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These companies are using oceans and rivers to generate electricity - John Littell 

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These companies are using oceans and rivers to generate electricity - John Littell 

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This talks about how there are a few companies that are using water as a resource to make electricity. One way this helps us mainly us to show that there are different ways to give us power.

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Kyle Rittenhouse is acquitted of all charges in the trial over killing 2 in Kenosha

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Kyle Rittenhouse is acquitted of all charges in the trial over killing 2 in Kenosha

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kyle Rittenhouse was found not guilty for the murder of two convicted felons at last years riot in Kanosha. the jury found him not guilty on the account of using self defense to justify these said deaths, was also labled as a white surpremist by the president and all news platforms, so now he can sue everyone and is worth at least over 100 million, it will be the biggest left payout to an injustified trial of a person using defense.

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Kyle Rittenhouse, the 18-year-old who fatally shot two people during the unrest last year in Kenosha, Wis., has been acquitted of all charges in a criminal trial that divided the nation over questions about gun rights, violence at racial justice protests and vigilantism.

The verdict, delivered Friday, follows a highly watched trial in which prosecutors struggled to overcome Rittenhouse's claim that he acted in self-defense on the night of the shootings.

"He has a huge sense of relief for what the jury did to him today. He wishes none of this would have ever happened, but as he said when he testified, he did not start this," said Rittenhouse's defense attorney Mark Richards, speaking to reporters outside the courthouse. "To say that we're relieved would be a gross misunderstatement."

In two weeks of testimony and evidence - led by a daylong turn on the stand by Rittenhouse himself - defense attorneys were able to convince the jury of 12 that the night of Aug. 25, 2020, was filled with deadly peril for the then-17-year-old.

Jurors deliberated for roughly 27 hours over the course of four daysbefore pronouncing Rittenhouse not guilty on all five counts: first-degree intentional homicide, first-degree reckless homicide, first-degree attempted intentional homicide and two counts of first-degree reckless endangerment. The jury was also asked to consider lesser versions of several counts, but were not swayed.

"While we are disappointed with the verdict, it must be respected. We are grateful to the members of the jury for their diligent and thoughtful deliberations," said the Kenosha County District Attorney's Office in a statement. "We ask that members of our community continue to express their opinions and feelings about this verdict in a civil and peaceful manner."

Prosecutors declined to give further comment.

A chaotic night of unrest in Kenosha turns deadly

Rittenhouse armed himself with an AR-15-style rifle on a night of unrest in Kenosha sparked by the police shooting of Jacob Blake, a 29-year-old Black man who was left paralyzed after an encounter with a white officer. Rittenhouse, who lived across the state line in Antioch, Ill., testified that he intended to act as a medic and help protect private property.

But the night spiraled out of control. In a series of chaotic encounters with protesters, documented thoroughly by photographs and videos, Rittenhouse shot and killed Joseph Rosenbaum, 36, and Anthony Huber, 26, and injured Gaige Grosskreutz, then 26.

During the trial, Rittenhouse said he feared for his life in all three cases. Rosenbaum, he said, had chased him and was grabbing for his rifle.

"Mr. Rosenbaum was chasing me. He said he was going to kill me if he got me alone. I was alone. I was running from him. I pointed it at him, and it didn't stop him from continuing to chase me," Rittenhouse testified.

Afterward, as he ran toward police, others, including Huber and Grosskreutz, began to chase him. Huber struck him with a skateboard, visual evidence confirms. Grosskreutz was holding a loaded Glock pistol, which, he admitted during cross-examination, was pointed at Rittenhouse, though he said that was unintentional.

The criminal trial ends with acquittal, but civil lawsuits could be coming

Prosecutors argued that Rittenhouse was responsible for creating those situations. He chose to bring a deadly rifle into a dangerous environment, they said, and chose to stay there even after being separated from a friend.

Rosenbaum was unarmed, they pointed out, yet Rittenhouse shot him four times, all as Rosenbaum was falling to the ground. Grosskreutz testified that he feared for his own life, given the presence of Rittenhouse's rifle, and was trying to disarm Rittenhouse, not kill him. Asked on the witness stand what was going through his mind during their encounter, Grosskreutz replied, "That I was going to die."

But prosecutors also made repeated missteps, prompting defense lawyers to request a mistrial on two occasions, the first over Assistant District Attorney Thomas Binger questioning Rittenhouse's right to remain silent and a second over a drone video that prosecutors had inadvertently compressed when sharing it with defense lawyers.

And legal experts said prosecutors relied too heavily on video evidence that was difficult to interpret and witnesses who offered testimony that at times seemed to bolster Rittenhouse's case.

"The prosecution had a very difficult time establishing its own case through its own witnesses. Each of the witnesses that the prosecution put forward did something to help their case but also did something that was harmful to their case," said Charles Coleman Jr., a civil rights lawyer and former prosecutor.

In the end, jurors were ultimately persuaded by Rittenhouse's version of events.

"Some might have had concerns about the decisions that brought Mr. Rittenhouse to Kenosha that evening and how he reacted. However, unless the state proves beyond a reasonable doubt that this wasn't reasonable and that he didn't believe that he needed to use deadly force to defend himself, then the only proper verdict is acquittal," said Chris Zachar, a criminal defense attorney based in La Crosse, Wis., who was not involved in the trial.

Rittenhouse could still be sued for damages in a civil trial, where the burden of proof is lower than in criminal trials.

In a statement, Huber's parents, Karen Bloom and John Huber, said that their son "would have his day in court" and that they were "heartbroken and angry" over the acquittal.

"Today's verdict means there is no accountability for the person who murdered our son. It sends the unacceptable message that armed civilians can show up in any town, incite violence, and then use the danger they have created to justify shooting people in the street," they said.

A lightning rod of a trial, broadcast widely across the U.S.

The case has sparked passionate reactions from the American public since the moment Rittenhouse fired his rifle that night.

Nearly every aspect of the case touches on some of the country's most contentious fault lines: Second Amendment rights, self-defense, violence at racial justice protests, vigilantism and perceptions of how police and the justice system treat white people and people of color differently.

Supporters saw Rittenhouse as a champion of gun rights who bravely stepped in to protect a community from what they considered lawless riots. Opponents instead saw an irresponsible vigilante who came to Kenosha to play dress-up as a police officer - a "chaos tourist," as Binger put it.

"What comes to mind is the comment that, 'How do you stop an active shooter? Good guys with guns.' In this case, you've got Mr. Rittenhouse, who fires off four shots at somebody who's unarmed and then continues to shoot people," said Zachar. "Who's the good guy? Who's the bad guy in that scenario? No, nobody really knows."

For the past two weeks, the trial has commanded the nation's attention - thanks in no small part to the fact that nearly every minute of the proceedings was broadcast widely on TV and livestream video. Everyone from basketball star LeBron James to Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., weighed in before the verdict.

The White House released a statement from President Biden on Friday saying that the verdict "will leave many Americans feeling angry and concerned, myself included," but that "we must acknowledge that the jury has spoken." Biden urged people to refrain from violence and property destruction and said he had contacted Wisconsin's governor to offer "support and any assistance needed to ensure public safety."

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Kyle Rittenhouse is acquitted of all charges in the trial over killing 2 in Kenosha

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Kyle Rittenhouse, the 18-year-old who fatally shot two people during the unrest last year in Kenosha, Wis., has been acquitted of all charges in a criminal trial that divided the nation over questions about gun rights, violence at racial justice protests and vigilantism.

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The Rescue of Parwana: 9-year-old child bride is taken to safety in Afghanistan / Hye-Lynn Kim

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The Rescue of Parwana: 9-year-old child bride is taken to safety in Afghanistan / Hye-Lynn Kim

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Last month, Parwana and several other underage girls were being sold by their fathers so other members of their families could eat. The day and night before Parwana was sold, she had cried to her father, begging him not to sell her, saying she wanted to go to school and study instead.
Even though marriage under the age of 15 is illegal nationwide, it has been commonly practiced for years, especially in more rural parts of Afghanistan. And the situation has deteriorated since August, as families become more desperate. In 2021, Afghanistan has already been ranked as the worst country in the world for women. But since the Taliban took over, many of the basic rights that women had fought for over the past two decades have been stripped away. Girls are banned from education past elementary school, women are banned from many workplaces, and actresses can no longer appear on TV drama.

"They treated me badly, they were cursing me, they were waking me up early and making me work,"
- Parwana

"Afghan young girls (are) becoming the price of food, because otherwise their family will starve."
"Usually there is a lot of misery, there is a lot of mistreatment, there is a lot of abuse involved in these things,"
- Afghan women's rights activist Mahbouba Seraj

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afghanistan child marriages: 9-year-old bride is taken to safety - cnn

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The rescue of Parwana: 9-year-old sold into child marriage in Afghanistan is taken to safety

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Driving through a snow-capped mountain pass, the young mother huddles together with her six children in the backseat of a car after leaving their makeshift camp in northwestern Afghanistan.

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In the time frame of the last two weeks, Vice President Kamala Harris has lost two of her senior aides. Harris allies try to say these were long planned departures but top advisers don't leave just leave a less than a year into their team. Maybe one person leaves, but two?? No way.

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Michigan school shooting - latest: Sheriff criticizes school for not reporting Ethan Crumbley before attack - Jack Huffstetler

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Michigan school shooting - latest: Sheriff criticizes school for not reporting Ethan Crumbley before attack - Jack Huffstetler

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A sheriff was concerned about the schools action regarding the school shooting of Ethan Crumbley. It was said that earlier in the day, before the shooting, parents and the school had a meeting with Ethan about his behavior over the weekend. The school did not take any disciplinary action towards this student. It was additionally said that Ethan on one of his social media posts, he said "Now I become death -- destroyer of worlds -- see you tomorrow Oxford." This is where the charges for terrorism come in, as this was a planned attack and not an immediate reaction whilst at school.

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Oxford school chief says suspect was not disciplined on day of attack

Investigators have uncovered a particularly "disturbing" piece of evidence against Ethan Crumbley, the 15-year-old accused of carrying out a mass shooting at his high school in Michigan.

Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald cited the evidence - which she said could not be made public yet - at a press conference on Wednesday where she announced Mr Crumbley is being charged as an adult with one count of terrorism, four counts of first-degree murder, seven counts of assault with intent to murder and 12 counts of possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony.

Ms McDonald said the charges stemmed from "undeniable" evidence that Tuesday's attack at Oxford High School was premeditated. The suspect had allegedly planned out the shooting in his journal and shared his intentions in two videos the night before.

The charges were announced after the death toll from the shooting rose to four as a 17-year-old boy, Justin Shilling, succumbed to his injuries. Three other students - 16-year-old Tate Myre, 14-year-old Hana St Juliana, and 17-year-old Madisyn Baldwin - were confirmed dead on Tuesday and seven other victims were wounded.

Meanwhile, it came to light that Mr Crumbley's parents were in the school just hours prior to the shooting for a face to face meeting with school authorities over their son's behaviour.

The teen allegedly posted a chilling countdown on Instagram hours before the shooting, writing: "Now I become death -- destroyer of worlds -- see you tomorrow Oxford."

Show latest update

Michigan school chief says 'discipline not warranted' for suspect

The superintendent of Michigan 's Oxford Community Schools has said the 15-year-old suspect in Tuesday's mass shooting was not disciplined during a meeting in the school's office earlier on the day of the killings.

"To say that I am still in shock and numb is probably an understatement. These events that have occurred will not define us," a stoney-faced Mr Throne said.

The Independent's Shweta Sharma has more details.

Sheriff says decision to let suspect return to class will be part of investigation

A journal and a chilling 'countdown': What were the red flags around Michigan suspect Ethan Crumbley

Revelations about suspect Ethan Crumbley's menacing social media posts, confessional videos and 'disturbing' classroom behaviour have sparked a debate over whether more could have been done to prevent the deadly shooting at Oxford High School.

The Independent's Megan Sheets has more details.

Revelations about suspect Ethan Crumbley's menacing social media posts, confessional videos and 'disturbing' classroom behaviour have sparked a debate over whether more could have been done to prevent the deadly shooting at Oxford High School. Megan Sheets writes

'Far beyond negligence': Prosecutor doubles down on suspect's parents

As charges against the parents are expected to be announced on Friday, the prosecutor has repeated her criticism of the parents of the suspect, Ethan Crumbley, in the Michigan school shooting.

Oakland County prosecutor Karen McDonald told WJR-AM the parents' actions went "far beyond negligence".

"The parents were the only individuals in the position to know the access to weapons," Ms McDonald said. The gun "seems to have been just freely available to that individual".

The semi-automatic gun which was used for the shooting in the school was purchased legally by Mr Crumbley's father last week, according to investigators.

Why prosecutors charged Ethan Crumbley with terrorism

Why have Michigan prosecutors taken the unusual step of charging Ethan Crumbley with terrorism?

But, she said, the intent was to address how the shooting impacted people throughout the community who were not killed or injured, in the form of fear and trauma.

"What about all the children who ran, screaming, hiding under desks?" Ms McDonald said. "What about all the children at home right now who can't eat and can't sleep and can't imagine a world where they could ever set foot back in that school?

"Those are victims, too, and so are their families, and so is the community. And the charge of terrorism reflects that."

Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard said he "100 per cent" agrees with the charge, saying: "If you weren't hit by a bullet, it doesn't mean you weren't terrorized that day and won't have nightmares about (it) the rest of your life - whether you're a parent, a teacher or a student in that class."

The ability to levy such a charge is borne from Michigan's controversial 2002 anti-terror act, passed in the aftermath of 9/11. Whereas most definitions of terrorism require some kind of political goal, Michigan's defines it as a violent felony act "intended to intimidate or coerce" a civilian population or a government.

At the time, the American Civil Liberties Union urged Michigan's legislature to limit the scope to "violent actions like those that occurred on September 11".

Former federal prosecutor Matthew Schneider told the Associated Press: "This is why we have this law. It's for this type of case. This is not just a murder case. It's going to terrorize a generation of these kids who were in the school. The impact is on thousands of people."

Mr Crumbley has pled not guilty to all charges.

University of Michigan footballers to honour slain students

The University of Michigan's football team will honour those killed in the Oxford school shooting during their next game on Saturday.

Michigan Wolverine players will wear a patch on their jerseys honouring Madisyn Baldwin, Tate Myre, Hana St Juliana, and Justin Shilling, the four students who died in the massacre.

The patch will also feature the letters "TM" and the player number "42" that were worn by Myre on his own football jersey during games for his school team.

"We are proud to represent the state of Michigan and all its communities," said the team on Thursday night.

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Michigan school shooting: Superintendent releases video message

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Oxford school chief says suspect was not disciplined on day of attack Investigators have uncovered a particularly "disturbing" piece of evidence against Ethan Crumbley, the 15-year-old accused of carrying out a mass shooting at his high school in Michigan.

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Concerns revealed to the michigan high school shootings - Elijah Shore

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Concerns revealed to the michigan high school shootings - Elijah Shore

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The 15 year old sophomore had some concerns before the tragic event had happen. Ethan Crumbly was already suspected before due to his behavior before the incident. One of the Students attending the high school reported that he had said something very concerning and counselling meetings were scheduled to talk about what had been said with his parents. Then the day of the meeting hours later he opened fire upon the school. should schools act faster upon things quicker?

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Jason Hanna, Aya Elamroussi and Shimon Prokupecz, CNN

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Investigators reveal concerns about behavior of Michigan high school shooting suspect leading up to the tragedy

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Two teachers separately reported concerning behavior from sophomore Ethan Crumbley starting the day before the fatal Michigan high school shooting he’s accused of -- prompting two meetings with him, including one with his parents just hours before the killings, a sheriff said Thursday.

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Senate passes a funding bill narrowly escaping a government shutdown- Nicolai mage

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Senate passes a funding bill narrowly escaping a government shutdown- Nicolai mage

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With almost 24 hours left until the government shut down the senate passed a funding bill to keep the government running until February 18th. Some Republicans and Democrats had trouble agreeing on the bill due to the vaccine mandate. Senators Ted Cruz, Mike Lee and Roger Marshall wanted to cut funding to the entity responsible for implementing Bidens vaccine mandate. Overall both sides were able to vote and pass the bill amidst the rise of the new Omicron variant and keep the government running.

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Senate lawmakers voted Thursday night to approve a bill that funds the government through Feb. 18, avoiding a government shutdown with roughly 24 hours to spare despite a partisan clash regarding President Biden's federal vaccine mandate.

The Senate voted 69-28 in favor of the continuing resolution, which approves government funding at the prior year's levels until a new bipartisan agreement is reached. The resolution includes $7 billion in new funding to support Afghan refugees.

The bill now proceeds to Biden's desk for final approval.

"I am glad that in the end, cooler heads prevailed. The government will stay open," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said. "And I thank the members of this chamber for walking us back from the brink of an avoidable, needless and costly shutdown."

Moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia was among the senators who voted in favor of the continuing resolution.

"In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and as the new Omicron variant emerges, I will not vote to shut down the government for purely political reasons," Manchin said in a statement.

A standoff between Senate Democrats and a handful of Republicans over the federal vaccine mandate nearly derailed the vote. Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Mike Lee of Utah and Roger Marshall of Kansas demanded a separate vote on an amendment to bar funding for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the entity responsible for implementing Biden's mandate.

Schumer allowed the vote on the amendment to proceed ahead of the vote on the continuing resolution.

Senators voted to reject Marshall's amendment on the vaccine mandate. The amendment fell short of the 51 votes required to pass. Manchin and fellow moderate Democrat Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona each voted against the measure.

Republicans widely oppose the mandate, which forces companies with 100 or more employees to ensure their employees are vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo regular testing. GOP lawmakers argue the mandate is too broad and constitutes federal overreach.

"No precedent exists in American history for punishing private employers who don't enforcement government vaccination edicts," Marshall said in a floor speech ahead of the vote on his amendment.

Lee said millions of Americans were "being threatened right now with losing their jobs" due to the mandate. He argued that Democrats, not Republicans, risked the shutdown in their effort to prevent a vote on the amendment.

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"Those in this chamber who shamefully were refusing over and over again to even let us cast a vote on that simple measure threatened to shut down all of government because they didn't want us to have a chance, as the people's elected lawmakers, to decide whether or not we should proceed with vaccine mandate enforcement," Lee said.

The vote on the continuing resolution brought the Senate in sync with House lawmakers, who hours earlier voted 221-212 in favor of the continuing resolution to fund the government through Feb. 18. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., was the lone GOP representative to vote in favor of the resolution.

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Senate passes funding bill despite vaccine mandate flap, averting shutdown

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Senate lawmakers voted Thursday night to approve a bill that funds the government through Feb. 18, avoiding a government shutdown with roughly 24 hours to spare despite a partisan clash regarding President Biden's federal vaccine mandate. The Senate voted 69-28 in favor of the continuing resolution, which approves government funding at the prior year's levels until a new bipartisan agreement is reached.

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Tensions are rising on Ukraine's border with Russia

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Tensions are rising on Ukraine's border with Russia

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Tensions between Ukraine and Russia are at their highest in years, with reports of a Russian troop build-up near Russia's borders with Ukraine fueling fears over Moscow's intentions. Ukraine warns Russia is trying to destabilize the country ahead of any planned military invasion. Western powers have repeatedly warned Russia in recent weeks against further aggressive moves against Ukraine. The Kremlin denies it is planning to attack and argues that NATO support for Ukraine including increased weapons supplies and military training constitutes a growing threat on Russia's western flank.

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Tensions between Ukraine and Russia are at their highest in years, with a Russian troop build-up near the two nations' borders spurring fears that Moscow could launch an invasion.

Ukraine has warned that Russia is trying to destabilize the country ahead of any planned military invasion. Western powers have repeatedly warned Russia against further aggressive moves against Ukraine.

The Kremlin denies it is planning to attack and argues that NATO support for Ukraine - including increased weapons supplies and military training - constitutes a growing threat on Russia's western flank.

The picture is complicated - but here's a breakdown of what we know.

What's the situation on the border?

The United States and NATO have described the movements and concentrations of troops in and around Ukraine as "unusual."

As many as 100,000 Russian troops have remained amassed at the Ukrainian border, despite warnings from US President Joe Biden and European leaders of serious consequences should Putin move ahead with an invasion. And US intelligence findings in December estimated that Russia could begin a military offensive in Ukraine "as soon as early 2022."

Speaking alongside his Ukrainian counterpart in Kyiv on January 19, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said Russia had "ratcheted up its threats and amassed nearly 100,000 forces on Ukraine's border, which it could double on relatively short order."

In late 2021, satellite photos revealed Russian hardware - including self-propelled guns, battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles - on the move at a training ground roughly 186 miles (300 km) from the border.

The Ukrainian Defense Ministry's latest intelligence assessment says Russia has now deployed more than 127,000 troops near Ukraine, including some 21,000 air and sea personnel, transferred more Iskander operational-tactical missiles to the border, and increased its intelligence activity against the country.

The assessment came after three rounds of diplomatic talks between Russia and the West aimed at de-escalating the crisis failed to produce a resolution.

US officials have said a Russian invasion of Ukraine could happen at any point in the next month or two.

Many of Russia's military bases are to the west of the vast country - the direction from which history suggests any threats are most likely to come. Russia's Defense Ministry has said it is conducting "regular" winter military drills in its southern region, parts of which border Ukraine.

Meanwhile, Ukraine's eastern Donetsk and Luhansk regions bordering Russia, an area known as Donbas, have been under the control of Russian-backed separatists since 2014. Russian forces are also present in the area, referred to by Ukraine as "temporarily occupied territories," although Russia denies it.

The front lines of the conflict have barely moved in five years, but there are frequent small-scale clashes and sniper attacks. Russia was angered when Ukrainian forces deployed a Turkish-made combat drone for the first time in October to strike a position held by the pro-Russian separatists.

Russia also has forces numbering in the tens of thousands at its massive naval base in Crimea, the Ukrainian territory it annexed in 2014. The Crimean peninsula, which lies to the south of the rest of Ukraine, is now connected by a road bridge to mainland Russia.

What's the history of the conflict between Ukraine and Russia?

Tensions between Ukraine and Russia, both former Soviet states, escalated in late 2013 over a landmark political and trade deal with the European Union. After the pro-Russian then-President, Viktor Yanukovych, suspended the talks - reportedly under pressure from Moscow - weeks of protests in Kyiv erupted into violence.

Then, in March 2014, Russia annexed Crimea, an autonomous peninsula in southern Ukraine with strong Russian loyalties, on the pretext that it was defending its interests and those of Russian-speaking citizens. First, thousands of Russian-speaking troops, dubbed "little green men" and later acknowledged by Moscow to be Russian soldiers, poured into the Crimean peninsula. Within days, Russia completed its annexation in a referendum that was slammed by Ukraine and most of the world as illegitimate.

Shortly afterwards, pro-Russian separatists in Ukraine's Donetsk and Luhansk regions declared their independence from Kyiv, prompting months of heavy fighting. Despite Kyiv and Moscow signing a peace deal in Minsk in 2015, brokered by France and Germany, there have been repeated ceasefire violations.

According to UN figures, there have been more than 3,000 conflict-related civilian deaths in eastern Ukraine since March 2014.

The European Union and US have imposed a series of measures in response to Russia's actions in Crimea and eastern Ukraine, including economic sanctions targeting individuals, entities and specific sectors of the Russian economy.

The Kremlin accuses Ukraine of stirring up tensions in the country's east and of violating the Minsk ceasefire agreement.

What's Russia's view?

The Kremlin has repeatedly denied that Russia plans on invading Ukraine, insisting Russia does not pose a threat to anyone and that the country moving troops across its own territory should not be cause for alarm.

Moscow sees the growing support for Ukraine from NATO - in terms of weaponry, training and personnel - as a threat to its own security. It has also accused Ukraine of boosting its own troop numbers in preparation for an attempt to retake the Donbas region, an allegation Ukraine has denied.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has called for specific legal agreements that would rule out any further NATO expansion eastwards towards Russia's borders, saying the West has not lived up to its previous verbal assurances.

Putin has also said that NATO deploying sophisticated weapons in Ukraine, such as missile systems, would be crossing a "red line" for Russia, amid concern in Moscow that Ukraine is being increasingly armed by NATO powers.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said in November that weapons and military advisers were already being supplied to Ukraine by the US and other NATO member states. "And all this, of course, leads to a further aggravation of the situation on the border line," he said.

If the US and its NATO allies do not change course in Ukraine, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has warned that Moscow has the "right to choose ways to ensure its legitimate security interests."

What is Ukraine's view?

Ukraine's government insists that Moscow cannot prevent Kyiv from building closer ties with NATO if it chooses.

"Russia cannot stop Ukraine from getting closer with NATO and has no right to have any say in relevant discussions," the Foreign Ministry said in a statement to CNN, in response to Russian calls for NATO to halt its eastward expansion.

"Any Russian proposals to discuss with NATO or the US any so-called guarantees that the Alliance would not expand to the East are illegitimate," it added.

Ukraine insists Russia is seeking to destabilize the country with the country's president, Volodymyr Zelensky, recently saying a coup plot, involving Ukrainians and Russians, had been uncovered.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba warned that a planned coup could be part of Russia's plan ahead of a military invasion. "External military pressure goes hand in hand with domestic destabilization of the country," he said.

Tensions between the two countries have been exacerbated by a deepening Ukrainian energy crisis that Kyiv believes Moscow has purposefully provoked.

At the same time, Zelensky's government faces challenges on many fronts. The government's popularity has stagnated amid multiple domestic political challenges, including a recent third wave of Covid-19 infections and a struggling economy.

Many people are also unhappy that the government hasn't yet delivered on benefits it promised and ended the conflict in the country's east. Anti-government protests have taken place in Kyiv.

In a January 19 video address, Zelensky urged the Ukrainian people to "calm down" amid mounting unease over a possible Russian invasion. "We are aware of everything, we are ready for everything," he said, before adding that he "sincerely believes" this year "will pass without a war" with Russia.

Kuleba also sought to reassure Ukrainians who fear the US, its NATO allies and Russia could leave Kyiv out of discussions. "No decisions about Ukraine without Ukraine is a principle that we adhere to," he said.

What does NATO say?

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said "there will be a high price to pay for Russia" if it once again invades Ukraine, a NATO partner.

"We have a wide range of options: economic sanctions, financial sanctions, political restrictions," said Stoltenberg, in a December 1 interview with CNN.

After Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, NATO increased its defenses "with combat-ready battlegroups in the eastern part of the alliance, in the Baltic countries, in Latvia ... but also in the Black Sea region," Stoltenberg said.

Ukraine is not a NATO member, and therefore doesn't have the same security guarantees as NATO members.

But Stoltenberg left the possibility of Ukraine becoming a NATO member on the table, saying that Russia does not have the right to tell Ukraine that it cannot pursue NATO membership.

High-stakes talks between Russia and NATO in Brussels in mid-January were "not an easy discussion," according to Stoltenberg, who added that "differences will not be easy to bridge." However, NATO allies and Russia "expressed the need to resume dialogue," he said.

What does the United States say?

President Joe Biden told Zelensky earlier this month in a phone call that the US and its allies "will respond decisively if Russia further invades Ukraine."

But Biden appeared to undermine that message when he subsequently suggested during a White House news conference that a "minor incursion" by Russia would elicit a lesser response than a full-scale invasion of the country.

While Biden vowed harsh economic consequences on Russia should Putin send his troops over the border, including restricting its financial transitions in US dollars, he suggested Western nations were not in sync on what to do should a lesser violation occur. "There are differences in NATO as to what countries are willing to do, depending on what happens," he said.

His remarks prompted a swift White House clarification. "President Biden has been clear with the Russian President: If any Russian military forces move across the Ukrainian border, that's a renewed invasion, and it will be met with a swift, severe, and united response from the United States and our Allies," press secretary Jen Psaki wrote in a statement.

One Ukrainian official told CNN he was "shocked that the US President Biden would distinguish between incursion and invasion" and suggest that a minor incursion would not trigger sanctions. "This gives the green light to Putin to enter Ukraine at his pleasure," the official added.

The diplomatic kerfuffle came as Blinken prepared for further talks with European allies on the Ukraine-Russia crisis and to meet with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov. Blinken has previously warned Russia that "any renewed aggression can trigger serious consequences."

Two defense officials told CNN on January 3 that the Defense Department has developed military options for Biden if he decides to increase capabilities in eastern Europe to further deter potential Russian aggression against Ukraine. Both officials emphasized that this part of routine planning the military does and that for now, the focus remains on diplomacy and potential economic sanctions.

US Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov held meetings in Geneva on January 10, as the US sought to de-escalate the threat of a Russian advance.

The US delivered roughly $450 million in security assistance to Ukraine in 2021, the Pentagon said, including a package of small arms and ammunition in December. The Biden administration is now weighing new options, including providing more arms to Ukraine to resist a Russian occupation, a senior US official told CNN.

The Obama administration was taken by surprise when Russia invaded Crimea in 2014 and backed an insurgency in eastern Ukraine's Donbas region. US officials say they are determined not to be caught out by another Russian military operation.

