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.

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.

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.

<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.

Transgender troops ban, nationwide freeze argued in U.S. appeals court

DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating after a standoff at a home in Lawrence.

Just before 8:30p.m. Tuesday,&nbsp; police were dispatched to a home near 6th Street between Shwartz Road and Lawrence Avenue with information that a woman had a gun and was threatening to harm herself, according to a social media report from Lawrence Police.

  Initially, officers weren’t sure if others were in the home and negotiations began.  
The woman fired several shots during the standoff and communication with her was sporadic. 

 Officers evacuated some neighboring homes. 
She ultimately emerged with continued threats and officers deployed a less lethal round in an attempt to stop the woman.  She was hit, but not seriously injured. 

A short time later, negotiators were able to convince the woman to come out, where she was safely taken into custody and medics with Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical took over.  Officers were on scene for some time processing and collecting evidence. After officers secured the area neighbors were allowe to return home.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating after a standoff at a home in Lawrence.Just before 8:30p.m. Tuesday,&nbsp; police were dispatched to a home near 6th Street between Shwartz Road and Lawrence Avenue with information that a woman had a gun and was threatening to harm herself, according to a social media report from Lawrence Police. Initially, officers weren’t sure if others were in the home and negotiations began. 
The woman fired several shots during the standoff and communication with her was sporadic. Officers evacuated some neighboring homes. 
She ultimately emerged with continued threats and officers deployed a less lethal round in an attempt to stop the woman. She was hit, but not seriously injured. A short time later, negotiators were able to convince the woman to come out, where she was safely taken into custody and medics with Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical took over. Officers were on scene for some time processing and collecting evidence. After officers secured the area neighbors were allowe to return home.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

Woman in custody after standoff at Kansas home

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Thousands of people filed through the central aisle of St. Peter’s Basilica to pay their final respects to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, the start of three days of public viewing ahead of the pontiff's funeral.

Throngs of ordinary faithful&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/pope-francis-funeral-catholic-church-updates-4-23-2025">made their way slowly</a>&nbsp;to the 16th-century basilica's main altar, where Francis' simple open wooden casket was perched on a slight ramp, as four Swiss Guards stood at attention. Over the coming days, tens of thousands of people are expected to pass through the basilica, which is staying open until midnight to accommodate them.

Many people paying their respects had come to Rome to celebrate Easter, on a spring vacation or other personal business, only to be met with the news of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a">Francis' death</a>&nbsp;on Easter Monday. Out of devotion to the Argentine pope and his message of inclusion, they joined the procession of mourners that wended through the Holy Door and down the central aisle of the basilica.

Francis was laid out in red robes, clasping a rosary and wearing a bishop’s miter, the traditional pointed headdress. Mourners waited hours to reach the casket — which sat behind a cordon — some holding their cell phones aloft as they neared him to snap photos in what has become a modern ritual.

“It gave me chills,” said Ivenes Bianco, as she left the basilica. She was in Rome from the southern city of Brindisi for medical care, and had come to pay her respects.

"He was important to me because he encouraged co-existence. He brought many people together.''

Cardinals, meanwhile, met in private to finalize preparations for Saturday's funeral and plan the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/papal-succession-plan-what-happens-798029dfb83f4c03b61de5d9cf6945ff">conclave to elect Francis' successor</a>.

Francis died on Monday at age 88, capping a 12-year pontificate characterized by his concern for the poor and message of inclusion, but also some criticism from conservatives who sometimes felt alienated by his progressive bent.

Wednesday opened with the bells of St. Peter’s tolling as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-photos-public-viewing-f12ab2d196b3b0b9470257efdea86a2c">pallbearers carried Francis' body</a>&nbsp;from the Vatican hotel where he lived into the basilica in a procession through the same piazza where he had delivered what became his final goodbye. Francis made a surprise popemobile tour through the faithful on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-vatican-easter-pneumonia-4b1182146a692479562b635a9723de2f">Easter Sunday</a>, after being assured by his nurse he could despite his continued frail health from a bout of pneumonia.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-kevin-farrell-camerlengo-d539db6e09be52a76669dc7f7ac63fd8">Cardinal Kevin Farrell</a>, who is running the Vatican temporarily until a new pope is elected, led the procession down the central aisle to the altar, with clouds of incense preceding him and the choir chanting the Litany of Saints hymn. In pairs, cardinals in red cassocks approached the casket, bowed and made a sign of the cross, followed by small groups of purple-robbed bishops, black-clad ushers, priests and nuns — and then the doors were thrown open to the public.

Heads of state are expected for Francis' funeral, but the three days of public viewing in the basilica allow ordinary Catholics to grieve the Argentine pope. The viewing ends Friday at 7 p.m., after which Francis' casket will be closed and sealed.

Simplified rituals reflect Francis' wishes

Francis' death and funeral inaugurates a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-funeral-burial-rites-rituals-2eb13a689d09d3403f08027081fe3753">carefully orchestrated period of transition</a>&nbsp;in the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church, with cardinals gathering over the coming days before entering into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-conclave-glossary-3f34cfc8bda3570b9ecf0602d20990fb">conclave</a>, the secretive ritual voting in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. There are 135 cardinals under age 80 and eligible to vote, and the new pontiff will likely come from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/next-pope-contenders-list-101d68d61be2401a85310e34b45371a9">within their ranks</a>. The conclave is not expected to begin before May 5.

South Korean Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, who heads the Vatican's office for priests, predicted a short conclave, but acknowledged the transition is full of uncertainties.

“We'll see what the Holy Spirit says,” he said Wednesday. Asked if the next pope could come from Asia, where the Catholic Church is growing, he insisted: “For the Lord, there's no East or West.”

Papua New Guinea’s first and only cardinal, John Ribat, prepared Wednesday to leave for Rome to participate in the vote, pleased to represent the poor South Pacific island nation of 12 million people and more than 800 languages in a College of Cardinals that Francis greatly diversified over 12 years.

“The important thing is that … Papua New Guinea is part of the church, the global church. And to be able to have a representative from here to be in the conclave, it is a big thing,” Ribart told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. He said he hoped the next pope would be someone who could lead the church in “a way that is truthful and binds everyone together.”

Francis first lay in state in the Domus Santa Marta hotel in a private viewing for Vatican residents and the papal household. Images released by the Vatican on Tuesday showed the pope in an open casket, wearing the traditional pointed headdress of bishops and red robes, his hands folded over a rosary. The Vatican’s No. 2, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, was pictured praying by Francis.

Once inside the basilica, Francis' casket wasn't put on an elevated bier — as was the case with past popes — but placed on a ramp, facing the pews. It was in keeping with Francis' wishes for all the rituals surrounding a papal funeral to be simplified to reflect his belief that the pope's role is that of simple pastor, not world leader.

“For me, Pope Francis represents a great pastor, as well as a great friend to all of us,’’ said Micale Sales, visiting St. Peter’s Basilica from Brazil.

