KANSAS CITY (AP) —The U.S. is projected to see nearly 100,000 more COVID-19 deaths between now and Dec. 1, according to the nation’s most closely watched forecasting model. But health experts say that toll could be cut in half if nearly everyone wore a mask in public spaces.

In other words, what the coronavirus has in store this fall depends on human behavior.

“Behavior is really going to determine if, when and how sustainably the current wave subsides,” said Lauren Ancel Meyers, director of the University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium. “We cannot stop delta in its tracks, but we can change our behavior overnight.”

That means doubling down again on masks, limiting social gatherings, staying home when sick and getting vaccinated. “Those things are within our control,” Meyers said.

The U.S. is in the grip of a fourth wave of infection this summer, powered by the highly contagious delta variant, which has sent cases, hospitalizations and deaths soaring again, swamped medical centers, burned out nurses and erased months of progress against the virus.

Deaths are running at over 1,100 a day on average, turning the clock back to mid-March. One&nbsp;<a href="https://covid19.healthdata.org/united-states-of-america?view=social-distancing&amp;tab=trend" target="_blank">influential model</a>, from the University of Washington, projects an additional 98,000 Americans will die by the start of December, for an overall death toll of nearly 730,000.

The projection says deaths will rise to nearly 1,400 a day by mid-September, then decline slowly.

But the model also says many of those deaths can be averted if Americans change their ways.

“We can save 50,000 lives simply by wearing masks. That’s how important behaviors are,” said Ali Mokdad, a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle who is involved in the making of the projections.

Already there are signs that Americans are taking the threat more seriously.

Amid the alarm over the delta variant in the past several weeks, the slump in demand for COVID-19 shots reversed course. The number of vaccinations dispensed per day has climbed around 80% over the past month to an average of about 900,000.

White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said Tuesday that in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi, “more people got their first shots in the past month than in the prior two months combined.”

Also, millions of students are being required to wear masks. A growing number of employers are demanding their workers get the vaccine after the federal government gave Pfizer’s shot full approval earlier this week. And cities like New York and New Orleans are insisting people get vaccinated if they want to eat at a restaurant.

Half of American workers are in favor of vaccine requirements at their workplaces, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-business-health-travel-coronavirus-pandemic-1afb2682d6e08cdb54c5131f967f278a">new poll</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

Early signs suggest behavior changes may already be flattening the curve in a few places where the virus raged this summer.

An Associated Press analysis shows the rate of new cases is slowing in Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana and Arkansas, some of the same states where first shots are on the rise. In Florida, pleas from hospitals and a furor over masks in schools may have nudged some to take more precautions.

However, the troubling trends persist in Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wyoming, where new infections continue to rise steadily.

Mokdad said he is frustrated that Americans “aren’t doing what it takes to control this virus.”

“I don’t get it,” he said. “We have a fire and nobody wants to deploy a firetruck.”

One explanation: The good news in the spring — vaccinations rising, cases declining — gave people a glimpse of the way things used to be, said Elizabeth Stuart of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and that made it tough for them to resume the precautions they thought they left behind.

“We don’t need to fully hunker down,” she said, “but we can make some choices that reduce risk.”

Even vaccinated people should stay vigilant, said Dr. Gaby Sauza, 30, of Seattle, who was inoculated over the winter but tested positive for COVID-19 along with other guests days after an Aug. 14 Vermont wedding, even though the festivities were mostly outdoors and those attending had to submit photos of their vaccination cards.

“In retrospect, absolutely, I do wish I had worn a mask,” she said.

Sauza, a resident in pediatrics, will miss two weeks of hospital work and has wrestled with guilt over burdening her colleagues. She credits the vaccine with keeping her infection manageable, though she suffered several days of body aches, fevers, night sweats, fatigue, coughing and chest pain.

“If we behave, we can contain this virus. If we don’t behave, this virus is waiting for us,” Mokdad said. “It’s going to find the weak among us.”

KANSAS CITY (AP) —The U.S. is projected to see nearly 100,000 more COVID-19 deaths between now and Dec. 1, according to the nation’s most closely watched forecasting model. But health experts say that toll could be cut in half if nearly everyone wore a mask in public spaces.In other words, what the coronavirus has in store this fall depends on human behavior.“Behavior is really going to determine if, when and how sustainably the current wave subsides,” said Lauren Ancel Meyers, director of the University of Texas COVID-19 Modeling Consortium. “We cannot stop delta in its tracks, but we can change our behavior overnight.”That means doubling down again on masks, limiting social gatherings, staying home when sick and getting vaccinated. “Those things are within our control,” Meyers said.The U.S. is in the grip of a fourth wave of infection this summer, powered by the highly contagious delta variant, which has sent cases, hospitalizations and deaths soaring again, swamped medical centers, burned out nurses and erased months of progress against the virus.Deaths are running at over 1,100 a day on average, turning the clock back to mid-March. One&nbsp;<a href="https://covid19.healthdata.org/united-states-of-america?view=social-distancing&amp;tab=trend" target="_blank">influential model</a>, from the University of Washington, projects an additional 98,000 Americans will die by the start of December, for an overall death toll of nearly 730,000.The projection says deaths will rise to nearly 1,400 a day by mid-September, then decline slowly.But the model also says many of those deaths can be averted if Americans change their ways.“We can save 50,000 lives simply by wearing masks. That’s how important behaviors are,” said Ali Mokdad, a professor of health metrics sciences at the University of Washington in Seattle who is involved in the making of the projections.Already there are signs that Americans are taking the threat more seriously.Amid the alarm over the delta variant in the past several weeks, the slump in demand for COVID-19 shots reversed course. The number of vaccinations dispensed per day has climbed around 80% over the past month to an average of about 900,000.White House COVID-19 coordinator Jeff Zients said Tuesday that in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi, “more people got their first shots in the past month than in the prior two months combined.”Also, millions of students are being required to wear masks. A growing number of employers are demanding their workers get the vaccine after the federal government gave Pfizer’s shot full approval earlier this week. And cities like New York and New Orleans are insisting people get vaccinated if they want to eat at a restaurant.Half of American workers are in favor of vaccine requirements at their workplaces, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-business-health-travel-coronavirus-pandemic-1afb2682d6e08cdb54c5131f967f278a">new poll</a>&nbsp;from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.Early signs suggest behavior changes may already be flattening the curve in a few places where the virus raged this summer.An Associated Press analysis shows the rate of new cases is slowing in Mississippi, Florida, Louisiana and Arkansas, some of the same states where first shots are on the rise. In Florida, pleas from hospitals and a furor over masks in schools may have nudged some to take more precautions.However, the troubling trends persist in Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wyoming, where new infections continue to rise steadily.Mokdad said he is frustrated that Americans “aren’t doing what it takes to control this virus.”“I don’t get it,” he said. “We have a fire and nobody wants to deploy a firetruck.”One explanation: The good news in the spring — vaccinations rising, cases declining — gave people a glimpse of the way things used to be, said Elizabeth Stuart of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, and that made it tough for them to resume the precautions they thought they left behind.“We don’t need to fully hunker down,” she said, “but we can make some choices that reduce risk.”Even vaccinated people should stay vigilant, said Dr. Gaby Sauza, 30, of Seattle, who was inoculated over the winter but tested positive for COVID-19 along with other guests days after an Aug. 14 Vermont wedding, even though the festivities were mostly outdoors and those attending had to submit photos of their vaccination cards.“In retrospect, absolutely, I do wish I had worn a mask,” she said.Sauza, a resident in pediatrics, will miss two weeks of hospital work and has wrestled with guilt over burdening her colleagues. She credits the vaccine with keeping her infection manageable, though she suffered several days of body aches, fevers, night sweats, fatigue, coughing and chest pain.“If we behave, we can contain this virus. If we don’t behave, this virus is waiting for us,” Mokdad said. “It’s going to find the weak among us.”___

100,000 more COVID deaths seen unless US changes its ways

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on criminal charges involving explosives.

Just before 9a.m. Friday, police responded to disturbance at a home the 1800 Block of SW Lincoln in Topeka, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.

 While officers were in the area, they were made aware of possible explosives devices inside the residence. After rendering the area secure, the TPD Bomb Squad responded to the location to identify and safely secure the devices.

Police recovered four homemade explosives devices, according to Monasmith.&nbsp;

&nbsp;The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) assisted with the investigation and police arrested Robert Ames, 64&nbsp; of Topeka, on requested charges of&nbsp;Criminal Use of Explosives.&nbsp;During the investigation, no property damage or injuries were reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630154205701.png" alt="Ames photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Ames photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on criminal charges involving explosives.Just before 9a.m. Friday, police responded to disturbance at a home the 1800 Block of SW Lincoln in Topeka, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith. While officers were in the area, they were made aware of possible explosives devices inside the residence. After rendering the area secure, the TPD Bomb Squad responded to the location to identify and safely secure the devices.Police recovered four homemade explosives devices, according to Monasmith.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) assisted with the investigation and police arrested Robert Ames, 64&nbsp; of Topeka, on requested charges of&nbsp;Criminal Use of Explosives.&nbsp;During the investigation, no property damage or injuries were reported.

Police find explosives in Kansas man's home

KANSAS CITY (AP)—As the federal government releases historic sums of pandemic aid to the nation’s schools, it’s urging them to dream big, to invest in seismic changes that will benefit students for generations to come. But many districts say they have more urgent problems to tackle first.

In Detroit, that means fixing buildings with crumbling ceilings and mold infestations. Like other school systems, Detroit is caught between the Biden administration's lofty aspirations and bleak realities. The district is using some of the government money to hire tutors, expand mental health services and cut class sizes. But at least half of its $1.3 billion windfall is being set aside to make long-neglected repairs.

“For decades, we have been inequitably funded to deal with the enormous needs that poverty and racial injustice have created in our city,” Superintendent Nikolai Vitti told The Associated Press in an interview. “Now with the COVID relief, we’re going to be able to put a significant dent into the challenge.”

The administration has encouraged schools to take leaps, not steps, with the funding. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona has called it a time for bold innovation that breaks down inequities and rethinks all aspects of schooling.

“This is our moment to ensure that we reopen, reinvest and reimagine our schools differently and better than ever before,” Cardona said at a virtual education summit in June. “These next months and years will determine the trajectory of success for millions of students in our care.”

Despite those lofty aspirations, many large, urban districts are putting much of their pandemic relief toward practical needs, such as hiring nurses, restocking libraries, fixing playgrounds and bringing back art classes.

