WICHITA, Kan. – Following a series of events that commenced on the evening of Sunday, May 4, involving a stolen vehicle and an aggravated battery on a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s deputy, authorities have successfully located and arrested the suspect, Thomas Torrez.

On Tuesday, May 6, after extensive efforts by the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Investigations Division and Fugitive Warrant Section, deputies identified Torrez at a multi-family housing unit in the 2500 block of N. Park Place, a location previously associated with him. Entry was made into the residence, where Torrez was found barricaded inside a refrigerator.

Despite multiple commands to surrender, Torrez refused to comply. A Sheriff's Office K-9 unit was deployed, which facilitated his apprehension. Following medical treatment, Torrez was booked into the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility.

Torrez was taken into custody on original felony warrants for failing to register as an offender and a probation violation related to criminal possession of a weapon. He also faces new charges related to the incidents on May 4 and May 6, including aggravated burglary, kidnapping, attempting to elude law enforcement, criminal damage to property, interference with law enforcement officers, and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.

Additionally, he was booked on three outstanding municipal warrants from the City of Wichita. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming. 

Once all relevant information is compiled, the case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office for formal charging decisions.

Just after 1a.m. Sunday, Wichita Police officers were recovering a stolen vehicle in the 4800 block of E. 21st Street North. During the recovery, Torrez—an occupant of the vehicle—fled the scene in the stolen car. He was not located during the initial incident.

Just before 8p.m., a Sedgwick County deputy spotted the same stolen vehicle using a Flock license plate reader at a McDonald’s drive-thru in the 4800 block of S. Broadway. Torrez was behind the wheel with a female passenger.

The deputy positioned his patrol vehicle to block the stolen car, but Torrez accelerated, ramming the patrol unit. He then reversed into the building, drove over a curb and landscaping, and fled onto 47th Street. The deputy’s vehicle was disabled from the impact, and he was unable to pursue. The deputy sustained minor injuries as a result.

The deputy was “put out in trouble,” and charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer were broadcast to responding units.

While responding with lights and sirens, a second deputy collided with a civilian vehicle at the intersection of 47th Street and Hydraulic. The civilian vehicle was carrying five people—a 37-year-old man, a 29-year-old woman, and three children ages 6, 8, and 10. All suffered minor injuries and were treated at a local hospital. No officers were actively pursuing the stolen vehicle at the time of the crash. This deputy sustained minor injuries that did not require medical attention.

Shortly after fleeing McDonald’s, the female passenger escaped the vehicle near Laura Street, north of 47th. She was located by officers and cooperated with the investigation. According to her statement, she tried to surrender during the initial stop and attempted multiple times to exit the vehicle, even using mace on Torrez.

Torrez later abandoned the stolen vehicle near 44th and Pattie and fled on foot. He then stole a second vehicle from a mobile home park in the 1000 block of E. MacArthur and led deputies on a brief pursuit, driving off-road in the area of O.J. Watson Park.

During his escape, Torrez caused a hit-and-run crash near Harry and McLean. The victim followed him to the area of Water and Zimmerly, where Torrez ditched the second vehicle and fled on foot.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746467676255.png" alt="&nbsp;Torrez is accused of ramming a patrol vehicle as he attempted to flee a fast-food drive through Sunday -Photo Sedgwick Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Torrez is accused of ramming a patrol vehicle as he attempted to flee a fast-food drive through Sunday -Photo Sedgwick Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan. – Following a series of events that commenced on the evening of Sunday, May 4, involving a stolen vehicle and an aggravated battery on a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s deputy, authorities have successfully located and arrested the suspect, Thomas Torrez.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746612189134.png" alt="Torrez photo Sedgwick Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Torrez photo Sedgwick Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>On Tuesday, May 6, after extensive efforts by the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Investigations Division and Fugitive Warrant Section, deputies identified Torrez at a multi-family housing unit in the 2500 block of N. Park Place, a location previously associated with him. Entry was made into the residence, where Torrez was found barricaded inside a refrigerator.Despite multiple commands to surrender, Torrez refused to comply. A Sheriff's Office K-9 unit was deployed, which facilitated his apprehension. Following medical treatment, Torrez was booked into the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility.Torrez was taken into custody on original felony warrants for failing to register as an offender and a probation violation related to criminal possession of a weapon. He also faces new charges related to the incidents on May 4 and May 6, including aggravated burglary, kidnapping, attempting to elude law enforcement, criminal damage to property, interference with law enforcement officers, and aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer.Additionally, he was booked on three outstanding municipal warrants from the City of Wichita. The investigation remains ongoing, and additional charges may be forthcoming. Once all relevant information is compiled, the case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office for formal charging decisions.-----------Just after 1a.m. Sunday, Wichita Police officers were recovering a stolen vehicle in the 4800 block of E. 21st Street North. During the recovery, Torrez—an occupant of the vehicle—fled the scene in the stolen car. He was not located during the initial incident.Just before 8p.m., a Sedgwick County deputy spotted the same stolen vehicle using a Flock license plate reader at a McDonald’s drive-thru in the 4800 block of S. Broadway. Torrez was behind the wheel with a female passenger.The deputy positioned his patrol vehicle to block the stolen car, but Torrez accelerated, ramming the patrol unit. He then reversed into the building, drove over a curb and landscaping, and fled onto 47th Street. The deputy’s vehicle was disabled from the impact, and he was unable to pursue. The deputy sustained minor injuries as a result.The deputy was “put out in trouble,” and charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer were broadcast to responding units.While responding with lights and sirens, a second deputy collided with a civilian vehicle at the intersection of 47th Street and Hydraulic. The civilian vehicle was carrying five people—a 37-year-old man, a 29-year-old woman, and three children ages 6, 8, and 10. All suffered minor injuries and were treated at a local hospital. No officers were actively pursuing the stolen vehicle at the time of the crash. This deputy sustained minor injuries that did not require medical attention.Shortly after fleeing McDonald’s, the female passenger escaped the vehicle near Laura Street, north of 47th. She was located by officers and cooperated with the investigation. According to her statement, she tried to surrender during the initial stop and attempted multiple times to exit the vehicle, even using mace on Torrez.Torrez later abandoned the stolen vehicle near 44th and Pattie and fled on foot. He then stole a second vehicle from a mobile home park in the 1000 block of E. MacArthur and led deputies on a brief pursuit, driving off-road in the area of O.J. Watson Park.During his escape, Torrez caused a hit-and-run crash near Harry and McLean. The victim followed him to the area of Water and Zimmerly, where Torrez ditched the second vehicle and fled on foot.

Kan. offender who rammed patrol car was hiding in refrigerator 

HARVEY COUNTY —On May 1,&nbsp; Jerad Carmichael of Sedgwick, Kansas pled guilty to Rape of a Child under the age of 14 and Aggravated Criminal Sodomy, according to the Harvey County Attorney's office.

The crimes occurred between April 1, 2023 and April 21, 2024 in Harvey County, KS and the victim was under the age of 10. The case is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Jason Lane on July 16, 2025 at 10:00 am. Carmichael faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years, lifetime registration as a sexual offender and, if released from custody, lifetime post-release/parole supervision. 

This case was prosecuted with the assistance of the Harvey County Sheriff’s Office, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and the Heart to Heart Child Advocacy Center. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746647469298.png" alt="Carmichael photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Carmichael photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY —On May 1,&nbsp; Jerad Carmichael of Sedgwick, Kansas pled guilty to Rape of a Child under the age of 14 and Aggravated Criminal Sodomy, according to the Harvey County Attorney's office.The crimes occurred between April 1, 2023 and April 21, 2024 in Harvey County, KS and the victim was under the age of 10. The case is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Jason Lane on July 16, 2025 at 10:00 am. Carmichael faces up to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years, lifetime registration as a sexual offender and, if released from custody, lifetime post-release/parole supervision. This case was prosecuted with the assistance of the Harvey County Sheriff’s Office, Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and the Heart to Heart Child Advocacy Center.

Kansas man admits to sex crimes with victim under the age of 10

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Grain Belt Express, an 800-mile electric transmission line to be built through Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, announced $1.7 billion in contractor awards on Wednesday.&nbsp;

The awards were made to Quanta Services of Houston and Kiewit Energy Group Inc. of Omaha. Grain Belt Express&nbsp;is an Invenergy project expected to add 5,000 megawatts of U.S. energy delivery capacity, according to an Invenergy press release. It’s also expected to provide $52 billion in energy cost savings to Americans over 15 years.

“Quanta Services and Kiewit have strong local presences and expect to source raw materials locally in Kansas and Missouri when possible, including concrete, aggregate, civil materials, conduit, and piping,” the press release said. “Main construction, engineering, and procurement offices for Grain Belt Express Phase 1 will be based out of Overland Park&nbsp;and Lenexa, Kansas.”

Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson said the Grain Belt Express is a multimillion dollar investment that will pay off for Kansans.

“The selection of contractors and suppliers with a local presence is just one of the many sizable economic benefits Grain Belt Express brings, in addition to greater energy cost savings and reliability,” he said.

In April, the Kansas Corporation Commission modified the route for one of two transmission lines that will connect wind and solar farms to the Grain Belt Express that was originally planned to run for 46 miles through parts of Ford, Meade and Gray counties.&nbsp;

“The new route reduces the length of the line by 12 miles and avoids 24 parcels of land resulting in fewer landowners being impacted,” a KCC press release said. “The 16-mile Bucklin-Dodge City Line remains unchanged.”

A map showing the new route of the Meade-Dodge City line can be viewed&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%2FCL0%2Fhttps%3A%252F%252Festar.kcc.ks.gov%252Festar%252FViewFile.aspx%252F20250410102317546.pdf%253FId%3D4560a87d-6cc2-410a-8239-5d3ecc7f61a3%2526utm_medium%3Demail%2526utm_source%3Dgovdelivery%2F1%2F01010196213afb39-3f6c80b3-910d-4f31-92a2-13acace51784-000000%2FLHVZJwat2a5Nhd9oAkr8cg4njDiZ1rTO40QiouMd54I%3D400&amp;data=05%7C02%7CLinda.Berry%40ks.gov%7Ccaa38d20bf6c491cbd6708dd7868088d%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C638799110678140200%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=0tU8QIj0qToSrbld3FPpCscXv2cGIa6HbZUCkKu6CvU%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">here</a>.