"Our concern is that Russia may make a serious mistake of attempting to rehash what it undertook back in 2014, when it amassed forces along the border, crossed into sovereign Ukrainian territory and did so claiming falsely that it was provoked," Blinken said late last year.

What other factors are at play?

Unrest in the former Soviet state of Kazakhstan was unwelcome news for Putin at the beginning of 2022.

Deadly protests in early January saw the Kazakh government resign, a state of emergency be declared and troops from a Russia-led military alliance deployed to help contain the unrest.

But experts have warned that Russia's intervention is unlikely to be the end of the story. Blinken said that "once Russians are in your house, sometimes it is very difficult to get them to leave."

Another issue revolves around energy supply. Ukraine views the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline - connecting Russian gas supplies directly to Germany - as a threat to its own security.

Nord Stream 2 is one of two pipelines that Russia has laid underwater in the Baltic Sea in addition to its traditional land-based pipeline network that runs through eastern Europe, including Ukraine.

Kyiv views the pipelines across Ukraine as an element of protection against an invasion by Russia, since any military action could potentially disrupt the vital flow of gas to Europe.

Analysts and US lawmakers have raised concerns that Nord Stream 2 will increase European dependence on Russian gas and could allow Moscow to selectively target countries such as Ukraine with energy cut-offs, without broader disruption to European supplies. Bypassing eastern European countries also means those nations would be deprived of lucrative transit fees Russia would otherwise pay.

In May 2021, the Biden administration waived sanctions on the company behind Nord Stream 2, effectively giving it the green light. US officials say the move was in the interest of US national security as it sought to rebuild frayed relations with Germany.

In November, the US imposed new sanctions on a Russian-linked entity and a vessel linked to Nord Stream 2. Some US senators have called for further sanctions to be imposed to prevent Russia using the pipeline as a weapon; Ukraine too has called for tougher measures.

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state departments and diplomatic services

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Tensions are high on Ukraine's border with Russia. Here's what you need to know | CNN

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See More Videos Tensions between Ukraine and Russia are at their highest in years, with a Russian troop build-up near the two nations' borders spurring fears that Moscow could launch an invasion. Ukraine has warned that Russia is trying to destabilize the country ahead of any planned military invasion.

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Senate passes funding bill despite mandate flip, averting shutdown

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Senate passes funding bill despite mandate flip, averting shutdown

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https://www.foxbusiness.com/politics/senate-passes-funding-bill-vaccine-mandate-averting-shutdown With 69-28 in favor a bill is approved that narrowly avoids a shutdown with less than 24 hours to spare. "In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and as the new Omicron variant emerges, I will not vote to shut down the government for purely political reasons," Manchin said in a statement. There was conflict when Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Mike Lee of Utah and Roger Marshall of Kansas demanded a separate vote on an amendment to bar funding for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the entity responsible for implementing Biden’s vaccine mandate. Schumer allowed the vote on the amendment to proceed ahead of the vote on the continuing resolution.  The amendment fell short of 51 votes to pass.

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Senate lawmakers voted Thursday night to approve a bill that funds the government through Feb. 18, avoiding a government shutdown with roughly 24 hours to spare despite a partisan clash regarding President Biden's federal vaccine mandate.

The Senate voted 69-28 in favor of the continuing resolution, which approves government funding at the prior year's levels until a new bipartisan agreement is reached. The resolution includes $7 billion in new funding to support Afghan refugees.

The bill now proceeds to Biden's desk for final approval.

"I am glad that in the end, cooler heads prevailed. The government will stay open," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said. "And I thank the members of this chamber for walking us back from the brink of an avoidable, needless and costly shutdown."

Moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia was among the senators who voted in favor of the continuing resolution.

"In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and as the new Omicron variant emerges, I will not vote to shut down the government for purely political reasons," Manchin said in a statement.

A standoff between Senate Democrats and a handful of Republicans over the federal vaccine mandate nearly derailed the vote. Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas, Mike Lee of Utah and Roger Marshall of Kansas demanded a separate vote on an amendment to bar funding for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, the entity responsible for implementing Biden's mandate.

Schumer allowed the vote on the amendment to proceed ahead of the vote on the continuing resolution.

Senators voted to reject Marshall's amendment on the vaccine mandate. The amendment fell short of the 51 votes required to pass. Manchin and fellow moderate Democrat Sen. Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona each voted against the measure.

Republicans widely oppose the mandate, which forces companies with 100 or more employees to ensure their employees are vaccinated against COVID-19 or undergo regular testing. GOP lawmakers argue the mandate is too broad and constitutes federal overreach.

"No precedent exists in American history for punishing private employers who don't enforcement government vaccination edicts," Marshall said in a floor speech ahead of the vote on his amendment.

Lee said millions of Americans were "being threatened right now with losing their jobs" due to the mandate. He argued that Democrats, not Republicans, risked the shutdown in their effort to prevent a vote on the amendment.

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"Those in this chamber who shamefully were refusing over and over again to even let us cast a vote on that simple measure threatened to shut down all of government because they didn't want us to have a chance, as the people's elected lawmakers, to decide whether or not we should proceed with vaccine mandate enforcement," Lee said.

The vote on the continuing resolution brought the Senate in sync with House lawmakers, who hours earlier voted 221-212 in favor of the continuing resolution to fund the government through Feb. 18. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., was the lone GOP representative to vote in favor of the resolution.

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Senate passes funding bill despite vaccine mandate flap, averting shutdown

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Senate lawmakers voted Thursday night to approve a bill that funds the government through Feb. 18, avoiding a government shutdown with roughly 24 hours to spare despite a partisan clash regarding President Biden's federal vaccine mandate. The Senate voted 69-28 in favor of the continuing resolution, which approves government funding at the prior year's levels until a new bipartisan agreement is reached.

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Biden Says He Doesn't Want Another Lockdown and Will Not Expand Vaccine Mandates to Fight Covid this Winter. - Emma

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Biden Says He Doesn't Want Another Lockdown and Will Not Expand Vaccine Mandates to Fight Covid this Winter. - Emma

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President Joe Biden has received a lot of backlash in this past year. His push for higher vaccination rates yielded more problems than solutions. Jobs who put a vaccine mandate noticed people just quitting instead of going to get vaccinated. With already a lack of people working in the United States right now, these mandates were quickly reviewed and revised. Biden stated that vaccine mandates within the workplace will receive lots of moderation to ensure that tangible labor will be put to use. I thought this article was important because of the finding of the new variant. Another lockdown could be on the horizon but vaccine mandates in the workplace are contributing to the lack of workers in the force right now. Regardless of personal opinion and as long as proper precautions are taken, there shouldn't be an issue with these new statements.

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President Joe Biden on Thursday said his plan to fight Covid during the winter months will not include new lockdowns or an expansion of the administration's current vaccination requirements.

"It doesn't include shutdowns or lockdowns, but widespread vaccinations and boosters and testing a lot more," Biden told reporters during an update.

"And while my existing federal vaccination requirements are being reviewed by the courts, this plan does not expand or add to those mandates - a plan that all Americans hopefully can rally around, and it should get bipartisan support, in my humble opinion," the president said.

The administration hopes to increase the number of Americans who have received booster shots by expanding outreach. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will contact the more than 60 million people who are on Medicare, mostly seniors, to remind them to get an additional shot.

The White House plan, unveiled earlier Thursday, comes after at least two cases of the highly mutated omicron variant were detected in California and Minnesota this week. Health officials in the U.S. and around the world are concerned that the variant, which has some 50 mutations, could prove more transmissible and evade protection from vaccines to some degree.

Several European nations have reintroduced restrictions on public life to fight a wave of Covid infection. Austria has instituted a full lockdown, the Netherlands is forcing businesses such as restaurants to close early, and Germany is barring the unvaccinated from most businesses with the exception of grocery stores, pharmacies and bakeries.

The White House is asking businesses with 100 or more employees to voluntarily move forward with the administration's requirements to get their staff vaccinated or tested weekly by Jan. 4. A federal appellate court put the policy on hold pending review last month, citing constitutional concerns. The administration says it's on firm legal ground and expects to win the case.

Biden said Thursday the administration's goal is to keep schools open by launching hundreds of family vaccination clinics at community health centers and other locations around the country to make it easier for parents to immunize their kids.

"We want our children in school; we are going to take new steps to make sure it stays that way," Biden said. "But, again, the best step is to vaccinate your children."

The plan also includes an expansion of free at-home Covid testing. Americans with private insurance will be reimbursed for the tests, and the administration will distribute 50 million free tests to health centers and rural clinics for people who are uninsured or underserved, according to the president.

Biden said the administration doesn't believe additional measures are needed at the moment but is developing contingency plans to develop new vaccines and boosters if they're needed to fight omicron.

"My team is already working with officials at Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson to develop contingency plans for other vaccines or boosters," Biden said. "And I'll also direct the FDA and the CDC to use the fastest process available - without cutting corners, for safety - to get such vaccines reviewed and approved if needed."

The U.S., starting next week, will also require inbound international travelers regardless of vaccination status to get tested 24 hours before their departure. The administration is also extending the mask mandate for domestic flights and public transit until March 18.

"We are in a better position than we were a year ago to fight Covid-19," Biden said.

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Biden says he doesn't want lockdowns and won't expand vaccine mandates to fight Covid this winter

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President Joe Biden on Thursday said his plan to fight Covid during the winter months will not include new lockdowns or an expansion of the administration's current vaccination requirements. "It doesn't include shutdowns or lockdowns, but widespread vaccinations and boosters and testing a lot more," Biden told reporters during an update.

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Former nurse who sexually assaulted an intellectually disabled woman is sentenced to 10 years in prison - Matthew Hiemenz

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Former nurse who sexually assaulted an intellectually disabled woman is sentenced to 10 years in prison - Matthew Hiemenz

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A man who pleaded guilty to impregnating a woman he was nursing who was in a vegetative state at the time (and thus sexually assaulting her) has been sentenced to 10 years in prison. He committed the alleged crime in 2018, and pleaded guilty in 2019. While it's good to hear that justice is still being served for peoples' crimes, this may mean we will have to be more careful regarding who we pick as our doctors and nurses.

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hacienda healthcare: former nurse sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting an intellectually disabled woman  - cnn

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Former nurse who sexually assaulted an intellectually disabled woman sentenced to 10 years in prison

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A man who pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting an intellectually disabled woman in an Arizona long-term health care facility was sentenced to 10 years in prison Thursday, according to prosecutors.

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Epsteins former house manager testifies -kacey t 

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Epsteins former house manager testifies -kacey t 

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Jeffery Epsteins former house manager testify against Maxwell on Thursday basically saying that when he first met her she made it very clear that she played a big role in the affairs that Epstein carried out . She has a lot of child sex trafficking charges against her because she played a role .prosecutors can now piece everything together

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The former house manager of Jeffrey Epstein's Palm Beach, Florida, estate testified on Thursday that the very first time he met Ghislaine Maxwell, in approximately 1991, she made it very clear to him that she occupied a central role in Epstein's affairs.

"She right away took over," Juan Alessi told the jury on the fourth day of Maxwell's criminal trial on multiple charges of child sex trafficking. "And right away she mentioned to me she was going to be the lady of the house."

Alessi, 72, said that from about 1991 to 2002 he was responsible for overseeing Epstein's house and its staff, and that in that role he communicated with Maxwell on "a daily basis" as she passed along orders for him from Epstein.

Maxwell, Epstein's former girlfriend and longtime associate, faces a six-count indictment for allegedly conspiring with and aiding Epstein in his sexual abuse of underage girls between 1994 and 2004. She has been held without bail since her arrest in July 2020 and has pleaded not guilty to the charges and proclaimed her innocence.

Alessi's testimony could provide prosecutors an important connection between Maxwell and the government's key witness. "Jane" has previously testified that she suffered sexual abuse by Epstein beginning in 1994 when she was 14 years old and continuing for several years, and she has accused Maxwell of facilitating and sometimes even participating in that abuse.

Alessi testified that, on multiple occasions, his orders included picking up "Jane" and driving her to and from Epstein's house at the behest of both Epstein and Maxwell.

"Do you remember Mr. Epstein instructing you to pick [Jane] up?" asked Assistant U.S. Attorney Maurene Comey.

"Yes," he said.

"Do you remember Miss Maxwell instructing you to pick [Jane] up?" Comey asked.

"Yes," he said.

He picked her up, he said, because, "I don't think she had a license."

Alessi testified that he didn't have any knowledge of what "Jane" did while she was at the house. He just "brought her to Miss Maxwell at her desk," he said, and "from there, it was not my job to see where they were."

On Tuesday, "Jane" testified that she recalled being picked up for visits to Epstein's house by a man who worked at the house.

"I don't remember his name, but he was a sweet Latin American man," she said.

Alessi, who was born in Ecuador, said he also recalled seeing Jane with luggage "maybe twice" at Epstein's house, and described an occasion where he drove Jane, along with Epstein, Maxwell and Maxwell's dog, a Yorkie named Max, to the Palm Beach airport to board Epstein's private plane. "Jane" testified on Tuesday that she traveled to both New York and New Mexico with Epstein and Maxwell, where she suffered further abuse, and that her travel was sometimes arranged by Maxwell.

Alessi testified that during his decade-plus tenure working for Epstein, he witnessed "two females ... who appeared to be underage." He identified "Jane" -- now a 41-year-old woman who testified earlier this week -- and Virginia Roberts, as the two females who appeared to him to be under age.

Roberts -- who is one of Maxwell's most high-profile accusers -- is not expected to testify in this trial.

Alessi described being in the driver's seat as Maxwell jumped out on a car ramp in front of Mar-a-Lago to talk to Roberts. The next time Alessi saw her, he said, was later that day at Epstein's Palm Beach home.

According to Alessi, during his time working for Epstein, there were "other girls constantly flying in" to the Palm Beach estate with Epstein and Maxwell.

One of Alessi's key responsibilities, according to a "Household Manual" that Alessi testified looked like an updated version of one originally by Maxwell and presented to him near the end of his tenure, was discretion.

"I am sorry to say that it was degrading to me," Alessi said.

During his testimony, prosecutors highlighted a passage in the manual that read: "Remember that you see nothing, hear nothing, say nothing, except to answer a question directed at you. Respect their privacy."

Asked to describe what he interpreted that instruction to mean, Alessi replied, "that I was supposed to be blind, deaf and dumb, and say nothing."

Another passage displayed in court instructed the staff to "NEVER disclose Mr. Epstein or Ms Maxwell's activities or whereabouts to anyone."

"Do not be bullied and do not show any reaction or impatience, simply be firm," the manual states.

Late in the afternoon Thursday, Alessi testified that he saw people who would come in to give Epstein massages, and that "98% of them were females." He added that Epstein took a majority of his massages in his bathroom -- attached to Epstein's master bedroom -- which Alessi said was shared with Maxwell.

Alessi said that he "never" went inside the room when Epstein was receiving the massages and that the door was "never" open during the massages. But Alessi said he would go into the room after massages "to clean up."

Asked by Comey if he ever found something "unexpected" after Epstein's massages, Alessi said he did on several occasions in the mid-1990s.

"I remember finding a large dildo. It looked like a huge man's penis with two heads," which he said he returned to a wicker basket in Maxwell's bathroom, which is where he said it he was told to put it.

According to Alessi, other items he observed in the wicker basket -- which he said was kept inside a garbage can -- included pornography tapes and a black leather costume.

Maxwell's attorneys are expected to begin their cross-examination of Alessi on Friday morning.

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Epstein's former house manager testifies, calls Ghislaine Maxwell 'lady of the house'

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The former house manager of Jeffrey Epstein's Palm Beach, Florida, estate testified on Thursday that the very first time he met Ghislaine Maxwell, in approximately 1991, she made it very clear to him that she occupied a central role in Epstein's affairs.

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Debt collectors can now DM you on social media-Jeffrey A

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Debt collectors can now DM you on social media-Jeffrey A

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Debt collectors are now allowed to slide into your DMs.that means your Twitter and Facebook Messenger accounts could soon receive messages from debt collectors seeking to track down an unpaid bill, but Under the new debt collection rule from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, debt collectors must abide by some restrictions, for example debt collectors don't need a consumer's permission to reach out via social media, and the rule doesn't limit the number of messages they can send or can't post publicly on your Facebook page about an overdue bill and with all of these limitations the Debt collectors say the new rule puts them on a level playing fields with other financial companies and allows them to contact consumers via their preferred method, such as email or texting. which is a small step forward closer to a new modernized way of communication in todays  society

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Debt collectors are now allowed to slide into your DMs, according to new financial regulations that went into effect on Tuesday allowing debt collectors to contact people via their social media accounts.

In essence, that means your Twitter and Facebook Messenger accounts could soon receive messages from debt collectors seeking to track down an unpaid bill. The change could impact tens of millions of Americans, given that one-third of U.S. adults with a credit report has a debt in collections.

Under the new Debt Collection Rule from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, debt collectors must abide by some restrictions - but consumer advocates warn that these may not be enough to prevent harm to some debtors. For one, debt collectors don't need a consumer's permission to reach out via social media, and the rule doesn't limit the number of messages they can send.

There are some limitations, however. For one, a debt collector must send private messages that aren't viewable by your friends or the public. In other words, they can't post publicly on your Facebook page about an overdue bill.

Still, consumer advocates say that doesn't go far enough, even though the messages are supposed to be private.

"Even with direct messages, there are risks that messages will go to the wrong people," April Kuehnhoff, staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, told CBS MoneyWatch."For example, if a debt collector wants to send a private message to John Smith on Facebook, the collector will need to select the correct John Smith so that it does not send private information about the alleged debt to the wrong person."

She added, "The new rules require a disclosure that the friend request is from a debt collector, but consumers will need to be vigilant for this information to avoid granting a debt collector access to private information that they share with social media contacts."

Consumers can also opt out of social media messages from debt collectors, although that puts the onus on them to take a step to halt the messages. And it's also possible that some consumers could miss DMs from debt collectors if a filter sends the messages to spam or the debt collectors are relying on outdated information, the NCLC said.

The new rule from the CFPB, which is charged with protecting Americans from financial abuse, was cleared more than a year ago and includes the ability for debt collectors to text consumers. The debt collection industry has argued that the new rule is necessary given the changes in communication since the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, which regulates their industry, was signed into law in 1977.

At the time, there was no texting, social media or widespread email. Debt collectors say the new rule puts them on a "level playing field" with other financial companies and allows them to contact consumers via their preferred method, such as email or texting.

"[t] is a small step forward in modernizing communications with consumers," Mark Neeb, CEO of the debt collector trade group ACA International, said in a statement sent to CBS MoneyWatch.

Limits on phone calls

The new law adds a new limit for debt collectors: They won't be able to call more than seven times in one week about a specific debt. Prior to this, there was no cap on the number of times a collector could call a consumer, although it had a restriction against calling so many times that it would count as harassment.

Consumer advocates point out that this could still result in a lot phone calls - someone with five medical debts in collections could receive up to 35 calls a week, the NCLC noted.

Collection calls rank as the biggest pet peeve of American consumers, with the CFPB receiving more complaints about debt collectors every year than on any other issue.

The new rule also limits a debt collector from contacting a consumer within a week after talking with them on the phone about a debt. However, these new rules don't apply to emails, text messages and social media messages, the CFPB said.

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Debt collectors can now DM you on social media

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Debt collectors are now allowed to slide into your DMs, according to new financial regulations that went into effect on Tuesday allowing debt collectors to contact people via their social media accounts. In essence, that means your Twitter and Facebook Messenger accounts could soon receive messages from debt collectors seeking to track down an unpaid bill.

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NASA Just Launched a Spacecraft That Will Crash Into an Asteroid - Davis Mann

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NASA Just Launched a Spacecraft That Will Crash Into an Asteroid - Davis Mann

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On November 24th, NASA launched a spacecraft in hopes of it crashing into a asteroid at 15,000 miles per hour. The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART), holds the mission of testing the possibility of changing the trajectory of an asteroid's path. This method of planetary defense could one day save a entire planet from cataclysmic asteroid impact. The spacecraft will make one full orbit around the sun before in collides with the asteroid Dimorphos in late September of 2022. If DART succeeds, NASA will have a new weapon in their arsenal of planetary defense.

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An early morning liftoff kicks off DART, NASA's first mission to test a spacecraft that could one day save Earth from a deadly space rock.

A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket with the Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART, spacecraft onboard at the Space Launch Complex at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on Tuesday. Credit... Bill Ingalls/NASA, via Associated Press

NASA on Wednesday launched a spacecraft with one simple mission: Smash into an asteroid at 15,000 miles per hour.

The mission, the Double Asteroid Redirection Test, or DART, left Earth to test whether slamming a spacecraft into an asteroid can nudge it into a different trajectory. Results from the test, if successful, will come in handy if NASA and other space agencies ever need to deflect an asteroid to save Earth and avert a catastrophic impact.

The DART spacecraft lifted off atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket on Wednesday at 1:21 a.m. Eastern time (or 10:21 p.m. local time) from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The rocket reached space before sending its reusable booster back toward the ocean to land on a SpaceX's drone ship. It will take about an hour to deploy the spacecraft in orbit, and hours after that it will unfurl solar panels to power the vehicle on its journey.

NASAhosted a livestream of the launch on its YouTube channel that started at 12:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Or you can watch it in the video player embedded above. SpaceX also had i ts own live video feed from the launchpad.

If night skies are not too cloudy, NASA provided a guide to where people in Southern California may be able to see the spacecraft as it exits the atmosphere.

NASA is crashing DART into an asteroid to test, for the first time, a method of planetary defense that could one day save a city, or maybe the whole planet, from a catastrophic asteroid impact.

DART "is something of a replay of Bruce Willis's movie, 'Armageddon,' although that was totally fictional," Bill Nelson, NASA's administrator, said in an interview.

If all goes as planned with DART, NASA will have a confirmed weapon in its planetary defense arsenal. Should a different asteroid ever wind up on a collision course with Earth, the world's space agencies would have confidence that an asteroid missile like DART would shoo the space rock away.

An artist's rendering of the DART spacecraft about to collide with Dimorphos. Credit... NASA/Johns Hopkins/APL

After launching to space, the spacecraft will make nearly one full orbit around the sun before it crosses paths with Dimorphos, a football-field-size asteroid that closely orbits a bigger asteroid, called Didymos, every 11 hours and 55 minutes. Astronomers call those two asteroids a binary system, where one is a mini-moon to the other. Together, the two asteroids make one full orbit around the sun every two years.

Dimorphos poses no threat to Earth, and the mission is essentially target practice. DART's impact will happen in late September or early October next year, when the binary asteroids are at their closest point to Earth, roughly 6.8 million miles away.

Four hours before impact, the DART spacecraft, formally called a kinetic impactor, will autonomously steer itself straight toward Dimorphos for a head-on collision at 15,000 miles per hour. An onboard camera will capture and send back photos to Earth in real time until 20 seconds before impact. A tiny satellite from the Italian Space Agency, deployed 10 days before the impact, will come as close as 34 miles from the asteroid to snap images every six seconds in the moments before and after DART's impact.

Telescopes on Earth will fix their lenses on the crash site, showing the two asteroids as tiny dots of reflected sunlight. To measure whether DART's impact changed Dimorphos's orbit around Didymos, astronomers will track the time between one flicker of light - which indicates that Dimorphos has passed in front of Didymos - and another, which indicates that Dimorphos has orbited behind Didymos.

If Dimorphos's orbit around Didymos is extended by at least 73 seconds, DART will have successfully performed its mission. But mission managers expect the impact to lengthen the asteroid's orbit even more, by about 10 and 20 minutes.

Simply striking hazardous space rocks with a nuclear weapon, like in "Armageddon" and other science fiction disaster films, could create a field of more hazardous space rocks, multiplying the dangers posed to Earth, rather than eliminating them.

Still, a nuclear device, if used the right way, is one of a few conceptual tools within NASA's planetary defense toolbox.

For any small and distant asteroids that could threaten Earth in the next few decades, a mission like DART "has a pretty good probability of getting the job done," said Brent Barbee, an aerospace engineer at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center.

"But if the asteroid is any bigger than that, or if the warning time is any shorter than that, then that's where you transition from looking at kinetic impactors to nuclear devices," Mr. Barbee said.

Astronomers and officials from various space agencies have simulated deflecting an asteroid away from Earth with the force of nuclear blasts.

Other asteroid-destroying simulations have shown that nuclear explosives could be used to annihilate some smaller asteroids as close as two months from impact, while posing little risk to Earth.

"There's a lot of challenging aspects of a nuclear mission besides just the physics of the device itself, and how the device would interact with the asteroid," Mr. Barbee said.

Treaties that ban the use of nuclear weapons, and the Outer Space Treaty, the cornerstone set of international space laws signed in the 1960s, prohibit the placement or use of nuclear weapons in space

That suggests that any countries' emergency use of a nuclear-tipped spacecraft to fend off a killer asteroid would amount to a treaty violation. But that legal predicament could be resolved by an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council.

Headlines about asteroids making close passes of our planet are routine. But Earth should be safe from hazardous space rocks for the next century, according to NASA.

The agency maintains a database of near-Earth objects that come within about 28 million miles from Earth. The closest object to whiz by Earth in the next few days will be an asteroid between 50 and 100 feet wide, coming within 511,246 miles on Thanksgiving. (That's about twice the distance to the moon.)

About 27,000 such objects have been tracked by NASA so far, which is just 40 percent of the total amount the agency is tasked with finding under its Near-Earth Object Observations Program.

NASA also maintains the Sentry Risk Table, which is a separate list of asteroids that have a higher chance of impacting Earth (though the chances remain extremely low). One celebrity on that list is Bennu, a gravelly, acorn-shaped asteroid about the size of a skyscraper. It has a 0.057 percent chance of impacting Earth sometime between the years 2178 and 2290.

NASA sent a spacecraft called OSIRIS-REx to Bennu last year to scoop up a suitcase's worth of rock samples and bring them back to Earth in September 2023.

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NASA Just Launched a Spacecraft That Will Crash Into an Asteroid

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An early morning liftoff kicks off DART, NASA's first mission to test a spacecraft that could one day save Earth from a deadly space rock. NASA on Wednesday launched a spacecraft with one simple mission: Smash into an asteroid at 15,000 miles per hour.

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The biggest trend of 2021 due to covid and staying in the house would be self care. Many people have began to take pride in their self care and pay attention to themselves for closely due to all the alone time . This a positive thing , I believe people should take pride in themselves more , helps the mental.

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how to find your 'sweet spot' for self-care - cnn

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How to find your 'sweet spot' for self-care

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Self-care includes more than a healthy diet and plenty of exercise. Here's expert tips on how to find out what you need to focus on most to take care of you.

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Michigan high school shooting suspect facing murder and terrorism charges

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Michigan high school shooting suspect facing murder and terrorism charges

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Ethan Crumbley the 15 year old suspect is being charged for murder and terrorism after shooting up his high school and killing 4 students while wounding 7 others. As more detail come out of this horrific event we are learning that there was a pile of evidence that showed his desire to harm his classmates. As officials do more investigating all we can do is send our condolences to the victim's families and pray that this never happens again.

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Suspect in Michigan School Shooting Faces Murder and Terrorism Charges (Published 2021)

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A 15-year-old accused of killing four of his classmates and wounding seven other people had described wanting to attack the school in cellphone videos and a journal, the authorities said.

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South Point Mall Shooting~Sarah-Michelle Morrow

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South Point Mall Shooting~Sarah-Michelle Morrow

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Just one day ago, there was a fatal shooting on Black Friday at the Durham South Point Mall. 3 people were shot that day, one directly shot by the gunman, and the others (one being a 10-year-old boy) hit by a ricochet bullet. To make matter worst, the police were understaffed on the day of the shooting, leaving all the shoppers defenseless. Just this year, 243 people have been shot in Durham, and 38 out of the 243 were killed.

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Following the shooting at the Streets of Southpoint Mall on Black Friday that injured three people, Durham City Councilmember Mark-Anthony Middleton told The News & Observer that police pay and staffing shortages will be among the top priorities as the city council continues to fight gun violence.

As of Monday, one of the individuals shot, a man, was still hospitalized. The other two people shot, a man and 10-year-old boy who was hit by a gun ricochet, were treated for non-life-threatening injuries on Friday and released the same day, per an email from the Durham Police Department wrote to The N&O.

Following the events, one individual was detained; however, no arrests have been made.

At least one weapon was recovered from the scene, said Durham Police Chief Patrice Andrews at a press conference following the shooting.

Durham police plan to share descriptions of those involved in the shooting with the public once the information is available.

"We will be making several arrests, I'm certain, during the course of this investigation," Andrews said.

As of Nov. 13, 243 people had been shot in Durham so far this year. According to police records, 38 of those 243 have died.

"Shootings in this city have got to stop," Andrews said. "It's got to stop. It's got to stop."

Middleton told The N&O on Monday that he did not want to make any assumptions about what policy action Durham Mayor-Elect Elaine O'Neal and Durham City Council might move toward but said that the shootings show the need for a multi-pronged approach to address a rise in violent crimes in Durham.

