Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/202_3111_-_kushly_final_order.pdf">final administrative consent order</a>
 against Scottsdale, Arizona-based Kushly Industries LLC (Kushly) and 
the company’s owner, Cody Alt, for allegedly making false or unsupported
 health claims during the marketing and sale of cannabidiol (CBD) 
products to consumers.

According to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/2023111_-_kushly_complaint.pdf">the FTC’s May 2021 complaint</a>,
 Kushly and Alt made false or unsubstantiated claims that their CBD 
products could effectively treat or cure a host of conditions—from 
common ailments, like acne and psoriasis, to more serious diseases, 
including cancer and multiple sclerosis. In addition, the complaint 
alleges the respondents falsely told consumers that scientific studies 
or research prove that CBD product effectively treat, mitigate, or cure 
the diseases, including hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, and 
Alzheimer’s disease.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The final order settling the FTC’s charges bars the respondents from the illegal conduct alleged in the complaint and requires them to pay the FTC $30,583.14—the amount consumers paid Kushly for products sold using the deceptive marketing.

The Commission vote approving the final administrative consent order was 4-0-1, with Chair Lina Khan not participating.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a> and report scams, fraud, and bad business practices online at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Like the FTC on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/federaltradecommission">Facebook(link is external)</a>, follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/FTC">Twitter(link is external)</a>, get <a href="http://ftc.gov/subscribe">consumer alerts</a>, read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>, and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> for the latest FTC news and resources.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCFollowing a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/202_3111_-_kushly_final_order.pdf">final administrative consent order</a>
 against Scottsdale, Arizona-based Kushly Industries LLC (Kushly) and 
the company’s owner, Cody Alt, for allegedly making false or unsupported
 health claims during the marketing and sale of cannabidiol (CBD) 
products to consumers.According to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/cases/2023111_-_kushly_complaint.pdf">the FTC’s May 2021 complaint</a>,
 Kushly and Alt made false or unsubstantiated claims that their CBD 
products could effectively treat or cure a host of conditions—from 
common ailments, like acne and psoriasis, to more serious diseases, 
including cancer and multiple sclerosis. In addition, the complaint 
alleges the respondents falsely told consumers that scientific studies 
or research prove that CBD product effectively treat, mitigate, or cure 
the diseases, including hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, and 
Alzheimer’s disease.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; The final order settling the FTC’s charges bars the respondents from the illegal conduct alleged in the complaint and requires them to pay the FTC $30,583.14—the amount consumers paid Kushly for products sold using the deceptive marketing.The Commission vote approving the final administrative consent order was 4-0-1, with Chair Lina Khan not participating.The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a> and report scams, fraud, and bad business practices online at <a href="https://reportfraud.ftc.gov">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>. Like the FTC on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/federaltradecommission">Facebook(link is external)</a>, follow us on <a href="https://twitter.com/FTC">Twitter(link is external)</a>, get <a href="http://ftc.gov/subscribe">consumer alerts</a>, read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>, and <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> for the latest FTC news and resources.

FTC issues order against company for false CBD claims

DOUGLAS COUNTY— A Kansas man and his dog died in an accident Monday in Douglas County.

According to the Douglas County Sheriff's Department, a semi truck driven by 66-year-old Reinnold Hartmann of Missouri and a van driven by 39-year-old David Hosch of Olathe collided on E 2400 Road on&nbsp; U.S. 56 Highway. Both drivers were pinned inside of their respective vehicles.

Hosch was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; Lifeflight transported Hartman to a local hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Hosch did have a dog inside his vehicle, which also died as a result of the crash, according to the sheriff's department. Authorities released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625530292933.png" alt="The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Accident Investigation Team investigated the crash-photo Douglas Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Accident Investigation Team investigated the crash-photo Douglas Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY— A Kansas man and his dog died in an accident Monday in Douglas County.According to the Douglas County Sheriff's Department, a semi truck driven by 66-year-old Reinnold Hartmann of Missouri and a van driven by 39-year-old David Hosch of Olathe collided on E 2400 Road on&nbsp; U.S. 56 Highway. Both drivers were pinned inside of their respective vehicles.Hosch was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; Lifeflight transported Hartman to a local hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hosch did have a dog inside his vehicle, which also died as a result of the crash, according to the sheriff's department. Authorities released no additional details.

Kansas man and his dog die after van, semi collide 

MANHATTAN —Law enforcement authorities in Manhattan were busy with a homemade firework early Tuesday.

Police responded to the CiCo Park area along Kimball Avenue as officers worked to safely collect a homemade firework that was found, according to a social media report from the Riley County Police Department.

This firework posed no threat to the public but officers needed to properly and safely dispose of the firework.&nbsp; They completed the process and cleared the area just before 2a.m. There were no injuries reported.

MANHATTAN —Law enforcement authorities in Manhattan were busy with a homemade firework early Tuesday.Police responded to the CiCo Park area along Kimball Avenue as officers worked to safely collect a homemade firework that was found, according to a social media report from the Riley County Police Department.This firework posed no threat to the public but officers needed to properly and safely dispose of the firework.&nbsp; They completed the process and cleared the area just before 2a.m. There were no injuries reported.

Police dispose of homemade firework found in Kan. park

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a shooting that injured a woman in Topeka have made an arrest.

Just before 10:30 p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a call for service in the 1100 Block of SW Clay Street, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith. The caller reported&nbsp; a woman was suffering from a gunshot wound. 

On arrival, officers located the victim, who was transported to a local hospital.&nbsp;

On Sunday, police identified the suspect as 21-year-old Daisha Butler of Topeka. Police transported her to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of attempted 1st Degree Murder and&nbsp;Aggravated Battery, according to Monasmith.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that injured a woman in Topeka.

On arrival, officers located the victim, who was transported to a local hospital. As a result, Topeka Police Department Detectives are reviewing all investigative leads. Police have not released the victim's name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625450854895.png" alt="Butler photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Butler photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a shooting that injured a woman in Topeka have made an arrest.Just before 10:30 p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a call for service in the 1100 Block of SW Clay Street, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith. The caller reported&nbsp; a woman was suffering from a gunshot wound. On arrival, officers located the victim, who was transported to a local hospital.&nbsp;On Sunday, police identified the suspect as 21-year-old Daisha Butler of Topeka. Police transported her to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of attempted 1st Degree Murder and&nbsp;Aggravated Battery, according to Monasmith.----------SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that injured a woman in Topeka.Just before 10:30 p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a call for service in the 1100 Block of SW Clay Street, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith. The caller reported&nbsp; a woman was suffering from a gunshot wound. On arrival, officers located the victim, who was transported to a local hospital. As a result, Topeka Police Department Detectives are reviewing all investigative leads. Police have not released the victim's name.

Kan. woman arrested for alleged attempted murder


HUTCHINSON — Kris Kobach, as general counsel for the Alliance for Free Citizens, is lead counsel for plaintiff sheriffs in Texas and ICE officers wanting to continue to enforce current federal immigration law.

"The Biden administration issued a memo which orders ICE officers to stop deporting about 90% of the people that they were previously deporting under the Trump administration," Kobach said. "Included among those people that they can no longer deport under this new policy are aliens who must be detained and removed from the country under three different federal statutes. Basically, the Biden administration issued a memorandum telling ICE officers to start breaking federal law. The sheriffs are suffering, because that has fueled the crisis down along the border and in south Texas generally. Now that ICE has been forced to stand down, the ICE officers, by the way, they want to continue to work with the sheriffs and take custody of the illegal aliens the sheriffs are arresting virtually every day. They've teamed up to say, look, we just want to be able to follow the law."

Kobach contends that these really are people who the country has an interest in not having on its soil.

"These are serious criminals," Kobach said. "Our sheriffs have filed a legal complaint asserting that among the crimes committed by these illegal aliens, who are now being allowed to walk on the street include, rape of a child, aggravated sexual assault on a child, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, larceny, burglary, domestic violence, carrying a prohibited weapon, possession of drugs, resisting a law enforcement officer, DUI and the list goes on."

"It's not a big ask," Kobach said. "All we are asking the judge to do is for a nationwide injunction to allow ICE and the sheriffs of this country to follow the law, so they can once again cooperate in detaining and removing criminal aliens. It's a shocking situation when it takes a lawsuit now, for law enforcement officers to be permitted to follow the law, but unfortunately, that's where we are."

Kobach sees the Biden administration's strategy as twofold, ending interior enforcement, which is the focus of the current suit and at the same time, they are opening the border by ending the remain in Mexico policy that kept those with asylum claims on the Mexico side of the border until the U.S. decided if the claim had merit or not. 

Kobach is also running for attorney general in Kansas in 2022.

