WASHINGTON (AP) — On this Tax Day, the IRS is promoting the customer service improvements the agency rolled out since receiving tens of billions in new funding dollars through Democrats' Inflation Reduction Act.

From cutting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/filing-season-irs-tax-day-taxpayer-4ad340b6dc83b4b4dce89658eda7bbd1">phone wait times</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-digital-paperless-tax-returns-paperwork-costs-2025-3256684198f61bb9b64e1521d5cb6014">digitizing more documents</a>&nbsp;and improving the “Where's My Refund” tool to show more account details in plain language, agency leadership is trying to bring attention to what's been done to repair the agency’s image as an outdated and maligned tax collector.

The promotion also in part is meant to quickly normalize a more efficient and effective IRS before congressional Republicans threaten another round of cuts to the agency. So time is of the essence for both taxpayers and the agency this season.

“This filing season, the IRS has built off past successes and reached new milestones,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on a Friday call with reporters. “It’s showing that when it has the resources it needs, it will provide taxpayers the service they deserve.”

“Delivering tax season is a massive undertaking," said IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel. “We greatly appreciate people in many different areas working long hours to serve taxpayers as the tax deadline approaches.”

For most people, April 15 is the last day to submit tax returns or to file an extension and the IRS says it has received more than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irsgov-offers-last-minute-filing-tips-resources-to-help-taxpayers-who-still-need-to-file-before-april-15-special-saturday-hours-in-70-locations">100 million tax returns</a>, with tens of millions more expected to be filed.

The IRS says call wait times have been cut down to three minutes this tax season, compared with the average 28 minutes in 2022. That has saved taxpayers 1.4 million hours of hold time and the agency has answered 3 million more calls compared with the same time frame. Also, an updated “Where’s My Refund” tool giving more specific information about taxpayers’ refunds in plain language was rolled out to 31 million views online.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-tax-season-income-taxes-revenue-werfel-8387205aac2c916fd62cc7b40a439cdd">Werfel told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;earlier in the tax season that the agency's agenda is to deliver “better service for all Americans so that we can ease stress, frustration and make the tax filing process easier — and to increase scrutiny on complex filers where there’s risk of tax evasion."

“When we do that,” Werfel said, “not only do we make the tax system work better because it’s easier and more streamlined to meet your tax obligations. But also we collect more money for the U.S. Treasury and lower our deficit. The IRS is a good investment.”

Major new initiatives in recent months have included an aggressive pursuit of high-wealth earners who don’t pay their full tax obligations, such as people who improperly deduct personal flights on corporate jets and those who just don’t file at all.

This also is the first tax season that the IRS has rolled out a program called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-income-taxes-direct-file-program-free-4b0917e281b63e06527343598dde650c">Direct File</a>, the government’s free&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/income-taxes-irs-filing-season-tax-3183677b56af696bd5e005fa01388f79">electronic tax return filing system</a>&nbsp;available to taxpayers in 12 states who have simple W-2 forms and claim a standard deduction.

If Direct File is successful and scaled up for the general public’s use, the program could drastically change how Americans file their taxes and how much money they spend completing them. That is, if the agency can see the program through its development in spite of threats to its funding.

The Inflation Reduction Act initially included $80 billion for the IRS.

However, House Republicans have successfully clawed back some of the money. They built a $1.4 billion reduction to the IRS into the debt ceiling and budget cuts package passed by Congress last summer. A separate agreement will take an additional $20 billion from the IRS over the next two years to divert to other nondefense programs.

Government watchdogs warn IRS funding cuts will reduce the amount of revenues the U.S. collects.

The non-partisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/59972">Congressional Budget Office reported</a>&nbsp;in February that a $5 billion rescission from the IRS would reduce revenues by $5.2 billion over the next 10 years and increase the cumulative deficit by $0.2 billion. A $20 billion rescission would reduce revenues by $44 billion and a $35 billion rescission would reduce revenues by $89 billion and increase the deficit by $54 billion.