"Addressing the issue of vacancies in our police department is going to be a top priority for us," Middleton told The N&O Monday. "And addressing the issue of pay disparity between Durham and other comparable cities is going to be at the top of mind for us."

Only 54% of officer positions were filled the day of the Southpoint shooting, WRAL's Sarah Krueger reported. By bringing in officers to work overtime, that figure increased to 69%.

"We know that our ability to respond to things that happen, like the issue at Southpoint Mall, requires adequate staffing," he said. "And the response is not just getting there to secure the premises, but also having the personnel to investigate these issues and lead to us getting folks who do things like this off the street."

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Friday night, the management of the Streets at Southpoint issued a statement addressing the event.

"Streets at Southpoint is a destination for the community to gather," the statement reads. "We are saddened and outraged that we were the location for such a senseless act of violence among a group of individuals. Right now we are focusing on the well-being of those impacted by today's incident. We are grateful to the Durham Police Department for their diligence and partnership. We will offer support to their investigation."
Kathryn Thomas

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One individual shot Friday at Southpoint Mall still hospitalized, police short-staffed during shooting

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Following the shooting at the Streets of Southpoint Mall on Black Friday that injured three people, Durham City Councilmember Mark-Anthony Middleton told The News & Observer that police pay and staffing shortages will be among the top priorities as the city council continues to fight gun violence.

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Biden to extend transportation mask mandate through March-Nautica Petties 

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Biden to extend transportation mask mandate through March-Nautica Petties 

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The Biden administration will extend existing requirements for travelers to wear masks on airplanes, buses, trains, and boats, as well as in airports and other transportation hubs, through March to address concerns over the Omicron coronavirus variant. They did this back in August when concerns about the Delta virus. Scientists are working to determine how transmissible the Omicron variant is, how sick it makes people and how well the current vaccines work against it. Until more information is available, the United States has restricted travel from South Africa and seven other countries.  On Monday, Biden called the variant "a cause for concern, not a cause for panic," saying that "we'll have to face this new threat just as we face those who have come before it."

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mask mandate: biden to extend existing requirements for travelers through march - cnnpolitics

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Biden to extend transportation mask mandate through March

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The Biden administration will extend existing requirements for travelers to wear masks on airplanes, buses, trains and boats, as well as in airports and other transportation hubs, through March to address concerns over the Omicron coronavirus variant.

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Biden administration looking to edit the restrictions of covid-testing for those traveling to the US-Houston Cable

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Biden administration looking to edit the restrictions of covid-testing for those traveling to the US-Houston Cable

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Following the news of variant of Covid-19, Omicron, the CDC and Biden administration are looking closer at those traveling into the US and what the regulations should be for isolation and testing. Officials are considering having those traveling to the US tested the day before their flight as well as the day they return. (Travelers include citizens and permanent residents) This regulation would strengthen the protocols the US already has in place- including the one in which foreign travelers must be vaccinated to travel to the US. This protocol would also shorten the current timeline as travelers need to be tested 3 days prior to traveling currently. Though this is not official yet, it is being heavily considered.

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Biden administration considering requiring stricter coronavirus testing for everyone traveling to US

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Top US government officials are considering requiring everyone who enters the country to be tested for Covid-19 the day before their flight and having all travelers -- including US citizens and permanent residents -- be tested again after returning home, regardless of vaccination status, sources fam…

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In case you haven't heard there is a new variant of covid-19. Authorities are calling this mutation the Omicron variant. Originated from south africa, most countries are enforcing travel bands from south african countries. Scientist fear that the vaccine will not protect people from the new variant. They also are afraid that Omicron has the ability to mutate and that means covid may not go away anytime soon.

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Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel predicts there will be a "material drop" in the effectiveness of the current COVID-19 vaccines against the Omicron variant - and said it will take drugmakers months to produce enough targeted jabs for the emerging strain.

"There is no world, I think, where (the effectiveness) is the same level ... we had with Delta," Bancel told the Financial Times on Monday.

"I think it's going to be a material drop. I just don't know how much because we need to wait for the data. But all the scientists I've talked to ... are like, 'This is not going to be good,'" he added at the company's headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

The CEO of Moderna, Stéphane Bancel, predicted that current COVID vaccines will struggle to prevent the spread of the Omicron variant.

AFP via Getty Images

Bancel noted that the current vaccines against the virus may need to be modified due to the high number of mutations in the variant's spike protein that binds to human cells.

On Monday, Moderna, BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson said they are working on vaccines that specifically target Omicron.

A woman receives her first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at a pop-up clinic offering vaccines and booster shots in Rosemead, California.

AFP via Getty Images

Bancel's comments come after he also told CNBC's "Squawk Box" Monday that vaccine efficacy for the "highly contagious" Omicron has likely dropped, adding that the variant already appears to be "much more infectious" than the Delta variant.

Omicron is now the dominant strain in southern Africa, less than two weeks after it was first detected in the country, according to information published by the National Institute for Communicable Diseases and reported by CNN.

Bancel told the Financial Times that data indicating how current vaccines performed against the variant, and whether it caused severe illness, should become available within two weeks.

NY Post illustration

However, he estimated that it could take 60 to 90 days for an Omicron-specific vaccine to be tweaked and approved by federal regulators - and even longer for the shots to become widely available.

"[Moderna] and Pfizer cannot get a billion doses next week. The maths doesn't work. But could we get the billion doses out by the summer? Sure," said Bancel, who predicted Moderna could produce 2 billion to 3 billion doses next year.

Meanwhile, health authorities are still rushing to determine if the variant is more transmissible or if infection causes more serious illness.

A woman gets her COVID-19 vaccination at an outdoor walk-up vaccination site in Franklin Park in Washington, DC.

AFP via Getty Images

So far, no deaths linked to the variant had been reported and the South African doctor who first sounded the alarm about it said its symptoms are "unusual but mild" in healthy patients.

As such, many COVID-19 experts say it is "premature" to sound the alarm over the new Omicron variant until more is known about the strain - warning that overblowing concerns about it could badly backfire.

"Reacting to a new variant, especially this one, is probably premature, especially since it seems that there's no evidence that it's actually worse" than any other strain, Dr. Michael Blaivas, chief medical officer of Anavasi Diagnostics, told The Post.

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Moderna CEO says existing COVID-19 vaccines will struggle with Omicron

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Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel predicts there will be a "material drop" in the effectiveness of the current COVID-19 vaccines against the Omicron variant - and said it will take drugmakers months to produce enough targeted jabs for the emerging strain. "There is no world, I think, where (the effectiveness) is the same level ...

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This article talks about the new update on Matthew Mcconaughey running for Texas governor. He originally was legitimately considering being in the running for republican representative but has now declined. Many people actually thought he would be a good option because of his interest and education in politics. His main reason for declining was his acting career and the battling expectations of both jobs.

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McConaughey announced in a Tweet Sunday evening that he will not run for Texas governor. Twitter

Matthew McConaughey, 52, announced Sunday night that he will not run for governor of Texas, ahead of a Dec. 13 deadline to file for the Republican or Democratic primary or to declare as an independent candidate.

After years of considering political office in the Lone Star state, the actor had decided against it, he said in a three-minute speech posted to Twitter Sunday evening.

"As a simple kid born in the little town of Uvalde, Texas, it never occurred to me that I would one day be considered for political leadership," McConaughey said. "It's a humbling and inspiring path to ponder. It is also a path that I am choosing not to take at this moment."

McConaughey - who had not even announced a party affiliation - was outperforming both Republican Gov. Greg Abbot and Democratic challenger Beto O'Rourke according to a poll released last week.

Flanked between the Stars and Stripes and the Texas State flag, McConaughey said he had been exploring the question of "how I can be most useful in this life going forward."

"I've been listening, I've been learning, I've been measuring. I've been studying Texas politics and American politics," the "Dallas Buyers Club" star said.

"What have I learned? A lot. That we have some problems we need to fix. That our politics need new purpose. That we have divides that need healing."

Ultimately though, McConaughey said he would leave that work to "the leaders and the servants out there," while working to help organizations that "have a mission to serve and build trust while also building prosperity."

40 percent of Texans said they would like McConaughey to trade Hollywood for politics according to a recent poll.

Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP

"What am I going to do? I'm going to continue to work and invest the bounty I have by supporting entrepreneurs, businesses and foundations that I believe are leaders," he said.

About 40 percent of Texans - including 49 percent of Democrats - had told pollsters they wanted McConaughey to trade Hollywood for the Austin statehouse.

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Matthew McConaughey says he will not run for Texas governor

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Matthew McConaughey, 52, announced Sunday night that he will not run for governor of Texas, ahead of a Dec. 13 deadline to file for the Republican or Democratic primary or to declare as an independent candidate. After years of considering political office in the Lone Star state, the actor had decided against it, he said in a three-minute speech posted to Twitter Sunday evening.

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Supporters continue push for clemency for Julius Jones as execution nears- Elijah Deans

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Supporters continue push for clemency for Julius Jones as execution nears- Elijah Deans

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Julius Jones, 41, who has maintained his innocence for more than two decades, is scheduled to receive a lethal injection Thursday at the State Penitentiary in McAlester for the 1999 slaying of a Paul Howell, a businessman in the affluent Oklahoma City suburb of Edmond.

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Overseas Americans sue to restart citizenship renunciations- Jeffrey Armah

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Overseas Americans sue to restart citizenship renunciations- Jeffrey Armah

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A group of overseas Americans sued the State Department on Monday to restart citizenship something called renunciation services, saying a suspension under the Covid-19 pandemic violated their fundamental rights, so because of this American citizens out in other countries during covid and are now stuck they planned and/set up a lawsuit to oppose the $2,350 renounce service fee to renounce citizenship which used to be free service for U.S citizens  but now the government has token that away with no way for the stranded citizens to return back home and because of this federal government has found ways to accommodate citizens constitutional liberties, while protecting public health and well-being an decides that they will work to change and own up to there decisions and bring back the service for the citizens to return back and the lawsuit guarantee a due process based on the fifth amendment of the constitution to given them the rights they deserve and obtain.

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Overseas Americans sue to restart citizenship renunciations

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A group of overseas Americans sued the State Department on Monday to restart citizenship renunciation services, saying a suspension under the Covid-19 pandemic violated their fundamental rights. The United States, with rare exceptions, grants citizenship to anyone born on its soil or with a US paren…

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The FBI has confirmed the find of human remains at the U.S Army base, Fort McCoy. FBI Public Affairs Officer Leonard Peace of the FBI's Milwaukee Division said in a statement that the human remains are not those of any active duty military personel or evacuees. And the body of the person that has been recovered is still pending for identification.

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FORT McCOY, Wis. (WXOW) - An FBI spokesperson told 27 News' affiliate WXOW that federal investigators are working to identify human remains found at Fort McCoy over the weekend.

FBI Public Affairs Officer Leonard Peace of the FBI's Milwaukee Division said human remains were found in a remote area of the military base on Saturday.

In a statement, he said "There is no reason to believe it is related to any of the evacuees, or active duty military personnel on the base. Identification of the body is pending. The FBI is working with the Monroe County Medical Examiner's Office, who will release information at a future date once positive identification has been made."

A fort spokesperson earlier on Monday said hunters found the remains, then notified fort police. Those officers then sealed off the area.

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FBI confirms investigation into human remains found at Fort McCoy

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FORT McCOY, Wis. (WXOW) - An FBI spokesperson told 27 News' affiliate WXOW that federal investigators are working to identify human remains found at Fort McCoy over the weekend. FBI Public Affairs Officer Leonard Peace of the FBI's Milwaukee Division said human remains were found in a remote area of the military base on Saturday.

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Why men are behind the vast majority of America's gun violence / Hye-Lynn Kim

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Why men are behind the vast majority of America's gun violence / Hye-Lynn Kim

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Summary
According to many research data, it was found that most gun violence was committed by males. In one research, it stated that men are responsible for 98% of mass shootings. Experts mention a variety of reasons on why particularly American men are so much more prone to gun violence, including an idea on a specific version of American masculinity. But many experts say it comes down to America's dangerous combination of toxic masculinity and gun availability.

What can be done?

1. Prevention: teaching boys how to understand emotions and trauma

2. Better systems for crisis training

3. Internet companies, especially social media platforms, must be pressured to better regulate hateful rhetoric and content (because potential mass shooters often look online for others who validate their thoughts and feelings, or research past or potential shooters)

4. Regulate access to guns (require background checks for all states), Substantive legislative change (an update to the Violence Against Women Act that would include a provision that would prevent abusive dating partners or alleged stalkers from accessing a gun)

When it comes to male mass shooters, Peterson said many tend to have an attitude that "the world owes me more than what I have."

"They feel disappointed where they're at in life, or they feel frustrated that they lost their job or that they can't get a girlfriend or whatever it is ... so they pick a target of who to blame, whether they pick women or their school or a racial group,"

- Jillian Peterson, co-founder of The Violence Project and a professor of criminology and criminal justice at Hamline University

"It's really toxic masculinity that's at the root of domestic violence and mass shootings -- misogyny and easy access to guns,"

"Guns are the weapons of choice for extremists, for misogynists, for insurrectionists and, ultimately, women are paying the price with their lives."

- Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action

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This report is a part of "Rethinking Gun Violence," an ABC News series examining the level of gun violence in the U.S. -- and what can be done about it.
Just before 11 p.m. on an April night, a 19-year-old man arrived at his former job site, an Indianapolis FedEx facility, and chatted with security about his status at the company.

The young man then exited his car with two legally purchased rifles and opened fire indiscriminately, at employees inside and outside the building, authorities said.

After killing eight employees -- ranging in age from 19 to 74 -- and injuring at least seven others, the gunman died by suicide, an attack "which he believed would demonstrate his masculinity and capability of fulfilling a final desire to experience killing people," the FBI in Indianapolis said this summer, months after the attack.

According to the nonprofit research center The Violence Project, men are responsible for 98% of mass shootings, and according to an analysis by Everytown for Gun Safety, a grassroots organization aiming to combat gun violence, men were behind 94% of 240 mass shootings (four or more killed regardless of location) from 2009 to 2020 in which the shooter's gender could be confirmed.
Watch ABC News Live on Mondays at 3 p.m. to hear more about gun violence from experts during roundtable discussions. And check back tomorrow, when we look at what's behind rising gun ownership among people of color.
In 40 active-shooter incidents in the U.S. last year, 35 shooters were male, three were female and four were unspecified, according to FBI data.

The gender gap goes beyond active shooter incidents. Of 16,245 murders in the U.S. in 2019, in those for which a suspect's gender was identified, 10,335 (63%) were committed by men, according to FBI data.

Gun violence victims also are predominantly male, accounting for 85% of fatalities and 87% of injuries through May, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

But women are also deeply affected by gun violence, often as grieving family members or because they're left as sole caregivers of children in the wake of the violence.

Or as victims themselves.

So why are American men so much more prone to gun violence? Experts cite a variety of reasons, from brain chemistry and evolution to how men and boys are socialized, said Jillian Peterson, co-founder of The Violence Project and a professor of criminology and criminal justice at Hamline University.

The ideology of masculinity is not all that different in Spain or Britain than it is here. But they don't have mass shootings like this. Why? I think that has to do with a specific version of American masculinity.

But other experts said it really just comes down to what they say is arguably America's most dangerous combination: toxic masculinity and gun availability.

'Only America'

Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action, said toxic masculinity, the cultural idea that manhood is defined by violence and aggression to maintain power or strength, is at the root of both domestic violence and mass shootings, adding that there's one reason gun violence is a "uniquely American issue" -- it's easy to get guns.

Men commit about 90% of murders worldwide (including but not limited to the use of firearms), according to a 2019 United Nations report. But America's gun homicide rate is 25 times higher than other high-income countries, according to Everytown for Gun Safety.

"Every country has racism, xenophobia, hatred. Only America gives those same people" access to guns, Watts said.

Gender studies expert Michael Kimmel agreed.

The traditional idea of masculinity is, "You don't get mad, you get even," Kimmel said. "The capacity for violence has been a hallmark of masculinity since the beginning of writing. Go back to 'The Iliad.' The Bible is filled with stories about vengeful violence."

"That is true for masculinity in other countries, in other cultures," Kimmel said. "So you have to also ask yourself: Why is it that gun violence at the scale that we see it is a phenomenon" in the U.S.?

"You have to ask the question," Kimmel continued, 'Why here and not elsewhere?' The ideology of masculinity is not all that different in Spain or Britain than it is here. But they don't have mass shootings like this. Why? I think that has to do with a specific version of American masculinity."

Kimmel said American men are responsible for such a staggering sum of shootings because of that ideological masculinity, American culture, which he said gives a "constant presentation of enemies," real or imagined, and -- the most significant contributor -- easy access to guns.

The power of 'protection'

Kimmel says protection also plays an important role.

"If you ask American men, what's the role of a man? He will tell you, 'To provide for and protect my family,'" Kimmel said. "In this uncertain economic world, being a provider is actually far more difficult than it was in my father's generation, than it was in his father's generation. I think some part of American men's fascination with guns and arming themselves has to do with, 'If I can't be a provider, at least I can be a protector.'"

About 45% of American men last year said they owned a gun, according to Gallup, and 19% of American women said they did.

In a 2017 Pew Research Center poll, 67% of gun owners said protection was a major reason for ownership, Iowa State professor Craig Rood noted in a Gender Policy Report​ through the University of Minnesota. Protection was followed by: hunting, sport shooting, as part of a collection and for one's job.

Only 26% mentioned protection in a 1999 Pew Research Center poll in which hunting ranked No. 1, Rood noted.

"I could imagine several explanations why Americans are more afraid today than they were in 1999," Rood told ABC News. "For instance, gun sales spiked after several high-profile mass shootings and again when the COVID-19 pandemic began. But not everyone has responded to that fear by turning to guns."

"When we are talking about 'protection,' we are talking about perception of danger, and perceptions of danger can be real, imagined or some place in between," Rood said. "Statistically, the United States has been relatively safe for most people, as crime and homicide rates started falling from the mid-1990s until quite recently. Yet the perception of danger has increased. So, there's an obvious mismatch."

Rood added, "I would bet most men acquire guns for commendable reasons: They want to protect themselves or their family, they enjoy hunting or they simply like guns. But the very presence of a gun in the home opens the possibility for accidents. Guns also heighten the risk for completed suicide and deadly intimate-partner violence."

What can be done?

Peterson, of the Violence Project, said the key to fewer shootings is prevention, and offered four prongs.

1. Prevention should start early, by teaching boys how to understand emotions and trauma.

"Think about things like trauma screening and teaching social and emotional learning in schools ... teach young boys how to cope with emotions and have empathy," she said.

When it comes to male mass shooters, Peterson said many tend to have an attitude that "the world owes me more than what I have."

"They feel disappointed where they're at in life, or they feel frustrated that they lost their job or that they can't get a girlfriend or whatever it is ... so they pick a target of who to blame, whether they pick women or their school or a racial group," Peterson said.

In July, a 21-year-old Ohio man was charged for allegedly trying to carry out a mass shooting of women, prosecutors said. He allegedly compared his "extremely empowering action" to Elliot Rodger, a 22-year-old man who carried out a mass shooting at the University of California, Santa Barbara in 2014 after videotaping his rage over his rejection by women and vowed "retribution." The Ohio 21-year-old allegedly had a manifesto, according to prosecutors, in which he wrote he "would 'slaughter' women 'out of hatred, jealousy and revenge.'"

2. Peterson said the U.S. also needs better systems for crisis training and how to recognize and report someone's potential crisis.

According to The Violence Project, 82% of men who commit shootings are suffering from a noticeable crisis, with most showing at least one of the following symptoms and more than one-third exhibiting five or more: increased agitation, abusive behavior, isolation, losing touch with reality, depression, mood swings, paranoia and an inability to complete daily tasks.

Peterson said she considers the lack of a social safety net, which impacts trauma and crisis, to be a uniquely American problem.

3. Potential mass shooters often look online for others who validate their thoughts and feelings, or research past or potential shooters, Peterson said, so internet companies, especially social media platforms, must be pressured to better regulate hateful rhetoric and content.

Watts said parents also have a part in this.

"Every nation is home to young men being radicalized online to believe that somehow a loss of power means that they need to become violent," Watts said.

Watts said she's constantly talking to her 20-year-old son about how the internet is home to platforms "where this kind of violent rhetoric can become ingrained."

"It's a conversation that all parents need to have, in particular with their sons," she added.

4. Peterson said another uniquely American problem is the struggle to regulate access to guns, like through red flag laws, which allow the court to remove an individual's guns for a certain amount of time if a judge finds he or she is a danger.

Watts stressed the need for more background checks, noting that only 21 states and Washington, D.C., require background checks on all gun sales -- meaning that in every other state, someone looking to acquire a gun quickly can do so at a gun show or via a private transaction.

Watts is also pushing for substantive legislative change, including advocating for an update to the Violence Against Women Act that would include a provision that would prevent abusive dating partners or alleged stalkers from accessing a gun.

The current law doesn't define abusive dating partners or alleged stalkers as domestic abusers, and instead focuses on spouses and live-in partners, which Watts called a loophole.

Every 16 hours a woman in America is shot dead by a current or former partner, according to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Further, an Everytown analysis found that in at least 53% of American mass shootings from 2009 to 2020, the gunman also shot a current or former intimate partner or family member.

The VAWA, initially passed in 1994 and expanded in later years, has since expired.

"It's really toxic masculinity that's at the root of domestic violence and mass shootings -- misogyny and easy access to guns," Watts said. "Guns are the weapons of choice for extremists, for misogynists, for insurrectionists and, ultimately, women are paying the price with their lives."
Editor's note: This article previously identified Michael Kimmel as a professor at Stony Brook University. He is retired and no longer affiliated with the university.

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Guys and guns: Why men are behind the vast majority of America's gun violence

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This report is a part of "Rethinking Gun Violence," an ABC News series examining the level of gun violence in the U.S. -- and what can be done about it. Just before 11 p.m. on an April night, a 19-year-old man arrived at his former job site, an Indianapolis FedEx facility, and chatted with security about his status at the company.

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Bus Drivers Strike in North Carolina's School System ~ Sarah-Michelle Morrow

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Bus Drivers Strike in North Carolina's School System ~ Sarah-Michelle Morrow

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Recently, there has been growing tensions with North Carolina's student bus drivers. Just last week, the majority of the bus drivers got together to call in sick, as a form of protest against the low pay they're currently receiving. Wake County Public School System stated that only 400 out of 600 of the buses were operating this week, which is less than half of the buses needed to transport students from and to school. The bus issue is still not resolved but if the salaries of the bus drivers are increased, I guarantee that this will no longer be an issue.

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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Bus drivers for North Carolina's largest school system called in sick on Friday to protest working conditions, prompting administrators to urge parents to arrange their own transportation and warn of similar problems next week.

Officials with the Wake County Public School System said 400 of the 600 buses operated by the system were running, news outlets reported. Bus drivers have said concerns about being overworked and underpaid haven't been addressed.

Many parents said their children walked to school, or they were driven to school when their buses didn't show up.

The Wake County system has 160,000 students, and up to half of them ride the bus in a normal year.

Wake County Superintendent Cathy Moore and school board chairman Keith Sutton sent a message to staff members.

"The pay and salary structure for the work we do is not adequate," the message said. "Our bus drivers shone a harsh light on this reality."

Moore and Sutton also said many drivers have to run as many as six routes a day without receiving extra compensation. They said most school staffers are in the same situation.

The system also told parents that bus service for Monday is uncertain and asked families to plan for that possibility.

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Bus drivers strike in North Carolina's largest school system

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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - Bus drivers for North Carolina's largest school system called in sick on Friday to protest working conditions, prompting administrators to urge parents to arrange their own transportation and warn of similar problems next week. Officials with the Wake County Public School System said 400 of the 600 buses operated by the system were running, news outlets reported.

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This simple hand gesture could save your life. Seen on tik tok; trapping your thumb is the universal symbol for "help" specifically for women in a violent situation. 16 year old North Carolina girl had been missing for a couple of days, when she was on the road using this sign hoping someone would help. Luckily somebody recognized the gesture and she is now safe.

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Teen Rescued After Using ‘Help’ Hand Gesture Circulated On TikTok To Signal Passing Motorist

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A driver called 911 after spotting a teen signaling from the back of a car on a Kentucky highway.

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Granville students protest planned high school merger- john littell 

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Granville students protest planned high school merger- john littell 

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This article is talking about South Granville high school merging into a middle school. Everyone at this high school is protesting about keeping it a high school, they have all gone unheard for a long enough time and they have had enough of it, so they started to speak up for themself.

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- Dozens of Granville County high school students staged a two-hour sit-in Wednesday to protest a plan to merge their school with another one and convert their campus to a middle school.

An online petition urging the Granville County Board of Education to reverse its Monday decision to consolidate South Granville High School and Granville Central High School has already garnered more than 900 signatures.

"We want to keep our school. It's more than just a school to us. It's a family. It's a home," said Destini Bland, a South Granville High student who helped organize the sit-in.

"We really don't have a say in what goes on at our school or just in general when the stuff that's going on is affecting us personally," said Layla Besaw, another student sit-in organizer.

The plan, which would take effect in the 2022-23 school year, also calls for G.C. Hawley Middle School to move to the South Granville High campus.

"For several years, the board has been working to consolidate the number of facilities that we have due to declining enrollment," Associate Superintendent Stan Winborne said.

The "optimal capacity" for the high schools is about 200 to 300 more than the current enrollment, Winborne said, meaning merging the two schools makes them more efficient. That's critical, he said, as Granville County Schools also struggles with a budget deficit.

"You can offer a wider variety of courses and provide more extracurricular activities and a wide variety of athletics" in a larger high school, he said.

"And if we look at our pipeline of students in middle school, that will more or less hold steady. So, unless we will receive some sort of influx in enrollment, we should be using our buildings very efficiently for the immediate future," he added.

But the numbers don't add up for South Granville High students.

"This is what we put our last four years in - our blood sweat and tears," Bland said. "We felt that we basically did everything we did for the past, and then it just is coming to nothing."

"I was mainly thinking about all of the teachers that I've grown up with here and have helped me through my years and how they may or may not have jobs," Besaw said.

Some parents have similarly questioned the plan.

"I'm so surprised and shocked," said Irene Boyd, who has a ninth-grader at South Granville High. "I mean, it's going to be congested [at Granville Central High]. I don't think it's a nice idea."

"South Granville, you know, my parents went there. My grandparents went there," parent Kevin Burgess said. "I just want to know, like, are they going to build more onto [Granville Central High] to accommodate the kids, or if they're going to just cram them all in the same classrooms."

The old Hawley Middle campus would remain empty under the consolidation plan until the school board decides how best to use the site.

"The students are moving from a very, very old middle school campus that's in disrepair to a much nicer, larger high school campus," Winborne said. "So, it will be a great benefit to the middle school students as well."

Although the plan was put together after years of consideration, studies and public forums, according to Winborne, the South Granville High students said they want some say in the process.

"We're not done yet," Bland said. "We still have things that need to be done, and we won't be done until we get our school back."

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Granville students protest planned high school merger :: WRAL.com

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Dozens of Granville County high school students staged a two-hour sit-in Wednesday to protest a plan to merge their school with another one and convert their campus to a middle school. An online petition urging the Granville County Board of Education to reverse its Monday decision to consolidate South Granville High School and Granville Central High School has already garnered more than 900 signatures.

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NC Child Firearms Deaths and Injuries Jumped in 2020 - Emma Lunsford

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NC Child Firearms Deaths and Injuries Jumped in 2020 - Emma Lunsford

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In 2020, child firearm related deaths in North Carolina went from 58 to 106, an 88% increase. A majority of these deaths are ruled as homicides but 31% of child firearm deaths were classified as self inflicted. Researchers believe Covid-19 has a direct response to this violence, whether it be intentional or not. Children found themselves bored at home and stuck with nobody to talk to but their own mind. I think this is important because new gun owners or future gun owners need to know that there are safe ways to keep a firearm patrolled and protected so accidents like the ones mentioned in this article will be avoided.

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School bus driver and student killed In P.A. crash-Zak

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School bus driver and student killed In P.A. crash-Zak

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A tragic accident that involved a bus with thirteen students and a tractor-trailer left the bus driver and a student dead. As police continue to investigate what was the cause of the crash, the family of the victims remembers their loved ones who were lost in this accident.

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School bus driver, student killed in Pa. crash :: WRAL.com

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A school bus crashed into the back of a tractor-trailer in Butler County, killing the bus driver and a student.

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texas man on the verge of the death pentaly-kacey

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texas man on the verge of the death pentaly-kacey

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texas nurse might sentence to the death penalty as he was injecting air in the lungs and arteries into patients as they were recovering to keep them in the icu longer and more money .7 people were hurt 4 were killed .prosecutors say that he would do this when know was there and he enjoyed it and this would give the patients brain damage

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William Davis - who worked at Christus Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Texas - could face the death penalty. The victims had undergone heart surgery.

William Davis listening to closing arguments. A jury in Tyler, Texas, convicted Mr. Davis of capital murder in the deaths of four heart patients. Credit... Les Hassell/Longview News-Journal, via Associated Press

He had been entrusted with their care when they were at their most vulnerable, but prosecutors say that William Davis secretly preyed upon recovering heart surgery patients at a Texas hospital where he worked as a nurse by injecting air into their arteries.

