HALIFIX (AP) —Rescuers in a remote area of the Atlantic Ocean raced against time Tuesday to find&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-shipwreck-titan-submersible-search-deepsea-atlantic-a89dbd2f6d3edd7e4a52566e451a5e6d">a missing submersible</a>&nbsp;before the oxygen supply runs out for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-shipwreck-titan-submersible-search-deepsea-atlantic-a89dbd2f6d3edd7e4a52566e451a5e6d">five people</a>&nbsp;who were on a mission to document the wreckage of the Titanic.

Despite an international rescue effort, U.S. Coast Guard officials said the search covering 10,000 square miles (26,000 square kilometers) had turned up no signs of the lost sub known as the Titan, but they planned to continue looking.

Authorities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-wreckage-missing-submersible-62fadef7a55af0022e3dc75df862a5c1">reported the carbon-fiber vessel overdue Sunday night</a>, setting off the search in waters about 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland. Aboard were a pilot, renowned British adventurer Hamish Harding, two members of an iconic Pakistani business family and a Titanic expert.

The submersible had a 96-hour oxygen supply when it put to sea at roughly 6 a.m. Sunday, according to David Concannon, an adviser to OceanGate Expeditions, which oversaw the mission.

That means the oxygen supply could run out Thursday morning.

CBS News journalist David Pogue, who traveled to Titanic aboard the Titan last year, said the vehicle uses two communication systems: text messages that go back and forth to a surface ship and safety pings that are emitted every 15 minutes to indicate that the sub is still working.

Both of those systems stopped about an hour and 45 minutes after the Titan submerged.

"There are only two things that could mean. Either they lost all power or the ship developed a hull breach and it imploded instantly. Both of those are devastatingly hopeless,” Pogue told CBC on Tuesday.

The submersible had seven backup systems to return to the surface, including sandbags and lead pipes that drop off and an inflatable balloon. One system is designed to work even if everyone aboard is unconscious, Pogue said.

Experts said the rescuers face steep challenges.

Alistair Greig, a professor of marine engineering at University College London, said submersibles typically have a drop weight, which is “a mass they can release in the case of an emergency to bring them up to the surface using buoyancy.”

“If there was a power failure and/or communication failure, this might have happened, and the submersible would then be bobbing about on the surface waiting to be found,” Greig said.

Another scenario is a leak in the pressure hull, in which case the prognosis is not good, he said.

“If it has gone down to the seabed and can’t get back up under its own power, options are very limited,” Greig said. “While the submersible might still be intact, if it is beyond the continental shelf, there are very few vessels that can get that deep, and certainly not divers.”

Even if they could go that deep, he doubts rescuers could attach to the submersible.

By Tuesday morning, an area totaling 10,000 square miles had been searched, the U.S. Coast Guard tweeted.

The Canadian research icebreaker Polar Prince, which was supporting the Titan, was to continue conducting surface searches with help from a Canadian Boeing P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, the Coast Guard said on Twitter. Two U.S. Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft also conducted overflights.

The Canadian military dropped sonar buoys to listen for any possible sounds from the Titan.

Concannon, who said he was supposed to be on the dive but could not go, said officials were also working to get a remotely operated vehicle that can dive to a depth of 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) to the site as soon as possible.

OceanGate’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arts-and-entertainment-environment-and-nature-science-f73cc9d0dbced13398bc04bf388e6eba">expeditions to the Titanic wreck site</a>&nbsp;include archaeologists and marine biologists. The company also brings people who pay to come along, known as “mission specialists.” They take turns operating sonar equipment and performing other tasks in the submersible.

The Coast Guard said Monday that the Titan carried a pilot and four “mission specialists." However, OceanGate's website suggests that the fifth person may be a so-called “content expert” who guides the paying customers.

Authorities have yet to formally identify those on board, though some names have been confirmed, including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, who, according to the company, was serving as a member of the crew.

Rush told The Associated Press in June 2021 that the Titan’s technology was “very cutting edge” and was developed with the help of NASA and aerospace manufacturers.

“This is the only submersible – crewed submersible – that’s made of carbon fiber and titanium,” Rush said, calling it the “largest carbon fiber structure that we know of,” with 5-inch-thick carbon fiber and 3.25-inch-thick titanium.

Harding, who lives in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, was one of the mission specialists, according to Action Aviation, a company where Harding serves as chairman.

Harding is a billionaire adventurer who holds three Guinness world records, including the longest duration at full ocean depth by a crewed vessel. In March 2021, he and ocean explorer Victor Vescovo descended to the lowest depth of the Mariana Trench. In June 2022, he went into space on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket.

Also on board were Pakistani nationals Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, according to a family statement. The Dawoods belong to one of Pakistan's most prominent families. Their eponymous firm invests across the country in agriculture, industries and the health sector.

Shahzada Dawood also is on the board of trustees for the California-based SETI Institute that searches for extraterrestrial intelligence.

French explorer and Titanic expert Paul-Henry Nargeolet was also aboard, according to David Gallo, a senior adviser for strategic initiatives and special projects at RMS Titanic. Gallo identified Nargeolet, a friend who has led multiple expeditions to the Titanic, on Tuesday during an interview with CNN.

Greg Stone, a longtime ocean scientist based in California and a friend of Rush, called the lost submersible “a fundamentally new submarine design” that showed great promise for future research. Unlike its predecessors, the Titan was not spherical in shape.

“Stockton was a risk taker. He was smart ... he had a vision. He wanted to push things forward," Stone said.

The expedition was OceanGate’s third annual voyage to chronicle the deterioration of Titanic, which struck an iceberg and sank in 1912, killing all but about 700 of the roughly 2,200 passengers and crew. Since the wreckage’s discovery in 1985, it has been slowly succumbing to metal-eating bacteria.

OceanGate’s website described the “mission support fee” for the 2023 expedition as $250,000 a person.

Recalling his own trip aboard the Titan, Pogue said the vessel got turned around looking for the Titanic.

