, Distribution of Methamphetamine, Distribution of Cocaine, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia/"This case is a great example of sharp police work by our officers, even in record-breaking cold."

Traffic stop in record-breaking cold led to arrest of Kan. fentanyl dealer

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis remained in critical condition Sunday and blood tests showed early kidney failure but he remains alert, responsive and attended Mass, the Vatican said, as the 88-year-old pontiff battles pneumonia and a complex lung infection.

In a late update, the Vatican said Francis hadn’t had any more respiratory crises since Saturday night but was still receiving high flows of supplemental oxygen.

Some blood tests showed “initial, mild, kidney failure,” but doctors said it was under control.

“The complexity of the clinical picture, and the necessary wait for drug therapies to provide some feedback, dictate that the prognosis remains guarded,” Francis' doctors concluded.

Prayers for Francis, meanwhile, poured in from around the world, from his native Argentina to the seat of Sunni Islam in Cairo to schoolchildren in Rome.

In New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan admitted what church leaders in Rome weren't saying publicly: that the Catholic faithful were united “at the bedside of a dying father.”

“As our Holy Father Pope Francis is in very, very fragile health, and probably close to death,” Dolan said in his homily from the pulpit of St. Patrick's Cathedral, though he later told reporters he hoped and prayed that Francis would “bounce back.”

Doctors have said Francis’ condition is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and pre-existing lung disease. His condition has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-incapacitated-vatican-charge-3b6afdf158e01662d553945efbbff2ce">revived speculation</a>&nbsp;about what might happen if he becomes unconscious or otherwise incapacitated, and whether he might resign.

Francis was supposed to celebrate Mass on Sunday morning in St. Peter's Basilica and ordain deacons as part of the Vatican's yearlong Holy Year commemoration.

The organizer of the Holy Year, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, celebrated the Mass in his place and offered a special prayer for Francis from the altar before delivering the homily the pope had prepared.

“Even though he is in a hospital bed, we feel Pope Francis close to us. We feel him present among us,” Fisichella told the hundreds of white-robed deacons.

A pre-written message that had been prepared for Francis to read Sunday, but he did not deliver, said he was “confidently continuing my hospitalization at the Gemelli Hospital, carrying on with the necessary treatment; and rest is also part of the therapy!” The message asked for prayers for him — as he always asks — and noted the upcoming anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, “a painful and shameful occasion for the whole of humanity.”

Meanwhile in Francis' native Argentina, Catholics prayed for the pope at the Buenos Aires cathedral and the city's iconic obelisk was lit up “Francis, the city prays for you.”

In Cairo, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, the seat of Sunni learning who forged a close bond with Francis, wished him well.

“I pray to Allah to grant my dear brother, Pope Francis, a swift recovery and to bless him with good health and well-being so that he may continue his journey in serving humanity,” Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb wrote in a Facebook post.

The American Jewish Committee also offered prayers. “We stand together with our Catholic brothers and sisters during this challenging time,” the group wrote on X.