Four patients whom Mr. Davis injected later died, their once-encouraging conditions rapidly deteriorating and confounding doctors, the authorities said. He had injected at least seven patients in all, they said.

On Tuesday, a jury in Tyler, Texas, convicted Mr. Davis of capital murder in the deaths of the four men after deliberating for about an hour. The verdict was confirmed by Kaylee Hahn, an administrator for the 114th District Court, who said that the sentencing phase of the trial would begin on Wednesday.

Prosecutors were seeking the death penalty for Mr. Davis, 37, who had worked for Christus Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler at the time that the patients experienced complications after heart surgery in 2017 and 2018. He was fired about a month before his arrest in April 2018. Tyler is about 100 miles east of Dallas.

During the trial, prosecutors presented a portrait of Mr. Davis as a sadistic caregiver who slipped into patients' rooms when no one was watching and "enjoyed" injecting air into their arterial lines that caused fatal brain damage.

Doctors were at a loss to explain what could have gone wrong until, the authorities said, they saw CT scans that showed air in the patients' brains. During the trial, prosecutors played security camera footage showing Mr. Davis entering the room of one of the patients. Three minutes later, the patient's heart monitor alarm sounded. He later died.

"It turns out a hospital is the perfect place for a serial killer to hide," Jacob Putman, the district attorney for Smith County, said during the trial.

The victims were: Ronald Clark, 68; Christopher Greenaway, 47; Joseph Kalina, 58; and John Lafferty, 74.

The Smith County District Attorney's office declined to comment on Tuesday because of the ongoing sentencing proceedings in the trial, which began on Sept. 28.

Phillip Hayes, a lawyer for Mr. Davis, who lives in Hallsville, Texas,did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday.

During the trial, Mr. Hayes contended that all of the patients who died had shown signs of suffering a watershed stroke, a type of stroke that occurs when vulnerable border zones of the brain supplied by the three main cerebral arteries do not receive enough blood. Calling Mr. Davis a scapegoat, Mr. Hayes also said that the patients had underlying medical conditions before their deaths.

"I don't know if there's any evidence to show that it was foul play," Mr. Hayes said during the trial.

A spokesman for Christus Mother Frances Hospital said in an email statement on Wednesday that protecting patients' health and well-being continued to be a top priority, in addition to "extending the healing ministry of Jesus Christ."

"The jury's decision brings with it a range of emotions for our associates and - most especially - the people and families harmed by Will Davis," the spokesman said. "We pray for our community and all involved, and hope that the jury's verdict helps bring some closure to those harmed."

Mr. Davis remains in custody at the Smith County Jail on $8.75 million bond.

Jesus Jiménez contributed reporting.

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Texas Nurse Is Found Guilty of Killing 4 Patients by Injecting Them With Air

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William Davis - who worked at Christus Mother Frances Hospital in Tyler, Texas - could face the death penalty. The victims had undergone heart surgery. He had been entrusted with their care when they were at their most vulnerable, but prosecutors say that William Davis secretly preyed upon recovering heart surgery patients at a Texas hospital where he worked as a nurse by injecting air into their arteries.

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A 16 year old dies at the bus stop - Ashiya 

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A 16 year old dies at the bus stop - Ashiya 

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A 16 year old boy was shot in th head at 6:30 am waiting for the bus stop. On November 2nd the police was called to the neighborhood because someone heard a gunshot then seen a kid laying on the ground. The suspect is somebody that went to the school with him and that had a disagreement with him in the past. The suspect is being held in jail with many charges against them.

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a 16-year-old georgia student who was shot in the head while waiting for a school bus has died - cnn

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A 16-year-old Georgia student shot in the head while waiting for a school bus has died

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A 16-year-old student who was shot in the head Tuesday while waiting for the school bus in a neighborhood in Gwinnett County, Georgia, has died, police said Thursday.

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The movie eternals just released and is directed by creative genius Jack Kirby  . This is one of Jack Kirbys less - heralded solo creations and the introduction of the New Gods into the DC cinematic universe. Kirby and his legacy might be receiving the attention and credit that he chafed about later in his career and that prompted his temporary departure from Marvel in the 1970s.

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'eternals' adds another blockbuster to jack kirby's marvel-ous legacy - cnn

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'Eternals' adds another blockbuster to Jack Kirby's Marvel-ous legacy

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Stan Lee became the face of Marvel Comics, and up to his death in 2018, an enthusiastic goodwill ambassador for the comic-book industry. But most of his signature heroes were birthed with artist Jack Kirby, who many have seen as an unsung hero in a creative explosion compared to another famous '60s writing duo, John Lennon and Paul McCartney.

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Some companies and states are fighting Biden's employer vaccine mandate. But local efforts show mandates can work - Jack Huffstetler

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Some companies and states are fighting Biden's employer vaccine mandate. But local efforts show mandates can work - Jack Huffstetler

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With the rising of covid cases, Biden mandated a vaccination or weekly testing for companies and private businesses with 100 or more employees. While local efforts may have worked, companies were worried about the company itself - they fear it will cause the economy to be disturbed in a negative way. This will also apply to certain federal and healthcare workers as well. Specifically, republicans stood up against this. States like Louisiana and Mississippi want to file a suit against the mandate. Overall, companies are not sure if this is the best option, as a portion of their employers might leave and thus cause more harm than good.

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covid-19 vaccine mandate: some companies and states are fighting the federal rules. but local efforts show mandates can work - cnn

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Some companies and states are fighting Biden's employer vaccine mandate. But local efforts show mandates can work

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With the Biden administration's new timeline for mandating vaccinations or weekly testing for those working at private businesses with 100 or more employees, critics in the public and private sectors are quickly positioning themselves against the measure.

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Virginia Governor improved the GOP's standing with younger voters, moderates, independents, and White women after he inroads over the swing voters and made him the first Republican to win in a statewide race in Virginia since 2009. - Kennedy

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Drug violence sparks a fight at a popular tourist resort in Mexico - Matthew Hiemenz

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Drug violence sparks a fight at a popular tourist resort in Mexico - Matthew Hiemenz

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A confrontation between drug dealers at a hotel popular with American tourists escalated into a lethal fight just the other day. Hotel guests were required to hide in an empty room after they'd heard gunshots outside, and two people lost their lives outside. No other injuries were reported, however. What we can learn from this is that oftentimes, drug dealers can be very scary. We don't see this side of them often, but it recontextualizes the American "War on Drugs", as much as that didn't go particularly well.

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cancun shooting: drug violence sparks chaos at popular tourist resort in mexico - cnn

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Drug violence sparks chaos at popular tourist resort in Mexico

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A hotel in Mexico popular with American tourists was sent into chaos Thursday amid reports of gunfire. According to local authorities, a confrontation between drug dealers had exploded into lethal violence on a beach nearby.

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On Tuesday morning Henry Ruggs, a wide receiver for the Oakland Raiders with a bright future was involved in a deadly car crash. It was determined Ruggs was driving under the influence as his blood alcohol content was 1.6 twice the legal limit, it was also deemed he was traveling around 150 miles per hour at the time of the crash. The victim's name was Tina Tintor, she and her dog both passed away due to crash.

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Ruggs drove 156 mph seconds before fatal crash

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Former Raiders receiver Henry Ruggs III was driving 156 mph just seconds before the fiery crash in Las Vegas that left a woman dead, according to prosecutors.

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ever since the pandemic there has been more of a demand of snacks and sweets. Due to those being stuck in there homes and stress eating. Last september grocery prices had increased to 4.5% but since then it has gone up by 1.9%. It seems as if snacks are of high demand if prices keep increasing. Though snacks are so enjoyable will we be able to afford them in the near future?

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bad news for stress eaters: these comfort foods may soon get more expensive - cnn

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Your favorite comfort foods are getting more expensive

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Get ready to pay even more for the fun stuff in your grocery cart.

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Texas governor calls books '🤬' in latest effort to remove LGBTQ titles from school libraries-Nautica Petties

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Texas governor calls books '🤬' in latest effort to remove LGBTQ titles from school libraries-Nautica Petties

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, called on the state's school boards to remove books he described as "🤬."  He sent to the Texas Association of School Boards on Monday, did not cite a specific book that contains what he described as "🤬." Him and other politicians singled out the graphic novel "Gender Queer" by Maia Kobabe.

This is not the first time Kobabe's book and other LGBTQ books are targeted by politicians and community members.

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Texas governor calls books ‘pornography’ in latest effort to remove LGBTQ titles from school libraries

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Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, a Republican, called on the state’s school boards to remove books he described as “pornography,” a move that comes after at least two state lawmakers have asked officials to investigate books in schools.

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Over 40 Countries Pledge AT U.N. Climate Summit to End Use of Coal Power - Davis Mann

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Over 40 Countries Pledge AT U.N. Climate Summit to End Use of Coal Power - Davis Mann

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At the Glasgow Summit, more than 40 countries assembled to discuss phasing out the dirtiest fossil fuel - coal. Some of the world's top 20 power-generating countries such as Poland, Indonesia, South Korea, Vietnam and Ukraine promised to stop building and issuing permits for new coal plants at home in efforts of shifting away from coal. The United States, China and India were absent from the assembly despite being the top consumers of coal, burning roughly two-thirds of the world's coal combined. The U.S. stated that American politics were the preeminent force in not attending the U.N. Climate Summit. President Biden addressed that, "Mr. Manchin's, Democrat of West Virginia, state is rich in coal and gas, the senator has financial ties to the coal industry and he is sharply opposed to any policy that would harm fossil fuels." As the world is merging away from the use of coal, officials and environmentalists hope that countries may turn to natural gas to meet their energy requirements.

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The United States did not agree to stop coal development at home but promised to halt overseas funding of oil, gas and coal.

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transcript

'End of Coal Is in Sight': Head of COP26 Declares

Alok Sharma, the COP26 president, announced that more than 40 countries, not including the United States or China, reached a deal and pledged to phase out coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel.

Today, I think we can say that the end of coal is in sight. We are publishing the Global Coal to Clean Power Transition statement, a commitment to end coal investment, to scale up clean power, to make a just transition and phase out coal in the 2030s in major economies, and in the 2040s elsewhere. It has 77 signatories, including 46 countries such as Poland, Vietnam and Chile, 23 of which are making commitments on ending coal for the first time.

Alok Sharma, the COP26 president, announced that more than 40 countries, not including the United States or China, reached a deal and pledged to phase out coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel. Credit Credit... Gulshan Khan for The New York Times

GLASGOW - More than 40 countries pledged to phase out coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, in a deal announced Thursday at the United Nations climate summit that prompted Alok Sharma, the head of the conference, to proclaim "the end of coal is in sight."

But several of the biggest coal consumers were notably absent from the accord, including China and India, which together burn roughly two-thirds of the world's coal, as well as Australia, the world's 11th-biggest user of coal and a major exporter.

The United States, which still generates about one-fifth of its electricity from coal, also did not sign the pledge.

The new pact includes 23 countries that for the first time have promised to stop building and issuing permits for new coal plants at home and to eventually shift away from using the fuel. Among them are five of the world's top 20 power-generating countries: Poland, Indonesia, South Korea, Vietnam and Ukraine.

The decision by the United States to abstain appeared to be driven by American politics.

President Biden's domestic agenda is split between two pieces of major legislation that have been pending on Capitol Hill and that hinge on the support of Senator Joe Manchin III, Democrat of West Virginia. Mr. Manchin's state is rich in coal and gas, the senator has financial ties to the coal industry and he is sharply opposed to any policy that would harm fossil fuels.

Two administration officials in Glasgow said discussions with the British government over the pledge to end coal stretched into Wednesday night, with the United States arguing in favor of an exception for coal plants that have technology to capture and store carbon dioxide. (Only one such plant has been built in the United States to date, and it ceased operating this year.)

Ultimately, though, U.S. officials decided that signing the pledge could anger Mr. Manchin, according to the officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss the negotiations. A spokeswoman for Mr. Manchin did not respond to a request for comment.

The White House National Security Council said in a statement late Thursday that the coal pledge "includes specifics on permitting that is under legal and technical review" by the federal government and added that the administration's considerations for joining "are based solely on that reasoning."

The use of coal power in the United States peaked in 2007 and is fast declining, replaced by cheaper natural gas, wind and solar power.

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Alok Sharma, the president of the COP26 summit in Glasgow, on Thursday. Credit... Alastair Grant/Associated Press

Coal is the single biggest source of planet-warming carbon dioxide emissions worldwide and ending its use is a major issue at the Glasgow summit.

Germany's environment minister, Svenja Schulze, said ending coal is "essential" to keeping the average global temperature from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, or 2.7 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to preindustrial levels. That's the threshold beyond which many scientists say the planet will experience catastrophic effects from heat waves, droughts, wildfires and flooding. The planet has already warmed about 1.1 degrees Celsius.

To meet that goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius, wealthy countries would have to replace virtually all coal, oil and gas power plants with wind, solar or nuclear power by 2035, according to the International Energy Agency. And by 2040, all of the world's remaining coal plants would have to be shuttered or fitted with technology to capture their carbon emissions and bury them underground, the agency said.

"In the near future we will have left behind all fossil fuels and live in a new and sustainable energy world based on renewable energy," Ms. Schulze said.

Some environmental groups cautioned that the agreement was vague on key details, such as exactly when countries will end their use of the fuel. The statement only says that major economies commit to phasing out coal power "in the 2030s (or as soon as possible thereafter)," while the rest of the world would phase out coal by around the 2040s.

The Collinsville coal mine in Queensland State, Australia, one of the countries that did not agree to the pledge. Credit... David Maurice Smith for The New York Times

That "offers a loophole," said Jennifer Morgan, executive director of Greenpeace International. "This is one more nail in the coffin of coal, but only one, and the coffin is not yet sealed," Ms. Morgan added.

Underscoring the vagueness of the pledge, Anna Moskwa, Poland's climate and environmental minister, said on Twitter Thursday that the deal allowed Poland to depart from coal by 2049. Poland currently gets 70 percent of its electricity from coal and has often resisted European proposals to shift more rapidly away from fossil fuels.

The Biden administration did join an agreement on Thursday to end financing for "unabated" oil, gas and coal in other countries by the end of next year. Unabated refers to power plants that burn fossil fuels and discharge the pollution directly into the air, without any attempt to capture the emissions.

That agreement is expected to significantly help steer public financing from multilateral development funders, such as the World Bank, away from fossil fuels. The 25 countries and entities in that pact, which include Italy, Canada and Denmark, have promised to prioritize support for low and zero-carbon energy like wind, solar and geothermal.

The decision to stop financing overseas fossil fuel development, paired with investments in green energy, is "really significant," said Rachel Kyte of the Fletcher School at Tufts University.

"If we were just saying no to brown energy, then the political tensions between developing countries and developed countries would just escalate," she said.

Republicans in the United States criticized the Biden administration's pledge to end oil, gas and coal financing - noting the absence from the agreements of China, Japan and South Korea, some of the world's biggest backers of foreign oil and gas projects.

"This agreement opens the door for China & Russia to fund the same production, but with their nonexistent environmental standards," Senator Bill Cassidy, Republican of Louisiana, wrote on Twitter. "Patting yourself on the back and pretending to make a difference does nothing if it only leads to higher global emissions."

Others noted the move could easily be reversed by a future administration.

"If there's no law that would lock in a new administration in, I don't know how the U.S. would be bound to uphold it," said George David Banks, who served as former President Donald J. Trump's international energy adviser.

Senator Joe Manchin III of West Virginia in Washington last month. President Biden's domestic agenda has been stalled in part by Mr. Manchin. Credit... Stefani Reynolds for The New York Times

The promise to end coal comes as coal consumption is making a resurgence globally after years of steady decline. This year, coal consumption worldwide is expected to grow by 5.7 percent as the global economy rebounds from the coronavirus pandemic and is now just below its peak set in 2014, according to new data published Thursday by the Global Carbon Project. China's government recently ordered coal companies to increase their mining output to manage an electricity shortage that has led to rolling blackouts nationwide.

The World Coal Association did not respond to a request for comment about the new announcement but earlier this week said efforts to eliminate coal ignored the fact that coal "remains a critical to energy supply in 80 countries and the livelihood of more than 790 million people who have no access to reliable and affordable power."

Some of those countries signed the pledge. Ukraine, the third biggest consumer of coal in Europe, said Wednesday that it would aim to end coal use by 2035. Chile, which has previously pledged to close all of its remaining coal plants by 2040, said it would speed up its timeline.

The pledge would require some nations to make major changes. Vietnam, for example, would have to significantly revise recent plans to double its coal capacity by 2030.

Developing countries are likely to require outside financial help to wean themselves off coal, which has long been prized as a cheap source of energy for factories and homes. Indonesia, which signed the pledge, had earlier said it could phase out its coal-fired power plants by 2040 but only if it gets financial aid. The country is the world's eighth-largest emitter and gets roughly two-thirds of its electricity from coal.

At the Glasgow summit, financiers and development banks have so far pledged roughly $20 billion to help developing countries transition away from coal, including $8.5 billion from the United States and several European governments to help coal-reliant South Africa shift to cleaner energy. The Asian Development Bank also launched a new fund that will buy coal power plants in Asia in order to shut them early, although some critics have questioned how effective that plan will be.

One question left unanswered in the coal pledge is whether countries may turn instead to natural gas to meet their energy needs. Gas produces about half the carbon dioxide as coal when burned for fuel but is still a major source of greenhouse gas emissions.

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Over 40 Countries Pledge at U.N. Climate Summit to End Use of Coal Power

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The United States did not agree to stop coal development at home but promised to halt overseas funding of oil, gas and coal. GLASGOW - More than 40 countries pledged to phase out coal, the dirtiest fossil fuel, in a deal announced Thursday at the United Nations climate summit that prompted Alok Sharma, the head of the conference, to proclaim "the end of coal is in sight."

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Kyle Rittenhouse protected himself from people who ‘attacked him in the street like an animal,’ his lawyer says.-Josue R

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Kyle Rittenhouse protected himself from people who ‘attacked him in the street like an animal,’ his lawyer says.-Josue R

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Kyle Rittenhouse, an Illinois resident, arrived in Kenosha, Wis., in August 2020 as a teenager with innocent motives, his lawyer told jurors in an opening statement. Mr. Rittenhouse had ties to the community, family, and friends who lived in Kenosha and a job as a lifeguard at the RecPlex in Pleasant Prairie, just outside town. When he went downtown on the third day of protests after the police shooting of Jacob Blake, Mr. Rittenhouse was there to clean graffiti and help protect the city from more destruction, his lawyer said. Rittenhouse walked along Sheridan Road in Kenosha with his rifle in the late evening hours of Aug. 25, 2020, he was pursued by Joseph Rosenbaum, the first man he shot, as well as other attackers who were determined to injure him, take his firearm, and possibly kill him, said the lawyer, Mark Richards. “Kyle Rittenhouse protected himself,” Mr. Richards said. “Protected his firearm, so it couldn’t be taken and used against him or other people who Mr. Rosenbaum had made threats to kill. The other individuals who didn’t see that shooting attacked him in the street like an animal.” The case before the jury is about self-defense, Mr. Richards said, describing a scene of lawlessness in Kenosha that night, and a series of shootings that happened so quickly that Mr. Rittenhouse had to make lightning-fast decisions on when to pull the trigger. Mr. Richards acknowledged the prosecutor’s argument that Mr. Rittenhouse’s actions appear less reasonable if jurors consider that he was the only person who killed anyone during the unrest. “True,” he said. But he added, “Mr. Rittenhouse was the only person who was chased by Joseph Rosenbaum that evening.” After Mr. Rittenhouse shot Mr. Rosenbaum and fled down Sheridan Road away from the scene, he was chased by dozens of people, including Anthony Huber and Gaige Grosskreutz.

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Kyle Rittenhouse protected himself from people who ‘attacked him in the street like an animal,’ his lawyer says.

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The case before the jury is about self-defense, Mr. Rittenhouse’s lawyer said, describing a scene of lawlessness that ruled on the night of the shootings.

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Kids ages 5-11 are now allowed to be vaccinated for COVID-19!-Houston 

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Kids ages 5-11 are now allowed to be vaccinated for COVID-19!-Houston 

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After months of school closures and not being able to see each other, a younger group of people will be able to join the wave of those getting vaccinated. The vaccine is administered with smaller needles and 1/3 the dosages that older children and adults receive. They require two shots that are three weeks apart and then 2 weeks more for protection. Some parents are hesitant and are waiting to see how these vaccines are playing out, others are running to the pediatricians so their kids can be covered in time for the holidays. Many think this is really great so that kids can get back to school after over a year of difficulty with the pandemic in mental health and academics. Some question the need for children to get vaccinated as they are at a lower rate of catching covid, but with the new variant it may be easy for kids to pass it to adults.

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Hugs with friends. Birthday parties indoors. Pillow fights. School children who got their first COVID-19 shots Wednesday said these are the pleasures they look forward to as the U.S. enters a major new phase in fighting the pandemic.

Health officials hailed shots for kids aged 5 to 11 as a major breakthrough after more than 18 months of illness, hospitalizations, deaths and disrupted education.

Kid-sized doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine cleared two final hurdles Tuesday - a recommendation from CDC advisers, followed by a green light from Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

At a Decatur, Georgia, pediatrician's office Wednesday, 10-year-old Mackenzie Olson took off her black leather jacket and rolled up her sleeve as her mother looked on.

'œI see my friends but not the way I want to. I want to hug them, play games with them that we don't normally get to,' and have a pillow fight with her best friend, Mackenzie said after getting her shot at the Children's Medical Group site.

With the federal government promising enough vaccine to protect the nation's 28 million kids in this age group, pediatricians' offices and hospitals began inoculating children, with schools, pharmacies and other locations planning to follow suit in the days ahead.

The atmosphere surrounding the launch of shots for elementary-age students was festive in many locations. California vaccine sites welcomed children with kid-friendly motifs like inflatable animals and handed out coloring books and prizes. Vehicles lined up before dawn at an Atlanta site where a 10-year-old girl bounced around her family's car in excitement.

Many pediatricians' offices were expecting strong interest in the shots at least initially, but health officials are worried about demand tapering off. Almost two-thirds of parents recently polled by the Kaiser Family Foundation said they would wait or not seek out vaccines for their kids.

Brian Giglio, 40, of Alexandria, Virginia, brought his 8-year-old son, Carter, in for vaccination at Children's National Hospital in Washington, D.C., where kids with underlying conditions got first dibs. Carter has Type 1 diabetes that puts him at risk for complications if he were to become infected.

Giglio said the vaccine was 'œlike a hallway pass for us to begin living life again.' And Carter said he can't wait to leave masks behind once he's fully vaccinated, so he can smell the things he used to be able to smell without it.

'œI'm ready to trash it,' he said, though the CDC still recommends masks in schools and indoor public spaces where virus activity is high, even for the fully vaccinated.

Cate Zeigler-Amon, 10, was first in line Wednesday for a drive-through vaccination at Viral Solutions in Atlanta. The girl enthusiastically bounced around the car before the shot, which she broadcast live on her computer during morning announcements at her elementary school.

Afterward, Cate said she was 'œvery, very, very excited and very happy,' looking forward to hugging her friends and celebrating her birthday indoors next month 'œinstead of having a freezing cold outside birthday party.'

Hartford Hospital in Connecticut vaccinated seven youngsters Tuesday night, minutes after CDC's director gave the OK, and three more early Wednesday. One girl squeezed her eyes shut and a boy barely flinched as they got their shots and other waiting kids applauded.

The vaccine - one-third the dose given to older children and adults and administered with kid-sized needles - requires two doses three weeks apart, plus two more weeks for full protection. That means children who get vaccinated before Thanksgiving will be covered by Christmas.

'œThe timing before winter holidays is very fortunate,' said Dr. Jennifer Shu, whose Children's Medical Group office in Decatur, Georgia, began vaccinating first thing Wednesday. 'œThis age group will be able to spend holidays with friends and family more safely than they have been able to since the start of the pandemic.'

Thousands of pediatricians pre-ordered doses, and Pfizer began shipments soon after the Food and Drug Administration's decision Friday to authorize emergency use. Pfizer said it expects to make 19,000 shipments totaling about 11 million doses in the coming days, and millions more will be available to order on a weekly basis.

Authorities said they expect a smooth rollout, unlike the chaos that plagued the national one for adults nearly a year ago.

Asked about parents having trouble finding vaccine appointments, White House coronavirus coordinator Jeff Zients said the vaccines.gov website will be updated by Friday for parents to search for locations near them. He said the kid vaccination campaign will be at full speed next week as Pfizer continues to ship millions more doses to locations around the country.

And he said more than 6,000 vaccination clinics are being planned at schools around the country before the winter holiday break.

Walgreens planned to start kids' vaccinations Saturday and said parents could sign up online or by calling 1-800-Walgreens. CVS was also accepting appointments online and by phone at select pharmacies starting Sunday.

Despite the initial enthusiasm, not everyone is rushing out to get shots.

Hannah Hause, a Colorado mother of four children ages 2, 5, 7 and 8, is herself vaccinated, but wants to see how the child vaccines play out and are studied in the larger childhood population.

'œIt's not studied long-term. It just makes me nervous,' she said. 'œAs long as I can wait, I will wait.'

At a White House briefing Wednesday, Walensky authorities thoroughly reviewed all available data on the vaccine's safety, efficacy and the immune response it generates before recommending shots for kids.

Government authorities said pediatricians and family doctors, whom parents depend on to give routine childhood vaccinations, could help build trust.

Dr. Ada Stewart, a Black family physician in Columbia, South Carolina, who works at a clinic for underserved patients, said she's ready to start vaccinating younger children. She's seen the toll the virus has taken on them - not just in family illness and death but with school disruptions, slipping grades and mental strain.

School closures throughout the pandemic have disproportionately burdened children of color, widening academic gaps and worsening mental health, according to data presented Tuesday to CDC advisers. It showed more than 2,000 COVID-related school closures in just the first two months of the current school year.

But Stewart thinks demand for kids' shots will be mixed.

'œBecause many of my patients are Black, Indigenous and people of color, I've seen the full spectrum,'' from parents eager to get their children vaccinated to those who are more hesitant 'œbecause of a history of mistrust in the medical community,'' said Stewart, past president of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

Her message to both is the same: 'œVaccines work, they're safe, they're effective and they save lives.''

A Pfizer study of 2,268 children found the vaccine was almost 91% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 infections. The FDA examined 3,100 vaccinated kids in concluding the shots are safe.

Some skeptics have questioned the need for kids to get vaccinated since they are less likely than adults to develop severe COVID-19. But with the delta variant, they get infected and transmit 'œjust as readily as adults do,'' Dr. Anthony Fauci said at a recent White House briefing.

Infected kids have also contributed to the U.S. toll - almost 46 million infections and more than 740,000 deaths.

Since the pandemic began, at least 94 children aged 5 to 11 have died from COVID-19, more than 8,300 have been hospitalized and over 5,000 have developed a serious inflammatory condition linked to the coronavirus. Black and Latino youngsters and those with chronic conditions are among the hardest hit.

But while some health authorities say minorities should be over-represented in COVID-19 vaccine studies because they are disproportionately affected by the virus, nearly 80% of kids in Pfizer's study were white. Black youngsters totaled 6%, Latinos 21%, Asians 6% and less than 1% were American Indian or Alaska or Hawaii natives.

Kye'vontay Jordan, 7, who is Black, has diabetes and his shot at Children's National in Washington, D.C., gave his dad peace of mind.

'œNow I can sleep not worrying about him going to school,' said Brian Jordan. 'œBeing exposed to the coronavirus could really affect him and mess him up.'

___

Patty Nieberg in Denver; Angie Wang in Washington, D.C.; Lauran Neergaard in Alexandria, Virginia, and Kate Brumback and Ron Harris in Atlanta contributed.

___

Follow AP Medical Writer Lindsey Tanner at @LindseyTanner.

___

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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Roll up your sleeves: Kids' turn arrives for COVID-19 shots

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Hugs with friends. Birthday parties indoors. Pillow fights. School children who got their first COVID-19 shots Wednesday said these are the pleasures they look forward to as the U.S. enters a major new phase in fighting the pandemic.

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The jury has been found for the murder case of Ahmaud Arbery - Ken

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The jury has been found for the murder case of Ahmaud Arbery - Ken

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The jury for the murder case of Ahmaud Arbery has been found who has been killed by three white men in Georgia. The prosecutor has stated that the jury has a bias as it has 11 white citizens and one black. The judge actually acknowledges the racial biases in the jury but they continued to go with the trial. This will clearly upset many people as they took many weeks to find a jury without an opinion but they had to settle for a clearly biased jury.

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A Georgia judge has acknowledged there appeared to be "intentional discrimination" after a nearly all-white jury was selected for the trial of three white men accused of murdering Ahmaud Arbery, but has seated the jury nonetheless.

A jury comprising 11 white members and one Black member was seated on Wednesday after defense attorneys struck almost all Black jurors from the pool. Opening arguments in the high-profile case are set to begin on Friday.