Italian police have tightened security for the viewing and the funeral, carrying out foot and horse patrols around the Vatican, where pilgrims continued to arrive for the Holy Year celebrations that Francis opened in December. The faithful who walk through St. Peter’s Holy Door during such years are granted indulgences, a way to help atone for sins.

“I think he spread a positive message around the world, saying there shouldn’t be any violence, there should be peace around the world,’’ said Amit Kukreja, from Australia.

Planning for the conclave is now underway

The funeral has been set for Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, and will be attended by leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy.

Cardinals are continuing their meetings this week to plan the conclave and make other decisions about running the Catholic Church.

History’s first Latin American pontiff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a">charmed the world</a>&nbsp;with his humble style and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f684920e3ec74a2fbe58371e09ae9112">concern for the poor</a>&nbsp;but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-critics-fef5eb221e1a44a15fa7bb9aa83b9d73">alienated many conservatives</a>&nbsp;with critiques of capitalism and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-environment-climate-issues-d95735262a28bbce16c75a37459759e3">climate change</a>.

Francis had some reservations about his final&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-easter-sunday-photos-4651ecd21edad5f77af0eb228144b4c5">popemobile tour</a>&nbsp;through St. Peter’s Square on Easter, Vatican News reported on Tuesday. But he overcame them, the news agency said, and was thankful that he had greeted the crowd. He died the next morning.

“The death of a pope is not a small thing, because we’ve lost our leader,’’ Julio Henrique from Brazil said just outside the basilica. “But still, in a few days, we will have a new leader. So … the thing of hope remains. Who will assume Peter’s throne?”

Associated Press reporters Silvia Stellacci and Trisha Thomas contributed to this report.

The body of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;was moved Wednesday morning to St. Peter’s Basilica for three days of public mourning for an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-argentina-visit-politics-1a0f4ed32521901cd0c2486a3adf1b29">Argentine pontiff</a>&nbsp;remembered for his humble style, concern for the poor and insistent prayers for peace.

Heads of state are expected for the funeral Saturday in St. Peter’s Square, but the public viewing is largely for ordinary Catholics to grieve the 88-year-old pope,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-what-to-know-7c2aa927cf142926f05654984aaa0d90">who died Monday</a>&nbsp;after suffering a stroke.

The basilica will be kept open until midnight on Wednesday and Thursday to allow the faithful to mourn. The public mourning period will end on Friday at 7 p.m. local time.

Cardinals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-death-funeral-conclave-e9688b14b9d9e19bbdd6a868d57a4699">met</a>&nbsp;at the Vatican on Tuesday to schedule Francis’ funeral and burial,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-funeral-burial-rites-rituals-2eb13a689d09d3403f08027081fe3753">plan the conclave</a>&nbsp;to elect his successor and make other decisions about running the Catholic Church.

Throngs of faithful start paying final respects to pope

They&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/pope-francis-funeral-catholic-church-updates-4-23-2025">made their way slowly</a>&nbsp;to the main altar of the 16th-century St. Peter’s Basilica, where Francis’ simple wooden casket was perched on a slight ramp, as four Swiss Guards stood at attention.

Over the coming days, tens of thousands of people are expected to pass through the basilica.

The Vatican opens St. Peter’s Basilica to general public

This will allow the faithful to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, as thousands filled the central aisle.

Congregants in Johannesburg attend special memorial mass for pope

Despite the rain on Wednesday, dozens filled the Cathedral of Christ the King for the Mass led by Cardinal Stephen Brislin of South Africa, who was made a cardinal by Francis in 2023.

Pews were lit up with large white candles, while a framed photograph of Francis was put on display as Brislin reflected on the late pope’s message of tolerance for all.

The service was also attended by leaders of South Africa’s African National Congress political party, including its secretary general, Fikile Mbalula.

Maxima Louw, a 50-year-old man who has been attending services at the cathedral for more than a decade, said Pope Francis was like a spiritual father to him.

Papua New Guinea’s 1st and only cardinal will attend funeral

John Ribat is preparing to leave the poor South Pacific island on Wednesday.

“The important thing is that … Papua New Guinea is part of the church, the global church. And to be able to have a representative from here to be in the conclave, it is a big thing,” the 68-year-old Archbishop of Port Moresby told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

Francis appointed Ribat a cardinal in 2016.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-papua-new-guinea-asia-33fb0e7ca68a8c9595812271586388d1">The pope last year visited the diverse nation</a>&nbsp;with an estimated population of 12 million people and more than 800 languages.

Taiwan will send former top official to funeral

Chen Chien-jen, a devout Catholic, will represent the island democracy, the government said Wednesday.

Relations with the Vatican are especially important to Taiwan because the Holy See is the only European state to recognize the island’s sovereignty in defiance of China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory to be annexed by force if necessary.

Chen is a former vice president and premier and recipient of several of the Vatican’s highest honors. Though less than 5% of Taiwan’s population is Catholic, the church has roots on the island dating back to 17th-century Spanish explorers.

Israeli Foreign Ministry deletes pope condolences post

The ministry refused to comment on its decision to post and then quickly delete the post on X, which said: “Rest in peace, Pope Francis. May his memory be a blessing."

According to Israeli media, Israeli ambassadors, especially those serving in predominantly Catholic countries, were furious over the deleted post.

Pope Francis was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-vatican-gaza-israel-genocide-book-62907898cead13dbcfd603592263904c">critical of Israel’s war in Gaza</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-israel-hamas-war-gaza-31f1755f8426ec81cb07b29bff3db70e">exceptionally close to the Catholic church there</a>, but had also called on Hamas to release the hostages and condemned the rise in antisemitism.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not made any public comment on the pope’s passing.

Mourners watch Francis’ casket being moved

The casket passed them by along the same path the pope had travelled just days before, on Easter Sunday, in what became his final popemobile tour through the faithful.

It was a surprise salute, which Francis decided at the last minute after being assured he could do it despite his continued frail health from pneumonia.

The bells of St. Peter’s toll as the body of the pope is transferred

The procession included solemn cardinals, prelates and Swiss Guards escorting the pontiff to where he will lie in state.

A choir chanted as the cardinals processed slowly through the archway gates leading out into the piazza.

JD Vance says he won't attend the pope's funeral

The U.S. vice president is currently on a four-day visit to India.

He said Wednesday that while he was able to see Pope Francis on Easter Sunday during his Vatican visit over the weekend, he didn’t “realize how sick he was” and that he would always remember the pontiff as a “great pastor.”

Ceremony to transfer Pope Francis’ body begins

His body will be transferred from his home in the Vatican hotel to St. Peter’s Basilica for three days of public viewing.

Filipino community in Taiwan gathers to mourn

Filipinos in Taiwan began gradually gathering at St. Christopher’s Church, a center for a community whose members have migrated to the island to work mainly in factories and as caregivers.

“This is a church for migrants, for people who have to live away from their loved ones, and Pope Francis had a deep concern for those people,” said Luz Fernandez, a housekeeper whose employer gave her time off to light a candle at the church. “He will be missed."

