UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations Security Council on Monday issued its first demand for a cease-fire in Gaza, with the U.S. angering Israel by abstaining from the vote. Israel responded by canceling a visit to Washington by a high-level delegation in the strongest public clash between the allies since the war began.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the U.S. of “retreating” from a “principled position” by allowing the vote to pass without conditioning the cease-fire on the release of hostages held by Hamas.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the administration was “kind of perplexed” by Netanyahu’s decision. He said the Israelis were “choosing to create a perception of daylight here when they don’t need to do that.”

Kirby and the American ambassador to the U.N. said the U.S. abstained because the resolution did not condemn Hamas. U.S. officials chose to abstain rather than veto the proposal "because it does fairly reflect our view that a cease-fire and the release of hostages come together,” Kirby said.

The 15-member council voted 14-0 to approve the resolution, which also demanded the release of all hostages taken captive during Hamas’ Oct. 7 surprise attack in southern Israel. The chamber broke into loud applause after the vote.

The U.S. vetoed past Security Council cease-fire resolutions in large part because of the failure to tie them directly to the release of hostages, the failure to condemn Hamas' attacks and the delicacy of ongoing negotiations. American officials have argued that the cease-fire and hostage releases are linked, while Russia, China and many other council members favored unconditional calls for a cease-fire.

The resolution approved Monday demands the release of hostages but does not make it a condition for the cease-fire for the month of Ramadan, which ends in April.

Hamas said it welcomed the U.N.'s move but said the cease-fire needs to be permanent.

“We confirm our readiness to engage in an immediate prisoner exchange process that leads to the release of prisoners on both sides,” the group said. For months, the militants have sought a deal that includes a complete end to the conflict.

The U.S. decision to abstain comes at a time of growing tensions between President Joe Biden's administration and Netanyahu over Israel’s prosecution of the war, the high number of civilian casualties and the limited amounts of humanitarian assistance reaching Gaza. The two countries have also clashed over Netanyahu’s rejection of a Palestinian state, Jewish settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and the expansion of settlements there.

In addition, the well-known antagonism between Netanyahu and Biden — which dates from Biden’s tenure as vice president — deepened after Biden questioned Israel’s strategy in combating Hamas.

Then Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Biden ally, suggested that Netanyahu was not operating in Israel’s best interests and called for Israel to hold new elections. Biden signaled his approval of Schumer’s remarks, prompting a rebuke from Netanyahu.

During its U.S. visit, the Israeli delegation was to present White House officials with its plans for a possible ground invasion of Rafah, a city on the Egyptian border in southern Gaza where over 1 million Palestinian civilians have sought shelter from the war.

The vote came after Russia and China vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution Friday that would have supported “an immediate and sustained cease-fire” in the Israeli-Hamas conflict. That resolution featured a weakened link between a cease-fire and the release of hostages, leaving it open to interpretation, and no time limit.

The United States warned that the resolution approved Monday could hurt negotiations to halt the hostilities, raising the possibility of another veto, this time by the Americans. The talks involve the U.S., Egypt and Qatar.

Because Ramadan ends April 9, the cease-fire demand would last for just two weeks, though the draft says the pause in fighting should lead to "a sustainable cease-fire.”

The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said the resolution “spoke out in support of the ongoing diplomatic efforts,” adding that negotiators were “getting closer” to a deal for a cease-fire with the release of all hostages, "but we’re not there yet.”

She urged the council and U.N. members across the world to “speak out and demand unequivocally that Hamas accepts the deal on the table.”

Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. abstained because “certain edits” the U.S. requested were ignored, including a condemnation of Hamas.

The resolution, put forward by the 10 elected council members, was backed by Russia and China and the 22-nation Arab Group at the United Nations.

Under the United Nations Charter, Security Council resolutions are legally binding on its 193 member nations, though they are often flouted.

Algeria’s U.N. ambassador, Amar Bendjama, the Arab representative on the council, thanked the council for “finally" demanding a cease-fire.

“We look forward to the commitment and the compliance of the Israeli occupying power with this resolution, for them to put an end to the bloodbath without any conditions, to end the suffering of the Palestinian people,” he said.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, told the council that the vote “must be a turning point” that leads to saving lives in Gaza and ending the “assault of atrocities against our people.”

Shortly before Monday’s vote, the elected members changed the final draft resolution to drop the word “permanent” from its demand that a Ramadan cease-fire should lead to a “sustainable" halt in fighting apparently at the request of the United States.

Russia complained that dropping the word could allow Israel “to resume its military operation in the Gaza Strip at any moment" after Ramadan and proposed an amendment to restore it. That amendment was defeated because it failed to get the minimum nine “yes” votes — with three council members voting in favor, the United States voting against, and 11 countries abstaining.

Since the start of the war, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-security-council">Security Council</a>&nbsp;has adopted two resolutions on the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, but none has called for a cease-fire.

More than 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed during the fighting, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The agency does&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">not differentiate</a>&nbsp;between civilians and combatants in its count, but says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/women-children-gaza-war-victims-un-inequality-f0f89a724543b99c2c22439e7af09405">women and children</a>&nbsp;make up two-thirds of the dead.

Gaza also faces a dire humanitarian emergency. A report from an international authority on hunger warned last week that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-18-2024-eefc526aec97821fe5f1e845801a6640">“famine is imminent” in northern Gaza</a>&nbsp;and that escalation of the war could push half of the territory’s 2.3 million people to the brink of starvation.

The United States has vetoed three resolutions demanding a cease-fire in Gaza, the most recent an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-israel-palestinians-gaza-ceasefire-resolution-vote-350c86ef261bf1a00a2515cf22764de5">Arab-backed measure</a>&nbsp;on Feb. 20. That resolution was supported by 13 council members with one abstention, reflecting the overwhelming support for a cease-fire.

Russia and China vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution in late October calling for humanitarian pauses in the fighting to deliver aid, the protection of civilians and a halt to arming Hamas. They said it did not reflect global calls for a cease-fire.

They again vetoed a U.S. resolution Friday, calling it ambiguous and saying it was not the direct demand to end the fighting that much of the world seeks.

That vote became another showdown involving world powers that are locked in tense disputes elsewhere, with the United States taking criticism for not being tough enough against its ally Israel, even as tensions between the two countries rise.

