December 2023 National News

Gen Z is suddenly obsessed with Snoopy — and not just because he's cute

It's Snoopy's world, and Gen Z is just living in it - apparently. The anthropomorphic, imaginative beagle made his Peanuts comic strip debut in October 1950. More than half a century later he's winning over yet another generation of fans, with the TikTok views and sold-out store shelves to prove it. Take, for example, Puffer Jacket Snoopy: a plushie wearing a striped hat and blue coat, just like the one that hand-drawn Snoopy started rocking in 1984. The toy has become so elusive that teens and twenty-somethings are going viral for filming themselves scouring CVS stores simply trying to track one down. It retailed (when it was in stock) for around $15, but is being resold on sites like eBay for as much as $100. https://www.npr.org/2023/12/15/1219512092/puffer-snoopy-gen-z-obsessed

Closing arguments start in trial of 3 Washington state police officers charged in Black man's death

A Black man who was shocked, beaten and hogtied facedown on a sidewalk pleaded for breath during his arrest in Washington state, and the three police officers charged in his death did not respond to his pleas, a prosecutor told the jury in closing arguments of their trial Monday. Had the officers done what most people would do if someone was struggling to breathe, Ellis would be alive today, said special prosecutor Patty Eakes, who is working for the Washington Attorney General's office. "They chose instead to treat him like an animal, in the most dehumanizing position you can imagine," she said. https://apnews.com/article/police-accountability-murder-trial-excessive-force-2b7bcd9b70f39d5e353b62d2c402c6ce

Ranked choice voting bill moves to hearing in front of Wisconsin Senate elections committee

A bipartisan bill that would dramatically change how Wisconsin residents choose congressional candidates by asking them to rank their top choices instead of voting for one of two candidates is headed for its first public hearing. The state Senate's election committee was set to take public comment on a proposal Tuesday that would implement a ranked choice system known as final five. Under that system, voters would rank their top five candidates from all parties rather than just the top Democratic and Republican contenders. The hearing is the first for the complicated plan that would drastically change in how Wisconsin voters pick their representatives in Washington. "The aim of Final Five Voting is not to change who gets elected; it is designed to change the incentives of those who do get elected," the bill's chief authors — Republican Reps. Ron Tusler and Tony Kurtz, Democratic Rep. Daniel Riemer, Republican Sen. Jesse James and Democratic Sen. Jeff Smith — said in a memo seeking co-sponsors. "Officials elected under Final Five Voting — having been elected by and held accountable to the general electorate — are freed up to deliver solutions that meet our country's complex challenges." https://apnews.com/article/ranked-choice-primary-wisconsin-voting-amendment-106126aa8423f1efac728c2e87da1c6d

Body in Philadelphia warehouse IDed as inmate who escaped in 4th city breakout this year

A body found inside a Philadelphia warehouse has been identified as an inmate who walked away from a work detail almost two weeks ago in the fourth breakout from a city lockup this year, police announced late Tuesday. The Philadelphia Medical Examiner's Office identified the body found on Monday as escaped prisoner Gino Hagenkotter, police said in a news release. Hagenkotter, 34, who was serving time on theft and burglary charges, was working in the orchard on the grounds of the Philadelphia Industrial Correctional Center on Nov. 30 when he asked the guard assigned to him for permission to use the bathroom, Philadelphia Department of Prisons Commissioner Blanche Carney said at the time. The guard checked the restroom when Hagenkotter failed to return, but he wasn't there, officials said. https://apnews.com/article/philadelphia-jail-escape-inmate-found-dead-a008a80c0b61a21cfec7d8f2e6ca4aff

Central Indiana man gets 16 years for trying to provide guns to Islamic State group

A central Indiana man has been sentenced to more than 16 years in prison after pleading guilty to trying to provide guns to the Islamic State group, prosecutors said Thursday. Moyad Dannon, 25, of the Indianapolis suburb of Fishers, was sentenced to federal prison followed by a lifetime of supervised release, prosecutors said in a statement. His brother, Mahde Dannon, was sentenced to 20 years in prison in October 2021 after pleading guilty to the same charge, prosecutors said. The Dannon brothers plotted in June 2018 to deliver stolen guns to an undercover FBI agent and sold several guns to the agent, court documents said. Around the same time, they began to make so-called "ghost guns" by buying parts online and assembling them into .223-caliber semiautomatic rifles that they sold to the agent. A short time later, Moyad Dannon accompanied the agent to the Southwest to try to sell automatic rifles to a potential buyer who was also cooperating with the FBI, prosecutors said. Moyad Dannon learned that the potential buyer sought to ship the weapons to the Middle East, where they would be used by the Islamic State group, they said. https://apnews.com/article/man-pleads-guilty-selling-guns-islamic-state-07ff38ed4589167e574cca876dd2d54e

Florida school board may seek ouster of Moms for Liberty co-founder over Republican sex scandal

A co-founder of the conservative Moms for Liberty group could move a step closer to getting ousted from a Florida school board on Tuesday, as she is embroiled in the fallout of a sexual assault investigation into her husband, the Republican Party state chairman. The Sarasota County School Board cannot directly remove Bridget Ziegler from the panel but was set to vote on a resolution requesting that she step down. The resolution was authored by board Chair Karen Rose, who said in an email that she is "shocked and deeply saddened" by the rape allegations involving Ziegler's husband, Christian Ziegler, and the couple's admissions about having a three-way sexual encounter previously with the accuser. "I personally care about Bridget and her family and deeply regret the necessity for this course of action, but given the intense media scrutiny locally and nationally, her continued presence on the Board would cause irreparably harmful distractions to our critical mission," Rose wrote. https://apnews.com/article/bridget-christian-ziegler-florida-republicans-rape-accusation-90df76d7f1f2f2b827d29e3d07db9741

Illinois county board incumbent wants primary opponent disqualified for misspelling 'Republican'

A county board incumbent in Illinois wants election officials to disqualify his primary opponent because he misspelled "Republican" on his nomination papers. McHenry County Board member Eric Hendricks has filed an objection to primary opponent Bob Nowak's candidacy, the Northwest Herald reported Wednesday. Hendricks wrote in the objection that Nowak filed to run as a member of the "Republian Party," omitting the "c" in "Republican." Hendricks argues such a party does not exist. Nowak said he had heard there was an objection to his candidacy but hasn't seen a copy of it. https://apnews.com/article/republican-misspelling-mchenry-county-board-primary-540af91073e2465ebfabc470fbb624dd

An appeals court will hear arguments over whether Meadows' Georgia charges can move to federal court

A federal appeals court will hear arguments Friday over whether the election interference charges filed against Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows should be moved from a state court to federal court. Meadows, who is charged alongside former President Donald Trump and 17 others, is accused of scheming to keep the Republican in power after Democrat Joe Biden won Georgia in 2020. Meadows testified at a hearing in August that the actions detailed in the sweeping indictment were taken as part of his job. U.S. District Judge Steve Jones ruled in September that Meadows did not meet the threshold to move his case to federal court. The evidence presented showed the actions were taken "on behalf of the Trump campaign with an ultimate goal of affecting state election activities and procedures," he wrote. https://apnews.com/article/mark-meadows-georgia-election-case-6c1e15e9102a9b1f1c9dac58b1b21ab8

Arkansas sheriff facing obstruction, concealment charges ordered to give up law enforcement duties

A federal judge has ordered an indicted southwest Arkansas sheriff to give up all his law enforcement duties and stay away from the sheriff's office. The order by U.S. Magistrate Judge Barry Bryant says Hot Spring County Sheriff Scott Finkbeiner's only remaining authority is over payroll. Finkbeiner was indicted Nov. 15 on charges of obstruction of justice and concealing a crime, after first being arrested on Nov. 2. The indictment and an earlier sworn statement by an FBI agent say Finkbeiner tried to get federal agents to stop investigating a drug dealer who had provided the sheriff with methamphetamine. Finkbeiner has pleaded not guilty. In a Nov. 6 post of the sheriff's office Facebook page, he denied wrongdoing. https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-hot-spring-county-sheriff-scott-finkbeiner-3ab1d3f32e82156b956ae6e73eca7f54

Former US ambassador arrested in Florida, accused of serving as an agent of Cuba, AP source says

A former American diplomat who served as U.S. ambassador to Bolivia has been arrested in a long-running FBI counterintelligence investigation, accused of secretly serving as an agent of Cuba's government, The Associated Press has learned. Manuel Rocha, 73, was arrested in Miami on Friday on a criminal complaint and more details about the case are expected to be made public at a court appearance Monday, said two people who spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss an ongoing federal investigation. https://apnews.com/article/fbi-cuba-bolivia-former-ambassador-arrested-af9d80a4f268099364dff249dd74b3ec

Ex-Ohio vice detective pleads guilty to charge he kidnapped sex workers

A former Ohio vice detective pleaded guilty to federal accusations Thursday that he kidnapped sex worker victims under the guise of an arrest, according to federal prosecutors. Andrew Mitchell, 59, of Sunbury, pleaded guilty to two counts of depriving individuals of their civil rights while acting under color of law and one count of obstructing justice, according to the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Ohio. Mitchell spent more than 30 years with the Columbus Division of Police and was assigned to the vice union for the final two years of his employment, which ended in 2019, prosecutors said. https://apnews.com/article/columbus-police-officer-kidnapping-plead-guilty-3dacde07f1a8a38f3fe68e5d686517ba

