SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating three suspect on multiple allegations after&nbsp;

Just after 2a.m.&nbsp; April 19, 2025, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received notification regarding multiple individuals in a gray for F-150 pickup truck breaking into a clothing donation bin in the 6800 block of SW 29th Street, according to Sheriff Brian Hill.

A deputy located the vehicle in the 5200 block of SW 37th Street and conducted a traffic stop.

During the investigation, it was determined that the driver was wanted by the Topeka Police Department and illegal narcotics were located.

Ronald A. Weiland, 62, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant; Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Possession of marijuana; Aggravated domestic battery;&nbsp;Aggravated assault, Domestic battery and Criminal restraint

Carl E. Smith, 61, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the SNDOC on requested charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human bod and Possession of marijuana

Paulette K. Weiland, 57, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into jail on a Topeka bench

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745422219371.png" alt="Weiland photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Weiland photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating three suspect on multiple allegations after&nbsp;Just after 2a.m.&nbsp; April 19, 2025, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received notification regarding multiple individuals in a gray for F-150 pickup truck breaking into a clothing donation bin in the 6800 block of SW 29th Street, according to Sheriff Brian Hill.A deputy located the vehicle in the 5200 block of SW 37th Street and conducted a traffic stop.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745422242751.png" alt="Weiland photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Weiland photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>During the investigation, it was determined that the driver was wanted by the Topeka Police Department and illegal narcotics were located.Ronald A. Weiland, 62, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant; Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body; Possession of marijuana; Aggravated domestic battery;&nbsp;Aggravated assault, Domestic battery and Criminal restraint<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745422150385.png" alt="Smith photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Smith photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Carl E. Smith, 61, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the SNDOC on requested charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human bod and Possession of marijuanaPaulette K. Weiland, 57, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into jail on a Topeka bench

3 jailed after report of break-in to Kan. clothing donation bin

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday lashed out at Ukraine's president, saying Volodymyr Zelenskyy is prolonging the “killing field” after pushing back on ceding Crimea to Russia as part of a potential peace plan.

Zelenskyy on Tuesday ruled out ceding territory to Russia in any deal before talks set for Wednesday in London among U.S., European and Ukrainian officials. “There is nothing to talk about. It is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” Zelenskyy said.

During&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-rubio-witkoff-coalition-paris-74e93e2943687a7d8c7b23608919459a">similar talks last week in Paris</a>, U.S. officials presented a proposal that included allowing Russia to keep control of occupied Ukrainian territory as part of a deal, according to a European official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Trump called Zelenkyy's pushback “very harmful” to talks.

“Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” he wrote on social media.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-ukraine-crimea-seizure-8245aec572fb71236febfa8735c42879">Russia annexed Crimea in 2014</a>&nbsp;after sending troops to overrun it. Weeks later, Moscow-backed separatists launched an uprising in eastern Ukraine, battling Kyiv’s forces.

Trump also asserted they were close to a deal and that Ukraine's leader can have peace or "he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country," adding that Zelenskyy's statement “will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,’ and nobody wants that!"

Wednesday's meeting was pared back at the last minute, while Vice President JD Vance said negotiations are reaching a moment of truth.

“We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say ‘yes’ or for the United States to walk away from this process," Vance told reporters during a visit to India.

He said it was “a very fair proposal” that would “freeze the territorial lines at some level close to where they are today,” with both sides having to give up some territory they currently hold. He did not provide details.

A senior European official familiar with the ongoing talks involving the American team said a proposal the United States calls “final” was initially presented last week in Paris, where it was described as “just ideas” — and that they could be changed.

When those “ideas” surfaced in media reports, Ukrainian officials were surprised to find that Washington portrayed them as final, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Zelenskyy said Wednesday that Ukraine is ready for any format of negotiations that might bring a ceasefire and open the door to full peace negotiations, as he mourned nine civilians killed when a Russian drone struck a bus earlier in the day.

“We insist on an immediate, complete and unconditional ceasefire,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media, in accordance with a proposal he said the U.S. tabled six weeks ago.

Ukraine and some Western European governments have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet on that proposal as his army tries to capture more Ukrainian land. Western analysts say Moscow is in no rush to conclude peace talks because it has battlefield momentum.

U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the talks in London to find an end to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">more than three-year war</a>&nbsp;would involve only lower-ranking officials, after the U.S. State Department said Tuesday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-department-rubio-reorganization-trump-usaid-3fc186fefddaaa72c3040db9fb380af4">Secretary of State Marco Rubio</a>&nbsp;was unable to attend because of a scheduling issue.

Rubio's abrupt cancellation raised doubts about the direction of negotiations. He had indicated that Wednesday’s meeting could be decisive in determining whether the Trump administration remains engaged.

Commenting on those attending the talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “as far as we understand, they so far have failed to bring their positions closer on some issues.” He said the Kremlin was still in consultations with American officials but wouldn’t publicly discuss details.

U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Moscow again later this week, according to Russian officials.

Even achieving a limited,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-riyadh-talks-saudi-arabia-330342dae25c139fc047275964d97757">30-day ceasefire has been beyond the reach of negotiators</a>, as both sides continue to attack each other along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line and launch long-range strikes.

A Russian drone struck a bus carrying workers in Marganets, in eastern Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region on Wednesday morning, killing eight women and one man, regional head Serhii Lysak wrote on social media. More than 40 people were injured, he said.

Lysak published photos of a bus with windows blown out and shards of glass mixed with blood spattered on its floor.

Trump has pushed for an end to the war and said last week that negotiations were “coming to a head.” That comment came after Rubio suggested the U.S. might soon back away from negotiations if they don’t progress.

Those still attending Wednesday's meeting include retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s envoy for Ukraine and Russia.

Andrii Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s presidential office, said on social media that a delegation including him, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov had arrived in London for the talks despite the alterations.

“The path to peace is not easy, but Ukraine has been and remains committed to peaceful efforts,” Yermak said. Officials would “discuss ways to achieve a full and unconditional ceasefire as the first step toward a comprehensive settlement and the achievement of a just and lasting peace."

Several hours later, Yermak said that he, Sybiha and Umerov met with national security and foreign policy advisors from the countries “participating in the coalition of the willing” and “emphasized our commitment” to the U.S. president's peace efforts.

He asserted on social media that “Russia continues to reject an unconditional ceasefire, dragging out the process and trying to manipulate negotiations.”

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-ukraine-war-633a216d0506c82353fc7745b69c0fe0">said repeatedly</a>&nbsp;during his election campaign last year that he would be able to end the war “in 24 hours” upon taking office. But he has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drones-kharkiv-offensive-1d2f793cc99798b0e491b9dde8e0cee0">expressed frustration</a>&nbsp;with Zelenskyy and Putin. Russia has effectively rejected a U.S. proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting by imposing far-reaching conditions.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters later on Thursday that Trump’s “frustration is growing and he needs to see this thing come to an end.”

“What he is asking is for people to come to the negotiating table, recognizing that this has been a brutal war for far too long,” Leavitt said. “And in order to make a good deal, both sides have to walk away a little bit unhappy, and unfortunately, President Zelenskyy has been trying to litigate this peace negotiation in the press, and that’s unacceptable to the president.”

Some European allies are wary of the American proposal for Ukraine to exchange land for peace. But an official said there’s also acknowledgment by some allies that Russia is firmly entrenched wholly or partially in five regions of Ukraine: Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.

If the goal is to obtain a ceasefire immediately, “it should be based on the line of contact as it is,” said the senior French official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with French presidential policy.