Philippines' Marcos remembers Francis as ‘best pope in my lifetime’

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the leader of the largest Roman Catholic nation in Asia, will attend the funeral in Rome of Pope Francis, whom he described as “the best pope in my lifetime.”

Marcos, 67, will be joined by his wife, Louise Araneta-Marcos, in the trip to Rome, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said on Wednesday.

The Philippine leader extolled Francis as “a man of profound faith and humility.”

Churches across the Philippines rang their bells Monday to mourn the death of Francis, who visited the country in 2015 to console survivors of Typhoon Haiyan.

Trump is planning to leave Washington on Friday morning to fly to Rome for Pope Francis’ funeral services.

He’ll return Saturday evening, once services are over.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the president’s travel plans during her briefing with reporters on Tuesday. She did not provide details on whether Trump will meet with foreign leaders during the trip, or who might travel with him as part of a U.S. delegation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745403589674.jpeg" alt="The body of Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days -image from AP video" />
 <figcaption>The body of Pope Francis inside St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican, Wednesday, April 23, 2025, where he will lie in state for three days -image from AP video</figcaption>
 </figure><div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/l3Ra8Zrbc3M?si=YgrTDFBWvtmUp2kS" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>VATICAN CITY (AP) — Thousands of people filed through the central aisle of St. Peter’s Basilica to pay their final respects to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday, the start of three days of public viewing ahead of the pontiff's funeral.Throngs of ordinary faithful&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/pope-francis-funeral-catholic-church-updates-4-23-2025">made their way slowly</a>&nbsp;to the 16th-century basilica's main altar, where Francis' simple open wooden casket was perched on a slight ramp, as four Swiss Guards stood at attention. Over the coming days, tens of thousands of people are expected to pass through the basilica, which is staying open until midnight to accommodate them.Many people paying their respects had come to Rome to celebrate Easter, on a spring vacation or other personal business, only to be met with the news of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a">Francis' death</a>&nbsp;on Easter Monday. Out of devotion to the Argentine pope and his message of inclusion, they joined the procession of mourners that wended through the Holy Door and down the central aisle of the basilica.Francis was laid out in red robes, clasping a rosary and wearing a bishop’s miter, the traditional pointed headdress. Mourners waited hours to reach the casket — which sat behind a cordon — some holding their cell phones aloft as they neared him to snap photos in what has become a modern ritual.“It gave me chills,” said Ivenes Bianco, as she left the basilica. She was in Rome from the southern city of Brindisi for medical care, and had come to pay her respects."He was important to me because he encouraged co-existence. He brought many people together.''Cardinals, meanwhile, met in private to finalize preparations for Saturday's funeral and plan the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/papal-succession-plan-what-happens-798029dfb83f4c03b61de5d9cf6945ff">conclave to elect Francis' successor</a>.Francis died on Monday at age 88, capping a 12-year pontificate characterized by his concern for the poor and message of inclusion, but also some criticism from conservatives who sometimes felt alienated by his progressive bent.Wednesday opened with the bells of St. Peter’s tolling as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-photos-public-viewing-f12ab2d196b3b0b9470257efdea86a2c">pallbearers carried Francis' body</a>&nbsp;from the Vatican hotel where he lived into the basilica in a procession through the same piazza where he had delivered what became his final goodbye. Francis made a surprise popemobile tour through the faithful on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-vatican-easter-pneumonia-4b1182146a692479562b635a9723de2f">Easter Sunday</a>, after being assured by his nurse he could despite his continued frail health from a bout of pneumonia.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-kevin-farrell-camerlengo-d539db6e09be52a76669dc7f7ac63fd8">Cardinal Kevin Farrell</a>, who is running the Vatican temporarily until a new pope is elected, led the procession down the central aisle to the altar, with clouds of incense preceding him and the choir chanting the Litany of Saints hymn. In pairs, cardinals in red cassocks approached the casket, bowed and made a sign of the cross, followed by small groups of purple-robbed bishops, black-clad ushers, priests and nuns — and then the doors were thrown open to the public.Heads of state are expected for Francis' funeral, but the three days of public viewing in the basilica allow ordinary Catholics to grieve the Argentine pope. The viewing ends Friday at 7 p.m., after which Francis' casket will be closed and sealed.<h2>Simplified rituals reflect Francis' wishes</h2>Francis' death and funeral inaugurates a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-funeral-burial-rites-rituals-2eb13a689d09d3403f08027081fe3753">carefully orchestrated period of transition</a>&nbsp;in the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church, with cardinals gathering over the coming days before entering into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-conclave-glossary-3f34cfc8bda3570b9ecf0602d20990fb">conclave</a>, the secretive ritual voting in the Sistine Chapel to elect a new pope. There are 135 cardinals under age 80 and eligible to vote, and the new pontiff will likely come from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/next-pope-contenders-list-101d68d61be2401a85310e34b45371a9">within their ranks</a>. The conclave is not expected to begin before May 5.South Korean Cardinal Lazarus You Heung-sik, who heads the Vatican's office for priests, predicted a short conclave, but acknowledged the transition is full of uncertainties.“We'll see what the Holy Spirit says,” he said Wednesday. Asked if the next pope could come from Asia, where the Catholic Church is growing, he insisted: “For the Lord, there's no East or West.”Papua New Guinea’s first and only cardinal, John Ribat, prepared Wednesday to leave for Rome to participate in the vote, pleased to represent the poor South Pacific island nation of 12 million people and more than 800 languages in a College of Cardinals that Francis greatly diversified over 12 years.“The important thing is that … Papua New Guinea is part of the church, the global church. And to be able to have a representative from here to be in the conclave, it is a big thing,” Ribart told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. He said he hoped the next pope would be someone who could lead the church in “a way that is truthful and binds everyone together.”Francis first lay in state in the Domus Santa Marta hotel in a private viewing for Vatican residents and the papal household. Images released by the Vatican on Tuesday showed the pope in an open casket, wearing the traditional pointed headdress of bishops and red robes, his hands folded over a rosary. The Vatican’s No. 2, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, was pictured praying by Francis.Once inside the basilica, Francis' casket wasn't put on an elevated bier — as was the case with past popes — but placed on a ramp, facing the pews. It was in keeping with Francis' wishes for all the rituals surrounding a papal funeral to be simplified to reflect his belief that the pope's role is that of simple pastor, not world leader.“For me, Pope Francis represents a great pastor, as well as a great friend to all of us,’’ said Micale Sales, visiting St. Peter’s Basilica from Brazil.Italian police have tightened security for the viewing and the funeral, carrying out foot and horse patrols around the Vatican, where pilgrims continued to arrive for the Holy Year celebrations that Francis opened in December. The faithful who walk through St. Peter’s Holy Door during such years are granted indulgences, a way to help atone for sins.“I think he spread a positive message around the world, saying there shouldn’t be any violence, there should be peace around the world,’’ said Amit Kukreja, from Australia.