So far, there’s little evidence of major change, said Marguerite Roza, director of the Edunomics Lab, a school finance think tank at Georgetown University. Part of the problem, she said, is that the aid was given to schools with few strings attached.

“That’s not a recipe for innovation,” Roza said. “We sprinkled the dollars as blank checks to every one of these districts. And many are going to do what they already know how to do.”

The infusion of pandemic relief is bigger than anything American schools have seen before. It totals $190 billion, more than four times the amount the Education Department spends on K-12 schools in a typical year. Some districts will receive sums amounting to 50% or more of the cost to operate their schools for a year.

Congress has sent the funding in three waves since the start of the pandemic. The latest and largest round, which totals $123 billion, is still being distributed and gives school enormous flexibility in how to spend it. While 20% must be used to address learning setbacks, the rest can be used on nearly any cost that school officials deem “reasonable and necessary.”

Yet little is being done to track how schools are using the money. After the first wave of funding, the Education Department’s internal watchdog warned that grant oversight has been a “persistent management challenge." It cautioned that internal weaknesses could limit the department's ability to monitor the funding. Some Republicans in Congress have pressed for new legislation that would ensure greater transparency around the spending.

The Associated Press, relying on data published or provided by states and the federal government, for the first time tallied how much money was granted to nearly every district in the country. The federal government has not released full data at that level of detail.

The AP tracked more than $155 billion sent to states to distribute among schools since last year, including general pandemic relief that some states shared with their schools.

The median aid allocated to districts was about $2,800 per student, but it varies widely by district and state, according to the AP’s analysis. The median for districts in Louisiana and the District of Columbia was about $6,000 per student, for example, while in Utah it was $1,300.

Nationwide, high-poverty areas received much more. Detroit received the highest rate among big districts, at more than $25,000 per student. It was followed by Philadelphia, with $13,000 per student, and Cleveland, at more than $12,000.

Schools have three years to spend the latest round, a window that districts say is short for such a large amount of money. In many areas, school officials are reluctant to take on costs they may not be able to sustain after the federal aid is gone.

In St. Paul, Minnesota, the public school system is getting $321 million in total funding, an amount that Superintendent Joe Gothard calls “jaw-dropping.” But he said the time frame limits his spending options. The district has hired some new teachers, but it's mostly focusing on one-time costs such as building renovations and replacing library books.

“Three years will come very fast,” Gothard said. “It’s about managing expectations, honestly, and it starts with myself. We really have to be careful about avoiding a financial cliff.”

Detroit is taking a similar approach. The district plans to add mental health services in dozens of schools, but it’s being done through a contractor. Even the building improvements will only be temporary if the district does not get additional funding to maintain them, Vitti said.

Vitti's plan has the support of the school board. Deborah Hunter-Harvill, a board member who graduated from a district high school in 1973, recalled being a student when “the infrastructure was not crumbling, and everything was clean.”

“We want our students of today to have that same feeling and opportunity we had when we attended DPS back in the day,” Hunter-Harvill said.

But some in the community say the district should focus on other priorities, including improving online classes. Ida Byrd-Hill, chief executive of Detroit-based reskilling firm Automation Workz, said students from economically disadvantaged families have struggled to learn through remote instruction that mostly relied on worksheets and online lectures.

“In the past, school infrastructure meant brick-and-mortar buildings, alone,” Byrd-Hill said. Now it must include high-quality virtual learning systems.

Either way, the federal funding could end up saving local taxpayers. Before the pandemic, the district was planning to request a local tax increase to cover $1.5 billion in building repairs. It would have been a tough sell in a district with a troubled financial history. But with the new funding, Detroit might cancel its plans to request a tax hike.

Districts across the U.S. have spent the summer debating how to spend the new money, in some cases facing pressure from competing groups of parents, teachers and activists.

Some families want more money to go to special education. Others have demanded teacher training to address racial bias. Some activists have pushed back against plans to pay for building repairs, saying the relief should be spent directly on students.

At the same time, districts face mounting pressure to increase teacher salaries.

Eyeing the district’s $300 million in pandemic aid, the teachers union in Sacramento, California, called for smaller class sizes, which would mean hiring new teachers, along with pay increases. And while the union is not asking to tap into federal money for raises, the mere existence of the windfall bolsters the contention that raises are affordable.

The American Federation of Teachers says the federal relief should focus on infrastructure and academic support, but President Randi Weingarten said raises also will be needed to stop waves of teachers from quitting after a stressful year.

“This is the time to create an environment to recruit and retain teachers, and part of that is salary increases,” she said.

In Detroit, federal money will be used to continue hazard pay and teacher bonuses that the district started offering last year. Vitti said teaching is harder in the city because of its deep poverty, and he wants teacher pay to reflect that.

“They should be paid more. We just haven’t always had the revenue to do it,” he said.

Another source of concern for schools is state funding. While the worst fears of education cuts have not come to pass, there’s worry that the infusion of federal money will provide a reason to slash future state budgets.

In Holyoke, Massachusetts, one of the state’s poorest areas, the pandemic aid helped offset a $4 million reduction in state funding the district faced last school year. But with future funding still uncertain, the district is avoiding taking on big cost increases.

So far, the district has made plans for only a small share of its $53 million in total relief. It's hiring 32 math and reading teachers, and adding art and music classes in schools where those subjects have long been absent, among other spending decisions.

Without more time and guarantees of sustained funding, Superintendent Anthony Soto said it feels like districts are “just throwing money at an issue and thinking that these real systemic issues are going away. And they’re not.”

In Detroit, Vitti sees a chance to make the case for more state funding. He hopes to prove that even the one-time funding will help boost graduation rates, cut absenteeism and lead to tangible improvements for students. If he can do that, he hopes lawmakers in Lansing will offer him a continued lifeline to keep up the success.

“We’re looking forward to show clear outcomes from this investment,” he said, to make the case that similar funding "should be continued in an equitable way.”

KANSAS CITY (AP)—As the federal government releases historic sums of pandemic aid to the nation’s schools, it’s urging them to dream big, to invest in seismic changes that will benefit students for generations to come. But many districts say they have more urgent problems to tackle first.In Detroit, that means fixing buildings with crumbling ceilings and mold infestations. Like other school systems, Detroit is caught between the Biden administration's lofty aspirations and bleak realities. The district is using some of the government money to hire tutors, expand mental health services and cut class sizes. But at least half of its $1.3 billion windfall is being set aside to make long-neglected repairs.“For decades, we have been inequitably funded to deal with the enormous needs that poverty and racial injustice have created in our city,” Superintendent Nikolai Vitti told The Associated Press in an interview. “Now with the COVID relief, we’re going to be able to put a significant dent into the challenge.”The administration has encouraged schools to take leaps, not steps, with the funding. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona has called it a time for bold innovation that breaks down inequities and rethinks all aspects of schooling.“This is our moment to ensure that we reopen, reinvest and reimagine our schools differently and better than ever before,” Cardona said at a virtual education summit in June. “These next months and years will determine the trajectory of success for millions of students in our care.”Despite those lofty aspirations, many large, urban districts are putting much of their pandemic relief toward practical needs, such as hiring nurses, restocking libraries, fixing playgrounds and bringing back art classes.So far, there’s little evidence of major change, said Marguerite Roza, director of the Edunomics Lab, a school finance think tank at Georgetown University. Part of the problem, she said, is that the aid was given to schools with few strings attached.“That’s not a recipe for innovation,” Roza said. “We sprinkled the dollars as blank checks to every one of these districts. And many are going to do what they already know how to do.”The infusion of pandemic relief is bigger than anything American schools have seen before. It totals $190 billion, more than four times the amount the Education Department spends on K-12 schools in a typical year. Some districts will receive sums amounting to 50% or more of the cost to operate their schools for a year.Congress has sent the funding in three waves since the start of the pandemic. The latest and largest round, which totals $123 billion, is still being distributed and gives school enormous flexibility in how to spend it. While 20% must be used to address learning setbacks, the rest can be used on nearly any cost that school officials deem “reasonable and necessary.”Yet little is being done to track how schools are using the money. After the first wave of funding, the Education Department’s internal watchdog warned that grant oversight has been a “persistent management challenge." It cautioned that internal weaknesses could limit the department's ability to monitor the funding. Some Republicans in Congress have pressed for new legislation that would ensure greater transparency around the spending.The Associated Press, relying on data published or provided by states and the federal government, for the first time tallied how much money was granted to nearly every district in the country. The federal government has not released full data at that level of detail.The AP tracked more than $155 billion sent to states to distribute among schools since last year, including general pandemic relief that some states shared with their schools.The median aid allocated to districts was about $2,800 per student, but it varies widely by district and state, according to the AP’s analysis. The median for districts in Louisiana and the District of Columbia was about $6,000 per student, for example, while in Utah it was $1,300.Nationwide, high-poverty areas received much more. Detroit received the highest rate among big districts, at more than $25,000 per student. It was followed by Philadelphia, with $13,000 per student, and Cleveland, at more than $12,000.Schools have three years to spend the latest round, a window that districts say is short for such a large amount of money. In many areas, school officials are reluctant to take on costs they may not be able to sustain after the federal aid is gone.In St. Paul, Minnesota, the public school system is getting $321 million in total funding, an amount that Superintendent Joe Gothard calls “jaw-dropping.” But he said the time frame limits his spending options. The district has hired some new teachers, but it's mostly focusing on one-time costs such as building renovations and replacing library books.“Three years will come very fast,” Gothard said. “It’s about managing expectations, honestly, and it starts with myself. We really have to be careful about avoiding a financial cliff.”Detroit is taking a similar approach. The district plans to add mental health services in dozens of schools, but it’s being done through a contractor. Even the building improvements will only be temporary if the district does not get additional funding to maintain them, Vitti said.Vitti's plan has the support of the school board. Deborah Hunter-Harvill, a board member who graduated from a district high school in 1973, recalled being a student when “the infrastructure was not crumbling, and everything was clean.”“We want our students of today to have that same feeling and opportunity we had when we attended DPS back in the day,” Hunter-Harvill said.But some in the community say the district should focus on other priorities, including improving online classes. Ida Byrd-Hill, chief executive of Detroit-based reskilling firm Automation Workz, said students from economically disadvantaged families have struggled to learn through remote instruction that mostly relied on worksheets and online lectures.“In the past, school infrastructure meant brick-and-mortar buildings, alone,” Byrd-Hill said. Now it must include high-quality virtual learning systems.Either way, the federal funding could end up saving local taxpayers. Before the pandemic, the district was planning to request a local tax increase to cover $1.5 billion in building repairs. It would have been a tough sell in a district with a troubled financial history. But with the new funding, Detroit might cancel its plans to request a tax hike.Districts across the U.S. have spent the summer debating how to spend the new money, in some cases facing pressure from competing groups of parents, teachers and activists.Some families want more money to go to special education. Others have demanded teacher training to address racial bias. Some activists have pushed back against plans to pay for building repairs, saying the relief should be spent directly on students.At the same time, districts face mounting pressure to increase teacher salaries.Eyeing the district’s $300 million in pandemic aid, the teachers union in Sacramento, California, called for smaller class sizes, which would mean hiring new teachers, along with pay increases. And while the union is not asking to tap into federal money for raises, the mere existence of the windfall bolsters the contention that raises are affordable.The American Federation of Teachers says the federal relief should focus on infrastructure and academic support, but President Randi Weingarten said raises also will be needed to stop waves of teachers from quitting after a stressful year.“This is the time to create an environment to recruit and retain teachers, and part of that is salary increases,” she said.In Detroit, federal money will be used to continue hazard pay and teacher bonuses that the district started offering last year. Vitti said teaching is harder in the city because of its deep poverty, and he wants teacher pay to reflect that.“They should be paid more. We just haven’t always had the revenue to do it,” he said.Another source of concern for schools is state funding. While the worst fears of education cuts have not come to pass, there’s worry that the infusion of federal money will provide a reason to slash future state budgets.In Holyoke, Massachusetts, one of the state’s poorest areas, the pandemic aid helped offset a $4 million reduction in state funding the district faced last school year. But with future funding still uncertain, the district is avoiding taking on big cost increases.So far, the district has made plans for only a small share of its $53 million in total relief. It's hiring 32 math and reading teachers, and adding art and music classes in schools where those subjects have long been absent, among other spending decisions.Without more time and guarantees of sustained funding, Superintendent Anthony Soto said it feels like districts are “just throwing money at an issue and thinking that these real systemic issues are going away. And they’re not.”In Detroit, Vitti sees a chance to make the case for more state funding. He hopes to prove that even the one-time funding will help boost graduation rates, cut absenteeism and lead to tangible improvements for students. If he can do that, he hopes lawmakers in Lansing will offer him a continued lifeline to keep up the success.“We’re looking forward to show clear outcomes from this investment,” he said, to make the case that similar funding "should be continued in an equitable way.”___