“There’s no GPS underwater, so the surface ship is supposed to guide the sub to the shipwreck by sending text messages,” Pogue said in a segment aired on “CBS Sunday Morning.” “But on this dive, communications somehow broke down. The sub never found the wreck.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687279790385.png" alt="Photo courtesy Oceangate Expeditions" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Oceangate Expeditions</figcaption>
 </figure>HALIFIX (AP) —Rescuers in a remote area of the Atlantic Ocean raced against time Tuesday to find&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-shipwreck-titan-submersible-search-deepsea-atlantic-a89dbd2f6d3edd7e4a52566e451a5e6d">a missing submersible</a>&nbsp;before the oxygen supply runs out for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-shipwreck-titan-submersible-search-deepsea-atlantic-a89dbd2f6d3edd7e4a52566e451a5e6d">five people</a>&nbsp;who were on a mission to document the wreckage of the Titanic.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/JmH8e47zuI">pic.twitter.com/JmH8e47zuI</a>&mdash; OceanGate Expeditions (@OceanGateExped) <a href="https://twitter.com/OceanGateExped/status/1670876600152526848?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 19, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Despite an international rescue effort, U.S. Coast Guard officials said the search covering 10,000 square miles (26,000 square kilometers) had turned up no signs of the lost sub known as the Titan, but they planned to continue looking.Authorities&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/titanic-wreckage-missing-submersible-62fadef7a55af0022e3dc75df862a5c1">reported the carbon-fiber vessel overdue Sunday night</a>, setting off the search in waters about 435 miles (700 kilometers) south of St. John’s, Newfoundland. Aboard were a pilot, renowned British adventurer Hamish Harding, two members of an iconic Pakistani business family and a Titanic expert.The submersible had a 96-hour oxygen supply when it put to sea at roughly 6 a.m. Sunday, according to David Concannon, an adviser to OceanGate Expeditions, which oversaw the mission.That means the oxygen supply could run out Thursday morning.CBS News journalist David Pogue, who traveled to Titanic aboard the Titan last year, said the vehicle uses two communication systems: text messages that go back and forth to a surface ship and safety pings that are emitted every 15 minutes to indicate that the sub is still working.Both of those systems stopped about an hour and 45 minutes after the Titan submerged."There are only two things that could mean. Either they lost all power or the ship developed a hull breach and it imploded instantly. Both of those are devastatingly hopeless,” Pogue told CBC on Tuesday.The submersible had seven backup systems to return to the surface, including sandbags and lead pipes that drop off and an inflatable balloon. One system is designed to work even if everyone aboard is unconscious, Pogue said.Experts said the rescuers face steep challenges.Alistair Greig, a professor of marine engineering at University College London, said submersibles typically have a drop weight, which is “a mass they can release in the case of an emergency to bring them up to the surface using buoyancy.”“If there was a power failure and/or communication failure, this might have happened, and the submersible would then be bobbing about on the surface waiting to be found,” Greig said.Another scenario is a leak in the pressure hull, in which case the prognosis is not good, he said.“If it has gone down to the seabed and can’t get back up under its own power, options are very limited,” Greig said. “While the submersible might still be intact, if it is beyond the continental shelf, there are very few vessels that can get that deep, and certainly not divers.”Even if they could go that deep, he doubts rescuers could attach to the submersible.By Tuesday morning, an area totaling 10,000 square miles had been searched, the U.S. Coast Guard tweeted.The Canadian research icebreaker Polar Prince, which was supporting the Titan, was to continue conducting surface searches with help from a Canadian Boeing P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance aircraft, the Coast Guard said on Twitter. Two U.S. Lockheed C-130 Hercules aircraft also conducted overflights.The Canadian military dropped sonar buoys to listen for any possible sounds from the Titan.Concannon, who said he was supposed to be on the dive but could not go, said officials were also working to get a remotely operated vehicle that can dive to a depth of 3.7 miles (6 kilometers) to the site as soon as possible.OceanGate’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arts-and-entertainment-environment-and-nature-science-f73cc9d0dbced13398bc04bf388e6eba">expeditions to the Titanic wreck site</a>&nbsp;include archaeologists and marine biologists. The company also brings people who pay to come along, known as “mission specialists.” They take turns operating sonar equipment and performing other tasks in the submersible.The Coast Guard said Monday that the Titan carried a pilot and four “mission specialists." However, OceanGate's website suggests that the fifth person may be a so-called “content expert” who guides the paying customers.Authorities have yet to formally identify those on board, though some names have been confirmed, including OceanGate CEO Stockton Rush, who, according to the company, was serving as a member of the crew.Rush told The Associated Press in June 2021 that the Titan’s technology was “very cutting edge” and was developed with the help of NASA and aerospace manufacturers.“This is the only submersible – crewed submersible – that’s made of carbon fiber and titanium,” Rush said, calling it the “largest carbon fiber structure that we know of,” with 5-inch-thick carbon fiber and 3.25-inch-thick titanium.Harding, who lives in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, was one of the mission specialists, according to Action Aviation, a company where Harding serves as chairman.Harding is a billionaire adventurer who holds three Guinness world records, including the longest duration at full ocean depth by a crewed vessel. In March 2021, he and ocean explorer Victor Vescovo descended to the lowest depth of the Mariana Trench. In June 2022, he went into space on Blue Origin’s New Shepard rocket.Also on board were Pakistani nationals Shahzada Dawood and his son Suleman, according to a family statement. The Dawoods belong to one of Pakistan's most prominent families. Their eponymous firm invests across the country in agriculture, industries and the health sector.Shahzada Dawood also is on the board of trustees for the California-based SETI Institute that searches for extraterrestrial intelligence.French explorer and Titanic expert Paul-Henry Nargeolet was also aboard, according to David Gallo, a senior adviser for strategic initiatives and special projects at RMS Titanic. Gallo identified Nargeolet, a friend who has led multiple expeditions to the Titanic, on Tuesday during an interview with CNN.Greg Stone, a longtime ocean scientist based in California and a friend of Rush, called the lost submersible “a fundamentally new submarine design” that showed great promise for future research. Unlike its predecessors, the Titan was not spherical in shape.“Stockton was a risk taker. He was smart ... he had a vision. He wanted to push things forward," Stone said.The expedition was OceanGate’s third annual voyage to chronicle the deterioration of Titanic, which struck an iceberg and sank in 1912, killing all but about 700 of the roughly 2,200 passengers and crew. Since the wreckage’s discovery in 1985, it has been slowly succumbing to metal-eating bacteria.OceanGate’s website described the “mission support fee” for the 2023 expedition as $250,000 a person.Recalling his own trip aboard the Titan, Pogue said the vessel got turned around looking for the Titanic.“There’s no GPS underwater, so the surface ship is supposed to guide the sub to the shipwreck by sending text messages,” Pogue said in a segment aired on “CBS Sunday Morning.” “But on this dive, communications somehow broke down. The sub never found the wreck.”___

Coast Guard: Extensive search has yielded no sign of missing sub

NEW YORK (AP) — Check fraud is back in a big way, fueled by a rise in organized crime that is forcing small businesses and individuals to take additional safety measures or to avoid sending checks through the mail altogether.

Banks issued roughly 680,000 reports of check fraud to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, also known as FinCEN, last year. That’s up from 350,000 reports in 2021. Meanwhile the U.S. Postal Inspection Service reported roughly 300,000 complaints of mail theft in 2021, more than double the prior year's total.

Early in the pandemic, government relief checks became an attractive target for criminals. The problem has only gotten worse and postal authorities and bank officials are warning Americans to avoid mailing checks if possible, or at least to use a secure mail drop such as inside the post office. Meanwhile, as the cases of fraud increase, victims are waiting longer to recover their stolen money.

Check usage has been in decline for decades as Americans have largely switched to paying for their services with credit and debit cards. Americans wrote roughly 3.4 billion checks in 2022, down from nearly 19 billion checks in 1990, according to the Federal Reserve. However, the average size of the checks Americans write rose from $673 in 1990 — or $1,602 in today's dollars — to $2,652 last year.

“Despite the declining use of checks in the United States, criminals have been increasingly targeting the U.S. Mail since the COVID-19 pandemic to commit check fraud,” FinCEN wrote in an alert sent out in February.

Checks are still frequently used by small businesses. Eric Fischgrund, who runs FischTank PR, a 30-person public relations firm in New York, had about 15 checks that were being mailed to him from clients stolen after they all went through the same Postal Service distribution center. Ten of them were successfully cashed by criminals.

The checks were stolen in March and Fischgrund became aware of the problem in April, when several of his clients who were never late missed payments. The Postal Service investigated and Fischgrund has recovered about 70% of the revenue, but some of the cases haven’t yet been resolved.

According to the investigator on the case, the perpetrators used technology that melted ink in the “to” field of the checks so they could write in fake names. FischTank instructed all its clients to change their paper format because it was dealing with a check fraud issue.

Fischgrund said he’d never previously had an issue with check fraud in the nearly 10 years he has run his own business. Now he has a clause in invoices and new client contracts that asks for electronic payments only.

“I don’t think we’ll ever go back to asking for checks as an option,” he said.

Today’s check fraud criminals are not small operations, or lone individuals like the Leonardo DiCaprio character in the 2002 movie “Catch Me If You Can,” counterfeiting checks from his hotel room and apartment. They are sophisticated criminal operations, with participants infiltrating post office distribution centers, setting up fake businesses or creating fake IDs to deposit the checks. “Walkers,” or people who actually walk in to cash these checks, receive training in how to appear even more legitimate.

In one case in Southern California last year, nearly sixty people were arrested on charges of committing more than $5 million in check fraud against 750 people.

Criminals are getting the checks or identification information by fishing mail out of U.S. postal boxes, looking for envelopes that appear to be either bill payments or checks being mailed.

The most common type of check fraud is what’s known as check washing, where a criminal steals the check from the mail and proceeds to change the payee’s name on the check and, additionally, the amount of money.

Some criminals are going further and using the information found on a check to gather sensitive personal data on a potential victim. There have been reports of criminals creating fake entities out of personal data obtained from a check, or even opening new lines of credit or businesses with that data as well. This allows fraudsters to create new checks using old account data.

That’s why check fraud experts are saying Americans should avoid sending checks in the mail or at least take additional safety steps to avoid becoming a victim.

“If you need to mail a check, do not put a check in your residential mailbox and raise the flag to notify the postman. Drop off checks inside a post office if you have to,” said Todd Robertson with Argo Data, a financial data provider.

Banks, keenly aware of the problem, are increasingly watching for signs of fraud at branches and through mobile check deposit services, including large check deposits. They’re training branch employees to take steps such as looking at check numbers, because checks are typically written in order, or noticing when a check is being written for a much larger amount than the customer’s previous history would indicate. Banks also now deploy software at their branches that can tell how risky a check might be.

But those systems become moot if criminals are able to persuade tellers — often at the front lines for check acceptance — to look past any red flags.

“These fraudsters are much more aggressive than they were in the past, and they are pressuring tellers to override internal systems that might flag a potentially suspicious transaction,” Paul Brenda, a senior vice president at the American Bankers Association.

Banks generally reimburse customers if they are victims of check fraud within days. However, due to the growing number of fraud cases, refunds have slowed down in recent months. In March, a trio of Democratic Senators asked the banking industry to be more prompt in reimbursing victims of check fraud whenever possible.

Another safety tip for businesses is to opt in to a bank’s “positive pay” services with a business checking account. Positive pay means you pre-authorize checks for a certain amount as well as the check number, cutting down criminals’ ability to wash the check and withdraw money for an amount that isn’t pre-authorized.