<h2>Planning for the conclave is now underway</h2>The funeral has been set for Saturday at 10 a.m. in St. Peter’s Square, and will be attended by leaders including U.S. President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodmyr Zelenskyy.Cardinals are continuing their meetings this week to plan the conclave and make other decisions about running the Catholic Church.History’s first Latin American pontiff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-dead-01ca7d73c3c48d25fd1504ba076e2e2a">charmed the world</a>&nbsp;with his humble style and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f684920e3ec74a2fbe58371e09ae9112">concern for the poor</a>&nbsp;but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-critics-fef5eb221e1a44a15fa7bb9aa83b9d73">alienated many conservatives</a>&nbsp;with critiques of capitalism and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-environment-climate-issues-d95735262a28bbce16c75a37459759e3">climate change</a>.Francis had some reservations about his final&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-easter-sunday-photos-4651ecd21edad5f77af0eb228144b4c5">popemobile tour</a>&nbsp;through St. Peter’s Square on Easter, Vatican News reported on Tuesday. But he overcame them, the news agency said, and was thankful that he had greeted the crowd. He died the next morning.“The death of a pope is not a small thing, because we’ve lost our leader,’’ Julio Henrique from Brazil said just outside the basilica. “But still, in a few days, we will have a new leader. So … the thing of hope remains. Who will assume Peter’s throne?”___Associated Press reporters Silvia Stellacci and Trisha Thomas contributed to this report.-----------------The body of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;was moved Wednesday morning to St. Peter’s Basilica for three days of public mourning for an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-argentina-visit-politics-1a0f4ed32521901cd0c2486a3adf1b29">Argentine pontiff</a>&nbsp;remembered for his humble style, concern for the poor and insistent prayers for peace.Heads of state are expected for the funeral Saturday in St. Peter’s Square, but the public viewing is largely for ordinary Catholics to grieve the 88-year-old pope,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-what-to-know-7c2aa927cf142926f05654984aaa0d90">who died Monday</a>&nbsp;after suffering a stroke.The basilica will be kept open until midnight on Wednesday and Thursday to allow the faithful to mourn. The public mourning period will end on Friday at 7 p.m. local time.Cardinals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-death-funeral-conclave-e9688b14b9d9e19bbdd6a868d57a4699">met</a>&nbsp;at the Vatican on Tuesday to schedule Francis’ funeral and burial,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-funeral-burial-rites-rituals-2eb13a689d09d3403f08027081fe3753">plan the conclave</a>&nbsp;to elect his successor and make other decisions about running the Catholic Church.Here's the latest:<h2>Throngs of faithful start paying final respects to pope</h2>They&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/live/pope-francis-funeral-catholic-church-updates-4-23-2025">made their way slowly</a>&nbsp;to the main altar of the 16th-century St. Peter’s Basilica, where Francis’ simple wooden casket was perched on a slight ramp, as four Swiss Guards stood at attention.Over the coming days, tens of thousands of people are expected to pass through the basilica.<h2>The Vatican opens St. Peter’s Basilica to general public</h2>This will allow the faithful to pay their final respects to Pope Francis, as thousands filled the central aisle.<h2>Congregants in Johannesburg attend special memorial mass for pope</h2>Despite the rain on Wednesday, dozens filled the Cathedral of Christ the King for the Mass led by Cardinal Stephen Brislin of South Africa, who was made a cardinal by Francis in 2023.Pews were lit up with large white candles, while a framed photograph of Francis was put on display as Brislin reflected on the late pope’s message of tolerance for all.The service was also attended by leaders of South Africa’s African National Congress political party, including its secretary general, Fikile Mbalula.Maxima Louw, a 50-year-old man who has been attending services at the cathedral for more than a decade, said Pope Francis was like a spiritual father to him.<h2>Papua New Guinea’s 1st and only cardinal will attend funeral</h2>John Ribat is preparing to leave the poor South Pacific island on Wednesday.“The important thing is that … Papua New Guinea is part of the church, the global church. And to be able to have a representative from here to be in the conclave, it is a big thing,” the 68-year-old Archbishop of Port Moresby told Australian Broadcasting Corp.Francis appointed Ribat a cardinal in 2016.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-papua-new-guinea-asia-33fb0e7ca68a8c9595812271586388d1">The pope last year visited the diverse nation</a>&nbsp;with an estimated population of 12 million people and more than 800 languages.<h2>Taiwan will send former top official to funeral</h2>Chen Chien-jen, a devout Catholic, will represent the island democracy, the government said Wednesday.Relations with the Vatican are especially important to Taiwan because the Holy See is the only European state to recognize the island’s sovereignty in defiance of China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory to be annexed by force if necessary.Chen is a former vice president and premier and recipient of several of the Vatican’s highest honors. Though less than 5% of Taiwan’s population is Catholic, the church has roots on the island dating back to 17th-century Spanish explorers.<h2>Israeli Foreign Ministry deletes pope condolences post</h2>The ministry refused to comment on its decision to post and then quickly delete the post on X, which said: “Rest in peace, Pope Francis. May his memory be a blessing."According to Israeli media, Israeli ambassadors, especially those serving in predominantly Catholic countries, were furious over the deleted post.Pope Francis was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-vatican-gaza-israel-genocide-book-62907898cead13dbcfd603592263904c">critical of Israel’s war in Gaza</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-israel-hamas-war-gaza-31f1755f8426ec81cb07b29bff3db70e">exceptionally close to the Catholic church there</a>, but had also called on Hamas to release the hostages and condemned the rise in antisemitism.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has not made any public comment on the pope’s passing.<h2>Mourners watch Francis’ casket being moved</h2>The casket passed them by along the same path the pope had travelled just days before, on Easter Sunday, in what became his final popemobile tour through the faithful.It was a surprise salute, which Francis decided at the last minute after being assured he could do it despite his continued frail health from pneumonia.<h2>The bells of St. Peter’s toll as the body of the pope is transferred</h2>The procession included solemn cardinals, prelates and Swiss Guards escorting the pontiff to where he will lie in state.A choir chanted as the cardinals processed slowly through the archway gates leading out into the piazza.<h2>JD Vance says he won't attend the pope's funeral</h2>The U.S. vice president is currently on a four-day visit to India.He said Wednesday that while he was able to see Pope Francis on Easter Sunday during his Vatican visit over the weekend, he didn’t “realize how sick he was” and that he would always remember the pontiff as a “great pastor.”<h2>Ceremony to transfer Pope Francis’ body begins</h2>His body will be transferred from his home in the Vatican hotel to St. Peter’s Basilica for three days of public viewing.<h2>Filipino community in Taiwan gathers to mourn</h2>Filipinos in Taiwan began gradually gathering at St. Christopher’s Church, a center for a community whose members have migrated to the island to work mainly in factories and as caregivers.“This is a church for migrants, for people who have to live away from their loved ones, and Pope Francis had a deep concern for those people,” said Luz Fernandez, a housekeeper whose employer gave her time off to light a candle at the church. “He will be missed."<h2>Philippines' Marcos remembers Francis as ‘best pope in my lifetime’</h2>Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the leader of the largest Roman Catholic nation in Asia, will attend the funeral in Rome of Pope Francis, whom he described as “the best pope in my lifetime.”Marcos, 67, will be joined by his wife, Louise Araneta-Marcos, in the trip to Rome, Communications Undersecretary Claire Castro said on Wednesday.The Philippine leader extolled Francis as “a man of profound faith and humility.”Churches across the Philippines rang their bells Monday to mourn the death of Francis, who visited the country in 2015 to console survivors of Typhoon Haiyan.<h2>Trump will head to Rome for funeral</h2>Trump is planning to leave Washington on Friday morning to fly to Rome for Pope Francis’ funeral services.He’ll return Saturday evening, once services are over.White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the president’s travel plans during her briefing with reporters on Tuesday. She did not provide details on whether Trump will meet with foreign leaders during the trip, or who might travel with him as part of a U.S. delegation.