The Invenergy press release said 1,500 agreements have been executed with landowners for easement rights. More than $105 million is part of executed easement agreements, including $19 million already paid to landowners and an additional $86 million due at construction, the company said. More than 95% of Grain Belt Express Phase 1 main line land acquisition is complete.

“Kansans working to balance household budgets and run businesses want energy that’s affordable and reliable, and that’s what we are getting with Grain Belt Express, all without ratepayers being forced to pay for it,” said Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746648653179.png" alt=" The Grain Belt Express announced $1.7 billion in contractor awards on Wednesday to build a transmission line through Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. (Robert Zullo/States Newsroom)" />
 <figcaption> The Grain Belt Express announced $1.7 billion in contractor awards on Wednesday to build a transmission line through Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. (Robert Zullo/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Grain Belt Express, an 800-mile electric transmission line to be built through Kansas, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana, announced $1.7 billion in contractor awards on Wednesday.&nbsp;The awards were made to Quanta Services of Houston and Kiewit Energy Group Inc. of Omaha. Grain Belt Express&nbsp;is an Invenergy project expected to add 5,000 megawatts of U.S. energy delivery capacity, according to an Invenergy press release. It’s also expected to provide $52 billion in energy cost savings to Americans over 15 years.“Quanta Services and Kiewit have strong local presences and expect to source raw materials locally in Kansas and Missouri when possible, including concrete, aggregate, civil materials, conduit, and piping,” the press release said. “Main construction, engineering, and procurement offices for Grain Belt Express Phase 1 will be based out of Overland Park&nbsp;and Lenexa, Kansas.”Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson said the Grain Belt Express is a multimillion dollar investment that will pay off for Kansans.“The selection of contractors and suppliers with a local presence is just one of the many sizable economic benefits Grain Belt Express brings, in addition to greater energy cost savings and reliability,” he said.In April, the Kansas Corporation Commission modified the route for one of two transmission lines that will connect wind and solar farms to the Grain Belt Express that was originally planned to run for 46 miles through parts of Ford, Meade and Gray counties.&nbsp;“The new route reduces the length of the line by 12 miles and avoids 24 parcels of land resulting in fewer landowners being impacted,” a KCC press release said. “The 16-mile Bucklin-Dodge City Line remains unchanged.”A map showing the new route of the Meade-Dodge City line can be viewed&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flinks-2.govdelivery.com%2FCL0%2Fhttps%3A%252F%252Festar.kcc.ks.gov%252Festar%252FViewFile.aspx%252F20250410102317546.pdf%253FId%3D4560a87d-6cc2-410a-8239-5d3ecc7f61a3%2526utm_medium%3Demail%2526utm_source%3Dgovdelivery%2F1%2F01010196213afb39-3f6c80b3-910d-4f31-92a2-13acace51784-000000%2FLHVZJwat2a5Nhd9oAkr8cg4njDiZ1rTO40QiouMd54I%3D400&amp;data=05%7C02%7CLinda.Berry%40ks.gov%7Ccaa38d20bf6c491cbd6708dd7868088d%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C638799110678140200%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=0tU8QIj0qToSrbld3FPpCscXv2cGIa6HbZUCkKu6CvU%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">here</a>.The Invenergy press release said 1,500 agreements have been executed with landowners for easement rights. More than $105 million is part of executed easement agreements, including $19 million already paid to landowners and an additional $86 million due at construction, the company said. More than 95% of Grain Belt Express Phase 1 main line land acquisition is complete.“Kansans working to balance household budgets and run businesses want energy that’s affordable and reliable, and that’s what we are getting with Grain Belt Express, all without ratepayers being forced to pay for it,” said Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins.

Grain Belt Express awards $1.7B in contracts for transmission line through Kansas, other states

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Black smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday, signalling that no pope had been elected as 133 cardinals opened the secretive, centuries-old ritual to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church.

The cardinals participating in the most&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-cardinal-d01b3bfd056836e89560e3b40337b89e">geographically diverse conclave</a>&nbsp;in the faith’s 2,000-year history took just one round of voting Wednesday evening. After failing to find a winner on the first ballot, they retired for the night and will return to the Sistine Chapel on Thursday morning to try to find a successor to Pope Francis.

They had opened the conclave Wednesday afternoon, participating in a rite more theatrical than even Hollywood could create, a wash of red-robed cardinals, Latin chants, incense and solemnity that underscored the seriousness of the moment.

Outside in St. Peter’s Square, the scene was festive, as thousands of people flocked to the piazza to watch the proceedings on giant video screens, applauding when the Sistine Chapel’s doors slammed shut and the voting began. They waited for hours, watching screens that showed just a skinny chimney and occasional seagull. After the vote dragged on to dinnertime, some left in frustration, but those who stayed cheered when the smoke finally billowed out.

“My hope is that cardinals will choose a man who can be a peacemaker and could reunify the church,” said Gabriel Capry, a 27-year-old from London.

Hailing from 70 countries, the cardinals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/francis-election-conclave-pope-vatican-catholics-87fcd94f759575b8744a4d2899371275#:~:text=VATICAN%20CITY%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20The,the%20world's%201.3%20billion%20Catholics.">were sequestered</a>&nbsp;Wednesday from the outside world, their cellphones surrendered and airwaves around the Vatican jammed to prevent all communications until they find a new pope.

Francis named 108 of the 133 “princes of the church,” choosing many pastors in his image from far-flung countries like Mongolia, Sweden and Tonga that had never had a cardinal before.

His decision to surpass the usual limit of 120 cardinal electors and include younger ones from the “global south” — often marginalized countries with lower economic clout — has injected an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-pope-b4883723cbbba159b0264dd76526b55d">unusual degree of uncertainty</a>&nbsp;in a process that is always full of mystery and suspense.

Many cardinals hadn’t met until last week and lamented they needed more time to get to know one another, raising questions about how long it might take for one man to secure the two-thirds majority, or 89 ballots, necessary to become the 267th pope.

“Wait and see, a little patience, wait and see,” said Cardinal Mario Zenari, the Vatican’s ambassador to Syria.

The cardinals had entered the Sistine Chapel in pairs, chanting the meditative “Litany of the Saints” as Swiss Guards stood at attention. The hymn implores the saints to help the cardinals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/conclave-pope-francis-cardinals-43cf0a0099c8866f358a7e0d78eb1877">find a</a>&nbsp;leader of the 1.4 billion-strong church.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the 70-year-old secretary of state under Francis and himself a leading contender to succeed him as pope, assumed the leadership of the proceedings as the senior cardinal under age 80 eligible to participate.

He stood before Michelangelo’s vision of heaven and hell, “The Last Judgment,” and led the other cardinals in a lengthy oath. Each one followed, placing his hand on the Gospel and promising in Latin to maintain utmost secrecy.

Earlier in the day, the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, presided over a morning Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica urging the voters to set aside all personal interests and find a pope who prizes unity. He prayed for a pope who could awaken the conscience of the world.

He reminded the cardinals that the awesomeness of the Sistine Chapel’s frescoes is meant to remind the cardinals of the weighty responsibility they bear. In his regulations for the conclave, Re recalled, St. John Paul II wrote that in the Sistine Chapel, “everything is conducive to an awareness of the presence of God.”

After the cardinals took their oaths, the master of papal liturgical ceremonies, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, called out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-conclave-glossary-3f34cfc8bda3570b9ecf0602d20990fb">“extra omnes,”</a>&nbsp;Latin for “all out” and anyone not eligible to vote left before the chapel doors closed. An elderly cardinal remained to deliver a meditation, but after he finished, he too, had to leave since he was too old to vote.

While cardinals this week said they expected a short conclave, it will likely take at least a few rounds of voting. For much of the past century, it has taken between three and 14 ballots to find a pope. John Paul I — the pope who reigned for 33 days in 1978 — was elected on the fourth ballot. His successor, John Paul II, needed eight. Francis was elected on the fifth in 2013.

The cardinals are supposed to resist any “secular” influences in their choice of pope, but such lobbying abounded in Rome in the days before the conclave as various groups reminded cardinals of what ordinary Catholics want in a leader.

Young Catholics penned an open letter reminding cardinals that there is no church without young people, women and the laity. Conservative Catholic media slipped cardinals copies of a glossy book containing their assessments of contenders. Survivors of clergy sexual abuse warned cardinals that they would be held accountable if they failed to find a leader who will crack down on decades of abuse and cover-up.

Advocates for women’s ordination sent pink smoke signals Wednesday over the Vatican to demand that women be allowed to be priests and participate in a conclave.

Even the White House got involved, posting a photo of President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pope-francis-conclave-ai-image-bishops-9d88286886c350c4465f7c2afb7a5e41">Trump dressed as a pope</a>. Trump said it was a joke, but the gesture was denounced by former Italian Premier Romano Prodi as “indecent” political interference in matters of faith that hark back to times when secular rulers intervened in conclaves.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, said there was also plenty of lobbying going on among cardinals themselves.

“You invite each other out,” Dolan said on SiriusXM’s The Catholic Channel before the conclave began. “And you’re pretty blunt. Now, we’re not, you know, we’re not horse trading here. We’re saying, ‘Tell me about this guy. You’re from Latin America. Go through the list of bishops. Tell me some of these fellas. Am I right to be enchanted by this guy?’”

Lisette Herrera, a 54-year-old tourist from the Dominican Republic, was deeply moved to find herself by chance in Rome as the conclave began. She decided Wednesday morning to skip the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain and pray instead in St. Peter’s Square.

“I’m praying to the Holy Spirit for a young pope who would stay with us for a long time,” she said. “I don’t believe in conclave politics, I just feel that the Holy Spirit is here and that’s all we need to know.”

Many&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-conclave-challenges-lgbtq-women-sex-abuse-e73199910f1723282b91984f207ad5a0">challenges</a>&nbsp;await the new pope and weigh on the cardinals — above all whether to continue and consolidate Francis’ progressive legacy on promoting women, LGBTQ+ acceptance, the environment and migrants, or roll it back to try to unify a church that became more polarized during his pontificate. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-abuse-pope-b882375878b2f33c5a53c1dc9e345356">clergy sex abuse scandal</a>&nbsp;hung over the pre-conclave talks.

Since Francis chose 80% of the voters, continuity is likely, but the form it might take is uncertain and identifying front-runners has been a challenge.

But some names keep appearing on lists of “papabile,” or cardinals having the qualities to be pope. In addition to Parolin, they include:

— Filipino Cardinal Luis Tagle, 67, a top candidate to be history’s first Asian pope. He headed the Vatican’s evangelization office responsible for the Catholic Church in much of the developing world.

— Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, 72, the archbishop of Budapest, is a leading candidate representing the more conservative wing of the church.

For AP’s full coverage of the conclave, visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/papal-conclave">https://apnews.com/hub/papal-conclave</a>&nbsp;___

AP reporters Giada Zampano and Vanessa Gera contributed.

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Black smoke poured out of the Sistine Chapel chimney on Wednesday, signalling that no pope had been elected as 133 cardinals opened the secretive, centuries-old ritual to choose a new leader of the Catholic Church.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Black smoke. No pope. Conclave continues Thursday. <a href="https://t.co/yn6p1ct9ve">pic.twitter.com/yn6p1ct9ve</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1920193635967963540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The cardinals participating in the most&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-cardinal-d01b3bfd056836e89560e3b40337b89e">geographically diverse conclave</a>&nbsp;in the faith’s 2,000-year history took just one round of voting Wednesday evening. After failing to find a winner on the first ballot, they retired for the night and will return to the Sistine Chapel on Thursday morning to try to find a successor to Pope Francis.They had opened the conclave Wednesday afternoon, participating in a rite more theatrical than even Hollywood could create, a wash of red-robed cardinals, Latin chants, incense and solemnity that underscored the seriousness of the moment.Outside in St. Peter’s Square, the scene was festive, as thousands of people flocked to the piazza to watch the proceedings on giant video screens, applauding when the Sistine Chapel’s doors slammed shut and the voting began. They waited for hours, watching screens that showed just a skinny chimney and occasional seagull. After the vote dragged on to dinnertime, some left in frustration, but those who stayed cheered when the smoke finally billowed out.“My hope is that cardinals will choose a man who can be a peacemaker and could reunify the church,” said Gabriel Capry, a 27-year-old from London.<h2>A diverse group of cardinals</h2>Hailing from 70 countries, the cardinals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/francis-election-conclave-pope-vatican-catholics-87fcd94f759575b8744a4d2899371275#:~:text=VATICAN%20CITY%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20The,the%20world's%201.3%20billion%20Catholics.">were sequestered</a>&nbsp;Wednesday from the outside world, their cellphones surrendered and airwaves around the Vatican jammed to prevent all communications until they find a new pope.Francis named 108 of the 133 “princes of the church,” choosing many pastors in his image from far-flung countries like Mongolia, Sweden and Tonga that had never had a cardinal before.His decision to surpass the usual limit of 120 cardinal electors and include younger ones from the “global south” — often marginalized countries with lower economic clout — has injected an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-pope-b4883723cbbba159b0264dd76526b55d">unusual degree of uncertainty</a>&nbsp;in a process that is always full of mystery and suspense.Many cardinals hadn’t met until last week and lamented they needed more time to get to know one another, raising questions about how long it might take for one man to secure the two-thirds majority, or 89 ballots, necessary to become the 267th pope.“Wait and see, a little patience, wait and see,” said Cardinal Mario Zenari, the Vatican’s ambassador to Syria.<h2>The oath and “Extra omnes”</h2>The cardinals had entered the Sistine Chapel in pairs, chanting the meditative “Litany of the Saints” as Swiss Guards stood at attention. The hymn implores the saints to help the cardinals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/conclave-pope-francis-cardinals-43cf0a0099c8866f358a7e0d78eb1877">find a</a>&nbsp;leader of the 1.4 billion-strong church.Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the 70-year-old secretary of state under Francis and himself a leading contender to succeed him as pope, assumed the leadership of the proceedings as the senior cardinal under age 80 eligible to participate.He stood before Michelangelo’s vision of heaven and hell, “The Last Judgment,” and led the other cardinals in a lengthy oath. Each one followed, placing his hand on the Gospel and promising in Latin to maintain utmost secrecy.Earlier in the day, the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, presided over a morning Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica urging the voters to set aside all personal interests and find a pope who prizes unity. He prayed for a pope who could awaken the conscience of the world.He reminded the cardinals that the awesomeness of the Sistine Chapel’s frescoes is meant to remind the cardinals of the weighty responsibility they bear. In his regulations for the conclave, Re recalled, St. John Paul II wrote that in the Sistine Chapel, “everything is conducive to an awareness of the presence of God.”After the cardinals took their oaths, the master of papal liturgical ceremonies, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, called out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-conclave-glossary-3f34cfc8bda3570b9ecf0602d20990fb">“extra omnes,”</a>&nbsp;Latin for “all out” and anyone not eligible to vote left before the chapel doors closed. An elderly cardinal remained to deliver a meditation, but after he finished, he too, had to leave since he was too old to vote.While cardinals this week said they expected a short conclave, it will likely take at least a few rounds of voting. For much of the past century, it has taken between three and 14 ballots to find a pope. John Paul I — the pope who reigned for 33 days in 1978 — was elected on the fourth ballot. His successor, John Paul II, needed eight. Francis was elected on the fifth in 2013.<h2>Lobbying before the conclave</h2>The cardinals are supposed to resist any “secular” influences in their choice of pope, but such lobbying abounded in Rome in the days before the conclave as various groups reminded cardinals of what ordinary Catholics want in a leader.Young Catholics penned an open letter reminding cardinals that there is no church without young people, women and the laity. Conservative Catholic media slipped cardinals copies of a glossy book containing their assessments of contenders. Survivors of clergy sexual abuse warned cardinals that they would be held accountable if they failed to find a leader who will crack down on decades of abuse and cover-up.Advocates for women’s ordination sent pink smoke signals Wednesday over the Vatican to demand that women be allowed to be priests and participate in a conclave.Even the White House got involved, posting a photo of President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pope-francis-conclave-ai-image-bishops-9d88286886c350c4465f7c2afb7a5e41">Trump dressed as a pope</a>. Trump said it was a joke, but the gesture was denounced by former Italian Premier Romano Prodi as “indecent” political interference in matters of faith that hark back to times when secular rulers intervened in conclaves.Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, said there was also plenty of lobbying going on among cardinals themselves.“You invite each other out,” Dolan said on SiriusXM’s The Catholic Channel before the conclave began. “And you’re pretty blunt. Now, we’re not, you know, we’re not horse trading here. We’re saying, ‘Tell me about this guy. You’re from Latin America. Go through the list of bishops. Tell me some of these fellas. Am I right to be enchanted by this guy?’”Lisette Herrera, a 54-year-old tourist from the Dominican Republic, was deeply moved to find herself by chance in Rome as the conclave began. She decided Wednesday morning to skip the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain and pray instead in St. Peter’s Square.“I’m praying to the Holy Spirit for a young pope who would stay with us for a long time,” she said. “I don’t believe in conclave politics, I just feel that the Holy Spirit is here and that’s all we need to know.”<h2>Challenges facing a new pope</h2>Many&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-conclave-challenges-lgbtq-women-sex-abuse-e73199910f1723282b91984f207ad5a0">challenges</a>&nbsp;await the new pope and weigh on the cardinals — above all whether to continue and consolidate Francis’ progressive legacy on promoting women, LGBTQ+ acceptance, the environment and migrants, or roll it back to try to unify a church that became more polarized during his pontificate. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-abuse-pope-b882375878b2f33c5a53c1dc9e345356">clergy sex abuse scandal</a>&nbsp;hung over the pre-conclave talks.Since Francis chose 80% of the voters, continuity is likely, but the form it might take is uncertain and identifying front-runners has been a challenge.But some names keep appearing on lists of “papabile,” or cardinals having the qualities to be pope. In addition to Parolin, they include:— Filipino Cardinal Luis Tagle, 67, a top candidate to be history’s first Asian pope. He headed the Vatican’s evangelization office responsible for the Catholic Church in much of the developing world.— Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, 72, the archbishop of Budapest, is a leading candidate representing the more conservative wing of the church.___For AP’s full coverage of the conclave, visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/papal-conclave">https://apnews.com/hub/papal-conclave</a>&nbsp;___AP reporters Giada Zampano and Vanessa Gera contributed.___

🎥Black smoke from Sistine Chapel chimney signals end of first day of conclave

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Most airports around the United States operated smoothly as new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/real-id-tsa-dhs-air-travel-5005fc6ad2b59bc96d1ee43db08e0ea4">REAL ID</a>&nbsp;requirements took effect Wednesday because travelers without the updated document were still allowed to move through security easily.

Those without the IDs were given pieces of paper informing them that going forward they would need to present REAL ID or other federally accepted ID for air travel within the U.S. It includes a QR code travelers can use to see a list of acceptable identifications.

“The ID you presented is NOT REAL ID-compliant,” the paper reads. “You will need a REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification for your next flight or you may expect delays.”

Suzy Roberts, a traveler who didn't have a REAL ID, passed through security without a hitch at Oakland airport in Northern California. Officials gave her the TSA handout, advised her to call the DMV to make an appointment, and said she might have to go through extra screening.

“I’m going through — they’re just gonna do extra security and they’ll take my photo,” Roberts explained as she waited for her bag to be screened before her flight to Los Angeles.

The relative calm at airports was bolstered by the fact that 81% of travelers already have REAL IDs, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

“I feel pretty well prepared. I’ve had real ID for a while,” he said as he prepared to return home to Kansas City from Philadelphia.

The new requirement for domestic flights has been the subject of much discussion on social media in recent weeks, with people expressing confusion about whether they can travel without a REAL ID, sharing details about wait times and seeking advice on how to meet the requirements.

Airport security checkpoints also accepted passports and tribal identification as usual.

No lines at the airport, lines to get IDs

Many airports reported wait times of a few minutes at security checkpoints on their websites on Wednesday morning. LaGuardia Airport in New York City reported no wait at one TSA PreCheck checkpoint and wait times ranging from 2 to 11 minutes in the general lines. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport’s website showed wait times at its security checkpoints ranging from 5 to 16 minutes.

Nashville International Airport posted on social media that wait times were less than 20 minutes on Wednesday morning, but urged travels to help keep things running smoothly by brining a REAL ID.

The day ahead of the deadline, people lined up at government offices across the country to secure their compliant IDs. In Chicago, officials established a Real ID Supercenter for walk-in appointments, while officials in California and elsewhere planned to continue offering extended hours for the crush of appointments.

Michael Aceto waited in line at a DMV in King of Prussia, in the Philadelphia suburbs, for about two and a half hours Tuesday before getting his REAL ID.

“It’s a pain in the butt. It’s really a lot of time. Everybody’s got to take off from work to be here,” he said. “It’s a big waste of time as far as I’m concerned.”