Novikov reported from Kyiv and Madhani from Washington. Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv, Ukraine and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745447430183.png" alt="File image from CSPAN video&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>File image from CSPAN video&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — President Donald Trump on Wednesday lashed out at Ukraine's president, saying Volodymyr Zelenskyy is prolonging the “killing field” after pushing back on ceding Crimea to Russia as part of a potential peace plan.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://t.co/w0XheL98kP">pic.twitter.com/w0XheL98kP</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1915074200731103424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Zelenskyy on Tuesday ruled out ceding territory to Russia in any deal before talks set for Wednesday in London among U.S., European and Ukrainian officials. “There is nothing to talk about. It is our land, the land of the Ukrainian people,” Zelenskyy said.During&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-rubio-witkoff-coalition-paris-74e93e2943687a7d8c7b23608919459a">similar talks last week in Paris</a>, U.S. officials presented a proposal that included allowing Russia to keep control of occupied Ukrainian territory as part of a deal, according to a European official familiar with the matter who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.Trump called Zelenkyy's pushback “very harmful” to talks.“Nobody is asking Zelenskyy to recognize Crimea as Russian Territory but, if he wants Crimea, why didn’t they fight for it eleven years ago when it was handed over to Russia without a shot being fired?” he wrote on social media.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-ukraine-crimea-seizure-8245aec572fb71236febfa8735c42879">Russia annexed Crimea in 2014</a>&nbsp;after sending troops to overrun it. Weeks later, Moscow-backed separatists launched an uprising in eastern Ukraine, battling Kyiv’s forces.Trump also asserted they were close to a deal and that Ukraine's leader can have peace or "he can fight for another three years before losing the whole Country," adding that Zelenskyy's statement “will do nothing but prolong the ‘killing field,’ and nobody wants that!"<h2>‘A very fair proposal’</h2>Wednesday's meeting was pared back at the last minute, while Vice President JD Vance said negotiations are reaching a moment of truth.“We’ve issued a very explicit proposal to both the Russians and the Ukrainians, and it’s time for them to either say ‘yes’ or for the United States to walk away from this process," Vance told reporters during a visit to India.He said it was “a very fair proposal” that would “freeze the territorial lines at some level close to where they are today,” with both sides having to give up some territory they currently hold. He did not provide details.A senior European official familiar with the ongoing talks involving the American team said a proposal the United States calls “final” was initially presented last week in Paris, where it was described as “just ideas” — and that they could be changed.When those “ideas” surfaced in media reports, Ukrainian officials were surprised to find that Washington portrayed them as final, according to the official, who was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.Zelenskyy said Wednesday that Ukraine is ready for any format of negotiations that might bring a ceasefire and open the door to full peace negotiations, as he mourned nine civilians killed when a Russian drone struck a bus earlier in the day.“We insist on an immediate, complete and unconditional ceasefire,” Zelenskyy wrote on social media, in accordance with a proposal he said the U.S. tabled six weeks ago.Ukraine and some Western European governments have accused Russian President Vladimir Putin of dragging his feet on that proposal as his army tries to capture more Ukrainian land. Western analysts say Moscow is in no rush to conclude peace talks because it has battlefield momentum.<h2>Doubts over negotiations</h2>U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the talks in London to find an end to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">more than three-year war</a>&nbsp;would involve only lower-ranking officials, after the U.S. State Department said Tuesday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/state-department-rubio-reorganization-trump-usaid-3fc186fefddaaa72c3040db9fb380af4">Secretary of State Marco Rubio</a>&nbsp;was unable to attend because of a scheduling issue.Rubio's abrupt cancellation raised doubts about the direction of negotiations. He had indicated that Wednesday’s meeting could be decisive in determining whether the Trump administration remains engaged.Commenting on those attending the talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that “as far as we understand, they so far have failed to bring their positions closer on some issues.” He said the Kremlin was still in consultations with American officials but wouldn’t publicly discuss details.U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Moscow again later this week, according to Russian officials.Even achieving a limited,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-riyadh-talks-saudi-arabia-330342dae25c139fc047275964d97757">30-day ceasefire has been beyond the reach of negotiators</a>, as both sides continue to attack each other along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line and launch long-range strikes.A Russian drone struck a bus carrying workers in Marganets, in eastern Ukraine's Dnipropetrovsk region on Wednesday morning, killing eight women and one man, regional head Serhii Lysak wrote on social media. More than 40 people were injured, he said.Lysak published photos of a bus with windows blown out and shards of glass mixed with blood spattered on its floor.<h2>A Ukrainian delegation in London</h2>Trump has pushed for an end to the war and said last week that negotiations were “coming to a head.” That comment came after Rubio suggested the U.S. might soon back away from negotiations if they don’t progress.Those still attending Wednesday's meeting include retired Lt. Gen. Keith Kellogg, Trump’s envoy for Ukraine and Russia.Andrii Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s presidential office, said on social media that a delegation including him, Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha and Defense Minister Rustem Umerov had arrived in London for the talks despite the alterations.“The path to peace is not easy, but Ukraine has been and remains committed to peaceful efforts,” Yermak said. Officials would “discuss ways to achieve a full and unconditional ceasefire as the first step toward a comprehensive settlement and the achievement of a just and lasting peace."Several hours later, Yermak said that he, Sybiha and Umerov met with national security and foreign policy advisors from the countries “participating in the coalition of the willing” and “emphasized our commitment” to the U.S. president's peace efforts.He asserted on social media that “Russia continues to reject an unconditional ceasefire, dragging out the process and trying to manipulate negotiations.”<h2>Trump frustrated with both sides</h2>Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-ukraine-war-633a216d0506c82353fc7745b69c0fe0">said repeatedly</a>&nbsp;during his election campaign last year that he would be able to end the war “in 24 hours” upon taking office. But he has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drones-kharkiv-offensive-1d2f793cc99798b0e491b9dde8e0cee0">expressed frustration</a>&nbsp;with Zelenskyy and Putin. Russia has effectively rejected a U.S. proposal for an immediate and full 30-day halt in the fighting by imposing far-reaching conditions.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters later on Thursday that Trump’s “frustration is growing and he needs to see this thing come to an end.”“What he is asking is for people to come to the negotiating table, recognizing that this has been a brutal war for far too long,” Leavitt said. “And in order to make a good deal, both sides have to walk away a little bit unhappy, and unfortunately, President Zelenskyy has been trying to litigate this peace negotiation in the press, and that’s unacceptable to the president.”Some European allies are wary of the American proposal for Ukraine to exchange land for peace. But an official said there’s also acknowledgment by some allies that Russia is firmly entrenched wholly or partially in five regions of Ukraine: Crimea, Luhansk, Donetsk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson.If the goal is to obtain a ceasefire immediately, “it should be based on the line of contact as it is,” said the senior French official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with French presidential policy.___Novikov reported from Kyiv and Madhani from Washington. Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv, Ukraine and Angela Charlton in Paris contributed.___

Trump: Zelenskyy prolonging war resisting calls to cede Crimea to Russia

SEDGWICK COUNTY– On Wednesday, the Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners approved the settlement of two federal lawsuits related to alleged misconduct by a former Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office detention deputy. The lawsuits stem from incidents that occurred in July 2022.

At that time, while investigating a security breach at Sedgwick County Jail, investigators learned 22-year-old Dustin Burnett, the on-duty deputy in that area of the jail, observed inmates break a window, bring contraband into the facility and didn't stop it or inform anyone it occurred. He also did not give investigators the full story about the incident when confronted about it, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter.&nbsp;

Later, two female inmates reported inappropriate sexual contact with Burnett, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick. The alleged sexual contact occurred on July 17, 2022.

Burnett started work at the jail in January of 2022 and was terminated upon his arrest.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In&nbsp; April of 2023, Sedgwick County District Judge Tyler Roush sentenced Burnett to 68 months in prison. On February 10 Burnett made an Alford plea to three charges of unlawful sexual relations with two female inmates and official misconduct in the jail.

Under the terms of the federal lawsuit agreements, Sedgwick County will pay $200,000 to resolve one case and $175,000 to resolve the second case involving Burnett. As part of the agreed settlements, Sedgwick County asserts that all claims are without merit but has resolved to settle to avoid significant defense costs, expenses, and risk of litigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745427389171.png" alt="Burnett photo Lansing Correctional Facility" />
 <figcaption>Burnett photo Lansing Correctional Facility</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY– On Wednesday, the Sedgwick County Board of County Commissioners approved the settlement of two federal lawsuits related to alleged misconduct by a former Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office detention deputy. The lawsuits stem from incidents that occurred in July 2022.At that time, while investigating a security breach at Sedgwick County Jail, investigators learned 22-year-old Dustin Burnett, the on-duty deputy in that area of the jail, observed inmates break a window, bring contraband into the facility and didn't stop it or inform anyone it occurred. He also did not give investigators the full story about the incident when confronted about it, according to Sheriff Jeff Easter.&nbsp;Later, two female inmates reported inappropriate sexual contact with Burnett, according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick. The alleged sexual contact occurred on July 17, 2022.Burnett started work at the jail in January of 2022 and was terminated upon his arrest.&nbsp;&nbsp;In&nbsp; April of 2023, Sedgwick County District Judge Tyler Roush sentenced Burnett to 68 months in prison. On February 10 Burnett made an Alford plea to three charges of unlawful sexual relations with two female inmates and official misconduct in the jail.Under the terms of the federal lawsuit agreements, Sedgwick County will pay $200,000 to resolve one case and $175,000 to resolve the second case involving Burnett. As part of the agreed settlements, Sedgwick County asserts that all claims are without merit but has resolved to settle to avoid significant defense costs, expenses, and risk of litigation.

Kan. county settles rape lawsuit involving jail deputy

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose Wednesday as a worldwide rally came back around to Wall Street after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;appeared to back off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-trump-jerome-powel-4710172f1fd4d6493769ac0b81703c01">his criticism of the Federal Reserve</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trade-taxes-trump-china-bessent-treasury-66668fa26957ece530a250fa8ea19faa">his tough talk in his trade war</a>.

The S&amp;P 500 climbed 1.7% and added to its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-trump-tariffs-investments-7ee60dbf71e262843eac15ae1564f4cb">big gain</a>&nbsp;from Tuesday that more than made up for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-inflation-trump-68a6a7f7765d78d46329abbecfbe0797">steep loss</a>&nbsp;on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 419 points, or 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 2.5%.

Wall Street’s gains followed strong moves higher for stocks across much of Europe and Asia. They also continued a dizzying, up-and-down run for financial markets as investors struggle with how to react to so much uncertainty about what Trump will do with his economic policies.