Arbery, a 25-year-old Black man, was killed while out jogging in the coastal town of Satilla Shores, Georgia. None of the men involved were charged until eyewitness footage was made public months later, shortly before the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis, prompting widespread protests.

Jury selection for the case has lasted for 11 days, and lawyers were initially given a pool of 48 potential jurors, 12 of whom were Black. But defense lawyers for the accused murderers, Gregory McMichael, 67, his 35-year-old son Travis McMichael and their neighbor William "Roddie" Bryan, 52, struck all but one of them from the final jury.

Prosecutors had urged Judge Timothy Walmsley, who is overseeing the trial in south Georgia, to reverse the strikes of eight Black potential jurors, whom they said had been intentionally targeted over race. A landmark 1986 US supreme court decision in Batson v Kentucky ruled it unconstitutional for potential jurors to be struck solely based on race or ethnicity.

But Walmsley, while acknowledging the apparent "intentional discrimination", cited limitations spelled out in the supreme court precedent and pointed to defense lawyers' justifications, which did not mention race or ethnicity.

Ahmaud Arbery's parents, Marcus Arbery and Wanda Cooper, outside the courthouse after a hearing last year. Photograph: Erik S Lesser/EPA

Glynn county, Georgia, where the trial is taking place and where Arbery was killed, is 26% Black and 69% white.

Arbery was shot dead in February 2020 when the three men pursued him while he was out on a run, claiming they suspected his involvement in a series of burglaries in the neighborhood. Arbery had been recorded on surveillance footage entering and leaving a semi-constructed house in the town that day, but no evidence has linked him to any offense.

The McMichaels, both carrying firearms, attempted to corner Arbery in a roadway using their pickup truck. Travis McMichael then fired three times with a shotgun.

All three men have pleaded not guilty to murder and will argue they were acting in self-defense and were legally justified in pursuing Arbery due to a now defunct citizen's arrest law.

On Wednesday, representatives for the Arbery family expressed outrage at the racial makeup of the jury.

"How did we get to this result?" said Barbara Arnwine, a spokeswoman for the Arbery family who was speaking outside the courthouse flanked by Marcus Arbery, Ahmaud's father. "The one thing we know is that the Black jurors who showed up for service came hoping to serve if selected. They had the same concerns as the white jurors."

She continued: "It's disappointing to hear the bases that were articulated by the defendants for striking the Black jurors because my mind kept going from white juror to white juror who met the precise parameters that they were describing for omitting Black jurors."

As well as the state criminal charges, the three accused men face federal hate crimes and attempted kidnap charges in a separate case brought by the US justice department. Their federal trial is due to start in February 2022.

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Ahmaud Arbery: judge seats nearly all-white jury in Georgia murder trial

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A Georgia judge has acknowledged there appeared to be "intentional discrimination" after a nearly all-white jury was selected for the trial of three white men accused of murdering Ahmaud Arbery, but has seated the jury nonetheless. A jury comprising 11 white members and one Black member was seated on Wednesday after defense attorneys struck almost all Black jurors from the pool.

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Violet- This article addresses the killings by kyle rittenhouse at the time 17 years old. He shot three protesters in Kenosha last year during a protest for racial justice. He ended up killing two of them possessing an illegal weapon and is now on trial this week for a felony.

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Kyle Rittenhouse was acquitted on all charges. Here's what we know about the 3 men he shot | CNN

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Kyle Rittenhouse - accused of shooting three people, two fatally - was acquitted on all charges on Friday by a jury in Kenosha, Wisconsin.

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Footage shows brawl outside Rolesville High football game; several arrested- John Littell 

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Footage shows brawl outside Rolesville High football game; several arrested- John Littell 

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This is about a fight that happened at Rolesville High School. It happened after the homecoming game. we still do not have a reason on why the fight broke out, but we do know several people got arrested and several people were injured.

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- A fight occurred during the homecoming football game outside Rolesville High School on Friday night.

It's unclear what triggered the fight, but video shows multiple people swinging and tussling as vehicles slowly drive past.

Several people were arrested in connection with the altercation.

Multiple agencies responded, including Wake County Sheriff's Office, Rolesville police, Wake County EMS and Knightdale police.

"I saw a lot of police activity and I saw one young man run from the police and go over there and just ran around the field," said parent Kevin Parquette, who attended the game.

Some parents, including Parquette, reached out to WRAL expressing concern over another incident ruining the school's reputation.

A spokeswoman with Wake County Schools said the district is still gathering information on this incident.

The fight comes just days after Rolesville High School was put on a code red lockdown for several hours after a potential threat was communicated on Wednesday.

By 3 p.m., police had determined the threat was not credible; however, panicky parents were already lined up outside the school, saying students had texted them about the lockdown and to tell them they were hiding in spots around the building.

While two incidents this week have shown Rolesville High in a negative light, there is good news, too. The school's marching band plans to perform at a competition at Fuquay-Varina High School on Saturday night.

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Footage shows brawl outside Rolesville High football game; several arrested :: WRAL.com

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A fight occurred during the homecoming football game outside Rolesville High School on Friday night. It's unclear what triggered the fight, but video shows multiple people swinging and tussling as vehicles slowly drive past. Several people were arrested in connection with the altercation.

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 Elijah Deans                            Cadaver dogs missed skeletal remains while searching for Brian Laundrie at Carlton Reserve 

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 Elijah Deans                            Cadaver dogs missed skeletal remains while searching for Brian Laundrie at Carlton Reserve 

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A K-9 handler and former police officer says it is “highly suspicious” that cadaver dogs may have missed the skeletal remains found in a Florida reserve Wednesday, even if they were located underwater.

If the body had been there, when they went by with cadaver dogs, and the body had been there for more than two or three minutes, the odor would have come through the water, Kyle Heyen said on Dan Abrams Live. They should have been able to locate that body. The FBI confirmed Wednesday that investigators found what appear to be human remains, along with personal items belonging to Brian Laundrie at the reserve.

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Hye-Lynn Kim / South Korea launches first homegrown space rocket Nuri

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Hye-Lynn Kim / South Korea launches first homegrown space rocket Nuri

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Yesterday, on October 21, South Korea launched their first domestically developed space rocket. The Korean Satellite Launch Vehicle II, known as Nuri, took off from Goheung, about 500km (310 miles) south of Seoul. The vehicle completed its full flight sequence but failed in its goal of putting a dummy satellite in orbit. President Moon Jae-in said the country will fix the shortcomings and hopefully achieve complete success when it launches a second Nuri rocket in May next year. When Nuri operates properly, it will become South Korea's first rocket capable of lifting 1 ton into Earth orbit, a feat that only six countries have accomplished entirely domestically: Russia, the U.S., France, China, Japan and India. The 1.9 trillion won (US$1.6 billion) project has been in development for 10 years, and comes after the US removed restrictions on South Korea’s rocket development in place since the Cold War. Even though the project was a failure, it was told that Nuri was developed by around only 800 people, compared to around 20,000 people used in the U.S. and Russia. Considering the long-standing political issues, which made it hard for South Korea to devote to modern rocketry, it was a great leap.

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South Korea's first launch of its new rocket, dubbed Nuri, seemed to go smoothly after liftoff Thursday (Oct. 21), but engineers have determined that its mock payload did not reach the proper orbit for unknown reasons.

The Nuri rocket lifted off about an hour behind schedule from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province at 4 a.m. EDT (0800 GMT, 5 p.m. local time). The country has been developing its second rocket design, also known as Korean Space Launch Vehicle-II, for more than a decade. South Korea's previous rocket, Naro, made its first successful launch in 2013 on the third attempt. Naro carried a 220-pound (100 kilograms) satellite on its milestone launch; Nuri's mock satellite for this launch weighed 1.5 tons (1.4 metric tons).

"The Nuri has failed to complete its mission," Moon Jae-in, South Korea's president, said in a post-flight address as reported by English news site The Korea Herald. "Putting a payload into a targeted orbit remains unsolved, but sending the rocket into a 700-kilometer [430 miles] orbit itself is a great achievement."

Related: Meet Naro: South Korea's first rocket in photos

(Image credit: KARI)

He noted that all three stages of the rocket worked properly and said that the nation's space agency, the Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI), is looking into why the mock satellite didn't retain its orbit after deployment, according to the Yonhap News Agency, another local news site. A Korean-language statement from KARI suggests that the rocket's third stage may have shut down prematurely.

When Nuri operates properly, it will become South Korea's first rocket capable of lifting 1 ton into Earth orbit, a feat that only six countries have accomplished entirely domestically, according to Yonhap: Russia, the U.S., France, China, Japan and India.

Even before agency personnel realized that Thursday's flight had failed at the last step, KARI was planning additional and more ambitious launches, with Nuri's next blastoff scheduled for May 19, 2022, according to an agency statement published in September. That flight will target the same altitude and carry a real payload, the statement notes.

During his speech after today's failure, Moon emphasized that South Korea is aiming to land a spacecraft on the by 2030, Yonhap reported, with Nuri flying at least four more times before 2027.

"Nuri is our country's own space launch vehicle that has been developed through the blood, sweat, and tears of many researchers and industrial parties since 2010, and I believe its launch this October will mark a milestone in the history of our space development," Lim Hyesook, minister of science and information and communication technology, said in the September KARI statement.
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.

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South Korea's 1st Nuri rocket fails to put payload in orbit in debut space launch

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South Korea's first launch of its new rocket, dubbed Nuri, seemed to go smoothly after liftoff Thursday (Oct. 21), but engineers have determined that its mock payload did not reach the proper orbit for unknown reasons. The Nuri rocket lifted off about an hour behind schedule from the Naro Space Center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province at 4 a.m.

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Companies have been facing delay of products or even product shortages. This was caused because the ports are becoming overfilled. In china they're running short supply on Chinese made parts that makes the parts and chemicals have been limited in world production
Jahar

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‘It’s Not Sustainable’: What America’s Port Crisis Looks Like Up Close (Published 2021)

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An enduring traffic jam at the Port of Savannah reveals why the chaos in global shipping is likely to persist.

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Japan OKs Plan to Push Clean Energy, Nuclear to Cut Carbon - Emma Lunsford

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Japan OKs Plan to Push Clean Energy, Nuclear to Cut Carbon - Emma Lunsford

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On Friday, Japan signed a new policy that will promote the use of nuclear energy. Japan is stepping up in the global effort against climate change, as they are on track to be "carbon neutral" before 2050. Since the Fukishima plant disaster in 2011, Japan had been unsure about nuclear energy but in the end, they are choosing low cost and minimal fossil fuels. This article is relevant in that this is a big step for clean energy. Other countries could follow like a Domino Effect and help our dying planet.

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By MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Press

TOKYO (AP) - Japan adopted a new energy policy on Friday that promotes nuclear and renewables as sources of clean energy to achieve the country's pledge of reaching carbon neutrality in 2050.

The new basic energy plan, adopted by the Cabinet just in time for the climate summit in early November, calls for drastically increasing use of renewable energy to cut fossil fuel consumption over the next decade as Japan pushes to meet its ambitious emissions reduction target.

Japan has been undecided over what to do about its nuclear power industry since the 2011 Fukushima plant disaster. It now says reactor restarts are key to meeting emissions targets as Japan tries to step up in the global effort against climate change.

The 128-page plan compiled by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry says Japan should set ambitious targets for hydrogen and ammonia energy, carbon recycling and nuclear energy. It also calls for promoting offshore wind power and use of rechargeable batteries that have potential for growth.

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"We will mobilize all options" to achieve the emissions target, the plan said, adding that the "supply of stable and low-cost energy is a prerequisite."

The changes in the plan are meant to achieve the carbon emissions reduction target announced in April by former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga. His successor, Fumio Kishida, a backer of nuclear plant restarts, took office this month.

Japan has pledged to reduce its emissions by 46% from 2013 levels, up from an earlier target of 26%, to achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. Japan says it would try to push the reduction as high as 50% to be in line with the European Union's commitment. China has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2060.

The energy plan says renewables should account for 36-38% of the power supply in 2030, up from the current target of 22-24%, and that newly introduced fuels such as hydrogen and ammonia should comprise 1%.

The target for fossil fuel use was slashed to 41% in 2030 from 56%. The plan said Japan will reduce dependence on fossil fuel without setting a timeline. It said Japan will abide by a Group of Seven pledge earlier this year to stop providing overseas assistance for coal-fired generation projects that lack emissions reduction measures.

The 2050 emissions-free target has prompted calls to expedite restarts of nuclear plants. Progress toward reducing Japan's reliance on fossil fuels has been hindered by the prolonged closure of most of its nuclear plants after the Fukushima disaster in 2011.

The plan keeps the target for nuclear power unchanged at 20-22%. Japan says it aims to reduce its reliance on nuclear power as much as possible but that nuclear will remain an important energy source. Experts say a phase out is unlikely anytime soon.

Economy and industry minister Koichi Hagiuda has said "drastic energy conservation, maximum promotion of renewables and safe restarts of nuclear reactors" are key.

Japan will continue its nuclear fuel reprocessing cycle, in which spent nuclear fuel is converted to plutonium, despite the failure of its Monju plutonium-burning reactor and international concerns over safeguards for its plutonium stockpile.

A government taskforce will "accelerate" restarts of reactors, which have been slowed by stricter safety standards set after the Fukushima meltdowns, the plan says.

It did not mention the possibility of new reactors, despite such calls from some industry officials and pro-nuclear lawmakers. Japan is pursuing research and development of small modular reactors, or SMRs, considered a clean, affordable and safer nuclear power options in the future.

The atomic energy target will be difficult to achieve because of persistent anti-nuclear sentiment among the public and more time-consuming safety checks by the authorities. The energy plan gave no numerical targets, but experts say the 20-22% target would require restarts of about 30 reactors.

Twenty-four of Japan's 54 workable reactors were assigned to be decommissioned after the Fukushima disaster, as utility companies opted to scrap old reactors rather than invest heavily in added safety measures required under stricter post-Fukushima standards. Only 10 reactors have restarted over the past decade.

Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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Japan OKs Plan to Push Clean Energy, Nuclear to Cut Carbon

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By MARI YAMAGUCHI, Associated Press TOKYO (AP) - Japan adopted a new energy policy on Friday that promotes nuclear and renewables as sources of clean energy to achieve the country's pledge of reaching carbon neutrality in 2050.

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Elephants are evolving to have no tusks due to brutal poaching . Throughout history people have cut off elephant tusk to make furniture and artifacts.Elephant experts working in the park had begun to notice the phenomenon after the war ended in 1992. Field data and analysis of old video footage from the park found that the proportion of tuskless female elephants increased more than threefold between 1972 and the year 2000. It was a period during which the elephant population plummeted from roughly 2,000 to about 250 individuals

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some female elephants are losing their tusks as a response to poaching

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Some elephants are evolving to have no tusks as a response to brutal poaching

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While an elephant's tusks are among its defining features and tools for living, But an increasing proportion of female elephants in Mozambique's Gorongosa National Park have been born without them -- an evolutionary response to poaching, some scientists say.

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Biden has no solve for the high gas prices. it is said that we will not see gas prices going down til next year 2022. So basically right now we are stuck with high gas prices and the gas dont even last longer. Gas reached to over three dollars starting this weekend. Gas is now the highest price its ever been since forever. In the next couple years they will be investing in a new renewable energy.

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women was trying to leave was killed in murder sucide -kacey

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women was trying to leave was killed in murder sucide -kacey

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20 year old  Michael Culpepper killed 25 year old Xamegga Whitfield who family says that was his girlfriend at the time of the shooting they were living togather they had a toxic relationship they were in the process of breaking up but the sitution got worse when he broke whitfields mother rent a car window .After he shoots whitfield he was seen on he knees then shoots himself

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- A Fayetteville man shot and killed a woman Thursday morning before fatally shooting himself, police say.

The shooting occurred around 7:30 a.m. the 900 block of Miller Avenue.

Police said a neighbor called 911 after a man shot a woman then shot himself. When officers responded, they saw the shooter on his knees in the road holding a handgun. As officers approached him, the man shot himself.

Family members identified the man as 20-year-old Michael Culpepper and the woman as 25-year-old Xamegga Whitfield. Family members said Culpepper and Whitfield were dating and lived together in the apartment on Miller Avenue where the shooting happened.

"She was so smart; she was everything," said Whitfield's sister Cierra Bell.

Family members said the couple was in the process of breaking up.

"I guess, last night, they had got into it or whatever, and then, he had busted my mom's rent-a-car window because they were moving stuff into her house. The next morning, my mom said she was already scared," said Bell.

Whitfield died at the scene of the shooting, according to police, and Culpepper was taken to Cape Fear Valley Medical Center, where he died.

"Anybody that has a family member that's going through suicide, or thoughts of suicide, or thoughts of hurting themselves, anybody that's going through an abusive relationship or anybody that's going through a hard time -- I just ask that somebody reach out to them," said Culpepper's aunt Vonshai Culpepper.

Michael Culpepper's family said they had no idea that he was going through a crisis.

"When he comes around us, he tried to make it about us," said his aunt Crystal Blue.

The gunshots were heard a block away by the school resource officer at Ireland Drive Middle School, according to officials.

The middle school, along with Douglas Byrd Middle School and High School, were put on code yellow lockdown as a precaution. The lockdown was lifted shortly after.

An investigation is underway. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective J. Olsen at 910-709-1958 or Crime Stoppers at 910-483-TIPS (8477).

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Family: Woman was trying to leave, was killed in murder-suicide :: WRAL.com

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A Fayetteville man shot and killed a woman Thursday morning before fatally shooting himself, police say. The shooting occurred around 7:30 a.m. the 900 block of Miller Avenue. Police said a neighbor called 911 after a man shot a woman then shot himself.

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9 Republicans break ranks to vote to hold Steve Bannon in contempt of congress.-Nicolai

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9 Republicans break ranks to vote to hold Steve Bannon in contempt of congress.-Nicolai

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Congress voted to hold steve bannon in contempt of congress for his role in the January 6th attack on the capitol. The former Trump strategist was tried by congress where all Democrats voted to hold him in contempt and 9 republicans joined them.

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these are the 9 house republicans who voted to hold steve bannon in contempt of congress - cnnpolitics

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These are the 9 House Republicans who voted to hold Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress

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Nine House Republicans broke ranks Thursday to join all Democrats in voting to hold Steve Bannon in contempt of Congress for defying a subpoena from the select committee investigating the January 6 attack on the US Capitol.

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Matthew - Moscow is going back into lockdown as things get bad

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Matthew - Moscow is going back into lockdown as things get bad

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Unfortunately, COVID-19, while it may be something that has persisted for a while, is not something that seems to be over just yet. Cases seem to have gotten much worse in Russia, with cases reaching an all-new high there. Just a couple days ago, they reported a terrifying 1028 fatalities! They're locking down Moscow for 10 days in an attempt to disrupt this surge, but this can teach us a cautionary lesson: that even now, we must be wary, lest we let the virus catch us off guard.

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Moscow is going back into lockdown as Covid-19 deaths multiply in Russia | CNN

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Moscow will impose a 10-day lockdown from next week in an effort to curb soaring Covid-19 cases, the city’s mayor has said, as Russia endures its worst-ever phase of the pandemic.

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The government has been negotiating for 5 days but things got a little more serious on Thursday when the leader of the terrorist group threatened to kill the hostages if his demands were not met. Negotiation is still going on.

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Biden vows to protect Taiwan in event of Chinese attack- Elijah Shore

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Biden vows to protect Taiwan in event of Chinese attack- Elijah Shore

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China has threaten taiwan for quite sometime but it seems china is only getting more and more threatening. America has provided taiwan with a military aid just in case china decides to plan a attack against taiwan and president biden has vowed that he protects taiwan if china does attack. Will this get america more involved in this conflict?

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biden vows to protect taiwan in event of chinese attack - cnnpolitics

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Biden vows to protect Taiwan in event of Chinese attack

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President Joe Biden said Thursday the US was committed to coming to Taiwan's defense if it comes under attack from China -- a stance that seems in opposition to America's stated policy of "strategic ambiguity."

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Popular Diner in Stratford Connecticut reopens - Ken

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Popular Diner in Stratford Connecticut reopens - Ken

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In stratford, Connecticut, a popular diner opens after long break due to COVID. This diner was very popular with the residence of the small town. The reopening of this diner brought positive thoughts of the residences during a scary time. The diner is one of the best diners in the town and many diners recommending people to go to the diner.

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STRATFORD, CT - The Blue Sky Diner in Stratford has reopened after temporarily closing due to recent COVID-19 cases and exposure among staff.

The owners previously announced the diner was closing "out of an abundance of caution" to disinfect the building and quarantine employees.

The restaurant, located at 273 Ferry Boulevard, reopened on Oct. 16 with modified business hours until further notice, according to Sissy Kouvatas, whose family owns the diner.

"We undertook appropriate measures to test all our employees, and professionally disinfected the building using the services of EnviroPRO for the time being," Kouvatas said.

The diner's daily business hours will be from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more information, visit the Blue Sky Diner's Facebook page here.

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Popular Stratford Diner Reopens After Temporary Closure

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STRATFORD, CT - The Blue Sky Diner in Stratford has reopened after temporarily closing due to recent COVID-19 cases and exposure among staff. The owners previously announced the diner was closing "out of an abundance of caution" to disinfect the building and quarantine employees. The restaurant, located at 273 Ferry Boulevard, reopened on Oct.

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The NBA regular season has begun and the warriors are starting strong. Their star player steph curry reminds everybody why he is one of the best players by dropping 45 points and carrying his team to a win over the LA Clippers. With Klay thompson expected to play this season, the question is do the other NBA teams have a chance?

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Curry hits pair of clutch fourth-quarter 3s to help Warriors hold off Clippers for thrilling 115-113 victory

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Families' Struggles with Poverty Brought to Light in Bid to Tackle Inequality - Jack Huffstetler

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Families' Struggles with Poverty Brought to Light in Bid to Tackle Inequality - Jack Huffstetler

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This article is about a commission in Trafford that is aimed to help those living in poverty. Families that are living in Trafford are urged to have thier own say about how life is in poverty in order to make a change. The commission sees the issues regarding the country, as well as local levels. They aim to start with the local issues in Trafford in order to help rebuild the community, with the project on route to launch in 2022. Lower class families live in poverty without equality and this town of Trafford is finally taking - a local - stand.

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(Image: PA)

Families living in poverty in Trafford are being urged to have their say on their experiences in a bid to help those in need.

The Trafford Poverty Truth Commission has been launched by the council, Trafford Housing Trust and Stretford Public Hall and aims to tackle poverty and the surrounding issues by hearing directly from those affected.

The commission gives Trafford residents the chance to share their real life experiences of living in poverty and the struggles that come with it with leaders from the private, public and voluntary sectors and explore creative ways to address poverty across the borough.

The first engagement event saw 60 people gather at Stretford Public Hall from local businesses, public services and the surrounding communities to discuss the aims of the commission.

Speakers at the event included representatives from the Poverty Truth Network, commissioners from the Manchester Poverty Truth Commission and Coun Graham Whitham, executive member for communities at Trafford council.

The commission is now looking for business leaders from Trafford to sponsor the project and be part of the future discussions ahead of a full programme launch early in 2022.

To find out how to become involved and sponsor the Poverty Truth Commission, you can email the Poverty Truth Commission team at Stretford Public Hall on traffordptc@stretfordpublichall.org.uk.

Coun Whitham said: "I am delighted to have been able to support getting a Poverty Truth Commission going in Trafford.

"I have seen how effective they have been at identifying local responses to poverty in other parts of the country and I wanted to bring this idea to Trafford. Too many people in our communities across the borough are living in poverty and we are now saying that enough is enough. We need to have the conversation about poverty and speak directly with those struggling to make ends meet.

"I believe the Trafford Poverty Truth Commission will be an extremely important vehicle in bringing groups together to discuss poverty. We are making this issue a priority for Trafford council and its partners and we are confident the PTC will succeed with its aims. Please get involved with the PTC - you will be helping so many people."

Zoe Taylor, support manager at Trafford Housing Trust, said: "We have always been committed to tackling poverty through our community grants programme, and this is another great opportunity to further understand and support the needs of the most vulnerable people in our neighbourhoods."

Claire Vibert, Poverty Truth Commission coordinator for Stretford Public Hall, said: "This is an exciting and timely project: people in Trafford are feeling the effects of poverty and this is an opportunity to take a step back and look for long term solutions based on the experiences of those living in poverty.

"We would be delighted to hear from anyone who feels they can contribute to the project, and will support them throughout the process."

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Families' struggles with poverty brought to light in bid to tackle inequality

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Families living in poverty in Trafford are being urged to have their say on their experiences in a bid to help those in need. The Trafford Poverty Truth Commission has been launched by the council, Trafford Housing Trust and Stretford Public Hall and aims to tackle poverty and the surrounding issues by hearing directly from those affected.

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The American Families Plan- Jeffrey Armah

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The American Families Plan- Jeffrey Armah

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In March, the President signed into law the American Rescue Plan, which continues to provide immediate relief to American families and communities. That is Approximately 161 million payment of up to $1,400 per person have gone out to households, schools are reopening so in doing so this Rescue Plan is projected to lift more than five million children out of poverty this year, cutting child poverty by more than half. While too many Americans are still out of work, we are seeing encouraging signs in the labor market, as businesses begin to rehire and some of the hardest hit sectors begin to reopen.

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FACT SHEET: The American Families Plan | The White House

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Today, President Biden announced the American Families Plan, an investment in our kids, our families, and our economic future.In March, the President

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Director of photography killed, movie director injured after Alec Baldwin discharged prop firearm on movie set- Josue R

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Director of photography killed, movie director injured after Alec Baldwin discharged prop firearm on movie set- Josue R

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A film crew member has died and another was injured after actor Alec Baldwin discharged a prop firearm on the set of the movie "Rust" in New Mexico on Thursday, according to a law enforcement statement provided to CNN. Director of photography Halyna Hutchins, 42, was transported to the hospital via helicopter and pronounced dead by medical personnel at the University of New Mexico Hospital Director Joel Souza, 48, was transported to Christus St. Vincent's Regional Medical Center by ambulance for care. Details on his condition were not released.

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Director of photography killed, movie director injured after Alec Baldwin discharged prop firearm on movie set

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A film crew member has died and another was injured after actor Alec Baldwin discharged a prop firearm on the set of the movie “Rust” in New Mexico on Thursday, according to a law enforcement statement provided to CNN.

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New Rare Books Library to Highlight Black Authors and Playwrights - Houston C

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New Rare Books Library to Highlight Black Authors and Playwrights - Houston C

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American singer/songwriter Solange launched a rare book library with Saint Heron (her creative studio) which opened Monday. The goal is to create an initiative much like the East Village set up once was and bring out of print/rare books by BIPOC authors to light. The community will work as a first come first serve situation with every reader leaving with one book that they can borrow for 45 days. The books are free with only shipping and return costs! The collection will shift with the seasons with the hope of giving access to lesser known authors and lesser known pieces by famous authors. One of their other goals is to give Black readers access to rare books that many have not had before.

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Solange launches a library for rare books by Black authors

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The singer’s creative studio Saint Heron recently launched a free community library that aims to increase access to rare and out-of-print works by Black and brown authors.

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Mixing & Matching Vaccines~Sarah-Michelle Morrow

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Mixing & Matching Vaccines~Sarah-Michelle Morrow

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Currently the CDC Advisors are voting on weather or not they should advise people years 65 and older to take the booster shots. The CDC is concerned about "mixing and matching" the vaccines with the booster shots because they're still being developed. The FDA has made clear that there's no preferred booster vaccine for the mixed dosage, but the CDC panel is likely to discuss available data on what booster blend might offer the strongest immunity. If the CDC signs off then everyone 65+ or 18+ with preexisting medical conditions would be eligible to receive a booster of their choice.

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With CDC final approval, the boosters could be available by week's end.

An independent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee on Thursday is set to discuss and vote on booster shots for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines, along with the potential for people to mix and match their booster doses.

On Wednesday, the FDA authorized Moderna and J&J boosters for some, and allowed for mix and matching booster doses with a different vaccine.

The next step in the process is for the CDC panel to deliberate and ultimately vote on whether to recommend those boosters, and whether and how to mix and match them.

The panel's vote is non-binding, and CDC is not required to follow the panel's recommendations, though they generally do so.

Once the panel votes, CDC Director Rochelle Walensky is expected to make her own final signoff shortly after -- typically within a day.

Boosting for eligible Moderna and J&J recipients would be able to start once Walensky gives the greenlight -- potentially meaning those populations could begin receiving their boosters as soon as the end of this week.

The FDA has made clear there is no preferred booster vaccine for the mixed dosage, but the CDC panel is likely to discuss available data on what booster blend might offer the strongest immunity.

Dr. Peter Marks, a top FDA official, said allowing people to mix boosters makes sense, particularly when people might not remember what brand they initially received.

"Most people don't know what brand flu vaccine they received. And although they're somewhat more standardized, perhaps, this is something that is probably a good next step for us to be able to have the flexibility that people can get vaccinated easily," he told reporters.