Travelers without REAL ID still will be able to fly

Homeland Security Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kristi-noem">Kristi Noem</a>&nbsp;told a congressional panel on Tuesday that those who still lack an identification that complies with the REAL ID law “may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step."

There's already an extra screening process in place for people who lose or forget their IDs while traveling.

It wasn't clear Wednesday how many people without REAL IDs were facing extra screening beyond being handed the TSA flier.

REAL ID is a federally compliant state-issued license or identification card that Homeland Security says is a more secure form of identification. It was a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission and signed into law in 2005. It was supposed to be rolled out in 2008 but the implementation had been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/when-do-i-need-real-id-7911495d6643b02c205d496a9af4e322">repeatedly delayed</a>.

¨The whole idea here is to better validate those individuals that were encountering a checkpoint to ensure they are who exactly they say they are,” said Thomas Carter, TSA’s Federal Security Director in New Jersey.

If people without REAL IDs give themselves extra time, he said, they likely shouldn't miss their flights. "I do not have a belief that this will cause people to miss their flights if they take that additional time in.”

REAL ID also will be needed for certain federal facilities

Besides serving as a valid form of identification to fly domestically, people will also need a REAL ID to access certain federal buildings and facilities.

State government offices that issue driver's licenses and state IDs have seen a significant increase in demand for REAL ID and some have extended their office hours to meet the demand. Some officials have recommended people delay getting REAL ID compliant licenses and cards if they don't have flights planned in the next few months.

“Wait until after the current rush,” said Erin Johnson, a spokesperson with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

Associated Press writers Terry Chea in Oakland, California, and Tassanee Vejpongsa in Philadelphia contributed to this report.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/real-id-tsa-dhs-air-travel-5005fc6ad2b59bc96d1ee43db08e0ea4">REAL ID</a>&nbsp;requirements for those flying within the United States began Wednesday after nearly 20 years of delays.

Many airports reported wait times of a few minutes at security checkpoints on their websites on Wednesday morning, although some had longer waits. LaGuardia Airport reported no wait at one TSA Precheck checkpoint and wait times ranging from 2 to 11 minutes in the general lines. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport’s website showed wait times at its security checkpoints ranging from 5 to 16 minutes.

Nashville International Airport reported a wait time of less than 20 minutes on Wednesday morning.

“The Department of Homeland Security’s REAL ID policy is now in effect, and we are pleased to share that the TSA lines are moving efficiently,” the airport said in a social media post. “You can help ensure that continues by bringing your REAL ID if you have it when you are coming to the airport.”

“I’m here today so I won’t be right on the deadline, which is tomorrow," said Marion Henderson, who applied for her REAL ID on Tuesday in Jackson, Mississippi.

Homeland Security Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/real-id-travelers-security-deadline-homeland-289d84d3c10d96546270ff0e8ca80436">Kristi Noem</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday assured people who don't yet have a REAL ID but need to take a domestic flight Wednesday that they will be able to fly after clearing additional identity checks.

Some complained about the need to secure the ID after waiting in line for hours.

“It’s a pain in the butt. It’s really a lot of time. Everybody’s got to take off from work to be here," he said. "It’s a big waste of time as far as I’m concerned.”

The Transportation Security Administration warned people who don’t have identification that complies with REAL ID requirements to arrive early at the airport and be prepared for advanced screening to avoid causing delays.

People shared images on social media of a red flier they say TSA gave travelers without REAL ID.

“The ID you presented is NOT REAL ID-compliant,” the flier reads. “You will need a REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification for your next flight or you may expect delays.”

It includes a QR code travelers can use to see a list of acceptable identifications.

New requirements prompt questions and advice

The new requirements have been the subject of many Reddit threads and Facebook group discussions in recent weeks, with numerous people expressing confusion about whether they can travel without a REAL ID, sharing details about wait times and seeking advice on how to meet the requirements.

Noem told a congressional panel that 81% of travelers already have REAL IDs. She said security checkpoints will also be accepting passports and tribal identification, like they have already been doing.

Those who still lack an identification that complies with the REAL ID law “may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step,” Noem said.

“But people will be allowed to fly,” she said. “We will make sure it’s as seamless as possible.”

Carter said those without a REAL ID should give themselves extra time to clear security.

“If they do that, I do not have a belief that this will cause people to miss their flights if they take that additional time in,” he said.

State government offices that issue driver's licenses and state IDs have seen a significant increase in demand for REAL ID and some have extended their office hours to meet the demand. Some officials have recommended people wait for a while to get REAL ID compliant licenses and cards if they don't have flights planned in the next few months.

“We are encouraging people who have passports or other REAL ID-compliant documents and people who don’t have travel plans in the next few months to wait until after the current rush to apply for a REAL ID,” said Erin Johnson, a spokesperson with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.

Johnson said that the department has seen a significant increase in demand for REAL ID in recent weeks. In February, there were more than 48,000 applications for a REAL ID; that has nearly doubled to over 99,000 in April, she said.

Associated Press writers Rebecca Santana in Washington, D.C., Janie Har in San Francisco and Joseph Frederick in Newark, New Jersey, and Tassanee Vejpongsa in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, contributed to this story.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Most airports around the United States operated smoothly as new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/real-id-tsa-dhs-air-travel-5005fc6ad2b59bc96d1ee43db08e0ea4">REAL ID</a>&nbsp;requirements took effect Wednesday because travelers without the updated document were still allowed to move through security easily.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Real ID enforcement is officially in effect—thanks for helping things run smoothly so far, KC! Flying soon? Make sure your ID is compliant: <a href="https://t.co/0EgqLgvOOL">https://t.co/0EgqLgvOOL</a> <a href="https://t.co/orLMoV1M1w">pic.twitter.com/orLMoV1M1w</a>&mdash; Kansas City International Airport (@Fly_KansasCity) <a href="https://twitter.com/Fly_KansasCity/status/1920195731412967925?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Starting TODAY, May 7, you will need a Real ID to fly. Real IDs make identification harder to forge, thwarting criminals and terrorists. If you plan to fly, make sure you get a Real ID so you won’t face travel delays! <a href="https://t.co/5Q95SK4a17">pic.twitter.com/5Q95SK4a17</a>&mdash; Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) <a href="https://twitter.com/Sec_Noem/status/1920193741718970611?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">TSA operations at <a href="https://twitter.com/Fly_Nashville?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Fly_Nashville</a> running smoothly this morning, with only a small number of passengers without a REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification. Summer travel is just around the corner, and passengers should plan to get one soon to avoid checkpoint delays! <a href="https://t.co/HozQb520Yi">pic.twitter.com/HozQb520Yi</a>&mdash; TSA Southeast (@TSA_Southeast) <a href="https://twitter.com/TSA_Southeast/status/1920111626037981622?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Those without the IDs were given pieces of paper informing them that going forward they would need to present REAL ID or other federally accepted ID for air travel within the U.S. It includes a QR code travelers can use to see a list of acceptable identifications.“The ID you presented is NOT REAL ID-compliant,” the paper reads. “You will need a REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification for your next flight or you may expect delays.”Suzy Roberts, a traveler who didn't have a REAL ID, passed through security without a hitch at Oakland airport in Northern California. Officials gave her the TSA handout, advised her to call the DMV to make an appointment, and said she might have to go through extra screening.“I’m going through — they’re just gonna do extra security and they’ll take my photo,” Roberts explained as she waited for her bag to be screened before her flight to Los Angeles.The relative calm at airports was bolstered by the fact that 81% of travelers already have REAL IDs, according to the Department of Homeland Security.Nathan Carter was one of them.“I feel pretty well prepared. I’ve had real ID for a while,” he said as he prepared to return home to Kansas City from Philadelphia.The new requirement for domestic flights has been the subject of much discussion on social media in recent weeks, with people expressing confusion about whether they can travel without a REAL ID, sharing details about wait times and seeking advice on how to meet the requirements.Airport security checkpoints also accepted passports and tribal identification as usual.<h2>No lines at the airport, lines to get IDs</h2>Many airports reported wait times of a few minutes at security checkpoints on their websites on Wednesday morning. LaGuardia Airport in New York City reported no wait at one TSA PreCheck checkpoint and wait times ranging from 2 to 11 minutes in the general lines. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport’s website showed wait times at its security checkpoints ranging from 5 to 16 minutes.Nashville International Airport posted on social media that wait times were less than 20 minutes on Wednesday morning, but urged travels to help keep things running smoothly by brining a REAL ID.The day ahead of the deadline, people lined up at government offices across the country to secure their compliant IDs. In Chicago, officials established a Real ID Supercenter for walk-in appointments, while officials in California and elsewhere planned to continue offering extended hours for the crush of appointments.Michael Aceto waited in line at a DMV in King of Prussia, in the Philadelphia suburbs, for about two and a half hours Tuesday before getting his REAL ID.“It’s a pain in the butt. It’s really a lot of time. Everybody’s got to take off from work to be here,” he said. “It’s a big waste of time as far as I’m concerned.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746552902581.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Travelers without REAL ID still will be able to fly</h2>Homeland Security Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kristi-noem">Kristi Noem</a>&nbsp;told a congressional panel on Tuesday that those who still lack an identification that complies with the REAL ID law “may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step."There's already an extra screening process in place for people who lose or forget their IDs while traveling.It wasn't clear Wednesday how many people without REAL IDs were facing extra screening beyond being handed the TSA flier.REAL ID is a federally compliant state-issued license or identification card that Homeland Security says is a more secure form of identification. It was a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission and signed into law in 2005. It was supposed to be rolled out in 2008 but the implementation had been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/when-do-i-need-real-id-7911495d6643b02c205d496a9af4e322">repeatedly delayed</a>.¨The whole idea here is to better validate those individuals that were encountering a checkpoint to ensure they are who exactly they say they are,” said Thomas Carter, TSA’s Federal Security Director in New Jersey.If people without REAL IDs give themselves extra time, he said, they likely shouldn't miss their flights. "I do not have a belief that this will cause people to miss their flights if they take that additional time in.”<h2>REAL ID also will be needed for certain federal facilities</h2>Besides serving as a valid form of identification to fly domestically, people will also need a REAL ID to access certain federal buildings and facilities.State government offices that issue driver's licenses and state IDs have seen a significant increase in demand for REAL ID and some have extended their office hours to meet the demand. Some officials have recommended people delay getting REAL ID compliant licenses and cards if they don't have flights planned in the next few months.“Wait until after the current rush,” said Erin Johnson, a spokesperson with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.--------------Associated Press writers Terry Chea in Oakland, California, and Tassanee Vejpongsa in Philadelphia contributed to this report.------------SAN FRANCISCO (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/real-id-tsa-dhs-air-travel-5005fc6ad2b59bc96d1ee43db08e0ea4">REAL ID</a>&nbsp;requirements for those flying within the United States began Wednesday after nearly 20 years of delays.Many airports reported wait times of a few minutes at security checkpoints on their websites on Wednesday morning, although some had longer waits. LaGuardia Airport reported no wait at one TSA Precheck checkpoint and wait times ranging from 2 to 11 minutes in the general lines. Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport’s website showed wait times at its security checkpoints ranging from 5 to 16 minutes.Nashville International Airport reported a wait time of less than 20 minutes on Wednesday morning.“The Department of Homeland Security’s REAL ID policy is now in effect, and we are pleased to share that the TSA lines are moving efficiently,” the airport said in a social media post. “You can help ensure that continues by bringing your REAL ID if you have it when you are coming to the airport.”The day ahead of the deadline, people lined up at government offices across the country to secure their compliant IDs. In Chicago, officials established a Real ID Supercenter for walk-in appointments, while officials in California and elsewhere planned to continue offering extended hours for the crush of appointments.“I’m here today so I won’t be right on the deadline, which is tomorrow," said Marion Henderson, who applied for her REAL ID on Tuesday in Jackson, Mississippi.<h2>Travelers without REAL ID still will be able to fly</h2>Homeland Security Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/real-id-travelers-security-deadline-homeland-289d84d3c10d96546270ff0e8ca80436">Kristi Noem</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday assured people who don't yet have a REAL ID but need to take a domestic flight Wednesday that they will be able to fly after clearing additional identity checks.Some complained about the need to secure the ID after waiting in line for hours.Michael Aceto waited in line at a DMV in King of Prussia, in the Philadelphia suburbs, for about two and a half hours Tuesday before getting his REAL ID.“It’s a pain in the butt. It’s really a lot of time. Everybody’s got to take off from work to be here," he said. "It’s a big waste of time as far as I’m concerned.”The Transportation Security Administration warned people who don’t have identification that complies with REAL ID requirements to arrive early at the airport and be prepared for advanced screening to avoid causing delays.People shared images on social media of a red flier they say TSA gave travelers without REAL ID.“The ID you presented is NOT REAL ID-compliant,” the flier reads. “You will need a REAL ID or other acceptable form of identification for your next flight or you may expect delays.”It includes a QR code travelers can use to see a list of acceptable identifications.<h2>New requirements prompt questions and advice</h2>The new requirements have been the subject of many Reddit threads and Facebook group discussions in recent weeks, with numerous people expressing confusion about whether they can travel without a REAL ID, sharing details about wait times and seeking advice on how to meet the requirements.Noem told a congressional panel that 81% of travelers already have REAL IDs. She said security checkpoints will also be accepting passports and tribal identification, like they have already been doing.Those who still lack an identification that complies with the REAL ID law “may be diverted to a different line, have an extra step,” Noem said.“But people will be allowed to fly,” she said. “We will make sure it’s as seamless as possible.”REAL ID is a federally compliant state-issued license or identification card that Homeland Security says is a more secure form of identification. It was a recommendation by the 9/11 Commission and signed into law in 2005. It was supposed to be rolled out in 2008 but the implementation had been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/when-do-i-need-real-id-7911495d6643b02c205d496a9af4e322">repeatedly delayed</a>.¨The whole idea here is to better validate those individuals that were encountering a checkpoint to ensure they are who exactly they say they are,” said Thomas Carter, TSA’s Federal Security Director in New Jersey.Carter said those without a REAL ID should give themselves extra time to clear security.“If they do that, I do not have a belief that this will cause people to miss their flights if they take that additional time in,” he said.<h2>REAL ID also will be needed for certain federal facilities</h2>Besides serving as a valid form of identification to fly domestically, people will also need a REAL ID to access certain federal buildings and facilities.State government offices that issue driver's licenses and state IDs have seen a significant increase in demand for REAL ID and some have extended their office hours to meet the demand. Some officials have recommended people wait for a while to get REAL ID compliant licenses and cards if they don't have flights planned in the next few months.“We are encouraging people who have passports or other REAL ID-compliant documents and people who don’t have travel plans in the next few months to wait until after the current rush to apply for a REAL ID,” said Erin Johnson, a spokesperson with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety.Johnson said that the department has seen a significant increase in demand for REAL ID in recent weeks. In February, there were more than 48,000 applications for a REAL ID; that has nearly doubled to over 99,000 in April, she said.___Associated Press writers Rebecca Santana in Washington, D.C., Janie Har in San Francisco and Joseph Frederick in Newark, New Jersey, and Tassanee Vejpongsa in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania, contributed to this story.