The market’s latest move was up in part because Trump said late Tuesday that he has “no intention” to fire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-powell-federal-reserve-6eb45ff17915b321366dbe1c5bb15e43">the head</a>&nbsp;of the Federal Reserve. Trump had been angry with Jerome Powell, whom Trump had called “a major loser,” because of the Fed’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-tariffs-federal-reserve-3dd54eb572f1d37e202a8a30223fc14d">hesitance to cut interest rates</a>.

Trump’s tough talk had frightened investors because the Fed is supposed to act independently, without pressure from politicians, so that it can make decisions that may be painful in the short term but are best for the long term.

While a cut to interest rates by the Fed could give the economy a boost, it could also put upward pressure on inflation. Economists say Trump’s tariffs are likely both to slow the economy and to raise inflation, at least briefly.

Trump may have recognized the market’s fear about a move against Powell. He may also be looking to keep someone around whom Trump could blame later if the economy does fall into a recession, according to Thierry Wizman, a strategist at Macquarie.

“Indeed, if the Fed cuts its policy interest rates aggressively, Trump would have little excuse for a recession apart from the pugnacity of his tariff policies,” Wizman said.

Markets also rose after Trump said late Tuesday that U.S. tariffs on imports coming from China could come down “substantially” from the current 145%. “It won’t be that high, not going to be that high,” Trump said.

The hope along Wall Street has been that Trump would lower his tariffs after negotiating trade deals with other countries, and Trump said Tuesday he would be “very nice” to the world’s second-largest economy and not play hardball with Chinese President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-sanctions-hong-kong-89a7c78f16cadbc8ab43717a6f316b76">Xi Jinping</a>.

“There is an opportunity for a big deal here,” U.S. Treasury Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/treasury-bessent-imf-world-bank-trump-economy-e1dcdd00d79f7ce16682a080edd341d1">Scott Bessent said Wednesday</a>.

If Trump brings his tariffs down enough, investors believe a recession could be averted.

U.S. businesses say they’re already feeling the effects of the trade war. A preliminary reading of U.S. business activity fell to a 16-month low, as the threat of tariffs helped push up prices charged for goods and services, according to S&amp;P Global’s latest survey released Wednesday.

All the uncertainty means one of the few predictions many along Wall Street are willing to make is that sharp swings for financial markets will continue for a while. The market will “more likely than not continue to be dictated by Trump’s latest whims regarding tariffs and trade,” said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade.

The S&amp;P 500 remains 12.5% below its record set earlier this year after briefly dropping roughly 20% below the mark. Its swings have been coming not just day to day but also hour to hour as Trump and his administration’s officials continue to surprise markets. On Wednesday alone, the S&amp;P 500 charged to a 3.4% gain in the morning, only to more than halve that rise as the day progressed.

Trump’s latest comments had a relaxing effect on the bond market, where Treasury yields eased. It’s a turnaround from earlier this month, when spiking Treasury yields raised fears that Trump’s actions were scaring investors away from the United States and weakening the U.S. bond market’s reputation as one of the safest places to keep cash.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.38% from 4.41% late Tuesday. It dropped as low as 4.26% earlier in the morning.

On Wall Street, Big Tech helped lead stock indexes higher.

Nvidia rose 3.9% to claw back more of the sharp losses it took last week, when it said U.S. restrictions on exports of its H20 chips to China could hurt its first-quarter results by $5.5 billion. The chip company’s stock was the strongest single force lifting the S&amp;P 500.

Other stocks in the artificial-intelligence technology ecosystem also drove higher. Vertiv Holdings, which traces its roots to the industry’s first manufacturer of computer room air conditioning, jumped 8.5% after reporting stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It said it’s continuing to see accelerated demand from AI data centers.

Super Micro Computer, a company that makes servers used in AI, rose 7.6%. Palantir Technologies, which offers an AI platform for customers, climbed 7.3%.

Tesla revved 5.4% higher after CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-musk-robotaxi-model-y-tariffs-earnings-2d0b5607c26c56761a436af855199513">Elon Musk said he’ll spend less time in Washington</a>&nbsp;and more time running his electric vehicle company after Tesla on late Tuesday reported a big drop in profits. It’s been struggling because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-deliveries-trump-musk-protests-boycott-67da667cd1267789fecf68376f2b5d14">backlash</a>&nbsp;against Musk’s efforts to lead cost-cutting efforts by the U.S. government.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 88.10 points to 5,375.86. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 419.59 to 39,606.57, and the Nasdaq composite gained 407.63 to 16,708.05.

In stock markets abroad, indexes jumped 2.1% in France, 2.4% in Hong Kong and 1.9% in Japan. Stocks in Shanghai were an exception, where they dipped 0.1%.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks rose Wednesday as a worldwide rally came back around to Wall Street after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;appeared to back off&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/federal-reserve-trump-jerome-powel-4710172f1fd4d6493769ac0b81703c01">his criticism of the Federal Reserve</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tariffs-trade-taxes-trump-china-bessent-treasury-66668fa26957ece530a250fa8ea19faa">his tough talk in his trade war</a>.The S&amp;P 500 climbed 1.7% and added to its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stock-markets-trump-tariffs-investments-7ee60dbf71e262843eac15ae1564f4cb">big gain</a>&nbsp;from Tuesday that more than made up for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stocks-markets-rates-inflation-trump-68a6a7f7765d78d46329abbecfbe0797">steep loss</a>&nbsp;on Monday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 419 points, or 1.1%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 2.5%.Wall Street’s gains followed strong moves higher for stocks across much of Europe and Asia. They also continued a dizzying, up-and-down run for financial markets as investors struggle with how to react to so much uncertainty about what Trump will do with his economic policies.The market’s latest move was up in part because Trump said late Tuesday that he has “no intention” to fire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-powell-federal-reserve-6eb45ff17915b321366dbe1c5bb15e43">the head</a>&nbsp;of the Federal Reserve. Trump had been angry with Jerome Powell, whom Trump had called “a major loser,” because of the Fed’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-tariffs-federal-reserve-3dd54eb572f1d37e202a8a30223fc14d">hesitance to cut interest rates</a>.Trump’s tough talk had frightened investors because the Fed is supposed to act independently, without pressure from politicians, so that it can make decisions that may be painful in the short term but are best for the long term.While a cut to interest rates by the Fed could give the economy a boost, it could also put upward pressure on inflation. Economists say Trump’s tariffs are likely both to slow the economy and to raise inflation, at least briefly.Trump may have recognized the market’s fear about a move against Powell. He may also be looking to keep someone around whom Trump could blame later if the economy does fall into a recession, according to Thierry Wizman, a strategist at Macquarie.“Indeed, if the Fed cuts its policy interest rates aggressively, Trump would have little excuse for a recession apart from the pugnacity of his tariff policies,” Wizman said.Markets also rose after Trump said late Tuesday that U.S. tariffs on imports coming from China could come down “substantially” from the current 145%. “It won’t be that high, not going to be that high,” Trump said.The hope along Wall Street has been that Trump would lower his tariffs after negotiating trade deals with other countries, and Trump said Tuesday he would be “very nice” to the world’s second-largest economy and not play hardball with Chinese President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-sanctions-hong-kong-89a7c78f16cadbc8ab43717a6f316b76">Xi Jinping</a>.“There is an opportunity for a big deal here,” U.S. Treasury Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/treasury-bessent-imf-world-bank-trump-economy-e1dcdd00d79f7ce16682a080edd341d1">Scott Bessent said Wednesday</a>.If Trump brings his tariffs down enough, investors believe a recession could be averted.U.S. businesses say they’re already feeling the effects of the trade war. A preliminary reading of U.S. business activity fell to a 16-month low, as the threat of tariffs helped push up prices charged for goods and services, according to S&amp;P Global’s latest survey released Wednesday.All the uncertainty means one of the few predictions many along Wall Street are willing to make is that sharp swings for financial markets will continue for a while. The market will “more likely than not continue to be dictated by Trump’s latest whims regarding tariffs and trade,” said Tim Waterer, chief market analyst at KCM Trade.The S&amp;P 500 remains 12.5% below its record set earlier this year after briefly dropping roughly 20% below the mark. Its swings have been coming not just day to day but also hour to hour as Trump and his administration’s officials continue to surprise markets. On Wednesday alone, the S&amp;P 500 charged to a 3.4% gain in the morning, only to more than halve that rise as the day progressed.Trump’s latest comments had a relaxing effect on the bond market, where Treasury yields eased. It’s a turnaround from earlier this month, when spiking Treasury yields raised fears that Trump’s actions were scaring investors away from the United States and weakening the U.S. bond market’s reputation as one of the safest places to keep cash.The yield on the 10-year Treasury fell to 4.38% from 4.41% late Tuesday. It dropped as low as 4.26% earlier in the morning.On Wall Street, Big Tech helped lead stock indexes higher.Nvidia rose 3.9% to claw back more of the sharp losses it took last week, when it said U.S. restrictions on exports of its H20 chips to China could hurt its first-quarter results by $5.5 billion. The chip company’s stock was the strongest single force lifting the S&amp;P 500.Other stocks in the artificial-intelligence technology ecosystem also drove higher. Vertiv Holdings, which traces its roots to the industry’s first manufacturer of computer room air conditioning, jumped 8.5% after reporting stronger profit and revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected. It said it’s continuing to see accelerated demand from AI data centers.Super Micro Computer, a company that makes servers used in AI, rose 7.6%. Palantir Technologies, which offers an AI platform for customers, climbed 7.3%.Tesla revved 5.4% higher after CEO&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-musk-robotaxi-model-y-tariffs-earnings-2d0b5607c26c56761a436af855199513">Elon Musk said he’ll spend less time in Washington</a>&nbsp;and more time running his electric vehicle company after Tesla on late Tuesday reported a big drop in profits. It’s been struggling because of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tesla-deliveries-trump-musk-protests-boycott-67da667cd1267789fecf68376f2b5d14">backlash</a>&nbsp;against Musk’s efforts to lead cost-cutting efforts by the U.S. government.All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 88.10 points to 5,375.86. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 419.59 to 39,606.57, and the Nasdaq composite gained 407.63 to 16,708.05.In stock markets abroad, indexes jumped 2.1% in France, 2.4% in Hong Kong and 1.9% in Japan. Stocks in Shanghai were an exception, where they dipped 0.1%.___

Wall Street rises, markets rally worldwide as Trump softens tough talk on tariffs

TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health on Wednesday reported no new case of measles over the past week in the state.&nbsp;

On April 16,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>&nbsp;had 37 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state, health officials announced Wednesday.

Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray and Morton counties have fewer than five cases each. Haskell County has the most with eight cases, Stevens County has seven, Kiowa County has six.

The state's first reported case, identified in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks based on genetic testing, a state health department spokesperson said. But health officials have not determined how the person was exposed.

The U.S. was up to 800&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">cases of measles</a>&nbsp;nationwide on Friday.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged children</a>&nbsp;died from measles-related illnesses in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">the epicenter in West Texas,</a>&nbsp;and an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">adult in New Mexico</a>&nbsp;who was not vaccinated died of a measles-related illness.

Other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">states with active outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— defined as three or more cases — include Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Mexico. The U.S. has more than double the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">measles cases</a>&nbsp;it saw in all of 2024.

North America has two other outbreaks. One in Ontario, Canada, has sickened 925 from mid-October through April 16. And as of Tuesday, the Mexican state of Chihuahua state has 514 measles cases, according to data from the state health ministry. The World Health Organization has said cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON561">Mexico</a>&nbsp;are linked to the Texas outbreak.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">Measles</a>&nbsp;is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.

As the virus takes hold in other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">U.S. communities with low vaccination rates</a>, health experts fear the virus that the spread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">could stretch on for a year</a>. Here's what else you&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">need to know about measles in the U.S.</a>

How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico?

Texas state health officials said Tuesday there were 27 new cases of measles since Friday, bringing the total to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">624 across 26 counties</a>&nbsp;— most of them in West Texas. Two more Texans were hospitalized, for a total of 64 throughout the outbreak, and Bailey County logged its first two cases.

State health officials estimated about 2% of cases — fewer than 10 — are actively infectious.

Sixty-two percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 386 cases since late January — just over 1% of the county's residents.

The April 3 death in Texas was an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">8-year-old child,</a>&nbsp;according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Health officials in Texas said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of “what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.” A unvaccinated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas</a>&nbsp;in late February — Kennedy said age 6.

New Mexico announced two new cases Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 65. Six people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Two are in Eddy County and Chaves and Doña Ana counties have one each.

State health officials say the cases are linked to Texas’ outbreak based on genetic testing. New Mexico reported its first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related death in an adult</a>&nbsp;on March 6.

Oklahoma confirmed one more case Tuesday for a total cases of 13: 10 confirmed and three probable. The first two probable cases were “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state health department said.

Custer, Oklahoma and Cleveland counties had public exposures in the past 42 days. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases.

The Ohio Department of Health confirmed 30 measles cases in the state Thursday. The state county includes only Ohio residents.

There are 14 cases in Ashtabula County near Cleveland, 14 in Knox County and one each in Allen and Holmes counties, the state said. The outbreak in Ashtabula County started with an unvaccinated adult who had interacted with someone who had traveled internationally.

Health officials in Knox County, in east-central Ohio, say there are a total of 20 people with measles, but seven of them do not live in Ohio. In 2022, a measles outbreak in central Ohio sickened 85.

Indiana confirmed two more cases Monday in an outbreak that has sickened eight in Allen County in the northeast part of the state — five are unvaccinated minors and three are adults whose vaccination status is unknown. The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health said Monday.

How many cases are there in Pennsylvania?

In far northwest Pennsylvania, Erie County health officials declared a measles outbreak April 14 after finding two new cases linked to a measles case confirmed March 30.

The state has had nine cases overall this year, six of which are not linked to the outbreak, including international travel-related cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/health/documents/topics/documents/2025%20HAN/2025-787-3-13-ADV-%20Measles.pdf">Montgomery County and one in Philadelphia</a>.

Montcalm County, near Grand Rapids in western Michigan, has four linked measles cases. State health officials say the cases are tied to a large measles outbreak in Ontario, Canada.

The state has eight confirmed measles cases as of Monday, but the remaining four are not part of the Montcalm County outbreak. Michigan's last measles outbreak was in 2019.

Montana state health officials announced five cases Thursday in unvaccinated children and adults who had traveled out of state, and confirmed it was an outbreak on Monday. All five are isolating at home in Gallatin County in the southwest part of the state.

State health officials are working to trace exposures in Bozeman and Belgrade.

They are Montana's first measles cases in 35 years. Health officials didn't say whether the cases are linked to other outbreaks in North America.

Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?

There have been 800 cases in 2025 as of Friday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 10 clusters — defined as three or more related cases.

Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.

Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles.

What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine?

The best way to avoid measles is to get the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/mmr.html">measles, mumps and rubella</a>&nbsp;vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.

Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said.

People who have documentation that they had measles are immune and those born before 1957 generally don’t need the shots because most children back then had measles and now have “presumptive immunity.”

In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”

But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. The U.S. saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-cdc-outbreak-chicago-mmr-vaccine-7ecdfef41e6dbd659c7ac8b80d5de38f">a rise in measles cases in 2024</a>, including an outbreak in Chicago that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-chicago-migrant-shelter-cdc-e58517c830f73e42266d45d45983c12b">sickened more than 60.</a>

Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.

The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.

Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/index.html">dangerous complications</a>&nbsp;such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.