Former DEA informant pleads guilty in 2021 assassination of Haiti's president

A former confidential informant for the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration pleaded guilty Tuesday to conspiring to assassinate Haitian President Jovenel Moïse, whose killing in 2021 caused unprecedented turmoil in the Caribbean nation. Joseph Vincent, a dual Haitian-American citizen who lived in the U.S. and attended meetings in South Florida and Haiti ahead of the assassination, is the fourth of 11 defendants in Miami to plead guilty. He faces a maximum sentence of life in prison on charges including conspiracy to kill and kidnap a person outside the U.S. and conspiracy to provide material support and resources. https://apnews.com/article/haiti-moise-president-killed-miami-informant-b2f77802a28d6b690935e23e3ddf1b1f

Prisoners are suing Alabama over forced labor, calling it a 'form of slavery'

A group of current and former Alabama prisoners are alleging that the state's prison labor practices amount to a "modern-day form of slavery," according to a complaint filed in federal court this week. The plaintiffs include 10 men and women who worked during their time in Alabama's prisons and say they were trapped in a system in which "incarcerated people are forced to work, often for little or no money, for the benefit of the numerous government entities and private businesses." Those 10 people are all Black - a fact they emphasize underscores the disproportionate number of Black people held in the state's prisons. Their lawsuit also alleges that the conditions in the state's prison system itself are inhumane and render any work there inherently coercive. In 2020, the Department of Justice sued the state for failing to provide prisoners with safe and sanitary conditions. https://www.npr.org/2023/12/14/1219187249/prisoners-are-suing-alabama-over-forced-labor-calling-it-a-form-of-slavery

Man who fired shotgun into air outside New York synagogue cited events in the Mideast, agent says

A man who fired a shotgun into the air outside a synagogue in New York's capital city is an Iraqi-born U.S. citizen who told investigators he felt affected by events in the Middle East, a federal agent said in a court filing. No one was injured by the gunfire Thursday afternoon outside Albany's Temple Israel, but children attending preschool had to shelter in place while police searched the area. Mufid Fawaz Alkhader, 28, was arrested a short distance away from the temple after laying down the shotgun, police said. He said "Free Palestine" when officers arrested him, according to Albany Police Chief Eric Hawkins. https://apnews.com/article/jewish-temple-shots-albany-new-york-hanukkah-alkhader-eaea5e4a1c3ae71a0d4c857aac7eb921

The Confederate Memorial at Arlington National Cemetery will be dismantled this week

A monument to Confederate soldiers is scheduled to be removed from Arlington National Cemetery by the end of the week. The removal comes in response to legislation passed by Congress, and amidst efforts in recent years to take down symbols honoring slaveholders and Confederate leaders. In 2021, Congress passed a law requiring the Department of Defense to look at removing "names, symbols, displays, monuments, or paraphernalia" commemorating the Confederacy. Arlington's Confederate Memorial offers a "mythologized vision of the Confederacy, including highly sanitized depictions of slavery," according to a report prepared by a commission set up in response to that legislation. The report notes that an inscription promotes the "Lost Cause" myth, "which romanticized the pre-Civil War South and denied the horrors of slavery." https://www.npr.org/2023/12/18/1219896375/confederate-memorial-arlington-national-cemetery-dismantled

High-speed rail projects get a $6 billion infusion of federal infrastructure mone

A pair of high-speed rail projects in Nevada and California is getting a big push from Washington. The Biden administration pledged more than $6 billion in federal funding for high-speed rail, aiming to close the gap between the U.S. and other developed nations when it comes to fast and reliable passenger service. "We're not there today for the simple reason that you get what you pay for, and America disinvested over the last many decades in our rail systems," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said on a call with reporters. "We're reversing that trend." https://www.npr.org/2023/12/08/1218212902/high-speed-rail-projects-federal-funding

Former police chief turned yoga teacher sentenced to 11 years over Jan. 6 riot

A retired California police chief, who led pro-Trump protests and called for "traitors" in government to be "executed as an example," was sentenced to 135 months — just over 11 years — in prison for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. After representing himself at his trial earlier this year, Alan Hostetter was convicted of conspiring to obstruct Congress' certification of Joe Biden's electoral victory, bringing a hatchet onto Capitol grounds, and disorderly conduct. While Hostetter joined the mob on the steps of the Capitol, he stopped short of entering the building and did not assault police officers during the riot. "This defendant's conduct was terrorism," said Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Mariano, who argued that Hostetter's lengthy career in law enforcement meant he should have known better. https://www.npr.org/2023/12/07/1217719303/former-police-chief-turned-yoga-teacher-sentenced-to-11-years-over-jan-6-riot

Heavy snowfall hits New England and leaves thousands in the dark in Maine

A storm dropped a mix of rain and snow on parts of New England, with some locations recording more than a half-foot (15 centimeters) of snowfall on Monday. More than 25,000 homes and businesses were without electricity in Maine as trees and branches laden with heavy, wet snow fell on power lines, officials said. The National Weather Service declared the first winter storm warning of the season for New Hampshire and western Maine. Northernmost Vermont was also under a winter storm warning on Monday. Far northern Maine, also under a warning, already saw heavy snow before Thanksgiving. https://apnews.com/article/new-england-snow-wintry-weather-500c90a000ed54e9b6477f0609a16727

A group representing TikTok, Meta and X sues Utah over strict new limits on app use for minors

A trade group that represents TikTok and other major tech companies sued Utah on Monday over its first-in-the-nation laws requiring children and teens to obtain parental consent to use social media apps. Two laws signed in March by Republican Gov. Spencer Cox will prohibit minors from using social media between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m. unless authorized by a parent — and require age verification to open and maintain a social media account in the state. The restrictions are designed to protect children from targeted advertisements and addictive features that could negatively impact their mental health. Both laws take effect March 1, 2024. The NetChoice trade group argues in its federal lawsuit that although Utah's regulations are well-intentioned, they are unconstitutional because they restrict access to public content, compromise data security and undermine parental rights. https://apnews.com/article/utah-social-media-teens-tiktok-meta-d11e981a04f38e7c2a96bf44226f991f

Florida discontinues manatee winter feeding program after seagrass conditions improve

A two-year experimental feeding program for starving Florida manatees will not immediately resume this winter as conditions have improved for the threatened marine mammals and the seagrass on which they depend, wildlife officials said. Thousands of pounds of lettuce were fed to manatees that typically gather in winter months near the warm-water discharge of a power plant on Florida's east coast. State and federal wildlife officials launched the program after pollution killed off vast seagrass beds, leading to a record of over 1,100 manatee deaths in 2021. https://apnews.com/article/manatee-florida-starvation-deaths-9af879516880acf2d868329d9aa26cf7

Trump loves the UFC. His campaign hopes viral videos of his appearances will help him pummel rivals

After Donald Trump attended South Carolina's annual Palmetto Bowl, video of the crowd chanting "We want Trump!" as the former president arrived at Williams-Brice Stadium spread across conservative social media. It was much the same two weeks earlier when the GOP front-runner attended an Ultimate Fighting Championship event in New York, fist-bumping and waving to the crowd as he entered Madison Square Garden like he was one of the fighters, with an entourage that included the musician Kid Rock, UFC president Dana White and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson. While Trump has spent less time campaigning in early-voting states than many of his Republican primary rivals, his campaign has been filling his schedule with appearances at major sporting events including Saturday's UFC fight in Las Vegas. Videos of his appearances routinely rack up hundreds of thousands of views across social media, particularly on non-political outlets, including popular online sports channels and fan sites. And they are far easier and cheaper to produce than campaign rallies. https://apnews.com/article/trump-sports-mma-football-ufc-0ca14d844df1e3b81f6c791ba517571f

Airline Merger

Alaska Airlines announced it will buy rival Hawaiian Airlines for $1.9 billion. "This is a fantastic deal that brings two airlines that have amazing loyalties in our regions together," Alaska Airlines CEO Ben Minicucci said Sunday. The deal will see both companies keep their brands, a unique decision that the airline executives say was made out of respect for the nearly 100-year legacy of the two airlines and the communities they serve. Minicucci, who will become the CEO of both airlines, heralded the move as "pro-consumer" and would allow for the nation's fifth-largest airline to compete more robustly with United, Delta, Southwest and American Airlines, which currently own 80% of the domestic market share.