By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON — Kris Kobach, as general counsel for the Alliance for Free Citizens, is lead counsel for plaintiff sheriffs in Texas and ICE officers wanting to continue to enforce current federal immigration law."The Biden administration issued a memo which orders ICE officers to stop deporting about 90% of the people that they were previously deporting under the Trump administration," Kobach said. "Included among those people that they can no longer deport under this new policy are aliens who must be detained and removed from the country under three different federal statutes. Basically, the Biden administration issued a memorandum telling ICE officers to start breaking federal law. The sheriffs are suffering, because that has fueled the crisis down along the border and in south Texas generally. Now that ICE has been forced to stand down, the ICE officers, by the way, they want to continue to work with the sheriffs and take custody of the illegal aliens the sheriffs are arresting virtually every day. They've teamed up to say, look, we just want to be able to follow the law."Kobach contends that these really are people who the country has an interest in not having on its soil."These are serious criminals," Kobach said. "Our sheriffs have filed a legal complaint asserting that among the crimes committed by these illegal aliens, who are now being allowed to walk on the street include, rape of a child, aggravated sexual assault on a child, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, larceny, burglary, domestic violence, carrying a prohibited weapon, possession of drugs, resisting a law enforcement officer, DUI and the list goes on."Kobach said the remedy is simple."It's not a big ask," Kobach said. "All we are asking the judge to do is for a nationwide injunction to allow ICE and the sheriffs of this country to follow the law, so they can once again cooperate in detaining and removing criminal aliens. It's a shocking situation when it takes a lawsuit now, for law enforcement officers to be permitted to follow the law, but unfortunately, that's where we are."Kobach sees the Biden administration's strategy as twofold, ending interior enforcement, which is the focus of the current suit and at the same time, they are opening the border by ending the remain in Mexico policy that kept those with asylum claims on the Mexico side of the border until the U.S. decided if the claim had merit or not. Kobach is also running for attorney general in Kansas in 2022.

Kobach fighting Biden administration on immigration 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in the fatal Father's Day shooting of 47-year-old Deandre Freeman of Wichita made his first court appearance Thursday.

Jermall Campbell, 39 of Wichita, was charged with 1st degree murder, aggravated battery, criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and gambling, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, Campbell&nbsp; turned himself in to authorities, according to Officer Trevor Macy. 

Just after 8:30a.m. June 20, police responded to a check residence call at a home in the 1700 block of North Harding in Wichita, according to Office Charley Davidson.

 Upon arrival, officers entered the home and found Freeman had been shot multiple times.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.&nbsp; Officers also located a 53-year-old man who had been shot.&nbsp; He was taken to an area hospital in critical condition.

The investigation revealed the two victims, a suspect later identified as Campbell and two other men were all at the home and are known to each other.&nbsp; A disturbance occurred between the suspect and others when the Campbell allegedly fired multiple shots striking the victims.

Campbell is being <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=102632">held on a $1,000,000 bond&nbsp;</a>. His next court date is July 15, according to the district attorney.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625142361655.png" alt="Campbell photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Campbell photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man accused in the fatal Father's Day shooting of 47-year-old Deandre Freeman of Wichita made his first court appearance Thursday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624291759233.png" alt="Police at the scene of the shooting early June 20 -photo courtesy KWCH TV" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the shooting early June 20 -photo courtesy KWCH TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Jermall Campbell, 39 of Wichita, was charged with 1st degree murder, aggravated battery, criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon and gambling, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;On Wednesday, Campbell&nbsp; turned himself in to authorities, according to Officer Trevor Macy. Just after 8:30a.m. June 20, police responded to a check residence call at a home in the 1700 block of North Harding in Wichita, according to Office Charley Davidson. Upon arrival, officers entered the home and found Freeman had been shot multiple times.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.&nbsp; Officers also located a 53-year-old man who had been shot.&nbsp; He was taken to an area hospital in critical condition.The investigation revealed the two victims, a suspect later identified as Campbell and two other men were all at the home and are known to each other.&nbsp; A disturbance occurred between the suspect and others when the Campbell allegedly fired multiple shots striking the victims.Campbell is being <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=102632">held on a $1,000,000 bond&nbsp;</a>. His next court date is July 15, according to the district attorney.---------

Kan. man in Father's Day killing charged with murder, gambling

MISSION, Kansas (AP) — The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients jumped by nearly 27% over the Fourth of July weekend in a hard-hit area of Missouri where immunization rates are low, leading to a temporary ventilator shortfall and a public call for help from respiratory therapists.

The Delta variant, first identified in India, is spreading rapidly, straining hospitals in Springfield and raising fresh fears that the situation could soon grow worse as holiday gatherings seed fresh cases. Missouri leads the nation with the most new cases per capita in the past 14 days.

As of Monday, CoxHealth and the city’s other hospital, Mercy Springfield, were treating 213 COVID-19 patients, up from 168 on Friday. As recently as May 24, the two hospitals had just 31 patients.

“After what we’ve seen in the last month everyone is just holding their breath, especially after a holiday weekend like this, knowing that there were large gatherings,” said Erik Frederick, the chief administrative officer of Mercy Springfield.

Many communities that held off on Fourth of July festivities last year held them this year.

Republican Gov. Mike Parson&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/GovParsonMO/s" target="_blank">tweeted&nbsp;</a>a picture of himself at a fireworks celebration in the tourist town of Branson, a large crowd behind him. In the surrounding county, just 29.3% of residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot, state data shows. That is below the state rate of 44.7% and the national rate of 54.7% but not unlike several other southwest Missouri communities. Some have vaccination rates in the teens.

Parson last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mo-state-wire-michael-brown-coronavirus-pandemic-health-6fbc3d85f5305ffdb048f62ff7d94e19">urged&nbsp;</a>people to get vaccinated. But he has consistently declined to enact restrictions to control the spread of the virus, instead asking residents to take “personal responsibility.” Missouri never had a mask mandate, and Parson signed a law last month placing limits on public health restrictions and barring governments from requiring proof of vaccination to use public facilities and transportation.

His communication staff didn’t immediately return an email Monday from The Associated Press. Nor did the spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

CoxHealth in Springfield has been transferring out four or five patients a day for the past week to 10 days as it tries to bring in more traveling nurses to help, said Ashley Kimberling Casad, vice president of clinical services at the hospital.

“Our projections are only showing us continuing to go up,” she said, noting that positivity rates are spiking. “We generally see an increase in hospitalizations about two weeks after big events, so knowing it was the holiday weekend and probably lots of people spent time with family and friends and with our vaccination rates so low, we are going to expect that in two weeks it gets really, really busy.”

The situation is complication because the hospital has only about one-third of the 280 traveling nurses it had at the peak of the winter surge and is working through a backlog of patients who deferred routine care during the surge. That means it can’t handle as many COVID-19 patients as it once could.

Kimberling Casad said traveling nurses are also now harder to come by.

“They worked really hard all winter and spring and made good money so they want to take off this summer and get to spend it with their family and have fun, so we have a lot of positions posted for traveling nurses, but we are just having a harder time getting them in,” she said.

So far, Mercy Springfield has been able to avoid transfers, but the situation worsened so quickly that it ran out of ventilators at one point over the weekend and had to borrow more, said Frederick.

“Luckily we got some in before we had another patient come in who required it so we were able to keep moving and have a surplus on hand should we need it, because we escalated ventilators very quickly,” he said. “We went from the 30s to the 40s to almost 50 over about 72 hours.”

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/CAOMercySGF/status/1412075853111042060" target="_blank">tweet,&nbsp;</a>he urged any respiratory therapist to “call us.”

Frederick said projections show its patient count continuing to climb through early August before the numbers gradually begin to fall slowly through October.

“We just never thought we would be back here,” he said, adding: “Unfortunately we are living in a region where the vaccine has not been adopted. It has not been accepted and here we are with hospitals full of COVID patients.”

ADVERTISEMENTTrending on AP News<a href="https://apnews.com/article/africa-olympic-games-2020-tokyo-olympics-sports-c11b5fba248c03ea6ddd7e7089818eb0">Semenya misses Tokyo, may be forced out of Olympics for good</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/surfside-building-collapse-teen-rescued-683461b0ab759fb950729cf90fe5761e">Tale of rescue after falling several floors in Fla. collapse</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-19836928230df90d765c9ae4f7dfc76a">Pilot minutes before ocean crash: ‘It doesn’t look good’</a><a href="https://popup.taboola.com/en/?template=colorbox&amp;utm_source=associatedpress-apnews&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=organic-thumbnails-rr:Right%20Rail%20Thumbnails:" target="_blank">by Taboola</a>ADVERTISEMENT