Pandemic windfall for US schools has few strings attached

WASHINGTON (AP) — Acting swiftly on President Joe Biden's promise to retaliate for the deadly suicide bombing at Kabul airport, the U.S. military said it killed two members of the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate with a drone strike in the group's eastern stronghold.

The attack Saturday local time came amid what the White House called indications that IS planned to strike again as the U.S.-led evacuation from Kabul airport moved into its final days. Biden has set Tuesday as his deadline for completing the exit.

Biden authorized the drone strike and it was ordered by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, a defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet publicly announced. It was not immediately clear whether the targeted IS members were directly involved in Thursday's airport attack. The U.S. military initially said one person was killed.

“It was a single mission to get these targets and as the assessments and information flowed over time, we were able to recognize that another was killed as well and one wounded,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said at a Defense Department briefing Saturday.

"They were ISIS-K planners and facilitators and that’s enough reason there alone. I won’t speak to the details of these individuals and what their specific roles might be," Kirby said. He added: "We have the ability and the means to carry over the horizon counterterrorism capabilities and we’re going to defend ourselves.’’

He declined to identify those killed but said the United States knew who they were.

The airstrike was launched from beyond Afghanistan less than 48 hours after the devastating Kabul attack that killed 13 Americans and 169 Afghans with just days left in a final U.S. withdrawal after 20 years of war. U.S. Central Command said it believed its strike killed no civilians.

The speed with which the U.S. military retaliated reflected its close monitoring of IS and years of experience in targeting extremists in remote parts of the world. But it also shows the limits of U.S. power to eliminate extremist threats, which some believe will have more freedom of movement in Afghanistan now that the Taliban is in power.

The airstrike came after Biden declared Thursday that perpetrators of the attack would not be able to hide. “We will hunt you down and make you pay,” he said. Pentagon leaders told reporters Friday that they were prepared for whatever retaliatory action the president ordered.

The president was warned Friday to expect another lethal attack in the closing days of a frantic U.S.-led evacuation. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden's national security team offered a grim outlook.

"They advised the president and vice president that another terror attack in Kabul is likely, but that they are taking maximum force protection measures at the Kabul airport,” Psaki said, echoing what the Pentagon has been saying since the bombing Thursday at Kabul airport.

Late Friday, the State Department again urged Americans to stay away from airport gates, including “the New Ministry of Interior gate.”

Few new details about the airport attack emerged a day later, but the Pentagon corrected its initial report that there had been suicide bombings at two locations. It said there was just one — at or near the Abbey Gate — followed by gunfire. The initial report of a second bombing at the nearby Baron Hotel proved to be false, said Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor of the Pentagon's Joint Staff; he attributed the mistake to initial confusion.

Based on a preliminary assessment, U.S. officials believe the suicide vest used in the attack, which killed at least 169 Afghans in addition to the 13 Americans, carried about 25 pounds of explosives and was loaded with shrapnel, a U.S. official said Friday. A suicide bomb typically carries five to 10 pounds of explosives, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss preliminary assessments of the bombing.

Biden still faces the problem over the longer term of containing an array of potential extremist threats based in Afghanistan, which will be harder with fewer U.S. intelligence assets and no military presence in the nation.

In an Oval Office appearance Friday, Biden again expressed his condolences to victims of the attack. The return home of U.S. military members' remains in coming days will provide painful and poignant reminders not just of the devastation at the Kabul airport but also of the costly way the war is ending. More than 2,400 U.S. service members died in the war and tens of thousands were injured over the past two decades.

The Marine Corps said 11 of the 13 Americans killed were Marines. One was a Navy sailor and one an Army soldier. Their names have not been released pending notification of their families, but the Pentagon said Saturday they would be released soon.

Still, sorrowful details of those killed were starting to emerge. One Marine from Wyoming was on his first tour in Afghanistan and his wife is expecting a baby in three weeks; another was a 20-year-old man from Missouri whose father was devastated by the loss. A third, a 20-year-old from Texas, had joined the armed services out of high school.

Biden ordered U.S. flags to half-staff across the country in honor of the 13.

They were the first U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan since February 2020, the month the Trump administration struck an agreement with the Taliban that called for the militant group to halt attacks on Americans in exchange for a U.S. agreement to remove all American troops and contractors by May 2021. Biden announced in April that he would have all forces out by September.

Psaki said the next few days of the mission to evacuate Americans and others, including vulnerable Afghans fleeing Taliban rule, “will be the most dangerous period to date.”

The Pentagon said Saturday morning that about 6,800 people were airlifted from Kabul on U.S. and coalition aircraft in the past 24 hours, and about 117,000 people have been airlifted over the last two weeks.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Acting swiftly on President Joe Biden’s promise to retaliate for the deadly suicide bombing at Kabul airport, the U.S. military said it used a drone strike to kill a member of the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate.

The strike Saturday local time came amid what the White House called indications that IS planned to strike again as the U.S.-led evacuation from Kabul airport moved into its final days. Biden has set Tuesday as his deadline for completing the exit.

Biden authorized the drone strike and it was ordered by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, a defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet publicly announced.

The airstrike was launched from beyond Afghanistan less than 48 hours after the devastating Kabul attack that killed 13 Americans and scores of Afghans with just days left in a final U.S. withdrawal after 20 years of war. U.S. Central Command provided few details; it said it believed its strike killed no civilians.

Central Command said the drone strike was conducted in Nangarhar province against an IS member believed to be involved in planning attacks against the United States in Kabul. The strike killed one individual, spokesman Navy Capt. William Urban said.

It wasn’t clear if the targeted individual was involved directly in the Thursday suicide blast outside the gates of the Kabul airport, where crowds of Afghans were desperately trying to get in as part of the ongoing evacuation.

“We have options there right now,” said Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor of the Pentagon’s Joint Staff.

The president was warned Friday to expect another lethal attack in the closing days of a frantic U.S.-led evacuation. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden’s national security team offered a grim outlook.

“They advised the president and vice president that another terror attack in Kabul is likely, but that they are taking maximum force protection measures at the Kabul airport,” Psaki said, echoing what the Pentagon has been saying since the bombing Thursday at Kabul airport.

Few new details about the airport attack emerged a day later, but the Pentagon corrected its initial report that there had been suicide bombings at two locations. It said there was just one — at or near the Abbey Gate — followed by gunfire. The initial report of a second bombing at the nearby Baron Hotel proved to be false, said Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor of the Pentagon’s Joint Staff; he attributed the mistake to initial confusion.

Emily Harding, a former CIA analyst and deputy staff director for the Senate Intelligence Committee, said she doubted Biden’s assurances that the United States will be able to monitor and strike terror threats from beyond Afghanistan’s borders. The Pentagon also insists this so-called “over the horizon” capability, which includes surveillance and strike aircraft based in the Persian Gulf area, will be effective.

In an Oval Office appearance Friday, Biden again expressed his condolences to victims of the attack. The return home of U.S. military members’ remains in coming days will provide painful and poignant reminders not just of the devastation at the Kabul airport but also of the costly way the war is ending. More than 2,400 U.S. service members died in the war and tens of thousands were injured over the past two decades.

The Marine Corps said 11 of the 13 Americans killed were Marines. One was a Navy sailor and one an Army soldier. Their names have not been released pending notification of their families, a sometimes-lengthy process that Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said involves “difficult conversations.”

Still, sorrowful&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-251e6b8852aec4f3789c2fc9bf498ebc">details of those killed</a>&nbsp;were starting to emerge. One Marine from Wyoming was on his first tour in Afghanistan and his wife is expecting a baby in three weeks; another was a 20-year-old man from Missouri whose father was devastated by the loss. A third, a 20-year-old from Texas, had joined the armed services out of high school.