Under the new rules, if the CDC signs off, Moderna recipients would qualify for a booster shot of their choice if they are 65 or older -- or younger with medical conditions or a high-risk job. The FDA and CDC had already cleared Pfizer recipients to get a third shot, and now they too can choose which brand booster they want. J&J recipients 18 and older would be eligible for a booster of their choice.
ABC News' Anne Flaherty contributed to this report.

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CDC advisers set to vote on Moderna, J&J boosters, mixing and matching doses

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With CDC final approval, the boosters could be available by week's end. An independent Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory committee on Thursday is set to discuss and vote on booster shots for the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines, along with the potential for people to mix and match their booster doses.

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Remember the Parkland shooting a couple years ago? Finally some justice will be done as shooter Nikolas Cruz pleads guilty on 17 counts of murder. So far this has been the deadliest school shooting.

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Nikolas Cruz pleaded guilty Wednesday to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder, more than three years after gunning down 14 students and three staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer noted that the murder counts Cruz pleaded guilty to carry a mandatory minimum sentence of life in prison with no parole.

Cruz, 23, and his lawyers last week surprised Scherer and prosecutors when they announced he planned to plead guilty to all 34 counts.

Also during last week's hearing, Cruz pleaded guilty to four charges that he faced after he attacked a Broward County Jail guard nine months after the shooting.

The shooting trial has been delayed by the pandemic and arguments over witnesses and evidence.

The pleas will come with no conditions and prosecutors still plan to seek the death penalty.

Sentencing for the first-degree murder charges will be decided by a jury. Scherer has said she hopes to start the trial early next year after choosing a jury from thousands of prospects starting in November.

Much of the penalty phase would likely focus on Cruz's mental condition at the time of the slayings, with prosecutors emphasizing their horrific nature and Cruz's intensive planning beforehand.

The families of the 17 people killed, most of the wounded and others traumatized have reached a $25 million settlement with the Broward County school district in a lawsuit that had accused the district of negligence, an attorney for the families said earlier this week.

Cruz, armed with an AR-15, arrived at Marjory Stoneman Douglas in an Uber, just before classes were over on Valentine's Day 2018. He killed 17 people and wounded 17 more in what became the deadliest high school shooting in recent U.S. history.

Then 19, Cruz had been expelled from the school the previous year.

Cruz confessed to the attack, telling investigators he had brought the weapon and several loaded magazines stuffed into a backpack and planned to leave them behind in an effort to blend in with fleeing students, according to a police affidavit.

He was arrested about an hour after the shooting.

Cruz had legally bought the .223-caliber rifle in early 2017 at Sunrise Tactical Supply, a federally licensed gun store in Coral Springs, authorities said.

In the aftermath of the shooting, Parkland student activists formed March for Our Lives, a group that rallied hundreds of thousands around the country for tighter gun laws. In addition to a nationally televised march in Washington, D.C., parents also made impassioned pleas for accountability and policies aimed at halting gun violence.

In a statement, March for Our Lives said it had no comment on Cruz and said they would "never dignify him by referring to his name."

But the group said: "A single guilty plea does not bring closure as long as it is still possible for another person anywhere in this country to be murdered by a gun at school, in a place of worship, or in their very own home.

"We are appalled and disgusted that policymakers continue to waffle and play games, rather than do what needs to be done to prevent any more gun deaths. We are not at peace, we are as angry and determined as ever."

Tony Montalto, the father of victim Gina Montalto, and other parents of victims also founded Stand With Parkland, which demands responsible gun laws, school safety enhancements and greater attention to students' mental health.

"School shootings are a systemic and pervasive issue facing our country. As a society we should demand the perpetrators of these horrific acts be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law," Montalto said in a statement in anticipation of of Cruz's plea.

"Everyday my family must deal with the devastation caused by the murder of our beloved daughter Gina. On days like today we also have to relive the tragedy that took her from us," he said. "Sadly, nothing will bring back Gina or the 16 other wonderful souls that died at the hands of this murderer but all Americans must come together and do everything in our power to ensure that not one more family has to deal with these tragedies in the future."

The Associated Press contributed.

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Nikolas Cruz pleads guilty to 17 counts of murder in Parkland shooting

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Nikolas Cruz pleaded guilty Wednesday to 17 counts of murder and 17 counts of attempted murder, more than three years after gunning down 14 students and three staff members at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

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Suspected Human Remains Found In Florida Wildlife Preserve Where Authorities Are Searching For Brian Laundries-Nautica Petties 

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Suspected Human Remains Found In Florida Wildlife Preserve Where Authorities Are Searching For Brian Laundries-Nautica Petties 

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New developments in connection with the disappearance and murder of Long Island native Gabby Petito. The FBI confirmed  suspected human remains were found, along with a backpack and notebook belonging to Petito’s fiancé, Brian Laundrie, in Florida’s Carlton Reserve.remains were said to be “a small part of a body,” which would make it difficult to make a positive ID and to determine a cause of death.Bertolino says
the park had been closed to the public and there was no reason for the Laundries to go anywhere else. As for the Laundries’ silence and lack of cooperation throughout the investigation, Bertolino says they were following his legal advice.Brian Laundrie, who went missing five weeks ago, is currently the sole person of interest in the death investigation of Petito, a 22-year-old native of the Suffolk County hamlet of Blue Point. Petito was found dead in a forest in Wyoming back on Sept. 19, and a coroner later ruled her death a homicide by strangulation. The only charge Laundrie is currently facing stems from his alleged improper use of Petito’s credit card.

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NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - There are new developments in connection with the disappearance and murder of Long Island native Gabby Petito.

The FBI confirmed Wednesday afternoon that suspected human remains were found, along with a backpack and notebook belonging to Petito's fiancé, Brian Laundrie, in Florida's Carlton Reserve.

READ MORE: Gabby Petito Search: Timeline Of Road Trip With Fiancé Brian Laundrie, Notable Dates And Events

According to a CBS News report, the remains were said to be "a small part of a body," which would make it difficult to make a positive ID and to determine a cause of death.

"These items were found in an area that up until recently had been underwater. Our evidence response team is on scene using all available forensic resources to process the area," said Michael McPherson, the FBI's special agent in charge.

Anything found also has been exposed to the elements.

"It could be because the environment has changed and several weeks ago it didn't look the way it looks now because of the water," former senior FBI profiler Mary Ellen O'Toole said, adding, "and the critical point is going to be, what is the condition of these items? Do they appear to have been out there for a long time? Are they weathered?"

"Ultimately, DNA analysis will be able to tell us if it is Brian Laundrie or not. Remember that they took reference samples from the home so that they could do this DNA comparison," said Lawrence Kobilinsky, a forensic scientist with John Jay College.

Kobilinsky says the evidence discovered could also be crucial to the Petito murder investigation.

"I'm interested to know about that notebook, whether there is any information in there that might have referenced Gabby Petito and perhaps give us a little more information as to how she died," he said.

Earlier Wednesday, attorney Steven Bertolino said Laundrie's parents, Chris and Roberta Laundrie, along with law enforcement, started searching Myakkahatchee Creek Environmental Park in North Port, Florida.

"The FBI and NPPD were informed last night of Brian's parents' intentions and they met Chris and Roberta there this morning. After a brief search off a trail that Brian frequented, some articles belonging to Brian were found. As of now, law enforcement is conducting a more thorough investigation of that area," Bertolino said, in part.

UPDATE: Items of interest were located at the Carlton Reserve this morning in connection with the search for Brian Laundrie. An #FBI Evidence Response team is processing the scene. The reserve is closed to the public and no further details are available at this time. @FBIDenver pic.twitter.com/itOYRpY6fp

- FBI Tampa (@FBITampa) October 20, 2021

Now there are new questions about why his family came forward just now, and items were suddenly found, CBS2's Dick Brennan reported.

"Isn't it interesting that hundreds of searchers went through this preserve for more than a month and then the family, which has not cooperated much at all, suddenly contacts police and says we plan to go out there and look for him," criminologist Casey Jordan said.

"The parents have engaged in behavior that is suspicious and that has to be resolved, and I think that it ultimately will be in terms of whether or not they provided any kind of assistance to their son," O'Toole said.

Bertolino was asked why the parents didn't ask to go help search in the park sooner.

"The parents had assumed that the experts, the FBI and all the tracking teams that they had would be able to locate Brian based upon the information that we had provided to them, to the specific areas and trails in the park that Brian liked to visit," he said.

Bertolino says the park had been closed to the public and there was no reason for the Laundries to go anywhere else. As for the Laundries' silence and lack of cooperation throughout the investigation, Bertolino says they were following his legal advice.

Brian Laundrie, who went missing five weeks ago, is currently the sole person of interest in the death investigation of Petito, a 22-year-old native of the Suffolk County hamlet of Blue Point.

Petito was found dead in a forest in Wyoming back on Sept. 19, and a coroner later ruled her death a homicide by strangulation.

The only charge Laundrie is currently facing stems from his alleged improper use of Petito's credit card.

READ MORE: Gabby Petito Foundation Holds Fundraiser On Long Island

Petito went missing in late August after going on a cross-country road trip with Laundrie. He mysteriously returned to the home they shared in Florida in the van they were traveling in, but without Petito. Police have wanted to question Laundrie about Petito's disappearance, but he declined - and then apparently disappeared, himself.
Editor's note: This story was first published on Oct. 20.

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Suspected Human Remains Found In Florida Wildlife Preserve Where Authorities Are Searching For Brian Laundrie

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NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - There are new developments in connection with the disappearance and murder of Long Island native Gabby Petito. The FBI confirmed Wednesday afternoon that suspected human remains were found, along with a backpack and notebook belonging to Petito's fiancé, Brian Laundrie, in Florida's Carlton Reserve.

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In-N-Out Burger briefly shuts down after clashing with San Francisco over a vaccine mandate. - Davis Mann

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In-N-Out Burger briefly shuts down after clashing with San Francisco over a vaccine mandate. - Davis Mann

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In-N-Out closed its only San Francisco outlet last week after it failed to follow the city's mandate that all restaurants check vaccine cards upon entry. It has since reopened for outdoor dining and takeout after applying measures to comply with the mandate. Tension increases as the country continues to grapple with pandemic mandates. On Twitter, the San Francisco Department of Public Health tweeted that the In-N-Out name could be changed to In-N-Out(side).

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In-N-Out Burger briefly shuts after clashing with San Francisco over a vaccine mandate.

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In-N-Out, the popular burger chain in California, was forced to close its only San Francisco outlet last week after it failed to comply with the city's requirement that all restaurants check the vaccine cards of indoor diners. The restaurant shut down all operations on Oct.

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Ex-US President Donald Trump announces social media site- Violet W

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Ex-US President Donald Trump announces social media site- Violet W

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This is a very interesting article about former president Trumps attempt to regain social media status. As I'm sure everyone is aware of, we was banned from just about every social media site in 2020 after a string of offensive and dangerous tweets some speculate aided in the capitol riot. He created the TRUTH social app from the TMTG (Trump Media and Technology Group).He aims to have podcasts, speakers, and daily posts to his followers to try to regain his so-called internet fame.

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Ex-US President Donald Trump announces social media site

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The launch of the platform, dubbed TRUTH Social, comes months after Trump was banned from most major social media sites.

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Texas school administrator told teachers to include Holocaust books with 'opposing' views when explaining new state law- John Littell

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Texas school administrator told teachers to include Holocaust books with 'opposing' views when explaining new state law- John Littell

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This is important because teachers already being used to what they were telling students before, now they would have to change it. This would also lead to having to change the test and having more time spent on this alone

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texas book controversy: school administrator told teachers to include holocaust books with 'opposing' views when explaining new state law - cnn

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Texas school administrator told teachers to include Holocaust books with 'opposing' views when explaining new state law

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A school district superintendent in North Texas apologized Thursday night after one of the district's administrators told teachers that if they have books about the Holocaust in their classroom libraries, then they should also include books that have "opposing" views of the Holocaust.

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Jeffrey-Cardona fears effort to reimagine public education is slipping away

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Jeffrey-Cardona fears effort to reimagine public education is slipping away

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He describes it as an effort to repair inequitable access to opportunity, close graduation rate gaps between minority and white students and other students because he thinks there so close to leveling the playing field for so many students because he’s trying to manage a politically divisive school reopening and college expansion effort with his personal blend of relentless optimism and deep convictions about fueling the ambitions of kids from all backgrounds but he finds it difficult because the stressful situation with Covid-19 is slowing his dream view for a better, free, and accessible school education is economically unattainable putting his push for this act into being proposed is causing a great danger to not only to the government but the students.

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Cardona fears effort to reimagine public education is slipping away

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"That would be a shame, because we're so close to leveling the playing field for so many students," he said. During his tour, Cardona promoted college access and in-person classes alongside local politicians and federal officials, and chatted up high schoolers and the young charges of a Head Start program.

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A bronze bust of George Floyd was defaced only four days since it opened to the public which is causing outrage in some communities

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Jocelyn-Catastrophic California Oil Spill Kills Fish, Damages Wetlands

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Jocelyn-Catastrophic California Oil Spill Kills Fish, Damages Wetlands

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A large oil spill off the southern California coast left fish dead, birds mired in petroleum and wetlands contaminated, in what local officials called an environmental catastrophe. The spill was caused by a breach connected to the Elly oil rig and stretched from the Huntington Beach Pier down to Newport Beach, an area popular with surfers and sunbathers.

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In southern California an oil spill broke out, the oil spill was caused because the pipelines were 41 years old. The oil spill effected sea life and birds in the area. Kim Carr and the coast guards went on to see if the oil spill was effecting the wildlife, cause it had covered a section of the sea. The mayor Kim Carr contacted Joe Biden to request a major disaster declaration for Orange County so the issue could be resolved.

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LOS ANGELES-Officials in Southern California on Sunday raced to limit the damage done by an oil spill that has been blamed on a broken pipeline leading to an offshore platform.

An estimated 126,000 gallons of heavy crude leaked into the waters off Orange County starting late Friday or early Saturday, when boaters began reporting a sheen in the water, officials said. The pipeline and operations at three offshore platforms owned by Houston-based Amplify Energy Corp. were shut down Saturday night, CEO Martyn Willsher said.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the Newport Beach Police Department, in Orange County, started to get calls of the mysterious smell of oil wafting in the air sometime on Friday. About a day later, officials spotted evidence of the spill.

The report said the pipeline in question is connected to a 41-year-old platform about eight miles off the coast named Elly. Huntington Beach-which was the site of the Pacific Airshow on Sunday-canceled its final day due to the conditions on the beach. Kim Carr, Huntington Beach mayor, told Fox 1 1 that the spill could pose a "potential ecologic disaster."

Rep. Michelle Steel, R-Calif., sent a letter to President Joe Biden on Sunday requesting a major disaster declaration for Orange County, the report said.

"Officials are already responding to protect sea life. Dead fish and birds are already being reported on beaches and shorelines. I have serious concerns about the environmental impacts of the spill and applaud the workers who are doing their best to prevent the oil from hitting sensitive wetlands," she wrote.

Beta Offshore, which is based in Long Beach, was blamed for the spill and is working with the Incident Management Team on repairs and cleanup efforts, a statement from Huntington Beach said. The O.C. Register identified the company as a subsidiary of Amplify Energy.

Willsher said the pipeline is 80 to 100 feet below the surface was suctioned out so no more oil would spill as the location of the leak was being investigated. An after-hours email from Fox News was not immediately returned.

Some birds and fish were caught in the muck and died, Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley said. But by early afternoon Saturday the U.S. Coast Guard said there so far was just one ruddy duck that was covered in oil and receiving veterinary care. "Other reports of oiled wildlife are being investigated," the Coast Guard said in a statement.
The Associated Press contributed to this report

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Southern California tries to limit largest oil spill in recent history, beaches could be closed for months

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LOS ANGELES-Officials in Southern California on Sunday raced to limit the damage done by an oil spill that has been blamed on a broken pipeline leading to an offshore platform. An estimated 126,000 gallons of heavy crude leaked into the waters off Orange County starting late Friday or early Saturday, when boaters began reporting a sheen in the water, officials said.

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Investigators still don’t know what caused the deaths of Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their 1-year-old daughter, Miju, and their dog, Oski. Found on Aug. 17.

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Family’s Death in Sierra National Forest Is Shrouded in Mystery / Hye-Lynn Kim

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Family’s Death in Sierra National Forest Is Shrouded in Mystery / Hye-Lynn Kim

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On August 17, the bodies of Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their 1-year old daughter, Miju, and their dog, Oski, were found on a hiking trail close to the Merced River in the Sierra National Forest. They had been reported missing by a family friend the day before, not far from Yosemite National Park. Their deaths were not caused by a gun or any other weapon, a lightning strike, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, cyanide exposure, illegal drugs, alcohol or suicide. One early theory that has not been ruled out is whether high levels of toxic algae detected played a role. However, initial autopsy results have provided no answers to the authorities. Investigators had also said that there were no signs of trauma. The Mariposa County Sheriff's Office said Thursday that officials are working with toxicologists, environmental specialists, the FBI and other experts, but “the cause of death remains undetermined."

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Investigators still don't know what caused the deaths of Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their 1-year-old daughter, Miju, and their dog. They were found on Aug. 17.

Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their 1-year-old daughter, Miju, and the family dog, Oski, were all found dead on Aug. 17. The authorities had no explanation for their deaths but closed off trails near where their bodies were found. Credit... via Steven Jeffe

The couple had backpacked in the Himalayas, ridden camels through the Gobi Desert and checked off Burning Man, even creating their own hashtag, an amalgamation of their first names: #jellonadventures.

So a day of hiking in the Sierra National Forest, even with the demanding switchbacks and triple-digit heat, would not have been unusual for Jonathan Gerrish and Ellen Chung, husband-and-wife transplants from San Francisco who had recently become parents to a little girl, Miju, during the coronavirus pandemic.

But the trek would be the family's last: Search teams found all three of their bodies on Aug. 17, one day after the family was reported missing not far from Yosemite National Park. The family's dog, Oski, an Aussie-Akita mix, was also found dead.

More than two weeks later, investigators are still confounded by what caused their deaths. Teams in hazmat suits had already combed the area for clues. On Saturday, the U.S. Forest Service closed trails and recreation sites near where the bodies were found.

The Forest Service had previously posted warning signs about potentially toxic algae blooms in the area. The agency said it had taken the step to "protect the public from unknown hazards."

That development further disconcerted those who knew the family, including Steven Jeffe, a friend and neighbor in Mariposa, Calif.

"It's mysterious," Mr. Jeffe said in an interview on Wednesday, "the unknown of what danger possibly lies there."

Mr. Jeffe said he became friends with the couple when all of them lived in San Francisco. He described Mr. Gerrish, a software engineer born in Britain, and Ms. Chung, a graduate student in family therapy who had worked as a yoga instructor, as outdoor types who were experienced hikers.

Credit... Frederic J. Brown/Agence France-Presse - Getty Images

Mr. Gerrish, 45, had worked as a software engineer for Google, according to his LinkedIn profile. Most recently, he had worked for Snapchat, according to Mr. Jeffe. Ms. Chung, 30, was raised in Southern California, Mr. Jeffe said.

"It's such a beautiful family," Mr. Jeffe said. "It's obviously so devastating."

Initial autopsy results have provided no answers to the authorities. Investigators said that there were no signs of trauma and that they were investigating possible lightning strikes in the area.

A spokeswoman for the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office said in an email on Wednesday that there were no new updates in the investigation.

In an interview with The Fresno Bee, Sheriff Jeremy Briese said that he had never encountered such a mysterious case.

"It's frustrating, and we're not going to rest," Sheriff Briese said. "Our biggest mission is safety, but also the family and bringing closure, and being able to support them through this tragic time."

On Aug. 19, the California State Water Resources Control Board, using a water quality reporting map on its website, warned the public to "stay away from algae and scum in the water" near the south fork of the Merced River in the Sierra National Forest.

An incident description said that the agency had received a report of a "suspected illness" in the area. The warning previously made reference to a fatality, but was changed to say illness, The Bee reported.

"Do NOT let pets go in the water, drink the water, or eat scum on the shore," the warning said. "Keep children away from algae. Do not eat shellfish from this waterbody."

The Forest Service, which temporarily closed all national forests in California this week because of the wildfires spreading across the state, did not respond to a request for comment.

According to the Sheriff's Office, the family was reported missing at 11 p.m. on Aug. 16. The next day, search teams found the couple's vehicle near one of the gates to the Sierra National Forest. Their bodies were found a short time later near Devil Gulch.

"My thought initially was perhaps the car veered off the trail," said Mr. Jeffe, who cut short a trip to Croatia when he learned that the bodies had been found. "People were going to go out and look."

In an Instagram post in August 2020, Ms. Chung beamed over the birth of her daughter.

"Their daughter was everything," Mr. Jeffe said. "They were very devoted parents."

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Family's Death in Sierra National Forest Is Shrouded in Mystery

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Investigators still don't know what caused the deaths of Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their 1-year-old daughter, Miju, and their dog. They were found on Aug. 17. The couple had backpacked in the Himalayas, ridden camels through the Gobi Desert and checked off Burning Man, even creating their own hashtag, an amalgamation of their first names: #jellonadventures.

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Australia reveals that its borders will be opening once again to the fully vaccinated- Elijah Shore

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Australia reveals that its borders will be opening once again to the fully vaccinated- Elijah Shore

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Australia has revealed to the world that it will be opening its borders once again to the world. Australia plans to take action in November, ever since the pandemic the country has been closed off to the world due to COVID-19 and has been closed off for 18 months but with the dose rates of the vaccination at 55% and now reaching 80% the country is ready to let open there borders to those who are vaccinated.

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(CNN) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday, October 1 announced plans to reopen the country's borders to fully vaccinated citizens and permanent residents, moving from a strict zero-Covid strategy to a model of living with the virus.

Morrison also said that with 55% of the country now fully vaccinated and first dose rates approaching 80%, the government "has been finalizing plans so Australian families can be reunited, Australian workers can travel in and out of our country, and we can work towards welcoming tourists back to our shores."

"Many countries around the world have now safely reopened to international travel and it will shortly be time for Australia to take the next step," he added.

Australia's tough restrictions, combined with localized measures including lockdowns, have helped the country mostly control Covid-19 inside its borders. To date, Australia has reported more than 107,000 confirmed cases of the virus and 1,311 deaths, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

But as states and territories have struggled to contain outbreaks of the highly-contagious Delta variant in recent months, the Australian government said it had been forced to reexamine its zero-Covid approach.

Under the plan outlined by Morrison Friday, Australians and permanent residents would be allowed to quarantine at home -- which would essentially remove the caps limiting the number of people allowed into the country. Those travelers would also only face seven days of quarantine.

The move was "anticipated" to follow the completion of home quarantine trials in two states, Morrison said.

"To reopen safely and to stay safely open, firstly we need home quarantine pilots in New South Wales and South Australia to conclude and be successful so they can role out at scale."

For those not vaccinated with an approved shot, 14 days' quarantine in a government managed facility will still be in place.

Australia's Therapeutic Goods Administration had previously approved four vaccines -- made by Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Moderna and Johnson and Johnson. Morrison said Friday that two more had been added to the list as of Friday -- China's Sinovac and India's Covishield.

"Australian citizens and permanent residents who cannot be vaccinated -- for example if they are under 12 or have a medical condition -- will be treated as vaccinated for the purposes of their travel," a statement from the government added.

Without naming an exact date, Morrison estimated that an 80% fully vaccinated target set by the government as a condition for the border changes to come into effect was likely to be reached sometime in November.

Thousands of Australians have been stranded overseas for months due to the country's tough border conditions, which has led to huge frustration among citizens who felt their country had abandoned them.

Last Christmas, an estimated 39,000 Australian residents were not able to make it back into the country to celebrate the holiday.

While the new border opening will allow them to return, Morrison was less clear on when people who are not citizens or permanent residents will be able to visit the country.

"We will also work towards completely quarantine-free travel for certain countries, such as New Zealand, when it is safe to do so," Morrison said Friday.

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australia covid travel: prime minister scott morrison reveals plan to reopen international borders to fully vaccinated citizens - cnn

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Australia reveals plan to reopen international borders to fully vaccinated citizens

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(CNN) - Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday, October 1 announced plans to reopen the country's borders to fully vaccinated citizens and permanent residents, moving from a strict zero-Covid strategy to a model of living with the virus.

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State Recruiting School Bus Drivers Amid Shortage - Emma Lunsford

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State Recruiting School Bus Drivers Amid Shortage - Emma Lunsford

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During the peak of Covid-19, school bus drivers were one of the worker groups negatively impacted. As more schools convert back into in-person learning, the need for bus drivers is back. But where are they? Schools across the country actually delayed the start of the academic year because there were not enough drivers to transport students to and from school. States like Pennsylvania are still learning to manage with this lack of transportation, stating that school dismissals take almost twice as long as they did pre-Covid. I found this article especially interesting because of recent trends in social media. School faculty and staff are constantly under scrutiny from not only parents, but students themselves. There is not just a lack of bus drivers, but a lack of teachers and a surplus of students. I believe that this lack of academic workers directly correlates (along with other factors) with the constant disrespect they are faced with being back to in person learning.

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Pennsylvania is contacting 375,000 holders of commercial driver's licenses in a recruitment campaign meant to ease a severe shortage of school bus drivers, officials said Thursday.

The state has a little more than 42,000 school bus drivers, the smallest complement in five years and about 2,000 fewer than in 2017, which has left some districts scrambling to get students to and from school. Officials are hoping to address the shortage by appealing to drivers looking for work or seeking to supplement their income.

"We want to do everything we possibly can to expand the number of individuals with school bus endorsements to be able to get our children to school. That's the critical part of all of this," said Kurt Myers, PennDOT's deputy secretary for driver and vehicle services.

He said the Department of Transportation will mail all current CDL holders about the need for bus drivers and inform them how they can get the right endorsement to operate a school bus. PennDOT will also temporarily offer another day of CDL skills testing per week. The additional testing days will be held on Mondays for four consecutive weeks beginning Oct. 18.

Schools across the nation are facing driver shortages, with nearly 80% of districts in one survey saying they were having trouble finding enough drivers.

In Pennsylvania, Pittsburgh delayed the start of school because of the shortage and began the year with hundreds of students still without a seat. The district said those families would be eligible for reimbursement of transportation costs. The School District of Philadelphia is also paying parents to drive their children to and from school.

In rural northwestern Pennsylvania, the Penncrest School District announced rotating two-hour school delays. Superintendent Timothy Glasspool told families the driver shortage "has reached a critical point, and is affecting our ability to operate at full capacity."

The Pennsylvania School Bus Association, a trade group representing transportation contractors, surveyed its members over the summer and estimates at least 1,000 drivers are needed statewide. Executive Director Ryan Dellinger said it is a longstanding issue that's been made worse by the pandemic, with some drivers reluctant to come back because of COVID-19 concerns.

"It's nothing new, it's just now we're at a crisis point," Dellinger said Thursday. "Now we're at the point where kids can't get to school."

He applauded the state's outreach to CDL holders and said he's hopeful it will result in new bus drivers.

The Pennsylvania education secretary, Noe Ortega, said Thursday that the driver shortage is "frustrating to our students, and our parents." He said it "isn't something we can fix overnight" but was optimistic that progress would be made.

Ortega and Myers spoke at an online news conference about the state's efforts to keep schools open for in-person learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Another Wolf administration official, Acting Health Secretary Alison Beam, pledged her department would be "more responsive" to school districts that say they've had trouble getting clear answers from state health officials about quarantine, masking and other issues that are cropping up as students return to class.

At a state Senate Education Committee hearing last week, the superintendent of the Hempfield School District in Lancaster County said that it was nearly impossible to talk to a live Health Department official. Instead, Michael Bromirski told senators, the Health Department tended to communicate via email, often leaving school officials to guess at how state officials want schools to handle in-person instruction during the pandemic.

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

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state recruiting school bus drivers amid shortage

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State recruiting school bus drivers amid shortage

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Pennsylvania is contacting 375,000 holders of commercial driver's licenses in a recruitment campaign meant to ease a severe shortage of school bus drivers, officials said Thursday. The state has a little more than 42,000 school bus drivers, the smallest complement in five years and about 2,000 fewer than in 2017, which has left some districts [...]

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The article explains how much the cost of rent has increased from the beginning before the pandemic to now. Statistics show that there has been a 16.4% increase in the national median rent, which is way more than the typical 3.4% increase (from before the pandemic.) New York and San Francisco had the biggest leaps in rent cost. New York averaging around $3,255 and San Francisco just trailing behind them. Now that rent is so expensive it has caused many people and families to have trouble paying the rent for each month.

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So long, pandemic pricing. Rents are skyrocketing | CNN Business

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The days of rent discounts and "pandemic pricing" are over as rents across the US climb back up.

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Jack: They Voted For Trump And Then For Biden. Here's What These Swing Voters Think Now

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Jack: They Voted For Trump And Then For Biden. Here's What These Swing Voters Think Now

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This article explains the opinions of former 2016 election Trump voters to now 2020 election Biden voters as to why they switched, and if they regret it. There were multiple focus groups all asked the same overhanging question: “Now eight months into his presidency, how do you view President Biden?” Almost all participants said that they were ultimately disappointed with him and what he’s done, but wouldn’t take back their vote. A couple of the participants actually wanted to vote for former President Trump but decided not to based on some of his personality traits and other turn offs. They explain they only voted for Biden because he was the “only other option”.

