KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a Sunday shooting in Kansas reported the death of another victim identified as 25-year-old Zackery&nbsp;Matthews.

Just after 4pm Saturday, police were dispatched to a shooting at 73rd Street and South Benton Avenue, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. \

First responders located Matthews in front of a residence on the block there. Officers summoned EMS to the scene who transported him to the hospital for treatment of life threatening injuries.

On Monday, KCPD detectives were notified Matthews died.

Preliminary investigation indicated that Matthews and an unknown suspect had an interaction in front of the residence that escalated and led to gunfire, striking him.

This case is now being investigated as a homicide.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a Sunday shooting in Kansas reported the death of another victim identified as 25-year-old Zackery&nbsp;Matthews.Just after 4pm Saturday, police were dispatched to a shooting at 73rd Street and South Benton Avenue, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. \First responders located Matthews in front of a residence on the block there. Officers summoned EMS to the scene who transported him to the hospital for treatment of life threatening injuries.On Monday, KCPD detectives were notified Matthews died.Preliminary investigation indicated that Matthews and an unknown suspect had an interaction in front of the residence that escalated and led to gunfire, striking him.This case is now being investigated as a homicide.

KCPD: Man wounded in weekend shooting has died

GOVE COUNTY —The preliminary damage survey on the tornado in Grinnell confirms that at least anEF2 tornado moved through the community Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service in Goodland. The survey team hopes to complete the survey by Tuesday evening.&nbsp;

The storm damaged homes and caused significant damage to both the electric and gas systems in the community.   There were no injuries reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747706603096.jpeg" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>GOVE COUNTY —The preliminary damage survey on the tornado in Grinnell confirms that at least anEF2 tornado moved through the community Sunday night, according to the National Weather Service in Goodland. The survey team hopes to complete the survey by Tuesday evening.&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FkshighwayPatrol%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02e4AU31Lc5MKiVbRSFG9pNmJ6nyDmScUCUFGNN4Kd39ADbECeup5Vo54fxXGno8sHl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="716" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747706871776.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The storm damaged homes and caused significant damage to both the electric and gas systems in the community. There were no injuries reported.

NWS confirms strength of tornado that struck Grinnell

BUTLER COUNTY– Butler County EMS continues to mourn the loss of Paramedic Justin Lauppe, who died in the line of duty on May 16, after suffering a cardiac arrest during an emergency response. Justin’s final call reflects the courage, service, and sacrifice he demonstrated throughout his 14-year career in emergency medical services.

A memorial service for Paramedic Lauppe will be held on&nbsp; Thursday.

Time: 11:30 – 1:00 PM public viewing; 1:00 PM service

Location: Park City Arena – 8151 North Hartman Arena Dr. Park City.

The service will be an opportunity for family, friends, colleagues, and the public to pay their respects and celebrate the life of a man who dedicated himself to the service of others. His commitment to duty and his courage in the face of danger were exemplary, he will forever be remembered as a hero. There will be a procession to graveside after service, details to follow.

Butler County EMS and Rescue welcome the participation of visiting honor guards, pipes, and drums to join us in paying tribute to Paramedic Justin Lauppe. We understand the importance of solidarity and support from our brothers and sisters in emergency response during this difficult time. If you are planning to attend and honor our fallen hero, please contact us in advance to coordinate the details. Additionally, if your department would like to send an apparatus to be part of the procession following the memorial service please notify us via email: butleremshonorguard@gmail.com

“We are heartbroken by the loss of Justin,” said Stuart Funk, Public Outreach Coordinator for Butler County EMS. “He represented the very best of us. His legacy will continue to inspire and guide our department and community.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747426200231.png" alt="Justin Lauppe courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Justin Lauppe courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY– Butler County EMS continues to mourn the loss of Paramedic Justin Lauppe, who died in the line of duty on May 16, after suffering a cardiac arrest during an emergency response. Justin’s final call reflects the courage, service, and sacrifice he demonstrated throughout his 14-year career in emergency medical services.A memorial service for Paramedic Lauppe will be held on&nbsp; Thursday.Time: 11:30 – 1:00 PM public viewing; 1:00 PM serviceLocation: Park City Arena – 8151 North Hartman Arena Dr. Park City.The service will be an opportunity for family, friends, colleagues, and the public to pay their respects and celebrate the life of a man who dedicated himself to the service of others. His commitment to duty and his courage in the face of danger were exemplary, he will forever be remembered as a hero. There will be a procession to graveside after service, details to follow.Butler County EMS and Rescue welcome the participation of visiting honor guards, pipes, and drums to join us in paying tribute to Paramedic Justin Lauppe. We understand the importance of solidarity and support from our brothers and sisters in emergency response during this difficult time. If you are planning to attend and honor our fallen hero, please contact us in advance to coordinate the details. Additionally, if your department would like to send an apparatus to be part of the procession following the memorial service please notify us via email: butleremshonorguard@gmail.com“We are heartbroken by the loss of Justin,” said Stuart Funk, Public Outreach Coordinator for Butler County EMS. “He represented the very best of us. His legacy will continue to inspire and guide our department and community.”

Services set for Kan. paramedic who died during emergency call

TOPEKA, Kansas. –&nbsp;The Kansas Prisoner Review Board rescinded its previous decision to grant parole to 78-year-old Jimmie Nelms, according to a media release from the Board.

In 1979, Nelms was sentenced to consecutive life terms plus nine years for the crimes of unlawful possession of a firearm, aggravated kidnapping, and murder in the first degree of Kansas Highway Patrolman Trooper Conroy O’Brien.

Nelms has been eligible for parole since 1993 and has appeared before the board nine times, having been initially granted parole after his hearing in March of this year.

The board, in a new hearing on May 16 with Nelms, rescinded its previous decision to grant parole and decided to deny him release at this time.

On May 8, Kansas Governor asked the board to reconsider the decision.

Trooper O’Brien, 26, was conducting a routine traffic stop on the Kansas Turnpike during the early morning hours of May 24, 1978, when Nelms and two others overpowered him. Authorities said O’Brien was forced at gunpoint into a roadside ditch, where he was pistol-whipped and fatally shot twice in the head with his own service weapon.&nbsp;

The three suspects, later identified as being wanted in a string of armed robberies across multiple states, were apprehended later that day after engaging another trooper in a gunfight. All were taken into custody following a manhunt.&nbsp;

The Kansas Trooper's Association late on Monday released a statement on the new decision.  In that statement the president of the trooper's association said in part, “We are grateful to the KRB for ultimately choosing justice,” said KSTA President, Technical Trooper Sage Hill. “Trooper O’Brien gave his life in the line of duty. Granting parole to the man responsible for that murder deeply undermined public trust and the sacrifices of every law enforcement officer. Today, justice was reaffirmed, and we are grateful. Tomorrow, we will begin working to make sure such a close call never happens again.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746744841747.jpeg" alt="Trooper Conroy O'Brien - Courtesy Kansas Highway Patrol&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Trooper Conroy O'Brien - Courtesy Kansas Highway Patrol&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kansas. –&nbsp;The Kansas Prisoner Review Board rescinded its previous decision to grant parole to 78-year-old Jimmie Nelms, according to a media release from the Board.In 1979, Nelms was sentenced to consecutive life terms plus nine years for the crimes of unlawful possession of a firearm, aggravated kidnapping, and murder in the first degree of Kansas Highway Patrolman Trooper Conroy O’Brien.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1746748524625.png" alt="Nelms photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Nelms photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>Nelms has been eligible for parole since 1993 and has appeared before the board nine times, having been initially granted parole after his hearing in March of this year.The board, in a new hearing on May 16 with Nelms, rescinded its previous decision to grant parole and decided to deny him release at this time.On May 8, Kansas Governor asked the board to reconsider the decision.Trooper O’Brien, 26, was conducting a routine traffic stop on the Kansas Turnpike during the early morning hours of May 24, 1978, when Nelms and two others overpowered him. Authorities said O’Brien was forced at gunpoint into a roadside ditch, where he was pistol-whipped and fatally shot twice in the head with his own service weapon.&nbsp;The three suspects, later identified as being wanted in a string of armed robberies across multiple states, were apprehended later that day after engaging another trooper in a gunfight. All were taken into custody following a manhunt.&nbsp;The Kansas Trooper's Association late on Monday released a statement on the new decision. In that statement the president of the trooper's association said in part, “We are grateful to the KRB for ultimately choosing justice,” said KSTA President, Technical Trooper Sage Hill. “Trooper O’Brien gave his life in the line of duty. Granting parole to the man responsible for that murder deeply undermined public trust and the sacrifices of every law enforcement officer. Today, justice was reaffirmed, and we are grateful. Tomorrow, we will begin working to make sure such a close call never happens again.”