NEW YORK (AP) — Check fraud is back in a big way, fueled by a rise in organized crime that is forcing small businesses and individuals to take additional safety measures or to avoid sending checks through the mail altogether.Banks issued roughly 680,000 reports of check fraud to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, also known as FinCEN, last year. That’s up from 350,000 reports in 2021. Meanwhile the U.S. Postal Inspection Service reported roughly 300,000 complaints of mail theft in 2021, more than double the prior year's total.Early in the pandemic, government relief checks became an attractive target for criminals. The problem has only gotten worse and postal authorities and bank officials are warning Americans to avoid mailing checks if possible, or at least to use a secure mail drop such as inside the post office. Meanwhile, as the cases of fraud increase, victims are waiting longer to recover their stolen money.Check usage has been in decline for decades as Americans have largely switched to paying for their services with credit and debit cards. Americans wrote roughly 3.4 billion checks in 2022, down from nearly 19 billion checks in 1990, according to the Federal Reserve. However, the average size of the checks Americans write rose from $673 in 1990 — or $1,602 in today's dollars — to $2,652 last year.“Despite the declining use of checks in the United States, criminals have been increasingly targeting the U.S. Mail since the COVID-19 pandemic to commit check fraud,” FinCEN wrote in an alert sent out in February.Checks are still frequently used by small businesses. Eric Fischgrund, who runs FischTank PR, a 30-person public relations firm in New York, had about 15 checks that were being mailed to him from clients stolen after they all went through the same Postal Service distribution center. Ten of them were successfully cashed by criminals.The checks were stolen in March and Fischgrund became aware of the problem in April, when several of his clients who were never late missed payments. The Postal Service investigated and Fischgrund has recovered about 70% of the revenue, but some of the cases haven’t yet been resolved.According to the investigator on the case, the perpetrators used technology that melted ink in the “to” field of the checks so they could write in fake names. FischTank instructed all its clients to change their paper format because it was dealing with a check fraud issue.Fischgrund said he’d never previously had an issue with check fraud in the nearly 10 years he has run his own business. Now he has a clause in invoices and new client contracts that asks for electronic payments only.“I don’t think we’ll ever go back to asking for checks as an option,” he said.Today’s check fraud criminals are not small operations, or lone individuals like the Leonardo DiCaprio character in the 2002 movie “Catch Me If You Can,” counterfeiting checks from his hotel room and apartment. They are sophisticated criminal operations, with participants infiltrating post office distribution centers, setting up fake businesses or creating fake IDs to deposit the checks. “Walkers,” or people who actually walk in to cash these checks, receive training in how to appear even more legitimate.In one case in Southern California last year, nearly sixty people were arrested on charges of committing more than $5 million in check fraud against 750 people.Criminals are getting the checks or identification information by fishing mail out of U.S. postal boxes, looking for envelopes that appear to be either bill payments or checks being mailed.The most common type of check fraud is what’s known as check washing, where a criminal steals the check from the mail and proceeds to change the payee’s name on the check and, additionally, the amount of money.Some criminals are going further and using the information found on a check to gather sensitive personal data on a potential victim. There have been reports of criminals creating fake entities out of personal data obtained from a check, or even opening new lines of credit or businesses with that data as well. This allows fraudsters to create new checks using old account data.That’s why check fraud experts are saying Americans should avoid sending checks in the mail or at least take additional safety steps to avoid becoming a victim.“If you need to mail a check, do not put a check in your residential mailbox and raise the flag to notify the postman. Drop off checks inside a post office if you have to,” said Todd Robertson with Argo Data, a financial data provider.Banks, keenly aware of the problem, are increasingly watching for signs of fraud at branches and through mobile check deposit services, including large check deposits. They’re training branch employees to take steps such as looking at check numbers, because checks are typically written in order, or noticing when a check is being written for a much larger amount than the customer’s previous history would indicate. Banks also now deploy software at their branches that can tell how risky a check might be.But those systems become moot if criminals are able to persuade tellers — often at the front lines for check acceptance — to look past any red flags.“These fraudsters are much more aggressive than they were in the past, and they are pressuring tellers to override internal systems that might flag a potentially suspicious transaction,” Paul Brenda, a senior vice president at the American Bankers Association.Banks generally reimburse customers if they are victims of check fraud within days. However, due to the growing number of fraud cases, refunds have slowed down in recent months. In March, a trio of Democratic Senators asked the banking industry to be more prompt in reimbursing victims of check fraud whenever possible.Another safety tip for businesses is to opt in to a bank’s “positive pay” services with a business checking account. Positive pay means you pre-authorize checks for a certain amount as well as the check number, cutting down criminals’ ability to wash the check and withdraw money for an amount that isn’t pre-authorized.____

Americans warned not to mail checks; check fraud has spiked dramatically

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Monday it won't review North Carolina's decision to stop issuing specialty license plates with the Confederate flag.

As is typical, the court did not comment in declining to hear the case, which challenged the state's decision. The dispute was one of many the court said Monday it would not hear. It was similar to a case originating in Texas that the court heard in 2015, when it ruled the license plates are state property.

The current dispute stems from North Carolina's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-wilmington-1d605f11ae3b49ea67159202d42b61c0">2021 decision</a>&nbsp;to stop issuing specialty license plates bearing the insignia of the North Carolina chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. The chapter sued, claiming that the state's decision violated state and federal law. A lower court dismissed the case, and a federal appeals court agreed with that decision.

North Carolina offers three standard license plates and more than 200 specialty plates. Civic clubs including the Sons of Confederate Veterans can create specialty plates by meeting specific requirements.

In 2021, however, the state Department of Transportation sent the group a letter saying it would "no longer issue or renew specialty license plates bearing the Confederate battle flag or any variation of that flag" because the plates "have the potential to offend those who view them."

The state said it would consider alternate artwork for the plates' design if it does not contain the Confederate flag.

The organization unsuccessfully argued that the state's decision violated its free speech rights under the Constitution's First Amendment and state law governing specialty license plates.

In 2015, the Sons of Confederate Veterans’ Texas chapter claimed Texas was wrong not to issue a specialty license plate with the group's insignia. But the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f6922e307dd846fc8bffffa16cff654e">Supreme Court ruled</a>&nbsp;5-4 that Texas could limit the content of license plates because they are state property.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court said Monday it won't review North Carolina's decision to stop issuing specialty license plates with the Confederate flag.As is typical, the court did not comment in declining to hear the case, which challenged the state's decision. The dispute was one of many the court said Monday it would not hear. It was similar to a case originating in Texas that the court heard in 2015, when it ruled the license plates are state property.The current dispute stems from North Carolina's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-wilmington-1d605f11ae3b49ea67159202d42b61c0">2021 decision</a>&nbsp;to stop issuing specialty license plates bearing the insignia of the North Carolina chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans. The chapter sued, claiming that the state's decision violated state and federal law. A lower court dismissed the case, and a federal appeals court agreed with that decision.North Carolina offers three standard license plates and more than 200 specialty plates. Civic clubs including the Sons of Confederate Veterans can create specialty plates by meeting specific requirements.In 2021, however, the state Department of Transportation sent the group a letter saying it would "no longer issue or renew specialty license plates bearing the Confederate battle flag or any variation of that flag" because the plates "have the potential to offend those who view them."The state said it would consider alternate artwork for the plates' design if it does not contain the Confederate flag.The organization unsuccessfully argued that the state's decision violated its free speech rights under the Constitution's First Amendment and state law governing specialty license plates.In 2015, the Sons of Confederate Veterans’ Texas chapter claimed Texas was wrong not to issue a specialty license plate with the group's insignia. But the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f6922e307dd846fc8bffffa16cff654e">Supreme Court ruled</a>&nbsp;5-4 that Texas could limit the content of license plates because they are state property.

High Court won't review decision to nix license plates with Confederate flag

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis went to the hospital Wednesday to undergo abdominal surgery to treat an intestinal blockage, two years after he had 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his colon removed because of a narrowing of the large intestine.

The Vatican said Francis, 86, would be put under general anesthesia for the procedure Wednesday afternoon and would be hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli hospital for several days.

Francis' Fiat 500 car pulled out of the Vatican shortly after 11 a.m. with an escort, and arrived at the Gemelli some 20 minutes later.

The pope is undergoing what the Vatican said was a “laparotomy and abdominal wall plastic surgery with prosthesis” to treat a “recurrent, painful and worsening” constriction of the intestine.

A laparotomy is open abdominal surgery. It can help a surgeon both diagnose and treat issues. The statement said Francis was suffering from a blocked laparocele, which is a hernia that formed over a previous scar.

"The stay at the health facility will last several days to allow for the normal post-operative course and full functional recovery,” the statement said. An update was not expected until after the procedure.

Francis remains in charge of the Vatican and the 1.3-billion strong Catholic Church, even while unconscious and in the hospital.

In July 2021, Francis spent 10 days at Gemelli to remove 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his large intestine. He had suffered what the Vatican said was a severe inflammation and narrowing of the colon.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-retirement-papacy-dcca464e7c1fd910568d07d6bf4d9994">In an interview with The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;in January, Francis said the diverticulosis, or bulges in his intestinal wall, that had prompted the 2021 surgery, had returned.

Francis had come out of the 2021 surgery saying he could eat whatever he wanted, but he lamented that he hadn’t responded well to the general anesthetic used in the longer-than-expected procedure. That reaction in part explained his refusal to have surgery to repair strained knee ligaments that have forced him to use a wheelchair and walker for over a year.

The fact that he is going back for surgery suggests he had little choice but to treat the intestinal issue, especially given the rigorous upcoming travel schedule this summer.

The Argentine pope had part of one lung removed when he was a young man. He also suffers from sciatica nerve pain. In late March, Francis spent three days at Gemelli for an acute case of bronchitis, during which he was treated with intravenous antibiotics. He emerged April 1 saying “Still alive!”

Francis initially went to the Gemelli on Tuesday for what the Vatican said were medical tests. It revealed no details at the time.

The 86-year-old had appeared in good form Wednesday morning at his audience in St. Peter’s Square, zipping around the square in his popemobile greeting the faithful. He also had two meetings beforehand, the Vatican said.

Francis has had a packed schedule of late, with multiple audiences each day. The Vatican has recently confirmed a travel-filled August, when the Holy See and Italy are usually on vacation, with a four-day visit to Portugal the first week of August and a similarly long trip to Mongolia starting Aug. 31.