Catholic faithful pay their final respects to Pope Francis in St. Peter's Basilica

KANSAS CITY —Two Spire gas company employees were injured after a gas main line leak Tuesday in Kansas City.

Just after 5:30p.m. Tuesday, the Kansas City Fire Department responded to the gas main leak in the 9500 block of Grandview road, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

Crews found a 10- or 12-inch line had been punctured. The KCFD began checking the surrounding homes for residual gas build up with zero readings. 

While Spire was working to dig the pipe out so they could repair it a spark caused the gas to ignite. Two Spire employees were transported to local hospitals for treatment, according to Hopkins.

One patient had significant injuries but was in stable condition. One patient was transported for evaluation of minor injuries. At the time of ignition KCFD began evacuating the surrounding homes out of precaution. 

Spire was able to shut the gas off to the area and the power to the area was shut down. KCFD allowed the residual gas in the line to burn off. The fire went out after all the gas had been expelled. No homes were damaged, and no civilian injuries were reported. 

Once the fire was out KCFD checked for hot spots and Spire went back to work to repair the line. Electricity was restored, and the gas will be turned back on once Spire completes the repair.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745402438363.png" alt="Photo Kansas City Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas City Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Two Spire gas company employees were injured after a gas main line leak Tuesday in Kansas City. Just after 5:30p.m. Tuesday, the Kansas City Fire Department responded to the gas main leak in the 9500 block of Grandview road, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.Crews found a 10- or 12-inch line had been punctured. The KCFD began checking the surrounding homes for residual gas build up with zero readings. While Spire was working to dig the pipe out so they could repair it a spark caused the gas to ignite. Two Spire employees were transported to local hospitals for treatment, according to Hopkins.One patient had significant injuries but was in stable condition. One patient was transported for evaluation of minor injuries. At the time of ignition KCFD began evacuating the surrounding homes out of precaution. Spire was able to shut the gas off to the area and the power to the area was shut down. KCFD allowed the residual gas in the line to burn off. The fire went out after all the gas had been expelled. No homes were damaged, and no civilian injuries were reported. Once the fire was out KCFD checked for hot spots and Spire went back to work to repair the line. Electricity was restored, and the gas will be turned back on once Spire completes the repair.

2 injured when gas main rupture ignites fire in KC neighborhood

&nbsp;Attorney General Pamela Bondi hosted members of the President’s Cabinet on Tuesday for the inaugural meeting of the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias in the federal government, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.

The Task Force, which was established by President Trump under&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2Fpresidential-actions%2F2025%2F02%2Feradicating-anti-christian-bias%2F%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/010001965f6b474d-310a9e22-2d38-416b-b2a0-fca271d37cc0-000000/bl7ZQLF3nf4Tl7J4pFSFrvf-gjwRutYBIUp9J4NtfXk=401" target="_blank">Executive Order 14202</a>, was joined by peaceful Christian Americans who were unfairly targeted by the Biden Administration for their religious beliefs.&nbsp; Click&nbsp;<a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2Fpresidential-actions%2F2025%2F02%2Feradicating-anti-christian-bias%2F%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/2/010001965f6b474d-310a9e22-2d38-416b-b2a0-fca271d37cc0-000000/ksl7GbMsig7eTnD8ns9hJyk4vlnfNeduww5EY8J-6as=401" target="_blank">HERE</a>&nbsp;to read the&nbsp;Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias Executive Order.

Michael Farris:&nbsp;First Amendment Litigator and Founding President of Patrick Henry College

Dr. Scott Hicks:&nbsp;Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Liberty University

“As shown by our victims’ stories today, Biden’s Department of Justice abused and targeted peaceful Christians while ignoring violent, anti-Christian offenses,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Thanks to President Trump, we have ended those abuses, and we will continue to work closely with every member of this Task Force to protect every American’s right to speak and worship freely.”

Additionally, members of the Task Force highlighted specific cases within their own agencies where the Biden Administration unfairly and harshly punished Christian Americans for their religious beliefs. &nbsp;

FBI Director Kash Patel&nbsp;discussed the impact of the anti-Catholic memo issued by FBI Richmond and reiterated the FBI’s commitment to rooting out any anti-Christian bias that could be directing decisions or investigations.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio&nbsp;raised several concerning allegations of bias, including some against Christian Foreign Service Officers who preferred to homeschool their children.&nbsp;In one case, a family was threatened with an investigation for child abuse and curtailment if they insisted on homeschooling. In another case, a family was referred to the IRS, threatened with prosecution, and investigated by Biden’s Inspector General for insisting they homeschool their son.

He shared how State Department employees were stigmatized for opposing the COVID-19 vaccine mandate on religious grounds, including being called “murderers” and “troublemakers.” In one instance, an ambassador yelled at an employee, accusing the employee of wanting to kill the ambassador’s mother despite her being back in the States.

Other reports alleged retaliation against employees for opposing DEI/LGBT ideology that violated their religious conscience.&nbsp;Employees recounted being required to push LGBT agendas while serving overseas, even in countries where such activity constituted a blatant violation of the acceptable religious beliefs and practices. He also detailed allegations that that religious freedom policy offices and programs were sidelined unless they were promoting DEI-related programs.

He also highlighted how Christian holidays at American embassies under the Biden Administration were frequently stripped of any religious overtones, but non-Christian religious holidays like Losar, Eid, or Ramadan, used proper names and appropriate celebratory greetings.

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.&nbsp;discussed how the previous administration ordered St. Francis Health System in Oklahoma to extinguish its sanctuary candle or lose its ability to treat patients covered by Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program. He also discussed progressive rules put in place under the Biden Administration that would make it harder for Christians to become foster parents.

Secretary of Education Linda McMahon&nbsp;discussed how Oregon educators Katie Medart and Rachel Sager were suspended and terminated for starting the movement, “I Resolve.” The movement spoke about gender identity education policy and offered solutions for how educators could teach without violating their conscience and also respect the rights of parents.