MISSION, Kansas (AP) — The number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients jumped by nearly 27% over the Fourth of July weekend in a hard-hit area of Missouri where immunization rates are low, leading to a temporary ventilator shortfall and a public call for help from respiratory therapists.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">115 COVID+ <a href="https://twitter.com/MercySGF?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MercySGF</a>. Running almost 50 vents now. We are expanding to 2nd COVID ICU and a 2nd step down. Physicians, nurses and respiratory therapists are tired. Heck everyone is tired. Travel RN’s coming this week. Physician support being arranged. If you’re a RT, call us.&mdash; Erik Frederick (@CAOMercySGF) <a href="https://twitter.com/CAOMercySGF/status/1412075853111042060?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Delta variant, first identified in India, is spreading rapidly, straining hospitals in Springfield and raising fresh fears that the situation could soon grow worse as holiday gatherings seed fresh cases. Missouri leads the nation with the most new cases per capita in the past 14 days.As of Monday, CoxHealth and the city’s other hospital, Mercy Springfield, were treating 213 COVID-19 patients, up from 168 on Friday. As recently as May 24, the two hospitals had just 31 patients.“After what we’ve seen in the last month everyone is just holding their breath, especially after a holiday weekend like this, knowing that there were large gatherings,” said Erik Frederick, the chief administrative officer of Mercy Springfield.Many communities that held off on Fourth of July festivities last year held them this year.Republican Gov. Mike Parson&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/GovParsonMO/s" target="_blank">tweeted&nbsp;</a>a picture of himself at a fireworks celebration in the tourist town of Branson, a large crowd behind him. In the surrounding county, just 29.3% of residents have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot, state data shows. That is below the state rate of 44.7% and the national rate of 54.7% but not unlike several other southwest Missouri communities. Some have vaccination rates in the teens.Parson last week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mo-state-wire-michael-brown-coronavirus-pandemic-health-6fbc3d85f5305ffdb048f62ff7d94e19">urged&nbsp;</a>people to get vaccinated. But he has consistently declined to enact restrictions to control the spread of the virus, instead asking residents to take “personal responsibility.” Missouri never had a mask mandate, and Parson signed a law last month placing limits on public health restrictions and barring governments from requiring proof of vaccination to use public facilities and transportation.His communication staff didn’t immediately return an email Monday from The Associated Press. Nor did the spokeswoman for the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.CoxHealth in Springfield has been transferring out four or five patients a day for the past week to 10 days as it tries to bring in more traveling nurses to help, said Ashley Kimberling Casad, vice president of clinical services at the hospital.“Our projections are only showing us continuing to go up,” she said, noting that positivity rates are spiking. “We generally see an increase in hospitalizations about two weeks after big events, so knowing it was the holiday weekend and probably lots of people spent time with family and friends and with our vaccination rates so low, we are going to expect that in two weeks it gets really, really busy.”The situation is complication because the hospital has only about one-third of the 280 traveling nurses it had at the peak of the winter surge and is working through a backlog of patients who deferred routine care during the surge. That means it can’t handle as many COVID-19 patients as it once could.Kimberling Casad said traveling nurses are also now harder to come by.“They worked really hard all winter and spring and made good money so they want to take off this summer and get to spend it with their family and have fun, so we have a lot of positions posted for traveling nurses, but we are just having a harder time getting them in,” she said.So far, Mercy Springfield has been able to avoid transfers, but the situation worsened so quickly that it ran out of ventilators at one point over the weekend and had to borrow more, said Frederick.“Luckily we got some in before we had another patient come in who required it so we were able to keep moving and have a surplus on hand should we need it, because we escalated ventilators very quickly,” he said. “We went from the 30s to the 40s to almost 50 over about 72 hours.”In a&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/CAOMercySGF/status/1412075853111042060" target="_blank">tweet,&nbsp;</a>he urged any respiratory therapist to “call us.”Frederick said projections show its patient count continuing to climb through early August before the numbers gradually begin to fall slowly through October.“We just never thought we would be back here,” he said, adding: “Unfortunately we are living in a region where the vaccine has not been adopted. It has not been accepted and here we are with hospitals full of COVID patients.”ADVERTISEMENTTrending on AP News<a href="https://apnews.com/article/africa-olympic-games-2020-tokyo-olympics-sports-c11b5fba248c03ea6ddd7e7089818eb0">Semenya misses Tokyo, may be forced out of Olympics for good</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/surfside-building-collapse-teen-rescued-683461b0ab759fb950729cf90fe5761e">Tale of rescue after falling several floors in Fla. collapse</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-19836928230df90d765c9ae4f7dfc76a">Pilot minutes before ocean crash: ‘It doesn’t look good’</a><a href="https://popup.taboola.com/en/?template=colorbox&amp;utm_source=associatedpress-apnews&amp;utm_medium=referral&amp;utm_content=organic-thumbnails-rr:Right%20Rail%20Thumbnails:" target="_blank">by Taboola</a>ADVERTISEMENT

Ventilator shortage: Missouri COVID hospitalizations spike

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City were investigating an early Monday shooting death that happened near police headquarters.

The shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. Monday at 12th and Locust streets, and arriving officers found a man at the scene with gunshot wounds, officials said. Medics who also responded to the scene declared the man dead. Police believe the man was shot during an argument with another person.

Police have not released the name of victim and say they have no information on who the shooter may be.

The death marked the city’s 77th homicide this year, according to officials.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police in Kansas City were investigating an early Monday shooting death that happened near police headquarters.The shooting happened around 12:30 a.m. Monday at 12th and Locust streets, and arriving officers found a man at the scene with gunshot wounds, officials said. Medics who also responded to the scene declared the man dead. Police believe the man was shot during an argument with another person.Police have not released the name of victim and say they have no information on who the shooter may be.The death marked the city’s 77th homicide this year, according to officials.

KC Police investigate the 77th homicide of 2021

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Republicans are trying to pull Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly into a national debate over border security as the GOP works to undercut her standing with voters ahead of her re-election bid next year.

Republican U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, who represents south-central Kansas, publicly urged Kelly on Wednesday to send law-enforcement resources to Arizona and Texas to help them with security along the border with Mexico. His call came the same day former President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2020-tx-state-wire-health-coronavirus-pandemic-0d441606d7c2267f2a747c7d57f8acaa">visited the border</a>&nbsp;to assail President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.

Estes and the state’s other two Republican congressmen, Jake LaTurner and Tracey Mann, sent Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://estes.house.gov/uploadedfiles/estes-border-resources-letter.pdf" target="_blank">a letter</a>&nbsp;pushing her to share resources with Arizona and Texas. Earlier this month, the Kansas Republican Party criticized Kelly for being “silent” on border security.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded more than 180,000 encounters on the Mexican border in May, the most since March 2000.

Kelly responded by urging the three congressmen to “get to work” on passing comprehensive immigration reforms instead of resorting to “political games.”

In Kelly’s 2018 race for governor, Republican Kris Kobach made fighting illegal immigration a key issue. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/32816d964acc49e188c9de18b9acb3b9">Kobach lost</a>&nbsp;after alienating moderate GOP and independent voters.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615805180158.png" alt="Families attempting to cross the border in March-Images courtesy Senator Roger Marshall" />
 <figcaption>Families attempting to cross the border in March-Images courtesy Senator Roger Marshall</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Republicans are trying to pull Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly into a national debate over border security as the GOP works to undercut her standing with voters ahead of her re-election bid next year.Republican U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, who represents south-central Kansas, publicly urged Kelly on Wednesday to send law-enforcement resources to Arizona and Texas to help them with security along the border with Mexico. His call came the same day former President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-election-2020-tx-state-wire-health-coronavirus-pandemic-0d441606d7c2267f2a747c7d57f8acaa">visited the border</a>&nbsp;to assail President Joe Biden’s immigration policies.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604461432062.png" alt="Republican U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, who represents south-central Kansas, publicly urged Kelly on to send law-enforcement resources to Arizona and Texas to help them with security along the border- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Republican U.S. Rep. Ron Estes, who represents south-central Kansas, publicly urged Kelly on to send law-enforcement resources to Arizona and Texas to help them with security along the border- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Estes and the state’s other two Republican congressmen, Jake LaTurner and Tracey Mann, sent Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://estes.house.gov/uploadedfiles/estes-border-resources-letter.pdf" target="_blank">a letter</a>&nbsp;pushing her to share resources with Arizona and Texas. Earlier this month, the Kansas Republican Party criticized Kelly for being “silent” on border security.The U.S. Customs and Border Protection recorded more than 180,000 encounters on the Mexican border in May, the most since March 2000.Kelly responded by urging the three congressmen to “get to work” on passing comprehensive immigration reforms instead of resorting to “political games.”In Kelly’s 2018 race for governor, Republican Kris Kobach made fighting illegal immigration a key issue. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/32816d964acc49e188c9de18b9acb3b9">Kobach lost</a>&nbsp;after alienating moderate GOP and independent voters.___

GOP congressmen assail Kan. governor over border security

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — Rockabilly and country performer Sanford Clark, who had a Top 10 hit with “The Fool” in 1956, has died in a Missouri hospital from COVID-19. He was 85.

Clark died Sunday at Mercy Hospital in Joplin, where he had been receiving cancer treatment before he contracted the coronavirus, his publicist and fellow performer Johnny Vallis said Monday.

Clark was born on Oct. 24, 1935, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and raised in Phoenix, where he first began performing in the early 1950s. “The Fool” reached No. 7 on the Billboard Top 100. The song was later recorded by several other well-known artists, including Elvis Presley and The Animals.

Presley actually recorded the song twice, the first time as part of his personal recordings while he was serving in the Army, then again for professional release in the 1970s, Vallis said.

“You can hear that he's trying to emulate Sanford's sound,” Vallis said. “You know, most people I know want to impersonate Elvis, and here Elvis was trying to impersonate him.”

Clark recorded several other songs in the 1950s and 1960s that saw minor success before he left the music business to work in construction, though he occasionally recorded in later decades on his own label, Desert Sun Records.

Sanford is survived by his wife, Marsha, and several children.

JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — Rockabilly and country performer Sanford Clark, who had a Top 10 hit with “The Fool” in 1956, has died in a Missouri hospital from COVID-19. He was 85.Clark died Sunday at Mercy Hospital in Joplin, where he had been receiving cancer treatment before he contracted the coronavirus, his publicist and fellow performer Johnny Vallis said Monday.Clark was born on Oct. 24, 1935, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and raised in Phoenix, where he first began performing in the early 1950s. “The Fool” reached No. 7 on the Billboard Top 100. The song was later recorded by several other well-known artists, including Elvis Presley and The Animals.Presley actually recorded the song twice, the first time as part of his personal recordings while he was serving in the Army, then again for professional release in the 1970s, Vallis said.“You can hear that he's trying to emulate Sanford's sound,” Vallis said. “You know, most people I know want to impersonate Elvis, and here Elvis was trying to impersonate him.”Clark recorded several other songs in the 1950s and 1960s that saw minor success before he left the music business to work in construction, though he occasionally recorded in later decades on his own label, Desert Sun Records.Sanford is survived by his wife, Marsha, and several children.

Rockabilly performer Sanford Clark dead from COVID-19

WICHITA—State and local authorities continue to investigate the cause of illness in children and others who attended the Splash Park at Taganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard. The splash park has remained closed since June 19.

A lawsuit in the case filed by the Patterson Legal Group in Sedgwick County District Court on behalf of those injured at the Splash Park now&nbsp; now include one consolidated petition listing 47 parties. This amended action filed in Sedgwick County District Court on behalf of these injured parties alleges that Tanganyika Wildlife Park failed to maintain proper sanitary conditions that resulted in guests at Tanganyika Falls Splash Park being exposed to a dangerous pathogen, according to a statement on Friday from the law firm.

Further, the park did not warn guests once they knew, or should have known, about the disease outbreak, according to the Patterson Legal Group.

"More specifically, the petition claims that the disease outbreak was spread by an organism that existed at the park for a significant period of time, or was caused by water contaminated with organisms, pathogens, and/or fecal matter. This negligence of management has caused many customers to get sick, including children that have required ICU treatment at the hospital."

“Businesses have a responsibility to the public to ensure that properties operate in a safe manner. The folks who have approached our law firm after unknowingly being exposed to the dangerous pathogen or pathogens at Tanganyika Falls Splash Park have suffered violent gastrointestinal conditions, breathing difficulties that have required hospitalizations, and other periods of severe illness,” said Coleman Younger, one of two attorneys representing those who were infected. 

“The situation continues to escalate for all involved, especially for the families and friends of children who fell seriously ill and are still recovering under the supervision of their medical providers at our local hospitals.”

The Kansas Department of Health (KDHE) became aware of the first three cases linked to the park on June 18. All three people tested positive for&nbsp;Shigella&nbsp;bacteria. 

On Friday, KDHE reported water samples collected by the state at the splash park on June 19 were tested at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). No&nbsp;Shigella&nbsp;bacteria were detected, but coliform and&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;bacteria were detected in some of the samples, according to a media release from the state.

In water sample testing, the presence of these bacteria indicates likely fecal contamination. The water results are a snapshot of water quality on the day the samples were collected.&nbsp; Further interpretation of the water sample results is ongoing.

Three additional people have tested positive for&nbsp;Shigella&nbsp;bacteria, bringing the total cases linked to the park to six. All six cases visited the Splash Park area on June 11, 2021. Investigations into other possible linked cases are ongoing. Additional testing is underway to determine if the bacteria from each person are related.

KDHE and the Sedgwick County Health Department have also identified other diarrheal illnesses among individuals who reported being at the Splash Park. Individuals have tested positive for norovirus, sapovirus, and a type of&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;called enteropathogenic&nbsp;E. coli. Investigations are ongoing as to whether these illnesses are associated with exposure at the Splash Park.

If you or a family member experienced symptoms of fever, diarrhea or vomiting after visiting Tanganyika Wildlife Park on or after May 28, 2021, please take this survey at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA2MjAuNDIxNzE3NDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3Rpbnl1cmwuY29tL2tkaGVzcGxhc2g_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.kdvq3t3XT2EXzMLHYDA8EhdOIcOsD3HGal2gwUpZvbk/s/1305913448/br/108183106576-l" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/kdhesplash</a>.

If you live in Sedgwick County, and do not have access to a computer to complete the survey, contact the Sedgwick County Health Department via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:DiseaseReporting@sedgwick.gov" target="_blank">DiseaseReporting@sedgwick.gov</a>&nbsp;or call the COVID-19 line at 316-660-1022 (press 1 to leave a message). Sedgwick County is working to set up a separate, non-COVID phone line which will be released this week.

If you live outside of Sedgwick County and do not have access to a computer to complete the survey, please contact your local health department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624228385006.png" alt="Photo courtesy Tanganyika Wildlife Park" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Tanganyika Wildlife Park</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA—State and local authorities continue to investigate the cause of illness in children and others who attended the Splash Park at Taganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard. The splash park has remained closed since June 19.A lawsuit in the case filed by the Patterson Legal Group in Sedgwick County District Court on behalf of those injured at the Splash Park now&nbsp; now include one consolidated petition listing 47 parties. This amended action filed in Sedgwick County District Court on behalf of these injured parties alleges that Tanganyika Wildlife Park failed to maintain proper sanitary conditions that resulted in guests at Tanganyika Falls Splash Park being exposed to a dangerous pathogen, according to a statement on Friday from the law firm.Further, the park did not warn guests once they knew, or should have known, about the disease outbreak, according to the Patterson Legal Group."More specifically, the petition claims that the disease outbreak was spread by an organism that existed at the park for a significant period of time, or was caused by water contaminated with organisms, pathogens, and/or fecal matter. This negligence of management has caused many customers to get sick, including children that have required ICU treatment at the hospital."“Businesses have a responsibility to the public to ensure that properties operate in a safe manner. The folks who have approached our law firm after unknowingly being exposed to the dangerous pathogen or pathogens at Tanganyika Falls Splash Park have suffered violent gastrointestinal conditions, breathing difficulties that have required hospitalizations, and other periods of severe illness,” said Coleman Younger, one of two attorneys representing those who were infected. “The situation continues to escalate for all involved, especially for the families and friends of children who fell seriously ill and are still recovering under the supervision of their medical providers at our local hospitals.”The Kansas Department of Health (KDHE) became aware of the first three cases linked to the park on June 18. All three people tested positive for&nbsp;Shigella&nbsp;bacteria. On Friday, KDHE reported water samples collected by the state at the splash park on June 19 were tested at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). No&nbsp;Shigella&nbsp;bacteria were detected, but coliform and&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;bacteria were detected in some of the samples, according to a media release from the state.In water sample testing, the presence of these bacteria indicates likely fecal contamination. The water results are a snapshot of water quality on the day the samples were collected.&nbsp; Further interpretation of the water sample results is ongoing.Three additional people have tested positive for&nbsp;Shigella&nbsp;bacteria, bringing the total cases linked to the park to six. All six cases visited the Splash Park area on June 11, 2021. Investigations into other possible linked cases are ongoing. Additional testing is underway to determine if the bacteria from each person are related.KDHE and the Sedgwick County Health Department have also identified other diarrheal illnesses among individuals who reported being at the Splash Park. Individuals have tested positive for norovirus, sapovirus, and a type of&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;called enteropathogenic&nbsp;E. coli. Investigations are ongoing as to whether these illnesses are associated with exposure at the Splash Park.If you or a family member experienced symptoms of fever, diarrhea or vomiting after visiting Tanganyika Wildlife Park on or after May 28, 2021, please take this survey at&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA2MjAuNDIxNzE3NDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3Rpbnl1cmwuY29tL2tkaGVzcGxhc2g_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.kdvq3t3XT2EXzMLHYDA8EhdOIcOsD3HGal2gwUpZvbk/s/1305913448/br/108183106576-l" target="_blank">https://tinyurl.com/kdhesplash</a>.If you live in Sedgwick County, and do not have access to a computer to complete the survey, contact the Sedgwick County Health Department via email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:DiseaseReporting@sedgwick.gov" target="_blank">DiseaseReporting@sedgwick.gov</a>&nbsp;or call the COVID-19 line at 316-660-1022 (press 1 to leave a message). Sedgwick County is working to set up a separate, non-COVID phone line which will be released this week.If you live outside of Sedgwick County and do not have access to a computer to complete the survey, please contact your local health department.---------

Lawsuit over illnesses in children at Kan. splash park expands

BOSTON (AP) — Cybersecurity teams worked feverishly Sunday to stem the impact of the single biggest global ransomware attack on record, with some details emerging about how the Russia-linked gang responsible breached the company whose software was the conduit.

An affiliate of the notorious REvil gang, best known for extorting $11 million from the meat-processor JBS after a Memorial Day attack, infected thousands of victims in at least 17 countries on Friday, largely through firms that remotely manage IT infrastructure for multiple customers, cybersecurity researchers said.

REvil was demanding ransoms of up to $5 million, the researchers said. But late Sunday it offered in a posting on its dark web site a universal decryptor software key that would unscramble all affected machines in exchange for $70 million in cryptocurrency.