The White House said that as of Friday morning,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/evacuations-820a408473a5ff85289effbc10f71bde">about 12,500 people were airlifted from Kabul</a>&nbsp;in the last 24 hours on U.S. and coalition aircraft; in the 12 hours that followed, another 4,200 people were evacuated. Psaki said about 300 Americans had departed and the State Department was working with about 500 more who want to leave.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bombings-evacuations-kabul-bb32ec2b65b54ec24323e021c9b4a553">The administration has said it intends&nbsp;</a>to push on and complete the airlift despite the terror threats.

Kirby told reporters the U.S. military is monitoring credible, specific Islamic State threats “in real time.”

“We certainly are prepared and would expect future attempts,” Kirby said. He declined to describe details of any additional security measures being taken, including those implemented by the Taliban, around the airport gates and perimeter. He said there were fewer people in and around the gates Friday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States military struck back at the Islamic State on Saturday, bombing an IS member in Afghanistan less than 48 hours after a devastating suicide bombing claimed by the group killed as many as 169 Afghans and 13 American service members at the Kabul airport.

U.S. Central Command said the U.S. conducted a drone strike against an Islamic State member in Nangahar believed to be involved in planning attacks against the U.S. in Kabul. The strike killed one individual, and spokesman Navy Capt. William Urban said they knew of no civilian casualties.

It wasn’t clear if that individual was involved specifically in the Thursday suicide blast outside the gates of the Kabul airport, where crowds of Afghans were desperately trying to get in as part of the ongoing evacuation from the country after the Taliban’s rapid takeover.

The airstrike fulfilled a vow President Joe Biden made to the nation Thursday when he said the perpetrators of the attack would not be able to hide. “We will hunt you down and make you pay,” he said. Pentagon leaders told reporters Friday that they were prepared for whatever retaliatory action the president ordered.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630172622941.png" alt="Army Maj. Gen. William “Hank” Taylor, during a Saturday morning news conference-photo courtesy Dept. of Defense" />
 <figcaption>Army Maj. Gen. William “Hank” Taylor, during a Saturday morning news conference-photo courtesy Dept. of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Acting swiftly on President Joe Biden's promise to retaliate for the deadly suicide bombing at Kabul airport, the U.S. military said it killed two members of the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate with a drone strike in the group's eastern stronghold.The attack Saturday local time came amid what the White House called indications that IS planned to strike again as the U.S.-led evacuation from Kabul airport moved into its final days. Biden has set Tuesday as his deadline for completing the exit.Biden authorized the drone strike and it was ordered by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, a defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet publicly announced. It was not immediately clear whether the targeted IS members were directly involved in Thursday's airport attack. The U.S. military initially said one person was killed.“It was a single mission to get these targets and as the assessments and information flowed over time, we were able to recognize that another was killed as well and one wounded,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said at a Defense Department briefing Saturday."They were ISIS-K planners and facilitators and that’s enough reason there alone. I won’t speak to the details of these individuals and what their specific roles might be," Kirby said. He added: "We have the ability and the means to carry over the horizon counterterrorism capabilities and we’re going to defend ourselves.’’He declined to identify those killed but said the United States knew who they were.The airstrike was launched from beyond Afghanistan less than 48 hours after the devastating Kabul attack that killed 13 Americans and 169 Afghans with just days left in a final U.S. withdrawal after 20 years of war. U.S. Central Command said it believed its strike killed no civilians.The speed with which the U.S. military retaliated reflected its close monitoring of IS and years of experience in targeting extremists in remote parts of the world. But it also shows the limits of U.S. power to eliminate extremist threats, which some believe will have more freedom of movement in Afghanistan now that the Taliban is in power.The airstrike came after Biden declared Thursday that perpetrators of the attack would not be able to hide. “We will hunt you down and make you pay,” he said. Pentagon leaders told reporters Friday that they were prepared for whatever retaliatory action the president ordered.The president was warned Friday to expect another lethal attack in the closing days of a frantic U.S.-led evacuation. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden's national security team offered a grim outlook."They advised the president and vice president that another terror attack in Kabul is likely, but that they are taking maximum force protection measures at the Kabul airport,” Psaki said, echoing what the Pentagon has been saying since the bombing Thursday at Kabul airport.Late Friday, the State Department again urged Americans to stay away from airport gates, including “the New Ministry of Interior gate.”Few new details about the airport attack emerged a day later, but the Pentagon corrected its initial report that there had been suicide bombings at two locations. It said there was just one — at or near the Abbey Gate — followed by gunfire. The initial report of a second bombing at the nearby Baron Hotel proved to be false, said Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor of the Pentagon's Joint Staff; he attributed the mistake to initial confusion.Based on a preliminary assessment, U.S. officials believe the suicide vest used in the attack, which killed at least 169 Afghans in addition to the 13 Americans, carried about 25 pounds of explosives and was loaded with shrapnel, a U.S. official said Friday. A suicide bomb typically carries five to 10 pounds of explosives, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss preliminary assessments of the bombing.Biden still faces the problem over the longer term of containing an array of potential extremist threats based in Afghanistan, which will be harder with fewer U.S. intelligence assets and no military presence in the nation.In an Oval Office appearance Friday, Biden again expressed his condolences to victims of the attack. The return home of U.S. military members' remains in coming days will provide painful and poignant reminders not just of the devastation at the Kabul airport but also of the costly way the war is ending. More than 2,400 U.S. service members died in the war and tens of thousands were injured over the past two decades.The Marine Corps said 11 of the 13 Americans killed were Marines. One was a Navy sailor and one an Army soldier. Their names have not been released pending notification of their families, but the Pentagon said Saturday they would be released soon.Still, sorrowful details of those killed were starting to emerge. One Marine from Wyoming was on his first tour in Afghanistan and his wife is expecting a baby in three weeks; another was a 20-year-old man from Missouri whose father was devastated by the loss. A third, a 20-year-old from Texas, had joined the armed services out of high school.Biden ordered U.S. flags to half-staff across the country in honor of the 13.They were the first U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan since February 2020, the month the Trump administration struck an agreement with the Taliban that called for the militant group to halt attacks on Americans in exchange for a U.S. agreement to remove all American troops and contractors by May 2021. Biden announced in April that he would have all forces out by September.Psaki said the next few days of the mission to evacuate Americans and others, including vulnerable Afghans fleeing Taliban rule, “will be the most dangerous period to date.”The Pentagon said Saturday morning that about 6,800 people were airlifted from Kabul on U.S. and coalition aircraft in the past 24 hours, and about 117,000 people have been airlifted over the last two weeks.___WASHINGTON (AP) — Acting swiftly on President Joe Biden’s promise to retaliate for the deadly suicide bombing at Kabul airport, the U.S. military said it used a drone strike to kill a member of the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate.The strike Saturday local time came amid what the White House called indications that IS planned to strike again as the U.S.-led evacuation from Kabul airport moved into its final days. Biden has set Tuesday as his deadline for completing the exit.Biden authorized the drone strike and it was ordered by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, a defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet publicly announced.The airstrike was launched from beyond Afghanistan less than 48 hours after the devastating Kabul attack that killed 13 Americans and scores of Afghans with just days left in a final U.S. withdrawal after 20 years of war. U.S. Central Command provided few details; it said it believed its strike killed no civilians.The speed with which the U.S. military retaliated reflected its close monitoring of IS and years of experience in targeting extremists in remote parts of the world. But it also shows the limits of U.S. power to eliminate extremist threats, which some believe will have more freedom of movement in Afghanistan now that the Taliban is in power.Central Command said the drone strike was conducted in Nangarhar province against an IS member believed to be involved in planning attacks against the United States in Kabul. The strike killed one individual, spokesman Navy Capt. William Urban said.It wasn’t clear if the targeted individual was involved directly in the Thursday suicide blast outside the gates of the Kabul airport, where crowds of Afghans were desperately trying to get in as part of the ongoing evacuation.The airstrike came after Biden declared Thursday that perpetrators of the attack would not be able to hide. “We will hunt you down and make you pay,” he said. Pentagon leaders told reporters Friday that they were prepared for whatever retaliatory action the president ordered.“We have options there right now,” said Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor of the Pentagon’s Joint Staff.The president was warned Friday to expect another lethal attack in the closing days of a frantic U.S.-led evacuation. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden’s national security team offered a grim outlook.“They advised the president and vice president that another terror attack in Kabul is likely, but that they are taking maximum force protection measures at the Kabul airport,” Psaki said, echoing what the Pentagon has been saying since the bombing Thursday at Kabul airport.Late Friday, the State Department again urged Americans to stay away from airport gates, including “the New Ministry of Interior gate.”Few new details about the airport attack emerged a day later, but the Pentagon corrected its initial report that there had been suicide bombings at two locations. It said there was just one — at or near the Abbey Gate — followed by gunfire. The initial report of a second bombing at the nearby Baron Hotel proved to be false, said Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor of the Pentagon’s Joint Staff; he attributed the mistake to initial confusion.Based on a preliminary assessment, U.S. officials believe the suicide vest used in the attack, which killed at least 169 Afghans in addition to the 13 Americans, carried about 25 pounds of explosives and was loaded with shrapnel, a U.S. official said Friday. A suicide bomb typically carries five to 10 pounds of explosives, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss preliminary assessments of the bombing.Biden still faces the problem over the longer term of containing an array of potential extremist threats based in Afghanistan, which will be harder with fewer U.S. intelligence assets and no military presence in the nation.Emily Harding, a former CIA analyst and deputy staff director for the Senate Intelligence Committee, said she doubted Biden’s assurances that the United States will be able to monitor and strike terror threats from beyond Afghanistan’s borders. The Pentagon also insists this so-called “over the horizon” capability, which includes surveillance and strike aircraft based in the Persian Gulf area, will be effective.In an Oval Office appearance Friday, Biden again expressed his condolences to victims of the attack. The return home of U.S. military members’ remains in coming days will provide painful and poignant reminders not just of the devastation at the Kabul airport but also of the costly way the war is ending. More than 2,400 U.S. service members died in the war and tens of thousands were injured over the past two decades.The Marine Corps said 11 of the 13 Americans killed were Marines. One was a Navy sailor and one an Army soldier. Their names have not been released pending notification of their families, a sometimes-lengthy process that Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said involves “difficult conversations.”Still, sorrowful&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-251e6b8852aec4f3789c2fc9bf498ebc">details of those killed</a>&nbsp;were starting to emerge. One Marine from Wyoming was on his first tour in Afghanistan and his wife is expecting a baby in three weeks; another was a 20-year-old man from Missouri whose father was devastated by the loss. A third, a 20-year-old from Texas, had joined the armed services out of high school.Biden ordered U.S. flags to half-staff across the country in honor of the 13.They were the first U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan since February 2020, the month the Trump administration struck an agreement with the Taliban that called for the militant group to halt attacks on Americans in exchange for a U.S. agreement to remove all American troops and contractors by May 2021. Biden announced in April that he would have all forces out by September.Psaki said the next few days of the mission to evacuate Americans and others, including vulnerable Afghans fleeing Taliban rule, “will be the most dangerous period to date.”The White House said that as of Friday morning,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/evacuations-820a408473a5ff85289effbc10f71bde">about 12,500 people were airlifted from Kabul</a>&nbsp;in the last 24 hours on U.S. and coalition aircraft; in the 12 hours that followed, another 4,200 people were evacuated. Psaki said about 300 Americans had departed and the State Department was working with about 500 more who want to leave.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bombings-evacuations-kabul-bb32ec2b65b54ec24323e021c9b4a553">The administration has said it intends&nbsp;</a>to push on and complete the airlift despite the terror threats.Kirby told reporters the U.S. military is monitoring credible, specific Islamic State threats “in real time.”“We certainly are prepared and would expect future attempts,” Kirby said. He declined to describe details of any additional security measures being taken, including those implemented by the Taliban, around the airport gates and perimeter. He said there were fewer people in and around the gates Friday.--------WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States military struck back at the Islamic State on Saturday, bombing an IS member in Afghanistan less than 48 hours after a devastating suicide bombing claimed by the group killed as many as 169 Afghans and 13 American service members at the Kabul airport.U.S. Central Command said the U.S. conducted a drone strike against an Islamic State member in Nangahar believed to be involved in planning attacks against the U.S. in Kabul. The strike killed one individual, and spokesman Navy Capt. William Urban said they knew of no civilian casualties.It wasn’t clear if that individual was involved specifically in the Thursday suicide blast outside the gates of the Kabul airport, where crowds of Afghans were desperately trying to get in as part of the ongoing evacuation from the country after the Taliban’s rapid takeover.The airstrike fulfilled a vow President Joe Biden made to the nation Thursday when he said the perpetrators of the attack would not be able to hide. “We will hunt you down and make you pay,” he said. Pentagon leaders told reporters Friday that they were prepared for whatever retaliatory action the president ordered.“We have options there right now,” said Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor of the Pentagon’s Joint Staff.