Man who killed Kansas Trooper has parole rescinded

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating after a body was found in an apartment fire in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just before 9a.m. Monday, crews responded to a reported fire at a home in the 4000 block of Stateline, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

 On arrival crews reported smoke and fire from the second floor of a two-story&nbsp; home that had been converted to apartments. KCFD received reports of someone possibly inside the structure. Searches of the structure. During the search a victim was located. The Kansas City Police Departments Bomb and Arson unit has been ordered to the scene due to the suspicious nature of the fire and the fatality. 

Bomb and Arson are in charge of the investigation into the cause and the fatality at this incident.&nbsp; Authorities did not release the name or additional details on the victim.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating after a body was found in an apartment fire in Kansas City, Missouri.Just before 9a.m. Monday, crews responded to a reported fire at a home in the 4000 block of Stateline, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. On arrival crews reported smoke and fire from the second floor of a two-story&nbsp; home that had been converted to apartments. KCFD received reports of someone possibly inside the structure. Searches of the structure. During the search a victim was located. The Kansas City Police Departments Bomb and Arson unit has been ordered to the scene due to the suspicious nature of the fire and the fatality. Bomb and Arson are in charge of the investigation into the cause and the fatality at this incident.&nbsp; Authorities did not release the name or additional details on the victim.

Crews found body during search of apartment fire in Kansas City

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver is being charged with assault after a skirmish with federal officers outside an immigration detention center, said New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor, who also said Monday that she was dropping a trespassing case against the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-protest-ice-newark-mayor-arrested-5a2b3fefd7da563c48d2f85831cf2194">Newark mayor whose arrest led to the disturbance.</a>

Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba wrote on social media that McIver is facing a charge of assaulting, impeding or interfering with law enforcement, but court papers providing details were not immediately released or publicly available online.

At the same time, Habba announced that her office agreed to dismiss a misdemeanor charge against Democratic Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was arrested after he attempted to join McIver and two other members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation inspecting the facility in their oversight capacity. Habba said the decision was reached “for the sake of moving forward" and said she has invited the mayor to tour the Delaney Hall detention center and will join him herself.

“The citizens of New Jersey deserve unified leadership so we can get to work to keep our state safe,” Habba said in a statement.

McIver has denied any wrongdoing and has accused federal agents of escalating the situation by arresting the mayor. She denounced the charge as “purely political” and said prosecutors are distorting her actions in an effort to deter legislative oversight.

“This administration will never stop me from working for the people in our district and standing up for what is right,” she said in a statement. "I am thankful for the outpouring of support I have received and I look forward to the truth being laid out clearly in court.”

A nearly two-minute clip released by the Homeland Security Department shows McIver on the facility side of a chain-link fence just before the arrest of the mayor on the street side of the fence. She and uniformed officials go through the gate and she joins others shouting “surround the mayor.” The video shows McIver in a tightly packed group of people and officers. At one point her left elbow and then her right elbow push into an officer wearing a dark face covering and an olive green uniform emblazoned with the word “Police” on it.

It isn’t clear from bodycam video whether that contact was intentional, incidental or a result of jostling in the chaotic scene.

In a post on X, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said McIver was being charged after a “thorough review of the video footage” and investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.

“Assaults on federal law enforcement will not be tolerated,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a post on X. “This Administration will always protect those who work tirelessly to keep America safe.”

McIver's attorney called the decision to charge her “spectacularly inappropriate,” saying she went to Delaney Hall “to do her job” and she has the responsibility as a member of Congress to oversee U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's treatment of detainees. As of Monday night, neither McIver nor her attorneys had gotten charging documents from prosecutors, according to an emailed statement from a spokesperson for her attorney.

“Rather than facilitating that inspection, ICE agents chose to escalate what should have been a peaceful situation into chaos,” Paul Fishman, the former U.S. attorney for New Jersey, said in a statement. “This prosecution is an attempt to shift the blame for ICE’s behavior to Congresswoman McIver. In the courtroom, facts — not headlines — will matter.”

Baraka, who is seeking the Democratic nomination in this year’s governor’s race, had repeatedly denied trespassing and said he had been invited inside the gate at one point before the arrest.

He said in an emailed statement Monday that he was glad the case against him was dismissed. He said he will “continue to advocate for the humane treatment of detainees" and "continue to press the facility to ensure that it is compliant with City of Newark codes and regulations."

Baraka called McIver a “daughter of Newark” and said he stood with her.

“I fully expect her to be vindicated,” he said.

McIver, 38, first came to Congress in September in a special election after the death of Rep. Donald Payne Jr. left a vacancy in the 10th District. She was then elected to a full term in November. A Newark native, she served as the president of the Newark City Council from 2022 to 2024 and worked in the city’s public schools before that.

House Democratic leaders decried the criminal case against their colleague in a lengthy statement in which they called the charge “extreme, morally bankrupt” and lacking “any basis in law or fact.”

“The proceeding initiated by the so-called U.S. Attorney in New Jersey is a blatant attempt by the Trump administration to intimidate Congress and interfere with our ability to serve as a check and balance on an out-of-control executive branch,” said the statement from Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York and other senior members of the party. “House Democrats will not be intimidated by the Trump administration. Not today. Not ever.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747704005330.png" alt="Rep. McIver in the red blazer as shown on police body camera video" />
 <figcaption>Rep. McIver in the red blazer as shown on police body camera video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver is being charged with assault after a skirmish with federal officers outside an immigration detention center, said New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor, who also said Monday that she was dropping a trespassing case against the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-protest-ice-newark-mayor-arrested-5a2b3fefd7da563c48d2f85831cf2194">Newark mayor whose arrest led to the disturbance.</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨WATCH: US Congresswoman, LaMonica McIver (wearing a red blazer), storms the gate of Delaney Hall Detention Center ASSAULTING an ICE agent. <a href="https://t.co/4Q1deds1tl">pic.twitter.com/4Q1deds1tl</a>&mdash; Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/1921271072147546558?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 10, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba wrote on social media that McIver is facing a charge of assaulting, impeding or interfering with law enforcement, but court papers providing details were not immediately released or publicly available online.At the same time, Habba announced that her office agreed to dismiss a misdemeanor charge against Democratic Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who was arrested after he attempted to join McIver and two other members of New Jersey’s congressional delegation inspecting the facility in their oversight capacity. Habba said the decision was reached “for the sake of moving forward" and said she has invited the mayor to tour the Delaney Hall detention center and will join him herself.“The citizens of New Jersey deserve unified leadership so we can get to work to keep our state safe,” Habba said in a statement.McIver has denied any wrongdoing and has accused federal agents of escalating the situation by arresting the mayor. She denounced the charge as “purely political” and said prosecutors are distorting her actions in an effort to deter legislative oversight.“This administration will never stop me from working for the people in our district and standing up for what is right,” she said in a statement. "I am thankful for the outpouring of support I have received and I look forward to the truth being laid out clearly in court.”A nearly two-minute clip released by the Homeland Security Department shows McIver on the facility side of a chain-link fence just before the arrest of the mayor on the street side of the fence. She and uniformed officials go through the gate and she joins others shouting “surround the mayor.” The video shows McIver in a tightly packed group of people and officers. At one point her left elbow and then her right elbow push into an officer wearing a dark face covering and an olive green uniform emblazoned with the word “Police” on it.It isn’t clear from bodycam video whether that contact was intentional, incidental or a result of jostling in the chaotic scene.In a post on X, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said McIver was being charged after a “thorough review of the video footage” and investigation by Homeland Security Investigations.“Assaults on federal law enforcement will not be tolerated,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said in a post on X. “This Administration will always protect those who work tirelessly to keep America safe.”McIver's attorney called the decision to charge her “spectacularly inappropriate,” saying she went to Delaney Hall “to do her job” and she has the responsibility as a member of Congress to oversee U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's treatment of detainees. As of Monday night, neither McIver nor her attorneys had gotten charging documents from prosecutors, according to an emailed statement from a spokesperson for her attorney.“Rather than facilitating that inspection, ICE agents chose to escalate what should have been a peaceful situation into chaos,” Paul Fishman, the former U.S. attorney for New Jersey, said in a statement. “This prosecution is an attempt to shift the blame for ICE’s behavior to Congresswoman McIver. In the courtroom, facts — not headlines — will matter.”Baraka, who is seeking the Democratic nomination in this year’s governor’s race, had repeatedly denied trespassing and said he had been invited inside the gate at one point before the arrest.He said in an emailed statement Monday that he was glad the case against him was dismissed. He said he will “continue to advocate for the humane treatment of detainees" and "continue to press the facility to ensure that it is compliant with City of Newark codes and regulations."Baraka called McIver a “daughter of Newark” and said he stood with her.“I fully expect her to be vindicated,” he said.McIver, 38, first came to Congress in September in a special election after the death of Rep. Donald Payne Jr. left a vacancy in the 10th District. She was then elected to a full term in November. A Newark native, she served as the president of the Newark City Council from 2022 to 2024 and worked in the city’s public schools before that.House Democratic leaders decried the criminal case against their colleague in a lengthy statement in which they called the charge “extreme, morally bankrupt” and lacking “any basis in law or fact.”“The proceeding initiated by the so-called U.S. Attorney in New Jersey is a blatant attempt by the Trump administration to intimidate Congress and interfere with our ability to serve as a check and balance on an out-of-control executive branch,” said the statement from Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York and other senior members of the party. “House Democrats will not be intimidated by the Trump administration. Not today. Not ever.”