Thomas-Greenfield accused Russia and China on Monday of using the Gaza conflict "as a political cudgel, to try to divide this council at a time when we need to come together.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711393596272.png" alt="U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. abstained because “certain edits” the&nbsp;U.S. requested were ignored, including adding a condemnation of Hamas." />
 <figcaption>U.N. Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. abstained because “certain edits” the&nbsp;U.S. requested were ignored, including adding a condemnation of Hamas.</figcaption>
 </figure>UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations Security Council on Monday issued its first demand for a cease-fire in Gaza, with the U.S. angering Israel by abstaining from the vote. Israel responded by canceling a visit to Washington by a high-level delegation in the strongest public clash between the allies since the war began.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused the U.S. of “retreating” from a “principled position” by allowing the vote to pass without conditioning the cease-fire on the release of hostages held by Hamas.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/USAmbUN?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USAmbUN</a> Linda Thomas-Greenfield: &quot;We did not agree with everything in the resolution. For that reason we were unfortunately not able to vote yes...we fully support some of the critical objectives in this non-binding resolution.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/cfCUIWTzLQ">pic.twitter.com/cfCUIWTzLQ</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1772281310112862301?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>White House national security spokesman John Kirby said the administration was “kind of perplexed” by Netanyahu’s decision. He said the Israelis were “choosing to create a perception of daylight here when they don’t need to do that.”Kirby and the American ambassador to the U.N. said the U.S. abstained because the resolution did not condemn Hamas. U.S. officials chose to abstain rather than veto the proposal "because it does fairly reflect our view that a cease-fire and the release of hostages come together,” Kirby said.The 15-member council voted 14-0 to approve the resolution, which also demanded the release of all hostages taken captive during Hamas’ Oct. 7 surprise attack in southern Israel. The chamber broke into loud applause after the vote.The U.S. vetoed past Security Council cease-fire resolutions in large part because of the failure to tie them directly to the release of hostages, the failure to condemn Hamas' attacks and the delicacy of ongoing negotiations. American officials have argued that the cease-fire and hostage releases are linked, while Russia, China and many other council members favored unconditional calls for a cease-fire.The resolution approved Monday demands the release of hostages but does not make it a condition for the cease-fire for the month of Ramadan, which ends in April.Hamas said it welcomed the U.N.'s move but said the cease-fire needs to be permanent.“We confirm our readiness to engage in an immediate prisoner exchange process that leads to the release of prisoners on both sides,” the group said. For months, the militants have sought a deal that includes a complete end to the conflict.The U.S. decision to abstain comes at a time of growing tensions between President Joe Biden's administration and Netanyahu over Israel’s prosecution of the war, the high number of civilian casualties and the limited amounts of humanitarian assistance reaching Gaza. The two countries have also clashed over Netanyahu’s rejection of a Palestinian state, Jewish settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank and the expansion of settlements there.In addition, the well-known antagonism between Netanyahu and Biden — which dates from Biden’s tenure as vice president — deepened after Biden questioned Israel’s strategy in combating Hamas.Then Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Biden ally, suggested that Netanyahu was not operating in Israel’s best interests and called for Israel to hold new elections. Biden signaled his approval of Schumer’s remarks, prompting a rebuke from Netanyahu.During its U.S. visit, the Israeli delegation was to present White House officials with its plans for a possible ground invasion of Rafah, a city on the Egyptian border in southern Gaza where over 1 million Palestinian civilians have sought shelter from the war.The vote came after Russia and China vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution Friday that would have supported “an immediate and sustained cease-fire” in the Israeli-Hamas conflict. That resolution featured a weakened link between a cease-fire and the release of hostages, leaving it open to interpretation, and no time limit.The United States warned that the resolution approved Monday could hurt negotiations to halt the hostilities, raising the possibility of another veto, this time by the Americans. The talks involve the U.S., Egypt and Qatar.Because Ramadan ends April 9, the cease-fire demand would last for just two weeks, though the draft says the pause in fighting should lead to "a sustainable cease-fire.”The U.S. ambassador to the U.N., Linda Thomas-Greenfield, said the resolution “spoke out in support of the ongoing diplomatic efforts,” adding that negotiators were “getting closer” to a deal for a cease-fire with the release of all hostages, "but we’re not there yet.”She urged the council and U.N. members across the world to “speak out and demand unequivocally that Hamas accepts the deal on the table.”Thomas-Greenfield said the U.S. abstained because “certain edits” the U.S. requested were ignored, including a condemnation of Hamas.The resolution, put forward by the 10 elected council members, was backed by Russia and China and the 22-nation Arab Group at the United Nations.Under the United Nations Charter, Security Council resolutions are legally binding on its 193 member nations, though they are often flouted.Algeria’s U.N. ambassador, Amar Bendjama, the Arab representative on the council, thanked the council for “finally" demanding a cease-fire.“We look forward to the commitment and the compliance of the Israeli occupying power with this resolution, for them to put an end to the bloodbath without any conditions, to end the suffering of the Palestinian people,” he said.Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. ambassador, told the council that the vote “must be a turning point” that leads to saving lives in Gaza and ending the “assault of atrocities against our people.”Shortly before Monday’s vote, the elected members changed the final draft resolution to drop the word “permanent” from its demand that a Ramadan cease-fire should lead to a “sustainable" halt in fighting apparently at the request of the United States.Russia complained that dropping the word could allow Israel “to resume its military operation in the Gaza Strip at any moment" after Ramadan and proposed an amendment to restore it. That amendment was defeated because it failed to get the minimum nine “yes” votes — with three council members voting in favor, the United States voting against, and 11 countries abstaining.Since the start of the war, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-security-council">Security Council</a>&nbsp;has adopted two resolutions on the worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza, but none has called for a cease-fire.More than 32,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed during the fighting, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The agency does&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">not differentiate</a>&nbsp;between civilians and combatants in its count, but says&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/women-children-gaza-war-victims-un-inequality-f0f89a724543b99c2c22439e7af09405">women and children</a>&nbsp;make up two-thirds of the dead.Gaza also faces a dire humanitarian emergency. A report from an international authority on hunger warned last week that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-18-2024-eefc526aec97821fe5f1e845801a6640">“famine is imminent” in northern Gaza</a>&nbsp;and that escalation of the war could push half of the territory’s 2.3 million people to the brink of starvation.The United States has vetoed three resolutions demanding a cease-fire in Gaza, the most recent an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/un-israel-palestinians-gaza-ceasefire-resolution-vote-350c86ef261bf1a00a2515cf22764de5">Arab-backed measure</a>&nbsp;on Feb. 20. That resolution was supported by 13 council members with one abstention, reflecting the overwhelming support for a cease-fire.Russia and China vetoed a U.S.-sponsored resolution in late October calling for humanitarian pauses in the fighting to deliver aid, the protection of civilians and a halt to arming Hamas. They said it did not reflect global calls for a cease-fire.They again vetoed a U.S. resolution Friday, calling it ambiguous and saying it was not the direct demand to end the fighting that much of the world seeks.That vote became another showdown involving world powers that are locked in tense disputes elsewhere, with the United States taking criticism for not being tough enough against its ally Israel, even as tensions between the two countries rise.Thomas-Greenfield accused Russia and China on Monday of using the Gaza conflict "as a political cudgel, to try to divide this council at a time when we need to come together.”

🎥U.S. refusal to veto cease-fire resolution provokes anger from Israel

MARCH 25, 2024 (YORK, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested a New Jersey man after finding 20 pounds of cocaine during a traffic stop on I-80 in York County.

At approximately 12:15 p.m. Saturday, a trooper stopped an eastbound BMW X5 for speeding on I-80 near Waco, at mile marker 360. During the traffic stop, the trooper became suspicious of criminal activity.

A search of the vehicle revealed 20 pounds of cocaine. The cocaine was found concealed inside several hidden compartments in the vehicle. The York County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the search.

The driver, Pablo Suruy Hernandez, 40, of Paterson, New Jersey, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver. He was lodged in York County Jail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711390972747.jpeg" alt="(Photo courtesy of Nebraska State Patrol)" />
 <figcaption>(Photo courtesy of Nebraska State Patrol)</figcaption>
 </figure>Cody ThomasNebraska State PatrolMARCH 25, 2024 (YORK, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested a New Jersey man after finding 20 pounds of cocaine during a traffic stop on I-80 in York County.At approximately 12:15 p.m. Saturday, a trooper stopped an eastbound BMW X5 for speeding on I-80 near Waco, at mile marker 360. During the traffic stop, the trooper became suspicious of criminal activity.A search of the vehicle revealed 20 pounds of cocaine. The cocaine was found concealed inside several hidden compartments in the vehicle. The York County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the search.The driver, Pablo Suruy Hernandez, 40, of Paterson, New Jersey, was arrested for possession of a controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver. He was lodged in York County Jail.

Troopers Find 20 LBs of Cocaine in I-80 Traffic Stop outside of Waco

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp; State's Newsroom

WASHINGTON — The same U.S. Supreme Court that overturned the constitutional right to an abortion will hear oral arguments Tuesday over access to mifepristone, a pharmaceutical used in both medication abortion and miscarriage care.

The nine justices will then decide whether to leave access to the drug intact or require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to revert prescribing instructions to what were in place before 2016.

The court decision will affect the entire country, including states that have sought to shore up access to reproductive rights following the Dobbs ruling less than two years ago.

The Supreme Court opinion, likely not to come until late spring, will land in the middle of a presidential campaign in which Democrats are elevating the question of reproductive rights. The debate is also likely to affect GOP efforts to grow their majority in the U.S. House and flip the Senate red.

Medication abortion, a two-drug regimen that uses mifepristone and misoprostol, was used in 63% of abortions in the United States during 2023, according to a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.guttmacher.org/2024/03/medication-abortion-accounted-63-all-us-abortions-2023-increase-53-2020?utm_source=Guttmacher+Email+Alerts&amp;utm_campaign=afd25dbc2c-march_provision_study_gupdate&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_9ac83dc920-afd25dbc2c-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D">report</a>&nbsp;released earlier this month by the Guttmacher Institute.

The new data shows a continued trend away from procedural abortions and toward medication abortion, which is approved up to 10 weeks gestation, that has been steadily increasing since the FDA originally approved mifepristone in 2000.

Medication abortions accounted for about 6% of pregnancy terminations in 2001, rising to 24% in 2011, before reaching 53% in 2020, according to Guttmacher.

During the last calendar year, the report says there were 1,026,690 abortions throughout the country, with 642,700 of those being medication abortions.

The numbers may not represent the full picture, however.

“The medication abortion counts for 2023 do not include self-managed medication abortions that take place outside of the formal health care system or abortion medication mailed to people in states with total abortion bans,” the Guttmacher report states. “While there are no comprehensive data on the number of self-managed medication abortions in the United States, evidence suggests they have been increasing in the past several years.”

The case about to go in front of the Supreme Court, Food and Drug Administration v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, began in November 2022 when Alliance Defending Freedom sued the FDA on behalf of four anti-abortion medical organizations and four anti-abortion doctors.

In the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-judge-could-decide-soon-february-yank-abortion-pill-nationwide">original lawsuit</a>&nbsp;and numerous briefs since then, ADF argued that mifepristone leads to problematic situations for doctors who have to assist patients with complications from medication abortions. They’ve also made claims about safety, which have been repeatedly refuted by major medical organizations.

The lawsuit had called for the judicial system to overturn the FDA’s original 2000 approval of mifepristone, which U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas Judge Matthew Joseph Kacsmaryk essentially agreed with, in his April 2023&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-administration-appeals-judges-ruling-ordering-abortion-pill-us-market">ruling</a>.

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, Louisiana, heard&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/three-judge-panel-us-appeals-court-hears-arguments-abortion-pill-case">oral arguments in the federal government’s appeal</a>&nbsp;of that ruling in May 2023 before issuing its decision a few months later in August.

That&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/abortion-pill-stay-market-until-us-supreme-court-ruling-after-appeals-court-order-0">three-judge panel said</a>&nbsp;mifepristone could stay on the market, but that when and how patients can access the drug should go back to what was in place before the FDA began making changes in 2016.

That would lower the maximum gestational age for using mifepristone from 10 weeks to seven weeks as well as remove the option for patients to get the prescription via telehealth and have it mailed to their homes.

Only doctors would be able to prescribe mifepristone, not health care professionals authorized to prescribe pharmaceuticals, like physician’s assistants or nurse practitioners.

Patents would have to go back to attending three, in-person doctor’s appointments in order to complete the process.

The dosage of mifepristone and the second pharmaceutical used in medication abortions, misoprostol, were different before the changes began to take effect.

The lower courts’ rulings never took effect and the appeals court’s ruling will remain on hold until the Supreme Court issues its opinion in the case, likely this summer.

Dozens of organizations, attorneys general and lawmakers have filed briefs with the Supreme Court seeking to inform the justices’ thinking in the case ahead of Tuesday’s oral arguments.

More than 15 major medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association, sought to reinforce the FDA’s determination that mifepristone is safe and effective in their brief.