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Many moderate Republicans switched allegiances in last year's election and backed Joe Biden because they could not abide four more years of Donald Trump.

These voters, who swung from backing Trump in 2016 to Biden in 2020, helped make the difference for Biden in places where the margins were close - often, the suburbs.

So today, about eight months into Biden's presidency, how do these voters view him?

In a pair of virtual focus groups NPR observed last week, featuring more than a dozen such voters from key states, a picture emerged of disappointment with Biden - but no regrets that they helped send Trump packing after one term.

Handling of Afghanistan hurt Biden's credibility

Let's start with the disappointment.

Polls show Biden's public approval ratings have taken a hit in recent months. The voters in these focus groups reflected that slide.

They were worried about the spread of the delta variant and how COVID-19 continues to hurt the economy. They were wary of Democrats' big spending plans on infrastructure and other programs, alarmed by the troubles they see along the Texas border, and were very disturbed by the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

"What happened in Afghanistan, to me, was the worst thing that's happened since Saigon." That reference to the 1975 U.S. withdrawal from Vietnam came from Paul, who lives in central Pennsylvania. (We agreed to identify focus group participants by first name only.)

He didn't buy Biden's explanation that Trump set the exit in motion by committing to a withdrawal of troops in a deal with the Taliban last year.

"He didn't have to stick to the timeframe Trump set up," Paul asserted, "but he kept sticking to it and sticking to it, and a lot of people died and a lot of people were left behind. So I think that was squarely on him."

Still, perhaps unlike the pandemic and the economy, Afghanistan may fade from the news over time and, as such, may not affect long-term impressions of Biden as much.

And on the coronavirus, the focus group participants - all vaccinated - mostly gave Biden solid marks. It's clear he benefits from comparisons to his predecessor on that.

"He's definitely been better than Trump on handling COVID," said Xaveria from the Atlanta area. But she also said the fact that the delta variant is creating such problems means you still can't feel really great about how the current administration is doing regarding the pandemic.

Then she added that there's just an overall unease that's troubling. "It's just kind of, like, not really trusting what to expect," she said.

As for Biden, she said, "I just put him at, like, the average. He hasn't done anything great. And outside of Afghanistan, nothing awful." But she was clearly hoping for better.

Not thrilled with Biden, but absolutely not missing Trump

These two focus groups consisted of all Biden voters, but overwhelmingly they still consider themselves Republicans. They haven't yet left the party, even though they're disillusioned by Trump's ongoing presence and the control he still holds.

In contrast to the majority of Republicans responding to polls, none of these voters falsely believes the 2020 election was stolen.

None said they regret their 2020 vote. And while they may be disappointed in Biden, they absolutely rule out voting for Trump if he runs for president again.

Take Christine from the Philadelphia suburbs. Like others in her focus group, she said she first voted for Trump because he was a businessman and not a politician.

But she got far more than she bargained for. She used blunt language to describe the former president: "I felt like we had this monster in office that was bipolar, up and down, irrational, crazy thinking." She called Trump "childish," said that "crazy things came out of his mouth," and that he was "not good for the United States."

And after all of that, Christine confessed: "I didn't want to vote for Biden. And I'm going to be honest with you, I would have voted for anybody but Trump."

Others in the group blamed Trump for inciting racial tensions, citing how he described participants in a white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Va., as "very fine people."

As for Trump's oft-stated claim that he would "drain the swamp" in Washington, D.C., focus group member Mike, who lives in Georgia, had this retort: "I think he made the swamp bigger."

"It's like, where do we go?"

These swing voters readily say that their frustrations with both a Republican Party in Trump's grasp and with Biden leave them feeling a bit lost politically.

Georgia resident Xaveria asked a simple question: "It's like, where do we go?"

These voter discussions were part of a series of focus groups that have been organized by longtime political strategist Sarah Longwell, the publisher of The Bulwark website who herself is a Republican who's worked to defeat Trump.

She hears voters like Xaveria and Christine and says they reject Trump and GOP candidates trying to be "Trumpy" themselves. She says such voters are open to voting for Democrats, but the party also needs to nominate more moderate candidates to make these voters feel welcome there.

These moderate-to-conservative voters "are very clear that they feel politically unmoored, politically homeless," Longwell said in an interview.

"I really view these voters as up for grabs in 2022 and 2024," she said. But Longwell says it matters who the candidates are and how the parties see themselves.

And Longwell says it makes such voters worth watching. It also makes them potentially pivotal. "Right now, people who are willing to change their vote from one party to another really hold the keys to political power," she said.

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They voted for Trump and then for Biden. Here's what these swing voters think now

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In a pair of virtual focus groups, a picture emerged of disappointment with Biden - but no regrets that they helped send Trump packing after one term.

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Matthew: Covid hospitalizations potentially going down, however things could get worse if more people don't get vaccinated

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Matthew: Covid hospitalizations potentially going down, however things could get worse if more people don't get vaccinated

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Finally, it seems the amount of people dying from Covid-19 might be decreasing, sending slight respite against the virus that has devastated our population and put the entire world into a long quarantine. Since vaccines have been distributed, many have been able to avoid getting the disease. In Maryland, for example, Covid-19 positivity rank has dropped 20% in the last month, and hospitalizations are down 60% from their peak. However, there is still the potential of another surge of cases coming along. That may seem like verbatim, but it is an utmost priority to get everyone possible vaccinated.

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some us governors say covid hospitalizations are going down but warn of what could come next if more people don't get vaccinated - cnn

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Some US governors say Covid hospitalizations are going down but warn of what could come next if more people don't get vaccinated

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Some governors are beginning to report encouraging signs in their state's Covid-19 numbers, but warn of what could come next if more people don't get vaccinated.

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Australia ends the year with $134 billion in debt- Ken Arrington

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Australia ends the year with $134 billion in debt- Ken Arrington

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Australia ends its September month with 134$ billion in debt including the year 2020. Due to the amount of Covid-19 Vaccines that had to be issued out in the past years. Australia's Covid-19 disaster payments includes $20 billion of the big $134 billion debt. The positive of the massive amount of debt is the number of Covid-19 vaccines issued. The number of people vaccinated are around 6.24 Billion with the amount of fully vaxxed are around 2.64 Billion.

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Australia has ended the 2021 financial year in a $134.2 billion deficit as the country battled through the economic damage caused by COVID-19.

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivered the Final Budget Outcome for FY2020-21, noting that despite the deficit Australia was almost $80 billion better off than what was forecast.

Mr Frydenberg said the main driver behind the recovery of Australia's economy was the creation of jobs.

"What is driving this improvement to the Budget bottom line is it more people in work and less people in the welfare," the Treasurer said.

"What is driving this improvement to the Budget bottom line is more people in work and less people on welfare.

"Since May of last year, more than one million new jobs have been created, and the unemployment rate has fallen below 5 per cent for the first time in a decade."

The Treasurer conceded that the strong rebound of the economy towards the end of FY2020-21 would be dented by the impacts of the most recent Delta variant of the virus.

"We recognise there are many economic challenges ahead, and indeed, many Australians are doing it very tough right now, particularly in the locked down states of New South Wales and Victoria as well as in the ACT," Mr Frydenberg said

"We recognise that since this final Budget outcome, the economy has been hit by the Delta variant."

COVID-19 Disaster Payments to cost Australia more than $20b

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg has said that the cost of COVID-19 Disaster Payments to businesses and individuals will be more than $20 billion.

The successor of the government's JobKeeper program, the COVID-19 Disaster Payment program pays residents who are forced to endure a lockdown that extends beyond seven days.

"By the time the COVID Disaster Payment has ended and that the business support payments have ended, that we will be up for a bill of more than $20 billion," Mr Frydenberg said.

"That's what we expect. So the cost of the taxpayer continues to rise from the economic impact that lockout has had."

On average, COVID-19 induced disaster payments are costing taxpayers $1.5 billion a week.

Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said while the emergency payments are needed and right, they cannot continue forever.

"Programs we've put in place, be they JobKeeper or COVID Disaster Payments, all have helped get people through the tough times and by minimising the risk of business failure or of crippling financial circumstances on Australian households, we maximised businesses and households to come back as strongly as possible when the economy reopens," Mr Birmingham said.

"That is why these payments should not go on any longer than necessary."

The Treasurer said state governments will need to consider the winding down of economic support in their decisions to lock down residents over outbreaks.

"Of course states will need to factor in the economic supports that are available in making their decisions about the various domestic settings that they have," Mr Frydenberg said.

"It is our expectation and our hope that the border restrictions will be lifted and that Australians will be able to travel more freely within their state and interstate."

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Federal Budget 2020-21: Australia ends financial year in $134 billion deficit

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Australia has ended the 2021 financial year in a $134.2 billion deficit as the country battled through the economic damage caused by COVID-19. Treasurer Josh Frydenberg delivered the Final Budget Outcome for FY2020-21, noting that despite the deficit Australia was almost $80 billion better off than what was forecast.

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Krysten Sinema could face a primary.-Nicolai Mage

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Krysten Sinema could face a primary.-Nicolai Mage

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The Arizona Democrat is facing a push by other Arizona democrats to replace her seat with another democrat. This comes as tensions rise between her and president Joe Biden due to her stance on his new infrastructure bill. She has already disappointed more progressive democrats due to her effectiveness on key issues such as voting rights and climate change in congress.

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WASHINGTON - A group of Arizona Democrats backed by a network of deep-pocketed donors is laying the groundwork for a primary challenge to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, organizers said.

Sinema, a moderate Democrat who is up for re-election in 2024, is at the center of a standoff within the Democratic Party over the future of President Joe Biden's infrastructure agenda, and she has faced blowback for holding up the package from more than the usual suspects on the disgruntled left.

The new Primary Sinema PAC does not plan to support a particular primary challenger. Instead, it will fund local groups to pressure Sinema and help build the support and infrastructure for an eventual candidate.

"We fought tirelessly to elect Kyrsten Sinema in 2018," said Alex Gomez and Tomas Robles, the co-executive directors of the group Living United for Change in Arizona, adding that they were disappointed that she has not done more on voting rights, climate change, immigration reform and other issues.

"Sinema has proven time and time again that she doesn't share these values, so it's time to organize and replace her with someone who does," they said.

Sinema, whose office did not respond to a request for comment, has vexed the left flank of her party on a variety of issues, from her support for the filibuster to her opposition to a $15-an-hour minimum wage.

The central committee of the Arizona Democratic Party voted overwhelmingly Saturday to pass a resolution criticizing Sinema for opposing filibuster reform, among other issues, and warned that she could face a no-confidence vote.

"There is still time for Senator Sinema to change course," said Luis Avila, a veteran Arizona progressive organizer backing the Primary Sinema PAC. "But if she does not, there will be consequences for her betrayal of the people who elected her."

A recent poll conducted by OH Predictive Insights, a Phoenix-based political research firm, found that just 56 percent of Arizona Democrats had favorable views of Sinema - 30 percent had unfavorable views - while 80 percent had positive views of their junior senator, Mark Kelly.

"Numbers like that could potentially open the door for primary challengers," said Jacob Joss of OH Predictive Insights.

Initial funding for the Primary Sinema PAC came from Way to Win, a national network of wealthy progressive donors that spent $110 million last year, with a major emphasis on Arizona and Georgia, where Biden, Kelly and two other Democratic Senate candidates scored victories in historically red states.

"The people of Arizona voted for Joe Biden and the Biden agenda," said Leah Hunt-Hendrix, a co-founder of Way to Win. "Sen. Sinema is opposing Biden's popular policies, which are supported by broad, bipartisan majorities of Arizonans. If she continues to stand in the way, then we're going to hold her accountable."

David Lucier, the president of the Arizona Veterans & Military Leadership Alliance, who is also supporting the primary effort, said pressure had to be applied to Sinema now, even though Kelly will face voters next year and Sinema will not until 2024. "We can't afford to wait and must start creating that groundswell now," he said.

In a separate effort, two dozen public officials and activists in Arizona launched their own campaign Wednesday to build a pot of money that will eventually be released to a candidate who challenges Sinema. They are using the fundraising platform Crowdpac.

The group includes state Sen. Martin Quezada, Maricopa County Democratic Party official Jade Duran, Indivisible West Phoenix co-leader Patricia Thomas, Progressive Democrats of America organizer Patti Serrano and Kai Newkirk, who leads the Arizona Coalition to End the Filibuster.

"Either Senator Sinema votes to end or reform the Jim Crow filibuster this year or we fund a primary challenge to replace her with someone who will," the group wrote.

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Could Sen. Kyrsten Sinema face a primary? These progressives are trying to make it happen.

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WASHINGTON - A group of Arizona Democrats backed by a network of deep-pocketed donors is laying the groundwork for a primary challenge to Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, organizers said.

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NAtional gallery of Australia returns 2.2 million dollars worth of art back to India

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NAtional gallery of Australia returns 2.2 million dollars worth of art back to India

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Australia has decided to return 2.2 million dollars worth of india's art. The art is culturally significant and was stolen by a New York art dealer by the name of Subhash Kapoor who is known for smuggling antiques from asia.

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National Gallery of Australia to return $2.2M of 'stolen' artworks to India | CNN

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The National Gallery of Australia announced Thursday that it will return more than a dozen "culturally significant" artworks to India due to the items' alleged links to looting and trafficking networks.

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Moms are fighting Texas heavily on new anti-trans bills- Houston 

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Moms are fighting Texas heavily on new anti-trans bills- Houston 

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Texas has been working on passing many bills that would put restrictions on the lives of transgender youth. Since January, Texas has proposed 52 anti-trans bills and all of those bills have been defeated by the testifying of parents and trans kids. Until last week when a bill preventing trans children to play sports on the team that aligns with their gender was passed. One of the kids that testified said that she has been playing sports with her classmates for three years and they did not even know she was trans until this year. When they found out, they were not even bothered by the information. Another bill was passed as well, one way more terrifying. Texas passed a bill that would bar healthcare workers/providers from giving gender-affirming care to children (like gender therapy) and would go as far as to charging the parents and workers with child abuse. Parents and children are still advocating but it is taking a huge toll on the mental health of them and other LGBTQ members in the state. There has even been an increase in calls to the LGBTQ crisis hotline. These events have caused families financial, physical, and mental strain. These bills are not just about sports, they are about trans youth and trans people in general having the right to public services and rights in general.

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Rachel Gonzales has been to the Texas Capitol at least a dozen times since 2017, when she advocated against a bill that would've banned her then-6-year-old transgender daughter, Libby, from using the girls' bathroom.

That bill died in 2017,but the fight hasn't stopped. Since January, Texas has considered 52bills that target trans people, particularly youth, according to Equality Texas, an LGBTQ advocacy group in the state.

Parents like Gonzales and advocates have defeated all of the bills so far. But last week, during a third special legislative session, the Texas Senate passed a bill that would ban transgender student athletes in public schools from competing on school sports teams that align with their gender identity, as opposed to their sex assigned at birth.

State Sens. Bob Halland Charles Perry, both Republicans, also refiled bills last week that would ban health care providers from providing trans children with gender-affirming health care - including therapy - and that could charge parents and doctors with child abuse if they provide such care for trans children.

Gonzales said she will continue to fight the bills, but she added that she is so burnt out by the last nine months that she doesn't feel like an effective advocate.

"I joke, but it's not really a joke, that I have definitely lost years off my life from this battle - the amount of stress, the physical manifestation of that stress and the mental anguish," she said. "It's so much of negotiating my own feelings in order to assure my kid that she's going to be OK. But it's terrifying that I don't know if it's going to be OK, and not just for her, but for other kids across the state, kids who cannot safely be out."

It's taken a mental and physical toll on her, she said, and other parents and advocates in the state say the same. They say they won't stop, because they're doing it for their kids, but they need more help.

Supporters of trans athlete bans in Texas say they are trying to protect fairness in women's sports, though - like most supporters of similar bills - they haven't been able to provide any examples in their state of trans girls jeopardizing fairness, according to LGBTQ advocates.

Proponents of bans on gender-affirming care such as puberty blockers say the care is "experimental" and that children are too young to receive it. But medical experts who provide gender-affirming care say it is supported by all relevant major medical organizations, such as the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychological Association. Some of these groups note that gender-affirming care is backed by decades of research and has been used to treat cisgender kids experiencing precocious puberty, for example.

Parents like Gonzales have been fighting the bills so relentlessly because they say the proposals, whether they pass or not, have a devastating effect on trans youth in the state - especially youth who help advocate against them.

Libby, Gonzales's 11-year-old daughter who is transgender, said the anti-trans bills reintroduced by Republican state senators make her "feel really scared and like they are trying to harm me in very terrible ways."

She first became an activist at 6 years old, when conservatives in the state tried to pass a bill that would've banned her from using the girls' restroom. Libby said being an advocate is important to her because if she wasn't, "I would be really hurt, and people wouldn't hear me."

"It is very tiring," she said. "Sometimes it takes me hours to fall asleep just because I'm so scared about these specific bills."

Rebekah Bryant, who lives in Houston and has been to the Capitol six times this year to advocate against the bills, said they've also affected her 8-year-old trans daughter, Sunny.

Sunny has testified against the sports bills twice,in July and August. The first time she testified, she told the Senate committee she likes baseball, soccer, tennis and gymnastics, and that none of her teammates cared that she is trans.

"I've been with the same classmates for three years, and none of them knew I was trans until this year," she said. "When my mom had to speak at the Capitol, they loved me just the same, because kids my age don't care about that stuff. Kids care about what's in your heart."

"Only old people can't see that," she added, with a smile. Committee members, including Republicans, laughed, Bryant said.

The second time she testified, Sunny didn't step up to the podium - which was taller than her - until 1 a.m. Afterward, when she and her mom got back to their hotel room, Sunny sat down on the bed and started crying.

"She said, 'Why do so many people not like me?'" Bryant said. "And that's the first time she's expressed any pain toward this. I was exhausted, and I just said to her, 'Look, there are way more people there that love you. ... There are so many more people in the world that are on your side than aren't. Those people are the outliers.'"

She said Sunny developed anxiety afterward. Though it's slowly gone away, Bryant hasn't brought Sunny to the Capitol again.

Advocates say the rhetoric used in the bills has also had a negative effect on the mental health of transgender - as well as lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer - youth statewide.

For example, between Jan. 1 and Aug. 30, crisis calls from LGBTQ young people in Texas increased 150 percent compared to the same period last year, according to data shared last week by The Trevor Project, an LGBTQ youth suicide prevention and crisis intervention organization. About 4,000, or 36 percent of all contacts from Texas, came from transgender or nonbinary youth.

The Trevor Project added that while the volume of crisis contacts "can not be attributed to any one factor (or bill)," a qualitative analysis of the crisis contacts found that "transgender and nonbinary youth in Texas have directly stated that they are feeling stressed, using self-harm, and considering suicide due to anti-LGBTQ laws being debated in their state."

The Trans Lifeline, the country's first transgender crisis hotline, also saw a 72 percent increase in calls from Texas in May - when state lawmakers first considered about a dozen anti-trans bills - when compared to May 2020, according to data shared with NBC News. In July, when the legislation was reconsidered, Trans Lifeline saw a 19 percent increase in calls from Texas.

Adri Pèrez, policy and advocacy strategist for LGBTQ equality at the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas, said it's unclear whether Texas' trans athlete ban will pass the House and become law and that its passage "shouldn't be the focal point."

"The larger issue, I think, is out of the state of Texas there is a lot of misinformation about transgender people and transgender youth, specifically," Pèrez said. "The work is not necessarily inside of the Texas Legislature; it's outside of it. And what we're doing to help humanize trans people and trans youth to those who have never met a transgender person or a transgender kid, that would be the most effective firewall for these bills. It's not letting that misinformation take hold at all."

Whether someone knows a transgender person can significantly affect their views on legislation such as trans athlete bans, according a survey released Thursday by the nonprofit Public Religion Research Institute. A slim majority of Americans who know a transgender person (52 percent), compared to one-third of Americans who do not know anyone who is transgender (33 percent), believe that a transgender girl should be allowed to compete in high school sports with cisgender female students.

PRRI also noted that support for trans people participating in sports has declined since 2018. About one-third, or 36 percent, of Americans believe that trans girls should be allowed to participate in sports with their cisgender classmates, compared to 50 percent in 2018.

Parents who are transgender advocates say Texas' last few legislative sessions have been particularly difficult for them, too.

Bryant said this is the first year she's become more active, and it has taken an emotional and financial toll on her family. She said she has to take off work to travel to the Capitol, which is about a 3 1/2-hour drive away, and she often has to book a hotel room. All told, she said she's spent close to $3,000 going back and forth to the Capitol just this year.

"It's just so draining, because it's not only just sitting there and waiting, but it's sitting there and listening to people lie about you and your family - people that have never met a person who's trans in their life and really haven't walked the walk that all of us have," she said.

Recently, many parents and advocates have been hitting "a wall," said Linzy Foster, who is from Austin and has been to the Capitol about a dozen times this year to advocate on behalf of her 7-year-old trans daughter.

"The general population who usually are all on board and showing up and fighting for these things, they're getting fatigued, and there's also so many things to fight now," she said. "We're beginning to feel more and more lonely."

Many of the advocates described being at the Capitol as traumatic. Annaleise Cothron, whose 8-year-old is nonbinary, said one day she went to the Capitol and the supporters of anti-trans bills called her child "a freak" and "disgusting."

"While I would never tell my child that, just hearing that from somebody else is really emotionally taxing, and my child doesn't deserve that," she said. "People need to understand that's the level of vitriol that we're facing just going to the Capitol to say, 'Please leave us alone. Please leave our community alone.' This isn't about politics; this is about human beings."

Though the parents and advocates believe that trans kids have a right to play on the sports teams that match their gender identity, they said their advocacy is about more than just sports.

"Just the conversation of whether or not my child should exist in public school sports and whether or not other kids should bully them for who they are - that's the conversation that this legislative body is inviting by entertaining these bills," Cothron said.

She said the other bills that Republicans have reintroduced or plan to reintroduce that could charge her with child abuse for providing her child with access to gender-affirming care prove that the conversation is about more than fairness in sports.

"This is about the broader conversation of saying whether or not a transgender child should exist in Texas and access public services," she said.

For now, the parents say they are leaning on each other for support.

"The only reason I'm doing OK, to be honest with you, is because in all of this I have met these amazing people in this community who show up, and we support one another," Foster said. "We have moments of levity even in the trauma that we're dealing with when we're in the Capitol, being able to make each other laugh, knowing that you're loved, knowing that you're supported. That is the only thing that's keeping me going."

CORRECTION (Sept. 30, 2021, 8:30 a.m. ET): A previous version of this article misspelled the last name of one of the advocates. She is Rachel Gonzales, not Gonzalez.

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Parents are drained, kids are traumatized: Texas families fight endless anti-trans bills

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Rachel Gonzales has been to the Texas Capitol at least a dozen times since 2017, when she advocated against a bill that would've banned her then-6-year-old transgender daughter, Libby, from using the girls' bathroom. That bill died in 2017,but the fight hasn't stopped.

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World's most dangerous bird raised by humans 18,000 years ago, study suggests -Josue

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World's most dangerous bird raised by humans 18,000 years ago, study suggests -Josue

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A cassowary Territorial, aggressive, and often compared to a dinosaur in looks, the bird is a surprising candidate for domestication. However, a new study of more than 1,000 fossilized eggshell fragments, excavated from two rock shelters used by hunter-gatherers in New Guinea, has suggested early humans may have collected the eggs of the large flightless bird before they hatched and then raised the chicks to adulthood. The researchers said that while a cassowary can be aggressive (a man in Florida was killed by one in 2019), it "imprints" easily it becomes attached to the first thing it sees after hatching. This means it's easy to maintain and raise up to adult size. "What we found was that a large majority of the eggshells were harvested during late stages," Douglass said. "The eggshells look very late; the pattern is not random." These late-stage eggshells indicate people living at these two rock shelter sites were harvesting eggs when the cassowary embryos had fully formed limbs, beaks, claws, and feathers, the study said.

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World's most dangerous bird raised by humans 18,000 years ago, study suggests

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The earliest bird reared by humans may have been a cassowary, according to a new study. This aggressive bird is best known for its long dagger-like toe and colorful plumage.

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96 year old German women flees before her trail she would of been charges with the mass murders at the concentration camp during world war 1 with Hitler as the leader of this mass attack .it was confirmed that she fled her house and left in a cab.She will only be facing a juvenile sentence because she was a minor at the time of the mass murder

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96-year-old woman who fled Nazi war crimes trial is found | CNN

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A 96-year-old German woman who fled on Thursday before standing trial on charges of aiding and abetting murder in a Nazi concentration camp has been found by local authorities and will be brought before the court.

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A salon in the Elysian Valley neighborhood of Los Angeles in July. Almost 70 percent of Californians age 12 and older have been fully immunized against the coro

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Covid Restrictions in Los Angeles- Zak M

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Covid Restrictions in Los Angeles- Zak M

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As America continues to push the all of its citizens to get the vaccine some states have started to place restrictions on those who haven't been vaccinated yet. Los Angeles is close to enacting ones of the strictest ones, the rule will make it be required to show full vaccination proof before joining many indoor public places. The rule would make it okay for people with medical issues against the vaccine and genuinely religious people to show proof of negative covid test 3 days before they enter the place. This rule would come to pass on Nov 4th if approved.

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The U.K.'s Gas Crisis Is a Brexit Crisis, Too - Davis Mann

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The U.K.'s Gas Crisis Is a Brexit Crisis, Too - Davis Mann

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The UK's government has blamed COVID restrictions as the cause of the gas crisis. The government is persuading citizens to stay calm during the crisis as their focus shifts from COVID to Britain's exit from the E.U. The pandemic has acted as a stoppage in the country's process of leaving the E.U. Boris Johnson, Prime Minister of the UK, stated that the supply interference could last until Christmas. The UK is hoping that after all the nervous buyers fill up their tanks, purchasing gas will resume to normal.

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If you haven't already heard about the Gabbie Petito tragedy, Gabby was a young blogger who loved "van life", Gabby and her fiance Brian were on a cross country van trip when their trip ended early and only Brian returned home. Gabby's body was found and ruled as homicide, meanwhile wheres Brian? Well the FBI is currently conducting a country wide man hunt.

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Brian Laundrie's mom Roberta did check in to a Florida park about 75 miles north of the family's home earlier this month, records obtained by Fox News show.

Laundrie, 23, vanished on Sept. 14 - although his parents didn't say anything until three days later. His 22-year-old fiancée Gabby Petito was found dead in Wyoming on Sept. 19 - weeks after the couple was seen camping near the site of her remains. The coroner later ruled her death a homicide.

Duane "Dog" Chapman, also known as Dog the Bounty Hunter, announced Saturday he was entering the search for Laundrie, and tips quickly poured in. He told Fox News he received a heads-up on Monday that Laundrie's parents spent the night in Fort De Soto Park with their son twice in early September from Sept. 1 to 3 and Sept. 6 to 8.
BRIAN LAUNDRIE MANHUNT: TIPSTER SENDS DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER TO FLORIDA CAMPGROUND 75 MILES NORTH OF LAUNDRIES' HOME

The documents confirm Chapman's suspicion that the Laundries went camping at the Fort De Soto Park outside St. Petersburg between his return from out West on Sept. 1 and the day Petito's mother reported her missing, Sept. 11.

"I will no longer give that dog credibility or dignify his false claims with the time of my reply," Steven Bertolino, Laundrie's attorney, told Fox News. However he admitted told local media that the family camped out on Sept. 6 and 7 and that "they all left the park."

The documents show the checkout was actually recorded on Sept. 8 - three days before Petito officially became a missing person.
BRIAN LAUNDRIE'S MOTHER CALLED 911 ON 'DOG THE BOUNTY HUNTER'
Thomas Rutherford, , another camper whos name appeared on the ledger, and his wife were celebrating their anniversary at the campground, three spots down from the Laundries, he told Fox News.

He could "vaguely remember" seeing their truck and camper because he and his wife rarely see campers attached to vehicles anymore. Other than that, he had no interaction with the family.

Chapman on Tuesday questioned why the family would go camping when Petito, who lived with them, was nowhere to be found. Neighbors had also raised concerns about the camping trip.

Online sleuths reported that a law enforcement helicopter flew over the area of the campground overnight. However a Pinellas County sheriff spokesperson told Fox News the department was not conducting an investigation at Fort De Soto.

Laundrie and Petito embarked on a cross-country journey in mid-June in a converted white Ford Transit van with the plan to visit national parks along the way. They had begun dating years earlier after meeting at their local Long Island, N.Y. high school and had moved to North Port, Florida, to live with Laundrie's parents.

Laundrie was subsequently named a person of interest in Petito's disappearance, and on Thursday, the FBI issued an arrest warrant for bank card fraud. Authorities alleged he used someone's Capital One Bank card and the personal identification number during the time when Petito was missing. Neither investigators nor a spokesperson for Petito's family have said whether the card belonged to Petito.