🎥Congresswoman charged after skirmish at ICE center

FINNEY COUNTY —A 4-year-old child was hit and killed by a vehicle Friday night in Finney County and the driver is set to face a judge.

Just before 10 p.m. Friday, police and EMS were dispatched to the 600 block of Bancroft Street in Garden City after multiple calls of an unresponsive person.

First responders found an unresponsive 4-year-old boy on a trailer and a Chrysler 200 in a nearby front lawn. The child was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Chrysler, identified as Jacob Eichhorn, 32, ran from the scene, but residents were able to catch him and keep him there until first responders arrived.

The investigation revealed Eichhorn was driving southbound on Bancroft Street when he struck a trailer parked on the side of the street, and the impact caused the vehicle to become airborne before coming to a rest in the yard. The 4-year-old boy was on the trailer when it was struck by the vehicle.

Further investigation revealed Eichhorn showed signs of impairment, and he was arrested and is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Driving while suspended; Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license; Interference with LEO, unknown circumstance; Failure to stop at accident; Involuntary manslaughter in commission of another crime and an Out of County Arrest/Warrant, according to online jail records. He remains in custody on a $75,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747660607311.png" alt="Eichhorn photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Eichhorn photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —A 4-year-old child was hit and killed by a vehicle Friday night in Finney County and the driver is set to face a judge.Just before 10 p.m. Friday, police and EMS were dispatched to the 600 block of Bancroft Street in Garden City after multiple calls of an unresponsive person.First responders found an unresponsive 4-year-old boy on a trailer and a Chrysler 200 in a nearby front lawn. The child was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Chrysler, identified as Jacob Eichhorn, 32, ran from the scene, but residents were able to catch him and keep him there until first responders arrived.The investigation revealed Eichhorn was driving southbound on Bancroft Street when he struck a trailer parked on the side of the street, and the impact caused the vehicle to become airborne before coming to a rest in the yard. The 4-year-old boy was on the trailer when it was struck by the vehicle.Further investigation revealed Eichhorn showed signs of impairment, and he was arrested and is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Driving while suspended; Operate a motor vehicle without a valid license; Interference with LEO, unknown circumstance; Failure to stop at accident; Involuntary manslaughter in commission of another crime and an Out of County Arrest/Warrant, according to online jail records. He remains in custody on a $75,000 bond.

Suspect in SW Kan. crash that killed 4-year-old held on $75K bond

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just before 11:30p.m. on Saturday an officer on patrol stopped a vehicle in the 900 block U.S.59 in Atchison for a traffic violation, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

The officer found 34-year-old Julia Holt of Atchison, a passenger in that vehicle, was in possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia. She was jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;possession of fentanyl, possession of methamphetamine, possession of cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Taken to County Jail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747667001717.png" alt="Holt-photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Holt-photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 11:30p.m. on Saturday an officer on patrol stopped a vehicle in the 900 block U.S.59 in Atchison for a traffic violation, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.The officer found 34-year-old Julia Holt of Atchison, a passenger in that vehicle, was in possession of drugs and drug paraphernalia. She was jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;possession of fentanyl, possession of methamphetamine, possession of cocaine, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Taken to County Jail.

Police: Kansas woman caught with fentanyl and cocaine

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Monday allowed the Trump administration to strip legal protections from 350,000 Venezuelans, potentially exposing them to deportation.

The court's order, with only one noted dissent, puts on hold a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-venezuelans-tps-federal-judge-7a1e1f286bf8812475ff2f643c33a34c">ruling from a federal judge</a>&nbsp;in San Francisco that kept in place Temporary Protected Status for the Venezuelans that would have otherwise expired last month. The justices provided no rationale, which is common in emergency appeals.

The status allows people already in the United States to live and work legally because their native countries are deemed unsafe for return due to natural disaster or civil strife.

The high court's order appears to be the “single largest action in modern American history stripping any group of non-citizens of immigration status,” said Ahilan Arulanantham, one of the attorneys for Venezuelan migrants.

“This decision will force families to be in an impossible position either choosing to survive or choosing stability,” said Cecilia Gonzalez Herrera, who sued to try and stop the Trump administration from revoking legal protections from her and others like her.

“Venezuelans are not criminals,” Gonzalez Herrera said.

“We all deserve the chance to thrive without being sent back to danger,” she said.

The ramifications for the hundreds of thousands of people affected aren’t yet clear, Arulanantham said.

Mariana Moleros, her husband and their daughter left their native Venezuela in September 2005 after receiving death threats for their open political opposition to the socialist government. They came to the United States hoping to find peace and protection and requested asylum, but their application was denied.

They were temporarily granted TPS but now they live in fear again — fear of being detained and deported to a country where they don’t feel safe.

“Today we are all exposed to being imprisoned in Venezuela if the U.S. return us,” said Moleros, a 44-year-old Venezuelan attorney who lives in Florida. “They should not deport someone who is at risk of being assassinated, torture and incarcerated.”

A federal appeals court had earlier rejected the administration’s request to put the order on hold while the lawsuit continues. A hearing is set for next week in front of U.S. District Judge Edward Chen, who had paused the administration's plans.

In a statement, Homeland Security called the court's decision a “win for the American people and the safety of our communities" and said the Biden administration “exploited programs to let poorly vetted migrants into this country.”

“The Trump administration is reinstituting integrity into our immigration system to keep our homeland and its people safe,” said spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin.

The case is the latest in a string of emergency appeals President Donald Trump's administration has made to the Supreme Court, many of them related to immigration and involving Venezuela. Earlier this month, the government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-parole-supreme-court-6282e48ef9bf41bd5c77e8e2b0642e89">asked the court</a>&nbsp;to allow it to end humanitarian parole for hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, setting them up for potential deportation as well.

The high court also has been involved in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-venezuelans-deportations-c1dc29a89faa173593f5d42b62aa8276">slowing</a>&nbsp;Trump’s efforts to swiftly deport Venezuelans accused of being gang members to a prison in El Salvador under an 18th century wartime law called the Alien Enemies Act.

The complex economic and political crisis in Venezuela has driven more than 7.7 million people to leave the South American nation since 2013. Venezuela’s most recent economic troubles pushed year-over-year inflation in April to 172%. The latest chapter even prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/nicolas-maduro-venezuela-maria-corina-machado-juan-arraez-edmundo-gonzalez-10c9576558ce4f81a015956d5d52f166">President Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/venezuelas-president-maduro-signs-decree-giving-him-extraordinary-power-after-declaring-economic-emergency-9b003f9f3f8945c599c4effe4f95f20e">declare an “economic emergency”</a>&nbsp;last month. Maduro, whose reelection last year to a third term has been condemned internationally as illegitimate, also has cracked down on his political opponents.

In the dispute over TPS, the administration has moved aggressively to withdraw various protections that have allowed immigrants to remain in the country, including ending the temporary protected status for a total of 600,000 Venezuelans and 500,000 Haitians. That status is granted in 18-month increments. Venezuela was first designated for TPS in 2021; Haiti, in 2010.

Last week, DHS announced that TPS for Afghanistan, first provided in 2022, would end in mid-July.

The protections for Venezuelans had been set to expire April 7, but Chen found that the expiration threatened to severely disrupt the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and could cost billions in lost economic activity.

Chen, who was appointed to the bench by Democratic President Barack Obama, found the government hadn’t shown any harm caused by keeping the program alive.

But Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote on behalf of the administration that Chen’s order impermissibly interferes with the administration’s power over immigration and foreign affairs.

In addition, Sauer told the justices, people affected by ending the protected status might have other legal options to try to remain in the country because the “decision to terminate TPS is not equivalent to a final removal order.”