In a sign that the trips were very much on, the Vatican on Tuesday released the planned itinerary for Francis’ visit to Portugal for World Youth Day events from Aug. 2-6. The itinerary confirms a typically busy schedule that includes all the protocol meetings of an official state visit plus multiple events with young people and a day trip to the Marian shrine at Fatima.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603292366279.png" alt="The Vatican said Francis, 86, would be put under general anesthesia for the procedure Wednesday afternoon and would be hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli hospital for several days.&nbsp;image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>The Vatican said Francis, 86, would be put under general anesthesia for the procedure Wednesday afternoon and would be hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli hospital for several days.&nbsp;image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>ROME (AP) — Pope Francis went to the hospital Wednesday to undergo abdominal surgery to treat an intestinal blockage, two years after he had 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his colon removed because of a narrowing of the large intestine.The Vatican said Francis, 86, would be put under general anesthesia for the procedure Wednesday afternoon and would be hospitalized at Rome's Gemelli hospital for several days.Francis' Fiat 500 car pulled out of the Vatican shortly after 11 a.m. with an escort, and arrived at the Gemelli some 20 minutes later.The pope is undergoing what the Vatican said was a “laparotomy and abdominal wall plastic surgery with prosthesis” to treat a “recurrent, painful and worsening” constriction of the intestine.A laparotomy is open abdominal surgery. It can help a surgeon both diagnose and treat issues. The statement said Francis was suffering from a blocked laparocele, which is a hernia that formed over a previous scar."The stay at the health facility will last several days to allow for the normal post-operative course and full functional recovery,” the statement said. An update was not expected until after the procedure.Francis remains in charge of the Vatican and the 1.3-billion strong Catholic Church, even while unconscious and in the hospital.In July 2021, Francis spent 10 days at Gemelli to remove 33 centimeters (13 inches) of his large intestine. He had suffered what the Vatican said was a severe inflammation and narrowing of the colon.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-retirement-papacy-dcca464e7c1fd910568d07d6bf4d9994">In an interview with The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;in January, Francis said the diverticulosis, or bulges in his intestinal wall, that had prompted the 2021 surgery, had returned.Francis had come out of the 2021 surgery saying he could eat whatever he wanted, but he lamented that he hadn’t responded well to the general anesthetic used in the longer-than-expected procedure. That reaction in part explained his refusal to have surgery to repair strained knee ligaments that have forced him to use a wheelchair and walker for over a year.The fact that he is going back for surgery suggests he had little choice but to treat the intestinal issue, especially given the rigorous upcoming travel schedule this summer.The Argentine pope had part of one lung removed when he was a young man. He also suffers from sciatica nerve pain. In late March, Francis spent three days at Gemelli for an acute case of bronchitis, during which he was treated with intravenous antibiotics. He emerged April 1 saying “Still alive!”Francis initially went to the Gemelli on Tuesday for what the Vatican said were medical tests. It revealed no details at the time.The 86-year-old had appeared in good form Wednesday morning at his audience in St. Peter’s Square, zipping around the square in his popemobile greeting the faithful. He also had two meetings beforehand, the Vatican said.Francis has had a packed schedule of late, with multiple audiences each day. The Vatican has recently confirmed a travel-filled August, when the Holy See and Italy are usually on vacation, with a four-day visit to Portugal the first week of August and a similarly long trip to Mongolia starting Aug. 31.In a sign that the trips were very much on, the Vatican on Tuesday released the planned itinerary for Francis’ visit to Portugal for World Youth Day events from Aug. 2-6. The itinerary confirms a typically busy schedule that includes all the protocol meetings of an official state visit plus multiple events with young people and a day trip to the Marian shrine at Fatima.

Pope Francis to undergo intestinal surgery

NEW YORK (AP) — Customers of Chase's online banking services were seeing double transactions, fees and/or payments in their accounts, with the situation not immediately being resolved as of early afternoon on Friday.

Numerous Chase customers were posting on social media that their rent or bill payments were taken out of their accounts twice and reporting hold times with customer service approaching more than an hour. The New York-based bank is one of the country’s largest financial institutions with millions of online customers.

Transactions over Zelle, the bank’s own peer-to-peer payment service, were also being impacted with Chase customers.

“We’re sorry that some customers are seeing duplicate transactions and fees on their checking account," a Chase spokesperson said. "We’re working to resolve the issue and will automatically reverse any duplicates and adjust any related fees."

Online banking services, while usually reliable, sometimes spectacularly fail or have temporary outages that tend to spook their customers. Banks typically will resolve an error in their services within hours, and no customer is liable for any errors in their accounts that occur when these happen.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685732600807.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Customers of Chase's online banking services were seeing double transactions, fees and/or payments in their accounts, with the situation not immediately being resolved as of early afternoon on Friday.Numerous Chase customers were posting on social media that their rent or bill payments were taken out of their accounts twice and reporting hold times with customer service approaching more than an hour. The New York-based bank is one of the country’s largest financial institutions with millions of online customers.Transactions over Zelle, the bank’s own peer-to-peer payment service, were also being impacted with Chase customers.“We’re sorry that some customers are seeing duplicate transactions and fees on their checking account," a Chase spokesperson said. "We’re working to resolve the issue and will automatically reverse any duplicates and adjust any related fees."Online banking services, while usually reliable, sometimes spectacularly fail or have temporary outages that tend to spook their customers. Banks typically will resolve an error in their services within hours, and no customer is liable for any errors in their accounts that occur when these happen.

Bug in Chase Bank online banking causing double transactions, fees

By MARÍA VERZA Associated Press

MEXICO CITY — Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano rumbled to life again this week, belching out towering clouds of ash that forced 11 villages to cancel school sessions.

The residents weren't the only ones keeping a close eye on the towering peak. Every time there is a sigh, tic or heave in Popocatepetl, there are dozens of scientists, a network of sensors and cameras, and a roomful of powerful equipment watching its every move.

The 17,797-foot (5,426-meter) volcano, known affectionately as "El Popo," has been spewing toxic fumes, ash and lumps of incandescent rock persistently for almost 30 years, since it awakened from a long slumber in 1994.

The volcano is 45 miles (72 kilometers) southeast of Mexico City, but looms much closer to the eastern fringes of the metropolitan area of 22 million people. The city also faces threats from earthquakes and sinking soil, but the volcano is the most visible potential danger — and the most closely watched. A severe eruption could cut off air traffic, or smother the city in clouds of choking ash.

Ringed around its summit are six cameras, a thermal imaging device and 12 seismological monitoring stations that operate 24 hours a day, all reporting back to an equipment-filled command center in Mexico City.

A total of 13 scientists from a multidisciplinary team take turns staffing the command center around the clock. Being able to warn of an impending ash cloud is key, because people can take precautions. Unlike earthquakes, warning times can be longer for the volcano and in general the peak is more predictable.

On a recent day, researcher Paulino Alonso made the rounds, checking the readings at the command center run by Mexico's National Disaster Prevention Center, known by its initials as Cenapred. It is a complex task that involves seismographs that measure the volcano's internal trembling, which could indicate hot rock and gas moving up the vents in the peak.

Monitoring gases in nearby springs and at the peak — and wind patterns that help determine where the ash could be blown — also play a role.

The forces inside are so great that they can temporarily deform the peak, so cameras and sensors must monitor the very shape of the volcano.

How do you explain all of this to 25 million non-experts living within a 62-mile (100-kilometer) radius who have grown so used to living near the volcano?

Authorities came up with the simple idea of a volcano "stoplight" with three colors: green for safety, yellow for alert and red for danger.

For most of the years since the stoplight was introduced, it has been stuck at some stage of "yellow." The mountain sometimes quiets down, but not for long. It seldom shoots up molten lava: instead it's more the "explosive" type, showering out hot rocks that tumble down its flanks and emitting bursts of gas and ash.

The center also has monitors in other states; Mexico is a country all too familiar with natural disasters.

For example, Mexico's earthquake early alert system is also based at the command center. Because the city's soil is so soft — it was built on a former lake bed — a quake hundreds of miles away on the Pacific coast can cause huge destruction in the capital, as happened in 1985 and 2017.