“Restricting access to mifepristone will not only jeopardize health, but worsen racial and economic inequities and deprive women of the choices that are at the very core of individual autonomy and wellbeing,” the medical organizations wrote.

They noted that “major adverse events occur in less than 0.32% of patients,” and that the “risk of death is almost non-existent.”

About 145 Members of Congress from 36 states urged the court to restrict access to mifepristone in a separate brief filed with the court.

“Since 2016, the FDA has only required adverse events reporting for deaths resulting from chemical abortion drugs; reporting is otherwise voluntary,” the members of Congress wrote, making the argument that reports are not required for injuries or impairment. “This action was not only arbitrary and capricious, but it also raised safety concerns for women seeking chemical abortion drugs.”

Here’s a timeline of the case and States Newsroom’s coverage of the major events:

Original lawsuit and District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruling&nbsp;

Federal judge could decide as soon as February to yank abortion pill nationwide<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/41shPel">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/41shPel</a>

Attorneys general from Democratic-led states urge judge to keep abortion pill legal<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/41eyMsy">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/41eyMsy</a>

Attorneys general from 23 GOP-led states back suit seeking to block abortion pill<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/414ns2n">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/414ns2n</a>

How the judge who could ban the abortion pill won confirmation in the U.S. Senate<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3KSc9EX">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3KSc9EX</a>

As future of abortion pill is weighed, Democrats in Congress see little they can do<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3msjt0y">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3msjt0y</a>

Biden administration appeals judge’s ruling ordering abortion pill off U.S. market<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3KwWw4g">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3KwWw4g</a>

Biden after Texas ruling vows he will fight to ensure access to abortion pill<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3GA3GUi">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3GA3GUi</a>

Democratic leaders warn abortion pill ruling could endanger other FDA-approved drugs<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/43oIkmA">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/43oIkmA</a>

5th Circuit Court of Appeals stay of district court ruling&nbsp;

U.S. Department of Justice asks appeals court to pause abortion pill ruling<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/43tqqPQ">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/43tqqPQ</a>

Democratic attorneys general urge appeals court to keep abortion pill available<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3o6NGD1">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3o6NGD1</a>

Texas judge’s abortion pill ruling supported by 69 Republicans in Congress<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/41qFWtV">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/41qFWtV</a>

U.S. Justice Department to ask Supreme Court to reject limits on access to abortion pill<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3MHUAbZ">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3MHUAbZ</a>

U.S. Supreme Court stay of district court ruling&nbsp;

DOJ warns Supreme Court of ‘significant chaos’ in health care if abortion pill rulings stand<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3o5ObwS">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3o5ObwS</a>

U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocks limits to abortion pill access<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3A5RTcE">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3A5RTcE</a>

Anti-abortion organizations urge U.S. Supreme Court to keep limits on abortion pill<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3GSu7EV">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3GSu7EV</a>

U.S. Supreme Court holds off on abortion pill ruling until midnight Friday<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3GZ5gzn">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3GZ5gzn</a>

U.S. Supreme Court preserves access to abortion pill as lawsuit continues<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3B50QDB">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3B50QDB</a>

Congressional Democrats urge reversal of district court ruling on mifepristone<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3M5UrOM">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3M5UrOM</a>

Three-judge panel in U.S. appeals court hears arguments in abortion pill case<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/285etkds">&nbsp;https://tinyurl.com/285etkds</a>

Abortion pill to stay on the market until U.S. Supreme Court ruling after appeals court order<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/h4whm3xw">&nbsp;https://tinyurl.com/h4whm3xw</a>

U.S. Justice Department asks Supreme Court to take up abortion pill case<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/msfa5dc2">&nbsp;https://tinyurl.com/msfa5dc2</a>

U.S. Supreme Court to decide fate of medication abortion access nationwide&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://tinyurl.com/5f5yk4w5">http://tinyurl.com/5f5yk4w5</a>

U.S. Supreme Court schedules March 26 oral arguments in abortion pill access case<a target="_blank" href="http://tinyurl.com/mry6ttvm">&nbsp;http://tinyurl.com/mry6ttvm</a>

Dozens of ‘friend of the court’ briefs backing abortion pill access arrive at Supreme Court<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/299vsyrv">&nbsp;https://tinyurl.com/299vsyrv</a>

Who wants the U.S. Supreme Court to limit abortion pill access? Here’s the list.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/2z96n7nn">https://tinyurl.com/2z96n7nn</a>

Fear and confusion over abortion access persists as SCOTUS takes its first post-Dobbs case&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/yckkjf6m">https://tinyurl.com/yckkjf6m</a>

Study cited by Texas judge in abortion pill case retracted&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/397m2jxn">https://tinyurl.com/397m2jxn</a>

Researchers call for more abortion studies to be retracted&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/yjefc3c6">https://tinyurl.com/yjefc3c6</a>

Medication abortion rates grew 10% over the last few years, report shows&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/4kjj9c4k">https://tinyurl.com/4kjj9c4</a>