Earlier, the FBI said in&nbsp;<a href="https://go.usa.gov/x6Hzc" target="_blank">a statement&nbsp;</a>that while it was investigating the attack its scale “may make it so that we are unable to respond to each victim individually.” Deputy National Security Advisor Anne Neuberger later issued a statement saying President Joe Biden had “directed the full resources of the government to investigate this incident” and urged all who believed they were compromised to alert the FBI.

Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/07/03/remarks-by-president-biden-after-visiting-king-orchards/" target="_blank">suggested Saturday&nbsp;</a>the U.S. would respond if it was determined that the Kremlin is at all involved.

Less than a month ago, Biden pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop giving safe haven to REvil and other ransomware gangs whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-europe-government-and-politics-technology-business-3b81e8116c42439566040a052617ad55">unrelenting extortionary attacks&nbsp;</a>the U.S. deems a national security threat.

A broad array of businesses and public agencies were hit by the latest attack, apparently on all continents, including in financial services, travel and leisure and the public sector — though few large companies, the cybersecurity firm Sophos reported. Ransomware criminals infiltrate networks and sow malware that cripples them by scrambling all their data. Victims get a decoder key when they pay up.

The Swedish grocery chain Coop said most of its 800 stores would be closed for a second day Sunday because their cash register software supplier was crippled. A Swedish pharmacy chain, gas station chain, the state railway and public broadcaster SVT were also hit.

In Germany, an unnamed IT services company told authorities several thousand of its customers were compromised, the news agency dpa reported. Also among reported victims were two big Dutch IT services companies — VelzArt and Hoppenbrouwer Techniek. Most ransomware victims don’t publicly report attacks or disclose if they’ve paid ransoms.

CEO Fred Voccola of the breached software company, Kaseya, estimated the victim number in the low thousands, mostly small businesses like “dental practices, architecture firms, plastic surgery centers, libraries, things like that.”

Voccola said in an interview that only between 50-60 of the company’s 37,000 customers were compromised. But 70% were managed service providers who use the company’s hacked VSA software to manage multiple customers. It automates the installation of software and security updates and manages backups and other vital tasks.

Experts say it was no coincidence that REvil launched the attack at the start of the Fourth of July holiday weekend, knowing U.S. offices would be lightly staffed. Many victims may not learn of it until they are back at work on Monday. Most end users of managed service providers “have no idea” whose software keep their networks humming, said Voccola,

Kaseya said it sent a detection tool to nearly 900 customers on Saturday night.

The REvil offer to offer blanket decryption for all victims of the Kaseya attack in exchange for $70 million suggested its inability to cope with the sheer quantity of infected networks, said Allan Liska, an analyst with the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future. Although analysts reported seeing demands of $5 million and $500,000 for bigger targets, it was apparently demanding $45,000 for most.

“This attack is a lot bigger than they expected and it is getting a lot of attention. It is in REvil’s interest to end it quickly,” said Liska. “This is a nightmare to manage.”

Analyst Brett Callow of Emsisoft said he suspects REvil is hoping insurers might crunch the numbers and determine the $70 million will be cheaper for them than extended downtime.

Sophisticated ransomware gangs on REvil’s level usually examine a victim’s financial records — and insurance policies if they can find them — from files they steal before activating the ransomware. The criminals then threaten to dump the stolen data online unless paid. In this attack, that appears not to have happened.

<a href="https://csirt.divd.nl/2021/07/04/Kaseya-Case-Update-2/" target="_blank">Dutch researchers&nbsp;</a>said they alerted Miami-based Kaseya to the breach and said the criminals used a “zero day,” the industry term for a previous unknown security hole in software. Voccola would not confirm that or offer details of the breach — except to say that it was not phishing.

“The level of sophistication here was extraordinary,” he said.

When the cybersecurity firm Mandiant finishes its investigation, Voccola said he is confident it will show that the criminals didn’t just violate Kaseya code in breaking into his network but also exploited vulnerabilities in third-party software.

It was not the first ransomware attack to leverage managed services providers. In 2019, criminals hobbled the networks of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/81d1de758c7b4f5aac0a6dc792702bda">22 Texas municipalities&nbsp;</a>through one. That same year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/29/politics/ransomware-attack-dental-offices/index.html" target="_blank">400 U.S. dental practices</a>&nbsp;were crippled in a separate attack.

One of the Dutch vulnerability researchers, Victor Gevers, said his team is worried about products like Kaseya’s VSA because of the total control of vast computing resources they can offer. “More and more of the products that are used to keep networks safe and secure are showing structural weaknesses,” he wrote in a blog Sunday.

The cybersecurity firm ESET identified victims in least 17 countries, including the United Kingdom, South Africa, Canada, Argentina, Mexico, Indonesia, New Zealand and Kenya.

Kaseya says the attack only affected “on-premise” customers, organizations running their own data centers, as opposed to its cloud-based services that run software for customers. It also shut down those servers as a precaution, however.

Kaseya, which called on customers Friday to shut down their VSA servers immediately, said Sunday it hoped to have a patch in the next few days.

Active since April 2019, REvil provides ransomware-as-a-service, meaning it develops the network-paralyzing software and leases it to so-called affiliates who infect targets and earn the lion’s share of ransoms. U.S. officials say the most potent ransomware gangs are based in Russia and allied states and operate with Kremlin tolerance and sometimes collude with Russian security services.

Cybersecurity expert Dmitri Alperovitch of the Silverado Policy Accelerator think tank said that while he does not believe the Kaseya attack is Kremlin-directed, it shows that Putin “has not yet moved” on shutting down cybercriminals.

BOSTON (AP) — Cybersecurity teams worked feverishly Sunday to stem the impact of the single biggest global ransomware attack on record, with some details emerging about how the Russia-linked gang responsible breached the company whose software was the conduit.An affiliate of the notorious REvil gang, best known for extorting $11 million from the meat-processor JBS after a Memorial Day attack, infected thousands of victims in at least 17 countries on Friday, largely through firms that remotely manage IT infrastructure for multiple customers, cybersecurity researchers said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">If you believe your systems have been compromised from the Kaseya ransomware incident, we urge you to shut down your VSA servers &amp; contact CISA, our partners at the <a href="https://twitter.com/FBI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBI</a>, &amp; file a report at <a href="https://t.co/V1Z2YzlPTW">https://t.co/V1Z2YzlPTW</a> We are working with Kaseya &amp; the <a href="https://twitter.com/FBI?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FBI</a> to assist those impacted. <a href="https://t.co/vFwJ6iyKog">https://t.co/vFwJ6iyKog</a>&mdash; Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (@CISAgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/CISAgov/status/1411821930521497600?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>REvil was demanding ransoms of up to $5 million, the researchers said. But late Sunday it offered in a posting on its dark web site a universal decryptor software key that would unscramble all affected machines in exchange for $70 million in cryptocurrency.Earlier, the FBI said in&nbsp;<a href="https://go.usa.gov/x6Hzc" target="_blank">a statement&nbsp;</a>that while it was investigating the attack its scale “may make it so that we are unable to respond to each victim individually.” Deputy National Security Advisor Anne Neuberger later issued a statement saying President Joe Biden had “directed the full resources of the government to investigate this incident” and urged all who believed they were compromised to alert the FBI.Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/speeches-remarks/2021/07/03/remarks-by-president-biden-after-visiting-king-orchards/" target="_blank">suggested Saturday&nbsp;</a>the U.S. would respond if it was determined that the Kremlin is at all involved.Less than a month ago, Biden pressed Russian President Vladimir Putin to stop giving safe haven to REvil and other ransomware gangs whose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-europe-government-and-politics-technology-business-3b81e8116c42439566040a052617ad55">unrelenting extortionary attacks&nbsp;</a>the U.S. deems a national security threat.A broad array of businesses and public agencies were hit by the latest attack, apparently on all continents, including in financial services, travel and leisure and the public sector — though few large companies, the cybersecurity firm Sophos reported. Ransomware criminals infiltrate networks and sow malware that cripples them by scrambling all their data. Victims get a decoder key when they pay up.The Swedish grocery chain Coop said most of its 800 stores would be closed for a second day Sunday because their cash register software supplier was crippled. A Swedish pharmacy chain, gas station chain, the state railway and public broadcaster SVT were also hit.In Germany, an unnamed IT services company told authorities several thousand of its customers were compromised, the news agency dpa reported. Also among reported victims were two big Dutch IT services companies — VelzArt and Hoppenbrouwer Techniek. Most ransomware victims don’t publicly report attacks or disclose if they’ve paid ransoms.CEO Fred Voccola of the breached software company, Kaseya, estimated the victim number in the low thousands, mostly small businesses like “dental practices, architecture firms, plastic surgery centers, libraries, things like that.”Voccola said in an interview that only between 50-60 of the company’s 37,000 customers were compromised. But 70% were managed service providers who use the company’s hacked VSA software to manage multiple customers. It automates the installation of software and security updates and manages backups and other vital tasks.Experts say it was no coincidence that REvil launched the attack at the start of the Fourth of July holiday weekend, knowing U.S. offices would be lightly staffed. Many victims may not learn of it until they are back at work on Monday. Most end users of managed service providers “have no idea” whose software keep their networks humming, said Voccola,Kaseya said it sent a detection tool to nearly 900 customers on Saturday night.The REvil offer to offer blanket decryption for all victims of the Kaseya attack in exchange for $70 million suggested its inability to cope with the sheer quantity of infected networks, said Allan Liska, an analyst with the cybersecurity firm Recorded Future. Although analysts reported seeing demands of $5 million and $500,000 for bigger targets, it was apparently demanding $45,000 for most.“This attack is a lot bigger than they expected and it is getting a lot of attention. It is in REvil’s interest to end it quickly,” said Liska. “This is a nightmare to manage.”Analyst Brett Callow of Emsisoft said he suspects REvil is hoping insurers might crunch the numbers and determine the $70 million will be cheaper for them than extended downtime.Sophisticated ransomware gangs on REvil’s level usually examine a victim’s financial records — and insurance policies if they can find them — from files they steal before activating the ransomware. The criminals then threaten to dump the stolen data online unless paid. In this attack, that appears not to have happened.<a href="https://csirt.divd.nl/2021/07/04/Kaseya-Case-Update-2/" target="_blank">Dutch researchers&nbsp;</a>said they alerted Miami-based Kaseya to the breach and said the criminals used a “zero day,” the industry term for a previous unknown security hole in software. Voccola would not confirm that or offer details of the breach — except to say that it was not phishing.“The level of sophistication here was extraordinary,” he said.When the cybersecurity firm Mandiant finishes its investigation, Voccola said he is confident it will show that the criminals didn’t just violate Kaseya code in breaking into his network but also exploited vulnerabilities in third-party software.It was not the first ransomware attack to leverage managed services providers. In 2019, criminals hobbled the networks of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/81d1de758c7b4f5aac0a6dc792702bda">22 Texas municipalities&nbsp;</a>through one. That same year,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/29/politics/ransomware-attack-dental-offices/index.html" target="_blank">400 U.S. dental practices</a>&nbsp;were crippled in a separate attack.One of the Dutch vulnerability researchers, Victor Gevers, said his team is worried about products like Kaseya’s VSA because of the total control of vast computing resources they can offer. “More and more of the products that are used to keep networks safe and secure are showing structural weaknesses,” he wrote in a blog Sunday.The cybersecurity firm ESET identified victims in least 17 countries, including the United Kingdom, South Africa, Canada, Argentina, Mexico, Indonesia, New Zealand and Kenya.Kaseya says the attack only affected “on-premise” customers, organizations running their own data centers, as opposed to its cloud-based services that run software for customers. It also shut down those servers as a precaution, however.Kaseya, which called on customers Friday to shut down their VSA servers immediately, said Sunday it hoped to have a patch in the next few days.Active since April 2019, REvil provides ransomware-as-a-service, meaning it develops the network-paralyzing software and leases it to so-called affiliates who infect targets and earn the lion’s share of ransoms. U.S. officials say the most potent ransomware gangs are based in Russia and allied states and operate with Kremlin tolerance and sometimes collude with Russian security services.Cybersecurity expert Dmitri Alperovitch of the Silverado Policy Accelerator think tank said that while he does not believe the Kaseya attack is Kremlin-directed, it shows that Putin “has not yet moved” on shutting down cybercriminals.