Most airports operating smoothly on the first day of the REAL ID requirement

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday, brushing off President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-powell-federal-reserve-6eb45ff17915b321366dbe1c5bb15e43">demands</a>&nbsp;to lower borrowing costs, and said that the risks of higher unemployment and higher inflation have risen.

The Fed kept its rate at 4.3% for the third straight meeting, after cutting it three times in a row at the end of last year. Many economists and Wall Street investors still expect the Fed will reduce rates two or three times this year, but the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-liberation-day-2a031b3c16120a5672a6ddd01da09933">sweeping tariffs imposed by Trump</a>&nbsp;have injected a tremendous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jobs-economy-tariffs-unemployment-inflation-5f06fd466b4e05da30d1d6e5ce222790">amount of uncertainty into the U.S. economy</a>&nbsp;and the Fed’s policies.

It is unusual for the Fed to say that the risk of both higher prices and more unemployment have increased. But economists say that is the threat created by Trump’s sweeping tariffs. The import taxes could both lift inflation by making imported parts and finished goods more expensive, while also raising unemployment by causing companies to cut jobs as their costs rise.

As a result, the tariffs have put the Fed in a difficult spot. The Fed’s goals are to keep prices stable and maximize employment. Typically, when inflation rises, the Fed raises rates to slow borrowing and spending and cool inflation, while if layoffs rise, it would reduce rates to spur more spending and growth.

At a press conference after the release of the policy statement, Powell repeatedly said Fed officials are in a position to “wait and see” what the ultimate impacts of the tariffs are. At the moment, Powell said, it’s too soon to tell.

“There’s so much uncertainty about the scale, scope, timing and persistence of the tariffs.”

Trump announced sweeping tariffs against about 60 U.S. trading partners in April, then paused most of them for 90 days, with the exception of duties against China. The administration has subjected goods from China to a 145% tariff.

The central bank's caution could lead to more conflict between the Fed and the Trump administration. On Sunday, Trump again urged the Fed to cut rates in a television interview and said Powell “just doesn't like me because I think he's a total stiff.”

With inflation not far from the Fed's 2% target for now, Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent argue that the Fed could reduce its rate. The Fed pushed it higher in 2022 and 2023 to fight inflation.

Asked at the press conference whether Trump’s calls for lower rates has any influence on the Fed, Powell said, ”(It) doesn’t affect doing our job at all. We’re always going to consider only the economic data, the outlook, the balance of risks, and that’s it.”

If the Fed were to cut, it could lower other borrowing costs, such as for mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards, though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-powell-fed-inflation-tariffs-recession-e698dca7ceddf382c1b030e7bf1bd202">that is not guaranteed</a>.

Trump also said he wouldn't fire Powell because the chair's term ends next May and he will be able to appoint a new chair then. Yet if the economy stumbles in the coming months, Trump could renew his threats to remove Powell.

A big issue facing the Fed is how tariffs will impact inflation. Nearly all economists and Fed officials expect the import taxes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-economy-poll-tariffs-inflation-prices-recession-1d320115e8801e4970bd5cccf2742fc4">will lift prices</a>, but it's not clear by how much or for how long. Tariffs typically cause a one-time increase in prices, but not necessarily ongoing inflation. Yet if Trump announces further tariffs — as he has threatened to do on pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and copper — or if Americans worry that inflation will get worse, that could send prices higher in a more persistent way.

Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide, said this could keep the Fed on the sidelines until September.

“It’s hard for them to cut sooner because they’ve got to weigh, what’s the inflation impact?” Bostjancic said. “Is this going to be somewhat persistent and add to inflation expectations?”

Economists and the Fed are closely watching inflation expectations, which are essentially a measure of how much consumers are concerned that inflation will worsen. Higher inflation expectations can be self-fulfilling, because it Americans think prices will rise, they can take steps that push up costs, such as asking for higher wages.

For now, the U.S. economy is mostly in solid shape, and inflation has cooled considerably from its peak in 2022. Consumers are spending at a healthy pace, though some of that may reflect buying things like cars ahead of tariffs. Businesses are still&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jobs-economy-tariffs-unemployment-inflation-5f06fd466b4e05da30d1d6e5ce222790">adding workers</a>&nbsp;at a steady pace, and unemployment is low.

Still, there are signs inflation will worsen in the coming months. Surveys of both manufacturing and services firms show that they are seeing higher prices from their suppliers. And a survey by the Federal Reserve's Dallas branch found that nearly 55% of manufacturing firms expect to pass on the impact of tariff increases to their customers.

“The bottom line is that inflation will be rising significantly over the next six months,” Torsten Slok, chief economist at the Apollo Group, said in an email.

Yet the tariffs could also weigh heavily on the economy, particularly because of the uncertainty they have created. Business surveys show that firms are postponing investment decisions until they have greater clarity. Many companies have withdrawn their financial forecasts for 2025 due to the uncertainty around tariffs.

Ryan Sweet, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, said the uncertainty surrounding trade policy gives him “night terrors.”

“The economics of uncertainty are absolutely suffocating," Sweet said. “Businesses that don’t know the rules of the road, their knee-jerk reaction is to sit on their hands. And that’s what they’re doing.”

But if the uncertainty delays hiring, slows the economy and pushes up the unemployment rate, the Fed could quickly shift toward interest rate cuts. A sharp economic slowdown could eventually cool inflation by itself, economists say.

“If you felt like the economy was really slowing down, then I think that would probably take precedence (over inflation), because usually the way the committee thinks is that will also drag inflation somewhat with it,” said Jim Bullard, former president of the Federal Reserve's St. Louis branch, and currently dean of Purdue University's business school.