Retaliation: US drone strike kills 2 Islamic State members 

SAN DIEGO (AP) —&nbsp;California’s parole board voted Friday to free Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin after two of RFK’s sons said they supported releasing him and prosecutors declined to argue he should be kept behind bars. But the governor ultimately will decide if Sirhan Sirhan leaves prison.

Douglas Kennedy was a toddler when his father was gunned down in 1968. He told a two-person board panel that he was moved to tears by Sirhan’s remorse and that the 77-year-old should be released if he’s not a threat to others.

“I’m overwhelmed just by being able to view Mr. Sirhan face to face,” he said. “I’ve lived my life both in fear of him and his name in one way or another. And I am grateful today to see him as a human being worthy of compassion and love.”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has spoken in favor of Sirhan’s release in the past and met with him in prison, wrote in favor of paroling Sirhan.

“While nobody can speak definitively on behalf of my father, I firmly believe that based on his own consuming commitment to fairness and justice, that he would strongly encourage this board to release Mr. Sirhan because of Sirhan’s impressive record of rehabilitation,” he said in a letter submitted to the board.

Sirhan smiled, thanked the board and gave a thumbs-up after the decision to grant parole was announced. It was a major victory in his 16th attempt at parole. But it does not assure his release.

The ruling will be reviewed over the next 90 days by the board’s staff. Then it will be sent to the governor, who will have 30 days to decide whether to grant it, reverse it or modify it. If Sirhan is freed, he must live in a transitional home for six months, enroll in an alcohol abuse program and get therapy.

Robert F. Kennedy was a a U.S. senator from&nbsp;New York&nbsp;and the brother of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. RFK was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination when he was gunned down at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after delivering a victory speech in the pivotal California primary. Five others were wounded.

Sirhan, who insists he doesn't remember the shooting and had been drinking alcohol just beforehand, was convicted of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to death after his conviction, but that sentence was commuted to life when the California Supreme Court briefly outlawed capital punishment in 1972.

At his last parole hearing in 2016, commissioners concluded after more than three hours of intense testimony that Sirhan did not show adequate remorse or understand the enormity of his crime.

This time, prosecutors declined to participate or oppose Sirhan’s release under a policy by Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, a former police officer who took office last year after running on a reform platform. Gascón, who said he idolized the Kennedys and mourned RFK’s assassination, believes the prosecutors’ role ends at sentencing and they should not influence decisions to release prisoners.

The Los Angeles Police Department, relatives of some of the victims and members of the public submitted letters opposing Sirhan’s release, Parole Board Commissioner Robert Barton said at the start of Friday’s proceeding, held virtually with Sirhan appearing on camera from a San Diego County prison.

“We don’t have a DA here, but I have to consider all sides,” Barton said, noting it would consider arguments made in the past by prosecutors opposing his release, depending on their relevance.

Sirhan's lawyer, Angela Berry, said the board should base its decision on who Sirhan is today and not what he did more than 50 years ago. She said he is not a threat to the public.

Sirhan said he had learned to control his anger and was committed to living peacefully.

“I would never put myself in jeopardy again,” he told the panel. “You have my pledge. I will always look to safety and peace and non-violence.”

Sirhan, a Christian Palestinian from Jordan, has acknowledged he was angry at Kennedy for his support of Israel. When asked about how he feels about the Middle East conflict today, Sirhan broke down crying and temporarily couldn’t speak.

“Take a few deep breaths,” said Barton, who noted the conflict had not gone away and still touched a nerve.

Sirhan said he doesn't follow what's going on in the region but thinks about the suffering of refugees.

“The misery that those people are experiencing. It’s painful,” Sirhan said.

If released, Sirhan could be deported to Jordan, and Barton said he was concerned he might become a “symbol or lightning rod to foment more violence.”

Sirhan said he was too old to be involved in the Middle East conflict and would detach himself from it.

“The same argument can be said or made that I can be a peacemaker and a contributor to a friendly nonviolent way of resolving the issue,” said Sirhan, who told the panel the hoped to live with his blind brother in Pasadena, California.

Paul Schrade, a union leader and aide to RFK who was among five people wounded in the 1968 shooting, also spoke in favor of Sirhan's release.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630107734279.png" alt="Sirhan photo California Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Sirhan photo California Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>SAN DIEGO (AP) —&nbsp;California’s parole board voted Friday to free Robert F. Kennedy’s assassin after two of RFK’s sons said they supported releasing him and prosecutors declined to argue he should be kept behind bars. But the governor ultimately will decide if Sirhan Sirhan leaves prison.Douglas Kennedy was a toddler when his father was gunned down in 1968. He told a two-person board panel that he was moved to tears by Sirhan’s remorse and that the 77-year-old should be released if he’s not a threat to others.“I’m overwhelmed just by being able to view Mr. Sirhan face to face,” he said. “I’ve lived my life both in fear of him and his name in one way or another. And I am grateful today to see him as a human being worthy of compassion and love.”Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has spoken in favor of Sirhan’s release in the past and met with him in prison, wrote in favor of paroling Sirhan.“While nobody can speak definitively on behalf of my father, I firmly believe that based on his own consuming commitment to fairness and justice, that he would strongly encourage this board to release Mr. Sirhan because of Sirhan’s impressive record of rehabilitation,” he said in a letter submitted to the board.Sirhan smiled, thanked the board and gave a thumbs-up after the decision to grant parole was announced. It was a major victory in his 16th attempt at parole. But it does not assure his release.The ruling will be reviewed over the next 90 days by the board’s staff. Then it will be sent to the governor, who will have 30 days to decide whether to grant it, reverse it or modify it. If Sirhan is freed, he must live in a transitional home for six months, enroll in an alcohol abuse program and get therapy.Robert F. Kennedy was a a U.S. senator from&nbsp;New York&nbsp;and the brother of President John F. Kennedy, who was assassinated in 1963. RFK was seeking the Democratic presidential nomination when he was gunned down at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles moments after delivering a victory speech in the pivotal California primary. Five others were wounded.Sirhan, who insists he doesn't remember the shooting and had been drinking alcohol just beforehand, was convicted of first-degree murder. He was sentenced to death after his conviction, but that sentence was commuted to life when the California Supreme Court briefly outlawed capital punishment in 1972.At his last parole hearing in 2016, commissioners concluded after more than three hours of intense testimony that Sirhan did not show adequate remorse or understand the enormity of his crime.This time, prosecutors declined to participate or oppose Sirhan’s release under a policy by Los Angeles County District Attorney George Gascón, a former police officer who took office last year after running on a reform platform. Gascón, who said he idolized the Kennedys and mourned RFK’s assassination, believes the prosecutors’ role ends at sentencing and they should not influence decisions to release prisoners.The Los Angeles Police Department, relatives of some of the victims and members of the public submitted letters opposing Sirhan’s release, Parole Board Commissioner Robert Barton said at the start of Friday’s proceeding, held virtually with Sirhan appearing on camera from a San Diego County prison.“We don’t have a DA here, but I have to consider all sides,” Barton said, noting it would consider arguments made in the past by prosecutors opposing his release, depending on their relevance.Sirhan's lawyer, Angela Berry, said the board should base its decision on who Sirhan is today and not what he did more than 50 years ago. She said he is not a threat to the public.Sirhan said he had learned to control his anger and was committed to living peacefully.“I would never put myself in jeopardy again,” he told the panel. “You have my pledge. I will always look to safety and peace and non-violence.”Sirhan, a Christian Palestinian from Jordan, has acknowledged he was angry at Kennedy for his support of Israel. When asked about how he feels about the Middle East conflict today, Sirhan broke down crying and temporarily couldn’t speak.“Take a few deep breaths,” said Barton, who noted the conflict had not gone away and still touched a nerve.Sirhan said he doesn't follow what's going on in the region but thinks about the suffering of refugees.“The misery that those people are experiencing. It’s painful,” Sirhan said.If released, Sirhan could be deported to Jordan, and Barton said he was concerned he might become a “symbol or lightning rod to foment more violence.”Sirhan said he was too old to be involved in the Middle East conflict and would detach himself from it.“The same argument can be said or made that I can be a peacemaker and a contributor to a friendly nonviolent way of resolving the issue,” said Sirhan, who told the panel the hoped to live with his blind brother in Pasadena, California.Paul Schrade, a union leader and aide to RFK who was among five people wounded in the 1968 shooting, also spoke in favor of Sirhan's release.___

Robert Kennedy's  assassin approved for parole after 50-years

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Authorities made 102 arrests and rescued 47 victims as part of a 12-state effort to combat human trafficking, Missouri's top law enforcement official said Friday.