A system of seismic monitors along the coast sends messages that race faster than the quake's shock waves. Once the sirens start blaring, it can give Mexico City residents up to half a minute to get to safety, usually on the streets outside.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684549361347.jpeg" alt="A plume of ash and steam rises from the Popocatepetl volcano, as seen from Mexico City June 19, 2019. Popocatepetl rumbled to life again this week, spewing out towering clouds of ash that forced 11 villages to cancel school sessions. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, file)" />
 <figcaption>A plume of ash and steam rises from the Popocatepetl volcano, as seen from Mexico City June 19, 2019. Popocatepetl rumbled to life again this week, spewing out towering clouds of ash that forced 11 villages to cancel school sessions. (AP Photo/Marco Ugarte, file)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MARÍA VERZA Associated PressMEXICO CITY — Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano rumbled to life again this week, belching out towering clouds of ash that forced 11 villages to cancel school sessions.The residents weren't the only ones keeping a close eye on the towering peak. Every time there is a sigh, tic or heave in Popocatepetl, there are dozens of scientists, a network of sensors and cameras, and a roomful of powerful equipment watching its every move.The 17,797-foot (5,426-meter) volcano, known affectionately as "El Popo," has been spewing toxic fumes, ash and lumps of incandescent rock persistently for almost 30 years, since it awakened from a long slumber in 1994.The volcano is 45 miles (72 kilometers) southeast of Mexico City, but looms much closer to the eastern fringes of the metropolitan area of 22 million people. The city also faces threats from earthquakes and sinking soil, but the volcano is the most visible potential danger — and the most closely watched. A severe eruption could cut off air traffic, or smother the city in clouds of choking ash.Ringed around its summit are six cameras, a thermal imaging device and 12 seismological monitoring stations that operate 24 hours a day, all reporting back to an equipment-filled command center in Mexico City.A total of 13 scientists from a multidisciplinary team take turns staffing the command center around the clock. Being able to warn of an impending ash cloud is key, because people can take precautions. Unlike earthquakes, warning times can be longer for the volcano and in general the peak is more predictable.On a recent day, researcher Paulino Alonso made the rounds, checking the readings at the command center run by Mexico's National Disaster Prevention Center, known by its initials as Cenapred. It is a complex task that involves seismographs that measure the volcano's internal trembling, which could indicate hot rock and gas moving up the vents in the peak.Monitoring gases in nearby springs and at the peak — and wind patterns that help determine where the ash could be blown — also play a role.The forces inside are so great that they can temporarily deform the peak, so cameras and sensors must monitor the very shape of the volcano.How do you explain all of this to 25 million non-experts living within a 62-mile (100-kilometer) radius who have grown so used to living near the volcano?Authorities came up with the simple idea of a volcano "stoplight" with three colors: green for safety, yellow for alert and red for danger.For most of the years since the stoplight was introduced, it has been stuck at some stage of "yellow." The mountain sometimes quiets down, but not for long. It seldom shoots up molten lava: instead it's more the "explosive" type, showering out hot rocks that tumble down its flanks and emitting bursts of gas and ash.The center also has monitors in other states; Mexico is a country all too familiar with natural disasters.For example, Mexico's earthquake early alert system is also based at the command center. Because the city's soil is so soft — it was built on a former lake bed — a quake hundreds of miles away on the Pacific coast can cause huge destruction in the capital, as happened in 1985 and 2017.A system of seismic monitors along the coast sends messages that race faster than the quake's shock waves. Once the sirens start blaring, it can give Mexico City residents up to half a minute to get to safety, usually on the streets outside.

Threatening 22M people, Mexico's Popocatepetl very closely watched

By DANICA KIRKA Associated Press

LONDON — Heather Howarth tugged at King Charles III's ears and tittered with satisfaction.

The other ladies who gather to knit and natter in her small English village thought the ears should be bigger. But when creating a crocheted likeness of the new king, she was determined not to cause offense.

"He might not like this one," she said reaching out to give the king a fond pat. "But he'll love his Grenadier Guards!"

Howarth and her friends in the village of Hurst, a stone's throw from Reading, west of London, have fashioned a woolly coronation procession to rival the pomp and circumstance that will take place when Charles is crowned on May 6 at Westminster Abbey. Sheathing the 29 posts that circle the community pond with their knitted and crocheted creations, the women have recreated the cast of characters set to attend the big event.

There's the king, of course, the queen consort and the Archbishop of Canterbury. And lots of Grenadier Guards. They even threw in Paddington Bear — a sort of honorary member of the royal family after he shared tea with the late Queen Elizabeth II in a film celebrating her 70 years on the throne.

The Hurst Hookers are part of a phenomenon that has taken hold across Britain in recent years, with guerrilla knitters and crochet enthusiasts celebrating holidays and royal occasions by decorating the nation's iconic red post boxes and other public spaces with their handiwork. There's no money in it, and the creations are sometimes stolen. But they do it anyway because they have fun brightening their communities, even if no one asked them to.

"Yarn bombers" around the country have been hard at work for months creating everything from golden coaches to crenelated castles and jewel-encrusted crowns that will add fuzzy bits of color to the coronation festivities.

This is a group that got started during the coronavirus pandemic, meeting every couple of weeks at the local cricket club when Britain's intermittent lockdowns would permit. It's bring your own gin and tonic, but there's tea for anyone who wants it. When the 18 women aren't meeting up for crocheting and community, they keep in touch via WhatsApp. The pings are so incessant at least one member has had to turn off her alerts.

They began planning and creating their coronation scene in early September, soon after the queen died and Charles became king. By April, it was finally time to install it.

The "guerrilla'' action began just after 5:30 p.m. on a recent Friday as the setting sun bathed the newly cleaned pond in a peaceful light.

Clad in jackets and sweaters on a chilly spring night, the women arrived with their creations tucked inside huge shopping bags emblazoned with supermarket logos, then swooped down on the posts surrounding the pond.

There was little stealth, but much determination.

First they pulled out the crocheted likenesses of Charles, wearing a crown and a cape fashioned from an old Christmas stocking, and Camilla, with a flash of unruly blond hair. Then came the archbishop, whose spectacles rest on a bulbous woolen nose. And finally, the red-coated guardsmen.

Quick as you like, the figures were pulled down over the posts and firmly stapled in place, with the precisely embroidered medals, moustaches, sergeant stripes and other embellishments getting an extra staple or three.

"King Charles wants our support, doesn't he?" Howarth said. "How else do I show that I am supporting him?''

Valerie Thorn, who did the embroidery, carefully researched all the decorations, so that every medal was from a different campaign in which the guards participated. The insignia on Charles' chest is so precise that from a few feet you mistake it for the real thing. The archbishop's miter, modeled after the one he wore at his installation, is immediately recognizable.

So far, the fat sergeant character seems to be the village favorite.

A Daily Mail newspaper columnist described crafters such as these as "unhinged … woolly delinquents." Rather than taking offense, the ladies of the Hurst Hookers embraced the jibe.

"I'm going to embroider that on a T-shirt,'' said Thorn, 76, with pride. "If I am unhinged, what is wrong with that?''

And when the installation was almost complete, there was the moment to put the icing on the confection.

Pip Etheridge pulled out a resplendent copy of St. Edward's Crown — the crown that will be placed on Charles' head next weekend — and handed it to Janette Vorster because she didn't want to be in the pictures.

In a procession all their own, the group trooped to the village store for the piece de resistance, installing the crown atop the post box out front.

As they chatted around the post box, the group debated whether their handiwork was more about the coronation or about themselves. They giggled, talked about posting the photos on social media and wondered what the neighbors might say. And they just kept laughing.

"If you swapped that one with the real one," Etheridge asked, nodding to her crown, "do you think he'd notice?"

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682865565863.jpeg" alt="Heather and David Howarth adjust a knitted figure of Britain's King Charles III fitted to a post during a pre-coronation yarn bombing in the village of Hurst, near Reading, England, April 21. Howarth and her friends in the village of Hurst, a stone’s throw from Reading, west of London, have fashioned a woolly coronation procession to rival the pomp and circumstance that will take place when Charles is crowned on May 6 at Westminster Abbey. (AP Photo/David Cliff)" />
 <figcaption>Heather and David Howarth adjust a knitted figure of Britain's King Charles III fitted to a post during a pre-coronation yarn bombing in the village of Hurst, near Reading, England, April 21. Howarth and her friends in the village of Hurst, a stone’s throw from Reading, west of London, have fashioned a woolly coronation procession to rival the pomp and circumstance that will take place when Charles is crowned on May 6 at Westminster Abbey. (AP Photo/David Cliff)</figcaption>
 </figure>By DANICA KIRKA Associated PressLONDON — Heather Howarth tugged at King Charles III's ears and tittered with satisfaction.The other ladies who gather to knit and natter in her small English village thought the ears should be bigger. But when creating a crocheted likeness of the new king, she was determined not to cause offense."He might not like this one," she said reaching out to give the king a fond pat. "But he'll love his Grenadier Guards!"Howarth and her friends in the village of Hurst, a stone's throw from Reading, west of London, have fashioned a woolly coronation procession to rival the pomp and circumstance that will take place when Charles is crowned on May 6 at Westminster Abbey. Sheathing the 29 posts that circle the community pond with their knitted and crocheted creations, the women have recreated the cast of characters set to attend the big event.There's the king, of course, the queen consort and the Archbishop of Canterbury. And lots of Grenadier Guards. They even threw in Paddington Bear — a sort of honorary member of the royal family after he shared tea with the late Queen Elizabeth II in a film celebrating her 70 years on the throne.The Hurst Hookers are part of a phenomenon that has taken hold across Britain in recent years, with guerrilla knitters and crochet enthusiasts celebrating holidays and royal occasions by decorating the nation's iconic red post boxes and other public spaces with their handiwork. There's no money in it, and the creations are sometimes stolen. But they do it anyway because they have fun brightening their communities, even if no one asked them to."Yarn bombers" around the country have been hard at work for months creating everything from golden coaches to crenelated castles and jewel-encrusted crowns that will add fuzzy bits of color to the coronation festivities.But how to explain the Hurst Hookers?This is a group that got started during the coronavirus pandemic, meeting every couple of weeks at the local cricket club when Britain's intermittent lockdowns would permit. It's bring your own gin and tonic, but there's tea for anyone who wants it. When the 18 women aren't meeting up for crocheting and community, they keep in touch via WhatsApp. The pings are so incessant at least one member has had to turn off her alerts.They began planning and creating their coronation scene in early September, soon after the queen died and Charles became king. By April, it was finally time to install it.The "guerrilla'' action began just after 5:30 p.m. on a recent Friday as the setting sun bathed the newly cleaned pond in a peaceful light.Clad in jackets and sweaters on a chilly spring night, the women arrived with their creations tucked inside huge shopping bags emblazoned with supermarket logos, then swooped down on the posts surrounding the pond.There was little stealth, but much determination.First they pulled out the crocheted likenesses of Charles, wearing a crown and a cape fashioned from an old Christmas stocking, and Camilla, with a flash of unruly blond hair. Then came the archbishop, whose spectacles rest on a bulbous woolen nose. And finally, the red-coated guardsmen.Quick as you like, the figures were pulled down over the posts and firmly stapled in place, with the precisely embroidered medals, moustaches, sergeant stripes and other embellishments getting an extra staple or three."King Charles wants our support, doesn't he?" Howarth said. "How else do I show that I am supporting him?''Valerie Thorn, who did the embroidery, carefully researched all the decorations, so that every medal was from a different campaign in which the guards participated. The insignia on Charles' chest is so precise that from a few feet you mistake it for the real thing. The archbishop's miter, modeled after the one he wore at his installation, is immediately recognizable.So far, the fat sergeant character seems to be the village favorite.A Daily Mail newspaper columnist described crafters such as these as "unhinged … woolly delinquents." Rather than taking offense, the ladies of the Hurst Hookers embraced the jibe."I'm going to embroider that on a T-shirt,'' said Thorn, 76, with pride. "If I am unhinged, what is wrong with that?''And when the installation was almost complete, there was the moment to put the icing on the confection.Pip Etheridge pulled out a resplendent copy of St. Edward's Crown — the crown that will be placed on Charles' head next weekend — and handed it to Janette Vorster because she didn't want to be in the pictures.In a procession all their own, the group trooped to the village store for the piece de resistance, installing the crown atop the post box out front.As they chatted around the post box, the group debated whether their handiwork was more about the coronation or about themselves. They giggled, talked about posting the photos on social media and wondered what the neighbors might say. And they just kept laughing."If you swapped that one with the real one," Etheridge asked, nodding to her crown, "do you think he'd notice?"