Study cited by Texas judge in abortion-pill case under investigation&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/study-cited-texas-judge-abortion-pill-case-under-investigation">https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/study-cited-texas-judge-abortion-pill-case-under-investigation</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680967457500.png" alt="The nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court likely will not issue their opinion on the use of mifepristone until late spring. photo AP" />
 <figcaption>The nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court likely will not issue their opinion on the use of mifepristone until late spring. photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>&nbsp; State's NewsroomWASHINGTON — The same U.S. Supreme Court that overturned the constitutional right to an abortion will hear oral arguments Tuesday over access to mifepristone, a pharmaceutical used in both medication abortion and miscarriage care.The nine justices will then decide whether to leave access to the drug intact or require the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to revert prescribing instructions to what were in place before 2016.The court decision will affect the entire country, including states that have sought to shore up access to reproductive rights following the Dobbs ruling less than two years ago.The Supreme Court opinion, likely not to come until late spring, will land in the middle of a presidential campaign in which Democrats are elevating the question of reproductive rights. The debate is also likely to affect GOP efforts to grow their majority in the U.S. House and flip the Senate red.<h2>Trend toward medication abortion</h2>Medication abortion, a two-drug regimen that uses mifepristone and misoprostol, was used in 63% of abortions in the United States during 2023, according to a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.guttmacher.org/2024/03/medication-abortion-accounted-63-all-us-abortions-2023-increase-53-2020?utm_source=Guttmacher+Email+Alerts&amp;utm_campaign=afd25dbc2c-march_provision_study_gupdate&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_term=0_9ac83dc920-afd25dbc2c-%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D">report</a>&nbsp;released earlier this month by the Guttmacher Institute.The new data shows a continued trend away from procedural abortions and toward medication abortion, which is approved up to 10 weeks gestation, that has been steadily increasing since the FDA originally approved mifepristone in 2000.Medication abortions accounted for about 6% of pregnancy terminations in 2001, rising to 24% in 2011, before reaching 53% in 2020, according to Guttmacher.During the last calendar year, the report says there were 1,026,690 abortions throughout the country, with 642,700 of those being medication abortions.The numbers may not represent the full picture, however.“The medication abortion counts for 2023 do not include self-managed medication abortions that take place outside of the formal health care system or abortion medication mailed to people in states with total abortion bans,” the Guttmacher report states. “While there are no comprehensive data on the number of self-managed medication abortions in the United States, evidence suggests they have been increasing in the past several years.”<h2>Alliance Defending Freedom suit</h2>The case about to go in front of the Supreme Court, Food and Drug Administration v. Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, began in November 2022 when Alliance Defending Freedom sued the FDA on behalf of four anti-abortion medical organizations and four anti-abortion doctors.In the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-judge-could-decide-soon-february-yank-abortion-pill-nationwide">original lawsuit</a>&nbsp;and numerous briefs since then, ADF argued that mifepristone leads to problematic situations for doctors who have to assist patients with complications from medication abortions. They’ve also made claims about safety, which have been repeatedly refuted by major medical organizations.The lawsuit had called for the judicial system to overturn the FDA’s original 2000 approval of mifepristone, which U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas Judge Matthew Joseph Kacsmaryk essentially agreed with, in his April 2023&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/biden-administration-appeals-judges-ruling-ordering-abortion-pill-us-market">ruling</a>.The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, Louisiana, heard&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/three-judge-panel-us-appeals-court-hears-arguments-abortion-pill-case">oral arguments in the federal government’s appeal</a>&nbsp;of that ruling in May 2023 before issuing its decision a few months later in August.That&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/abortion-pill-stay-market-until-us-supreme-court-ruling-after-appeals-court-order-0">three-judge panel said</a>&nbsp;mifepristone could stay on the market, but that when and how patients can access the drug should go back to what was in place before the FDA began making changes in 2016.<h2>Telehealth and prescriptions</h2>That would lower the maximum gestational age for using mifepristone from 10 weeks to seven weeks as well as remove the option for patients to get the prescription via telehealth and have it mailed to their homes.Only doctors would be able to prescribe mifepristone, not health care professionals authorized to prescribe pharmaceuticals, like physician’s assistants or nurse practitioners.Patents would have to go back to attending three, in-person doctor’s appointments in order to complete the process.The dosage of mifepristone and the second pharmaceutical used in medication abortions, misoprostol, were different before the changes began to take effect.The lower courts’ rulings never took effect and the appeals court’s ruling will remain on hold until the Supreme Court issues its opinion in the case, likely this summer.<h2>Briefs filed</h2>Dozens of organizations, attorneys general and lawmakers have filed briefs with the Supreme Court seeking to inform the justices’ thinking in the case ahead of Tuesday’s oral arguments.More than 15 major medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association, sought to reinforce the FDA’s determination that mifepristone is safe and effective in their brief.“Restricting access to mifepristone will not only jeopardize health, but worsen racial and economic inequities and deprive women of the choices that are at the very core of individual autonomy and wellbeing,” the medical organizations wrote.They noted that “major adverse events occur in less than 0.32% of patients,” and that the “risk of death is almost non-existent.”About 145 Members of Congress from 36 states urged the court to restrict access to mifepristone in a separate brief filed with the court.“Since 2016, the FDA has only required adverse events reporting for deaths resulting from chemical abortion drugs; reporting is otherwise voluntary,” the members of Congress wrote, making the argument that reports are not required for injuries or impairment. “This action was not only arbitrary and capricious, but it also raised safety concerns for women seeking chemical abortion drugs.”Here’s a timeline of the case and States Newsroom’s coverage of the major events:<h2>Original lawsuit and District Court for the Northern District of Texas ruling&nbsp;</h2>Federal judge could decide as soon as February to yank abortion pill nationwide<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/41shPel">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/41shPel</a>Attorneys general from Democratic-led states urge judge to keep abortion pill legal<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/41eyMsy">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/41eyMsy</a>Attorneys general from 23 GOP-led states back suit seeking to block abortion pill<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/414ns2n">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/414ns2n</a>How the judge who could ban the abortion pill won confirmation in the U.S. Senate<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3KSc9EX">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3KSc9EX</a>As future of abortion pill is weighed, Democrats in Congress see little they can do<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3msjt0y">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3msjt0y</a>Biden administration appeals judge’s ruling ordering abortion pill off U.S. market<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3KwWw4g">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3KwWw4g</a>Biden after Texas ruling vows he will fight to ensure access to abortion pill<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3GA3GUi">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3GA3GUi</a>Democratic leaders warn abortion pill ruling could endanger other FDA-approved drugs<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/43oIkmA">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/43oIkmA</a><h2>5th Circuit Court of Appeals stay of district court ruling&nbsp;</h2>U.S. Department of Justice asks appeals court to pause abortion pill ruling<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/43tqqPQ">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/43tqqPQ</a>Democratic attorneys general urge appeals court to keep abortion pill available<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3o6NGD1">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3o6NGD1</a>Texas judge’s abortion pill ruling supported by 69 Republicans in Congress<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/41qFWtV">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/41qFWtV</a>U.S. Justice Department to ask Supreme Court to reject limits on access to abortion pill<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3MHUAbZ">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3MHUAbZ</a><h2>U.S. Supreme Court stay of district court ruling&nbsp;</h2>DOJ warns Supreme Court of ‘significant chaos’ in health care if abortion pill rulings stand<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3o5ObwS">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3o5ObwS</a>U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocks limits to abortion pill access<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3A5RTcE">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3A5RTcE</a>Anti-abortion organizations urge U.S. Supreme Court to keep limits on abortion pill<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3GSu7EV">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3GSu7EV</a>U.S. Supreme Court holds off on abortion pill ruling until midnight Friday<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3GZ5gzn">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3GZ5gzn</a>U.S. Supreme Court preserves access to abortion pill as lawsuit continues<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3B50QDB">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3B50QDB</a><h2>5th Circuit Court of Appeals&nbsp;</h2>Congressional Democrats urge reversal of district court ruling on mifepristone<a target="_blank" href="https://bit.ly/3M5UrOM">&nbsp;https://bit.ly/3M5UrOM</a>Three-judge panel in U.S. appeals court hears arguments in abortion pill case<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/285etkds">&nbsp;https://tinyurl.com/285etkds</a>Abortion pill to stay on the market until U.S. Supreme Court ruling after appeals court order<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/h4whm3xw">&nbsp;https://tinyurl.com/h4whm3xw</a><h2>U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;</h2>U.S. Justice Department asks Supreme Court to take up abortion pill case<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/msfa5dc2">&nbsp;https://tinyurl.com/msfa5dc2</a>U.S. Supreme Court to decide fate of medication abortion access nationwide&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://tinyurl.com/5f5yk4w5">http://tinyurl.com/5f5yk4w5</a>U.S. Supreme Court schedules March 26 oral arguments in abortion pill access case<a target="_blank" href="http://tinyurl.com/mry6ttvm">&nbsp;http://tinyurl.com/mry6ttvm</a>Dozens of ‘friend of the court’ briefs backing abortion pill access arrive at Supreme Court<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/299vsyrv">&nbsp;https://tinyurl.com/299vsyrv</a>Who wants the U.S. Supreme Court to limit abortion pill access? Here’s the list.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/2z96n7nn">https://tinyurl.com/2z96n7nn</a><h2>More to know about the case</h2>Fear and confusion over abortion access persists as SCOTUS takes its first post-Dobbs case&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/yckkjf6m">https://tinyurl.com/yckkjf6m</a>Study cited by Texas judge in abortion pill case retracted&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/397m2jxn">https://tinyurl.com/397m2jxn</a>Researchers call for more abortion studies to be retracted&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/yjefc3c6">https://tinyurl.com/yjefc3c6</a>Medication abortion rates grew 10% over the last few years, report shows&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://tinyurl.com/4kjj9c4k">https://tinyurl.com/4kjj9c4</a>Study cited by Texas judge in abortion-pill case under investigation&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/study-cited-texas-judge-abortion-pill-case-under-investigation">https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/study-cited-texas-judge-abortion-pill-case-under-investigation</a>

U.S. Supreme Court to hear oral arguments Tuesday on abortion pill limits

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department launched the National Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Resource Center (the Center) which &nbsp;will provide training and technical assistance to law enforcement officials, prosecutors, attorneys, judges, clinicians, victim service and social service providers, community organizations, and behavioral health professionals responsible for implementing laws designed to keep guns out of the hands of people who pose a threat to themselves or others.

Vice President Kamala announced the creation of the center on Saturday during a trip to Parkland, Florida. She will lead the new White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. (Click below to watch the announcement)

Harris also called on both Congress and states without red flag laws to adopt them. The Biden administration has called for a national red flag law.

“Red flag laws are simply designed to give communities a vehicle through which they can share ... information about the concern of potential danger or the crying out for help,” Harris said.

According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, “The launch of the National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center will provide our partners across the country with valuable resources to keep firearms out of the hands of individuals who pose a threat to themselves or others,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. 

“The establishment of the Center is the latest example of the Justice Department’s work to use every tool provided by the landmark Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to protect communities from gun violence.”

ERPO laws, which are modeled off domestic violence protection orders, create a civil process allowing law enforcement, family members (in most states), and medical professionals or other groups (in some states) to petition a court to temporarily prohibit someone at risk of harming themselves or others from purchasing and possessing firearms for the duration of the order.

In 2023, the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) awarded $238 million to states, territories, and the District of Columbia under the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP), which was created by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and is designed to help jurisdictions implement crisis intervention strategies, including ERPO programs. In addition, OJP awarded $4 million to support training and technical assistance under Byrne SCIP, including $2 million that was awarded to the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions to establish the ERPO Resource Center. 

In collaboration with OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Center will support states, local governments, law enforcement, prosecutors, attorneys, judges, clinicians, victim service providers, and behavioral health and other social service providers in their efforts to implement ERPO programs to fit local needs, share resources and promising practices with the field, and help ensure that funding received through Byrne SCIP is effectively utilized.

“Supporting our law enforcement and community partners in curbing the scourge of gun violence is more critical than ever,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “In addition to other resources leveraged across the Justice Department, this Center will provide communities with new tools and technical assistance to help them implement effective crisis intervention strategies and reduce gun violence.”

“OJP’s investment in ERPO programs demonstrates the Department’s commitment to addressing the gun violence crisis in the United States,” said OJP Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon. “This crisis cannot be solved at one level of government. We must use all of our resources and collaborate at the federal, state, and local levels to find innovative, evidence-based, and holistic solutions to help keep American communities safe.”

Through the Center and its newly launched&nbsp;<a href="http://www.erpo.org/" target="_blank">website</a>, states, local governments, law enforcement, prosecutors, attorneys, judges, clinicians, victim service providers, and behavioral health and other social service providers will have direct access to critical information that will enhance their ability to reduce firearm homicides and suicides. The website will be maintained and updated to include newly developed resources for the field created through the Center, in partnership with BJA. The website also provides a platform for the Center to highlight emerging and promising practices in successful ERPO implementation and connect states and localities to innovative strategies to reduce gun violence and save lives.