In March, the Fed signaled that it could cut rates twice this year. But then the Trump administration announcing the broad duties in early April, which Powell&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-tariffs-federal-reserve-3dd54eb572f1d37e202a8a30223fc14d">said last month</a>&nbsp;were larger and broader than the Fed expected.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve kept its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday, brushing off President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-trump-powell-federal-reserve-6eb45ff17915b321366dbe1c5bb15e43">demands</a>&nbsp;to lower borrowing costs, and said that the risks of higher unemployment and higher inflation have risen.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Fed Chair Powell: &quot;In support of our goals, today the Federal Open Market Committee decided to leave our policy interest rate unchanged.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FOMC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FOMC</a> <a href="https://t.co/0Z60TCml3H">pic.twitter.com/0Z60TCml3H</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1920188307704627377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Fed kept its rate at 4.3% for the third straight meeting, after cutting it three times in a row at the end of last year. Many economists and Wall Street investors still expect the Fed will reduce rates two or three times this year, but the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-liberation-day-2a031b3c16120a5672a6ddd01da09933">sweeping tariffs imposed by Trump</a>&nbsp;have injected a tremendous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jobs-economy-tariffs-unemployment-inflation-5f06fd466b4e05da30d1d6e5ce222790">amount of uncertainty into the U.S. economy</a>&nbsp;and the Fed’s policies.It is unusual for the Fed to say that the risk of both higher prices and more unemployment have increased. But economists say that is the threat created by Trump’s sweeping tariffs. The import taxes could both lift inflation by making imported parts and finished goods more expensive, while also raising unemployment by causing companies to cut jobs as their costs rise.As a result, the tariffs have put the Fed in a difficult spot. The Fed’s goals are to keep prices stable and maximize employment. Typically, when inflation rises, the Fed raises rates to slow borrowing and spending and cool inflation, while if layoffs rise, it would reduce rates to spur more spending and growth.At a press conference after the release of the policy statement, Powell repeatedly said Fed officials are in a position to “wait and see” what the ultimate impacts of the tariffs are. At the moment, Powell said, it’s too soon to tell.“There’s so much uncertainty about the scale, scope, timing and persistence of the tariffs.”Trump announced sweeping tariffs against about 60 U.S. trading partners in April, then paused most of them for 90 days, with the exception of duties against China. The administration has subjected goods from China to a 145% tariff.The central bank's caution could lead to more conflict between the Fed and the Trump administration. On Sunday, Trump again urged the Fed to cut rates in a television interview and said Powell “just doesn't like me because I think he's a total stiff.”With inflation not far from the Fed's 2% target for now, Trump and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent argue that the Fed could reduce its rate. The Fed pushed it higher in 2022 and 2023 to fight inflation.Asked at the press conference whether Trump’s calls for lower rates has any influence on the Fed, Powell said, ”(It) doesn’t affect doing our job at all. We’re always going to consider only the economic data, the outlook, the balance of risks, and that’s it.”If the Fed were to cut, it could lower other borrowing costs, such as for mortgages, auto loans, and credit cards, though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-powell-fed-inflation-tariffs-recession-e698dca7ceddf382c1b030e7bf1bd202">that is not guaranteed</a>.Trump also said he wouldn't fire Powell because the chair's term ends next May and he will be able to appoint a new chair then. Yet if the economy stumbles in the coming months, Trump could renew his threats to remove Powell.A big issue facing the Fed is how tariffs will impact inflation. Nearly all economists and Fed officials expect the import taxes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-economy-poll-tariffs-inflation-prices-recession-1d320115e8801e4970bd5cccf2742fc4">will lift prices</a>, but it's not clear by how much or for how long. Tariffs typically cause a one-time increase in prices, but not necessarily ongoing inflation. Yet if Trump announces further tariffs — as he has threatened to do on pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and copper — or if Americans worry that inflation will get worse, that could send prices higher in a more persistent way.Kathy Bostjancic, chief economist at Nationwide, said this could keep the Fed on the sidelines until September.“It’s hard for them to cut sooner because they’ve got to weigh, what’s the inflation impact?” Bostjancic said. “Is this going to be somewhat persistent and add to inflation expectations?”Economists and the Fed are closely watching inflation expectations, which are essentially a measure of how much consumers are concerned that inflation will worsen. Higher inflation expectations can be self-fulfilling, because it Americans think prices will rise, they can take steps that push up costs, such as asking for higher wages.For now, the U.S. economy is mostly in solid shape, and inflation has cooled considerably from its peak in 2022. Consumers are spending at a healthy pace, though some of that may reflect buying things like cars ahead of tariffs. Businesses are still&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-jobs-economy-tariffs-unemployment-inflation-5f06fd466b4e05da30d1d6e5ce222790">adding workers</a>&nbsp;at a steady pace, and unemployment is low.Still, there are signs inflation will worsen in the coming months. Surveys of both manufacturing and services firms show that they are seeing higher prices from their suppliers. And a survey by the Federal Reserve's Dallas branch found that nearly 55% of manufacturing firms expect to pass on the impact of tariff increases to their customers.“The bottom line is that inflation will be rising significantly over the next six months,” Torsten Slok, chief economist at the Apollo Group, said in an email.Yet the tariffs could also weigh heavily on the economy, particularly because of the uncertainty they have created. Business surveys show that firms are postponing investment decisions until they have greater clarity. Many companies have withdrawn their financial forecasts for 2025 due to the uncertainty around tariffs.Ryan Sweet, chief U.S. economist at Oxford Economics, said the uncertainty surrounding trade policy gives him “night terrors.”“The economics of uncertainty are absolutely suffocating," Sweet said. “Businesses that don’t know the rules of the road, their knee-jerk reaction is to sit on their hands. And that’s what they’re doing.”But if the uncertainty delays hiring, slows the economy and pushes up the unemployment rate, the Fed could quickly shift toward interest rate cuts. A sharp economic slowdown could eventually cool inflation by itself, economists say.“If you felt like the economy was really slowing down, then I think that would probably take precedence (over inflation), because usually the way the committee thinks is that will also drag inflation somewhat with it,” said Jim Bullard, former president of the Federal Reserve's St. Louis branch, and currently dean of Purdue University's business school.In March, the Fed signaled that it could cut rates twice this year. But then the Trump administration announcing the broad duties in early April, which Powell&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-tariffs-federal-reserve-3dd54eb572f1d37e202a8a30223fc14d">said last month</a>&nbsp;were larger and broader than the Fed expected.

🎥Bad news for borrowers: Fed Chair explains decision on interest rates

SEDGWICK&nbsp; COUNTY —A case of measles has been confirmed in Sedgwick County&nbsp;in an unvaccinated child between the ages of 5 and 10 years old, the county health department reported on its website Wednesday.

Sedgwick County officials are working to identify the source of exposure and notify anyone who may have been exposed. The health department urged residents to review their vaccination status and consult their healthcare provider if they have symptoms.

Meanwhile, the Kansas Department of Health on Wednesday reported three new case of measles over the past week in the state.&nbsp;&nbsp; The state's updated report did not include the case just announced in Sedgwick County.

Kansas has 49 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state as of Wednesday, including Morton Stevens, Haskell, Kiowa, Grant, Finney, Ford and Gray counties. One person remains hospitalized, according to the KDHE.

North Dakota is the 11th state in the U.S. with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">measles outbreak</a>, logging its first cases since 2011.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">measles case</a>&nbsp;count is 935, more than triple the amount seen in all of 2024. The three-month outbreak in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">Texas</a>&nbsp;accounts for the vast majority of cases, with 702 confirmed as of Tuesday. The outbreak has also spread to New Mexico, Oklahoma and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas.</a>

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

Other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">states with active outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— which the CDC defines as three or more related cases — include Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

North America has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mexico-canada-ontario-0956a30c043b030ae79bc9f67c6ce89c">two other ongoing outbreaks</a>. One in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/M/24/measles-ontario-epi-summary.pdf?rev=323859266e21469b8b97a294d6c6f98e&amp;sc_lang=en">1,243 cases</a>&nbsp;from mid-October through April 29. And the Mexican state of Chihuahua had 922 measles cases and one death as of Tuesday, according to data from the state health ministry. Health officials in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON561">Mexico</a>&nbsp;and the U.S. say all three outbreaks are of the same measles strain.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">Measles</a>&nbsp;is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-vaccines-autism-measles-obesity-food-dye-f26089856550e978d28fd25b653d8103">preventable through vaccines</a>, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.