'Woolly delinquents' celebrate Charles' coronation in yarn

TALLAHASSEE,
 Fla. (AP) — Disney sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday over the
 Republican's takeover of its theme park district, alleging the governor
 waged a "targeted campaign of government retaliation" after the company
 opposed a law critics call <a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-lifestyle-education-florida-ron-desantis-322e0a40da909f48954b8b1bd9190750">“Don't Say Gay.”</a>

The lawsuit was filed in Tallahassee minutes after a Disney World oversight board <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ron-desantis">appointed by DeSantis</a>
 voted to void a deal that gave the company authority over design and 
construction decisions in its sprawling properties near Orlando.

"Disney
 regrets that it has come to this," the case said. “But having exhausted
 efforts to seek a resolution, the Company is left with no choice but to
 file this lawsuit to protect its cast members, guests, and local 
development partners from a relentless campaign to weaponize government 
power against Disney in retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint
 unpopular with certain State officials.”

The legal filing is the latest salvo in <a href="https://apnews.com/article/disney-desantis-florida-lgbtq-ec4f81d46aaf8967ff48729105fbbdbd">a more than year-old feud</a> between Disney and DeSantis that has engulfed the governor in criticism as he prepares to launch <a href="https://apnews.com/article/desantis-florida-trump-president-2024-election-00b8335b1a2dd4d08fb216e4b609f6a3">an expected presidential bid</a> in the coming months.

DeSantis,
 who has framed himself as a Republican firebrand able to deftly 
implement his conservative agenda without drama, has dived headlong into
 the fray with the beloved company and major tourism driver, as business
 leaders and White House rivals bash his stance as a rejection of the 
small-government tenets of conservatism.

“We are unaware of any 
legal right that a company has to operate its own government or maintain
 special privileges not held by other businesses in the state,” said 
DeSantis spokeswoman Taryn Fenske. “This lawsuit is yet another 
unfortunate example of their hope to undermine the will of the Florida 
voters and operate outside the bounds of the law.”

The fight began last year after Disney, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-travel-arts-and-entertainment-florida-lifestyle-be24e5ea65acff3e1cfe94649c26e023">in the face of significant pressure</a>,
 publicly opposed a state law that bans classroom lessons on sexual 
orientation and gender identity in early grades, a policy critics call 
“Don’t Say Gay.”

As punishment, DeSantis took over Disney World’s 
self-governing district and appointed a new board of supervisors that 
would oversee municipal services in the sprawling theme parks. But 
before the new board came in, the company pushed though an 11th-hour 
agreement that stripped the new supervisors of much of their authority.

The
 DeSantis board on Wednesday said Disney’s move to retain control over 
their property was effectively unlawful and performed without proper 
public notice.

“Disney picked the fight with this board. We were 
not looking out for a fight,” said Martin Garcia, chair of the Central 
Florida Tourism Oversight District, before the vote, adding “bottom 
line, what our lawyers have told us, is factually and legally what they 
created is an absolute legal mess. It will not work."

DeSantis has
 also vowed additional retribution, with proposals to enhance state 
oversight of the resort’s rides and monorail, as well as a suggestion to
 build a prison nearby.

Disney has said all agreements made with 
the previous board were legal and approved in a public forum. Disney CEO
 Bob Iger has also said that any actions against the company that 
threaten jobs or expansion at its Florida resort was not only 
“anti-business” but “anti-Florida.”

The Disney lawsuit asks a 
federal judge to void the governor's takeover of the theme park 
district, as well as the DeSantis oversight board's actions, on the 
grounds that they were violations of company's free speech rights.

“A
 targeted campaign of government retaliation — orchestrated at every 
step by Governor DeSantis as punishment for Disney’s protected speech — 
now threatens Disney’s business operations, jeopardizes its economic 
future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights," the 
lawsuit said.

TALLAHASSEE,
 Fla. (AP) — Disney sued Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Wednesday over the
 Republican's takeover of its theme park district, alleging the governor
 waged a "targeted campaign of government retaliation" after the company
 opposed a law critics call <a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-lifestyle-education-florida-ron-desantis-322e0a40da909f48954b8b1bd9190750">“Don't Say Gay.”</a>The lawsuit was filed in Tallahassee minutes after a Disney World oversight board <a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ron-desantis">appointed by DeSantis</a>
 voted to void a deal that gave the company authority over design and 
construction decisions in its sprawling properties near Orlando."Disney
 regrets that it has come to this," the case said. “But having exhausted
 efforts to seek a resolution, the Company is left with no choice but to
 file this lawsuit to protect its cast members, guests, and local 
development partners from a relentless campaign to weaponize government 
power against Disney in retaliation for expressing a political viewpoint
 unpopular with certain State officials.”The legal filing is the latest salvo in <a href="https://apnews.com/article/disney-desantis-florida-lgbtq-ec4f81d46aaf8967ff48729105fbbdbd">a more than year-old feud</a> between Disney and DeSantis that has engulfed the governor in criticism as he prepares to launch <a href="https://apnews.com/article/desantis-florida-trump-president-2024-election-00b8335b1a2dd4d08fb216e4b609f6a3">an expected presidential bid</a> in the coming months.DeSantis,
 who has framed himself as a Republican firebrand able to deftly 
implement his conservative agenda without drama, has dived headlong into
 the fray with the beloved company and major tourism driver, as business
 leaders and White House rivals bash his stance as a rejection of the 
small-government tenets of conservatism.“We are unaware of any 
legal right that a company has to operate its own government or maintain
 special privileges not held by other businesses in the state,” said 
DeSantis spokeswoman Taryn Fenske. “This lawsuit is yet another 
unfortunate example of their hope to undermine the will of the Florida 
voters and operate outside the bounds of the law.”The fight began last year after Disney, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-travel-arts-and-entertainment-florida-lifestyle-be24e5ea65acff3e1cfe94649c26e023">in the face of significant pressure</a>,
 publicly opposed a state law that bans classroom lessons on sexual 
orientation and gender identity in early grades, a policy critics call 
“Don’t Say Gay.”As punishment, DeSantis took over Disney World’s 
self-governing district and appointed a new board of supervisors that 
would oversee municipal services in the sprawling theme parks. But 
before the new board came in, the company pushed though an 11th-hour 
agreement that stripped the new supervisors of much of their authority.The
 DeSantis board on Wednesday said Disney’s move to retain control over 
their property was effectively unlawful and performed without proper 
public notice.“Disney picked the fight with this board. We were 
not looking out for a fight,” said Martin Garcia, chair of the Central 
Florida Tourism Oversight District, before the vote, adding “bottom 
line, what our lawyers have told us, is factually and legally what they 
created is an absolute legal mess. It will not work."DeSantis has
 also vowed additional retribution, with proposals to enhance state 
oversight of the resort’s rides and monorail, as well as a suggestion to
 build a prison nearby.Disney has said all agreements made with 
the previous board were legal and approved in a public forum. Disney CEO
 Bob Iger has also said that any actions against the company that 
threaten jobs or expansion at its Florida resort was not only 
“anti-business” but “anti-Florida.”The Disney lawsuit asks a 
federal judge to void the governor's takeover of the theme park 
district, as well as the DeSantis oversight board's actions, on the 
grounds that they were violations of company's free speech rights.“A
 targeted campaign of government retaliation — orchestrated at every 
step by Governor DeSantis as punishment for Disney’s protected speech — 
now threatens Disney’s business operations, jeopardizes its economic 
future in the region, and violates its constitutional rights," the 
lawsuit said.