Congress created TPS in 1990 to prevent deportations to countries suffering from natural disasters or civil strife.

Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said she would have rejected the administration's emergency appeal.

Associated Press writers Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, Gisela Salomon in Miami and Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672235865420.png" alt="Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States" />
 <figcaption>Supreme Court Credit: Fred Schilling, Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Monday allowed the Trump administration to strip legal protections from 350,000 Venezuelans, potentially exposing them to deportation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747677211734.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>The court's order, with only one noted dissent, puts on hold a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-administration-venezuelans-tps-federal-judge-7a1e1f286bf8812475ff2f643c33a34c">ruling from a federal judge</a>&nbsp;in San Francisco that kept in place Temporary Protected Status for the Venezuelans that would have otherwise expired last month. The justices provided no rationale, which is common in emergency appeals.The status allows people already in the United States to live and work legally because their native countries are deemed unsafe for return due to natural disaster or civil strife.The high court's order appears to be the “single largest action in modern American history stripping any group of non-citizens of immigration status,” said Ahilan Arulanantham, one of the attorneys for Venezuelan migrants.“This decision will force families to be in an impossible position either choosing to survive or choosing stability,” said Cecilia Gonzalez Herrera, who sued to try and stop the Trump administration from revoking legal protections from her and others like her.“Venezuelans are not criminals,” Gonzalez Herrera said.“We all deserve the chance to thrive without being sent back to danger,” she said.The ramifications for the hundreds of thousands of people affected aren’t yet clear, Arulanantham said.Mariana Moleros, her husband and their daughter left their native Venezuela in September 2005 after receiving death threats for their open political opposition to the socialist government. They came to the United States hoping to find peace and protection and requested asylum, but their application was denied.They were temporarily granted TPS but now they live in fear again — fear of being detained and deported to a country where they don’t feel safe.“Today we are all exposed to being imprisoned in Venezuela if the U.S. return us,” said Moleros, a 44-year-old Venezuelan attorney who lives in Florida. “They should not deport someone who is at risk of being assassinated, torture and incarcerated.”A federal appeals court had earlier rejected the administration’s request to put the order on hold while the lawsuit continues. A hearing is set for next week in front of U.S. District Judge Edward Chen, who had paused the administration's plans.In a statement, Homeland Security called the court's decision a “win for the American people and the safety of our communities" and said the Biden administration “exploited programs to let poorly vetted migrants into this country.”“The Trump administration is reinstituting integrity into our immigration system to keep our homeland and its people safe,” said spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin.The case is the latest in a string of emergency appeals President Donald Trump's administration has made to the Supreme Court, many of them related to immigration and involving Venezuela. Earlier this month, the government&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-parole-supreme-court-6282e48ef9bf41bd5c77e8e2b0642e89">asked the court</a>&nbsp;to allow it to end humanitarian parole for hundreds of thousands of immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela, setting them up for potential deportation as well.The high court also has been involved in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-supreme-court-venezuelans-deportations-c1dc29a89faa173593f5d42b62aa8276">slowing</a>&nbsp;Trump’s efforts to swiftly deport Venezuelans accused of being gang members to a prison in El Salvador under an 18th century wartime law called the Alien Enemies Act.The complex economic and political crisis in Venezuela has driven more than 7.7 million people to leave the South American nation since 2013. Venezuela’s most recent economic troubles pushed year-over-year inflation in April to 172%. The latest chapter even prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/nicolas-maduro-venezuela-maria-corina-machado-juan-arraez-edmundo-gonzalez-10c9576558ce4f81a015956d5d52f166">President Nicolás Maduro</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/venezuelas-president-maduro-signs-decree-giving-him-extraordinary-power-after-declaring-economic-emergency-9b003f9f3f8945c599c4effe4f95f20e">declare an “economic emergency”</a>&nbsp;last month. Maduro, whose reelection last year to a third term has been condemned internationally as illegitimate, also has cracked down on his political opponents.In the dispute over TPS, the administration has moved aggressively to withdraw various protections that have allowed immigrants to remain in the country, including ending the temporary protected status for a total of 600,000 Venezuelans and 500,000 Haitians. That status is granted in 18-month increments. Venezuela was first designated for TPS in 2021; Haiti, in 2010.Last week, DHS announced that TPS for Afghanistan, first provided in 2022, would end in mid-July.The protections for Venezuelans had been set to expire April 7, but Chen found that the expiration threatened to severely disrupt the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and could cost billions in lost economic activity.Chen, who was appointed to the bench by Democratic President Barack Obama, found the government hadn’t shown any harm caused by keeping the program alive.But Solicitor General D. John Sauer wrote on behalf of the administration that Chen’s order impermissibly interferes with the administration’s power over immigration and foreign affairs.In addition, Sauer told the justices, people affected by ending the protected status might have other legal options to try to remain in the country because the “decision to terminate TPS is not equivalent to a final removal order.”Congress created TPS in 1990 to prevent deportations to countries suffering from natural disasters or civil strife.Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson said she would have rejected the administration's emergency appeal.___Associated Press writers Regina Garcia Cano in Caracas, Venezuela, Gisela Salomon in Miami and Lindsay Whitehurst contributed to this report.

Read the order: Supreme Court rules Trump can deport 350,000 Venezuelans 

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another weekend of deadly violence in Kansas City, Missouri.

Just before 7:30p.m. Friday, police were initially called to 92nd and James A Reed Road for what was described as an injury accident, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

While officers were still on the way the call was updated to a shooting call with a victim at 92nd Street. Initial responding officers located an adult male shooting victim outside of a vehicle just north of 92nd Street

Additional responding officers were notified of an additional vehicle that had crashed at 93rd and James A. Reed Road.&nbsp; Additional officers responded to that location and found a vehicle that had crashed there with one adult male shooting victim inside the vehicle.

EMS responded to both locations and declared both victims deceased at the scene. Homicide detectives are working to determine the sequence of events that led to the shooting.&nbsp;

just after 2a.m. Saturday, officers were dispatched to the 4200 block of College on a shooting call, according to Becchina.

On arrival officers were directed to a shooting victim later identified as&nbsp;50-year-old Dante Franklin who was unresponsive on the sidewalk in front of a house there.

Officers rendered aid and called for EMS to the scene. EMS declared Franklin deceased.

Preliminary investigation indicates that Franklin had an interaction in front of the residence with one or more suspects that escalated and led to gunfire, which struck the victim.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

Just after 5:30p.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a reported shooting in the 4000 block of Troost in Kansas City, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. 

Callers advised that two people were shot at the location. First responders were directed to an apartment building there. Officers located an adult male shooting victim, later identified as 21-year-old Earnest Wilson-Trice, unresponsive on the front porch of the apartment building. They were further led inside one of the apartment units where officers located an adult female shooting victim later identified as 21-year-old Lilly B. Mack unresponsive.

Officers called for EMS to the scene who declared both shooting victims deceased. Homicide detectives are investigating. At this time detectives are not searching for any additional suspects. Further they are working with witnesses to determine the exact sequence of events that led up to the victims being shot.

This case is now being investigated as an apparent murder/suicide. Mack is the victim of the murder and Wilson-Trice is the victim of the suicide, according to Captain Becchina.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747472835672.png" alt="Investigation Friday near 92nd and James A Reed Road-Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Investigation Friday near 92nd and James A Reed Road-Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another weekend of deadly violence in Kansas City, Missouri.Just before 7:30p.m. Friday, police were initially called to 92nd and James A Reed Road for what was described as an injury accident, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747472818903.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>While officers were still on the way the call was updated to a shooting call with a victim at 92nd Street. Initial responding officers located an adult male shooting victim outside of a vehicle just north of 92nd StreetAdditional responding officers were notified of an additional vehicle that had crashed at 93rd and James A. Reed Road.&nbsp; Additional officers responded to that location and found a vehicle that had crashed there with one adult male shooting victim inside the vehicle.EMS responded to both locations and declared both victims deceased at the scene. Homicide detectives are working to determine the sequence of events that led to the shooting.&nbsp;just after 2a.m. Saturday, officers were dispatched to the 4200 block of College on a shooting call, according to Becchina.On arrival officers were directed to a shooting victim later identified as&nbsp;50-year-old Dante Franklin who was unresponsive on the sidewalk in front of a house there.Officers rendered aid and called for EMS to the scene. EMS declared Franklin deceased.Preliminary investigation indicates that Franklin had an interaction in front of the residence with one or more suspects that escalated and led to gunfire, which struck the victim.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747536801851.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 5:30p.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a reported shooting in the 4000 block of Troost in Kansas City, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. Callers advised that two people were shot at the location. First responders were directed to an apartment building there. Officers located an adult male shooting victim, later identified as 21-year-old Earnest Wilson-Trice, unresponsive on the front porch of the apartment building. They were further led inside one of the apartment units where officers located an adult female shooting victim later identified as 21-year-old Lilly B. Mack unresponsive.Officers called for EMS to the scene who declared both shooting victims deceased. Homicide detectives are investigating. At this time detectives are not searching for any additional suspects. Further they are working with witnesses to determine the exact sequence of events that led up to the victims being shot.This case is now being investigated as an apparent murder/suicide. Mack is the victim of the murder and Wilson-Trice is the victim of the suicide, according to Captain Becchina.