As of this month, 21 states and the District of Columbia have enacted ERPO laws. Successful and effective ERPO implementation requires a comprehensive and holistic approach that incorporates a wide range of stakeholders. The Center is designed to provide resources consistent with that need.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711289026081.png" alt="-“Red flag laws are simply designed to give communities a vehicle through which they can share ... information about the concern of potential danger or the crying out for help,” Harris said. -ima" />
 <figcaption>-“Red flag laws are simply designed to give communities a vehicle through which they can share ... information about the concern of potential danger or the crying out for help,” Harris said. -ima</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — The Justice Department launched the National Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) Resource Center (the Center) which &nbsp;will provide training and technical assistance to law enforcement officials, prosecutors, attorneys, judges, clinicians, victim service and social service providers, community organizations, and behavioral health professionals responsible for implementing laws designed to keep guns out of the hands of people who pose a threat to themselves or others.Vice President Kamala announced the creation of the center on Saturday during a trip to Parkland, Florida. She will lead the new White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention. (Click below to watch the announcement)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FVicePresident%2Fvideos%2F1134747957946403%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=784" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Harris also called on both Congress and states without red flag laws to adopt them. The Biden administration has called for a national red flag law.“Red flag laws are simply designed to give communities a vehicle through which they can share ... information about the concern of potential danger or the crying out for help,” Harris said.According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, “The launch of the National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center will provide our partners across the country with valuable resources to keep firearms out of the hands of individuals who pose a threat to themselves or others,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “The establishment of the Center is the latest example of the Justice Department’s work to use every tool provided by the landmark Bipartisan Safer Communities Act to protect communities from gun violence.”ERPO laws, which are modeled off domestic violence protection orders, create a civil process allowing law enforcement, family members (in most states), and medical professionals or other groups (in some states) to petition a court to temporarily prohibit someone at risk of harming themselves or others from purchasing and possessing firearms for the duration of the order.In 2023, the Justice Department’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) awarded $238 million to states, territories, and the District of Columbia under the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP), which was created by the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act and is designed to help jurisdictions implement crisis intervention strategies, including ERPO programs. In addition, OJP awarded $4 million to support training and technical assistance under Byrne SCIP, including $2 million that was awarded to the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions to establish the ERPO Resource Center. In collaboration with OJP’s Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Center will support states, local governments, law enforcement, prosecutors, attorneys, judges, clinicians, victim service providers, and behavioral health and other social service providers in their efforts to implement ERPO programs to fit local needs, share resources and promising practices with the field, and help ensure that funding received through Byrne SCIP is effectively utilized.“Supporting our law enforcement and community partners in curbing the scourge of gun violence is more critical than ever,” said Acting Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “In addition to other resources leveraged across the Justice Department, this Center will provide communities with new tools and technical assistance to help them implement effective crisis intervention strategies and reduce gun violence.”“OJP’s investment in ERPO programs demonstrates the Department’s commitment to addressing the gun violence crisis in the United States,” said OJP Assistant Attorney General Amy L. Solomon. “This crisis cannot be solved at one level of government. We must use all of our resources and collaborate at the federal, state, and local levels to find innovative, evidence-based, and holistic solutions to help keep American communities safe.”Through the Center and its newly launched&nbsp;<a href="http://www.erpo.org/" target="_blank">website</a>, states, local governments, law enforcement, prosecutors, attorneys, judges, clinicians, victim service providers, and behavioral health and other social service providers will have direct access to critical information that will enhance their ability to reduce firearm homicides and suicides. The website will be maintained and updated to include newly developed resources for the field created through the Center, in partnership with BJA. The website also provides a platform for the Center to highlight emerging and promising practices in successful ERPO implementation and connect states and localities to innovative strategies to reduce gun violence and save lives.As of this month, 21 states and the District of Columbia have enacted ERPO laws. Successful and effective ERPO implementation requires a comprehensive and holistic approach that incorporates a wide range of stakeholders. The Center is designed to provide resources consistent with that need.

🎥VP reveals new center will seek to implement ‘red flag’ gun control laws

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/03/22/lawmakers-advance-nebraska-crime-package-against-deceptive-trade-child-exploitation/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;Lawmakers took a first step this week in advancing two portions of a three-part&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/01/04/nebraska-ag-mike-hilgers-pitches-crime-package-focused-on-consumer-protection/">crime package</a>&nbsp;that Attorney General Mike Hilgers previewed earlier this year.

<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=54986">Legislative Bill 934</a>, introduced by State Sen. Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln, would allow the Attorney General’s Office and defendants to demand jury trials in response to alleged consumer protection violations or deceptive trade practices. The attorney general would also be allowed to freeze bad actors’ assets and prevent them from expending stolen funds.

“Victim restitution should be a primary objective of Nebraska’s consumer protection laws,” Bosn said Thursday.

LB 934 expands the jurisdiction for such claims, too, allowing the attorney general to bring a case under the Consumer Protection Act in the same county that a case under the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act has been filed. LB 934 was advanced Thursday to second-round debate&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_votes.php?KeyID=10493">35-0</a>.

Bosn, a former prosecutor, pointed to two cases in the past year in which Nebraskans fell victim to elaborate scams.&nbsp;

In one, a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wowt.com/2024/01/30/northeast-nebraska-couple-warning-phony-equipment-sales-scam/">fraudulent farm equipment company</a>&nbsp;scammed an Omaha family out of $9,200. In the other, Hilgers sued a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-ag-sues-private-husker-ticket-package-seller-on-behalf-of-wronged-donors/">private Husker ticket package seller</a>&nbsp;for allegedly scamming at least $87,000 from donors, which the state said was later spent on Disneyland tickets, purchases in Hawaii and other personal expenses.

“I’m asking you to help give Nebraskans hope when they fall victim to these circumstances,” Bosn said.

Through a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/AM/AM2706.pdf">Judiciary Committee amendment</a>&nbsp;adopted&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_votes.php?KeyID=10492">33-0</a>, the attorney general must have “reasonable cause” before taking certain actions, such as requiring statements or freezing assets, and an associated court order must be for “connected accounts.”

“Connected accounts,” or assets, means any financial or bank account as well as money, assets or property connected with the alleged violation.

An ex parte order would be allowed to temporarily freeze or impound connected accounts for up to 14 days and must be set for a hearing with the defendant able to respond.

State Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, Judiciary Committee vice chair, said the amendment includes proper guardrails and gives the attorney general the tools he needs to keep Nebraskans and their assets safe from bad actors.

“I think this makes a very strong bill now, and I am very pleased with where we all landed,” DeBoer said.

State Sen. Christy Armendariz of Omaha also successfully added&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55151">LB 1096</a>&nbsp;to the package through an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/AM/AM3050.pdf">amendment</a>&nbsp;adopted&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_votes.php?KeyID=10491">33-0</a>&nbsp;to Bosn’s bill. Armendariz’s proposal is designed to combat online child exploitation and human trafficking beyond the geographic limits of Nebraska and “reach the world’s most prolific purveyors of exploitation of children and sex trafficking victims.”

LB 1096 would expand the definition of a deceptive trade practice to include publicly available visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct, obscene material or material harmful to minors. In the material, participants or observers would need to be either:

Armendariz said her bill gives Hilgers and his office the ability to investigate the extent of exploitative material “on some of the most frequented websites on the internet.”

A third bill promoted by Hilgers did not get added to the Bosn-Armendariz package. That was Sumner State Sen. Teresa Ibach’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55377">LB 999</a>.

A portion of LB 999, to shift regulation of hemp growers back to the federal government, is advancing after lawmakers&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/AM/AM2654.pdf">amended</a>&nbsp;it onto the Agriculture Committee’s priority bill,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=49829">LB 262</a>. The Agriculture package faces one more round of debate.

A different part of LB 999 would outlaw delta-8 sales in Nebraska. This has stalled in the Judiciary Committee.

Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/03/22/lawmakers-advance-nebraska-crime-package-against-deceptive-trade-child-exploitation/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;Lawmakers took a first step this week in advancing two portions of a three-part&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/01/04/nebraska-ag-mike-hilgers-pitches-crime-package-focused-on-consumer-protection/">crime package</a>&nbsp;that Attorney General Mike Hilgers previewed earlier this year.<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=54986">Legislative Bill 934</a>, introduced by State Sen. Carolyn Bosn of Lincoln, would allow the Attorney General’s Office and defendants to demand jury trials in response to alleged consumer protection violations or deceptive trade practices. The attorney general would also be allowed to freeze bad actors’ assets and prevent them from expending stolen funds.“Victim restitution should be a primary objective of Nebraska’s consumer protection laws,” Bosn said Thursday.LB 934 expands the jurisdiction for such claims, too, allowing the attorney general to bring a case under the Consumer Protection Act in the same county that a case under the Uniform Deceptive Trade Practices Act has been filed. LB 934 was advanced Thursday to second-round debate&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_votes.php?KeyID=10493">35-0</a>.<h2>‘Help give Nebraskans hope’</h2>Bosn, a former prosecutor, pointed to two cases in the past year in which Nebraskans fell victim to elaborate scams.&nbsp;In one, a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wowt.com/2024/01/30/northeast-nebraska-couple-warning-phony-equipment-sales-scam/">fraudulent farm equipment company</a>&nbsp;scammed an Omaha family out of $9,200. In the other, Hilgers sued a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-ag-sues-private-husker-ticket-package-seller-on-behalf-of-wronged-donors/">private Husker ticket package seller</a>&nbsp;for allegedly scamming at least $87,000 from donors, which the state said was later spent on Disneyland tickets, purchases in Hawaii and other personal expenses.“I’m asking you to help give Nebraskans hope when they fall victim to these circumstances,” Bosn said.Through a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/AM/AM2706.pdf">Judiciary Committee amendment</a>&nbsp;adopted&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_votes.php?KeyID=10492">33-0</a>, the attorney general must have “reasonable cause” before taking certain actions, such as requiring statements or freezing assets, and an associated court order must be for “connected accounts.”“Connected accounts,” or assets, means any financial or bank account as well as money, assets or property connected with the alleged violation.An ex parte order would be allowed to temporarily freeze or impound connected accounts for up to 14 days and must be set for a hearing with the defendant able to respond.State Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha, Judiciary Committee vice chair, said the amendment includes proper guardrails and gives the attorney general the tools he needs to keep Nebraskans and their assets safe from bad actors.“I think this makes a very strong bill now, and I am very pleased with where we all landed,” DeBoer said.<h2>Child exploitation and human trafficking</h2>State Sen. Christy Armendariz of Omaha also successfully added&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55151">LB 1096</a>&nbsp;to the package through an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/AM/AM3050.pdf">amendment</a>&nbsp;adopted&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_votes.php?KeyID=10491">33-0</a>&nbsp;to Bosn’s bill. Armendariz’s proposal is designed to combat online child exploitation and human trafficking beyond the geographic limits of Nebraska and “reach the world’s most prolific purveyors of exploitation of children and sex trafficking victims.”LB 1096 would expand the definition of a deceptive trade practice to include publicly available visual depictions of sexually explicit conduct, obscene material or material harmful to minors. In the material, participants or observers would need to be either:<ul>
 <li>Younger than 18.</li><li>A trafficking victim.</li><li>Someone who has not expressly and voluntarily consented to the depiction.</li><li>Someone who participated in any depicted act without consent.</li>
 </ul>Armendariz said her bill gives Hilgers and his office the ability to investigate the extent of exploitative material “on some of the most frequented websites on the internet.”<h2>Hemp regulation, delta-8 sales</h2>A third bill promoted by Hilgers did not get added to the Bosn-Armendariz package. That was Sumner State Sen. Teresa Ibach’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=55377">LB 999</a>.A portion of LB 999, to shift regulation of hemp growers back to the federal government, is advancing after lawmakers&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/AM/AM2654.pdf">amended</a>&nbsp;it onto the Agriculture Committee’s priority bill,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=49829">LB 262</a>. The Agriculture package faces one more round of debate.A different part of LB 999 would outlaw delta-8 sales in Nebraska. This has stalled in the Judiciary Committee.