Additionally, officials at the Skaneateles Central School District in New York began treating a middle-school girl as a boy without her mother’s knowledge or consent – violating their religious liberties as parents.

Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender&nbsp;discussed financial surveillance under the Biden Administration, including the previous removal of certain tax classifications of Christian and pro-life organizations by the IRS, the lack of involvement within Treasury to protect organizations from the issue of debanking, and FinCEN’s identification of certain pro-Christian groups as “hate groups.”

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins&nbsp;discussed actions the VA took to stop the speech code that the previous administration used to punish Chaplain Trubey of the Coatesville VA Medical Center for fulfilling his duties and preaching a sermon from the Bible.

Director of the Domestic Policy Council, Vince Haley,&nbsp;discussed how the previous DPC Director Neera Tanden helped lead and coordinate the Biden Administration’s efforts to push radical and anti-Christian gender ideology on kids in classrooms, foster care, sports, and healthcare.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745411952674.png" alt="AG Pam Bondi, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Heath Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. were among the top federal officials at Justice Department headquarters Tuesday for the first meeting of the task force.-Photo Department of Justice" />
 <figcaption>AG Pam Bondi, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Heath Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. were among the top federal officials at Justice Department headquarters Tuesday for the first meeting of the task force.-Photo Department of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Attorney General Pamela Bondi hosted members of the President’s Cabinet on Tuesday for the inaugural meeting of the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias in the federal government, according to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 BREAKING: First Meeting of the Task Force to Eradicate Anti-Christian Bias. <a href="https://t.co/PRlqJO48MD">pic.twitter.com/PRlqJO48MD</a>&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1914748203552932185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Task Force, which was established by President Trump under&nbsp; &nbsp;<a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2Fpresidential-actions%2F2025%2F02%2Feradicating-anti-christian-bias%2F%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/010001965f6b474d-310a9e22-2d38-416b-b2a0-fca271d37cc0-000000/bl7ZQLF3nf4Tl7J4pFSFrvf-gjwRutYBIUp9J4NtfXk=401" target="_blank">Executive Order 14202</a>, was joined by peaceful Christian Americans who were unfairly targeted by the Biden Administration for their religious beliefs.&nbsp; Click&nbsp;<a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.whitehouse.gov%2Fpresidential-actions%2F2025%2F02%2Feradicating-anti-christian-bias%2F%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/2/010001965f6b474d-310a9e22-2d38-416b-b2a0-fca271d37cc0-000000/ksl7GbMsig7eTnD8ns9hJyk4vlnfNeduww5EY8J-6as=401" target="_blank">HERE</a>&nbsp;to read the&nbsp;Eradicating Anti-Christian Bias Executive Order.The witnesses included:Michael Farris:&nbsp;First Amendment Litigator and Founding President of Patrick Henry College<ul>
 <li>Farris spoke on behalf of Senior Pastor Gary Hamrick to discuss how Cornerstone Church was under investigation and charged by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for so-called Johnson Amendment violations. Farris is an elder at the church, previously led Alliance Defending Freedom, and served as counsel on this case.</li>
 </ul>Dr. Scott Hicks:&nbsp;Provost and Chief Academic Officer, Liberty University<ul>
 <li>Hicks described how Liberty University and Grand Canyon University were singled out by the Biden Administration for fines due to the schools’ Christian worldview.</li>
 </ul>Phil Mendes: Navy Seal<ul>
 <li>Mendes was relieved of duty during Biden Administration for not taking the COVID-19 vaccine due to religious exemption requests that were denied by the Department of Defense.</li>
 </ul>“As shown by our victims’ stories today, Biden’s Department of Justice abused and targeted peaceful Christians while ignoring violent, anti-Christian offenses,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Thanks to President Trump, we have ended those abuses, and we will continue to work closely with every member of this Task Force to protect every American’s right to speak and worship freely.”Additionally, members of the Task Force highlighted specific cases within their own agencies where the Biden Administration unfairly and harshly punished Christian Americans for their religious beliefs. &nbsp;FBI Director Kash Patel&nbsp;discussed the impact of the anti-Catholic memo issued by FBI Richmond and reiterated the FBI’s commitment to rooting out any anti-Christian bias that could be directing decisions or investigations.Secretary of State Marco Rubio&nbsp;raised several concerning allegations of bias, including some against Christian Foreign Service Officers who preferred to homeschool their children.&nbsp;In one case, a family was threatened with an investigation for child abuse and curtailment if they insisted on homeschooling. In another case, a family was referred to the IRS, threatened with prosecution, and investigated by Biden’s Inspector General for insisting they homeschool their son.He shared how State Department employees were stigmatized for opposing the COVID-19 vaccine mandate on religious grounds, including being called “murderers” and “troublemakers.” In one instance, an ambassador yelled at an employee, accusing the employee of wanting to kill the ambassador’s mother despite her being back in the States.Other reports alleged retaliation against employees for opposing DEI/LGBT ideology that violated their religious conscience.&nbsp;Employees recounted being required to push LGBT agendas while serving overseas, even in countries where such activity constituted a blatant violation of the acceptable religious beliefs and practices. He also detailed allegations that that religious freedom policy offices and programs were sidelined unless they were promoting DEI-related programs.He also highlighted how Christian holidays at American embassies under the Biden Administration were frequently stripped of any religious overtones, but non-Christian religious holidays like Losar, Eid, or Ramadan, used proper names and appropriate celebratory greetings.Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.&nbsp;discussed how the previous administration ordered St. Francis Health System in Oklahoma to extinguish its sanctuary candle or lose its ability to treat patients covered by Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program. He also discussed progressive rules put in place under the Biden Administration that would make it harder for Christians to become foster parents.Secretary of Education Linda McMahon&nbsp;discussed how Oregon educators Katie Medart and Rachel Sager were suspended and terminated for starting the movement, “I Resolve.” The movement spoke about gender identity education policy and offered solutions for how educators could teach without violating their conscience and also respect the rights of parents.Additionally, officials at the Skaneateles Central School District in New York began treating a middle-school girl as a boy without her mother’s knowledge or consent – violating their religious liberties as parents.Deputy Treasury Secretary Michael Faulkender&nbsp;discussed financial surveillance under the Biden Administration, including the previous removal of certain tax classifications of Christian and pro-life organizations by the IRS, the lack of involvement within Treasury to protect organizations from the issue of debanking, and FinCEN’s identification of certain pro-Christian groups as “hate groups.”Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins&nbsp;discussed actions the VA took to stop the speech code that the previous administration used to punish Chaplain Trubey of the Coatesville VA Medical Center for fulfilling his duties and preaching a sermon from the Bible.Director of the Domestic Policy Council, Vince Haley,&nbsp;discussed how the previous DPC Director Neera Tanden helped lead and coordinate the Biden Administration’s efforts to push radical and anti-Christian gender ideology on kids in classrooms, foster care, sports, and healthcare.Additional attendees included:<ul>
 <li>Todd Blanche, Deputy Attorney General</li><li>Emil Bove, Principal Associate Deputy Attorney General</li><li>Stanley Woodward, Nominee to be Associate Attorney General</li><li>Harmeet Dhillon, Assistant Attorney General</li><li>Pete Hegseth, U.S. Secretary of Defense</li><li>Kristi Noem, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security</li><li>Andrew Hughes, Chief of Staff (Dep. Sec. Nom.) at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development</li><li>Lori Chavez DeRemer, U.S. Secretary of Labor</li><li>Andrea Lucas, Acting Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission</li><li>Cameron Hamilton, Acting Director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency</li><li>Dan Bishop, Deputy Director of the Office of Management and Budget</li><li>Kelly Loeffler, Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration</li><li>Pastor Paula White-Cain, Senior Advisor, White House Faith Office</li><li>Jennifer Korn, Faith Director, White House Faith Office</li>
 </ul>