There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745434536952.png" alt="KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health on Wednesday reported no new case of measles over the past week in the state.&nbsp;On April 16,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas</a>&nbsp;had 37 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state, health officials announced Wednesday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745435062298.png" alt="KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray and Morton counties have fewer than five cases each. Haskell County has the most with eight cases, Stevens County has seven, Kiowa County has six.The state's first reported case, identified in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks based on genetic testing, a state health department spokesperson said. But health officials have not determined how the person was exposed.The U.S. was up to 800&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">cases of measles</a>&nbsp;nationwide on Friday.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged children</a>&nbsp;died from measles-related illnesses in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">the epicenter in West Texas,</a>&nbsp;and an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">adult in New Mexico</a>&nbsp;who was not vaccinated died of a measles-related illness.Other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">states with active outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— defined as three or more cases — include Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Mexico. The U.S. has more than double the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">measles cases</a>&nbsp;it saw in all of 2024.North America has two other outbreaks. One in Ontario, Canada, has sickened 925 from mid-October through April 16. And as of Tuesday, the Mexican state of Chihuahua state has 514 measles cases, according to data from the state health ministry. The World Health Organization has said cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON561">Mexico</a>&nbsp;are linked to the Texas outbreak.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">Measles</a>&nbsp;is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.As the virus takes hold in other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">U.S. communities with low vaccination rates</a>, health experts fear the virus that the spread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">could stretch on for a year</a>. Here's what else you&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">need to know about measles in the U.S.</a><h2>How many measles cases are there in Texas and New Mexico?</h2>Texas state health officials said Tuesday there were 27 new cases of measles since Friday, bringing the total to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">624 across 26 counties</a>&nbsp;— most of them in West Texas. Two more Texans were hospitalized, for a total of 64 throughout the outbreak, and Bailey County logged its first two cases.State health officials estimated about 2% of cases — fewer than 10 — are actively infectious.Sixty-two percent of Texas' cases are in Gaines County, population 22,892, where the virus started spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community. The county has had 386 cases since late January — just over 1% of the county's residents.The April 3 death in Texas was an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">8-year-old child,</a>&nbsp;according to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Health officials in Texas said the child did not have underlying health conditions and died of “what the child's doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.” A unvaccinated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-west-texas-death-rfk-41adc66641e4a56ce2b2677480031ab9">child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas</a>&nbsp;in late February — Kennedy said age 6.New Mexico announced two new cases Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 65. Six people have been hospitalized since the outbreak started. Most of the state's cases are in Lea County. Two are in Eddy County and Chaves and Doña Ana counties have one each.State health officials say the cases are linked to Texas’ outbreak based on genetic testing. New Mexico reported its first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">measles-related death in an adult</a>&nbsp;on March 6.<h2>How many cases are there in Oklahoma?</h2>Oklahoma confirmed one more case Tuesday for a total cases of 13: 10 confirmed and three probable. The first two probable cases were “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state health department said.Custer, Oklahoma and Cleveland counties had public exposures in the past 42 days. The state health department is not releasing which counties have cases.<h2>How many cases are there in Ohio?</h2>The Ohio Department of Health confirmed 30 measles cases in the state Thursday. The state county includes only Ohio residents.There are 14 cases in Ashtabula County near Cleveland, 14 in Knox County and one each in Allen and Holmes counties, the state said. The outbreak in Ashtabula County started with an unvaccinated adult who had interacted with someone who had traveled internationally.Health officials in Knox County, in east-central Ohio, say there are a total of 20 people with measles, but seven of them do not live in Ohio. In 2022, a measles outbreak in central Ohio sickened 85.<h2>How many cases are there in Indiana?</h2>Indiana confirmed two more cases Monday in an outbreak that has sickened eight in Allen County in the northeast part of the state — five are unvaccinated minors and three are adults whose vaccination status is unknown. The cases have no known link to other outbreaks, the Allen County Department of Health said Monday.<h2>How many cases are there in Pennsylvania?</h2>In far northwest Pennsylvania, Erie County health officials declared a measles outbreak April 14 after finding two new cases linked to a measles case confirmed March 30.The state has had nine cases overall this year, six of which are not linked to the outbreak, including international travel-related cases in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pa.gov/content/dam/copapwp-pagov/en/health/documents/topics/documents/2025%20HAN/2025-787-3-13-ADV-%20Measles.pdf">Montgomery County and one in Philadelphia</a>.<h2>How many cases are there in Michigan?</h2>Montcalm County, near Grand Rapids in western Michigan, has four linked measles cases. State health officials say the cases are tied to a large measles outbreak in Ontario, Canada.The state has eight confirmed measles cases as of Monday, but the remaining four are not part of the Montcalm County outbreak. Michigan's last measles outbreak was in 2019.<h2>How many cases are there in Montana?</h2>Montana state health officials announced five cases Thursday in unvaccinated children and adults who had traveled out of state, and confirmed it was an outbreak on Monday. All five are isolating at home in Gallatin County in the southwest part of the state.State health officials are working to trace exposures in Bozeman and Belgrade.They are Montana's first measles cases in 35 years. Health officials didn't say whether the cases are linked to other outbreaks in North America.<h2>Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?</h2>There have been 800 cases in 2025 as of Friday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 10 clusters — defined as three or more related cases.Measles cases also have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.Cases and outbreaks in the U.S. are frequently traced to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-asia-measles-rates-unicef-who-report-2f888732cc297090238956986fd89cc4">someone who caught the disease abroad</a>. In 2019, the U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost lost its status of having eliminated measles.<h2>What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine?</h2>The best way to avoid measles is to get the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/mmr.html">measles, mumps and rubella</a>&nbsp;vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said.People who have documentation that they had measles are immune and those born before 1957 generally don’t need the shots because most children back then had measles and now have “presumptive immunity.”In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. The U.S. saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-cdc-outbreak-chicago-mmr-vaccine-7ecdfef41e6dbd659c7ac8b80d5de38f">a rise in measles cases in 2024</a>, including an outbreak in Chicago that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-chicago-migrant-shelter-cdc-e58517c830f73e42266d45d45983c12b">sickened more than 60.</a><h2>What are the symptoms of measles?</h2>Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/index.html">dangerous complications</a>&nbsp;such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.<h2>How can you treat measles?</h2>There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.___

KDHE reports good news on number of measles cases in the state

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis was thankful that he was able to greet throngs of people in St. Peter’s Square on Easter,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a">a day before he died</a>, though he initially had some doubts given his poor health, Vatican News reported Tuesday.

The Argentine pontiff, who had been recovering after being hospitalized for five weeks with pneumonia,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a">died Monday at age 88</a>. He made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-easter-sunday-photos-4651ecd21edad5f77af0eb228144b4c5">his last public appearance</a>&nbsp;Sunday, delivering a blessing and looping around Vatican City’s famous square in his popemobile.

Francis initially had doubts about the ride, Vatican News reported. “Do you think I can manage it?’’ the pope asked Massimiliano Strappetti, his personal health care assistant, according to the news agency.

The pope was reassured, and he stopped to reach out to people, especially children, as he was driven through the crowd of 50,000 — the first time since his release from the hospital that he had mixed with the faithful at large. Afterward, Francis told Strappetti, “Thank you for bringing me back to the square,” Vatican News said.

The pope showed the first signs of illness round 5:30 a.m. the next day and fell into a coma an hour later, Vatican News reported.

His Easter appearance from the same loggia where he was introduced to the world as the first pope from the Americas on March 13, 2013, was a fitting bookend to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-key-dates-0d33f7c8adca4c22a8e9bebeb5d3cdcc">12-year papacy</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-career-highlights-589cbd4ffd574d6c9c2674add1b564c9">sought to shake up the church</a>&nbsp;and return it to its Gospel-mandated mission of caring for the poorest.

Francis’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a">funeral will be held Saturday</a>&nbsp;at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. U.S. President Donald Trump said he and first lady Melania Trump plan to attend, and Argentine President Javier Milei is also expected.

He will lie in state starting Wednesday in St. Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff.

According to current norms, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/papal-succession-plan-what-happens-798029dfb83f4c03b61de5d9cf6945ff">conclave to choose Francis’ successor</a>&nbsp;must begin between May 5 and 10.

“He truly gave everything he had, up to the end,” said Sister Nathalie Becquart, one of the highest-ranking women at the Vatican.

While the ordinary faithful will have an opportunity to pay their respects beginning Wednesday, Vatican officials were allowed to say their goodbyes starting Monday evening. Speaking to reporters after she paid her respects, Becquart marveled at Francis’ final Easter salute to his flock. “He really walked with his people,” she said.

Italian Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi said it was specifically Francis’ effort to promote the role of women in the church that will be one of his greatest legacies. Ravasi noted that Francis chose to be buried near his favorite icon of the Madonna, in a basilica across town, and not in the grottoes underneath St. Peter’s, as is typical for popes.

“He wanted to be buried under the shadow of a woman, in this case Maria,” said Ravasi, the Vatican’s former culture minister as he arrived for Tuesday’s first meeting of cardinals charting the next steps. “That is significant, his desire for the church to do more for women.”

The first images of Francis’ body were released Tuesday, showing him in red vestments and his bishop’s miter in a wooden casket, with the Vatican secretary of state praying over him in the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta hotel where he lived and died.

In his final will, Francis said he wanted to be buried at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-conclave-glossary-3f34cfc8bda3570b9ecf0602d20990fb">St. Mary Major Basilica</a>, which is home to the Salus Populi Romani icon of Mary. Before and after every foreign trip, Francis would go to the basilica to pray before the Byzantine-style painting that features an image of Mary, draped in a blue robe, holding the infant Jesus, who in turn holds a jeweled golden book.

Francis stopped by the basilica on his way home from the Gemelli hospital on March 23, after his 38-day stay, to deliver flowers to be placed before the icon. He returned April 12 to pray before it one last time.

Bells tolled in chapels, churches and cathedrals around the world and flags flew at half-staff in Italy, India, Taiwan and the U.S. after Francis’ death was announced by the camerlengo, who takes charge of the Vatican after a pope’s death. Soccer matches in Italy and Argentina were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-soccer-san-lorenzo-b8687e9b67c05af7f0e7920af0fb942a">suspended</a>&nbsp;in honor of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/argentina-pope-francis-obit-milei-catholic-church-politics-b2b6058a734c6cbc728718d1c91372fa">the pope</a>&nbsp;who was a lifelong fan of the San Lorenzo soccer club.

World leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-reaction-78ef38471b2560d74a1e25cbd31cbc7e">praised Francis</a>&nbsp;for his moral leadership and compassion, while ordinary faithful remembered his simplicity and humanity.

“Like every Argentine, I think he was a rebel,” said 23-year-old Catalina Favaro, who had come to pay her respects in the Buenos Aires church where Francis discovered his priestly vocation. “He may have been contradictory, but that was nice, too.”

In East Timor, where Francis’ final outdoor Mass drew nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-asia-east-timor-john-paul-ii-8a12d6cfa771b2603d1044afd4ac68a8">half of the population</a>&nbsp;last September, President Jose Ramos-Horta praised Francis’ courage. “Pope Francis was a brave man who was not afraid to speak out against the rulers of the world who seek war, but do not want to seek peace,” Ramos-Horta said.

“He challenged the powerful to act with justice, called nations to welcome the stranger, and reminded us that our common home — this Earth — is a gift we must protect for future generations,” said Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.

The pope’s formal apartments in the Apostolic Palace and in the Santa Marta hotel were sealed Monday evening, following a centuries-old ritual. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-kevin-farrell-camerlengo-d539db6e09be52a76669dc7f7ac63fd8">as camerlengo</a>&nbsp;had the task of announcing the death and confirming it once the cause was determined, presided over the rituals.

Francis chose not to live in the palace, but in a two-room suite in Santa Marta on the other side of Vatican City. He died there and his body was transferred to the hotel chapel in the lobby, where the private viewing was underway Tuesday for Vatican officials and members of the pontifical household.