Details emerge of massive holiday weekend ransomware attack 

WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;The Internal Revenue Service today extended the tax 
relief provided in Notice 2020-46 for calendar year 2021 for employers 
whose employees forgo sick, vacation or personal leave because of the 
COVID-19 pandemic.

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-21-42.pdf">Notice 2021-42&nbsp;PDF</a>
 provides that cash payments employers make to charitable organizations 
that provide relief to victims of the COVID-19 pandemic in exchange for 
sick, vacation or personal leave which their employees forgo will not be
 treated as compensation. Similarly, the employees will not be treated 
as receiving the value of the leave as income and cannot claim a 
deduction for the leave that they donated to their employer.

Employers, however, may deduct these cash payments as a business 
expense or as a charitable contribution deduction if the employer 
otherwise meets the respective requirements of either section.

<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-20-46.pdf">Notice 2020-46&nbsp;PDF</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-21-42.pdf">Notice 2021-42&nbsp;PDF</a> provide further details for employers with leave-based donation programs

Additional information about tax relief for those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/coronavirus-tax-relief-for-businesses-and-tax-exempt-entities">Coronavirus Tax Relief for Businesses and Tax-Exempt Entities</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;The Internal Revenue Service today extended the tax 
relief provided in Notice 2020-46 for calendar year 2021 for employers 
whose employees forgo sick, vacation or personal leave because of the 
COVID-19 pandemic.<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-21-42.pdf">Notice 2021-42&nbsp;PDF</a>
 provides that cash payments employers make to charitable organizations 
that provide relief to victims of the COVID-19 pandemic in exchange for 
sick, vacation or personal leave which their employees forgo will not be
 treated as compensation. Similarly, the employees will not be treated 
as receiving the value of the leave as income and cannot claim a 
deduction for the leave that they donated to their employer.Employers, however, may deduct these cash payments as a business 
expense or as a charitable contribution deduction if the employer 
otherwise meets the respective requirements of either section.<a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-20-46.pdf">Notice 2020-46&nbsp;PDF</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-drop/n-21-42.pdf">Notice 2021-42&nbsp;PDF</a> provide further details for employers with leave-based donation programsAdditional information about tax relief for those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic can be found at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/coronavirus-tax-relief-for-businesses-and-tax-exempt-entities">Coronavirus Tax Relief for Businesses and Tax-Exempt Entities</a>.

IRS extends tax relief for employers for lost vacation, sick time during pandemic

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal Sunday shooting and have identified the victim as&nbsp;&nbsp;49-year-old Shay Prewitt of Wichita, according to officer Trevor Macy.

Just after 1:30 a.m., police responded to report of a shooting&nbsp; in the 2200 block of S. Glendale in Wichita, according Macy.&nbsp;

Upon arrival, officers located Prewitt deceased from an apparent gunshot wound in the driveway, outside of a vehicle that was parked in the driveway.

Officers located two other shooting victims including a 14-year-old boy and a 36-year-old man. EMS transported&nbsp; both to an area hospital for treatment of&nbsp; non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Through the investigation, officers learned that a woman had asked Prewitt and the 36-year-old for help with another man, according to Macy. After they confronted the man, there was a disturbance between them, and a handgun was produced by one of the individuals which led to the shots being fired.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1625428665524.png" alt="Police are investigating but not looking for additional suspects, according to Officer Trevor Macy-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police are investigating but not looking for additional suspects, according to Officer Trevor Macy-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal Sunday shooting and have identified the victim as&nbsp;&nbsp;49-year-old Shay Prewitt of Wichita, according to officer Trevor Macy.Just after 1:30 a.m., police responded to report of a shooting&nbsp; in the 2200 block of S. Glendale in Wichita, according Macy.&nbsp;Upon arrival, officers located Prewitt deceased from an apparent gunshot wound in the driveway, outside of a vehicle that was parked in the driveway.Officers located two other shooting victims including a 14-year-old boy and a 36-year-old man. EMS transported&nbsp; both to an area hospital for treatment of&nbsp; non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.&nbsp;&nbsp;Through the investigation, officers learned that a woman had asked Prewitt and the 36-year-old for help with another man, according to Macy. After they confronted the man, there was a disturbance between them, and a handgun was produced by one of the individuals which led to the shots being fired.&nbsp;Police have not reported an arrest

Police ID Kan. man who died after Independence Day shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration this month began putting in place consumer protections against “surprise” medical bills enacted in bipartisan legislation signed last year by former President Donald Trump.

Regulations jointly issued by four federal agencies spell out protections for insured patients against surprise billing in medical emergencies, and unexpected charges from out-of-network doctors at an in-network facility. Out-of-network clinicians and service providers would also be barred from billing patients for the difference between their charges and what insurance paid.

Surprise medical bills are a common and frustrating problem for people with health insurance, even if they thought they were protected. Charges that can run from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars come from doctors and hospitals outside the network of a patient’s health insurance plan. It’s estimated that about 1 in 5 emergency visits and 1 in 6 inpatient admissions triggers a surprise bill.

Thursday’s action signaled that the Biden administration is committed to having the new protections in place for consumers by Jan. 1, as the law requires. Work continues on another major piece of the new framework, a process to resolve billing disputes between insurers and medical providers without dragging patients into them.

It’s a rare demonstration of bipartisanship on health care, one of the most politically polarized issues of the past decade, as Republicans repeatedly and unsuccessfully tried to repeal the Obama-era Affordable Care Act.

“It’s about getting good health care at a good price for all Americans — it’s a bipartisan effort,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, whose department is working on the issue with Treasury, Labor and the federal government’s personnel agency. “You will no longer be stuck in the middle of a payments dispute because you were blindsided by a charge you weren’t expecting.”

Consumer advocates, insurers and medical and hospital associations are poring over the complicated fine print of the Biden administration’s 400-page rule. Arcane definitions pertaining to such issues as payment levels can translate to millions of dollars of economic impact. Also under the rule, insurers and health care providers would have to notify patients about their new protections.

“They are clearly pulling out the stops to get this implemented in a timely manner,” said Karen Pollitz, a health insurance expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. “We know this has been a problem that people put at the top of their list of worries.”