Attorney General convenes task force to root out ‘anti-Christian Bias’

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a weekend homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 20-year-old Diego Segura-Barbazo of Kansas City, Kansas.

Just before midnight Saturday, police responded to report of a shooting in the&nbsp;900 block of Osage in Kansas City, Kansas. First responders found a man with gunshot wounds deceased outside a residence.

Police did not release the name of the victim or possible suspect details.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a weekend homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 20-year-old Diego Segura-Barbazo of Kansas City, Kansas.Just before midnight Saturday, police responded to report of a shooting in the&nbsp;900 block of Osage in Kansas City, Kansas. First responders found a man with gunshot wounds deceased outside a residence.Police did not release the name of the victim or possible suspect details.

Police ID Kansas man killed in Easter weekend shooting

RUSSELL COUNTY —Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Tod Hileman shared a video on social media of an accident that occurred April 17 on Interstate 70 in Russell County. "The driver was not injured, thanks to his seatbelt."

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month.&nbsp; Trooper Tod wrote, "Not saying this driver was distracted, but if you are, it can increase the risk of a crash by 23 times."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745404493303.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>RUSSELL COUNTY —Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Tod Hileman shared a video on social media of an accident that occurred April 17 on Interstate 70 in Russell County. "The driver was not injured, thanks to his seatbelt."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">This was on I-70 in Russell County last Thursday. Thankfully the driver was not injured, thanks to his seatbelt. April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month, not saying this driver was distracted, but if you are, it can increase the risk of a crash by 23 times.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/JustDrive?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#JustDrive</a> <a href="https://t.co/dvtipCNGAo">pic.twitter.com/dvtipCNGAo</a>&mdash; Trooper Tod (@TrooperTodKHP) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrooperTodKHP/status/1914799305220669533?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month.&nbsp; Trooper Tod wrote, "Not saying this driver was distracted, but if you are, it can increase the risk of a crash by 23 times."

🎥KHP: Seat belt saved another driver's life on Interstate 70

SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died from her injuries in a fire in an apartment in Topeka.

Just after 4:30p.m. Monday, crews were dispatched to a fire at a home at 1132 SW Lane Street Apartment 11, according to Fire Chief Alan Stahl. Crews arrived to find smoke coming from the apartment. Fire crews quickly extinguished the fire, keeping the fire contained to the apartment where it started.

 Occupants from other apartments exited from the apartment building prior to fire crews' arrival. Searching the structure firefighters were able to rescue a woman resident later identified as 51-year-old Terri L. Dones. She was transported to a local hospital with life threatening injuries and later died. 

The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental associated with careless smoking.&nbsp; Working smoke detectors were located in the apartment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745338876056.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died from her injuries in a fire in an apartment in Topeka.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745338764424.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 4:30p.m. Monday, crews were dispatched to a fire at a home at 1132 SW Lane Street Apartment 11, according to Fire Chief Alan Stahl. Crews arrived to find smoke coming from the apartment. Fire crews quickly extinguished the fire, keeping the fire contained to the apartment where it started. Occupants from other apartments exited from the apartment building prior to fire crews' arrival. Searching the structure firefighters were able to rescue a woman resident later identified as 51-year-old Terri L. Dones. She was transported to a local hospital with life threatening injuries and later died. The cause of the fire was determined to be accidental associated with careless smoking.&nbsp; Working smoke detectors were located in the apartment.

Kansas woman dies from injuries in apartment fire

KANSAS CITY —A Jackson County judge sentenced a Kansas City man to more than two decades in prison for a fatal shooting that took place last year, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2591/Richard-Harris-JUDGMENT_Redacted_FINAL">Richard G. Harris, 37, was sentenced</a>&nbsp;to 22 years in prison for 2nd Degree Murder. He pled guilty last month.&nbsp;

A<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2590/Richard-Harris-Redacted-PC-Statement">ccording to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to the area of 3200 E. Linwood Blvd. on June 17, 2024, and found a female victim lying in the grass suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. She died in the hospital from the injury a few days later.&nbsp;

Surveillance footage captured the defendant hitting the victim, dragging her, and then shooting her.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720887258225.png" alt="Harris photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Harris photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Jackson County judge sentenced a Kansas City man to more than two decades in prison for a fatal shooting that took place last year, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2591/Richard-Harris-JUDGMENT_Redacted_FINAL">Richard G. Harris, 37, was sentenced</a>&nbsp;to 22 years in prison for 2nd Degree Murder. He pled guilty last month.&nbsp;A<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2590/Richard-Harris-Redacted-PC-Statement">ccording to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to the area of 3200 E. Linwood Blvd. on June 17, 2024, and found a female victim lying in the grass suffering from a gunshot wound to the head. She died in the hospital from the injury a few days later.&nbsp;Surveillance footage captured the defendant hitting the victim, dragging her, and then shooting her.&nbsp;

Camera saw KC man hit, drag and shoot woman

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen accused in the shooting death of a 1-year-old&nbsp; boy made his first court appearance last week.&nbsp;Roames Bonner, 18, Wichita, was charged with 1st degree murder, 2 counts of criminal discharge of a firearm, and 2 counts of aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

&nbsp;Bonner is the last of three suspects charged in the case.&nbsp;

The shooting in February of 2019 stemmed from an argument over an Amazon package, according to prosecutors.

Just after 7p.m. February 19, police responded to a shooting in the 2500 block of South Oliver, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses. Through the investigation, officers learned that two women were struck by gunfire and 1-year-old Taidyn Anderson of Wichita was also struck by gunfire and died of his injuries at a hospital.

Bonner is being held on a bond is one-point-five million dollars and is due back in court May 1, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745272448255.png" alt="Bonner-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Bonner-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen accused in the shooting death of a 1-year-old&nbsp; boy made his first court appearance last week.&nbsp;Roames Bonner, 18, Wichita, was charged with 1st degree murder, 2 counts of criminal discharge of a firearm, and 2 counts of aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;Bonner is the last of three suspects charged in the case.&nbsp;The shooting in February of 2019 stemmed from an argument over an Amazon package, according to prosecutors.Just after 7p.m. February 19, police responded to a shooting in the 2500 block of South Oliver, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses. Through the investigation, officers learned that two women were struck by gunfire and 1-year-old Taidyn Anderson of Wichita was also struck by gunfire and died of his injuries at a hospital.Bonner is being held on a bond is one-point-five million dollars and is due back in court May 1, according to the district attorney's office.