WASHINGTON (AP) — On this Tax Day, the IRS is promoting the customer service improvements the agency rolled out since receiving tens of billions in new funding dollars through Democrats' Inflation Reduction Act.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Visit <a href="https://t.co/M58WbkiNQi">https://t.co/M58WbkiNQi</a> before the filing season deadline! <a href="https://t.co/Xy6rlmZeOE">pic.twitter.com/Xy6rlmZeOE</a>&mdash; IRSnews (@IRSnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/IRSnews/status/1779480978756346270?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>From cutting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/filing-season-irs-tax-day-taxpayer-4ad340b6dc83b4b4dce89658eda7bbd1">phone wait times</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-digital-paperless-tax-returns-paperwork-costs-2025-3256684198f61bb9b64e1521d5cb6014">digitizing more documents</a>&nbsp;and improving the “Where's My Refund” tool to show more account details in plain language, agency leadership is trying to bring attention to what's been done to repair the agency’s image as an outdated and maligned tax collector.The promotion also in part is meant to quickly normalize a more efficient and effective IRS before congressional Republicans threaten another round of cuts to the agency. So time is of the essence for both taxpayers and the agency this season.“This filing season, the IRS has built off past successes and reached new milestones,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said on a Friday call with reporters. “It’s showing that when it has the resources it needs, it will provide taxpayers the service they deserve.”“Delivering tax season is a massive undertaking," said IRS Commissioner Daniel Werfel. “We greatly appreciate people in many different areas working long hours to serve taxpayers as the tax deadline approaches.”For most people, April 15 is the last day to submit tax returns or to file an extension and the IRS says it has received more than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irsgov-offers-last-minute-filing-tips-resources-to-help-taxpayers-who-still-need-to-file-before-april-15-special-saturday-hours-in-70-locations">100 million tax returns</a>, with tens of millions more expected to be filed.The IRS says call wait times have been cut down to three minutes this tax season, compared with the average 28 minutes in 2022. That has saved taxpayers 1.4 million hours of hold time and the agency has answered 3 million more calls compared with the same time frame. Also, an updated “Where’s My Refund” tool giving more specific information about taxpayers’ refunds in plain language was rolled out to 31 million views online.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-tax-season-income-taxes-revenue-werfel-8387205aac2c916fd62cc7b40a439cdd">Werfel told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;earlier in the tax season that the agency's agenda is to deliver “better service for all Americans so that we can ease stress, frustration and make the tax filing process easier — and to increase scrutiny on complex filers where there’s risk of tax evasion."“When we do that,” Werfel said, “not only do we make the tax system work better because it’s easier and more streamlined to meet your tax obligations. But also we collect more money for the U.S. Treasury and lower our deficit. The IRS is a good investment.”Major new initiatives in recent months have included an aggressive pursuit of high-wealth earners who don’t pay their full tax obligations, such as people who improperly deduct personal flights on corporate jets and those who just don’t file at all.This also is the first tax season that the IRS has rolled out a program called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-income-taxes-direct-file-program-free-4b0917e281b63e06527343598dde650c">Direct File</a>, the government’s free&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/income-taxes-irs-filing-season-tax-3183677b56af696bd5e005fa01388f79">electronic tax return filing system</a>&nbsp;available to taxpayers in 12 states who have simple W-2 forms and claim a standard deduction.If Direct File is successful and scaled up for the general public’s use, the program could drastically change how Americans file their taxes and how much money they spend completing them. That is, if the agency can see the program through its development in spite of threats to its funding.The Inflation Reduction Act initially included $80 billion for the IRS.However, House Republicans have successfully clawed back some of the money. They built a $1.4 billion reduction to the IRS into the debt ceiling and budget cuts package passed by Congress last summer. A separate agreement will take an additional $20 billion from the IRS over the next two years to divert to other nondefense programs.Government watchdogs warn IRS funding cuts will reduce the amount of revenues the U.S. collects.The non-partisan&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/59972">Congressional Budget Office reported</a>&nbsp;in February that a $5 billion rescission from the IRS would reduce revenues by $5.2 billion over the next 10 years and increase the cumulative deficit by $0.2 billion. A $20 billion rescission would reduce revenues by $44 billion and a $35 billion rescission would reduce revenues by $89 billion and increase the deficit by $54 billion.___

The IRS is quicker to answer the phone on this Tax Day

TEHRAN, Iran (AP)—On Saturday night and Sunday morning,&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp; forces, supported by U.S. European Command destroyers, successfully engaged and destroyed more than 80 one-way attack uncrewed aerial vehicles (OWA UAV) and at least six ballistic missiles intended to strike Israel from Iran and Yemen, according to a statement Sunday night from the U.S. Central Command.