Most of the arrests occurred Thursday night into Friday morning and came after a months-long investigation, state Attorney General Eric Schmitt said.

“Operation United Front” was conducted in Kansas City,&nbsp; Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and South Dakota, where authorities conducted their operation during this month's Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.

Undercover law enforcement officers from federal, state and local agencies arranged meetings with potential victims or posed as victims to identify buyers or traffickers, Schmitt said.

Two of the 47 victims were minors and they were rescued in Kentucky, which had the most arrests — 46 — and where 21 victims were rescued.

The Missouri investigation was conducted at a Kansas City business and led to two arrests and the rescue of four victims.

KANSAS CITY —A 12-state human trafficking operation led by the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, numerous Kansas City-area law enforcement and law enforcement in 11 other states&nbsp; has led to 102 arrests and the rescue of 47 victims and sex workers including 2 minor victims, according to a media release from AG Eric Schmitt's office.

Operation United Front entailed simultaneous state-level human trafficking operations throughout the night on Thursday and into the early morning, and is believed to be the first Attorney General-led multi-state operation of its kind. State and federal law enforcement agencies from 12 states participated in Operation United Front.&nbsp;

Using both buyer-centric and victim-centric “sting” human trafficking operations, Missouri and participating states were able to rescue 47&nbsp;victims and sex workers and provide needed medical services to 41, and arrested 102&nbsp;across the country in connection with human trafficking. 

Other states conducted “minor recovery” operations, which rescued 2 minor victims, who are more vulnerable and easily manipulated in regards to human trafficking. Each state conducted its own operation simultaneously, while sharing information and data with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. Prior to the operation, Missouri offered training and information about how to best conduct these operations to participating states. These operations typically use undercover officers who arrange “dates” or meetups with potential human trafficking victims and rescue that victim or sex worker and provide needed services, or pose as a victim themselves and arrest buyers or traffickers. “The Missouri Attorney General’s Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force has been recognized as a national leader for our efforts to investigate and eradicate human trafficking in Missouri.

Through that task force, we were able to engage law enforcement agencies and attorneys general from across the country to organize and lead Operation United Front, which was a massive success.&nbsp;My Office will not stop in our quest to investigate and eradicate human trafficking in Missouri.” Across the country, the following agencies participated or conducted separate state level operations: Missouri Attorney General’s Office, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Iowa Department of Public Safety, Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, Kentucky State Police, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Nebraska State Patrol, Nebraska Human Trafficking Task Force, North Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Oklahoma City Police Department, Tulsa Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Texas Attorney General's Office, Texas Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance Task Force, Round Rock Police Department, Austin Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations,&nbsp;the Federal Bureau of Investigation, numerous Kansas City-area law enforcement, and non-profit DeliverFund.&nbsp; Missouri’s operation, which was a victim-centric operation, took place at a local commercial business in Kansas City, and resulted in 2 arrests and the rescue of 4 victims. 11 victims were provided needed services. The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office served as the main communications hub to coordinate other states’ operations. Agency-Level Statistics Missouri: 2 arrests made, 4 victims rescued Illinois: 3 arrests made, 1 victim rescued Iowa: 11 arrests made, large amount of currency seized Kentucky: 46 arrests made, 21 victims rescued, 2 minor victims rescued Minnesota: 3 arrests made, 8 victims rescued Nebraska: 7 arrests made North Dakota: 3 arrests made, 6 victims rescued Oklahoma: 7 arrests made, 1 victim rescued Tennessee: 4&nbsp;arrests made Texas: 2 arrests made, 4 victims rescued Wisconsin: 5 arrests made Services offered to 41. South Dakota’s operation at Sturgis led to 9 arrests. Total: 102&nbsp;total arrests, 47&nbsp;total victims rescued including 2 minor victims rescued.&nbsp; South Dakota previously conducted a week-long operation during the Sturgis Biker Rally, and arrested 9 individuals - 8 of those arrested were for Enticement of a Minor using the internet. 1 arrest was for Attempted Commercial Sex Trafficking of a minor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630083112026.png" alt="Photo courtesy office of AG Eric Schmitt" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy office of AG Eric Schmitt</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Authorities made 102 arrests and rescued 47 victims as part of a 12-state effort to combat human trafficking, Missouri's top law enforcement official said Friday.Most of the arrests occurred Thursday night into Friday morning and came after a months-long investigation, state Attorney General Eric Schmitt said.“Operation United Front” was conducted in Kansas City,&nbsp; Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas, Wisconsin and South Dakota, where authorities conducted their operation during this month's Sturgis Motorcycle Rally.Undercover law enforcement officers from federal, state and local agencies arranged meetings with potential victims or posed as victims to identify buyers or traffickers, Schmitt said.Two of the 47 victims were minors and they were rescued in Kentucky, which had the most arrests — 46 — and where 21 victims were rescued.The Missouri investigation was conducted at a Kansas City business and led to two arrests and the rescue of four victims.---------------KANSAS CITY —A 12-state human trafficking operation led by the Missouri Attorney General’s Office, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, numerous Kansas City-area law enforcement and law enforcement in 11 other states&nbsp; has led to 102 arrests and the rescue of 47 victims and sex workers including 2 minor victims, according to a media release from AG Eric Schmitt's office.Operation United Front entailed simultaneous state-level human trafficking operations throughout the night on Thursday and into the early morning, and is believed to be the first Attorney General-led multi-state operation of its kind. State and federal law enforcement agencies from 12 states participated in Operation United Front.&nbsp;Using both buyer-centric and victim-centric “sting” human trafficking operations, Missouri and participating states were able to rescue 47&nbsp;victims and sex workers and provide needed medical services to 41, and arrested 102&nbsp;across the country in connection with human trafficking. Other states conducted “minor recovery” operations, which rescued 2 minor victims, who are more vulnerable and easily manipulated in regards to human trafficking. Each state conducted its own operation simultaneously, while sharing information and data with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office. Prior to the operation, Missouri offered training and information about how to best conduct these operations to participating states. These operations typically use undercover officers who arrange “dates” or meetups with potential human trafficking victims and rescue that victim or sex worker and provide needed services, or pose as a victim themselves and arrest buyers or traffickers. “The Missouri Attorney General’s Anti-Human Trafficking Task Force has been recognized as a national leader for our efforts to investigate and eradicate human trafficking in Missouri. Through that task force, we were able to engage law enforcement agencies and attorneys general from across the country to organize and lead Operation United Front, which was a massive success.&nbsp;My Office will not stop in our quest to investigate and eradicate human trafficking in Missouri.” Across the country, the following agencies participated or conducted separate state level operations: Missouri Attorney General’s Office, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Iowa Department of Public Safety, Kentucky Attorney General’s Office, Kentucky State Police, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, Nebraska State Patrol, Nebraska Human Trafficking Task Force, North Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Oklahoma City Police Department, Tulsa Police Department, South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, Texas Attorney General's Office, Texas Human Trafficking Rescue Alliance Task Force, Round Rock Police Department, Austin Police Department, Homeland Security Investigations,&nbsp;the Federal Bureau of Investigation, numerous Kansas City-area law enforcement, and non-profit DeliverFund.&nbsp; Missouri’s operation, which was a victim-centric operation, took place at a local commercial business in Kansas City, and resulted in 2 arrests and the rescue of 4 victims. 11 victims were provided needed services. The Missouri State Highway Patrol and the Missouri Attorney General’s Office served as the main communications hub to coordinate other states’ operations. Agency-Level Statistics Missouri: 2 arrests made, 4 victims rescued Illinois: 3 arrests made, 1 victim rescued Iowa: 11 arrests made, large amount of currency seized Kentucky: 46 arrests made, 21 victims rescued, 2 minor victims rescued Minnesota: 3 arrests made, 8 victims rescued Nebraska: 7 arrests made North Dakota: 3 arrests made, 6 victims rescued Oklahoma: 7 arrests made, 1 victim rescued Tennessee: 4&nbsp;arrests made Texas: 2 arrests made, 4 victims rescued Wisconsin: 5 arrests made Services offered to 41. South Dakota’s operation at Sturgis led to 9 arrests. Total: 102&nbsp;total arrests, 47&nbsp;total victims rescued including 2 minor victims rescued.&nbsp; South Dakota previously conducted a week-long operation during the Sturgis Biker Rally, and arrested 9 individuals - 8 of those arrested were for Enticement of a Minor using the internet. 1 arrest was for Attempted Commercial Sex Trafficking of a minor.

102 arrested in multi-state human trafficking operation

CHEROKEE COUNTY—One p erson died in an accident just after 11a.m. Friday in Cherokee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Buick LeSabre driven by Smith, Klonie E.. Smith, 79, Coker, Alabama, was&nbsp; eastbound on Southeast Bagdad Road just west of the Missouri State line.

The car traveled left of center and off of the roadway to the left. 

The rear end of the Buick struck a tree which made it spin approximately 180 degrees counterclockwise. The car's passenger side then struck another tree.&nbsp;

Smith was pronounced dead at the scene. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

CHEROKEE COUNTY—One p erson died in an accident just after 11a.m. Friday in Cherokee County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Buick LeSabre driven by Smith, Klonie E.. Smith, 79, Coker, Alabama, was&nbsp; eastbound on Southeast Bagdad Road just west of the Missouri State line.The car traveled left of center and off of the roadway to the left. The rear end of the Buick struck a tree which made it spin approximately 180 degrees counterclockwise. The car's passenger side then struck another tree.&nbsp;Smith was pronounced dead at the scene. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Man dies after car strikes trees near Kan. highway

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Gov. Laura Kelly announced Friday that the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and Kansas Department for Health and Environment have collaborated to create an online dashboard that makes it easier for the public to track vaccination rates among healthcare personnel in the state’s long-term care facilities in anticipation of the federal regulation requiring staff vaccinations within the nation’s more than 15,000 Medicare and Medicaid-participating nursing homes, according to a media release from the governor's office.