And school children from around Rome deluged the Gemelli hospital with get-well cards, while Italian bishops led rosary prayers and celebrated special Masses across Italy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740262535769.png" alt="Candles and a photo of Pope Francis are seen in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, where the Pontiff is hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)" />
 <figcaption>Candles and a photo of Pope Francis are seen in front of the Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic, in Rome, Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025, where the Pontiff is hospitalized since Friday, Feb. 14.(AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — Pope Francis remained in critical condition Sunday and blood tests showed early kidney failure but he remains alert, responsive and attended Mass, the Vatican said, as the 88-year-old pontiff battles pneumonia and a complex lung infection.In a late update, the Vatican said Francis hadn’t had any more respiratory crises since Saturday night but was still receiving high flows of supplemental oxygen.Some blood tests showed “initial, mild, kidney failure,” but doctors said it was under control.“The complexity of the clinical picture, and the necessary wait for drug therapies to provide some feedback, dictate that the prognosis remains guarded,” Francis' doctors concluded.Prayers for Francis, meanwhile, poured in from around the world, from his native Argentina to the seat of Sunni Islam in Cairo to schoolchildren in Rome.In New York, Cardinal Timothy Dolan admitted what church leaders in Rome weren't saying publicly: that the Catholic faithful were united “at the bedside of a dying father.”“As our Holy Father Pope Francis is in very, very fragile health, and probably close to death,” Dolan said in his homily from the pulpit of St. Patrick's Cathedral, though he later told reporters he hoped and prayed that Francis would “bounce back.”Doctors have said Francis’ condition is touch-and-go, given his age, fragility and pre-existing lung disease. His condition has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-incapacitated-vatican-charge-3b6afdf158e01662d553945efbbff2ce">revived speculation</a>&nbsp;about what might happen if he becomes unconscious or otherwise incapacitated, and whether he might resign.<h2>Prayers for pope at Vatican</h2>Francis was supposed to celebrate Mass on Sunday morning in St. Peter's Basilica and ordain deacons as part of the Vatican's yearlong Holy Year commemoration.The organizer of the Holy Year, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, celebrated the Mass in his place and offered a special prayer for Francis from the altar before delivering the homily the pope had prepared.“Even though he is in a hospital bed, we feel Pope Francis close to us. We feel him present among us,” Fisichella told the hundreds of white-robed deacons.A pre-written message that had been prepared for Francis to read Sunday, but he did not deliver, said he was “confidently continuing my hospitalization at the Gemelli Hospital, carrying on with the necessary treatment; and rest is also part of the therapy!” The message asked for prayers for him — as he always asks — and noted the upcoming anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, “a painful and shameful occasion for the whole of humanity.”Meanwhile in Francis' native Argentina, Catholics prayed for the pope at the Buenos Aires cathedral and the city's iconic obelisk was lit up “Francis, the city prays for you.”In Cairo, the grand imam of Al-Azhar, the seat of Sunni learning who forged a close bond with Francis, wished him well.“I pray to Allah to grant my dear brother, Pope Francis, a swift recovery and to bless him with good health and well-being so that he may continue his journey in serving humanity,” Sheikh Ahmed al-Tayeb wrote in a Facebook post.The American Jewish Committee also offered prayers. “We stand together with our Catholic brothers and sisters during this challenging time,” the group wrote on X.And school children from around Rome deluged the Gemelli hospital with get-well cards, while Italian bishops led rosary prayers and celebrated special Masses across Italy.<h2>The main threat facing the pope is sepsis</h2>Doctors have warned that the main threat facing Francis is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-illness-explainer-pneumonia-vatican-6c90fdb0d03ed1703293564686a80978">sepsis</a>, a serious infection of the blood that can occur as a complication of pneumonia. To date there has been no reference to any onset of sepsis in the medical updates provided by the Vatican, including on Sunday.On Saturday, Francis developed a low platelet count, which remained low but stable Sunday. Platelets are cell-like fragments that circulate in the blood that help form blood clots to stop bleeding or help wounds heal. Low platelet counts can be caused by a number of things, including side effects from medicines or infections.Francis also developed anemia and, during blood transfusions Saturday, was given hematin, a treatment designed to increase the level of hemoglobin in his his blood, which in turn helps the blood carry more oxygen. Doctors reported Sunday that the therapy had been beneficial.Francis, who has chronic lung disease and is prone to bronchitis in winter, was admitted to Gemelli hospital on Feb. 14 after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-gemelli-hospital-0a88f9b701a0933ac6a781df785cd0db">weeklong bout of bronchitis worsened</a>.Doctors first diagnosed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-illness-polymicrobial-infection-6638f63730046f420b4d0a6d364826f7">complex viral, bacterial and fungal respiratory tract infection</a>&nbsp;and then the onset of pneumonia in both lungs. They prescribed “absolute rest” and a combination of cortisone and antibiotics, along with supplemental oxygen when he needs it.<h2>Francis’ recent reforms suggest he knew he was getting older and more fragile</h2>Francis has taken several recent decisions that suggest he was well aware that he was getting old and frail.Last year, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-funeral-rites-francis-vatican-d8b24d48b743e4b6b11f565196741504">revised the funeral rites</a>&nbsp;that will be used after he dies, simplifying the rituals to emphasize his role as a mere bishop and allowing for burial outside the Vatican in keeping with his wishes. But the core elements of the rites remain, including the three key moments that must be observed between the death of a pope and his funeral: In his home, in St. Peter’s Basilica and in the place of burial.In December, Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-cardinals-pope-7b4c2e55b2f0d42436a6ec65182e489a">created 21 new cardinals</a>. All but one were under age 80 and thus eligible to vote in a conclave to elect his successor. Their additions brought the overall number of voting-age cardinals to 140, well over the 120 limit set by St. John Paul II. But several of the current electors are turning 80 this year, bringing the number down.Earlier this month, once he was already sick, Francis decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-pope-camerlengo-a2dc467fd152255e4301109b96a13901">extend the five-year term of the current dean</a>&nbsp;of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, 91, rather than make way for someone new. As depicted in the film “Conclave,” the dean of the College of Cardinals plays an important role in the life of the Catholic hierarchy, and is a crucial figure during the transition between one papacy and the next.Francis also decided to extend the term of the vice-dean, Argentine Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, 81.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.