Alaska governor's budget plan includes roughly $3,400 checks for residents and deficit of nearly $1B

Alaska Republican Gov. Mike Dunleavy unveiled a budget plan Thursday that would pay residents an oil-wealth dividend of about $3,400 next year using a formula that lawmakers have all but abandoned and use savings to plug an estimated $990 million deficit. The proposal does not include an increase in the per-student K-12 school funding formula, though Dunleavy, a former educator, said he expected education to be at the fore of discussions when lawmakers convene for their new legislative session next month. He said he wanted lawmakers to consider his proposal from last session that would provide bonuses to teachers as a way to help recruit and retain them. Dunleavy blasted the federal government and groups that have challenged oil, mining and other development projects in Alaska, saying it has left the state with choices such as having to make budget cuts, tax residents and businesses, or reduce the size of the yearly dividend. Alaska has no state sales tax or personal income tax, and for years, without resolution, lawmakers have talked about the need for a fiscal plan that moves away from the boom-bust cycles of budgeting tied to the state's reliance on a volatile commodity: Oil. https://apnews.com/article/alaska-budget-plan-dunleavy-deficit-dividend-a3c9dc5ff44521ee185da846fd1e6c69

Atmospheric river brings heavy rain, flooding and warm winter temperatures to the Pacific Northwest

An atmospheric river has brought heavy rain, flooding and warm winter temperatures to the Pacific Northwest, closing roadways and schools as it shattered daily rainfall and temperature records in Washington state. The National Weather Service on Tuesday issued flood warnings in parts of western Washington, including in areas north and east of Seattle and across a large swath of the Olympic Peninsula. Daily rainfall records were broken in Seattle on Monday after the city received 1.5 inches of rain, said Kirby Cook, science and operations officer at the National Weather Service's office in Seattle. "We'll continue to see significant impacts, especially with river crests and rises on area rivers" through Wednesday morning, Cook said Tuesday. https://apnews.com/article/pacific-northwest-atmospheric-river-rain-oregon-washington-f96cffd40a37a21786ac29f635f4e089

Why more women live in major East Coast counties while men outnumber them in the West

Anyone who has suspected that there are more women than men where they live, or vice versa, will find fodder for their suspicions in new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Whether it refutes or confirms their suspicions likely depends on where they live. Women outnumber men in the largest urban counties east of the Mississippi River, along the Eastern Seaboard and in the Deep South, while the West skews male, according to data released last week from the 2022 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, the most comprehensive source of data on American life. Those numbers were also backed up by age and sex figures from the 2020 census released earlier this year. There are limitations to what can be concluded from the data. Still, Nancy Averbach, 57, doesn't find the numbers surprising. She lost her husband eight years ago, and has since found it hard to meet a compatible partner. https://apnews.com/article/demographics-sex-ratios-cities-marriage-census-0c39c2f833abe29ed32d3c6f90585e46

Trump's vow to only be a dictator on 'day one' follows growing worry over his authoritarian rhetoric

As Donald Trump faces growing scrutiny over his increasingly authoritarian and violent rhetoric, Fox News host Sean Hannity gave his longtime friend a chance to assure the American people that he wouldn't abuse power or seek retribution if he wins a second term. But instead of offering a perfunctory answer brushing off the warnings, Trump stoked the fire. "Except for day one," the GOP front-runner said Tuesday night before a live audience in Davenport, Iowa. "I want to close the border, and I want to drill, drill, drill." And in case anyone missed it, he reenacted the exchange. https://apnews.com/article/trump-hannity-dictator-authoritarian-presidential-election-f27e7e9d7c13fabbe3ae7dd7f1235c72

A six-planet solar system in perfect synchrony has been found in the Milky Way

Astronomers have discovered a rare in-sync solar system with six planets moving like a grand cosmic orchestra, untouched by outside forces since their birth billions of years ago. The find, announced Wednesday, can help explain how solar systems across the Milky Way galaxy came to be. This one is 100 light-years away in the constellation Coma Berenices. A light-year is 5.8 trillion miles. A pair of planet-hunting satellites — NASA's Tess and the European Space Agency's Cheops — teamed up for the observations. None of the planets in perfect synchrony are within the star's so-called habitable zone, which means little if any likelihood of life, at least as we know it. https://apnews.com/article/six-planets-solar-system-nasa-esa-3d67e5a1ba7cbea101d756fc6e47f33d

Woman charged with attempted arson of Martin Luther King Jr. birthplace in Atlanta

Atlanta police have arrested a woman who's accused of trying to burn down the birthplace of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in Atlanta. Officers arrested the 26-year-old woman around 5:45 p.m. Thursday after responding to a report of vandalism in process at the two-story home in the historic Auburn Avenue Historic District, according to a police statement. Police say a preliminary investigation shows the woman had poured gasoline on the property before people at the site stopped her. "We believe at this time she was pouring gasoline on the porch and the door of the home. Their quick action saved a jewel of our city, something very important to Atlanta," Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told WXIA-TV. https://apnews.com/article/mlk-birth-home-birthplace-arson-arrest-a642a0d24866e272d3f7418873ef2702

Maternal mortality rate is much higher for Black women than white women in Mississippi, study says

Black people make up about 38% of Mississippi's population, but a new study shows that Black women were four times more likely to die of causes directly related to pregnancy than white women in the state in 2020. "It is imperative that this racial inequity is not only recognized, but that concerted efforts are made at the institutional, community, and state levels to reduce these disparate outcomes," wrote Dr. Michelle Owens and Dr. Courtney Mitchell, leaders of the Maternal Mortality Review Committee that conducted the study. The Mississippi State Department of Health published the findings Wednesday. https://apnews.com/article/mississippi-maternal-mortality-health-department-296067d522b89951280be2cd6f05c180

Georgia lawmakers advance congressional map keeping 9-5 GOP edge; legislative maps get final passage

Brushing aside concerns that they may be breaking law that protects coalitions of nonwhite voters, Georgia state senators on Tuesday passed a new congressional map that would maintain a likely 9-5 GOP edge in the state's delegation. The Senate voted 32-22 to pass the plan, which seeks a wholesale reconfiguration of a suburban Atlanta district now represented by Democrat Lucy McBath. It goes to the House for more debate. Meanwhile, lawmakers gave final passage to maps likely to keep each chamber of the General Assembly under the control of Republicans, sending House and Senate maps to Gov. Brian Kemp for his signature or veto. https://apnews.com/article/georgia-redistricting-black-voters-congress-lucy-mcbath-598705c2db2e8268a0a83be97fe9eeb3

People are leaving some neighborhoods because of floods, a new study finds

Claire Harbage/NPR Hundreds of thousands of neighborhoods in the United States are seeing population decline as a result of flooding, new research suggests. Those neighborhoods are often located in areas that are growing in population overall, including parts of Florida, Texas and the region around Washington, D.C. The results underscore how flood risk - which is growing due to climate change - is already affecting where Americans live. "People are being more selective about where they live," says Jeremy Porter, one of the authors of the study and a researcher at the First Street Foundation, a research and advocacy organization that publishes analyses about climate hazards including flooding. The study was published in the journal Nature Communications. Americans are flocking to some of the most flood-prone parts of the country, including coastal areas, and low-lying cities in Florida, Texas and coastal Virginia. At the same time, heavy rain and sea level rise from climate change means floods are getting larger and more frequent. https://www.npr.org/2023/12/18/1218731997/people-are-leaving-some-neighborhoods-because-of-floods-a-new-study-finds

Montana county to vote on removing election oversight duties from elected official

Commissioners in a Montana county are expected to vote Tuesday on whether to remove election oversight duties from a clerk and recorder who expressed doubts about the integrity of the election process when she ran for office last year. The Cascade County commission meeting was moved to the fairgrounds in Great Falls to accommodate the anticipated public participation. If the resolution passes, it would take effect immediately. Commissioner Joe Briggs proposed the resolution, noting that since Sandra Merchant was sworn in early this year, the county has received complaints about the way several local elections have been run. Lawsuits have been filed. The library board asked for court-appointed oversight for their mill levy election this summer. https://apnews.com/article/montana-election-administration-cascade-county-clerk-5690451e31d1e6a607ab0e095bc64048

High-profile attacks on Derek Chauvin and Larry Nassar put spotlight on violence in federal prisons

Derek Chauvin was stabbed nearly two dozen times in the law library at a federal prison in Arizona. Larry Nassar was knifed repeatedly in his cell at a federal penitentiary in Florida. The assaults of two notorious, high-profile federal prisoners by fellow inmates in recent months have renewed concerns about whether the chronically understaffed, crisis-plagued federal Bureau of Prisons is capable of keeping people in its custody safe. In the shadow of gangster James "Whitey" Bulger's 2018 beating death at a West Virginia federal penitentiary and financier Jeffrey Epstein's 2019 suicide at a Manhattan federal jail while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, the Bureau of Prisons is again under scrutiny for failing to protect high-profile prisoners from harm. https://apnews.com/article/federal-prison-violence-nassar-chauvin-oversight-410aa291befb9a8dc29e0d77fa13c96e

FBI chief makes fresh pitch for spy program renewal and says it'd be 'devastating' if it lapsed

FBI Director Christopher Wray called Tuesday for the reauthorization of a U.S. government surveillance tool set to expire at the end of the year, warning Senate lawmakers that there would be "devastating" consequences for public safety if the program is allowed to lapse. At issue is Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, which allows the U.S. government to collect without a warrant the communications of targeted foreigners outside the United States. The program, created in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, is due to expire at the end of this month unless Congress votes to reauthorize it. But Republican and Democratic lawmakers alike have balked at renewing the program in its current form, recommending a slew of reforms in competing legislative proposals that are aimed at better safeguarding civil liberties and that are jockeying for support in the coming weeks. https://apnews.com/article/fbi-surveillance-fisa-702-congress-reform-7dc1b506b58ce74de0d7983dfba98909

Trump is back at his New York civil fraud trial as testimony nears an end

Former President Donald Trump returned to his civil business fraud trial as a spectator Thursday, after a month of assailing the proceedings from afar. With testimony winding down after more than two months, the Republican 2024 presidential front-runner showed up to watch an accounting professor testify about financial topics important to the case. Trump himself is scheduled to take the stand Monday, for a second time. Even while campaigning to reclaim the presidency and fighting four criminal cases, Trump is devoting a lot of attention to the New York lawsuit. He's been a frustrated onlooker, a confrontational witness and a heated commentator outside the courtroom door. https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-fraud-lawsuit-trial-new-york-9713913226e8f65ed966d61ea590eaf5