Lawmakers advance Nebraska crime package against deceptive trade, child exploitation

Art is everywhere at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine, from the stunning Chihuly Sanctuary in the Fred &amp; Pamela Buffett Cancer Center to musical performances in the lobby, to artwork on display across campus.

“Being surrounded by art, whether that’s physical art or therapeutic programming, certainly creates a healing environment,” said Amy Jenson, executive director of the Healing Arts Program. “It lowers people’s stress levels. We know that it promotes a sense of calmness.”

The Healing Arts Program is one of many areas&nbsp;donors can support during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.greatergoodgivingday.org/" target="_blank">For the Greater Good</a>, March 27-28, 2024. UNMC’s and Nebraska Medicine’s 24-hour online giving event supports the future of healthcare in Nebraska. The event will begin at noon March 27 and conclude at noon March 28. Gifts may be made online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.greatergoodgivingday.org/" target="_blank">greatergoodgivingday.org</a>.

At a campus event in March, UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming campaign.

“The University of Nebraska Medical Center is a transformative force throughout the state,” Dr. Gold said. “For the Greater Good offers opportunities to support a variety of UNMC initiatives that positively impact the people of Nebraska and beyond.”

For the giving day, donors have established 69 challenges, totaling more than $571,000, to encourage alumni, friends&nbsp;and grateful patients to support their favorite college or area during For the Greater Good. The matches and challenges will be unlocked if certain giving goals are achieved. One of those is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.greatergoodgivingday.org/organizations/healing-arts" target="_blank">$12,700 challenge grant</a>&nbsp;from the Healing Arts Advisory Committee to support the program’s mission of providing hope to patients and their families and wellness for staff.

Giving day donors who make gifts totaling $66 or more will receive a UNMC/Nebraska Medicine custom travel pouch. The goal of the 2024 For the Greater Good event is to receive 1,800 gifts of $5 or more to support UNMC students, scholarships, research and the people, programs&nbsp;and patients of Nebraska Medicine.

“Nebraska Medicine is committed to providing the highest level of care in the region,” Nebraska Medicine CEO James Linder, MD, said. “Together, we can provide educational opportunities for our nurses, address the emergency needs of our patients and families and invest in many other important priorities by supporting For the Greater Good.”

The UNMC and Nebraska Medicine community can help spread the word on social media using the hashtag #ForTheGreaterGood. Several important causes will benefit, including:

During the inaugural 2023 giving day, 1,542 gifts were made, raising $278,229 to support UNMC and Nebraska Medicine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711374851958.jpeg" alt="The Healing Arts Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine is one of the many areas that donors can support during For the Greater Good, March 27-28, 2024. Credit/University of Nebraska Medical Center" />
 <figcaption>The Healing Arts Program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine is one of the many areas that donors can support during For the Greater Good, March 27-28, 2024. Credit/University of Nebraska Medical Center</figcaption>
 </figure>UNMCArt is everywhere at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and Nebraska Medicine, from the stunning Chihuly Sanctuary in the Fred &amp; Pamela Buffett Cancer Center to musical performances in the lobby, to artwork on display across campus.“Being surrounded by art, whether that’s physical art or therapeutic programming, certainly creates a healing environment,” said Amy Jenson, executive director of the Healing Arts Program. “It lowers people’s stress levels. We know that it promotes a sense of calmness.”The Healing Arts Program is one of many areas&nbsp;donors can support during&nbsp;<a href="https://www.greatergoodgivingday.org/" target="_blank">For the Greater Good</a>, March 27-28, 2024. UNMC’s and Nebraska Medicine’s 24-hour online giving event supports the future of healthcare in Nebraska. The event will begin at noon March 27 and conclude at noon March 28. Gifts may be made online at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.greatergoodgivingday.org/" target="_blank">greatergoodgivingday.org</a>.At a campus event in March, UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey P. Gold, MD, expressed his enthusiasm for the upcoming campaign.“The University of Nebraska Medical Center is a transformative force throughout the state,” Dr. Gold said. “For the Greater Good offers opportunities to support a variety of UNMC initiatives that positively impact the people of Nebraska and beyond.”For the giving day, donors have established 69 challenges, totaling more than $571,000, to encourage alumni, friends&nbsp;and grateful patients to support their favorite college or area during For the Greater Good. The matches and challenges will be unlocked if certain giving goals are achieved. One of those is a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.greatergoodgivingday.org/organizations/healing-arts" target="_blank">$12,700 challenge grant</a>&nbsp;from the Healing Arts Advisory Committee to support the program’s mission of providing hope to patients and their families and wellness for staff.Giving day donors who make gifts totaling $66 or more will receive a UNMC/Nebraska Medicine custom travel pouch. The goal of the 2024 For the Greater Good event is to receive 1,800 gifts of $5 or more to support UNMC students, scholarships, research and the people, programs&nbsp;and patients of Nebraska Medicine.“Nebraska Medicine is committed to providing the highest level of care in the region,” Nebraska Medicine CEO James Linder, MD, said. “Together, we can provide educational opportunities for our nurses, address the emergency needs of our patients and families and invest in many other important priorities by supporting For the Greater Good.”The UNMC and Nebraska Medicine community can help spread the word on social media using the hashtag #ForTheGreaterGood. Several important causes will benefit, including:<ul>
 <li>a variety of departmental funds within Nebraska Medicine, supporting fields such as nursing development, patient support and women and infant services;</li><li>more than 40 registered student organizations within UNMC, assisting in reducing operational costs and enhancing student experiences on campus; and</li><li>more than a dozen unique scholarship funds aimed at investing in the next generation of Nebraska’s health care professionals.</li>
 </ul>During the inaugural 2023 giving day, 1,542 gifts were made, raising $278,229 to support UNMC and Nebraska Medicine.

Support the future of Nebraska health care during For the Greater Good

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York appeals court on Monday agreed to hold off collection of former President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-verdict-engoron-244024861f0df886543c157c9fc5b3e4">$454 million civil fraud judgment</a>&nbsp;— if he puts up $175 million within 10 days.

If he does, it will stop the clock on collection and prevent the state from seizing the presumptive Republican presidential nominee's assets while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-verdict-attorney-general-cf9df608a576d561393b4ceeac4cae3a">he appeals</a>.

The development came just before New York Attorney General Letitia James was expected to initiate efforts to collect the judgment.

Messages seeking comment were sent to James' office and to Trump's lawyers.

Trump’s lawyers had pleaded for a state appeals court to halt collection, claiming it was “a practical impossibility” to get an underwriter to sign off on a bond for such a large sum.

The ruling was issued by the state’s intermediate appeals court, the Appellate Division of the state’s trial court, where Trump is fighting to overturn&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24432595-trump-civil-trial-decision">a judge’s Feb. 16 finding</a>&nbsp;that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-trial-engoron-new-york-646814bb4945306f19a22f38fdb246a5">lied about his wealth</a>&nbsp;as he grew the real estate empire that launched him to stardom and the presidency.

After James won the judgment, she didn't seek to enforce it during a legal time-out for Trump to ask the appeals court for a reprieve from paying up.

That period ended Monday, though James could have decided to allow Trump more time.

James, a Democrat,&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/letitia-james-shes-prepared-seize-trumps-assets-pay/story?id=107381482">told ABC News</a>&nbsp;last month that if Trump doesn't have the money to pay, she would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-letitia-james-fraud-lawsuit-judgment-verdict-63e643d0fe098cc1ac178c003f21a40d">seek to seize his assets</a>&nbsp;and was "prepared to make sure that the judgment is paid.”

She didn't detail the process or specify what holdings she meant, and her office has declined more recently to discuss its plans. Meanwhile, it has filed notice of the judgment, a technical step toward potentially moving to collect.

As Trump arrived Monday at a different New York court for a separate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-new-york-b8fb980a6ec745e918a13e676b7f1460">hearing in his criminal hush money case</a>, he didn't respond to a journalist's question about whether he'd obtained a bond. Earlier Monday, he railed in social media posts against the civil judgment and the possibility that James would seek to enforce it.

Casting the case as a plot by Democrats, the ex-president asserted that they were trying to take his cash to starve his 2024 campaign.

“I had intended to use much of that hard earned money on running for President. They don’t want me to do that — ELECTION INTERFERENCE!” he wrote on his Truth Social platform. Referring to his properties as “my ‘babies,’” he bristled at the idea of being forced to sell them or seeing them seized.

Seizing assets is a common legal option when someone doesn’t have the cash to pay a civil court penalty. In Trump’s case, potential targets could include such properties as his Trump Tower penthouse, aircraft, Wall Street office building or golf courses.