Another deadly weekend of violence in Kansas City

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/david-bauder">DAVID BAUDER</a>

CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon said Monday that she is resigning after four years, the latest fallout at the network as its parent company considers settling a lawsuit with President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;over a “60 Minutes” interview with his former political opponent.

McMahon, who has led both the network news division and news for the CBS-owned stations, said in an email message to staff that “it’s become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward. It’s time to move on and for this organization to move forward with new leadership.”

McMahon has made clear she opposes settling with Trump — just like “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/60-minutes-cbs-producer-quits-4c7729507684fa516391a7022d27586b">who quit last month</a>.

Trump has sued CBS, alleging it edited an interview with 2024 Democratic opponent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-view-president-trump-abc-interview-kamala-harris-0e7c4aba0b021e40540dcc68872ff0d1">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;last fall to benefit her. CBS News has denied that. CBS’ parent company, Paramount Global, is in talks to potentially settle Trump’s lawsuit. At the same time, Paramount Global is seeking administration approval of a merger with Skydance Media.

George Cheeks, co-CEO of Paramount and head of the CBS network, said McMahon’s top deputies, CBS News president Tom Cibrowski and CBS Stations president Jennifer Mitchell, will report directly to him.

McMahon, in her note, said that “the past few months have been challenging.”

“I have spent the last few months shoring up our businesses and making sure the right leaders are in place, and I have no doubt they will continue to set the standard,” she said.

In addition to the tussle with Trump, Paramount’s controlling shareholder,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paramount-skydance-redstone-entertainment-merger-8ba177aebe4ec6c3152e5b8ef82a72e0">Shari Redstone</a>, has expressed unhappiness over some network coverage of Israel’s war in Gaza, including a “60 Minutes” piece this winter. Paramount began supervising “60 Minutes” stories in new ways, including asking former CBS News President Susan Zirinsky to look over some of its stories before they aired.

That extra layer contributed to Owens’ resignation. One of the show’s correspondents, Scott Pelley,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbs-trump-60-minutes-pelley-ce93eec7f2dc9c9c72f2d598f6bdf816">said on the air</a>&nbsp;that “none of us is happy” about the changes.

CBS News is also trying to establish the new anchor team of John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois at its flagship “CBS Evening News” broadcast amid ratings troubles.

In his note to staff members, Cheeks praised McMahon for expanding local news at CBS stations and improving their competitive positions, along with improving the network’s digital offerings.

Despite the internal tensions, the “60 Minutes” broadcast has done&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbs-60-minutes-lawsuit-trump-pelley-58339cc1a1eb52739bb365e2e8c6d8bc">several notably tough stories</a>&nbsp;on the Trump administration, and it has drawn the ire of the president. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cbs-60-minutes-2c8a32df63f3ec50cfffe94a26436fda">attacked the show</a>&nbsp;after one episode in April. “Almost every week, 60 Minutes ... mentions the name ‘TRUMP’ in a derogatory and defamatory way,” the president said on social media.

On Sunday’s season finale of “60 Minutes,” a story that had been scheduled and publicly announced about cutbacks at the Internal Revenue Service was not aired. A spokeswoman said it was because on Friday, CBS learned that IRS leadership had told senior staff that it had decided to call some 7,000 probationary employees back to work.

CBS said it would continue to report on the details and broadcast the story some time in the future.

A Trump settlement with Paramount has precedence. The Walt Disney Co. decided in December to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abc-trump-lawsuit-defamation-stephanopoulos-04aea8663310af39ae2a85f4c1a56d68">pay $15 million to end</a>&nbsp;a Trump libel lawsuit against ABC News over a statement made by the network’s George Stephanopoulos regarding a sexual assault case against Trump.

The new administration has been battling with the media over several fronts, including:

—Engaging in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ap-media-court-white-house-events-access-f346a0efe87c1dec4d6f90e6041abd09">court fight with The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;over curtailing access because the agency has not followed Trump’s wishes to rename the Gulf of Mexico.

—Making efforts to shut down government-run news services like the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voice-of-america-trump-f30c48df0c16de622ec5fd99ee6c627c">Voice of America</a>.

—Cutting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pbs-npr-media-funding-8b51113b8edd932aa850235318b73e53">funding to public broadcasting</a>.

David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at&nbsp;<a href="http://x.com/dbauder" target="_blank">http://x.com/dbauder</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social" target="_blank">https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747681737775.png" alt="Wendy McMahon AP file photo" />
 <figcaption>Wendy McMahon AP file photo</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/david-bauder">DAVID BAUDER</a>CBS News CEO Wendy McMahon said Monday that she is resigning after four years, the latest fallout at the network as its parent company considers settling a lawsuit with President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;over a “60 Minutes” interview with his former political opponent.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747669650801.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>McMahon, who has led both the network news division and news for the CBS-owned stations, said in an email message to staff that “it’s become clear that the company and I do not agree on the path forward. It’s time to move on and for this organization to move forward with new leadership.”McMahon has made clear she opposes settling with Trump — just like “60 Minutes” executive producer Bill Owens,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/60-minutes-cbs-producer-quits-4c7729507684fa516391a7022d27586b">who quit last month</a>.Trump has sued CBS, alleging it edited an interview with 2024 Democratic opponent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-view-president-trump-abc-interview-kamala-harris-0e7c4aba0b021e40540dcc68872ff0d1">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;last fall to benefit her. CBS News has denied that. CBS’ parent company, Paramount Global, is in talks to potentially settle Trump’s lawsuit. At the same time, Paramount Global is seeking administration approval of a merger with Skydance Media.George Cheeks, co-CEO of Paramount and head of the CBS network, said McMahon’s top deputies, CBS News president Tom Cibrowski and CBS Stations president Jennifer Mitchell, will report directly to him.McMahon, in her note, said that “the past few months have been challenging.”“I have spent the last few months shoring up our businesses and making sure the right leaders are in place, and I have no doubt they will continue to set the standard,” she said.In addition to the tussle with Trump, Paramount’s controlling shareholder,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paramount-skydance-redstone-entertainment-merger-8ba177aebe4ec6c3152e5b8ef82a72e0">Shari Redstone</a>, has expressed unhappiness over some network coverage of Israel’s war in Gaza, including a “60 Minutes” piece this winter. Paramount began supervising “60 Minutes” stories in new ways, including asking former CBS News President Susan Zirinsky to look over some of its stories before they aired.That extra layer contributed to Owens’ resignation. One of the show’s correspondents, Scott Pelley,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbs-trump-60-minutes-pelley-ce93eec7f2dc9c9c72f2d598f6bdf816">said on the air</a>&nbsp;that “none of us is happy” about the changes.CBS News is also trying to establish the new anchor team of John Dickerson and Maurice DuBois at its flagship “CBS Evening News” broadcast amid ratings troubles.In his note to staff members, Cheeks praised McMahon for expanding local news at CBS stations and improving their competitive positions, along with improving the network’s digital offerings.Despite the internal tensions, the “60 Minutes” broadcast has done&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cbs-60-minutes-lawsuit-trump-pelley-58339cc1a1eb52739bb365e2e8c6d8bc">several notably tough stories</a>&nbsp;on the Trump administration, and it has drawn the ire of the president. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cbs-60-minutes-2c8a32df63f3ec50cfffe94a26436fda">attacked the show</a>&nbsp;after one episode in April. “Almost every week, 60 Minutes ... mentions the name ‘TRUMP’ in a derogatory and defamatory way,” the president said on social media.On Sunday’s season finale of “60 Minutes,” a story that had been scheduled and publicly announced about cutbacks at the Internal Revenue Service was not aired. A spokeswoman said it was because on Friday, CBS learned that IRS leadership had told senior staff that it had decided to call some 7,000 probationary employees back to work.CBS said it would continue to report on the details and broadcast the story some time in the future.A Trump settlement with Paramount has precedence. The Walt Disney Co. decided in December to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abc-trump-lawsuit-defamation-stephanopoulos-04aea8663310af39ae2a85f4c1a56d68">pay $15 million to end</a>&nbsp;a Trump libel lawsuit against ABC News over a statement made by the network’s George Stephanopoulos regarding a sexual assault case against Trump.The new administration has been battling with the media over several fronts, including:—Engaging in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-ap-media-court-white-house-events-access-f346a0efe87c1dec4d6f90e6041abd09">court fight with The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;over curtailing access because the agency has not followed Trump’s wishes to rename the Gulf of Mexico.—Making efforts to shut down government-run news services like the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voice-of-america-trump-f30c48df0c16de622ec5fd99ee6c627c">Voice of America</a>.—Cutting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-pbs-npr-media-funding-8b51113b8edd932aa850235318b73e53">funding to public broadcasting</a>.___David Bauder writes about media for the AP. Follow him at&nbsp;<a href="http://x.com/dbauder" target="_blank">http://x.com/dbauder</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social" target="_blank">https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social</a>.