In changes made by Francis last year, his body was not placed in three wooden coffins, as it had been for previous popes. Rather, Francis was placed in a simplified wooden coffin with a zinc coffin inside.

Once in St. Peter’s, his casket will not be put on an elevated bier — as was the case with past popes — but will just be be placed simply facing the pews, with the Paschal candle nearby.

“He was a pope who didn’t change his path when it came to getting (his hands) dirty,” Francis’ vicar for Rome, Cardinal Baldassarre Reina, said in a Mass in his honor. “For him, poor people and migrants were the sacrament of Jesus.”

After the funeral, there are nine days of official mourning, known as the “novendiali.” During this period, cardinals arrive in Rome and meet privately before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/papal-succession-plan-what-happens-798029dfb83f4c03b61de5d9cf6945ff">the conclave</a>.

To give everyone time to assemble, the conclave must begin 15 to 20 days after the “sede vacante” — the “vacant See” — is declared, although it can start sooner if the cardinals agree.

Once the conclave begins, cardinals vote in secret sessions in the Sistine Chapel. After voting sessions, the ballots are burned in a special stove. Black smoke indicates that no pope has been elected, while white smoke indicates that the cardinals have chosen the next head of the Catholic Church.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745316464619.jpeg" alt="A Catholic nun of the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by Saint Teresa, prays as a portrait of Pope Francis, placed over the saint's tomb following his death, in Kolkata, India, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)" />
 <figcaption>A Catholic nun of the Missionaries of Charity, the order founded by Saint Teresa, prays as a portrait of Pope Francis, placed over the saint's tomb following his death, in Kolkata, India, Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Bikas Das)</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis was thankful that he was able to greet throngs of people in St. Peter’s Square on Easter,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a">a day before he died</a>, though he initially had some doubts given his poor health, Vatican News reported Tuesday.The Argentine pontiff, who had been recovering after being hospitalized for five weeks with pneumonia,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a">died Monday at age 88</a>. He made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-easter-sunday-photos-4651ecd21edad5f77af0eb228144b4c5">his last public appearance</a>&nbsp;Sunday, delivering a blessing and looping around Vatican City’s famous square in his popemobile.Francis initially had doubts about the ride, Vatican News reported. “Do you think I can manage it?’’ the pope asked Massimiliano Strappetti, his personal health care assistant, according to the news agency.The pope was reassured, and he stopped to reach out to people, especially children, as he was driven through the crowd of 50,000 — the first time since his release from the hospital that he had mixed with the faithful at large. Afterward, Francis told Strappetti, “Thank you for bringing me back to the square,” Vatican News said.The pope showed the first signs of illness round 5:30 a.m. the next day and fell into a coma an hour later, Vatican News reported.His Easter appearance from the same loggia where he was introduced to the world as the first pope from the Americas on March 13, 2013, was a fitting bookend to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-key-dates-0d33f7c8adca4c22a8e9bebeb5d3cdcc">12-year papacy</a>&nbsp;that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-career-highlights-589cbd4ffd574d6c9c2674add1b564c9">sought to shake up the church</a>&nbsp;and return it to its Gospel-mandated mission of caring for the poorest.<h2>Funeral set for Saturday</h2>Francis’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a">funeral will be held Saturday</a>&nbsp;at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, celebrated by the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re. U.S. President Donald Trump said he and first lady Melania Trump plan to attend, and Argentine President Javier Milei is also expected.He will lie in state starting Wednesday in St. Peter’s Basilica, where the faithful are expected to flock to pay their respects to history’s first Latin American pontiff.According to current norms, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/papal-succession-plan-what-happens-798029dfb83f4c03b61de5d9cf6945ff">conclave to choose Francis’ successor</a>&nbsp;must begin between May 5 and 10.<h2>Vatican officials remember Francis</h2>“He truly gave everything he had, up to the end,” said Sister Nathalie Becquart, one of the highest-ranking women at the Vatican.While the ordinary faithful will have an opportunity to pay their respects beginning Wednesday, Vatican officials were allowed to say their goodbyes starting Monday evening. Speaking to reporters after she paid her respects, Becquart marveled at Francis’ final Easter salute to his flock. “He really walked with his people,” she said.Italian Cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi said it was specifically Francis’ effort to promote the role of women in the church that will be one of his greatest legacies. Ravasi noted that Francis chose to be buried near his favorite icon of the Madonna, in a basilica across town, and not in the grottoes underneath St. Peter’s, as is typical for popes.“He wanted to be buried under the shadow of a woman, in this case Maria,” said Ravasi, the Vatican’s former culture minister as he arrived for Tuesday’s first meeting of cardinals charting the next steps. “That is significant, his desire for the church to do more for women.”The first images of Francis’ body were released Tuesday, showing him in red vestments and his bishop’s miter in a wooden casket, with the Vatican secretary of state praying over him in the chapel of the Domus Santa Marta hotel where he lived and died.In his final will, Francis said he wanted to be buried at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-conclave-glossary-3f34cfc8bda3570b9ecf0602d20990fb">St. Mary Major Basilica</a>, which is home to the Salus Populi Romani icon of Mary. Before and after every foreign trip, Francis would go to the basilica to pray before the Byzantine-style painting that features an image of Mary, draped in a blue robe, holding the infant Jesus, who in turn holds a jeweled golden book.Francis stopped by the basilica on his way home from the Gemelli hospital on March 23, after his 38-day stay, to deliver flowers to be placed before the icon. He returned April 12 to pray before it one last time.<h2>The world reacts</h2>Bells tolled in chapels, churches and cathedrals around the world and flags flew at half-staff in Italy, India, Taiwan and the U.S. after Francis’ death was announced by the camerlengo, who takes charge of the Vatican after a pope’s death. Soccer matches in Italy and Argentina were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-soccer-san-lorenzo-b8687e9b67c05af7f0e7920af0fb942a">suspended</a>&nbsp;in honor of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/argentina-pope-francis-obit-milei-catholic-church-politics-b2b6058a734c6cbc728718d1c91372fa">the pope</a>&nbsp;who was a lifelong fan of the San Lorenzo soccer club.World leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-reaction-78ef38471b2560d74a1e25cbd31cbc7e">praised Francis</a>&nbsp;for his moral leadership and compassion, while ordinary faithful remembered his simplicity and humanity.“Like every Argentine, I think he was a rebel,” said 23-year-old Catalina Favaro, who had come to pay her respects in the Buenos Aires church where Francis discovered his priestly vocation. “He may have been contradictory, but that was nice, too.”In East Timor, where Francis’ final outdoor Mass drew nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-asia-east-timor-john-paul-ii-8a12d6cfa771b2603d1044afd4ac68a8">half of the population</a>&nbsp;last September, President Jose Ramos-Horta praised Francis’ courage. “Pope Francis was a brave man who was not afraid to speak out against the rulers of the world who seek war, but do not want to seek peace,” Ramos-Horta said.“He challenged the powerful to act with justice, called nations to welcome the stranger, and reminded us that our common home — this Earth — is a gift we must protect for future generations,” said Nigerian President Bola Tinubu.<h2>Viewing the pope’s coffin</h2>The pope’s formal apartments in the Apostolic Palace and in the Santa Marta hotel were sealed Monday evening, following a centuries-old ritual. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-kevin-farrell-camerlengo-d539db6e09be52a76669dc7f7ac63fd8">as camerlengo</a>&nbsp;had the task of announcing the death and confirming it once the cause was determined, presided over the rituals.Francis chose not to live in the palace, but in a two-room suite in Santa Marta on the other side of Vatican City. He died there and his body was transferred to the hotel chapel in the lobby, where the private viewing was underway Tuesday for Vatican officials and members of the pontifical household.In changes made by Francis last year, his body was not placed in three wooden coffins, as it had been for previous popes. Rather, Francis was placed in a simplified wooden coffin with a zinc coffin inside.Once in St. Peter’s, his casket will not be put on an elevated bier — as was the case with past popes — but will just be be placed simply facing the pews, with the Paschal candle nearby.“He was a pope who didn’t change his path when it came to getting (his hands) dirty,” Francis’ vicar for Rome, Cardinal Baldassarre Reina, said in a Mass in his honor. “For him, poor people and migrants were the sacrament of Jesus.”<h2>Choosing the next pope</h2>After the funeral, there are nine days of official mourning, known as the “novendiali.” During this period, cardinals arrive in Rome and meet privately before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/papal-succession-plan-what-happens-798029dfb83f4c03b61de5d9cf6945ff">the conclave</a>.To give everyone time to assemble, the conclave must begin 15 to 20 days after the “sede vacante” — the “vacant See” — is declared, although it can start sooner if the cardinals agree.Once the conclave begins, cardinals vote in secret sessions in the Sistine Chapel. After voting sessions, the ballots are burned in a special stove. Black smoke indicates that no pope has been elected, while white smoke indicates that the cardinals have chosen the next head of the Catholic Church.

Pope Francis' final hours; thankful he greeted crowd in the Square

PAWNEE COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol investigating a fatal crash that occurred just after 2:30p.m. April 16, in Pawnee County has identified the driver who died as Jason W. Block, 52, Kyle, Texas.