Pollitz said it could take until well into next year to see how the new system works in real life. Currently millions of surprise bills are sent every year. “Even if 90% of them are handled perfectly the first year, you could still have hundreds of thousands that go through to the patient,” she said.

The advocacy group Families USA, leading a coalition that has urged the administration to take a pro-consumer approach to implementing the rule, said in a statement the details will take time to digest “but at first blush it appears to recognize the significance of ensuring strong transparency and easily understandable patient notice and consent standards.”

Although many states have passed curbs on surprise billing, federal action was needed to protect patients covered by large employer plans regulated at the national level. The Biden administration is allowing 60 days for public comment on its rule.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-bill-end-surprise-medical-bills-d17da7204ade433d20ea8305c2d0538c">The surprise billing law passed by Congress last year</a>&nbsp;takes patients and their families out of the financial equation by limiting what they can be billed for out-of-network services to a fee that’s based on in-network charges. That amount gets counted toward their in-network annual deductible.

The central provisions of the legislation include:

— Holding patients harmless from surprise bills resulting from emergency medical care. Protections apply if the patient is seen at an out-of-network facility, or if they are treated by an out-of-network clinician at an in-network hospital. In either case, the patient can only be billed based on their plan’s in-network rate.

— Protecting patients admitted to an in-network hospital for a planned procedure when an out-of-network clinician gets involved and submits a bill.

— Requiring out-of-network service providers to give patients 72-hour notice of their estimated charges. Patients would have to agree to receive out-of-network care for the hospital or doctor to then bill them.

— Barring air ambulance services from sending patients surprise bills for more than the in-network cost sharing amount.

Surprise bills are a direct of result of high health care costs. To try to keep premiums in check, insurers set up networks of hospitals and doctors who agree in advance on payment levels. But some high-demand clinicians, such as emergency room doctors and anesthesiologists, have an incentive to stay out of at least some networks, to maximize their earnings.

Public programs like Medicare and Medicaid prohibit or restrict such billing practices.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration this month began putting in place consumer protections against “surprise” medical bills enacted in bipartisan legislation signed last year by former President Donald Trump.Regulations jointly issued by four federal agencies spell out protections for insured patients against surprise billing in medical emergencies, and unexpected charges from out-of-network doctors at an in-network facility. Out-of-network clinicians and service providers would also be barred from billing patients for the difference between their charges and what insurance paid.Surprise medical bills are a common and frustrating problem for people with health insurance, even if they thought they were protected. Charges that can run from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars come from doctors and hospitals outside the network of a patient’s health insurance plan. It’s estimated that about 1 in 5 emergency visits and 1 in 6 inpatient admissions triggers a surprise bill.Thursday’s action signaled that the Biden administration is committed to having the new protections in place for consumers by Jan. 1, as the law requires. Work continues on another major piece of the new framework, a process to resolve billing disputes between insurers and medical providers without dragging patients into them.It’s a rare demonstration of bipartisanship on health care, one of the most politically polarized issues of the past decade, as Republicans repeatedly and unsuccessfully tried to repeal the Obama-era Affordable Care Act.“It’s about getting good health care at a good price for all Americans — it’s a bipartisan effort,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, whose department is working on the issue with Treasury, Labor and the federal government’s personnel agency. “You will no longer be stuck in the middle of a payments dispute because you were blindsided by a charge you weren’t expecting.”Consumer advocates, insurers and medical and hospital associations are poring over the complicated fine print of the Biden administration’s 400-page rule. Arcane definitions pertaining to such issues as payment levels can translate to millions of dollars of economic impact. Also under the rule, insurers and health care providers would have to notify patients about their new protections.“They are clearly pulling out the stops to get this implemented in a timely manner,” said Karen Pollitz, a health insurance expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation. “We know this has been a problem that people put at the top of their list of worries.”Pollitz said it could take until well into next year to see how the new system works in real life. Currently millions of surprise bills are sent every year. “Even if 90% of them are handled perfectly the first year, you could still have hundreds of thousands that go through to the patient,” she said.The advocacy group Families USA, leading a coalition that has urged the administration to take a pro-consumer approach to implementing the rule, said in a statement the details will take time to digest “but at first blush it appears to recognize the significance of ensuring strong transparency and easily understandable patient notice and consent standards.”Although many states have passed curbs on surprise billing, federal action was needed to protect patients covered by large employer plans regulated at the national level. The Biden administration is allowing 60 days for public comment on its rule.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-bill-end-surprise-medical-bills-d17da7204ade433d20ea8305c2d0538c">The surprise billing law passed by Congress last year</a>&nbsp;takes patients and their families out of the financial equation by limiting what they can be billed for out-of-network services to a fee that’s based on in-network charges. That amount gets counted toward their in-network annual deductible.The central provisions of the legislation include:— Holding patients harmless from surprise bills resulting from emergency medical care. Protections apply if the patient is seen at an out-of-network facility, or if they are treated by an out-of-network clinician at an in-network hospital. In either case, the patient can only be billed based on their plan’s in-network rate.— Protecting patients admitted to an in-network hospital for a planned procedure when an out-of-network clinician gets involved and submits a bill.— Requiring out-of-network service providers to give patients 72-hour notice of their estimated charges. Patients would have to agree to receive out-of-network care for the hospital or doctor to then bill them.— Barring air ambulance services from sending patients surprise bills for more than the in-network cost sharing amount.Surprise bills are a direct of result of high health care costs. To try to keep premiums in check, insurers set up networks of hospitals and doctors who agree in advance on payment levels. But some high-demand clinicians, such as emergency room doctors and anesthesiologists, have an incentive to stay out of at least some networks, to maximize their earnings.Public programs like Medicare and Medicaid prohibit or restrict such billing practices.

Consumer relief: Surprise medical bills will soon end

ROME (AP) — The Vatican said Monday that Pope Francis is “in good condition, alert and breathing on his own,” a day after he underwent a three-hour operation that involved removing half his colon.

Francis, 84, is expected to stay in Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic, a Catholic hospital, for about seven days “barring complications,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.

The brief medical bulletin contained the first details the Vatican released, coming more than 12 hours after the end of Sunday’s surgery. The procedure was necessitated by what the Holy See said was a diverticular stenosis, or narrowing the pope’s sigmoid portion of the large intestine.

“His Holy Father is in good, general condition, alert and breathing spontaneously,” Bruni said in a written statement. “The operation for the diverticular stenosis, performed during the evening of July 4, involved a left hemicolectomy and lasted for about three hours,” Bruni said.

That procedure entails removing the left side of the colon and attaching the remaining parts of the large intestine.

Francis was spending his first morning convalescing in a Rome hospital following the surgery on the left side of his large intestine.

Before Monday’s statement, the Vatican had given scant details about the operation at Gemelli Polyclinic. an capital.

Earlier, an Italian cardinal told reporters he had been informed that Francis was doing OK post-operatively.

“Our prayer and our closeness are very great,” Cardinal Enrico Feroci said at Rome’s airport where he was catching a flight. The Italian news agency ANSA quoted him as saying that he had heard earlier in the morning from another cardinal, Angelo De Donatis, “and he told me that the pope is well.” De Donatis is the vicar of the Rome diocese.

Francis is staying in special, 10th floor suite that the hospital keeps available for use by a pontiff, after Pope John Paul II stayed there several times for various medical problems.

When the Vatican announced on Sunday afternoon that Francis had been admitted to hospital for a planned operation, it said that he needed surgery because he had developed a narrowing of the sigmoid portion of the large intestine.

Without citing sources, Rome daily Il Messaggero reported that “complications” arose during the surgery. Without specifying what happened, the newspaper said that the surgeons, after starting to operate via laparoscopy, ended up having to do incisions.

Laparoscopy is a kind of surgical procedure often dubbed “keyhole surgery” since it allows the surgeon access to the inside of the abdomen without requiring large incisions. In the kind of surgery the Vatican said the pope was getting, laparoscopy is commonly used, experts have said.

Patients having laparoscopic surgery generally require shorter hospital stays.

Twice daily updates on Francis’ condition were expected to be issued by the Vatican.

Doctors not connected to the pope’s hospitalization have said it is common to perform a re-sectioning of the affected part of the bowel in such cases.

Get-well messages continued to arrive for the pope. Italian Premier Mario Draghi’s office said the leader “expresses affectionate wishes for a rapid convalescence and quick healing.”

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican says Pope Francis has “reacted well” to planned intestinal surgery at a Rome hospital. In a statement late Sunday, a Holy See spokesman says the 84-year-old Francis had general anesthesia during the surgery necessitated by a narrowing of the sigmoid portion of the large intestine. 

The Vatican gave little detail about the pontiff’s condition. Spokesman Matteo Bruni didn’t say how long Sunday's surgery lasted or give any other details of the procedure. Bruni also didn't say for how long the pope was unconsciousness under anesthesia or how long Francis is expected to stay in Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic. Francis is expected to convalesce in a special 10th floor suite reserved for popes.

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis was hospitalized in Rome on Sunday afternoon for scheduled surgery on his large intestine, the Vatican said. The news came just three hours after Francis had cheerfully greeted the public in St. Peter’s Square and told them he will go to Hungary and Slovakia in September.

It was the pope’s first known hospitalization since he was elected to the papacy in 2013.