Disney sues DeSantis, calling park takeover 'retaliation'

By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment Writer

NEW YORK — The 1990s are making a comeback, with scrunchies 
acceptable again, “Night Court” back on TV and fanny packs and flannel 
all the rage. But it’s not the '90s until two of the most idiotic 
teenagers return, sniggering along the way.

That's right, Beavis 
and Butt-Head — forever un-matured — are on the streaming platform 
Paramount+ these days, still mocking culture and saying things like, 
“That cloud looks like a butt.”

“It is almost fun sometimes to 
just go to that lazy part of your brain where you’re just blurting out 
whatever stupid thought comes out,” says Mike Judge, who created the duo
 and voices them.

A second season of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yP30WvQy0sc">“Mike Judge's Beavis and Butt-Head”</a>
 kicked off this month with our heroes at school-mandated meditation 
class, an alternative to detention. “This sucks,” says Butt Head, the 
dark-haired one in braces and an AC/DC T-shirt. “Now try to empty your 
mind of all thoughts,” says the teacher. It is surprisingly easy.

There's
 also a visit to a polling place — the boys mistake it for a strip club —
 and later a scheme to buy beer by spray-painting Beavis' hair with 
white paint to make him look older. It goes awry, of course, when he 
gets on a shuttle bus to a retirement community.

The look, feel 
and snark of the show hasn't changed even if there are fewer music 
videos these days. Judge relies on a producer to scour YouTube to find 
videos that might spark a spontaneous put-down. It's all very timeless.

“That’s
 the beauty of ‘Beavis and Butt-Head’ — no matter what decade you were 
born in, you’re able to find ways to connect to them and even perhaps 
see bits of yourselves in them,” said Domenic DiMeglio, chief marketing 
officer for Paramount+.

There are a few bizarre tangents, 
particularly the return to an alternative universe where Beavis and 
Butt-Head are middle-aged. Judge devised one episode in which they marry
 each other without realizing it.

The original “Beavis and 
Butt-Head” arrived in 1993 on MTV and became an instant hit, running for
 seven seasons before going on hiatus in 1997. The un-dynamic duo 
returned with an eighth, stand-alone season in 2011, and the series was 
revived last year.

This show’s influence was so strong that it 
spawned a full-length film called “Beavis and Butt-Head Do America” in 
1996 and another titled “Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe" in 2022.

Judge
 says he started to think about returning to his cartoon duo after the 
band Portugal. The Man asked him if he could introduce them with his 
iconic title characters at 2018’s Coachella.

“I thought of it as a
 way of ‘Let me see what it sounds like if my voice still sounds like 
them.’ And I did it. I played it back and it still felt like Beavis and 
Butt-Head. And so that’s partly what got me thinking about doing this 
again.”

The targets have changed, even if some show principles 
have not. If something is already funny, it's usually not a good target.
 And being overexposed is usually a green light. So yesterday's Axl Rose
 became today's Jack Harlow.

This season sees Beavis and Butt-Head
 dunk on Lil Nas X, Audrey Nuna, Bill Gates, Ronald Reagan and even the 
Buddha. There's a bizarre scene in which the boys annoy Jesus and Ganesh
 on an astral plane so much that the deities take turns punching the 
boys.

Judge came up with the original concept at a time when TV 
was filled with yuppies — “The Cosby Show,” “Family Ties,” “The Fresh 
Prince of Bel-Air” and “Mad About You.”

“Maybe some of it was in 
reaction to that — finding a place in comedy that was different,” he 
said. “But I wasn’t trying to be shocking or edgy. I was just trying to 
make it funny.”

There was plenty of blowback. Judge thinks “Beavis
 and Butt-Head” were badly misunderstood back then by some people who 
accused it of contributing to all sorts of poor teen behavior. Judge 
even got death threats.

The cartoon duo have returned to a vastly 
different media landscape, one they had a part in cracking open. Can two
 snarky teens with little social consciousness have the ability to cut 
through the online hype?

Yes, says Paramount+: “Beavis and 
Butt-Head have been doing clever social commentary long before it was 
cool in the age of social media and their no-filter, blissfully ignorant
 POV has always been part of this duo’s DNA," said DiMeglio.

One 
thing the show will not do is wade into politics. In a recent episode, 
Beavis and Butt-Head go hunting — “The outdoors sucks,” says Butt-Head —
 and accidentally drink deer urine. This was an opportunity to raise the
 issue of guns, but Judge has no interest.

“I feel like this is 
comedy and we’re just looking for funny and just trying to give people a
 break from that kind of stuff. I don’t think Beavis and Butt-Head have 
anything to add to that conversation,” he said.

“They’re not 
sophisticated enough to go there. I think that’s what’s comforting about
 it: Just seeing some guys who don’t know any better. They don’t have 
much accountability. They don’t know what the word means.”

By MARK KENNEDY AP Entertainment WriterNEW YORK — The 1990s are making a comeback, with scrunchies 
acceptable again, “Night Court” back on TV and fanny packs and flannel 
all the rage. But it’s not the '90s until two of the most idiotic 
teenagers return, sniggering along the way.That's right, Beavis 
and Butt-Head — forever un-matured — are on the streaming platform 
Paramount+ these days, still mocking culture and saying things like, 
“That cloud looks like a butt.”“It is almost fun sometimes to 
just go to that lazy part of your brain where you’re just blurting out 
whatever stupid thought comes out,” says Mike Judge, who created the duo
 and voices them.A second season of <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yP30WvQy0sc">“Mike Judge's Beavis and Butt-Head”</a>
 kicked off this month with our heroes at school-mandated meditation 
class, an alternative to detention. “This sucks,” says Butt Head, the 
dark-haired one in braces and an AC/DC T-shirt. “Now try to empty your 
mind of all thoughts,” says the teacher. It is surprisingly easy.There's
 also a visit to a polling place — the boys mistake it for a strip club —
 and later a scheme to buy beer by spray-painting Beavis' hair with 
white paint to make him look older. It goes awry, of course, when he 
gets on a shuttle bus to a retirement community.The look, feel 
and snark of the show hasn't changed even if there are fewer music 
videos these days. Judge relies on a producer to scour YouTube to find 
videos that might spark a spontaneous put-down. It's all very timeless.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682543106950.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“That’s
 the beauty of ‘Beavis and Butt-Head’ — no matter what decade you were 
born in, you’re able to find ways to connect to them and even perhaps 
see bits of yourselves in them,” said Domenic DiMeglio, chief marketing 
officer for Paramount+.There are a few bizarre tangents, 
particularly the return to an alternative universe where Beavis and 
Butt-Head are middle-aged. Judge devised one episode in which they marry
 each other without realizing it.The original “Beavis and 
Butt-Head” arrived in 1993 on MTV and became an instant hit, running for
 seven seasons before going on hiatus in 1997. The un-dynamic duo 
returned with an eighth, stand-alone season in 2011, and the series was 
revived last year.This show’s influence was so strong that it 
spawned a full-length film called “Beavis and Butt-Head Do America” in 
1996 and another titled “Beavis and Butt-Head Do the Universe" in 2022.Judge
 says he started to think about returning to his cartoon duo after the 
band Portugal. The Man asked him if he could introduce them with his 
iconic title characters at 2018’s Coachella.“I thought of it as a
 way of ‘Let me see what it sounds like if my voice still sounds like 
them.’ And I did it. I played it back and it still felt like Beavis and 
Butt-Head. And so that’s partly what got me thinking about doing this 
again.”The targets have changed, even if some show principles 
have not. If something is already funny, it's usually not a good target.
 And being overexposed is usually a green light. So yesterday's Axl Rose
 became today's Jack Harlow.This season sees Beavis and Butt-Head
 dunk on Lil Nas X, Audrey Nuna, Bill Gates, Ronald Reagan and even the 
Buddha. There's a bizarre scene in which the boys annoy Jesus and Ganesh
 on an astral plane so much that the deities take turns punching the 
boys.Judge came up with the original concept at a time when TV 
was filled with yuppies — “The Cosby Show,” “Family Ties,” “The Fresh 
Prince of Bel-Air” and “Mad About You.”“Maybe some of it was in 
reaction to that — finding a place in comedy that was different,” he 
said. “But I wasn’t trying to be shocking or edgy. I was just trying to 
make it funny.”There was plenty of blowback. Judge thinks “Beavis
 and Butt-Head” were badly misunderstood back then by some people who 
accused it of contributing to all sorts of poor teen behavior. Judge 
even got death threats.The cartoon duo have returned to a vastly 
different media landscape, one they had a part in cracking open. Can two
 snarky teens with little social consciousness have the ability to cut 
through the online hype?Yes, says Paramount+: “Beavis and 
Butt-Head have been doing clever social commentary long before it was 
cool in the age of social media and their no-filter, blissfully ignorant
 POV has always been part of this duo’s DNA," said DiMeglio.One 
thing the show will not do is wade into politics. In a recent episode, 
Beavis and Butt-Head go hunting — “The outdoors sucks,” says Butt-Head —
 and accidentally drink deer urine. This was an opportunity to raise the
 issue of guns, but Judge has no interest.“I feel like this is 
comedy and we’re just looking for funny and just trying to give people a
 break from that kind of stuff. I don’t think Beavis and Butt-Head have 
anything to add to that conversation,” he said.“They’re not 
sophisticated enough to go there. I think that’s what’s comforting about
 it: Just seeing some guys who don’t know any better. They don’t have 
much accountability. They don’t know what the word means.”