The anticipated emergency federal requirement is being developed by the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This new requirement is a key component of protecting the health and safety of nursing home residents and staff by ensuring that all nursing home staff receive COVID-19 vaccinations.

The state’s newly launched&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA4MjcuNDUxNTg0NDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2tzaGVhbHRoZGF0YS5rZGhlLmtzLmdvdi90L0JFUEhJX0NPVklELTE5L3ZpZXdzL0xUQ0ZWYWNjaW5lQ292ZXJhZ2VfMTYyOTk4MzYyMDkwNjAvSG9tZT86c2hvd0FwcEJhbm5lcj1mYWxzZSY6ZGlzcGxheV9jb3VudD1uJjpzaG93Vml6SG9tZT1uJjpvcmlnaW49dml6X3NoYXJlX2xpbmsmOmlzR3Vlc3RSZWRpcmVjdEZyb21WaXpwb3J0YWw9eSY6ZW1iZWQ9eSJ9.ayFdbwvN9tifsS18U1CcVKtoUXVBr9AZjaFqHvwlZqA/s/1303160919/br/111538492653-l" target="_blank">dashboard</a>&nbsp;extrapolates data specific to Kansas from the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network COVID-19 Long Term Care Facility Module and provides a view of the healthcare personnel vaccination rates for Kansas’s federally licensed LTCFs.

“The importance of vaccinations for individuals who work with the older population so profoundly impacted by COVID-19 can’t be overstated as the decision to get vaccinated can not only protect their health, but the health of their colleagues, patients and their families, and the communities they serve,” KDADS Secretary Laura Howard said. “The dashboard provides Kansas an important local tool to share CMS vaccination data among healthcare workers in this setting with the public.”

The most recent healthcare personnel vaccination rate data available from CMS (updated Aug.26,) shows that in Kansas, 86.7 percent of current residents and 58.1 percent of current staff (healthcare personnel) have completed COVID-19 vaccinations per facility.

“We know that vaccinations are the most effective way to protect ourselves and others from COVID-19,” said Lee Norman, M.D., KDHE Secretary. “This dashboard helps to highlight CMS facilities in the state as they work to vaccinate their employees to protect the important population they serve.””

The Kansas dashboard, to be updated by KDHE Fridays by 12:30 p.m., includes both a map view and a table view. The map view of the dashboard categorizes federally licensed LTCFs into four categories based on healthcare personnel vaccination rates:

The table view provides a list of all federally licensed LTCFs and their healthcare personnel vaccination rates.

The state dashboard includes the most recent healthcare personnel vaccination rate data available from CMS. CMS publishes data reported by nursing homes to the CDC’s NHSN on a weekly basis; the data is typically published 11 days after being submitted. More information is available on the CMS&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA4MjcuNDUxNTg0NDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2RhdGEuY21zLmdvdi9jb3ZpZC0xOS9jb3ZpZC0xOS1udXJzaW5nLWhvbWUtZGF0YSJ9.XpxiAsj-1gv82_2_KnRTIFrVEv7LBNIrpQH37DWFxRE/s/1303160919/br/111538492653-l" target="_blank">website</a>.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Gov. Laura Kelly announced Friday that the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services and Kansas Department for Health and Environment have collaborated to create an online dashboard that makes it easier for the public to track vaccination rates among healthcare personnel in the state’s long-term care facilities in anticipation of the federal regulation requiring staff vaccinations within the nation’s more than 15,000 Medicare and Medicaid-participating nursing homes, according to a media release from the governor's office.The anticipated emergency federal requirement is being developed by the Centers for Medicare &amp; Medicaid Services in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This new requirement is a key component of protecting the health and safety of nursing home residents and staff by ensuring that all nursing home staff receive COVID-19 vaccinations.The state’s newly launched&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA4MjcuNDUxNTg0NDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2tzaGVhbHRoZGF0YS5rZGhlLmtzLmdvdi90L0JFUEhJX0NPVklELTE5L3ZpZXdzL0xUQ0ZWYWNjaW5lQ292ZXJhZ2VfMTYyOTk4MzYyMDkwNjAvSG9tZT86c2hvd0FwcEJhbm5lcj1mYWxzZSY6ZGlzcGxheV9jb3VudD1uJjpzaG93Vml6SG9tZT1uJjpvcmlnaW49dml6X3NoYXJlX2xpbmsmOmlzR3Vlc3RSZWRpcmVjdEZyb21WaXpwb3J0YWw9eSY6ZW1iZWQ9eSJ9.ayFdbwvN9tifsS18U1CcVKtoUXVBr9AZjaFqHvwlZqA/s/1303160919/br/111538492653-l" target="_blank">dashboard</a>&nbsp;extrapolates data specific to Kansas from the CDC’s National Healthcare Safety Network COVID-19 Long Term Care Facility Module and provides a view of the healthcare personnel vaccination rates for Kansas’s federally licensed LTCFs.“The importance of vaccinations for individuals who work with the older population so profoundly impacted by COVID-19 can’t be overstated as the decision to get vaccinated can not only protect their health, but the health of their colleagues, patients and their families, and the communities they serve,” KDADS Secretary Laura Howard said. “The dashboard provides Kansas an important local tool to share CMS vaccination data among healthcare workers in this setting with the public.”The most recent healthcare personnel vaccination rate data available from CMS (updated Aug.26,) shows that in Kansas, 86.7 percent of current residents and 58.1 percent of current staff (healthcare personnel) have completed COVID-19 vaccinations per facility.“We know that vaccinations are the most effective way to protect ourselves and others from COVID-19,” said Lee Norman, M.D., KDHE Secretary. “This dashboard helps to highlight CMS facilities in the state as they work to vaccinate their employees to protect the important population they serve.””The Kansas dashboard, to be updated by KDHE Fridays by 12:30 p.m., includes both a map view and a table view. The map view of the dashboard categorizes federally licensed LTCFs into four categories based on healthcare personnel vaccination rates:<ul>
 <li>Below 50%</li><li>50-70%</li><li>70-90%</li><li>Above 90%</li>
 </ul>The table view provides a list of all federally licensed LTCFs and their healthcare personnel vaccination rates.The state dashboard includes the most recent healthcare personnel vaccination rate data available from CMS. CMS publishes data reported by nursing homes to the CDC’s NHSN on a weekly basis; the data is typically published 11 days after being submitted. More information is available on the CMS&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA4MjcuNDUxNTg0NDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2RhdGEuY21zLmdvdi9jb3ZpZC0xOS9jb3ZpZC0xOS1udXJzaW5nLWhvbWUtZGF0YSJ9.XpxiAsj-1gv82_2_KnRTIFrVEv7LBNIrpQH37DWFxRE/s/1303160919/br/111538492653-l" target="_blank">website</a>.

 New dashboard tracks vax data of Kan. nursing home employees

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Intensive care units are nearly full across the Kansas City area, creating challenges for hospitals battling to keep up with the high number of COVID-19 patients.

215 ICU beds in the region were in use last week — the most since the onset of the pandemic — and that number has grown almost every day since. As of Wednesday, 224 people were hospitalized in ICUs, according to hospital data tracked by the Mid-America Regional Council, a regional planning agency.

The data includes hospitals in Jackson and Clay counties in Missouri and Wyandotte and Johnson counties in Kansas.

Kansas City isn't unique in Missouri. Data posted Friday on the state's COVID-19 dashboard showed 690 ICU patients across the state among 2,395 people hospitalized with COVID-19.

In addition to the rising number of cases, health care workers blame the severity of the illnesses, staffing shortages and the refusal of so many to get vaccinated for the challenges hospitals are now facing. Kansas City-area hospitals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-0ba6aa292483a89d52ab44b5f5434815">have had to transfer patients,</a>&nbsp;both with and without COVID-19, as far away as Chicago and Oklahoma City.

“It just breaks my heart that we’re at this point,” said Allison Edwards, a doctor and the owner of a small direct primary care clinic in Midtown Kansas City. “I don’t even know how to begin to ration care. How do you start to make these decisions of where to put your priorities when business as usual can’t happen?”

The state dashboard on Friday cited 2,158 newly confirmed cases and 26 additional deaths. Missouri has reported 624,239 cases and 10,435 deaths since the pandemic began.

With vaccination rates still lagging in St. Louis, the city is offering an event Friday and Saturday with two purposes: Forgiveness for outstanding warrants, and a chance to get vaccinated. Even more incentive: Those who show proof of full vaccination can get $100 off their fines and court fees.

City leaders say the warrant forgiveness program allows anyone with outstanding warrants to resolve the charges without fear of arrest on city charges, and without the expense of posting cash bond. A vaccination clinic will also be on-site.

Only 46.2% of St. Louisans have initiated vaccination, about 5 percentage points lower than the state as a whole. Nationally, 61.1% of Americans have initiated vaccination, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“The original conception of the event was to make vaccination clinics available at the same time as the amnesty to give people the opportunity to get vaccinated,” Municipal Judge Newton McCoy told&nbsp;<a href="https://news.stlpublicradio.org/show/st-louis-on-the-air/2021-08-19/friday-st-louis-court-offers-100-vaccine-incentive-as-part-of-warrant-forgiveness">St. Louis Public Radio</a>. That idea was later expanded to give an incentive to those who have already been vaccinated.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Intensive care units are nearly full across the Kansas City area, creating challenges for hospitals battling to keep up with the high number of COVID-19 patients.215 ICU beds in the region were in use last week — the most since the onset of the pandemic — and that number has grown almost every day since. As of Wednesday, 224 people were hospitalized in ICUs, according to hospital data tracked by the Mid-America Regional Council, a regional planning agency.The data includes hospitals in Jackson and Clay counties in Missouri and Wyandotte and Johnson counties in Kansas.Kansas City isn't unique in Missouri. Data posted Friday on the state's COVID-19 dashboard showed 690 ICU patients across the state among 2,395 people hospitalized with COVID-19.In addition to the rising number of cases, health care workers blame the severity of the illnesses, staffing shortages and the refusal of so many to get vaccinated for the challenges hospitals are now facing. Kansas City-area hospitals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-coronavirus-pandemic-0ba6aa292483a89d52ab44b5f5434815">have had to transfer patients,</a>&nbsp;both with and without COVID-19, as far away as Chicago and Oklahoma City.“It just breaks my heart that we’re at this point,” said Allison Edwards, a doctor and the owner of a small direct primary care clinic in Midtown Kansas City. “I don’t even know how to begin to ration care. How do you start to make these decisions of where to put your priorities when business as usual can’t happen?”The state dashboard on Friday cited 2,158 newly confirmed cases and 26 additional deaths. Missouri has reported 624,239 cases and 10,435 deaths since the pandemic began.With vaccination rates still lagging in St. Louis, the city is offering an event Friday and Saturday with two purposes: Forgiveness for outstanding warrants, and a chance to get vaccinated. Even more incentive: Those who show proof of full vaccination can get $100 off their fines and court fees.City leaders say the warrant forgiveness program allows anyone with outstanding warrants to resolve the charges without fear of arrest on city charges, and without the expense of posting cash bond. A vaccination clinic will also be on-site.Only 46.2% of St. Louisans have initiated vaccination, about 5 percentage points lower than the state as a whole. Nationally, 61.1% of Americans have initiated vaccination, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.“The original conception of the event was to make vaccination clinics available at the same time as the amnesty to give people the opportunity to get vaccinated,” Municipal Judge Newton McCoy told&nbsp;<a href="https://news.stlpublicradio.org/show/st-louis-on-the-air/2021-08-19/friday-st-louis-court-offers-100-vaccine-incentive-as-part-of-warrant-forgiveness">St. Louis Public Radio</a>. That idea was later expanded to give an incentive to those who have already been vaccinated.