CBS News CEO quits as potential Trump lawsuit settlement looms

BARRY COUNTY —A teenager drowned just after 1p.m. Friday at Table Rock Lake.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 14-year-old Shell Knob, Missouri boy jumped into the lake from a dock. He was overcome by the wind and waves and drowned a short distance from the dock.

A Missouri State Highway Patrol dive team recovered the body of Ean Heuback at the same location and he was transported to <a href="https://www.whitefuneralhome.org/obituary/ean-hueback">White Funeral Home in Cassville.</a>&nbsp; He had just celebrated his graduation from 8th grade according to <a href="https://www.whitefuneralhome.org/obituary/ean-hueback">his obituary.</a>

BARRY COUNTY —A teenager drowned just after 1p.m. Friday at Table Rock Lake.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 14-year-old Shell Knob, Missouri boy jumped into the lake from a dock. He was overcome by the wind and waves and drowned a short distance from the dock.A Missouri State Highway Patrol dive team recovered the body of Ean Heuback at the same location and he was transported to <a href="https://www.whitefuneralhome.org/obituary/ean-hueback">White Funeral Home in Cassville.</a>&nbsp; He had just celebrated his graduation from 8th grade according to <a href="https://www.whitefuneralhome.org/obituary/ean-hueback">his obituary.</a>

14-year-old drowns at Table Rock Lake

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday that Russia and Ukraine will “immediately” begin ceasefire negotiations after what he described as an “excellent” call with Russian President Vladimir Putin that lasted more than two hours.

Trump also spoke with with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders in hopes of making progress toward a ceasefire.

“The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of,” Trump said in a social media post. The conversations came after the White House said the U.S. leader has grown “frustrated” with both leaders over the continuing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war in Ukraine.</a>

After the call, Putin said Russia was ready to continue discussing an end to the fighting, but he indicated there was no major breakthrough in what he termed a “very informative and very frank” conversation with Trump. Putin said the warring countries should “find compromises that would suit all parties.”

“At the same time, I would like to note that, in general, Russia’s position is clear. The main thing for us is to eliminate the root causes of this crisis,” the Russian president said.

Trump has struggled to end a war that began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022. That makes these conversations a serious test of his reputation as a deal maker after having claimed he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-ukraine-war-633a216d0506c82353fc7745b69c0fe0">quickly settle the conflict</a>&nbsp;once he was back in the White House, if not even before he took office.

Trump expressed his hopes for a “productive day” Monday — and a ceasefire — in a social media post over the weekend. His effort will also include calls to NATO leaders. But ahead of the call, Vice President JD Vance said Trump is “more than open” to walking away from trying to end the war if he feels Putin isn't serious about negotiation.

“He’s grown weary and frustrated with both sides of the conflict,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday ahead of the call. “He has made it clear to both sides that he wants to see a peaceful resolution and ceasefire as soon as possible.”

The Republican president is banking on the idea that his force of personality and personal history with Putin will be enough to break any impasse over a pause in the fighting.

“I’d say we’re more than open to walking away,” Vance told reporters before leaving Rome after meeting with Pope Leo XIV. Vance said Trump has been clear that the U.S. “is not going to spin its wheels here. We want to see outcomes.”

Trump's “sensibilities are that he’s got to get on the phone with President Putin, and that is going to clear up some of the logjam and get us to the place that we need to get to,” said Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff. “I think it’s going to be a very successful call.”

Trump's frustration builds over failure to end war

Still, there are fears that Trump has an affinity for Putin that could put Ukraine at a disadvantage with any agreements engineered by the U.S. government.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-ukraine-russia-666b7a75e41748e81d525959c2c78289">Bridget Brink</a>&nbsp;said she resigned last month as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine "because the policy since the beginning of the administration was to put pressure on the victim Ukraine, rather than on the aggressor, Russia.”

Brink said the sign that she needed to depart was an Oval Office meeting in February where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">Trump and his team openly berated Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;for not being sufficiently deferential to them.

“I believe that peace at any price is not peace at all,” Brink said. “It’s appeasement, and as we know from history, appeasement only leads to more war.”

Trump's frustration about the war had been building before his post Saturday on Truth Social about the coming calls.

Trump said his discussion with Putin would focus on stopping the “bloodbath” of the war. It also will cover trade, a sign that Trump might be seeking to use financial incentives to broker some kind of agreement after Russia's invasion led to severe sanctions by the United States and

its allies that have steadily eroded Moscow's ability to grow.

Trump's hope, according to the post, is that “a war that should have never happened will end.”

Vance said Trump would press Putin on whether he was serious about negotiating an end to the conflict, saying Trump doesn’t believe he is and that Trump may wash his hands of trying to end the war.

“It takes two to tango,” Vance said, adding that “if Russia is not willing to do that, then we’re eventually just going to have to say, this is not our war. It’s Joe Biden’s war, it’s Vladimir Putin’s war."

His treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said Sunday on NBC's “Meet the Press” that Trump had made it clear that a failure by Putin to negotiate “in good faith” could lead to additional sanctions against Russia.

Bessent suggested the sanctions that began during the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden were inadequate because they did not stop Russia's oil revenues, due to concerns that doing so would increase U.S. prices. The United States sought to cap Russia's oil revenues while preserving the country's petroleum exports to limit the damage from the inflation that the war produced.

No ceasefire but an exchange of prisoners

Putin recently rejected an offer by Zelenskyy to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-meeting-summit-soon-russia-meet-83ff8027e1860d8480dc7f5567e76062">meet in-person in Turkey</a>&nbsp;as an alternative to a 30-day ceasefire urged by Ukraine and its Western allies, including Washington. Instead, Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Istanbul for talks, the first such direct negotiations since March 2022.

Those talks ended Friday after less than two hours, without a ceasefire in place. Still, both countries committed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each, with Ukraine’s intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, saying on Ukrainian television Saturday that the exchanges could happen as early as this week.

While wrapping up his four-day trip to the Middle East, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-meeting-summit-soon-russia-meet-83ff8027e1860d8480dc7f5567e76062">said Friday</a>&nbsp;that Putin had not gone to Turkey because Trump himself wasn't there.

“He and I will meet, and I think we’ll solve it or maybe not,” Trump told reporters after boarding Air Force One. “At least we’ll know. And if we don’t solve it, it’ll be very interesting.”

Zelenskyy met with Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Rome on Sunday, as well as European leaders, intensifying his efforts before the Monday calls.

The Ukrainian president said on the social media site X that during his talks with the American officials, they discussed the negotiations in Turkey and that “the Russians sent a low level delegation of non-decision-makers.” He also said he stressed that Ukraine is engaged in ”real diplomacy” to have a ceasefire.

“We have also touched upon the need for sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defense cooperation, battlefield situation and upcoming prisoners exchange,” Zelenskyy said. “Pressure is needed against Russia until they are eager to stop the war.”

The German government said Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French, British and Italian leaders spoke with Trump late Sunday about the situation in Ukraine and his upcoming call with Putin. A brief statement gave no details of the conversation, but said the plan is for the exchange to be continued directly after the Trump-Putin call.