The brief statement from the Holy See’s press office promised a medical update after the surgery was complete at Gemelli Polyclinic, a Catholic teaching hospital. The Vatican didn’t say when the surgery would begin, only indicating it would take place later in the day.

By 9 p.m., there was no indication when the Vatican might issue the update.

The Vatican said the 84-year-old pope had been diagnosed with “symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon,” a reference to a narrowing in the large intestine. The surgery was to be performed by Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the director of Gemelli’s digestive surgery department.

A week earlier, Francis had used his same Sunday appearance to ask the public for special prayers for himself, which may have been related to the planned surgery.

“I ask you to pray for the pope, pray in a special way,” Francis had asked the faithful in the square on June 27. “The pope needs your prayers,” he said, adding his thanks and saying “I know you will do that.”

A diverticulum is pouch-like protrusion through the muscular wall of the intestine.

When diverticula become inflamed — a common condition, especially in older people — part of the intestine can sometimes narrow and surgery might be required, according to gastroenterologists. Such surgery can be performed under general anesthesia, possibly with a laparoscopic intervention. Sometimes a re-sectioning of the affected part of the intestine is needed.

Francis is in generally good health, but he did have part of one lung removed as a young man. He also suffers from sciatica, in which a nerve affects the lower back and leg, a painful condition that has forced him at times to skip scheduled appearances.

A 10th-floor papal suite is kept available at the hospital in case of need.

While Church law provides for a prelate to take over the administration of the Roman Catholic Church if a pope dies, there is no known provision for a delegation of powers if a pope is temporarily incapacitated, such while under anesthesia.

The pope had a particularly demanding set of appointments last week, including celebrating a Mass on Tuesday to mark the Catholic feast day honoring Saints Peter and Paul, and later in the week, presiding at a special prayer service for Lebanon. On June 28, he also had a long private audience at the Vatican with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Throughout all those engagements, Francis appeared to be in good spirits.

Usually, besides the traditional Sunday noon blessing and remarks from a window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter’s Square, the pontiff holds a public audience every Wednesday. But, in deference to Rome’s heat, the Wednesday appointment gets suspended during July.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603292366279.png" alt="Pope Francis enters the House chamber ahead of an address to a joint session of Congress in 2015- image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Pope Francis enters the House chamber ahead of an address to a joint session of Congress in 2015- image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — The Vatican said Monday that Pope Francis is “in good condition, alert and breathing on his own,” a day after he underwent a three-hour operation that involved removing half his colon.Francis, 84, is expected to stay in Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic, a Catholic hospital, for about seven days “barring complications,” Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said.The brief medical bulletin contained the first details the Vatican released, coming more than 12 hours after the end of Sunday’s surgery. The procedure was necessitated by what the Holy See said was a diverticular stenosis, or narrowing the pope’s sigmoid portion of the large intestine.“His Holy Father is in good, general condition, alert and breathing spontaneously,” Bruni said in a written statement. “The operation for the diverticular stenosis, performed during the evening of July 4, involved a left hemicolectomy and lasted for about three hours,” Bruni said.That procedure entails removing the left side of the colon and attaching the remaining parts of the large intestine.Francis was spending his first morning convalescing in a Rome hospital following the surgery on the left side of his large intestine.Before Monday’s statement, the Vatican had given scant details about the operation at Gemelli Polyclinic. an capital.Earlier, an Italian cardinal told reporters he had been informed that Francis was doing OK post-operatively.“Our prayer and our closeness are very great,” Cardinal Enrico Feroci said at Rome’s airport where he was catching a flight. The Italian news agency ANSA quoted him as saying that he had heard earlier in the morning from another cardinal, Angelo De Donatis, “and he told me that the pope is well.” De Donatis is the vicar of the Rome diocese.Francis is staying in special, 10th floor suite that the hospital keeps available for use by a pontiff, after Pope John Paul II stayed there several times for various medical problems.When the Vatican announced on Sunday afternoon that Francis had been admitted to hospital for a planned operation, it said that he needed surgery because he had developed a narrowing of the sigmoid portion of the large intestine.Without citing sources, Rome daily Il Messaggero reported that “complications” arose during the surgery. Without specifying what happened, the newspaper said that the surgeons, after starting to operate via laparoscopy, ended up having to do incisions.Laparoscopy is a kind of surgical procedure often dubbed “keyhole surgery” since it allows the surgeon access to the inside of the abdomen without requiring large incisions. In the kind of surgery the Vatican said the pope was getting, laparoscopy is commonly used, experts have said.Patients having laparoscopic surgery generally require shorter hospital stays.Twice daily updates on Francis’ condition were expected to be issued by the Vatican.Doctors not connected to the pope’s hospitalization have said it is common to perform a re-sectioning of the affected part of the bowel in such cases.Get-well messages continued to arrive for the pope. Italian Premier Mario Draghi’s office said the leader “expresses affectionate wishes for a rapid convalescence and quick healing.”---------VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican says Pope Francis has “reacted well” to planned intestinal surgery at a Rome hospital. In a statement late Sunday, a Holy See spokesman says the 84-year-old Francis had general anesthesia during the surgery necessitated by a narrowing of the sigmoid portion of the large intestine. The Vatican gave little detail about the pontiff’s condition. Spokesman Matteo Bruni didn’t say how long Sunday's surgery lasted or give any other details of the procedure. Bruni also didn't say for how long the pope was unconsciousness under anesthesia or how long Francis is expected to stay in Rome’s Agostino Gemelli Polyclinic. Francis is expected to convalesce in a special 10th floor suite reserved for popes.VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis was hospitalized in Rome on Sunday afternoon for scheduled surgery on his large intestine, the Vatican said. The news came just three hours after Francis had cheerfully greeted the public in St. Peter’s Square and told them he will go to Hungary and Slovakia in September.It was the pope’s first known hospitalization since he was elected to the papacy in 2013.The brief statement from the Holy See’s press office promised a medical update after the surgery was complete at Gemelli Polyclinic, a Catholic teaching hospital. The Vatican didn’t say when the surgery would begin, only indicating it would take place later in the day.By 9 p.m., there was no indication when the Vatican might issue the update.The Vatican said the 84-year-old pope had been diagnosed with “symptomatic diverticular stenosis of the colon,” a reference to a narrowing in the large intestine. The surgery was to be performed by Dr. Sergio Alfieri, the director of Gemelli’s digestive surgery department.A week earlier, Francis had used his same Sunday appearance to ask the public for special prayers for himself, which may have been related to the planned surgery.“I ask you to pray for the pope, pray in a special way,” Francis had asked the faithful in the square on June 27. “The pope needs your prayers,” he said, adding his thanks and saying “I know you will do that.”A diverticulum is pouch-like protrusion through the muscular wall of the intestine.When diverticula become inflamed — a common condition, especially in older people — part of the intestine can sometimes narrow and surgery might be required, according to gastroenterologists. Such surgery can be performed under general anesthesia, possibly with a laparoscopic intervention. Sometimes a re-sectioning of the affected part of the intestine is needed.Francis is in generally good health, but he did have part of one lung removed as a young man. He also suffers from sciatica, in which a nerve affects the lower back and leg, a painful condition that has forced him at times to skip scheduled appearances.A 10th-floor papal suite is kept available at the hospital in case of need.While Church law provides for a prelate to take over the administration of the Roman Catholic Church if a pope dies, there is no known provision for a delegation of powers if a pope is temporarily incapacitated, such while under anesthesia.The pope had a particularly demanding set of appointments last week, including celebrating a Mass on Tuesday to mark the Catholic feast day honoring Saints Peter and Paul, and later in the week, presiding at a special prayer service for Lebanon. On June 28, he also had a long private audience at the Vatican with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Throughout all those engagements, Francis appeared to be in good spirits.Usually, besides the traditional Sunday noon blessing and remarks from a window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter’s Square, the pontiff holds a public audience every Wednesday. But, in deference to Rome’s heat, the Wednesday appointment gets suspended during July.Get-well wishes began arriving immediately for Francis. Italian President Sergio Mattarella, as soon as he landed in Paris for a state visit in France, offered an “affectionate thought” on behalf of all Italians. Mattarella said he was wishing for “a good convalescence and even a speedier recovery” for the pope.Gemelli doctors have performed surgery before on popes, notably Pope John Paul II, who had what the Vatican said was a benign tumor in his colon removed in 1992. John Paul had several other surgeries at the hospital, including after being shot by a gunman in St. Peter’s Square in 1981.John Paul also had several medical issues in his final years, including severe complications from Parkinson’s disease, and had numerous stays at Gemelli.--------VATICAN CITY (AP) — The Vatican says Pope Francis has gone to a Rome hospital for scheduled surgery for a stenosis, or restriction, of the large intestine. The brief announcement Sunday afternoon didn’t say when the surgery would be performed but it said there would be an announcement when the surgery is complete. Just three hours earlier, Francis had cheerfully greeted the public in St. Peter’s Square in keeping with a Sunday tradition and told them he will go to Hungary and Slovakia in September. A week earlier, Francis, 84, had used the same appearance to ask the public for special prayers for himself, which, in hindsight might have been hinting at the planned surgery at Rome’s Gemelli Polyclinic.