This attack included a ballistic missile on its launcher vehicle and seven UAVs destroyed on the ground in Iranian-backed Houthi controlled areas of Yemen prior to their launch.

CENTCOM remains postured to support Israel’s defense against these dangerous actions by Iran.

Meanwhile, Iran has sent a message to the U.S. warning Washington against cooperation with Israel in any military operation again Tehran following its unprecedented attack on Israel.

The state-run IRNA news agency quoted Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, the chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, as saying that Tehran had communicated its message to the U.S. through the Swiss Embassy, which handles U.S. interests in Iran in the absence of diplomatic relations.

President Ebrahim Raisi sent a message praising Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard for launching the attack, saying it had taught a lesson to the “Zionist regime.” He also warned that “any new adventure against the interests of the Iranian nation would be met with a heavier and regretful response from the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

State TV meanwhile broadcast interviews with people on the street who praised the Iranian missile and drone attack on Israel and thanked the Iranian military.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713135108047.png" alt="On Sunday, President Biden convened with fellow G7 leaders to discuss Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel. "We will continue to work together to stabilize the situation in the region and avoid further escalation," Biden wrote on social media." />
 <figcaption>On Sunday, President Biden convened with fellow G7 leaders to discuss Iran’s unprecedented attack against Israel. "We will continue to work together to stabilize the situation in the region and avoid further escalation," Biden wrote on social media.</figcaption>
 </figure>TEHRAN, Iran (AP)—On Saturday night and Sunday morning,&nbsp;U.S.&nbsp; forces, supported by U.S. European Command destroyers, successfully engaged and destroyed more than 80 one-way attack uncrewed aerial vehicles (OWA UAV) and at least six ballistic missiles intended to strike Israel from Iran and Yemen, according to a statement Sunday night from the U.S. Central Command.This attack included a ballistic missile on its launcher vehicle and seven UAVs destroyed on the ground in Iranian-backed Houthi controlled areas of Yemen prior to their launch.CENTCOM remains postured to support Israel’s defense against these dangerous actions by Iran.Meanwhile, Iran has sent a message to the U.S. warning Washington against cooperation with Israel in any military operation again Tehran following its unprecedented attack on Israel.The state-run IRNA news agency quoted Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, the chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, as saying that Tehran had communicated its message to the U.S. through the Swiss Embassy, which handles U.S. interests in Iran in the absence of diplomatic relations.President Ebrahim Raisi sent a message praising Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard for launching the attack, saying it had taught a lesson to the “Zionist regime.” He also warned that “any new adventure against the interests of the Iranian nation would be met with a heavier and regretful response from the Islamic Republic of Iran.”State TV meanwhile broadcast interviews with people on the street who praised the Iranian missile and drone attack on Israel and thanked the Iranian military.

Iran warns U.S. against helping Israel with any new attack 

NEW YORK (AP) — Much like nutritional labels on food products, “broadband labels” for internet packages will soon tell you just what is going into the pricing of your service, thanks to new rules adopted by the Federal Communications Commission this week.

“If you’ve ever shopped for home or mobile internet, you can understand how hard it can be to understand what you’re actually paying for,” said Jon Donenberg, Deputy Director of the White House National Economic Council, on a call with reporters. "The broadband nutrition label is a tool that can help consumers make sure they have a clear, straightforward explanation of home and mobile services before signing up for anything.”

Following the design of FDA food labels, these broadband labels will provide easy-to-understand, accurate information about the cost and performance of high-speed internet service to help consumers avoid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/junk-fees-hidden-federal-trade-commission-2271f63bb842958a430f39cf1cffeca8">junk fees, price hikes, and other unexpected costs.</a>

Internet service providers selling home access or mobile broadband plans will be required to have a label for each plan beginning April 10.

The labels will be mandated to appear at any point of sale, including online and in stores, and they will be required to disclose all pricing information — including introductory rates, data allowances, and speeds. The labels will also include links to information about network management practices and privacy policies.

Hidden fees and unexpected rate hikes have dogged consumers shopping for internet service for years, and the Biden administration has been cracking down on “junk fees” (opaque and misleading fee structures) across industries — including banking, hotel and airline pricing, and utility and phone services — for the past several years.