Witkoff spoke Sunday on ABC's “This Week” and Brink appeared on CBS' “Face the Nation.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663760963726.jpeg" alt="File photo (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)" />
 <figcaption>File photo (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Monday that Russia and Ukraine will “immediately” begin ceasefire negotiations after what he described as an “excellent” call with Russian President Vladimir Putin that lasted more than two hours.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560"><a href="https://t.co/q5CPyHZkLD">pic.twitter.com/q5CPyHZkLD</a>&mdash; Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1924523182909747657?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump also spoke with with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders in hopes of making progress toward a ceasefire.“The conditions for that will be negotiated between the two parties, as it can only be, because they know details of a negotiation that nobody else would be aware of,” Trump said in a social media post. The conversations came after the White House said the U.S. leader has grown “frustrated” with both leaders over the continuing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war in Ukraine.</a>After the call, Putin said Russia was ready to continue discussing an end to the fighting, but he indicated there was no major breakthrough in what he termed a “very informative and very frank” conversation with Trump. Putin said the warring countries should “find compromises that would suit all parties.”“At the same time, I would like to note that, in general, Russia’s position is clear. The main thing for us is to eliminate the root causes of this crisis,” the Russian president said.Trump has struggled to end a war that began with Russia’s invasion in February 2022. That makes these conversations a serious test of his reputation as a deal maker after having claimed he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-ukraine-war-633a216d0506c82353fc7745b69c0fe0">quickly settle the conflict</a>&nbsp;once he was back in the White House, if not even before he took office.Trump expressed his hopes for a “productive day” Monday — and a ceasefire — in a social media post over the weekend. His effort will also include calls to NATO leaders. But ahead of the call, Vice President JD Vance said Trump is “more than open” to walking away from trying to end the war if he feels Putin isn't serious about negotiation.“He’s grown weary and frustrated with both sides of the conflict,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Monday ahead of the call. “He has made it clear to both sides that he wants to see a peaceful resolution and ceasefire as soon as possible.”The Republican president is banking on the idea that his force of personality and personal history with Putin will be enough to break any impasse over a pause in the fighting.“I’d say we’re more than open to walking away,” Vance told reporters before leaving Rome after meeting with Pope Leo XIV. Vance said Trump has been clear that the U.S. “is not going to spin its wheels here. We want to see outcomes.”Trump's “sensibilities are that he’s got to get on the phone with President Putin, and that is going to clear up some of the logjam and get us to the place that we need to get to,” said Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff. “I think it’s going to be a very successful call.”<h2>Trump's frustration builds over failure to end war</h2>Still, there are fears that Trump has an affinity for Putin that could put Ukraine at a disadvantage with any agreements engineered by the U.S. government.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-ukraine-russia-666b7a75e41748e81d525959c2c78289">Bridget Brink</a>&nbsp;said she resigned last month as the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine "because the policy since the beginning of the administration was to put pressure on the victim Ukraine, rather than on the aggressor, Russia.”Brink said the sign that she needed to depart was an Oval Office meeting in February where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">Trump and his team openly berated Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;for not being sufficiently deferential to them.“I believe that peace at any price is not peace at all,” Brink said. “It’s appeasement, and as we know from history, appeasement only leads to more war.”Trump's frustration about the war had been building before his post Saturday on Truth Social about the coming calls.Trump said his discussion with Putin would focus on stopping the “bloodbath” of the war. It also will cover trade, a sign that Trump might be seeking to use financial incentives to broker some kind of agreement after Russia's invasion led to severe sanctions by the United States andits allies that have steadily eroded Moscow's ability to grow.Trump's hope, according to the post, is that “a war that should have never happened will end.”Vance said Trump would press Putin on whether he was serious about negotiating an end to the conflict, saying Trump doesn’t believe he is and that Trump may wash his hands of trying to end the war.“It takes two to tango,” Vance said, adding that “if Russia is not willing to do that, then we’re eventually just going to have to say, this is not our war. It’s Joe Biden’s war, it’s Vladimir Putin’s war."His treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, said Sunday on NBC's “Meet the Press” that Trump had made it clear that a failure by Putin to negotiate “in good faith” could lead to additional sanctions against Russia.Bessent suggested the sanctions that began during the administration of Democratic President Joe Biden were inadequate because they did not stop Russia's oil revenues, due to concerns that doing so would increase U.S. prices. The United States sought to cap Russia's oil revenues while preserving the country's petroleum exports to limit the damage from the inflation that the war produced.<h2>No ceasefire but an exchange of prisoners</h2>Putin recently rejected an offer by Zelenskyy to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-meeting-summit-soon-russia-meet-83ff8027e1860d8480dc7f5567e76062">meet in-person in Turkey</a>&nbsp;as an alternative to a 30-day ceasefire urged by Ukraine and its Western allies, including Washington. Instead, Russian and Ukrainian officials met in Istanbul for talks, the first such direct negotiations since March 2022.Those talks ended Friday after less than two hours, without a ceasefire in place. Still, both countries committed to exchange 1,000 prisoners of war each, with Ukraine’s intelligence chief, Kyrylo Budanov, saying on Ukrainian television Saturday that the exchanges could happen as early as this week.While wrapping up his four-day trip to the Middle East, Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-meeting-summit-soon-russia-meet-83ff8027e1860d8480dc7f5567e76062">said Friday</a>&nbsp;that Putin had not gone to Turkey because Trump himself wasn't there.“He and I will meet, and I think we’ll solve it or maybe not,” Trump told reporters after boarding Air Force One. “At least we’ll know. And if we don’t solve it, it’ll be very interesting.”Zelenskyy met with Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio in Rome on Sunday, as well as European leaders, intensifying his efforts before the Monday calls.The Ukrainian president said on the social media site X that during his talks with the American officials, they discussed the negotiations in Turkey and that “the Russians sent a low level delegation of non-decision-makers.” He also said he stressed that Ukraine is engaged in ”real diplomacy” to have a ceasefire.“We have also touched upon the need for sanctions against Russia, bilateral trade, defense cooperation, battlefield situation and upcoming prisoners exchange,” Zelenskyy said. “Pressure is needed against Russia until they are eager to stop the war.”The German government said Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French, British and Italian leaders spoke with Trump late Sunday about the situation in Ukraine and his upcoming call with Putin. A brief statement gave no details of the conversation, but said the plan is for the exchange to be continued directly after the Trump-Putin call.Witkoff spoke Sunday on ABC's “This Week” and Brink appeared on CBS' “Face the Nation.”

President Trump describes phone call with Russian President Putin

KIOWA COUNTY—At about 11 p.m. Sunday, a stopped Union Pacific train was apparently hit by a tornado in rural, south central Kansas.

The train crew had stopped the train about two miles west of the small community of Haviland, after learning a tornado warning had been issued for the area, according to Union Pacific Spokesperson Robynn Tysver.

About 100 rail cars derailed. No one was injured, and no hazardous material was released. Cleanup is underway.&nbsp;

Union Pacific Railroad thanked the Kiowa County Sheriff’s Department, which quickly responded to the scene and picked up the train crew.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747674253491.png" alt="Cleanup of the rail cars underway -Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Cleanup of the rail cars underway -Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>KIOWA COUNTY—At about 11 p.m. Sunday, a stopped Union Pacific train was apparently hit by a tornado in rural, south central Kansas.The train crew had stopped the train about two miles west of the small community of Haviland, after learning a tornado warning had been issued for the area, according to Union Pacific Spokesperson Robynn Tysver.About 100 rail cars derailed. No one was injured, and no hazardous material was released. Cleanup is underway.&nbsp;Union Pacific Railroad thanked the Kiowa County Sheriff’s Department, which quickly responded to the scene and picked up the train crew.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Tornado toppled about 100 rail cars in rural south central Kan.

ROME (AP) — U.S. Vice President JD Vance extended an invitation to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-leo-xiv">Pope Leo XIV</a>&nbsp;to visit the United States during a meeting at the Vatican on Monday ahead of a flurry of U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to make progress on a ceasefire in Russia’s war in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine</a>.

Vance gave the first American pope a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump and the first lady inviting him. The Chicago-born pope took the letter and put it on his desk and was heard saying “at some point,” in the video footage of the meeting provided by Vatican Media.

Vance, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-catholicism-postliberals-social-policy-7e37e43cb1976c516d642a95d495266a">converted to Catholicism</a>&nbsp;in 2019, also gave the Augustinian pope a copy of two of St. Augustine's most seminal works, “The City of God" and "On Christian Doctrine,” the vice president's office said. Another gift: A Chicago Bears T-shirt with Leo's name on it.

“As you can probably imagine, people in the United States are extremely excited about you,” Vance told Leo as they exchanged gifts.

Leo gave Vance a bronze sculpture with the words in Italian “Peace is a fragile flower,” and a coffee-table sized picture book of the papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace. Leo noted that Francis had chosen not to live in them and added, “And I may live in, but it's not totally decided.”

Vance led the U.S. delegation to Sunday's formal Mass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-leo-xiv-installation-mass-b210865c4f0ed422ae74702c6eea1a93">opening the pontificate</a>&nbsp;of the first American pope. Joining him at the meeting on Monday was Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also a Catholic, Vance spokesperson Luke Schroeder said. The two then also met with the Vatican foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.