REVIEW: Beavis and Butt-Head return as wonderfully moronic as ever

Meetings set to provide information for canola growers

K-State Research and Extension news service&nbsp;

MANHATTAN – A decision by a Nebraska-based agribusiness to recommission an oilseed crush facility near Goodland has opened an opportunity for farmers in Kansas and Oklahoma, said a Kansas State University agronomist.&nbsp;

Canola breeder Mike Stamm noted that Scoular – which lists more than 100 offices in North America and Asia and sales of more than $9 billion –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.scoular.com/news/scoular-invests-in-kansas-oilseed-crush-facility-for-renewable-fuels-market/">announced in mid-March</a>&nbsp;that it would retrofit the facility to crush both soybeans and canola.&nbsp;

The facility is expected to begin operations in fall 2024.&nbsp;

“We wanted to support them by getting growers together to learn more,” Stamm said. “For alternative oilseeds like canola to be successfully grown in Kansas, it is crucial to have a readily available end market within the region, which Scoular will provide.”&nbsp;

Stamm said K-State Research and the Great Plains Canola Association will host several canola informational meetings for new and experienced growers. The meetings are scheduled for May 11 in Enid, Oklahoma, and May 18 in Montezuma, Kansas and Harper, Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;

He said the meetings will include an update from Scoular on their marketing and pricing strategies and the company’s vision for the rapidly changing renewable fuels market. Brief updates on canola research and extension activities will be given, as well as an update from the Great Plains Canola Association.&nbsp;

The meetings are free to attend, but reservations are required because a meal will be provided. Location and contacts for each meeting include:&nbsp;&nbsp;

Thursday, May 11: Hoover Building, 300 E Oxford Ave, Enid, Okla.&nbsp;

RSVP to Ron Sholar,&nbsp;<a></a><a href="mailto:jrsholar@aol.com">jrsholar@aol.com</a>&nbsp; Thursday, May 18: Montezuma Community Building, 508 West Sunnyside Ave., Montezuma, Kansas.&nbsp;

RSVP to the Gray County Extension Office, 620-855-3821, or Kurt Werth,&nbsp;<a></a><a href="mailto:kwerth@ksu.edu">kwerth@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp; Thursday, May 18, 2023 – Fencepost, 700 E. 14th St., Harper, Kansas&nbsp;

<a>RSVP to the Harper County Extension Office, 620-842-5445, or Jenni Carr,&nbsp;</a><a></a><a href="mailto:jlcarr@ksu.edu">jlcarr@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682342241976.png" alt="Photo courtesy Scoular" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Scoular</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Meetings set to provide information for canola growers</h2>K-State Research and Extension news service&nbsp;MANHATTAN – A decision by a Nebraska-based agribusiness to recommission an oilseed crush facility near Goodland has opened an opportunity for farmers in Kansas and Oklahoma, said a Kansas State University agronomist.&nbsp;Canola breeder Mike Stamm noted that Scoular – which lists more than 100 offices in North America and Asia and sales of more than $9 billion –&nbsp;<a href="https://www.scoular.com/news/scoular-invests-in-kansas-oilseed-crush-facility-for-renewable-fuels-market/">announced in mid-March</a>&nbsp;that it would retrofit the facility to crush both soybeans and canola.&nbsp;The facility is expected to begin operations in fall 2024.&nbsp;“We wanted to support them by getting growers together to learn more,” Stamm said. “For alternative oilseeds like canola to be successfully grown in Kansas, it is crucial to have a readily available end market within the region, which Scoular will provide.”&nbsp;Stamm said K-State Research and the Great Plains Canola Association will host several canola informational meetings for new and experienced growers. The meetings are scheduled for May 11 in Enid, Oklahoma, and May 18 in Montezuma, Kansas and Harper, Kansas.&nbsp;&nbsp;He said the meetings will include an update from Scoular on their marketing and pricing strategies and the company’s vision for the rapidly changing renewable fuels market. Brief updates on canola research and extension activities will be given, as well as an update from the Great Plains Canola Association.&nbsp;The meetings are free to attend, but reservations are required because a meal will be provided. Location and contacts for each meeting include:&nbsp;&nbsp;Thursday, May 11: Hoover Building, 300 E Oxford Ave, Enid, Okla.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>9:30 a.m., Coffee and networking&nbsp;</li><li>10 a.m., presentation and meeting&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>RSVP to Ron Sholar,&nbsp;<a></a><a href="mailto:jrsholar@aol.com">jrsholar@aol.com</a>&nbsp; Thursday, May 18: Montezuma Community Building, 508 West Sunnyside Ave., Montezuma, Kansas.&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>12 p.m., presentation and meal&nbsp;</li>
 </ul>RSVP to the Gray County Extension Office, 620-855-3821, or Kurt Werth,&nbsp;<a></a><a href="mailto:kwerth@ksu.edu">kwerth@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp; Thursday, May 18, 2023 – Fencepost, 700 E. 14th St., Harper, Kansas&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>6 p.m., presentation and meal&nbsp;</li>
 </ul> <a>RSVP to the Harper County Extension Office, 620-842-5445, or Jenni Carr,&nbsp;</a><a></a><a href="mailto:jlcarr@ksu.edu">jlcarr@ksu.edu</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

Goodland crush facility opens opportunity for Kansas, Oklahoma farmers

NEW YORK (AP) — 
CNN fired longtime host Don Lemon on Monday following his short and 
disastrous run as a morning show host, a little over two months after he
 apologized for <a href="https://apnews.com/article/don-lemon-nikki-haley-e40445ae824a56e3548c17a029a80775">on-air comments</a> about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley being past her prime.

The
 move quickly turned nasty. While CNN chairman and CEO Chris Licht 
announced, after Lemon had co-hosted the show Monday, that they had <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNPR/status/1650535190568026113" target="_blank">“parted ways,”</a> Lemon characterized it as a firing and said it was surprise to him.

“After
 17 years at CNN I would have thought someone in management would have 
the decency to tell me directly,” Lemon said. CNN said that Lemon was 
given the opportunity to meet with management but released a statement 
on Twitter instead.

CNN offered no 
public explanation for Lemon’s dismissal. During a February discussion 
on “CNN This Morning” with co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins 
about the ages of politicians, he said that the 51-year-old Haley was 
not “in her prime.” A woman, he said, was considered in her prime “in 
her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s.”

Harlow challenged 
Lemon, trying to clarify what he was referencing: “I think we need to 
qualify. Are you talking about prime for childbearing or are you talking
 about prime for being president?”

NEW YORK (AP) — 
CNN fired longtime host Don Lemon on Monday following his short and 
disastrous run as a morning show host, a little over two months after he
 apologized for <a href="https://apnews.com/article/don-lemon-nikki-haley-e40445ae824a56e3548c17a029a80775">on-air comments</a> about Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley being past her prime.The
 move quickly turned nasty. While CNN chairman and CEO Chris Licht 
announced, after Lemon had co-hosted the show Monday, that they had <a href="https://twitter.com/CNNPR/status/1650535190568026113" target="_blank">“parted ways,”</a> Lemon characterized it as a firing and said it was surprise to him. “After
 17 years at CNN I would have thought someone in management would have 
the decency to tell me directly,” Lemon said. CNN said that Lemon was 
given the opportunity to meet with management but released a statement 
on Twitter instead.CNN offered no 
public explanation for Lemon’s dismissal. During a February discussion 
on “CNN This Morning” with co-hosts Poppy Harlow and Kaitlan Collins 
about the ages of politicians, he said that the 51-year-old Haley was 
not “in her prime.” A woman, he said, was considered in her prime “in 
her 20s, 30s and maybe her 40s.”Harlow challenged 
Lemon, trying to clarify what he was referencing: “I think we need to 
qualify. Are you talking about prime for childbearing or are you talking
 about prime for being president?”“Don’t shoot the messenger, I’m just saying what the facts are,” Lemon responded.Lemon
 issued a statement the same day saying he regretted his “inartful and 
irrelevant” comments. He was subsequently absent from the show for three
 days, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-tv-nikki-haley-don-lemon-52be979ee7c3b95dbcddedf23683e98c">returning the following week</a> with a tweeted apology but no mention of the episode on air.Haley,
 who had criticized Lemon’s statements as sexist and used the incident 
to fundraise in February, took to Twitter on Monday to call Lemon’s 
ouster “a great day for women everywhere,” linking to the beverage 
sleeves emblazoned with “Past my prime? Hold my beer.”Lemon
 used to host the prime-time “Don Lemon Tonight” but moved when the 
network launched “CNN This Morning” last November, just before the U.S. 
midterm elections, as one of the first major programming moves under 
Licht.

Misc