The attorney general also could go after his bank and investment accounts. Trump maintained on social media on Friday that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-bond-engoron-new-york-judgment-abfb3f8c6aac44836265c893f7548ff2">has almost $500 million</a>&nbsp;in cash but intends to use much of it on his presidential run. He has accused James and New York state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-engoron-letitia-james-fraud-new-york-9bd42690d327f6f63c9eb31c046f8426">Judge Arthur Engoron</a>, who's also a Democrat, of seeking “to take the cash away so I can’t use it on the campaign.”

One possibility would be for James' office to go through a legal process to have local law enforcement seize properties, then seek to sell them off. But that's a complicated prospect in Trump's case, noted Stewart Sterk, a real estate law professor at Cardozo School of Law.

“Finding buyers for assets of this magnitude is something that doesn’t happen overnight,” he said, noting that at any ordinary auction, “the chances that people are going to be able to bid up to the true value of the property is pretty slim.”

Trump's debt stems from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-trial-new-york-44d7ce912fa2434c452e2b5dd6139789">a monthslong civil trial</a>&nbsp;last fall over the state's allegations that he, his company and top executives vastly puffed up his wealth on financial statements, conning bankers and insurers who did business with him. The statements valued his penthouse for years as though it were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-new-york-james-accountant-trial-64ffc5238f77f0a851626877cd45a96f">nearly three times its actual size</a>, for example.

Trump and his co-defendants denied any wrongdoing, saying the statements actually&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-trial-testimony-dca74420da0f92ee9bc9caff7a92c3b2">lowballed his fortune</a>, came with disclaimers and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-letitia-james-fraud-trial-testimony-f73b28ef92cf3606d66bc9418f3025bc">weren't taken at face value</a>&nbsp;by the institutions that lent to or insured him. The penthouse discrepancy, he said, was simply a mistake made by subordinates.

Engoron sided with the attorney general and ordered Trump to pay $355 million, plus interest that grows daily. Some co-defendants, including his sons and company executive vice presidents, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, were ordered to pay far smaller amounts.

Under New York law, filing an appeal generally doesn't hold off enforcement of a judgment. But there's an automatic pause if the person or entity posts a bond that covers what's owed.

The ex-president's lawyers have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-bond-appeal-million-75ef3efb5b70d6ea43bea85b65ff7810">said it's impossible</a>&nbsp;for him to do that. They said underwriters wanted 120% of the judgment and wouldn't accept real estate as collateral. That would mean tying up over $557 million in cash, stocks and other liquid assets, and Trump's company needs some left over to run the business, his attorneys have said.

Trump's attorneys have asked an appeals court to freeze collection without his posting a bond. The attorney general's office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-case-bond-appeal-million-b7186ffc2e96d252250c30938b824dd0">has objected</a>.

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York appeals court on Monday agreed to hold off collection of former President Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-verdict-engoron-244024861f0df886543c157c9fc5b3e4">$454 million civil fraud judgment</a>&nbsp;— if he puts up $175 million within 10 days.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump: &quot;I greatly respect the decision of the appellate division. And I&#39;ll be post either $175 million in cash or bonds or security or whatever is necessary very quickly, within the ten days. And I thank the appellate division for acting quickly.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ReJSn03eyE">pic.twitter.com/ReJSn03eyE</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1772294947674157463?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 25, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>If he does, it will stop the clock on collection and prevent the state from seizing the presumptive Republican presidential nominee's assets while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-verdict-attorney-general-cf9df608a576d561393b4ceeac4cae3a">he appeals</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711382809454.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The development came just before New York Attorney General Letitia James was expected to initiate efforts to collect the judgment.Messages seeking comment were sent to James' office and to Trump's lawyers.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711382879355.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump’s lawyers had pleaded for a state appeals court to halt collection, claiming it was “a practical impossibility” to get an underwriter to sign off on a bond for such a large sum.The ruling was issued by the state’s intermediate appeals court, the Appellate Division of the state’s trial court, where Trump is fighting to overturn&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24432595-trump-civil-trial-decision">a judge’s Feb. 16 finding</a>&nbsp;that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-civil-fraud-trial-engoron-new-york-646814bb4945306f19a22f38fdb246a5">lied about his wealth</a>&nbsp;as he grew the real estate empire that launched him to stardom and the presidency.After James won the judgment, she didn't seek to enforce it during a legal time-out for Trump to ask the appeals court for a reprieve from paying up.That period ended Monday, though James could have decided to allow Trump more time.James, a Democrat,&nbsp;<a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/letitia-james-shes-prepared-seize-trumps-assets-pay/story?id=107381482">told ABC News</a>&nbsp;last month that if Trump doesn't have the money to pay, she would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-letitia-james-fraud-lawsuit-judgment-verdict-63e643d0fe098cc1ac178c003f21a40d">seek to seize his assets</a>&nbsp;and was "prepared to make sure that the judgment is paid.”She didn't detail the process or specify what holdings she meant, and her office has declined more recently to discuss its plans. Meanwhile, it has filed notice of the judgment, a technical step toward potentially moving to collect.As Trump arrived Monday at a different New York court for a separate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-new-york-b8fb980a6ec745e918a13e676b7f1460">hearing in his criminal hush money case</a>, he didn't respond to a journalist's question about whether he'd obtained a bond. Earlier Monday, he railed in social media posts against the civil judgment and the possibility that James would seek to enforce it.Casting the case as a plot by Democrats, the ex-president asserted that they were trying to take his cash to starve his 2024 campaign.“I had intended to use much of that hard earned money on running for President. They don’t want me to do that — ELECTION INTERFERENCE!” he wrote on his Truth Social platform. Referring to his properties as “my ‘babies,’” he bristled at the idea of being forced to sell them or seeing them seized.Seizing assets is a common legal option when someone doesn’t have the cash to pay a civil court penalty. In Trump’s case, potential targets could include such properties as his Trump Tower penthouse, aircraft, Wall Street office building or golf courses.The attorney general also could go after his bank and investment accounts. Trump maintained on social media on Friday that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-bond-engoron-new-york-judgment-abfb3f8c6aac44836265c893f7548ff2">has almost $500 million</a>&nbsp;in cash but intends to use much of it on his presidential run. He has accused James and New York state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-engoron-letitia-james-fraud-new-york-9bd42690d327f6f63c9eb31c046f8426">Judge Arthur Engoron</a>, who's also a Democrat, of seeking “to take the cash away so I can’t use it on the campaign.”One possibility would be for James' office to go through a legal process to have local law enforcement seize properties, then seek to sell them off. But that's a complicated prospect in Trump's case, noted Stewart Sterk, a real estate law professor at Cardozo School of Law.“Finding buyers for assets of this magnitude is something that doesn’t happen overnight,” he said, noting that at any ordinary auction, “the chances that people are going to be able to bid up to the true value of the property is pretty slim.”Trump's debt stems from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-trial-new-york-44d7ce912fa2434c452e2b5dd6139789">a monthslong civil trial</a>&nbsp;last fall over the state's allegations that he, his company and top executives vastly puffed up his wealth on financial statements, conning bankers and insurers who did business with him. The statements valued his penthouse for years as though it were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-new-york-james-accountant-trial-64ffc5238f77f0a851626877cd45a96f">nearly three times its actual size</a>, for example.Trump and his co-defendants denied any wrongdoing, saying the statements actually&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-trial-testimony-dca74420da0f92ee9bc9caff7a92c3b2">lowballed his fortune</a>, came with disclaimers and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-letitia-james-fraud-trial-testimony-f73b28ef92cf3606d66bc9418f3025bc">weren't taken at face value</a>&nbsp;by the institutions that lent to or insured him. The penthouse discrepancy, he said, was simply a mistake made by subordinates.Engoron sided with the attorney general and ordered Trump to pay $355 million, plus interest that grows daily. Some co-defendants, including his sons and company executive vice presidents, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, were ordered to pay far smaller amounts.Under New York law, filing an appeal generally doesn't hold off enforcement of a judgment. But there's an automatic pause if the person or entity posts a bond that covers what's owed.The ex-president's lawyers have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-bond-appeal-million-75ef3efb5b70d6ea43bea85b65ff7810">said it's impossible</a>&nbsp;for him to do that. They said underwriters wanted 120% of the judgment and wouldn't accept real estate as collateral. That would mean tying up over $557 million in cash, stocks and other liquid assets, and Trump's company needs some left over to run the business, his attorneys have said.Trump's attorneys have asked an appeals court to freeze collection without his posting a bond. The attorney general's office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fraud-case-bond-appeal-million-b7186ffc2e96d252250c30938b824dd0">has objected</a>.

🎥Trump win: Court slashed $454M bond; 10 more days to pay

MOSCOW (AP) — Four men accused of staging the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-moscow-gunmen-concert-hall-injuries-fe7db5bb4ad4df17b6cbd04a3250faa1">Russia concert hall attack</a>&nbsp;that killed more than 130 people appeared before a Moscow court Sunday on terrorism charges showing signs of severe beatings. One appeared to be barely conscious during the hearing.

Court statements said two of the suspects accepted their guilt in the assault, though the men’s condition raised questions about whether they were speaking freely. There had been conflicting reports in Russian media outlets that said three or all four men admitted culpability.

The investigators charged Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, 32; Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, 30; Shamsidin Fariduni, 25; and Mukhammadsobir Faizov, 19, with committing a terrorist attack resulting in the death of others. The offense carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

Moscow's Basmanny District Court ordered that the men, all of whom were identified in the media as citizens of Tajikistan, be held in custody until May 22 pending investigation and trial.