“There was an exchange of views on some current international issues, calling for respect for humanitarian law and international law in areas of conflict and for a negotiated solution between the parties involved,” according to a Vatican statement after their meeting.

According to the photo of the visits released by the Vatican, Leo's brother, Louis Prevost, a self-described “MAGA-type,” and his wife Deborah joined the delegation during the visit.

The Vatican listed Vance's delegation as the first of several private audiences Leo was having Monday with people who had come to Rome for his inaugural Mass, including other Christian leaders and a group of faithful from his old diocese in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/peru-pope-leo-chiclayo-vatican-prevost-0f99859e5749decadade2d24ba7811dd">Chiclayo, Peru</a>.

The Vatican, which was largely sidelined during the first three years of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-russia-ukraine-peace-pope-rubio-us-95f185bc251ac2dde54200f9495a0ad9">offered to host any peace talks</a>&nbsp;while continuing humanitarian efforts to facilitate prisoner swaps and reunite Ukrainian children taken by Russia.

After greeting Leo briefly at the end of Sunday’s Mass, Vance spent the rest of the day in separate meetings, including with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He also met with European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni, who said she hoped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-eu-us-trump-vance-von-der-leyen-europe-trade-tariffs-ukraine-war-russia-pope-leo-b56131694579f4e37f5b7115ca06678d">the trialateral meeting</a>&nbsp;could be a “new beginning.”

In the evening, Meloni spoke by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump and several other European leaders ahead of Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drone-strike-sumy-e90d68ea2ef45f329a4cda16e200c141">expected call</a>&nbsp;with Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Monday, according to a statement from Meloni's office.

Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, is a Chicago-born Augustinian missionary who spent the bulk of his ministry in Chiclayo, a commercial city of around 800,000 on Peru’s northern Pacific coast.

In the days since his May 8 election, Leo has vowed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-eastern-rite-christians-persecuted-protect-a06c75258299e585c7eb8ea2006dc22f">“every effort”</a>&nbsp;to help bring peace to Ukraine. He also has emphasized his continuity with Pope Francis, who made caring for migrants and the poor a priority of his pontificate.

Before his election,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-twitter-x-trump-vance-criticism-9c311123985ebce282877071f75b6d80">Prevost shared</a>&nbsp;news articles on X that were critical of the Trump administration’s plans for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-asylum-lawsuit-courts-d325740dd73f425309c66f89e670fd8f">mass deportations of migrants.</a>

Vance was one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-vance-pope-migration-a91d0f741cb994faae1e363d38b66c05">last foreign officials</a>&nbsp;to meet with Francis before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-funeral-d6a8a471978c21c71c3f1dc07f663e78">the Argentine pope's April 21 death.</a>&nbsp;The two had tangled over migration, with Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-trump-migration-09a89091f8e7dc3270099f0947d04e90">publicly rebuking</a>&nbsp;the Trump administration's deportation plan and correcting Vance's theological justification for it.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747569688341.jpeg" alt="Pope Leo XIV meets Vice President JD Vance after the formal inauguration of his pontificate in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)" />
 <figcaption>Pope Leo XIV meets Vice President JD Vance after the formal inauguration of his pontificate in St. Peter's Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, May 18, 2025. (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — U.S. Vice President JD Vance extended an invitation to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-leo-xiv">Pope Leo XIV</a>&nbsp;to visit the United States during a meeting at the Vatican on Monday ahead of a flurry of U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to make progress on a ceasefire in Russia’s war in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">I was humbled and honored to meet Pope Leo XIV and lead the presidential delegation to Rome for his inaugural mass. We had a great conversation, and I know he is a true servant of God. I hope all Americans will join me in praying for the new pope as he begins his ministry. <a href="https://t.co/z7Q9J48Sdz">https://t.co/z7Q9J48Sdz</a>&mdash; JD Vance (@JDVance) <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance/status/1924472188888887416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Vance gave the first American pope a letter from U.S. President Donald Trump and the first lady inviting him. The Chicago-born pope took the letter and put it on his desk and was heard saying “at some point,” in the video footage of the meeting provided by Vatican Media.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">This morning, <a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VP</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a> met with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV <a href="https://twitter.com/Pontifex?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Pontifex</a> 🇺🇸🇻🇦 <a href="https://t.co/VRM3ETsAp5">pic.twitter.com/VRM3ETsAp5</a>&mdash; Taylor Van Kirk (@VPPressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/VPPressSec/status/1924377856513052719?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Vance, who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jd-vance-catholicism-postliberals-social-policy-7e37e43cb1976c516d642a95d495266a">converted to Catholicism</a>&nbsp;in 2019, also gave the Augustinian pope a copy of two of St. Augustine's most seminal works, “The City of God" and "On Christian Doctrine,” the vice president's office said. Another gift: A Chicago Bears T-shirt with Leo's name on it.“As you can probably imagine, people in the United States are extremely excited about you,” Vance told Leo as they exchanged gifts.Leo gave Vance a bronze sculpture with the words in Italian “Peace is a fragile flower,” and a coffee-table sized picture book of the papal apartments in the Apostolic Palace. Leo noted that Francis had chosen not to live in them and added, “And I may live in, but it's not totally decided.”Vance led the U.S. delegation to Sunday's formal Mass&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-leo-xiv-installation-mass-b210865c4f0ed422ae74702c6eea1a93">opening the pontificate</a>&nbsp;of the first American pope. Joining him at the meeting on Monday was Secretary of State Marco Rubio, also a Catholic, Vance spokesperson Luke Schroeder said. The two then also met with the Vatican foreign minister, Archbishop Paul Gallagher.“There was an exchange of views on some current international issues, calling for respect for humanitarian law and international law in areas of conflict and for a negotiated solution between the parties involved,” according to a Vatican statement after their meeting.According to the photo of the visits released by the Vatican, Leo's brother, Louis Prevost, a self-described “MAGA-type,” and his wife Deborah joined the delegation during the visit.The Vatican listed Vance's delegation as the first of several private audiences Leo was having Monday with people who had come to Rome for his inaugural Mass, including other Christian leaders and a group of faithful from his old diocese in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/peru-pope-leo-chiclayo-vatican-prevost-0f99859e5749decadade2d24ba7811dd">Chiclayo, Peru</a>.The Vatican, which was largely sidelined during the first three years of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-russia-ukraine-peace-pope-rubio-us-95f185bc251ac2dde54200f9495a0ad9">offered to host any peace talks</a>&nbsp;while continuing humanitarian efforts to facilitate prisoner swaps and reunite Ukrainian children taken by Russia.After greeting Leo briefly at the end of Sunday’s Mass, Vance spent the rest of the day in separate meetings, including with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He also met with European Union Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni, who said she hoped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-eu-us-trump-vance-von-der-leyen-europe-trade-tariffs-ukraine-war-russia-pope-leo-b56131694579f4e37f5b7115ca06678d">the trialateral meeting</a>&nbsp;could be a “new beginning.”In the evening, Meloni spoke by phone with U.S. President Donald Trump and several other European leaders ahead of Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drone-strike-sumy-e90d68ea2ef45f329a4cda16e200c141">expected call</a>&nbsp;with Russia's President Vladimir Putin on Monday, according to a statement from Meloni's office.<h2>‘Every Effort’</h2>Leo, the former Cardinal Robert Prevost, is a Chicago-born Augustinian missionary who spent the bulk of his ministry in Chiclayo, a commercial city of around 800,000 on Peru’s northern Pacific coast.In the days since his May 8 election, Leo has vowed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-eastern-rite-christians-persecuted-protect-a06c75258299e585c7eb8ea2006dc22f">“every effort”</a>&nbsp;to help bring peace to Ukraine. He also has emphasized his continuity with Pope Francis, who made caring for migrants and the poor a priority of his pontificate.Before his election,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-leo-twitter-x-trump-vance-criticism-9c311123985ebce282877071f75b6d80">Prevost shared</a>&nbsp;news articles on X that were critical of the Trump administration’s plans for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immigration-asylum-lawsuit-courts-d325740dd73f425309c66f89e670fd8f">mass deportations of migrants.</a>Vance was one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-vance-pope-migration-a91d0f741cb994faae1e363d38b66c05">last foreign officials</a>&nbsp;to meet with Francis before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-funeral-d6a8a471978c21c71c3f1dc07f663e78">the Argentine pope's April 21 death.</a>&nbsp;The two had tangled over migration, with Francis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-trump-migration-09a89091f8e7dc3270099f0947d04e90">publicly rebuking</a>&nbsp;the Trump administration's deportation plan and correcting Vance's theological justification for it.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.