George Santos is in plea negotiations with federal prosecutors

Former U.S. Rep. George Santos is in negotiations to resolve his federal criminal fraud case, prosecutors said in a court filing Monday. "The parties are presently engaged in plea negotiations with the goal of resolving this matter without the need for a trial," U.S. Attorney Breon Peace's office wrote in the filing. Santos is scheduled to appear in court on Long Island for a hearing in the case Tuesday. He acknowledged in an interview that aired Sunday that he hadn't ruled out pleading guilty. https://apnews.com/article/george-santos-fraud-trial-plea-new-york-6ecf3896ae1de466bef442dc0409fc15

Georgia's governor and top Republican lawmakers say they want to speed up state income tax cut

Georgia's Republican governor and legislative leaders want to speed up an already-planned cut in the state income tax rate. Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones and House Speaker Jon Burns said Monday that they support a plan to create a flat income tax rate of 5.39% starting Jan. 1. "We're keeping government streamlined and we're giving taxpayers back their hard-earned money," Kemp said. https://apnews.com/article/georgia-brian-kemp-income-tax-cut-f86c50c7310184720604dd74d5d46067

Harvard president awaits word on her fate following backlash on antisemitism testimony

Harvard President Claudine Gay awaited word Tuesday on her fate as leader of the prestigious Ivy League school following her comments last week at a congressional hearing on antisemitism. Only months into her leadership, Gay came under intense scrutiny following the hearing in which she and two of her peers struggled to answer questions about campus antisemitism. Their academic responses provoked a backlash from Republican opponents, along with alumni and donors who say the university leaders are failing to stand up for Jewish students on their campuses. Some lawmakers and donors to the the university called for Gay to step down, following the resignation of Liz Magill as president of the University of Pennsylvania on Saturday. https://apnews.com/article/harvard-president-antisemitism-ivy-league-48277807b0e4e492ac47f7ed9dbea147

The GOP's slim House majority is getting even tighter with Kevin McCarthy's retirement

House Speaker Mike Johnson's margin for error in getting Republican priorities through the House is getting slimmer, complicating future votes and magnifying the ability of individual lawmakers to force concessions. Republicans had just a 222-213 margin before Rep. George Santos of New York was expelled in a broad, bipartisan vote a week ago. Then, Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California announced Thursday he would be retiring at the end of the month. He was the first speaker ever booted from the position, a victim of a process he had agreed to implement that allowed just a few defections from within the GOP ranks to oust him. https://apnews.com/article/house-republicans-speaker-92c63abfcc202d86321f5796fdf300dd

House votes to censure Democratic Rep. Bowman for pulling a fire alarm in a Capitol office building

House members voted again Thursday to punish one of their own, targeting Democratic Rep. Jamaal Bowman for triggering a fire alarm in one of the U.S. Capitol office buildings when the chamber was in session. The Republican censure resolution passed with some Democratic votes, but most Democrats stood by Bowman in opposition of an effort they said lacked credibility and integrity. The prominent progressive now becomes the third Democratic House member to be admonished this year through the censure process, which is a punishment one step below expulsion from the House. "It's painfully obvious to myself, my colleagues and the American people that the Republican Party is deeply unserious and unable to legislate," Bowman said Wednesday as he defended himself during floor debate. "Their censure resolution against me today continues to demonstrate their inability to govern and serve the American people." https://apnews.com/article/congress-house-censure-resolution-jamaal-bowman-a313aa51be66ba52e690d50d8564eaf2

Illegal crossings surge in remote areas as Congress and the White House weigh major asylum limits

Hundreds of dates are written on concrete-filled steel columns erected along the U.S. border with Mexico to memorialize when the Border Patrol has repaired illicit openings in the would-be barriers. Yet no sooner are fixes made than another column is sawed, torched and chiseled for large groups of migrants to enter, usually with no agents in sight. The breaches stretch about 30 miles (48 kilometers) on a washboard gravel road west of Lukeville, an Arizona desert town that consists of an official border crossing, restaurant and duty-free shop. The repair dates are mostly since spring, when the flat desert region dotted with saguaro cactus became the busiest corridor for illegal crossings. A Border Patrol tour in Arizona for news organizations, including The Associated Press, showed improvements in custody conditions and processing times, but flows are overwhelming. The huge spike in migrants and resulting chaos at various border locations have increased frustration with the Biden administration's immigration policies and put pressure on Congress to reach a deal on asylum. The numbers have nudged the White House and some congressional Democrats to consider major limits to asylum as part of a deal for Ukraine aid. https://apnews.com/article/arizona-border-wall-breaches-asylum-immigration-beddd2ca0ffd02884ce0d0ad1785f538

Older Americans to pay less for some drug treatments as drugmakers penalized for big price jumps

Hundreds of thousands of older Americans could pay less for some of their outpatient drug treatments beginning early next year, the Biden administration announced Thursday. The White House unveiled a list of 48 drugs — from chemotherapy treatments to growth hormones used to treat endocrine disorders — whose prices increased faster than the rate of inflation this year. Under a new law, drugmakers will have to pay rebates to the federal government because of those price increases. The money will be used to lower the price Medicare enrollees pay on the drugs early next year. "For years, there's been no check on how high or how fast big pharma can raise drug prices," President Joe Biden said Thursday, speaking in a lab at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. "Let's call this for what it is - it simply is a rip off. They're ripping off Medicare. They're ripping off the American people. We're now fighting back." https://apnews.com/article/drug-prices-biden-inflation-pharmaceuticals-efc99d020d53c48449c4725ae943c4df

Hunter Biden insists he will only testify in public before a congressional committee

Hunter Biden on Wednesday defied a congressional subpoena to appear privately for a deposition before Republican investigators who have been digging into his business dealings, insisting outside the U.S. Capitol that he will only testify in public. The Democratic president's son slammed a subpoena requesting closed-door testimony, saying it could be manipulated. Rep. James Comer of Kentucky, the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, has said Republicans expect "full cooperation" with demands. It was scheduled for Wednesday. https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-congress-investigation-impeachment-0226bb1041d7b5c10bc8c33e5d98b5e0

Hunter Biden pushes for dismissal of gun case, saying law violates the Second Amendment

Hunter Biden pushed back Monday against gun charges filed against him, challenging the case on multiple fronts as unconstitutional and politically motivated days after he was hit with new tax charges. His defense attorney argued the gun case should be tossed out because an appeals court has found the law violates the Second Amendment under new standards set by the Supreme Court. Abbe Lowell also contended the charges against Hunter Biden violated immunity provisions that prosecutors agreed to in a plea deal they abandoned after Republicans slammed it as a "sweetheart deal." "These charges are unprecedented, unconstitutional and violate the agreement the U.S. Attorney made with Mr. Biden," Lowell said in a statement. "This is not how an independent investigation is supposed to work, and these charges should be dismissed." https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-charges-e9b902d7cd7061101d616bdececfc078

Hunter Biden is indicted on 9 tax charges, adding to gun charges in a special counsel investigation

Hunter Biden was indicted on nine tax charges in California as a special counsel investigation into the business dealings of President Joe Biden's son intensifies against the backdrop of the 2024 election. The new charges filed Thursday — three felonies and six misdemeanors — are in addition to federal firearms charges in Delaware alleging Hunter Biden broke laws against drug users having guns in 2018. They come after the implosion of a plea deal over the summer that would have spared him jail time, putting the case on track to a possible trial as his father campaigns for reelection. Hunter Biden "spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills," special counsel David Weiss said in a statement. The charges are centered on at least $1.4 million in taxes Hunter Biden owed during between 2016 and 2019, a period where he has acknowledged struggling with addiction. The back taxes have since been paid. https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-tax-charges-special-counsel-75b2aa05f247535677454ff2dfa7c71f

FDA approves first gene-editing treatment for human illness

In a landmark decision, the Food and Drug Administration Friday approved the first gene-editing treatment to alleviate human illness. The FDA approved two gene therapies for anyone 12 and older suffering from the most severe form of sickle cell disease, a brutal blood disorder that has long been neglected by medical research. https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/12/08/1217123089/fda-approves-first-gene-editing-treatments-for-human-illness

Centenarian survivors of Pearl Harbor attack are returning to honor those who perished 82 years ago

Ira "Ike" Schab had just showered, put on a clean sailor's uniform and closed his locker aboard the USS Dobbin when he heard a call for a fire rescue party. He went topside to see the USS Utah capsizing and Japanese planes in the air. He scurried back below deck to grab boxes of ammunition and joined a daisy chain of sailors feeding shells to an anti-aircraft gun up above. He remembers being only 140 pounds (63.50 kilograms) as a 21-year-old, but somehow finding the strength to lift boxes weighing almost twice that. https://apnews.com/article/pearl-harbor-attack-anniversary-world-war-ii-cdfd14ffccf0299305d90b61921fc95d

Jurors deciding how much Giuliani must pay for lies in a Georgia election workers' case

Jurors began deliberating Thursday to decide how much Rudy Giuliani must pay two former Georgia election workers for spreading lies about them that led to a barrage of racist threats and upended their lives. The jury left for the day without announcing a decision and were expected to resume deliberations at Washington's federal courthouse Friday morning. Wandrea "Shaye" Moss and her mother, Ruby Freeman, are seeking tens of millions of dollars in damages over Giuliani's false claims accusing them of ballot fraud while the former New York City mayor was fighting to keep Republican Donald Trump in the White House after the November 2020 election won by Democrat Joe Biden. https://apnews.com/article/rudy-giuliani-georgia-election-workers-defamation-trial-069f1b5ce3c743ef8c0891dde0b660b2

Fresh off reelection in Kentucky, Democratic Gov. Beshear presents budget plan in televised speech