The patrol reported a 2019 Ford F150 driven by Block was westbound on U.S. Highway 56 five miles west of Garfield. The pickup traveled onto the north shoulder, into a ditch, struck a dirt embankment and rolled end over end before coming to rest in the ditch.

Block was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Beckwith Mortuary. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

PAWNEE COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol investigating a fatal crash that occurred just after 2:30p.m. April 16, in Pawnee County has identified the driver who died as Jason W. Block, 52, Kyle, Texas.The patrol reported a 2019 Ford F150 driven by Block was westbound on U.S. Highway 56 five miles west of Garfield. The pickup traveled onto the north shoulder, into a ditch, struck a dirt embankment and rolled end over end before coming to rest in the ditch.Block was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Beckwith Mortuary. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

KHP IDs driver who died in rollover accident

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Topeka.

Just before 1a.m. Wednesday, police&nbsp;responded to the area near Ripley Park at SE 2nd and California Avenue in Topeka, according to Police Lt. John Trimble.

Officers arrived to the area and&nbsp;found one person suffering from a life-threatening knife wound. That individual was transported to a local hospital where they died of their injuries. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745416435363.png" alt="Photo by Eric Ives courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Eric Ives courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Topeka.Just before 1a.m. Wednesday, police&nbsp;responded to the area near Ripley Park at SE 2nd and California Avenue in Topeka, according to Police Lt. John Trimble.Officers arrived to the area and&nbsp;found one person suffering from a life-threatening knife wound. That individual was transported to a local hospital where they died of their injuries.

Police: One dead after knife attack near Kansas park

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Democratic Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/richard-durbin">Dick Durbin</a>&nbsp;of Illinois said Wednesday that he will not seek reelection in 2026, ending his more than four-decade career representing Illinois and piling more pressure on the party as it already faced a difficult path to reclaiming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-elections-house-senate-harris-trump-94b49277db2a5c21f23236794a36afa6">a majority in the Senate</a>.

The decision by Durbin, who is in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-constitutions-chicago-elections-ea6a729822a40376ee979aa15191c3f2">his fifth Senate term</a>&nbsp;and is the chamber’s No. 2 Democrat, will set off a flurry of activity among a scrum of would-be successors, both Democratic and Republican. But in a state that has grown more solidly Democratic, the GOP has captured a Senate seat just twice for six-year terms since 1984.

“The decision of whether to run has not been easy," Durbin said in a video posted to X. “I truly love the job of being a United States senator. But in my heart I know it’s time to pass the torch.”

Durbin, who’s 80, was first elected to the U.S. House in 1982 and served seven terms before succeeding his mentor, Paul Simon, in the Senate in 1996. From that post, he helped shape the career of an up-and-comer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/barack-obama">Barack Obama</a>, who was only four years into his first term in the Senate when he was elected president.

Durbin is the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and sits on the Appropriations and Agriculture committees. His caucus colleagues have chosen him as Democratic whip, the party’s No. 2 position, biennially since 2005.

He has been consistently liberal in Congress. Govtrack’s 2024 report card on Congress lists him as the Senate’s 14th most liberal member — right behind Illinois’ junior senator, Tammy Duckworth.

Among Durbin’s more significant legislative achievements, he is largely credited with putting in motion the movement to ban indoor smoking. Having watched his 53-year-old father die of lung cancer when he was 14, Durbin won approval of legislation he sponsored in 1987 prohibiting smoking on short commercial flights and expanded it to nearly all domestic flights two years later.

“People started asking, ‘If secondhand smoke wasn’t safe on airplanes — why is it safe in public buildings, schools, hospitals or restaurants?’ The answer is simple: It’s not,” Durbin said on the 25th anniversary of the law.

In the early 2000s, he introduced the DREAM Act, which would give immigrants in the U.S. illegally who grew up in the country a pathway toward U.S. citizenship.

It’s never become law, but in 2010, Durbin and Sen. Richard Lugar, an Indiana Republican, wrote Obama asking him to stop deporting so-called Dreamers. Obama responded with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, which has covered about 830,000 immigrants, according to Durbin’s office.

Durbin was instrumental in reversing a War on Drugs-era law that penalized crack cocaine in a 100-to-1 ratio to powder cocaine, a law that disproportionately hit Black defendants with long prison terms. The new law was made retroactive, reducing the sentences for those serving time for crack.

And with Republican and Democratic co-sponsors, Durbin pushed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f1693a68cb474f65a65bfb0e337009a5">the First Step Act</a>, which President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5976d8ff40f148dda8199efc8e575475">signed into law</a>&nbsp;in 2018. The criminal justice system revamp aimed to make sentencing laws fairer and provide programs to help people who are incarcerated transition in returning to society.

Richard Durbin was born in 1944 in East St. Louis. In 1966, after graduating from Georgetown University, he interned for Sen. Paul Douglas, whose seat he now holds. It was Douglas, who lost election to a fourth term in 1966, who once mistakenly called him “Dick,” a nickname Durbin adopted.

Durbin earned a law degree from Georgetown and worked as legal counsel for Simon, who was lieutenant governor in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and then for the Legislature through the 1970s. In 1978, Durbin made an unsuccessful run for lieutenant governor, after which he maintained a private legal practice and co-owned a Springfield tavern.

A redrawn district, an economic recession and funding from pro-Israel forces were factors when in 1982 Durbin ousted 11-term Republican incumbent congressman Paul Findley, best known for his criticism of American policy toward Israel and support of Palestinians.

In 2000, Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore considered Durbin for the vice presidency, before Gore ultimately chose Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut. But a few years later, Durbin influenced another presidential candidate when he served as a sounding board for and adviser to Obama.

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) — Democratic Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/richard-durbin">Dick Durbin</a>&nbsp;of Illinois said Wednesday that he will not seek reelection in 2026, ending his more than four-decade career representing Illinois and piling more pressure on the party as it already faced a difficult path to reclaiming&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-elections-house-senate-harris-trump-94b49277db2a5c21f23236794a36afa6">a majority in the Senate</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The decision of whether to run for re-election has not been easy. I truly love the job of being a United States Senator. But in my heart, I know it’s time to pass the torch. So, I am announcing today that I will not be seeking re-election at the end of my term. <a href="https://t.co/eiBTPjToFT">pic.twitter.com/eiBTPjToFT</a>&mdash; Senator Dick Durbin (@SenatorDurbin) <a href="https://twitter.com/SenatorDurbin/status/1915062730580427059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The decision by Durbin, who is in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-virus-outbreak-constitutions-chicago-elections-ea6a729822a40376ee979aa15191c3f2">his fifth Senate term</a>&nbsp;and is the chamber’s No. 2 Democrat, will set off a flurry of activity among a scrum of would-be successors, both Democratic and Republican. But in a state that has grown more solidly Democratic, the GOP has captured a Senate seat just twice for six-year terms since 1984.“The decision of whether to run has not been easy," Durbin said in a video posted to X. “I truly love the job of being a United States senator. But in my heart I know it’s time to pass the torch.”Durbin, who’s 80, was first elected to the U.S. House in 1982 and served seven terms before succeeding his mentor, Paul Simon, in the Senate in 1996. From that post, he helped shape the career of an up-and-comer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/barack-obama">Barack Obama</a>, who was only four years into his first term in the Senate when he was elected president.Durbin is the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and sits on the Appropriations and Agriculture committees. His caucus colleagues have chosen him as Democratic whip, the party’s No. 2 position, biennially since 2005.He has been consistently liberal in Congress. Govtrack’s 2024 report card on Congress lists him as the Senate’s 14th most liberal member — right behind Illinois’ junior senator, Tammy Duckworth.Among Durbin’s more significant legislative achievements, he is largely credited with putting in motion the movement to ban indoor smoking. Having watched his 53-year-old father die of lung cancer when he was 14, Durbin won approval of legislation he sponsored in 1987 prohibiting smoking on short commercial flights and expanded it to nearly all domestic flights two years later.“People started asking, ‘If secondhand smoke wasn’t safe on airplanes — why is it safe in public buildings, schools, hospitals or restaurants?’ The answer is simple: It’s not,” Durbin said on the 25th anniversary of the law.In the early 2000s, he introduced the DREAM Act, which would give immigrants in the U.S. illegally who grew up in the country a pathway toward U.S. citizenship.It’s never become law, but in 2010, Durbin and Sen. Richard Lugar, an Indiana Republican, wrote Obama asking him to stop deporting so-called Dreamers. Obama responded with Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, which has covered about 830,000 immigrants, according to Durbin’s office.Durbin was instrumental in reversing a War on Drugs-era law that penalized crack cocaine in a 100-to-1 ratio to powder cocaine, a law that disproportionately hit Black defendants with long prison terms. The new law was made retroactive, reducing the sentences for those serving time for crack.And with Republican and Democratic co-sponsors, Durbin pushed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f1693a68cb474f65a65bfb0e337009a5">the First Step Act</a>, which President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5976d8ff40f148dda8199efc8e575475">signed into law</a>&nbsp;in 2018. The criminal justice system revamp aimed to make sentencing laws fairer and provide programs to help people who are incarcerated transition in returning to society.Richard Durbin was born in 1944 in East St. Louis. In 1966, after graduating from Georgetown University, he interned for Sen. Paul Douglas, whose seat he now holds. It was Douglas, who lost election to a fourth term in 1966, who once mistakenly called him “Dick,” a nickname Durbin adopted.Durbin earned a law degree from Georgetown and worked as legal counsel for Simon, who was lieutenant governor in the late 1960s and early 1970s, and then for the Legislature through the 1970s. In 1978, Durbin made an unsuccessful run for lieutenant governor, after which he maintained a private legal practice and co-owned a Springfield tavern.A redrawn district, an economic recession and funding from pro-Israel forces were factors when in 1982 Durbin ousted 11-term Republican incumbent congressman Paul Findley, best known for his criticism of American policy toward Israel and support of Palestinians.In 2000, Democratic presidential nominee Al Gore considered Durbin for the vice presidency, before Gore ultimately chose Sen. Joseph Lieberman of Connecticut. But a few years later, Durbin influenced another presidential candidate when he served as a sounding board for and adviser to Obama.___Jalonick reported from Washington.