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

What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1741908329913.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK&nbsp; COUNTY —A case of measles has been confirmed in Sedgwick County&nbsp;in an unvaccinated child between the ages of 5 and 10 years old, the county health department reported on its website Wednesday.Sedgwick County officials are working to identify the source of exposure and notify anyone who may have been exposed. The health department urged residents to review their vaccination status and consult their healthcare provider if they have symptoms.Meanwhile, the Kansas Department of Health on Wednesday reported three new case of measles over the past week in the state.&nbsp;&nbsp; The state's updated report did not include the case just announced in Sedgwick County.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746639344474.png" alt="KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas has 49 cases in eight counties in the southwest part of the state as of Wednesday, including Morton Stevens, Haskell, Kiowa, Grant, Finney, Ford and Gray counties. One person remains hospitalized, according to the KDHE.North Dakota is the 11th state in the U.S. with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">measles outbreak</a>, logging its first cases since 2011.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's confirmed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-mmr-vaccine-texas-rfk-ff8e744b19ead87698d7217de02814ee">measles case</a>&nbsp;count is 935, more than triple the amount seen in all of 2024. The three-month outbreak in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/sxSwi/?v=7">Texas</a>&nbsp;accounts for the vast majority of cases, with 702 confirmed as of Tuesday. The outbreak has also spread to New Mexico, Oklahoma and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.datawrapper.de/_/aP4Au/?v=3">Kansas.</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-rfk-death-vaccine-4e28b0edf5cab47980b40b2d47f0ec50">Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged children</a>&nbsp;died from measles-related illnesses in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">the epicenter in West Texas,</a>&nbsp;and an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-death-new-mexico-texas-outbreak-b9aef6fdd51fbb4ebd1ce9ce28e33299">adult in New Mexico</a>&nbsp;who was not vaccinated died of a measles-related illness.Other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-kansas-ohio-mmr-vaccination-new-mexico-texas-569474272df9baaad1f6d73462ebe92a">states with active outbreaks</a>&nbsp;— which the CDC defines as three or more related cases — include Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.North America has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-mexico-canada-ontario-0956a30c043b030ae79bc9f67c6ce89c">two other ongoing outbreaks</a>. One in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/M/24/measles-ontario-epi-summary.pdf?rev=323859266e21469b8b97a294d6c6f98e&amp;sc_lang=en">1,243 cases</a>&nbsp;from mid-October through April 29. And the Mexican state of Chihuahua had 922 measles cases and one death as of Tuesday, according to data from the state health ministry. Health officials in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.who.int/emergencies/disease-outbreak-news/item/2025-DON561">Mexico</a>&nbsp;and the U.S. say all three outbreaks are of the same measles strain.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-mmr-outbreak-vaccines-408371700e3ab548777bf0354e586549">Measles</a>&nbsp;is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-vaccines-autism-measles-obesity-food-dye-f26089856550e978d28fd25b653d8103">preventable through vaccines</a>, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.As the virus takes hold in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-vaccines-funding-cuts-5785985d6b74024b0502f6a2fc1576e2">U.S. communities with low vaccination rates</a>, health experts fear that spread&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-texas-new-mexico-outbreak-mmr-vaccine-6cfda9a944084c390bc70f0e7a37a426">could stretch on for a year</a>. Here's what else you&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreak-texas-rfk-vaccines-8cf4641b04731c713edb524ca943490c">need to know about measles in the U.S.</a><h2>What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine?</h2>The best way to avoid measles is to get the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccine-safety/vaccines/mmr.html">measles, mumps and rubella</a>&nbsp;vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said.People who have documentation that they had measles are immune and those born before 1957 generally don’t need the shots because most children back then had measles and now have “presumptive immunity.”In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. The U.S. saw&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-cdc-outbreak-chicago-mmr-vaccine-7ecdfef41e6dbd659c7ac8b80d5de38f">a rise in measles cases in 2024</a>, including an outbreak in Chicago that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-chicago-migrant-shelter-cdc-e58517c830f73e42266d45d45983c12b">sickened more than 60.</a><h2>What are the symptoms of measles?</h2>Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/measles/signs-symptoms/index.html">dangerous complications</a>&nbsp;such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.<h2>How can you treat measles?</h2>There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.<ul>
 <li>People who are at risk for measles infection are those who have not been vaccinated.</li><li>Babies 6 to 11 months old in Sedgwick County can now receive the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine ahead of schedule&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/civicalerts.aspx?AID=1493" target="_blank">per KDHE</a>. Children should then follow the recommended vaccination schedule as they get older.</li><li>If you have not been vaccinated or are unsure, call your healthcare provider or the Sedgwick County Health Department at&nbsp;316-660-7300&nbsp;to schedule a MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccination.</li>
 </ul>

Measles outbreak continues to grow in Kansas 

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a road rage incident in Manhattan.

Just after noon Tuesday, officers filed a report of aggravated assault near the intersection of 68th Avenue and Deer Trail Road, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

 A 61-year-old man reported that a 59-year-old woman armed herself with a handgun and discharged it during a road rage incident. No persons were injured during the event. 

Just before 2p.m. Tuesday, police arrested 59-year-old Tracey Meredith of Manhattan in the 2700 block of Brookhollow Court on requested charges aggravated assault. Meredith met the requirement of $5000 bond and is no longer in custody.

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a road rage incident in Manhattan.Just after noon Tuesday, officers filed a report of aggravated assault near the intersection of 68th Avenue and Deer Trail Road, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report. A 61-year-old man reported that a 59-year-old woman armed herself with a handgun and discharged it during a road rage incident. No persons were injured during the event. Just before 2p.m. Tuesday, police arrested 59-year-old Tracey Meredith of Manhattan in the 2700 block of Brookhollow Court on requested charges aggravated assault. Meredith met the requirement of $5000 bond and is no longer in custody.

Road Rage: Kan. woman accused of firing handgun at man

VATICAN CITY (AP) — The great doors of the Sistine Chapel shut Wednesday after the cry of “extra omnes” — Latin for “all out” — and 133 cardinals began the secretive, centuries-old ritual of electing a new pope to lead the Catholic Church, opening the most&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-cardinal-d01b3bfd056836e89560e3b40337b89e">geographically diverse conclave</a>&nbsp;in the faith’s 2,000-year history.

The red-robed cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel in pairs, chanting the meditative “Litany of the Saints” as Swiss Guards stood at attention. The hymn implores the saints to help the cardinals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/conclave-pope-francis-cardinals-43cf0a0099c8866f358a7e0d78eb1877">find a successor to Pope Francis to lead</a>&nbsp;the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the secretary of state under Francis and himself a leading contender to succeed him as pope, assumed the leadership of the proceedings as the senior cardinal under age 80.

Speaking in Latin, Parolin stood before Michelangelo's vision of heaven and hell, “The Last Judgment,” and led the cardinals in a lengthy oath. Each one followed, placing his hand on the Gospel and promising in Latin to maintain utmost secrecy.

The dramatic ritual was more colorful than even Hollywood could create, a wash of colors, chants, incense and solemnity that underscored the seriousness of the moment. Outside in St. Peter's Square, the scene was almost festive, as hundreds of people watched the proceedings on giant video screens, applauding when the Sistine Chapel's doors shut and the Vatican feed cut off.

They were waiting until later Wednesday to see the first puffs of smoke from the chapel chimney to learn whether a pope had been elected or not.

Hailing from 70 countries, the cardinals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/francis-election-conclave-pope-vatican-catholics-87fcd94f759575b8744a4d2899371275#:~:text=VATICAN%20CITY%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20The,the%20world's%201.3%20billion%20Catholics.">have been sequestered</a>&nbsp;from the outside world, their cellphones surrendered and airwaves around the Vatican jammed to prevent all communications until they find a new pope.

He reminded the cardinals that the awesomeness of the Sistine Chapel's frescoes, and Michelangelo's in particular, is meant to remind the cardinals of the weighty responsibility they bear. In his regulations for the conclave, St. John Paul II wrote that in the Sistine Chapel, “everything is conducive to an awareness of the presence of God.”

After the cardinals took their oaths, the master of papal liturgical ceremonies, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, called out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-conclave-glossary-3f34cfc8bda3570b9ecf0602d20990fb">“extra omnes,”</a>&nbsp;and anyone not eligible to vote left before the chapel doors closed. An elderly cardinal remained to deliver a meditation, but after it was finished he, too, had to leave.

The cardinals don’t have to take a first vote Wednesday, but they were expected to. Assuming no winner is found, the Vatican said black smoke could be expected out of the Sistine Chapel chimney about 7 p.m.

The cardinals retire for the night and return Thursday morning. They can hold up to two ballots in the morning and two in the afternoon until a winner is found.

While the cardinals are supposed to resist any “secular” influences in their choice, such lobbying abounded in Rome in the days before the conclave as various groups reminded cardinals of what ordinary Catholics want in a leader.

Even the White House got involved, posting a photo of President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pope-francis-conclave-ai-image-bishops-9d88286886c350c4465f7c2afb7a5e41">Trump dressed as a pope</a>. Trump said it was a joke, but the gesture was denounced by former Italian Premier Romano Prodi as “indecent” political interference in matters of faith that hark back to times when secular rulers intervened in conclaves and habitually wielded religion to stay in power.

“You invite each other out,” Dolan said on SiriusXM’s The Catholic Channel before the conclave began. "And you’re pretty blunt. Now, we’re not, you know, we’re not horse trading here. We’re saying, ‘Tell me about this guy. You’re from Latin America. Go through the list of bishops. Tell me some of these fellas. Am I right to be enchanted by this guy?’”

Many&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-conclave-challenges-lgbtq-women-sex-abuse-e73199910f1723282b91984f207ad5a0">challenges</a>&nbsp;face the new pope and weigh on the cardinals — above all whether to continue and consolidate Francis’ progressive legacy on promoting women, LGBTQ+ acceptance, the environment and migrants, or roll it back to try to unify a church that became more polarized during his pontificate. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-abuse-pope-b882375878b2f33c5a53c1dc9e345356">clergy sex abuse scandal</a>&nbsp;hung over the pre-conclave talks.

But some names keep appearing on lists of “papabile,” or cardinals having the qualities to be pope, in addition to Parolin.