Fox News recently obtained the missing persons' report for Petito, in which her mother, Nichole Schmidt, stated that her daughter was last seen at 7 a.m. on Aug. 30 at Grand Teton National Park. Schmidt wrote in the report that her Long Island home was a "probable destination."

But she never left Wyoming.
Fox News' Audrey Conklin contributed to this report.

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Brian Laundrie manhunt: Florida park documents confirm family camped out after Gabby Petito disappearance

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Brian Laundrie's mom Roberta did check in to a Florida park about 75 miles north of the family's home earlier this month, records obtained by Fox News show. Laundrie, 23, vanished on Sept. 14 - although his parents didn't say anything until three days later.

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The UK is having a big gas shortage due to not having many truck drivers to get the gas and bringing back fuel to the stations. This made many people scared now they think that its no gas but it is. This is going to bring down the UK economic recovery.

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UK drivers are panic buying as up to 90% of fuel pumps dry

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Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen warned lawmakers that the federal government will likely run out of cash and extraordinary measures by October 18 unless Congress raises the debt ceiling. Would likely be catastrophic, tanking markets and the economy, and delaying payments to millions of Americans. The warning comes hours after Senate Republicans blocked a bill that would have suspended the debt limit. Yellen wrote. "This uncertainty underscores the critical importance of not waiting to raise or suspend the debt limit. The full faith and credit of the United States should put at risk."

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Tucker Carlson: Biden knew the border crisis was coming, he wants illegal immigrants here Importing Biden voters was always the goal

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Tucker Carlson: Biden knew the border crisis was coming, he wants illegal immigrants here Importing Biden voters was always the goal

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How completely out of control is our Sothern Boarder in Texas? For one example, on Friday, the Border Patrol checkpoint near El Indio, Texas, directly across the Rio Grande river from Mexico, was completely unmanned. There was nobody there. You could have driven a truck full of fentanyl or illegal aliens directly into the United States without being stopped or questioned or checked or anything.

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Apple can no longer force developers to use in-app purchasing, judge rules in Epic Games case- John Littell 

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Apple can no longer force developers to use in-app purchasing, judge rules in Epic Games case- John Littell 

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This article is talking about how apple is no longer being able to force developers to use in-app purchasing. For a while now, apple and Epic Games have been fighting about not giving the correct amount of money from in-app purchases.

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Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers handed down a decision in a closely-watched trial between Apple and Epic Games on Friday.

Rogers ordered an injunction that said that Apple will no longer be allowed to prohibit developers from providing links or other communications that direct users away from Apple in-app purchasing, of which it takes 15% to 30%, addressing a longstanding developer complaint and granting of Epic's main goals.

The decision concludes the first part of the battle between the two companies over Apple's App Store policies and whether they stifle competition. Apple won on most counts but will be forced to change its App Store policies and loosen its grip over in-app purchases.

The trial took place in Oakland, California in May, and included both company CEOs testifying in open court. People familiar with the trial previously told CNBC that both sides expected the decision to be appealed regardless of what it was.

Since the trial ended, Apple has made several changes to mollify critics, some as part of settlements with other app developers, including relaxing some rules about emailing customers to encourage them to make off-app purchases, and

Epic Games is among the most prominent companies to challenge Apple's control of its iPhone App Store, which has strict rules about what is allowed and not, and requires many software developers to use in in-app payment system, which takes between 15% to 30% of each transaction.

Epic's most popular game is Fortnite, which makes money when players buy V-bucks, or the in-game currency to buy costumes and other cosmetic changes.

Epic wasn't seeking money from Apple- instead, it wanted to be allowed to install its own app store on iPhones, which would allow it to bypass Apple's cut, and impose its own fees on games it distributed. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney had chafed against Apple's in-app purchase rules as early as 2015, according to court filings and exhibits.

But the public clash between the two companies started in earnest in August 2020, when Epic implemented a plan to challenge Apple called "Project Liberty," according to court filings.

Epic Games updated Fortnite on its servers to reduce the price of its in-game currency by 20% if players bought directly from the company, bypassing Apple's take, and violating Apple's rules on steering users away from its in-app payments.

Apple removed Fortnite from the App Store, meaning that new users could not download it and that it would eventually stop working on iPhones because the app could not be updated. As it planned, Epic then filed a lawsuit that culminated in May's trial.

At the trial, Apple CEO Tim Cook testified on one of the last days, and faced pointed questioning from Judge Rogers over its restrictions on steering users to make purchases off-app,

"It doesn't seem to me that you feel any pressure or competition to actually change the manner in which you act to address the concerns of developers," Rogers said.

Epic Games also sued Google over its control of the Play Store for Android phones. That case has not yet gone to trial.

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Apple can no longer force developers to use in-app purchasing, judge rules in Epic Games case

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Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers handed down a decision in a closely-watched trial between Apple and Epic Games on Friday. Rogers ordered an injunction that said that Apple will no longer be allowed to prohibit developers from providing links or other communications that direct users away from Apple in-app purchasing, of which it takes 15% to 30%, addressing a longstanding developer complaint and granting of Epic's main goals.

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Lake Tahoe evacuated ahead of Labor Day weekend as Caldor Fire spreads  -Jocelyn Huling 

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Lake Tahoe evacuated ahead of Labor Day weekend as Caldor Fire spreads  -Jocelyn Huling 

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The Caldor Fire has burned more than 200 thousand acres and forced evacuations from Lake Tahoe which would normally see hundreds of thousands of visitors ahead of Labor Day. NBC News Jake Ward breaks down the latest on efforts to save Lake Tahoe and how local businesses are coping with the lack of tourists.

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Texans new gun law allows open carry without permit- Kennedy Nelson

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Texans new gun law allows open carry without permit- Kennedy Nelson

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Texas new gun allows allows people to open carry without a permit or training. This is going to cause a spike in crime rate and gun casualties. This is also going to make the cops jobs way harder.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/01/us/texas-open-carry-laws/index.html

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Heavy clashes erupt between Taliban and anti-Taliban group in Afghanistan - Mariam Khmisa

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Heavy clashes erupt between Taliban and anti-Taliban group in Afghanistan - Mariam Khmisa

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In Panjshir Valley, Afghanistan, there has been constant fighting between the Taliban and the National Resistant Front of Afghanistan. This area is the last major region that has been holding out against the Taliban. It has long been withstanding foreign occupation. The Taliban is using all of their power to get in.

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heavy clashes erupt between taliban and anti-taliban group in afghanistan's panjshir province - cnn

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Heavy clashes erupt between Taliban and anti-Taliban group in Afghanistan

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Heavy clashes erupted Thursday night around Afghanistan's northern Panjshir Valley between Taliban fighters and an anti-Taliban group, according to a source within the group.

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China has banned kids from playing online games on weekdays - Matthew Hiemenz

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China has banned kids from playing online games on weekdays - Matthew Hiemenz

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Just a few days ago and starting this week, it was officially announced that China would restrict people under the age of 18 from playing online video games by entirely banning them on weekdays, and allowing an hour between 8-9 PM on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Previously things were already limited as of 2019, but just to 90 minutes on weekdays and three hours on weekends for minors. The state news agency claimed that it was passed just prior to the start of the new school semester to prevent kids from getting addicted to online games, however critics are skeptical, worried that China might just be trying to seize more control on the minor population.

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computer science and information technology

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China bans kids from playing online video games during the week | CNN Business

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China has barred online gamers under the age of 18 from playing on weekdays and limited their play to just three hours most weekends, marking a significant escalation of restrictions on the country's massive gaming industry.

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We watch CNN10 to learn about current events in the world!

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CNN 10 is an on-demand digital news show ideal for explanation seekers on the go or in the classroom.

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Google Increases Privacy- Violet Worzella

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Google Increases Privacy- Violet Worzella

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This article addresses a new set of rules and protections enacted recently in order to protect specifically children from their imagery being used.
Google states this is an extremely important value and wants to protect all it users.
This protection of rights is extremely important as a large company and sets a standard for other large scale tech and search engine companies.

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Google says it plans additional privacy measures to protect teenage users on YouTube and its search engine, becoming the latest technology giant to adopt tougher standards in the face of criticism that companies are not doing enough to protect children.

In a blog post on Tuesday, Google announced that videos uploaded to YouTube by users 13 to 17 years old would be private by default, allowing the content to be seen only by the users and people they designate.

Google also will start to allow anyone under 18 years old, or a parent or guardian, to request the removal of that minor's images from Google Image search results, the company said. It is unclear whether this process will be easy and responsive, considering Google's historical reluctance to remove items from search results.

In addition, Google said it would turn off location history for all users younger than 18 and eliminate the option for them to turn it back on.

The company plans to roll out the changes in the "coming weeks," it said.

There is growing bipartisan support in Washington to press technology companies to do more to protect children. In the last few months, two pieces of legislation, one in the House and one in the Senate, seek to update the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act. The 1998 law, known as COPPA, restricts the tracking and targeting of children under 13 years old, and the bills would extend those protections to teenagers.

Google has repeatedly faced scrutiny over its handling of data related to children. In 2019, it agreed to pay a $170 million fine for violating COPPA by collecting children's data without parental consent.

Google's announcement comes on the heels of changes unveiled last month by Facebook to protect teenage users on Instagram. Among the advertising and privacy policy changes, one will make accounts created by children under 16 private by default, Instagram said.

Both Facebook and Google said they were limiting the ability of marketers to target teenagers with advertising, but in slightly different ways. Facebook said advertisers would be able to target people under 18 based only on their age, gender and location - and not on their interests or their activity on other apps and websites.

Google said it would block personalized ads that were based on age, gender or interests to people under 18. It will still allow ads based on context, such as a person's search requests.

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Google will add privacy steps for teenagers on its search engine and YouTube.

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Google says it plans additional privacy measures to protect teenage users on YouTube and its search engine, becoming the latest technology giant to adopt tougher standards in the face of criticism that companies are not doing enough to protect children.

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Supreme court does not block Texas abortion law.-Nicolai Mage

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Supreme court does not block Texas abortion law.-Nicolai Mage

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The supreme court has decided not to block a Texas abortion law making it illegal to get an abortion after being pregnant for six weeks. The supreme court vote ended at 5 votes to uphold and 4 to to block the law. This decision is important because it will lead to civil unrest as many feel as if there is nowhere near enough time to get an abortion and that it is a heavy restriction of women's body's.

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Supreme Court, Breaking Silence, Won’t Block Texas Abortion Law (Published 2021)

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The law, which prohibits most abortions after six weeks and went into effect on Wednesday, was drafted by Texas lawmakers with the goal of frustrating efforts to challenge it in federal court.

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Arizona Governor Blocks Cash from Schools Mandating Masks - Jack Huffstetler

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Arizona Governor Blocks Cash from Schools Mandating Masks - Jack Huffstetler

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This article was about what recently happened in Arizona. The government of Arizona created a ban on the mask mandate however, some schools still require students to wear masks. The governor stated that if schools cannot follow the requirements of the ban of the mask mandate, he will not fund the schools with required money. Schools did not like this, as well as parents, because instead of being just a political problem with federalism, it also proposes the problem of how safe is school for children, especially while unvaccinated. This is important because it is something that is new in our society and how it supports peoples opinions and hurts others. Although I will not state my opinion in this, he is doing something that he thinks is best for the state.

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PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Tuesday upped the pressure on the growing number of public school districts defying a state ban on mask mandates as they try to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

The Republican created a $163 million school grant program using federal virus relief funds he controls, but schools that have mask mandates or have to close because of COVID-19 outbreaks won't be eligible for the additional $1,800 per student.

"Safety recommendations are welcomed and encouraged - mandates that place more stress on students and families aren't," Ducey said in a statement. "These grants acknowledge efforts by schools and educators that are following state laws and keeping their classroom doors open for Arizona's students."

School districts with current mask mandates will have 10 days to rescind them or lose out on the money, Ducey spokesman C.J. Karamargin said. That's despite the fact that a law banning schools from enacting those rules does not go into effect for more than a month.

Ducey also created a $10 million grant program that largely mirrors the state's private school voucher program by awarding parents $7,000 for each student if their public school required isolating or quarantining due to COVID-19 exposure, or if it mandated masks or gave preferential treatment to vaccinated children.

"Our COVID-19 Educational Recovery Benefit will empower parents to exercise their choice when it comes to their child's education and COVID-19 mitigation strategies," he said.

Arizona is one of eight states that have laws or executive orders banning mask requirements in public schools, with some landing in the courts. Education advocates have filed a lawsuit over Arizona's ban and several other state laws that restrict the power of local governments and school districts to impose COVID-19 requirements.

At least one other state, Florida, is giving private school vouchers to parents who say a public school district's mask-wearing requirements amount to harassment of their children.

Arizona's GOP-led Legislature this year rejected an expansion of the voucher program that now gives about 10,000 students public cash to attend private schools. Students who do not have special needs get 90% of the state funding, about $7,000 each, that would have gone to their local public school to pay for private school tuition or other costs.

The governor's moves come as an increasing number of school districts defy the provision in the newly enacted state budget that bans mask mandates and instead follow recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regarding face coverings. Ducey and Republicans who control the Legislature crafted the state's restrictions.

Democratic House Minority Leader Reginald Bolding said Ducey was creating his own "Hunger Games" for Arizona schools with his actions.

"It's a sickening irony that he's doing this by dangling millions of federally provided funds for COVID-19 relief and forcing school districts to choose between the health and safety of kids and educators, or millions in additional funding that Republicans have withheld for years," Bolding said in a statement. "With the delta variant running rampant and COVID-19 cases among children on the rise, it's disgusting to put a bounty on spreading this illness to kids and punishing schools that try to operate safely."

And Democratic U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema in a tweet called Ducey's action "the most absurdly dangerous and anti-science step (he) has taken."

"Until kids under 12 have access to the vaccine, what are parents supposed to do?" she asked. "Just hope their kids don't get sick and end up in the ICU?"

Arizona has seen coronavirus cases surge in the last six weeks, and numerous school districts have had large outbreaks. State health officials on Tuesday reported 2,661 cases and three deaths from the virus.

In all, the Arizona Department of Health Services has reported more than 970,523 cases and 18,467 deaths from the virus since the pandemic began. Fifty-four percent of the 7.1 million Arizona people living in the state have been vaccinated.

Five districts, two in metro Tucson and three in the Phoenix area, opted to require students and staff to wear masks after a judge ruled Monday that the budget law does not go into effect until Sept, 29. A teacher who filed a lawsuit challenging a mask mandate at a Phoenix district argued it took effect after lawmakers approved it in late June.

In all, at least 16 districts in Arizona are requiring students and staff to wear masks while indoors amid fears over the delta variant.

The districts collectively account for 198,000 students and nearly 300 schools, most in Tucson and metro Phoenix. Arizona has about 1.1 million public school students.

The school board in Bullhead City in the state's northwest voted unanimously Tuesday night to instruct teachers and other school employees not to discuss their own or the children's COVID-19 vaccine status with students. Board members said such health questions belong exclusively to the students' families.

Ducey's $163 million grant program that uses American Rescue Plan funds excludes any district or charter schools that do not follow all state laws as of Aug. 27 and that don't remain open for in-person instruction for the whole school year.

The Phoenix Union High School District, which has 22 schools and about 28,000 students, was the first to defy the mask mandate ban on July 30 and was the defendant in the lawsuit. Asked for comment, a district spokesman pointed to a tweet from Superintendent Chad Gestson saying many state-level decisions are undermining efforts to safely provide in-person instruction.

"Today, I am worried about our children. All 1.1 million," Gestson wrote. "But as for those in our care in PXU, we will continue to prioritize their health, safety and wellness."

Karamargin said the governor's moves were not about penalizing schools that defy his will or their students, who will lose out on funding he is withholding.

"This is about sending a clear message to those schools that are not violating the law about how important it is to follow the law," Karamargin said.

Meanwhile, a western Arizona school district is considering an unorthodox proposal to ban any discussion between staff and students about vaccines and masks. The Colorado River Union High School's governing board was set to meet on the matter Tuesday night in Bullhead City. The measure would allow for disciplinary action to be taken against any district employee who speaks on "anything related to vaccine status or encouraging/discouraging vaccines or mask with students."

District officials did not immediately return a message from The Associated Press seeking comment. According to the district dashboard, there are 18 active COVID-19 cases across the district.

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Associated Press writers Jacques Billeaud, Terry Tang and Anita Snow contributed to this report.

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Arizona governor blocks cash from schools mandating masks

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PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey on Tuesday upped the pressure on the growing number of public school districts defying a state ban on mask mandates as they try to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

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13 U.S. Service Members killed in Kabul airport attack - Tailen Yost

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13 U.S. Service Members killed in Kabul airport attack - Tailen Yost

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This article goes about telling the tragic event that took place on August 26, 2021. it goes about telling the event of the attack and the leading up to the airport takeover and bombing, as well as honoring and telling the lives of the 13 service men and women.

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The U.S. Department of Defense on Saturday released the names of the 13 service members killed in Thursday's attack at the airport in Kabul. The attack marked one of the deadliest days for American forces in the past decade of the 20-year war in Afghanistan - and took place just days ahead of the U.S.'s planned full withdrawal from the country that was overtaken on Aug. 15 by the Taliban.

In a statement issued on Saturday, President Biden called the Americans who lost their lives in the bombing "heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our highest American ideals and while saving the lives of others."

"Their bravery and selflessness has enabled more than 117,000 people at risk to reach safety thus far," Biden said. "May God protect our troops and all those standing watch in these dangerous days."

Shortly after a Saturday briefing at the Pentagon, Department of Defense officials said 11 Marines, one Army soldier and one member of the Navy were identified as those killed in the attack.

Here's what NPR has learned so far about those killed, as reported by our staff, as well as other media outlets.
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. David L. Espinoza, 20, of Rio Bravo, Texas
Elizabeth Holguin told local TV station KGNS that she is trying to is trying to make sense of the death of her son, Lance Cpl. David Espinoza.

According to KGNS, Holguin received a phone call at 2:30 a.m. from the military to inform her that Espinoza had been killed in the explosion at the Kabul airport.

"He was a great kid. We never had trouble with him - nothing," she said of her son. "He never got in trouble. He was a great guy, a great guy, very proud of him."

Espinoza's stepfather, Victor Manuel Dominguez, became a part of his life at age three, but Dominquez saw him as his own.

"He was never my stepson and I was never his stepfather," he said.

Texas Rep. Henry Cuellar released a statement on Facebook saying that Espinoza is a hero and that his heart goes out to Espinoza's family during this difficult time.

"David Espinoza, a Laredo native Marine killed in Afghanistan, embodied the values of America: grit, dedication, service, and valor," Cuellar wrote. "When he joined the military after high school, he did so with the intention of protecting our nation and demonstrating his selfless acts of service. I mourn him and all the fallen heroes in Afghanistan."
Marine Corps Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, of Sacramento, Calif.
In 2016, Sgt. Nicole Gee graduated from Oakmont High School. Her husband, fellow Marine Jarod Gee, is also a graduate of Oakmont, The Sacramento Bee reports.

Just days before her death, Gee posted a photo on Instagram of herself in uniform while holding a baby in Afghanistan with the caption, "I love my job."

Another of Gee's photos - posted more recently - shows her posing near a cargo plane as a line of people wait to board from the back. The photo is captioned: "Escorting evacuees onto the bird."

Posting on social media, Roseville city officials called Gee "our hometown hero," and offered their "unwavering support" to her family, according to the Bee.
Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, 31, of Salt Lake City
Utah Gov. Spencer Cox released a statement Friday offering condolences to Hoover's family, and saying he was "devastated" by the Marine's death. Cox noted that Hoover died while helping to evacuate U.S. citizens and Afghans seeking asylum.

"Staff Sgt. Hoover served valiantly as a Marine and died serving his fellow countrymen as well as America's allies in Afghanistan," Cox said. "We honor his tremendous bravery and commitment to his country, even as we condemn the senseless violence that resulted in his death."

Cox ordered to lower flags on state and public grounds until sunset on Monday.

The Deseret News reported that tributes to Hoover poured onto his Facebook page, including one from Hoover's father, who is also also named Darin.

"Soooooo glad I got to see him before he left. I love you son!!! You're my hero!!" the elder Hoover wrote. "Please check in on us once in a while. I'll try to make you proud!!"
Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, 23, of Corryton, Tenn.
Speaking of her husband's death, Alena Knauss said the couple were "blissfully happy" but that he would have no regrets.

"For him, it's the ultimate honor he could give back to his country," she told Knoxville's WBIR Channel 10. "To help those people and to know he was helping people, he would not be sorry. He would not regret it."

Knauss told another local television station: "The last thing I had texted him was, 'Hey, I love you, when you get the chance--I know you are busy--but can you please just text me and let me know you are OK?' He never got to respond to that."

Since joining the army in 2016 - the same year the high-school sweethearts were married - Knauss, who was assigned to the 8th Psychological Operations Group at Fort Bragg, N.C., had risen quickly up the Army's enlisted ranks.

She said from high school, Knauss was determined to join the Army.

"I think the only person he was scared for was me. He did not question his job," she told Channel 10. "If they needed him in the middle of the woods at 4 a.m., he'd be in the middle of the woods at 4 a.m. If they needed him in Afghanistan in 30 minutes, he'd be there."
Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, 22, of Indio, Calif.
Lopez is the son of two Riverside County Sheriff's Department officers, Captain Herman Lopez and Deputy Alicia Lopez. The department announced Lopez's death on Friday.

Sheriff Chad Bianco said on Facebook that Lopez planned on following in his parents' footsteps and joining the department as a deputy when he got home from his deployment.

"Hunter, thank you for your service to our community and our country. My thoughts and prayers are with your family," Bianco said.

Before joining the Marines, Lopez participated in the department's career-oriented Explorer program from 2014 to 2017, while he was in high school, according to the sheriff's office.
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, 20, of Jackson, Wyo.
Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon tweeted on Friday, thanking McCollum for his service and sending condolences to his family.

"I'm devastated to learn Wyoming lost one of our own in yesterday's terrorist attack in Kabul," Gordon said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of Rylee McCollum of Bondurant. Jennie and I, along with all of Wyoming and the entire country thank Rylee for his service."

McCollum's father, Jim, told The New York Times that McCollum was helping with evacuations and guarding a checkpoint when the attack at the airport happened. His father said this was McCollum's first deployment and that he had gotten married recently. His wife is expecting with their first child.

McCollum's sister Cheyenne told East Idaho News that her brother was "going to be the best dad." Cheyenne said her brother was the youngest of four siblings, her single father's only son, and that he knew he wanted to be a Marine from a young age.

"He was a kid that touched everybody's heart," Cheyenne told East Idaho News. "He was a wrestler since he was 4. He knew he was going to be a Marine since he was about that same age. He used to walk around in just a diaper and in his sister's pink princess boots carrying his toy rifle and play like he was in the Army or a Marine."

His sister and his father told the Times that McCollum was a "beautiful soul" and that the family couldn't have been more proud of him.
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, 20, of Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.
Cpl. Dylan Merola was a graduate of Los Osos High School, according to ABC 7 of Los Angeles.

"A lot of our students commit to the military after they get out of school and we're so proud of all of them," Chaffey Joint Union High School District school board member Gil Zendejas was quoted in the Daily Bulletin as saying. "Our hearts and prayers and go out to his family and friends. Unfortunately, we have another Gold Star family in our district."

Student on Friday wore red, white and blue to honor Merola during Los Osos High School's first football game of the season.
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Kareem M. Nikoui, 20, of Norco, Calif.
Norco Mayor Kevin Bash told ABC7 that Nikoui died helping to save families of Afghans who had aided the U.S. government.

"My understanding is that he rescued - per a sergeant that wrote the family - he rescued three families," Bash told the TV station. "And he was in the process of saving children, translators that had worked for the U.S. government. He passed off a child and went back into the crowd and that's when the bomb went off."

Nikoui graduated from Norco High School in 2019, where he was a member of the JROTC program.

Nikoui's father Steve told The Daily Beast that his son "loved what he was doing, he always wanted to be a Marine."

"He really loved that [Marine Corps] family," Steve told The Daily Beast. "He was devoted-he was going to make a career out of this, and he wanted to go. No hesitation for him to be called to duty."

The city of Norco says it plans to put Nikoui's name on the "Lest We Forget Wall" at the George A. Ingalls Veterans Memorial Plaza, which honors city residents "who made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our nation."
Marine Corps Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25, of Lawrence, Mass.
Rosario was assigned to the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, Naval Support Activity Bahrain, according to the Department of Defense and The Associated Press.

The mayor of her hometown of Lawrence, Mass., issued a statement after her death was announced, saying the city was "heartbroken" by the news.

Calling Rosario "a daughter of our City," Kendrys Vasquez said he had been in touch with the family and offered his "most sincere condolences and offer all of the aid that my administration can provide as they grieve this great loss."

The embassy of the Dominican Republic in Washington, D.C., offered its condolences in a tweet to "the young woman of Dominican origin, Johanny Rosario Pichardo, 25, who was one of the victims of the recent terrorist attack at the airport in Kabul, Afghanistan."

Marine Corps Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, 22, of Logansport, Ind.

Sanchez, a 2017 graduate of Logansport High School, was a promising athlete, academic and a devoted art student at the school, according to principal Matt Jones.

Jones tweeted that Sanchez "serving our country in uniform and sacrifice."

Chris Martin, the mayor of Logansport - a city of about 18,000 located in north-central Indiana - called on others "to continue the ripple effect of making a positive change in our world."

In a Facebook post, Martin said of Sanchez: "Any plans he may have had for his post-military life were given in sacrifice due to the heart he exhibited in putting himself into harm's way to safeguard the lives of others."

Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, 20, of St. Charles, Mo.

Schmitz was on his first deployment, having been sent from Jordan to help with evacuation efforts.

His father, Mark Schmitz, tells Morning Edition that from a young age, Jared "was constantly happy. If you had the opportunity to look through our photo albums, you would see that no matter how we captured him on a camera, he was always smiling nonstop."

Jared wanted to be a Marine from his sophomore year of high school. Jared wasn't the studious type, Mark says, but once he set his mind on it, he was laser focused on learning everything he could about the Marines. He had to have his parents' permission when he signed up at age 17.

"I can't even hold a candle to that young man," his father says. "He has taught me so much. He's a hell of an American. A true hero in every sense of the word.

"I'll never see my son get married," Mark Schmitz says. "I'll never see him do anything - provide me grandkids - anything. It's all gone now. It didn't need to happen, it shouldn't have happened. But love our military, support these guys. All of them."

Lexie Correa, Schmitz's former girlfriend whom he kept in touch with, told Fox 2 News St. Louis that she will miss his laugh the most.

"You could be having the worst day ever and just a phone call from him would make your day so much better," Correa said.

Correa, who said she also joined the military, said that Schmitz was obsessed with the local hockey team, the St. Louis Blues and remembered a watch party where "he got so excited when we won that Stanley Cup."
Navy Hospital Corpsman Maxton W. Soviak, 22, of Berlin Heights, Ohio
The Soviak family released a statement on Saturday about the loss of their son Max, who they say planned to make a career out of his Navy service.

"Words cannot express how heartbroken we are with this news and we will miss Max tremendously," the statement said. "We are struggling to come to grips with this personal tragedy and prefer to grieve with close friends and family."

His family says that Max was most proud of being a Navy Corpsman and "devil doc" for the Marines.

The statement said Max leaves behind a big family of 12 brothers and sisters.

Multiple Ohio lawmakers released statements about Max's death, including Ohio Sen. Rob Portman, Rep. Marcy Kaptur and Rep. Tim Ryan. All of them expressed their condolences for his family and friends.

"Our nation mourns the loss of Navy Corpsman Max Soviak, whose uncommon courage in the face of unfathomable danger ensured the safe passage of countless civilians," Kaptur said in her statement. "We will never be able to repay the debt we owe him, but we will be forever grateful for his willingness to serve when America needed him most. Our hearts go out to his family during this time, and we lift them up in prayer that they may find comfort in his memory."
Marine Corps Cpl. Daegan W. Page, 23, of Omaha, Neb.
Pageserved in the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment based at Camp Pendleton, Calif.

He joined the Marines after graduating from Millard South High School in Omaha. He grew up in Nebraska and Iowa, his family said in a statement published in the Omaha World-Herald.

He was a Boy Scout who played hockey in his youth. He was a die-hard Chicago Blackhawks fan, the family said.

Page had a "tough outer shell and giant heart" and had the words "Death Before Dishonor" tattooed on his chest, the statement said.

The family started a public Facebook page on his behalf.

Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert announced in a Facebook post that the city was planning to show its support by "lining Abbott Drive near Eppley airport. Bring flags, signs, etc."

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What We Know About The 13 U.S. Service Members Killed In The Kabul Airport Attack

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The U.S. Department of Defense on Saturday released the names of the 13 service members killed in Thursday's attack at the airport in Kabul. The attack marked one of the deadliest days for American forces in the past decade of the 20-year war in Afghanistan - and took place just days ahead of the U.S.'s planned full withdrawal from the country that was overtaken on Aug.