U.S. Senate’s No. 2 Democrat won't seek reelection to a 6th term 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>

WASHINGTON — A three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Tuesday grilled the Trump administration and the attorney for transgender service members who won a lower court order reversing President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender troops.

One judge on the panel voiced serious concerns about the lack of evidence the Defense Department cited when instituting the ban, while another expressed skepticism that the lower court’s nationwide order —&nbsp;instead of applying only to the transgender individuals who brought the case —&nbsp;was appropriate.

Administration officials appealed the case to the D.C. Circuit after district Judge Ana Reyes, appointed by former President Joe Biden, granted a broad preliminary injunction blocking Trump’s Jan. 27 executive order.

Eight active-duty service members and transgender individuals who are actively pursuing enlistment in the armed forces brought the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69583866/talbott-v-trump/?filed_after=&amp;filed_before=&amp;entry_gte=&amp;entry_lte=&amp;order_by=desc" target="_blank">case</a>&nbsp;against Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, among other officials and three branches of the U.S. military.

Trump’s January order&nbsp;asserted the “adoption of a gender identity inconsistent with an individual’s sex conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one’s personal life.” Further, the order said that being transgender is “not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member.”

The Trump administration is expected to “imminently” escalate a separate case on the same issue to the Supreme Court, U.S. Department of Justice attorney Jason Manion said in court Tuesday.

Judges on the appeals bench queried both sides on whether the government has evidence to prove transgender individuals cannot fulfill military duties, and if the order bans all trans troops or only those diagnosed with gender dysphoria, a clinical diagnosis involving distress when a person’s gender identity differs from their sex at birth.

“If the military said people with red hair are just too fragile and vulnerable, we are going to kick them all out of the military, and we are going to not allow any of them ever to join, and we have no evidence of that, but we think they’re a threat to military preparedness, to unit cohesion, and too costly, and so we’re just going to kick them out?” asked Judge Cornelia Pillard, who was appointed during President Barack Obama’s second term.

Manion replied the transgender ban “policy relies on a condition that is marked by severe clinical distress.”

Under military deference — meaning the courts generally defer to the president and military on national security questions — the judges should accept Trump’s and Hegseth’s word on the policy, Manion said.

“If there are mental conditions that will impair someone’s ability to function in the military, or that the military could rationally judge would impair that, then that’s more than enough to satisfy rational basis review,” he said.

Pillard pushed back: Isn’t that the case for all people wanting to join the military, not just transgender individuals? Thousands of transgender troops are already serving, she said.

“If the concerns are with depression or suicidality, there already are standards that would screen someone out for those things, right?” Pillard said.

Judge Neomi Rao challenged the plaintiffs’ likelihood to succeed, highlighting that the Supreme Court generally views broad orders from district judges as “overreach.”

Reyes’&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.276845/gov.uscourts.dcd.276845.89.0.pdf" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;covers all transgender troops and those seeking to enlist, not just the eight plaintiffs who brought the case.

“The district court imposed effectively a universal injunction on this policy, going beyond any relief to these particular plaintiffs. So even putting aside the constitutional question, isn’t the government likely to succeed on challenging this remedy?” asked Rao, who was appointed during Trump’s first term.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745411733333.png" alt="A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard arguments at the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse on Tuesday over President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military (U.S. General Services Administration photo)." />
 <figcaption>A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit heard arguments at the E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse on Tuesday over President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender people serving in the military (U.S. General Services Administration photo).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>WASHINGTON — A three-judge panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit on Tuesday grilled the Trump administration and the attorney for transgender service members who won a lower court order reversing President Donald Trump’s ban on transgender troops.One judge on the panel voiced serious concerns about the lack of evidence the Defense Department cited when instituting the ban, while another expressed skepticism that the lower court’s nationwide order —&nbsp;instead of applying only to the transgender individuals who brought the case —&nbsp;was appropriate.Administration officials appealed the case to the D.C. Circuit after district Judge Ana Reyes, appointed by former President Joe Biden, granted a broad preliminary injunction blocking Trump’s Jan. 27 executive order.Eight active-duty service members and transgender individuals who are actively pursuing enlistment in the armed forces brought the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/69583866/talbott-v-trump/?filed_after=&amp;filed_before=&amp;entry_gte=&amp;entry_lte=&amp;order_by=desc" target="_blank">case</a>&nbsp;against Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, among other officials and three branches of the U.S. military.Trump’s January order&nbsp;asserted the “adoption of a gender identity inconsistent with an individual’s sex conflicts with a soldier’s commitment to an honorable, truthful, and disciplined lifestyle, even in one’s personal life.” Further, the order said that being transgender is “not consistent with the humility and selflessness required of a service member.”The Trump administration is expected to “imminently” escalate a separate case on the same issue to the Supreme Court, U.S. Department of Justice attorney Jason Manion said in court Tuesday.<h2>Evidence</h2>Judges on the appeals bench queried both sides on whether the government has evidence to prove transgender individuals cannot fulfill military duties, and if the order bans all trans troops or only those diagnosed with gender dysphoria, a clinical diagnosis involving distress when a person’s gender identity differs from their sex at birth.“If the military said people with red hair are just too fragile and vulnerable, we are going to kick them all out of the military, and we are going to not allow any of them ever to join, and we have no evidence of that, but we think they’re a threat to military preparedness, to unit cohesion, and too costly, and so we’re just going to kick them out?” asked Judge Cornelia Pillard, who was appointed during President Barack Obama’s second term.Manion replied the transgender ban “policy relies on a condition that is marked by severe clinical distress.”Under military deference — meaning the courts generally defer to the president and military on national security questions — the judges should accept Trump’s and Hegseth’s word on the policy, Manion said.“If there are mental conditions that will impair someone’s ability to function in the military, or that the military could rationally judge would impair that, then that’s more than enough to satisfy rational basis review,” he said.Pillard pushed back: Isn’t that the case for all people wanting to join the military, not just transgender individuals? Thousands of transgender troops are already serving, she said.“If the concerns are with depression or suicidality, there already are standards that would screen someone out for those things, right?” Pillard said.<h2>Trial court ‘overreach’?</h2>Judge Neomi Rao challenged the plaintiffs’ likelihood to succeed, highlighting that the Supreme Court generally views broad orders from district judges as “overreach.”Reyes’&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.276845/gov.uscourts.dcd.276845.89.0.pdf" target="_blank">order</a>&nbsp;covers all transgender troops and those seeking to enlist, not just the eight plaintiffs who brought the case.“The district court imposed effectively a universal injunction on this policy, going beyond any relief to these particular plaintiffs. So even putting aside the constitutional question, isn’t the government likely to succeed on challenging this remedy?” asked Rao, who was appointed during Trump’s first term.Shannon Minter, civil rights attorney for the plaintiffs, said “the very nature of the injury” justifies far-reaching court protection.“This is one of those cases where the injury alleged resides directly in the categorical nature of the policy itself, which declares that transgender people as a group lack the virtues of honesty, discipline, selflessness, integrity, that as such, they have to be purged from the military because they’re transgender, and because the government has this very negative view of what it means to be a transgender person,” Minter said.In a separate case, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca9.afaa7f8c-a307-4e35-a174-cf2fa59424fe/gov.uscourts.ca9.afaa7f8c-a307-4e35-a174-cf2fa59424fe.31.0.pdf" target="_blank">upheld</a>&nbsp;a lower court’s ruling that allowed transgender troops to continue serving, denying the government’s appeal.<h2>U.S. Supreme Court case upcoming</h2>Judge Gregory Katsas, appointed during Trump’s first term, asked Manion, “Can you tell us anything about the government’s plans for seeking Supreme Court (review)?”“I can’t give you an exact date, but it will be very, very quickly, very soon, and I think that may well be quite relevant to this court’s analysis as well,” Manion said.Lambda Legal and the Human Rights Foundation, who are representing plaintiffs in the 9th Circuit case, released a statement Tuesday afternoon saying they “stand ready to continue to zealously represent our clients as we have at every juncture.”“Transgender service members have been openly serving our country with honor and distinction for almost a decade and have met and are meeting every neutral service-based standard. The U.S. Supreme Court should reject the invitation to stay the district court’s injunction so that they can impose their discriminatory ban while the litigation proceeds,” the statement said.