Looking to build on his resounding reelection victory, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear took his budget directly to the voters in a televised speech Monday night as he pressed for a massive boost in education funding, child care support and continued investments in infrastructure. The holiday message — coming about two weeks before the Republican-dominated legislature reconvenes — represents the Democratic governor's effort to turn political capital into more of a mandate for his top policy priorities, especially in public education. Beshear also proposed pay raises for state workers and increased funding for public universities, economic development and foster care. He proposed hiring more state troopers and social workers, building more juvenile detention centers and investing more in regional airports. Beshear said the state can afford that and more, without tapping into its vast budget reserves. Tax collections have surged in Kentucky even as its individual income tax rate has been lowered. https://apnews.com/article/kentucky-governor-budget-30bc83b76a244a872cf37034348e3db0

Oklahoma City voters approve sales tax for $900 million arena to keep NBA's Thunder through 2050

Oklahoma City voters on Tuesday approved a 1% sales tax for six years to help fund a new downtown arena for the NBA's Thunder that is expected to cost at least $900 million. The Oklahoma State Election Board reported that 71% of the city's voters approved the plan. The vote is an example of the connection between the team, fans and the community, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said in a statement. "We are grateful to the people of Oklahoma City for the confidence they have shown in both the Thunder and the NBA as we embark on a new era of global sports and entertainment," Silver said. https://apnews.com/article/oklahoma-city-thunder-arena-tax-f1ede25523b793e9f5326b907246d35e

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott reveals the groups that got some of her $2.1 billion in gifts in 2023

Philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $2.1 billion in the past year, she said in an online post, bringing her total reported giving to more than $16 billion since 2019. While previous announcements have included detailed essays about the reasons for her donations, Scott offered only a three-sentence post titled "(Giving Update)" this year, writing, "Excited to call attention to these 360 outstanding organizations, every one of whom could use more allies." She added, "Inspired by all the ways people work together to offer each other goodwill and support." The gifts include three donations of $25 million to affordable housing nonprofit Mercy Housing, reproductive care organization Upstream USA and youth training group Year Up, according to her Yield Giving website.

Biden heads to Las Vegas to showcase $8.2B for 10 major rail projects around the country

President Joe Biden is heading to Las Vegas to showcase $8.2 billion in funding for 10 major passenger rail projects across the country, including to spur work on high-speed, electric train routes that could one day link Nevada and California, as well as Los Angeles and San Francisco. The administration says the 218-mile (350.8-kilometer) train route linking Las Vegas and Rancho Cucamonga, California, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) east of downtown Los Angeles, may one day serve more than 11 million passengers annually. The administration hopes the investment through federal and state partnership programs will help to boost prospects for the long-discussed project, which supporters say could revitalize travel in the American West and critics argue is too costly. https://apnews.com/article/biden-highspeed-rail-las-vegas-california-funding-efad14dc5dd0eaa119fbad5155a70222

Prescription Drugs

President Joe Biden is preparing a package of health care measures that he would aim to pass in a second term, with announcements starting this week centered on cutting prescription drug prices. The president's proposed agenda includes expanding the provisions cutting prices for insulin and other drugs that were enacted for Medicare enrollees last year as part of the Inflation Reduction Act, and further strengthening the Affordable Care Act by making permanent the enhanced federal premium subsidies that have helped about 10 million people afford coverage on the Obamacare exchanges. The measures are a strong contrast to those of former President Donald Trump, who has promised to repeal and replace Obamacare entirely.

Biden to meet in person Wednesday with families of Americans taken hostage by Hamas

President Joe Biden on Wednesday will hold his first in-person meeting with the families of eight Americans still unaccounted for and presumed to be taken captive by Hamas during its brutal attack on Israel on Oct. 7, the White House said. A senior administration official said family members of all eight would participate in the Biden meeting either in person or virtually. The president has previously met with some family members virtually and spoken to others on the phone. Biden was set to provide an update on American efforts to secure the release of those held by Hamas. "We're not going to stop until every hostage is returned home," Biden told donors in Washington on Tuesday, saying the U.S. commitment to Israel is "unshakable." https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-hostages-ceasefire-70aefe43654848b73ed72fe2c15e3e0e

U.S. defense secretary arrives in Israel as pressure mounts to end the war in Gaza

Pressure was mounting on Israel Monday to begin bringing the war in Gaza to a close, with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin expected to relay Biden administration concerns over the heavy death toll for Palestinian civilians. The United Nations Security Council was also gearing up for yet another vote this week on a resolution calling for an immediate cease-fire. In Israel over the weekend, families and supporters of hostages seized by Hamas militants during an Oct. 7 attack on southern Israel renewed calls for a truce to facilitate their release after Israeli forces mistakenly shot and killed three escaped captives during combat operations in northern Gaza on Friday. In the Oct. 7 attack, Hamas killed about 1,200 people and seized some 240 hostages, Israel says. During a week-long cease-fire at the end of November, about 100 hostages were set free in exchange for some 300 Palestinians held in Israeli jails. Since Israel launched an air-and-ground offensive in response to the Hamas attack, more than 18,000 people — mostly women and children — have been killed in the fighting, according to the Gaza health ministry. The U.S. defense secretary arrived in Tel Aviv Monday morning. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Austin said he planned meet with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and Israel's war cabinet "to reiterate America's ironclad commitment to Israel," to discuss Israeli military operations to "dismantle Hamas" and to "underscore the need to protect civilians from harm & enable the flow of humanitarian aid into Gaza." https://www.npr.org/2023/12/18/1219955657/israel-war-gaza-lloyd-austin

Groups want full federal appeals court to revisit ruling limiting scope of the Voting Rights Act

Progressive advocacy groups in Arkansas on Monday asked a full federal appeals court to reconsider a three-judge panel's ruling that private groups can't sue under a key section of the federal Voting Rights Act. The Arkansas Public Policy Panel and the Arkansas State Conference NAACP asked for the case to go before the full 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals after a panel ruled 2-1 last month that only the U.S. attorney general can enforce Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act. The groups, which are challenging Arkansas' new state House districts under the law, told reporters in a conference call that the ruling reverses decades of precedent and would remove a key tool for voters to stand up for their rights if it's not reversed. It also would put future challenges at the whims of partisan politics, since the president nominates the attorney general. https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-act-arkansas-federal-appeals-court-f77f1b079853e24f73aa21dcd224a2ed

The New Hampshire primary is a little unusual for Democrats this year

Rep. Dean Phillips, D-Minn., was heading for the elevator. He'd spent an hour at the New Hampshire Veterans Home last week, trying to convince the elderly residents that it's time for a new generation of leadership for the Democratic party - a mantle that he has taken upon himself in a long-shot bid for the presidency. Most of the people he had met at this campaign stop appeared to be learning of his existence for the first time - until Winston McCarty stopped him on the way out. "Congratulations for giving the people another choice," McCarty said. Phillips lit up, asking the man for a hug before asking for his vote. "You made my day," Phillips said. https://www.npr.org/2023/12/13/1219065166/biden-phillips-new-hampshire-primary

Youngkin calls for increased state spending on child care programs

Republican Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Thursday that the proposed budget he will soon unveil for the next two fiscal years will include an increase in state spending on early learning and child care programs. The central aim of the proposal is to ensure that the end of federal pandemic-era funds that were used to expand those initiatives doesn't leave families in the lurch, Youngkin said in a speech in Richmond. Without the increased allocations to improve the long-term viability of the programs, families would start to lose coverage in March 2024, he said. https://apnews.com/article/governor-youngkin-virginia-child-care-budget-d0412d2dedf4a4735e3a81ac02a626cb

U.S. sanctions money lending network to Houthi rebels in Yemen, tied to Iranian oil sales

Responding to increased attacks on ships in the southern Red Sea by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels, the U.S. announced sanctions against 13 people and firms alleged to be providing tens of millions of dollars from the sale and shipment of Iranian commodities to the Houthis in Yemen. Treasury says that previously sanctioned Houthi and Iranian financial facilitator Sa'id al-Jamal uses a network of exchange houses and firms to help Iranian money reach the country's militant partners in Yemen. The sanctions block access to U.S. property and bank accounts and prevent the targeted people and companies from doing business with Americans. https://apnews.com/article/houthi-sanctions-yemen-treasury-475638f3faf8ad139d062336d6afa912

A postcard from the Lesser-Known Candidate Forum, a New Hampshire primary tradition

Richard Rist is a business owner from Maryland, frustrated with how divided the nation has become. His solution: run for president. Because... why not? On Thursday, Rist was part of what's called the Lesser-Known Candidate Forum, held by Saint Anselm College in Manchester every four years, a tradition that dates back to 1972 in the first-in-the-nation primary state. It only costs $1,000 to get your name on the presidential primary ballot in New Hampshire, a far lower barrier to entry than in other states. So, there's no shortage of lesser-known candidates. https://www.npr.org/2023/12/08/1218062699/lesser-known-candidates-new-hampshire-primary

Russia tries to unfreeze gold reserves for climate funds at COP28

Russia said on Saturday it was looking into whether its frozen gold reserves, taken after Russia invaded Ukraine, could be used to fund the climate damage fund to help developing countries. In what looked like an attempt to try to fulfil Moscow's aim of doing "everything possible" to stop the West from seizing its frozen reserves, Russia's climate envoy said at the COP28 summit the move would help to close the gap between developed and developing countries in dealing with climate change. It is unlikely to be agreed upon. The West froze around half - or more than $300 billion - of Russia's international reserves after Moscow sent its armed forces into Ukraine in February last year. Kyiv wants the proceeds from Russian frozen assets to be used to help rebuild the country -- something many in the West want to happen but which has been complicated by legal questions and the move's possible future ramifications. https://www.reuters.com/sustainability/sustainable-finance-reporting/russia-tries-unfreeze-gold-reserves-climate-funds-cop28-2023-12-09/