Russian media had reported that the men were tortured during interrogation by the security services, and Mirzoyev, Rachabalizoda and Fariduni showed signs of heavy bruising, including swollen faces.

Rachabalizoda also had a heavily bandaged ear. Russian media said Saturday that one of the suspects had his ear cut off during interrogation. The Associated Press couldn’t verify the report or the videos purporting to show this.

The fourth suspect, Faizov, was brought to court from a hospital in a wheelchair and sat with his eyes closed throughout the proceedings. He was attended by medics while in court, where he wore a hospital gown and trousers and was seen with multiple cuts.

Court officials said Mirzoyev and Rachabalizoda admitted guilt for the attack after being charged.

The hearings came as Russia observed a national day of mourning for the attack Friday on the suburban Crocus City Hall concert venue that killed at least 137 people.

The attack, which has been claimed by an affiliate of the Islamic State group, was the deadliest on Russian soil in years.

Russian authorities arrested the four suspected attackers Saturday, with seven more people detained on suspicion of involvement in the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an address to the nation Saturday night. He sought to tie the attack to Ukraine and claimed the assailants were captured while fleeing there. Kyiv has firmly denied involvement.

Events at cultural institutions were canceled Sunday, flags were lowered to half-staff and television entertainment and advertising were suspended, according to state news agency RIA Novosti. A steady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-moscow-shooting-mood-d6293678526122609eead17f45e79421">stream of people</a>&nbsp;added to a makeshift memorial near the burned-out concert hall, creating a huge mound of flowers.

“People came to a concert, some people came to relax with their families, and any one of us could have been in that situation. And I want to express my condolences to all the families that were affected here and I want to pay tribute to these people," Andrey Kondakov, one of the mourners who came to lay flowers at the memorial, told AP.

“It is a tragedy that has affected our entire country," kindergarten employee Marina Korshunova said. “It just doesn’t even make sense that small children were affected by this event.” Three children were among the dead.

Rescuers continued to search the damaged building and the death toll rose as more bodies were found as family and friends of some of those still missing waiting for news. Moscow's Department of Health said Sunday it had begun identifying the bodies of those killed via DNA testing, saying the process would take at least two weeks.

Igor Pogadaev was desperately seeking any details about his wife, Yana Pogadaeva, who went to the attack concert. The last he heard from her was when she sent him two photos from the Crocus City Hall music venue.

After Pogadaev saw the reports of gunmen opening fire on concertgoers, he rushed to the site, but couldn’t find her in the numerous ambulances or among the hundreds of people who had made their way out of the venue.

“I went around, searched, I asked everyone, I showed photographs. No one saw anything, no one could say anything,” Pogadaev told AP in a video message.

He watched flames bursting out of the building as he made frantic calls to a hotline for relatives of the victims, but received no information.

As the death toll mounted Saturday, Pogodaev scoured hospitals in the Russian capital and the Moscow region, looking for information on newly admitted patients.

His wife wasn’t among the 182 reported injured, nor on the list of 60 victims authorities had already identified, he said.

The Moscow region’s branch of the Emergency Ministry posted a video Sunday showing equipment dismantling the damaged music venue to give rescuers access.

Putin has called the attack “a bloody, barbaric terrorist act” and said Russian authorities captured the four suspects as they were trying to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-moscow-krasnogorsk-gunmen-concert-hall-fire-97e321c3c477ece36d4fb32f50fa0e8a">escape to Ukraine</a>&nbsp;through a “window” prepared for them on the Ukrainian side of the border.

MOSCOW (AP) — Four men accused of staging the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-moscow-gunmen-concert-hall-injuries-fe7db5bb4ad4df17b6cbd04a3250faa1">Russia concert hall attack</a>&nbsp;that killed more than 130 people appeared before a Moscow court Sunday on terrorism charges showing signs of severe beatings. One appeared to be barely conscious during the hearing.Court statements said two of the suspects accepted their guilt in the assault, though the men’s condition raised questions about whether they were speaking freely. There had been conflicting reports in Russian media outlets that said three or all four men admitted culpability.The investigators charged Dalerdzhon Mirzoyev, 32; Saidakrami Rachabalizoda, 30; Shamsidin Fariduni, 25; and Mukhammadsobir Faizov, 19, with committing a terrorist attack resulting in the death of others. The offense carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.Moscow's Basmanny District Court ordered that the men, all of whom were identified in the media as citizens of Tajikistan, be held in custody until May 22 pending investigation and trial.Russian media had reported that the men were tortured during interrogation by the security services, and Mirzoyev, Rachabalizoda and Fariduni showed signs of heavy bruising, including swollen faces.Rachabalizoda also had a heavily bandaged ear. Russian media said Saturday that one of the suspects had his ear cut off during interrogation. The Associated Press couldn’t verify the report or the videos purporting to show this.The fourth suspect, Faizov, was brought to court from a hospital in a wheelchair and sat with his eyes closed throughout the proceedings. He was attended by medics while in court, where he wore a hospital gown and trousers and was seen with multiple cuts.Court officials said Mirzoyev and Rachabalizoda admitted guilt for the attack after being charged.The hearings came as Russia observed a national day of mourning for the attack Friday on the suburban Crocus City Hall concert venue that killed at least 137 people.The attack, which has been claimed by an affiliate of the Islamic State group, was the deadliest on Russian soil in years.Russian authorities arrested the four suspected attackers Saturday, with seven more people detained on suspicion of involvement in the attack, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in an address to the nation Saturday night. He sought to tie the attack to Ukraine and claimed the assailants were captured while fleeing there. Kyiv has firmly denied involvement.Events at cultural institutions were canceled Sunday, flags were lowered to half-staff and television entertainment and advertising were suspended, according to state news agency RIA Novosti. A steady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-moscow-shooting-mood-d6293678526122609eead17f45e79421">stream of people</a>&nbsp;added to a makeshift memorial near the burned-out concert hall, creating a huge mound of flowers.“People came to a concert, some people came to relax with their families, and any one of us could have been in that situation. And I want to express my condolences to all the families that were affected here and I want to pay tribute to these people," Andrey Kondakov, one of the mourners who came to lay flowers at the memorial, told AP.“It is a tragedy that has affected our entire country," kindergarten employee Marina Korshunova said. “It just doesn’t even make sense that small children were affected by this event.” Three children were among the dead.Rescuers continued to search the damaged building and the death toll rose as more bodies were found as family and friends of some of those still missing waiting for news. Moscow's Department of Health said Sunday it had begun identifying the bodies of those killed via DNA testing, saying the process would take at least two weeks.Igor Pogadaev was desperately seeking any details about his wife, Yana Pogadaeva, who went to the attack concert. The last he heard from her was when she sent him two photos from the Crocus City Hall music venue.After Pogadaev saw the reports of gunmen opening fire on concertgoers, he rushed to the site, but couldn’t find her in the numerous ambulances or among the hundreds of people who had made their way out of the venue.“I went around, searched, I asked everyone, I showed photographs. No one saw anything, no one could say anything,” Pogadaev told AP in a video message.He watched flames bursting out of the building as he made frantic calls to a hotline for relatives of the victims, but received no information.As the death toll mounted Saturday, Pogodaev scoured hospitals in the Russian capital and the Moscow region, looking for information on newly admitted patients.His wife wasn’t among the 182 reported injured, nor on the list of 60 victims authorities had already identified, he said.The Moscow region’s branch of the Emergency Ministry posted a video Sunday showing equipment dismantling the damaged music venue to give rescuers access.Putin has called the attack “a bloody, barbaric terrorist act” and said Russian authorities captured the four suspects as they were trying to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-moscow-krasnogorsk-gunmen-concert-hall-fire-97e321c3c477ece36d4fb32f50fa0e8a">escape to Ukraine</a>&nbsp;through a “window” prepared for them on the Ukrainian side of the border.Russian media broadcast videos that apparently showed the detention and interrogation of the suspects, including one who told the cameras he was approached by an unidentified assistant to an Islamic preacher via a messaging app and paid to take part in the raid.Putin didn't mention IS in his speech to the nation, and Kyiv accused him and other Russian politicians of falsely linking Ukraine to the assault to stoke fervor for Russia’s fight in Ukraine, which recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine">entered its third year</a>.U.S. intelligence officials said they had confirmed the IS affiliate's claim.“ISIS bears sole responsibility for this attack. There was no Ukrainian involvement whatsoever,” National Security Council spokeswoman Adrienne Watson said in a statement.The U.S. shared information with Russia in early March about a planned terrorist attack in Moscow, and issued a public warning to Americans in Russia, Watson said.The raid was a major embarrassment for Putin and happened just days after he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-election-putin-73aa3264d55687d59938ee4ef40ef3a0">cemented his grip</a>&nbsp;on the country for another six years in a vote that followed the harshest crackdown on dissent since the Soviet times.Some commentators on Russian social media questioned how authorities, who have relentlessly suppressed any opposition activities and prosecuted critics, failed to prevent the attack despite the U.S. warnings.IS, which fought against Russia during its intervention in the Syrian civil war, has long targeted Russia. In a statement posted by the group’s Aamaq news agency, the IS Afghanistan affiliate said that it had attacked a large gathering of “Christians” in Krasnogorsk.The group issued a new statement Saturday on Aamaq, saying the attack was carried out by four men who used automatic rifles, a pistol, knives and firebombs. It said the assailants fired at the crowd and used knives to kill some concertgoers, casting the raid as part of the Islamic State group's ongoing war with countries that it says are fighting against Islam.In October 2015, a bomb&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/df25949c342340659058a5f07cd97786">planted by IS</a>&nbsp;downed a Russian passenger plane over Sinai, killing all 224 people on board, most of them Russian vacationers returning from Egypt.