— Filipino Cardinal Luis Tagle, 67, is a top candidate to be history’s first Asian pope. He headed the Vatican’s evangelization office responsible for the Catholic Church in much of the developing world.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746637756380.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) — The great doors of the Sistine Chapel shut Wednesday after the cry of “extra omnes” — Latin for “all out” — and 133 cardinals began the secretive, centuries-old ritual of electing a new pope to lead the Catholic Church, opening the most&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-cardinal-d01b3bfd056836e89560e3b40337b89e">geographically diverse conclave</a>&nbsp;in the faith’s 2,000-year history.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Conclave has begun. <a href="https://t.co/dGx6g6Yn21">pic.twitter.com/dGx6g6Yn21</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1920144730597527673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The red-robed cardinals entered the Sistine Chapel in pairs, chanting the meditative “Litany of the Saints” as Swiss Guards stood at attention. The hymn implores the saints to help the cardinals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/conclave-pope-francis-cardinals-43cf0a0099c8866f358a7e0d78eb1877">find a successor to Pope Francis to lead</a>&nbsp;the 1.4 billion-strong Catholic Church.Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the secretary of state under Francis and himself a leading contender to succeed him as pope, assumed the leadership of the proceedings as the senior cardinal under age 80.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Procession of Cardinals enter the Sistine Chapel for Conclave to elect new Pope. Full video here: <a href="https://t.co/ebXmpimoBc">https://t.co/ebXmpimoBc</a> <a href="https://t.co/HY2OWdoNVx">pic.twitter.com/HY2OWdoNVx</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1920140346962673860?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaking in Latin, Parolin stood before Michelangelo's vision of heaven and hell, “The Last Judgment,” and led the cardinals in a lengthy oath. Each one followed, placing his hand on the Gospel and promising in Latin to maintain utmost secrecy.The dramatic ritual was more colorful than even Hollywood could create, a wash of colors, chants, incense and solemnity that underscored the seriousness of the moment. Outside in St. Peter's Square, the scene was almost festive, as hundreds of people watched the proceedings on giant video screens, applauding when the Sistine Chapel's doors shut and the Vatican feed cut off.They were waiting until later Wednesday to see the first puffs of smoke from the chapel chimney to learn whether a pope had been elected or not.“My hope is that cardinals will choose a man who can be a peacemaker and could reunify the church,” said Gabriel Capry, a 27-year-old from London.<h2>A diverse group of cardinals</h2>Hailing from 70 countries, the cardinals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/francis-election-conclave-pope-vatican-catholics-87fcd94f759575b8744a4d2899371275#:~:text=VATICAN%20CITY%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20The,the%20world's%201.3%20billion%20Catholics.">have been sequestered</a>&nbsp;from the outside world, their cellphones surrendered and airwaves around the Vatican jammed to prevent all communications until they find a new pope.Francis named 108 of the 133 “princes of the church,” choosing many pastors in his image from far-flung countries like Mongolia, Sweden and Tonga that had never had a cardinal before.His decision to surpass the usual limit of 120 cardinal electors and include younger ones from the “global south” — often marginalized countries with lower economic clout — has injected an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-pope-b4883723cbbba159b0264dd76526b55d">unusual degree of uncertainty</a>&nbsp;in a process that is always full of mystery and suspense.Many cardinals hadn’t met until last week and lamented they needed more time to get to know one another, raising questions about how long it might take for one man to secure the two-thirds majority, or 89 ballots, necessary to become the 267th pope.“Wait and see, a little patience, wait and see,” said Cardinal Mario Zenari, the Vatican’s ambassador to Syria.<h2>A final Mass, then ‘all out’</h2>Earlier in the day, the dean of the College of Cardinals, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, presided over a morning Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica urging the voters to set aside all personal interests and find a pope who prizes unity. He prayed for a pope who could awaken the conscience of the world.He reminded the cardinals that the awesomeness of the Sistine Chapel's frescoes, and Michelangelo's in particular, is meant to remind the cardinals of the weighty responsibility they bear. In his regulations for the conclave, St. John Paul II wrote that in the Sistine Chapel, “everything is conducive to an awareness of the presence of God.”After the cardinals took their oaths, the master of papal liturgical ceremonies, Archbishop Diego Ravelli, called out&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-conclave-glossary-3f34cfc8bda3570b9ecf0602d20990fb">“extra omnes,”</a>&nbsp;and anyone not eligible to vote left before the chapel doors closed. An elderly cardinal remained to deliver a meditation, but after it was finished he, too, had to leave.The cardinals don’t have to take a first vote Wednesday, but they were expected to. Assuming no winner is found, the Vatican said black smoke could be expected out of the Sistine Chapel chimney about 7 p.m.The cardinals retire for the night and return Thursday morning. They can hold up to two ballots in the morning and two in the afternoon until a winner is found.While cardinals this week said they expected a short conclave, it will likely take at least a few rounds of voting. For much of the past century, it has taken between three and 14 ballots to find a pope. John Paul I — the pope who reigned for 33 days in 1978 — was elected on the fourth ballot. His successor, John Paul II, needed eight. Francis was elected on the fifth in 2013.<h2>Lobbying before the conclave</h2>While the cardinals are supposed to resist any “secular” influences in their choice, such lobbying abounded in Rome in the days before the conclave as various groups reminded cardinals of what ordinary Catholics want in a leader.Young Catholics penned an open letter reminding cardinals that there is no church without young people, women and the laity. Conservative Catholic media slipped cardinals copies of a glossy book containing their assessments of contenders. Survivors of clergy sexual abuse warned cardinals that they would be held accountable if they failed to find a leader who will crack down on decades of abuse and cover-up.Advocates for women’s ordination sent pink smoke signals Wednesday over the Vatican to demand that women be allowed to be priests and participate in a conclave.Even the White House got involved, posting a photo of President Donald&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pope-francis-conclave-ai-image-bishops-9d88286886c350c4465f7c2afb7a5e41">Trump dressed as a pope</a>. Trump said it was a joke, but the gesture was denounced by former Italian Premier Romano Prodi as “indecent” political interference in matters of faith that hark back to times when secular rulers intervened in conclaves and habitually wielded religion to stay in power.Cardinal Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York, said there was also plenty of lobbying going on among cardinals themselves.“You invite each other out,” Dolan said on SiriusXM’s The Catholic Channel before the conclave began. "And you’re pretty blunt. Now, we’re not, you know, we’re not horse trading here. We’re saying, ‘Tell me about this guy. You’re from Latin America. Go through the list of bishops. Tell me some of these fellas. Am I right to be enchanted by this guy?’”Lisette Herrera, a 54-year-old tourist from the Dominican Republic, was deeply moved to find herself by chance in Rome as the conclave began. She decided Wednesday morning to skip the Spanish Steps and Trevi Fountain and pray instead in St. Peter’s Square.“I’m praying to the Holy Spirit for a young pope who would stay with us for a long time,” she said. “I don’t believe in conclave politics, I just feel that the Holy Spirit is here and that’s all we need to know.”<h2>Challenges facing a new pope</h2>Many&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-conclave-challenges-lgbtq-women-sex-abuse-e73199910f1723282b91984f207ad5a0">challenges</a>&nbsp;face the new pope and weigh on the cardinals — above all whether to continue and consolidate Francis’ progressive legacy on promoting women, LGBTQ+ acceptance, the environment and migrants, or roll it back to try to unify a church that became more polarized during his pontificate. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-conclave-abuse-pope-b882375878b2f33c5a53c1dc9e345356">clergy sex abuse scandal</a>&nbsp;hung over the pre-conclave talks.Since Francis chose 80% of the voters, continuity is likely, but the form it might take is uncertain and identifying front-runners has been a challenge.But some names keep appearing on lists of “papabile,” or cardinals having the qualities to be pope, in addition to Parolin.— Filipino Cardinal Luis Tagle, 67, is a top candidate to be history’s first Asian pope. He headed the Vatican’s evangelization office responsible for the Catholic Church in much of the developing world.— Hungarian Cardinal Peter Erdo, 72, the archbishop of Budapest, is a leading candidate representing the more conservative wing of the church.___

🎥Watch doors to Sistine Chapel close as conclave to elect new pope begins

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement across the Kansas City metro conducted a violent crimes initiative over the past week. Officers from the KCPD Special Investigations Division worked with the FBI, ATF, DEA, Missouri State Highway Patrol, and Missouri Probation and Parole.

Officers arrested 96 people&nbsp; across federal, state, and city charges/warrants, according to a statement from the Kansas City Police Department. This included four homicide suspects.

The officers also recovered 24 handguns and issued 89 new charges. Officers recovered meth, cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, oxycodone, and other drugs.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement across the Kansas City metro conducted a violent crimes initiative over the past week. Officers from the KCPD Special Investigations Division worked with the FBI, ATF, DEA, Missouri State Highway Patrol, and Missouri Probation and Parole.Officers arrested 96 people&nbsp; across federal, state, and city charges/warrants, according to a statement from the Kansas City Police Department. This included four homicide suspects.The officers also recovered 24 handguns and issued 89 new charges. Officers recovered meth, cocaine, fentanyl, heroin, oxycodone, and other drugs.

4 homicide suspects among 96 arrested in KC violent crime bust

WASHINGTON (AP) — Top U.S. officials are set to meet with a high-level Chinese delegation this weekend in Switzerland in the first major talks between the two nations since President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;sparked a trade war with stiff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">tariffs</a>&nbsp;on imports.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746572954054.png" alt="File photo Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent meeting with Ukraine officials last month.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>File photo Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent meeting with Ukraine officials last month.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Top U.S. officials are set to meet with a high-level Chinese delegation this weekend in Switzerland in the first major talks between the two nations since President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;sparked a trade war with stiff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tariffs">tariffs</a>&nbsp;on imports.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer will meet with their counterparts in Geneva in the most-senior known conversations between the two countries in months, the Trump administration announced Tuesday. It comes amid growing U.S. market worry over the impact of the tariffs on the prices and supply of consumer goods.No country has been hit harder by Trump’s trade war than China, the world’s biggest exporter and second largest economy. When Trump announced his “Liberation Day” tariffs on April 2, China retaliated with tariffs of its own, a move that Trump viewed as demonstrating a lack of respect. The tariffs on each other’s goods have been mounting since then, with the U.S. tariffs against China now at 145% and China tariffs on the U.S. at 125%.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariff-economy-recession-china-imports-trade-8d90bb37735e833c43a7b7a9d5a0b9a2">American firms have already begun canceling orders from China</a>, postponing expansion plans and hunkering down as a result of the tariff war.Trump had claimed previously that the U.S. and China were holding negotiations on lowering tariffs, which Beijing has denied, saying Trump must first lower his stiff tariffs. Bessent earlier Tuesday testified to a House committee that the U.S. and China “have not engaged in negotiations” but “as early as this week,” the U.S. will be announcing trade deals with some of the largest U.S. trading partners.The Chinese Commerce Ministry on Tuesday confirmed the meeting between its vice premier and Bessent in Switzerland.“The Chinese side carefully evaluated the information from the U.S. side and decided to agree to have contact with the U.S. side after fully considering global expectations, Chinese interests and calls from U.S. businesses and consumers,” said a ministry spokesperson.The spokesperson said China would not "sacrifice its principles or global equity or justice in seeking any agreement.”Most economists have said the cost of the tariffs would get passed along to consumers in the form of higher prices for autos, groceries, housing and other goods. And the higher prices are already becoming a burden on U.S. consumers, who are in the biggest economic funk since the COVID-19 pandemic. Meanwhile, economists say the risk of a recession is growing.Wendy Cutler, a former U.S. trade official and now vice president of the Asia Society Policy Institute, said the upcoming meeting is a welcome development.“As the first face to face meeting between senior U.S. and Chinese officials since Trump’s inauguration, it’s an important opportunity to have initial talks on unwinding some tariffs, mapping out a path forward, as well as raising concerns,” Cutler said. “We should not expect any quick victories — this will be a process that will take time.”In Switzerland, Bessent and Greer also plan to meet with Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, according to readouts from their respective offices.Both Greer and Bessent had talked with their counterparts before the beginning of the trade war.Greer told Fox News Channel last month that he spoke with his Chinese counterpart for over an hour before the trade war started. “I thought it was constructive,” he said, adding: “This is not a plan just to encircle China. It’s a plan to fix the American economy, to have a greater share of manufacturing as GDP, to have real wages go up, to be producing things instead of having an economy that’s financed by the government.”And Bessent in February spoke with Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng “to exchange views on the bilateral economic relationship,” according to a Treasury news release.___