Tuberville is ending blockade of most military nominees, clearing way for hundreds to be approved

Sen. Tommy Tuberville announced on Tuesday that he's ending his blockade of hundreds of military promotions, following heavy criticism from many of his colleagues in the Senate and clearing the way for hundreds to be approved. Tuberville's blockade of military promotions was over a dispute about a Pentagon abortion policy. The Alabama Republican said Tuesday he's "not going to hold the promotions of these people any longer." Almost 400 military nominations have been in limbo due to Tuberville's blanket hold on confirmations and promotions for senior military officers. It's a stance that has left key national security positions unfilled and military families with an uncertain path forward. https://apnews.com/article/tuberville-senate-military-holds-b4d4fe19bada70a085208c9d82c35cb5

How many students are still missing from American schools? Here's what the data says

Since the pandemic first upended American education, an estimated 50,000 students are still missing from any kind of U.S. school. That's according to an Associated Press analysis of public, private and homeschool enrollment as of fall 2022, and U.S. Census data in 22 states, plus Washington, D.C. The reasons students left during the pandemic are varied, and still not fully understood. Some experienced homelessness, lost interest or motivation, or struggled with mental health. Some needed to work or assume adult responsibilities. Some fell behind in online school and didn't see the point of re-engaging. The number of missing students has fallen from fall 2021, when over 230,000 students were still unaccounted for in an analysis by AP, Big Local News and Stanford University economist Thomas Dee. Slowly, many students returned to some form of schooling, or aged out of the system. The decline in missing students is a hopeful sign the education system is moving toward recovery. https://apnews.com/article/school-enrollment-data-homeschool-private-f5bcd6876a5e7163abb80319a7db6d5b

Colorado releases first 5 wolves in reintroduction plan approved by voters to chagrin of ranchers

Somewhere on a remote mountainside in Colorado's Rockies, a latch flipped on a crate and a wolf bounded out, heading toward the tree line. Then it stopped short. For a moment, the young female looked back at it's audience of roughly 45 people who stared on in reverential silence. Then she disappeared into the forest. She was one of five gray wolves Wildlife officials released in a remote part of Colorado's Rocky Mountains on Monday to kick off a voter-approved reintroduction program that was embraced in the state's mostly Democratic urban corridor but staunchly opposed in conservative rural areas where ranchers worry about attacks on livestock. The wolves were set free from crates in a Grand County location that state officials kept undisclosed to protect the predators. https://apnews.com/article/gray-wolves-reintroduction-colorado-3d497c7a64ac33c815e535b749a2f5e9

Southwest Airlines reaches $140 million settlement over holiday flight-canceling meltdown last year

Southwest Airlines will pay a $35 million fine as part of a $140 million settlement to resolve a federal investigation into a debacle in December 2022 when the airline canceled thousands of flights and stranded more than 2 million travelers over the holidays. Most of the settlement will go toward compensating future passengers, which the U.S. Department of Transportation considers an incentive for Southwest to avoid repeating last winter's mess. The government said the assessment was the largest it has ever imposed on an airline for violating consumer protection laws. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said the settlement demonstrates his agency's resolve to make airlines take care of their passengers. https://apnews.com/article/southwest-airlines-settlement-canceled-flights-4c2a6bc25b52019a5966f6d5ef702fc6

Complaint seeks to halt signature gathering by group aiming to repeal Alaska's ranked voting system

Supporters of an effort to get rid of Alaska's ranked choice voting system are accused of "intentional deception" by failing to properly report their activities, including the involvement of Christian organization, according to allegations in a new complaint filed with state campaign finance watchdogs. The group Alaskans for Honest Elections is gathering signatures with the goal of getting on next year's ballot an initiative that aims to repeal the state's system of open primaries and ranked vote general elections. But Alaskans for Better Elections, which supports the elections system, wants to halt that signature gathering until the repeal group fixes the alleged violations and pays all potential fines. This is the third time Alaskans for Better Elections filed a complaint against the repeal group with the state election watchdog. https://apnews.com/article/alaska-ranked-voting-repeal-effort-complaint-5fdd1309f5a97cefe978855a69745c10

Pew survey: YouTube tops teens' social-media diet, with roughly a sixth using it almost constantly

Teen usage of social media hasn't dropped much, despite rising concerns about its effects on the mental health of adolescents, a survey from the Pew Research Institute found. But the data also found that roughly one in six teens describe their use of two platforms — YouTube and TikTok — as "almost constant." Seventy-one percent of teens said they visit YouTube at least daily; 16% described their usage as "almost constant" according to the survey. A slightly larger group — 17% — said they used TikTok almost constantly. Those figures for Snapchat and Instagram came in at 14% and 8% respectively. https://apnews.com/article/teens-social-media-tiktok-snapchat-17e0ff4dec0f2744674cac4e7ae5b3ca

Tesla recalls nearly all vehicles sold in US to fix system that monitors drivers using Autopilot

Tesla is recalling nearly all vehicles sold in the U.S., more than 2 million, to update software and fix a defective system that's supposed to ensure drivers are paying attention when using Autopilot. Documents posted Wednesday by U.S. safety regulators say the update will increase warnings and alerts to drivers and even limit the areas where basic versions of Autopilot can operate. The recall comes after a two-year investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into a series of crashes that happened while the Autopilot partially automated driving system was in use. Some were deadly. https://apnews.com/article/tesla-autopilot-recall-driver-monitoring-system-8060508627a34e6af889feca46eb3002

Israel-Gaza

The Biden administration invoked an emergency declaration to bypass congressional review and expedite the sale of $106.5 million worth of tank ammunition and related equipment to Israel. This is the first time the measure has been invoked in the Middle East. (The Washington Post, $)

The White House is threatening the patents of high-priced drugs developed with taxpayer dollars

The Biden administration is putting pharmaceutical companies on notice, warning them that if the price of certain drugs is too high, the government might cancel their patent protection and allow rivals to make their own versions. Under a plan announced Thursday, the government would consider overriding the patent for high-priced drugs that have been developed with the help of taxpayer money and letting competitors make them in hopes of driving down the cost. In a 15-second video released to YouTube on Wednesday night, President Joe Biden promised the move would lower prices. "Today, we're taking a very important step toward ending price gouging so you don't have to pay more for the medicine you need," he said. https://apnews.com/article/biden-drug-prices-patents-2024-campaign-f92da4ee89814d3ab89a909399bf4c85

House set for key vote on Biden impeachment inquiry as Republicans unite behind investigation

The House is pushing toward a vote Wednesday to formally authorize the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden as Republicans rally behind the charged process despite lingering concerns among some in the party that the investigation has yet to produce evidence of misconduct by the president. The vote comes as House Speaker Mike Johnson and his leadership team face growing pressure to show progress in what has become a nearly yearlong probe centered around the business dealings of Biden's family members. While their investigation has raised ethical questions, no evidence has emerged that Biden acted corruptly or accepted bribes in his current role or previous office as vice president. Ahead of the vote, Johnson called it "the next necessary step." He acknowledged there are "a lot of people who are frustrated this hasn't moved faster." https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-impeachment-inquiry-mike-johnson-94884b322da40ca9315ac5f4e73a3e86

Oregon's top court hears arguments in suit filed by GOP senators seeking reelection after boycott

The Oregon Supreme Court heard oral arguments Thursday in a lawsuit filed by Republican state senators who boycotted the Legislature for a record six weeks earlier this year and want to run for reelection despite a voter-approved constitutional amendment aimed at limiting walkouts. The GOP senators, including Senate Minority Leader Tim Knopp, are challenging the Oregon Secretary of State's interpretation of the amendment. Passed by voters by a wide margin in 2022, Measure 113 amended the state constitution to bar lawmakers from reelection if they have 10 or more unexcused absences. Each of the five state senators who filed suit — Sens. Tim Knopp, Daniel Bonham, Suzanne Weber, Dennis Linthicum and Lynn Findley — racked up more than 10 absences during the walkout that ground the 2023 legislative session to a halt. The longest in the Legislature's history, the boycott stalled hundreds of bills and made national headlines. Before the Oregon Supreme Court in the state capital of Salem, justices Thursday questioned the attorneys for both sides as they wrangled over the grammar and syntax of the language that was added to the state constitution after voters passed Measure 113. https://apnews.com/article/oregon-supreme-court-republican-walkout-lawsuit-c4921d3806262829c0a6821f6f68c59b

Florida Republican Party suspends chairman and demands his resignation amid rape investigation

The Republican Party of Florida suspended Chairman Christian Ziegler and demanded his resignation during an emergency meeting Sunday, adding to calls by Gov. Ron DeSantis and other top officials for him to step down as police investigate a rape accusation against him. Ziegler is accused of raping a woman with whom he and his wife, Moms for Liberty co-founder Bridget Ziegler, had a prior consensual sexual relationship, according to police records. "Christian Ziegler has engaged in conduct that renders him unfit for the office," the party's motion to censure Ziegler said, according to a document posted on the social media platform X by Lee County GOP Chairman Michael Thomason. Ziegler tried to defend himself during the closed-door meeting, but the party board quickly took the action against him, Thompson said. https://apnews.com/article/christian-ziegler-rape-accusation-florida-republican-party-8d1cb7c6f2f3e009a88e47a735eacc4c