Kan. teen charged in shooting death of 1-year-old

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court's</a>&nbsp;conservative majority on Tuesday signaled support for the religious rights of parents in Maryland who want to remove their children from elementary school classes using&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-maryland-lgbtq-books-public-schools-c20d6e4fa084560c56ec2b2bb621c988">storybooks with LGBTQ characters</a>.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/24-297">Click here to listen</a> to the complete oral argument

The court seemed likely to find that the Montgomery County school system, in suburban Washington, could not require elementary school children to sit through lessons involving the books if parents expressed religious objections to the material.

The case is the latest dispute involving religion to come before the court. The justices have repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-catholic-charities-wisconsin-supreme-court-50bd53ad748a147f9e28132512cf7b74">endorsed claims of religious discrimination</a>&nbsp;in recent years.

“I'm surprised this is the hill to die on in terms of not respecting religious liberty,” Justice Brett Kavanaugh said, citing the county's diverse population and Maryland's history as a haven for Catholics.

The county school board introduced the storybooks as part of an effort to better reflect the district's diversity.

Parents sued after the school system stopped allowing them to pull their kids from lessons that included the books. The parents argue that public schools cannot force kids to participate in instruction that violates their faith, and they pointed to the opt-out provisions in sex education classes.

The schools said allowing children to opt out of the lessons had become disruptive. Lower courts backed the schools, prompting the parents' appeal to the Supreme Court.

Five books are at issue in the high court case, touching on the same themes found in classic stories that include Snow White, Cinderella and Peter Pan, the school system's lawyers wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/4/1745333128428.png" alt="FILE A pride flag is seen in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, Oct. 8, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)" />
 <figcaption>FILE A pride flag is seen in front of the U.S. Supreme Court, Oct. 8, 2019, in Washington. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court's</a>&nbsp;conservative majority on Tuesday signaled support for the religious rights of parents in Maryland who want to remove their children from elementary school classes using&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-maryland-lgbtq-books-public-schools-c20d6e4fa084560c56ec2b2bb621c988">storybooks with LGBTQ characters</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Alan Schoenfeld: &quot;Pride Puppy was the book that was used for the pre-kindergarten curriculum. That&#39;s no longer in the curriculum.&quot; Justice Gorsuch: &quot;That&#39;s the one where they&#39;re supposed to look for the leather and things - bondage - - things like that. Schoenfeld: &quot;It&#39;s not… <a href="https://t.co/gQa86JaF0y">pic.twitter.com/gQa86JaF0y</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1914755396885209158?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 22, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2024/24-297">Click here to listen</a> to the complete oral argumentThe court seemed likely to find that the Montgomery County school system, in suburban Washington, could not require elementary school children to sit through lessons involving the books if parents expressed religious objections to the material.The case is the latest dispute involving religion to come before the court. The justices have repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-catholic-charities-wisconsin-supreme-court-50bd53ad748a147f9e28132512cf7b74">endorsed claims of religious discrimination</a>&nbsp;in recent years.“I'm surprised this is the hill to die on in terms of not respecting religious liberty,” Justice Brett Kavanaugh said, citing the county's diverse population and Maryland's history as a haven for Catholics.The county school board introduced the storybooks as part of an effort to better reflect the district's diversity.Parents sued after the school system stopped allowing them to pull their kids from lessons that included the books. The parents argue that public schools cannot force kids to participate in instruction that violates their faith, and they pointed to the opt-out provisions in sex education classes.The schools said allowing children to opt out of the lessons had become disruptive. Lower courts backed the schools, prompting the parents' appeal to the Supreme Court.Five books are at issue in the high court case, touching on the same themes found in classic stories that include Snow White, Cinderella and Peter Pan, the school system's lawyers wrote.In “Prince and Knight,” two men fall in love after they rescue the kingdom, and each other. In “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding,” a niece worries that her uncle will not have as much time for her after he gets married. His partner is a man.“Love, Violet” deals with a girl’s anxiety about giving a valentine to another girl. “Born Ready” is the story of a transgender boy’s decision to share his gender identity with his family and the world. “Intersection Allies” describes nine characters of varying backgrounds, including one who is gender-fluid.Billy Moges, a board member of the Kids First parents' group that sued over the books, said the content is sexual, confusing and inappropriate for young schoolchildren.The writers' group Pen America said in a court filing what the parents want is “a constitutionally suspect book ban by another name.” Pen America reported more than 10,000 books were banned in the last school year.A decision in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24-297.html">Mahmoud v. Taylor</a>&nbsp;is expected by early summer.-------------------WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is hearing arguments Tuesday over the religious rights of parents in Maryland to remove their children from elementary school classes using&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-maryland-lgbtq-books-public-schools-c20d6e4fa084560c56ec2b2bb621c988">storybooks with LGBTQ characters</a>.The case is the latest dispute involving religion to come before the conservative-led court. The justices have repeatedly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-catholic-charities-wisconsin-supreme-court-50bd53ad748a147f9e28132512cf7b74">endorsed claims of religious discrimination</a>&nbsp;in recent years.The Montgomery County public schools, in suburban Washington, D.C., introduced the storybooks as part of an effort to better reflect the district's diverse population.Parents sued after the school system stopped allowing them to pull their kids from lessons that included the books. The parents argue that public schools cannot force kids to participate in instruction that violates their faith, and they pointed to the opt-out provisions in sex education classes.The schools said allowing children to opt out of the lessons had become disruptive. Lower courts backed the schools, prompting the parents' appeal to the Supreme Court.Five books are at issue in the high court case, touching on the same themes found in classic stories that include Snow White, Cinderella and Peter Pan, the school system's lawyers wrote.In “Prince and Knight,” two men fall in love after they rescue the kingdom, and each other. In “Uncle Bobby’s Wedding,” a niece worries that her uncle will not have as much time for her after he gets married. His partner is a man.“Love, Violet” deals with a girl’s anxiety about giving a valentine to another girl. “Born Ready” is the story of a transgender boy’s decision to share his gender identity with his family and the world. “Intersection Allies” describes nine characters of varying backgrounds, including one who is gender-fluid.Billy Moges, a board member of the Kids First parents' group that sued over the books, said the content is sexual, confusing and inappropriate for young schoolchildren.The writers' group Pen America said in a court filing what the parents want is “a constitutionally suspect book ban by another name.” Pen America reported more than 10,000 books were banned in the last school year.A decision in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/search.aspx?filename=/docket/docketfiles/html/public/24-297.html">Mahmoud v. Taylor</a>&nbsp;is expected by early summer.