ICU beds almost full at hospitals in Kansas City area

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is vowing to avenge the deaths of 13 American troops and dozens of Afghans at the Kabul airport, an attack that thrust the White House deeper into crisis over a chaotic and deadly end to a 20-year war. The White House said he was advised Friday to expect more violence.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden met with his national security team on developments in Afghanistan.

“They advised the president and vice president that another terror attack in Kabul is likely, but that they are taking maximum force protection measures at the Kabul airport,” Psaki said.

At the Pentagon, officials said options are available to enable strikes against the perpetrators when Biden decides to act. Effective retribution, however, will be harder with fewer U.S. intelligence assets in Afghanistan.

In an emotional address after the bombing, Biden declared to the extremists responsible: “We will hunt you down and make you pay.”

Biden has pledged to continue the evacuation of Americans and others from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, and the Pentagon said more than 12,000 people were airlifted from Kabul in the last 24 hours, as of Friday morning. U.S. military officials have said they are braced for more attempted attacks by the group Biden said was responsible for Thursday’s attack — the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate.

The Pentagon on Friday said it had incorrectly reported that in addition to a suicide bomber attack at the airport’s Abbey Gate, there was an explosion at the nearby Baron Hotel. Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor of the Pentagon’s Joint Staff told reporters that it is now believed there was no attack at the hotel. He said that the U.S. military report was incorrect; he attributed the mistake to confusion in the aftermath of the violence.

The IS affiliate in Afghanistan has carried out many attacks on civilian targets in the country in recent years. It is more radical than the Taliban, who seized power less than two weeks ago and are an enemy of IS. The most heralded American attack on IS came in April 2017 when the U.S. dropped the largest conventional bomb in its arsenal on an IS cave and tunnel complex. The group more recently is believed to have concentrated in urban areas, which could complicate U.S. efforts to target them without harming civilians.

“We will respond with force and precision at our time, at the place of our choosing,” Biden said. “These ISIS terrorists will not win.”

As for the bombers and gunmen involved, he said, “We have some reason to believe we know who they are. Not certain.” He said he had instructed military commanders to develop plans to strike IS “assets, leadership and facilities.”

Gen. Frank McKenzie, the U.S. Central Command chief who is overseeing the airlift, told reporters at the Pentagon prior to Biden’s remarks that the first step will be determining with confidence who carried out the attacks.

“Yes, if we can find who is associated with this we will go after them,” he said. “We’ve been clear all along that we retain the right to operate against ISIS in Afghanistan, and we are working very hard right now to determine attribution, to determine who is associated with this cowardly attack, and we are prepared to take action against them — 24/7, we are looking for them.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630013771188.png" alt="In his appearance at the White House, President Biden asked for a moment of silence to honor the service members, bowing his head, and ordered U.S. flags to half-staff across the country." />
 <figcaption>In his appearance at the White House, President Biden asked for a moment of silence to honor the service members, bowing his head, and ordered U.S. flags to half-staff across the country.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is vowing to avenge the deaths of 13 American troops and dozens of Afghans at the Kabul airport, an attack that thrust the White House deeper into crisis over a chaotic and deadly end to a 20-year war. The White House said he was advised Friday to expect more violence.White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden met with his national security team on developments in Afghanistan.“They advised the president and vice president that another terror attack in Kabul is likely, but that they are taking maximum force protection measures at the Kabul airport,” Psaki said.At the Pentagon, officials said options are available to enable strikes against the perpetrators when Biden decides to act. Effective retribution, however, will be harder with fewer U.S. intelligence assets in Afghanistan.In an emotional address after the bombing, Biden declared to the extremists responsible: “We will hunt you down and make you pay.”Biden has pledged to continue the evacuation of Americans and others from Taliban-controlled Afghanistan, and the Pentagon said more than 12,000 people were airlifted from Kabul in the last 24 hours, as of Friday morning. U.S. military officials have said they are braced for more attempted attacks by the group Biden said was responsible for Thursday’s attack — the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1630087261414.png" alt="Soldiers with the 82nd Airborn Division escort evacuees to buses at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan.-photo Courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense" />
 <figcaption>Soldiers with the 82nd Airborn Division escort evacuees to buses at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan.-photo Courtesy U.S. Dept. of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>The Pentagon on Friday said it had incorrectly reported that in addition to a suicide bomber attack at the airport’s Abbey Gate, there was an explosion at the nearby Baron Hotel. Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor of the Pentagon’s Joint Staff told reporters that it is now believed there was no attack at the hotel. He said that the U.S. military report was incorrect; he attributed the mistake to confusion in the aftermath of the violence.The IS affiliate in Afghanistan has carried out many attacks on civilian targets in the country in recent years. It is more radical than the Taliban, who seized power less than two weeks ago and are an enemy of IS. The most heralded American attack on IS came in April 2017 when the U.S. dropped the largest conventional bomb in its arsenal on an IS cave and tunnel complex. The group more recently is believed to have concentrated in urban areas, which could complicate U.S. efforts to target them without harming civilians.“We will respond with force and precision at our time, at the place of our choosing,” Biden said. “These ISIS terrorists will not win.”As for the bombers and gunmen involved, he said, “We have some reason to believe we know who they are. Not certain.” He said he had instructed military commanders to develop plans to strike IS “assets, leadership and facilities.”Gen. Frank McKenzie, the U.S. Central Command chief who is overseeing the airlift, told reporters at the Pentagon prior to Biden’s remarks that the first step will be determining with confidence who carried out the attacks.“Yes, if we can find who is associated with this we will go after them,” he said. “We’ve been clear all along that we retain the right to operate against ISIS in Afghanistan, and we are working very hard right now to determine attribution, to determine who is associated with this cowardly attack, and we are prepared to take action against them — 24/7, we are looking for them.”Tracking extremist groups in Afghanistan, including al-Qaida and IS, will be more difficult with no U.S. forces on the ground and an absence of a U.S. intelligence network that has been pulled out as part of Biden’s promise to end what he called a forever war. Biden has vowed, nonetheless, to contain any threat to the U.S. from Afghanistan by monitoring it with aircraft and other assets based outside the country.In his appearance at the White House, Biden asked for a moment of silence to honor the service members, bowing his head, and ordered U.S. flags to half-staff across the country. The 13 service members who died include 10 Marines, one Navy sailor and one Army soldier. The military has not yet identified any of those or given a service affiliation for the remaining victim.The U.S.-led airlift continued even as commanders and officials were recovering from Thursday’s devastation. The White House said Friday morning that 8,500 evacuees had been flown out of Kabul aboard U.S. military aircraft in the previous 24 hours, as well as about 4,000 people on coalition flights. That is slightly less than the combined total for the day before the attacks.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/evacuations-820a408473a5ff85289effbc10f71bde">Of the 8,500 people taken out on U.S. flights</a>, about 300 were American citizens, Taylor said, bringing the total number of Americans airlifted from the country so far to 5,100.U.S. officials believe there are “several hundred” American citizens still in Afghanistan who want to leave.The coalition’s evacuation flights are scaling back, and the U.S. is scheduled to finish its evacuation operation by Tuesday.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bombings-evacuations-kabul-bb32ec2b65b54ec24323e021c9b4a553">As many as 1,000 Americans</a>&nbsp;and many more Afghans are still struggling to get out of Kabul.Biden said U.S. military commanders in Afghanistan had told him it is important to complete the evacuation mission. “And we will,” he said. “We will not be deterred by terrorists.”Indeed, McKenzie said, “Let me be clear, while we are saddened by the loss of life, both U.S. and Afghan, we are continuing to execute the mission.”McKenzie said 12 U.S. service members had been killed and 15 were wounded. Later, his spokesman, Capt. William Urban, said the toll had risen to 13 dead and 18 wounded. Urban said the wounded were being evacuated from Afghanistan aboard Air Force C-17 transport planes equipped with surgical units.It was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-bb011d46d2e8a5289622ca95695b83b1">the deadliest day for U.S. forces in Afghanistan</a>&nbsp;since August 2011, when a helicopter was shot down by an insurgent armed with a rocket-propelled grenade, killing 30 American troops and eight Afghans.Psaki said that personal calls by Biden to families of the dead would wait for notification of next of kin and that Biden might travel to Dover Air Force Base in Delaware when the remains of the fallen service members are returned.They were the first U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan since February 2020, the month the Trump administration struck an agreement with the Taliban that called for the militant group to halt attacks on Americans in exchange for a U.S. agreement to remove all American troops and contractors by May 2021. Biden announced in April that he would have all forces out by September.The administration has been widely blamed for a chaotic and deadly evacuation that began in earnest only after the collapse of the U.S.-backed Afghan government and the Taliban’s takeover of the country. More than 100,000 people have been evacuated so far, Afghans, Americans and others.House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of California called for Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., to bring the chamber back into session to consider legislation that would prohibit the U.S. withdrawal until all Americans are out. Pelosi’s office dismissed such suggestions as “empty stunts.”___