The Supreme Court will rule on limits on a commonly used abortion medication

The Supreme Court agreed on Wednesday to take up a dispute over a medication used in the most common method of abortion in the United States, its first abortion case since it overturned Roe v. Wade last year. The justices will hear appeals from the Biden administration and the maker of the drug mifepristone asking the high court to reverse an appellate ruling that would cut off access to the drug through the mail and impose other restrictions, even in states where abortion remains legal. The restrictions include shortening from the current 10 weeks to seven weeks the time during which mifepristone can be used in pregnancy. The nine justices rejected a separate appeal from abortion opponents who challenged the Food and Drug Administration's initial approval of mifepristone as safe and effective in 2000. https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-medication-drug-mifepristone-f763b93ef632e1767fd696caec686c21

The Supreme Court refuses to block an Illinois law banning some high-power semiautomatic weapons

The Supreme Court on Thursday declined to put on hold a new Illinois law that would ban high-power semiautomatic weapons like the one used in the mass killing of seven people at a 2022 parade in a Chicago suburb. The justices did not comment in refusing an emergency appeal from a gun rights group and others. The law prohibits the possession, manufacture or sale of semiautomatic rifles and high-capacity magazines. It takes effect Jan. 1. Last month, a three-judge panel of the 7th District U.S. Court of Appeals voted 2-1 in favor of the law, refusing a request by gun rights groups to block it. The Illinois Supreme Court separately upheld the law on a 4-3 decision in August. https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-semiautomatic-weapon-ammunition-ban-gun-rights-2b1a3e9795814ba9c05ea8720cbb6f4d

Supreme Court will hear a case that could undo Capitol riot charge against hundreds, including Trump

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it will hear an appeal that could upend hundreds of charges stemming from the Capitol riot, including against former President Donald Trump. The justices will review an appellate ruling that revived a charge against three defendants accused of obstruction of an official proceeding. The charge refers to the disruption of Congress' certification of Joe Biden's 2020 presidential election victory over Trump. That's among four counts brought against Trump in special counsel Jack Smith's case that accuses the 2024 Republican presidential primary front-runner of conspiring to overturn the results of his election loss. Trump is also charged with conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-capitol-riot-obstruction-charge-trump-5cf0db4a71766f0b40ec199dd0d5a1ab

Census Bureau wants to change how it asks about disabilities. Some advocates don't like it

The U.S. Census Bureau wants to change how it asks people about disabilities, and some advocates are complaining that they were not consulted enough on what amounts to a major overhaul in how disabilities would be defined by the federal government. Disability advocates say the change would artificially reduce their numbers by almost half. At stake are not only whether people with disabilities get vital resources for housing, schools or program benefits but whether people with disabilities are counted accurately in the first place, experts said. Some also question the timing of the change, which comes just as more people are living with new, long-term conditions from the COVID-19 pandemic. https://apnews.com/article/disability-census-covid19-survey-count-backlash-18678c34ca19e66876faf7dcbdab86f5

US touts new era of collaboration with Native American tribes to manage public lands and water

The U.S. government is entering a new era of collaboration with Native American and Alaska Native leaders in managing public lands and other resources, with top federal officials saying that incorporating more Indigenous knowledge into decision-making can help spur conservation and combat climate change. Federal emergency managers on Thursday also announced updates to recovery policies to aid tribal communities in the repair or rebuilding of traditional homes or ceremonial buildings after a series of wildfires, floods and other disasters around the country. Wth hundreds of tribal leaders gathering in Washington this week for an annual summit, the Biden administration is celebrating nearly 200 new agreements that are designed to boost federal cooperation with tribes nationwide. https://apnews.com/article/white-house-tribal-summit-partnership-public-lands-33039cb25459be5f64c9665e2fa47d93

Conservationists, tribes say deal with Biden administration is a road map to breach Snake River dams

The U.S. government said Thursday it plans to spend more than $1 billion over the next decade to help recover depleted populations of salmon in the Pacific Northwest, and that it will help figure out how to offset the hydropower, transportation and other benefits provided by four controversial dams on the Snake River, should Congress ever agree to breach them. President Joe Biden's administration stopped short of calling for the removal of the dams to save the fish, but Northwest tribes and conservationists who have long sought that called the agreement a road map for dismantling them. Filed in U.S. District Court in Oregon, it pauses long-running litigation over federal operation of the dams and represents the most significant step yet toward breaching them. "Today's historic agreement marks a new direction for the Pacific Northwest," senior White House adviser John Podesta said in a written statement. "Today, the Biden-Harris Administration and state and Tribal governments are agreeing to work together to protect salmon and other native fish, honor our obligations to Tribal nations, and recognize the important services the Columbia River System provides to the economy of the Pacific Northwest." https://apnews.com/article/salmon-tribes-snake-river-dam-energy-336a20cf02093fcdd725cb3047af8f29

New sanctions from the US and Britain target Hamas officials who help manage its financial network

The United States on Wednesday announced new war-related of sanctions against Hamas, targeting eight officials and representatives who help manage the militant group's financial network. The penalties, coordinated with Britain, are the Treasury Department's latest response to the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas against Israel. The sanctions block access to U.S. property and bank accounts and prevent those designated from doing business with Americans. The list included individuals based in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon and Turkey. Among them was Ismail Barhum, who the Treasury Department said in a statement was a member of the Gaza Strip Political Bureau and has worked with Hamas Finance Minister Zaher Jabarin, also under sanction, to aggregate money from global fundraising into the organization's finance accounts. https://apnews.com/article/hamas-officials-israel-gaza-sanctions-treasury-britain-b50a0a37cfd51f4b07f4c68f5afde32a

The White House is hosting nearly 100 US lawmakers to brainstorm gun violence prevention strategies

The White House is hosting nearly 100 lawmakers from around the country on Wednesday to work on how their states can try to reduce gun violence. The gun violence prevention office, the first of its kind, was launched this year by President Joe Biden. It has formulated a set of guidelines to help states take action across six areas, including creating state-run offices like the federal office, strengthening support for survivors and families of victims, and reinforcing responsible gun ownership. "We've been meeting with the state legislators ever since the start of our office, and one thing we hear all the time is they want to do more to reduce gun violence," said Stefanie Feldman, director of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention. "The question is, what should they do and how?" https://apnews.com/article/gun-violence-mass-shootings-biden-344b7c405cfcfecf70c35f7714951a4a

Apology letters by Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro in Georgia election case are one sentence long

The apology letters that Donald Trump-allied lawyers Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro were required to write as a condition of their plea deals in the Georgia election interference case are just one sentence long. The letters, obtained Thursday by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution through an open records request, were hand-written and terse. Neither letter acknowledges the legitimacy of Democrat Joe Biden's win in Georgia's 2020 election nor denounces the baseless conspiracy theories they pushed to claim Trump was cheated out of victory through fraud. "I apologize for my actions in connection with the events in Coffee County," Powell wrote in a letter dated Oct. 19, the same day she pleaded guilty to six misdemeanors accusing her of conspiring to intentionally interfere with the performance of election duties. https://apnews.com/article/georgia-election-case-apology-letters-powell-chesebro-15a8facccf0ee6f1f25b70af6bed8801

Battle over creating new court centers on equality in Mississippi's majority-Black capital city

The constitutional right of equal treatment under the law is at the center of a monthslong legal fight over a state-run court in part of Mississippi's majority-Black capital city of Jackson. A federal judge is set to hear arguments Dec. 19 over the Capitol Complex Improvement District Court, which is scheduled to be created Jan. 1. The new court would be led by a state-appointed judge and prosecutors, and it would be the equivalent of a municipal court, handling misdemeanor cases. Municipal judges and prosecutors in Mississippi are typically appointed by local elected officials, but legislators who created the CCID Court said it was part of a package to fight crime. The Justice Department says the new court would continue Mississippi's long history of trying to suppress Black people's right to participate in government. https://apnews.com/article/mississippi-capitol-police-court-05a943de2b6b34d3fc601e3bb4288971

Supreme Courts in 3 states will hear cases about abortion access this week

The future of reproductive rights for a wide swath of the Mountain West may be decided next week, as three state Supreme Courts hear arguments in cases that will determine abortion access in the region. Here's what to know. Which law is the law in Arizona? When the U.S. Supreme Court returned abortion regulating power to states, Arizona had two seemingly conflicting abortion laws on the books. One, passed just a few months before Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, outlaws abortion after 15 weeks. The other, which dates back to 1864, is a near-total ban. Arizona abortion providers didn't know which law to follow, until the Arizona Court of Appeals decided to "harmonize" the state's conflicting abortion laws last December. Judges said the 1864 near-total ban should continue to apply, but only for non-physicians. Doctors could follow the newer law and provide abortions up to 15 weeks. https://www.npr.org/2023/12/11/1218357869/state-supreme-courts-abortion-wyoming-new-mexico-arizona

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court, to lie in repose

The late Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman to serve on the Supreme Court and an unwavering voice of moderate conservatism for more than two decades, will lie in repose in the court's Great Hall on Monday. O'Connor, an Arizona native, died Dec. 1 at age 93. Her casket will be carried up the steps in front of the court, passing under the iconic words engraved on the pediment, "Equal Justice Under Law," and placed in the court's Great Hall. C-SPAN will broadcast a private ceremony held before the hall is open to the public, allowing people to pay their respects afterward, from 10:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. The last justice who lay in repose at the court was Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second female justice. After her death in 2020, during the coronavirus pandemic, mourners passed by her casket outside the building, on the portico at the top of the steps. https://apnews.com/article/sandra-day-oconnor-woman-supreme-court-died-92f9145bd594b84f0911b3fa0a244761

U.S military grounds entire fleet of Osprey aircraft following deadly crash off Japan

The military announced late Wednesday it was grounding all of its Osprey V-22 helicopters, one week after eight Air Force Special Operations Command service members died in a crash off the coast of Japan. The Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps took the extraordinary step of grounding hundreds of aircraft after a preliminary investigation of last week's crash indicated that a materiel failure — that something went wrong with the aircraft — and not a mistake by the crew led to the deaths. The crash raised new questions about the safety of the Osprey, which has been involved in multiple fatal accidents over its relatively short time in service. Japan grounded its fleet of 14 Ospreys after the crash. https://www.npr.org/2023/12/07/1217757438/us-military-grounds-fleet-of-osprey-aircraft

Harvard, MIT, Penn presidents defend actions in combatting antisemitism on campus

The presidents of Harvard, the University of Pennsylvania and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology said Tuesday that they were taking steps to combat antisemitism on campus since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, including increasing security and providing additional counseling and mental health support. In testimony before a House committee, the university leaders said there was a fine line between protecting free speech and allowing protests, while also combatting antisemitism. "Harvard must provide firm leadership in the fight against antisemitism and hate speech even while preserving room for free expression and dissent. This is difficult work, and I admit that we have not always gotten it right," said Claudine Gay, of Harvard. "As Harvard's president, I am personally responsible for confronting antisemitism with the urgency it demands." https://apnews.com/article/antisemitism-islamophobia-education-universities-hamas-israel-3ae6f640de936f7228a63331efbb85ad

Backlash to House testimony shines spotlight on new generation of Ivy League presidents

The university presidents called before a congressional hearing on antisemitism last week had more in common than strife on their campuses: The leaders of the University of Pennsylvania, Harvard and MIT were all women who were relatively new in their positions. In that sense, they represented the changing face of leadership at top-tier universities, with a record number of women leading Ivy League schools. Now Penn's president has resigned over a backlash to comments that she said did not go far enough to condemn hate against Jewish students. And Harvard's president is facing calls to step down from donors and some lawmakers. https://apnews.com/article/ivy-league-presidents-backlash-women-021ec60af6a5a5279c644376de065738

Geminids meteor shower peaks this week under dark skies

The year's best meteor shower, the Geminids, peaks this week. Skygazers may see as many as one or even two a minute streaking across dark skies. The meteors will reach their frenzy Thursday. But Wednesday night should provide a cosmic spectacle as well. The moon is waning so that will make for prime viewing anywhere in the world where skies are clear and in spots without light pollution. NASA urged observers to look everywhere in the sky since meteors don't come from any particular direction. Between 60 and 120 meteors are expected every hour at peak time, weather permitting. NASA meteoroid expert Bill Cooke said he loves that the Geminids have a greenish hue as they speed across the sky and burn up. Most meteors appear to be colorless or white depending on their chemical makeup. Green usually comes from oxygen, magnesium and nickel. https://apnews.com/article/geminids-meteor-shower-stargazing-6171ffba7d79511cd9a59dd0f525d8d5

Two men charged with killing approximately 3,600 birds, including bald eagles

Two men face federal charges for their part in hunting and killing about 3,600 birds, including bald eagles, in Montana. Travis John Branson and Simon Paul allegedly sold the eagles on the black market for significant sums of cash, according to court documents. According to the documents filed last week in U.S. Court for the District of Montana, prosecutors uncovered messages from Branson and others telling buyers he was "on a killing spree" of eagles in order to obtain tail feathers for future sales. Between about January 2015 till March 2021, prosecutors said that the accused men knowingly and willfully agreed to shoot bald and golden eagles on the Flathead Indian Reservation and elsewhere, and then help each other transport and ship them out. https://www.npr.org/2023/12/14/1219424322/montana-men-bald-eagle-killing-case

Kevin McCarthy was booted as House speaker two months ago. Now he's leaving Congress by year's end

Two months after his historic ouster as U.S. House speaker, Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy said Wednesday that he is resigning and will leave Congress by the end of the year. His announcement capped a stunning end to a House career for the onetime deli counter owner from Bakersfield, California, who ascended through state and national politics to become second in line to the presidency, until a cluster of hard-right conservatives engineered his removal in October. https://apnews.com/article/kevin-mccarthy-house-speaker-reelection-84fc76226de7d20e140325bbe87622c8

The U.S. has suspended railway crossings in Eagle Pass and El Paso to process migrants

U.S. Customs and Border Protection is temporarily suspending international railway crossings in Eagle Pass and El Paso in order to redirect personnel to assist with the processing of an influx of migrants. "CBP is continuing to surge all available resources to safely process migrants in response to increased levels of migrant encounters at the Southwest Border, fueled by smugglers peddling disinformation to prey on vulnerable individuals," CBP said in a statement Sunday evening. "After observing a recent resurgence of smuggling organizations moving migrants through Mexico via freight trains, CBP is taking additional actions to surge personnel and address this concerning development, including in partnership with Mexican authorities." A Department of Homeland Security official told CNN that CBP apprehended nearly 3,000 migrants over the weekend in the Eagle Pass area, and around 1,300 people in El Paso — many of whom came from Venezuela. https://www.tpr.org/border-immigration/2023-12-17/us-suspending-railway-crossings-in-eagle-pass-and-el-paso-to-process-migrants

Zelenskyy will arrive on Capitol Hill to grim mood as Biden's aid package for Ukraine risks collapse

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will arrive on Capitol Hill to a darker mood than when he swooped in last winter for a hero's welcome, as the Russian invasion is grinding into a third year and U.S. funding hangs in balance. Zelenskyy's visit Tuesday comes as President Joe Biden's request for an additional $110 billion U.S. aid package for Ukraine, Israel and other national security needs is at serious risk of collapse in Congress. Republicans are insisting on strict U.S.-Mexico border security changes that Democrats decry as draconian in exchange for the overseas aid. "It is maddening," said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., a close ally of Biden, of the stalemate. "A very bad message to the world, to the Ukrainian people." https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-zelenskyy-washington-congress-biden-5796a2429169d01959510f318fbc968a

Major cleanup underway after storm batters Northeastern US, knocks out power and floods roads

Utility crews worked Tuesday to restore power to hundreds of thousands of customers in Maine and some rivers continued to rise following a powerful storm that hit the northeastern U.S., drenching communities and bringing windspeeds over 60 mph (96 kph) in some areas. At least five people were killed. "It was pretty loud, the wind was pretty strong, branches are breaking, things are flapping outside," said Drew Landry of Hallowell, Maine, who lost power and was looking at a street that was under water Tuesday. "All the basements are pretty much flooded." Many communities were saturated, with some getting well over 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) of rain during the storm. Some towns in Vermont, which had suffered major flooding from a storm in July, were seeing more flood damage. Some school districts remained closed Tuesday. More than 5 inches (13 centimeters) of rain fell in parts of New Jersey and northeastern Pennsylvania, and parts of several other states got more than 4 inches (10 centimeters), according to the National Weather Service. Streets were flooded in some communities. Wind gusts reached nearly 70 mph (113 kph) along the southern New England shoreline. https://apnews.com/article/severe-weather-flood-northeast-montpelier-98a233cc7cff7a9d1c2cd9d465ef45d6

Vice President Harris breaks nearly 200-year-old record for Senate tiebreaker votes, casts her 32nd

Vice President Kamala Harris broke a nearly 200-year-old record for casting the most tiebreaking votes in the Senate when she voted Tuesday to confirm a new federal judge in Washington, D.C. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, called Harris' 32nd tiebreaking vote a "great milestone." The previous recordholder was John C. Calhoun, who cast 31 tiebreaking votes during his eight years as vice president, from 1825 to 1832. Harris, a Democrat, tied Calhoun's record in July. https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-senate-tiebreaker-vote-39a1a63fccbaec363262abad2f644562

California is set to become 2nd state to OK rules for turning wastewater into drinking water

When a toilet is flushed in California, the water can end up in a lot of places — the ice in a skating rink, the manufactured snow on ski slopes, in pipes providing irrigation for farmland. And — coming soon — in your drinking glass. California regulators on Tuesday are set to vote on new rules to let water agencies recycle wastewater and put it right back into the pipes that carry drinking water to homes, schools and businesses. It's a big step for a state that has struggled for decades to have a reliable source of drinking water for its more than 39 million residents. And it signals a shift in public opinion on a subject that as recently as two decades ago prompted backlash that scuttled similar projects. Since then, California has been through multiple extreme droughts, including the most recent one that scientists say was the driest three-year period on record and left the state's reservoirs at dangerously low levels. https://apnews.com/article/california-recycled-wastewater-drought-8b476dc83652af43c6aad52070b9d992

GOP presidential hopefuls target Nikki Haley more than Trump, and other moments from the debate

With the Iowa caucuses rapidly approaching, a shrinking field of Republican White House hopefuls gathered Wednesday in Alabama for the fourth presidential debate. As usual, former President Donald Trump, who is dominating the GOP primary, didn't appear. Instead, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, businessman Vivek Ramaswamy and former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie continued their effort to gain a sliver of the spotlight in the race. https://apnews.com/article/republicandebatehighlights-a442087e0ac2c16d73ad35d82b7f1ea8