On a call Tuesday, a spokesperson for the FCC clarified that the labels “cannot be buried in multiple clicks” or hidden in a way that a consumer might miss.

“Fees can make it hard to understand the true cost of an internet plan," said Donenberg, adding that the agency is “committed to rooting out surprise junk fees that some companies pile on to your bills.”

2. Whether that price will change after a certain period and what it will change to

3. Complete list of monthly and one-time fees, and early termination fee

4. Whether the company participates in the Affordable Connectivity Program and link to check if one qualifies

5. “Typical” download and upload speeds, and latency

7. Links to network management (e.g., zero rating and content blocking) and privacy policies

WHAT IF I DON’T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING ON THE LABELS?

<a href="https://www.fcc.gov/consumer-governmental-affairs/consumer-broadband-labels-glossary-terminology">A glossary</a>&nbsp;is available to help consumers better understand the information displayed on the label.

WHAT IF A PROVIDER DOESN’T DISPLAY THE LABEL?

If a provider does not display their labels or posts inaccurate information about its fees or service plans, consumers can file a complaint with the&nbsp;<a href="https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/">FCC Consumer Complaint Center</a>.

While many providers will begin displaying their labels in April, some firms with less than 100,000 subscribers will have until Oct. 10, 2024, to comply with the FCC rules.

“The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Much like nutritional labels on food products, “broadband labels” for internet packages will soon tell you just what is going into the pricing of your service, thanks to new rules adopted by the Federal Communications Commission this week.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Hidden fees on internet bills add up quickly – so our Administration is taking action. Starting today, large internet providers are required to tell you exactly what you’re paying and what you’re getting when you purchase your internet plan – all on one simple label. <a href="https://t.co/Y9YlD7HUgW">pic.twitter.com/Y9YlD7HUgW</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1778120772118032854?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“If you’ve ever shopped for home or mobile internet, you can understand how hard it can be to understand what you’re actually paying for,” said Jon Donenberg, Deputy Director of the White House National Economic Council, on a call with reporters. "The broadband nutrition label is a tool that can help consumers make sure they have a clear, straightforward explanation of home and mobile services before signing up for anything.”Following the design of FDA food labels, these broadband labels will provide easy-to-understand, accurate information about the cost and performance of high-speed internet service to help consumers avoid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/junk-fees-hidden-federal-trade-commission-2271f63bb842958a430f39cf1cffeca8">junk fees, price hikes, and other unexpected costs.</a>Internet service providers selling home access or mobile broadband plans will be required to have a label for each plan beginning April 10.The labels will be mandated to appear at any point of sale, including online and in stores, and they will be required to disclose all pricing information — including introductory rates, data allowances, and speeds. The labels will also include links to information about network management practices and privacy policies.Here's what you need to know.WHAT'S BEHIND THE NEW LABELING?Hidden fees and unexpected rate hikes have dogged consumers shopping for internet service for years, and the Biden administration has been cracking down on “junk fees” (opaque and misleading fee structures) across industries — including banking, hotel and airline pricing, and utility and phone services — for the past several years.On a call Tuesday, a spokesperson for the FCC clarified that the labels “cannot be buried in multiple clicks” or hidden in a way that a consumer might miss.“Fees can make it hard to understand the true cost of an internet plan," said Donenberg, adding that the agency is “committed to rooting out surprise junk fees that some companies pile on to your bills.”1. Monthly price and contract length2. Whether that price will change after a certain period and what it will change to3. Complete list of monthly and one-time fees, and early termination fee4. Whether the company participates in the Affordable Connectivity Program and link to check if one qualifies5. “Typical” download and upload speeds, and latency6. Data cap and price beyond that cap7. Links to network management (e.g., zero rating and content blocking) and privacy policiesWHAT IF I DON’T UNDERSTAND SOMETHING ON THE LABELS?<a href="https://www.fcc.gov/consumer-governmental-affairs/consumer-broadband-labels-glossary-terminology">A glossary</a>&nbsp;is available to help consumers better understand the information displayed on the label.WHAT IF A PROVIDER DOESN’T DISPLAY THE LABEL?If a provider does not display their labels or posts inaccurate information about its fees or service plans, consumers can file a complaint with the&nbsp;<a href="https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/">FCC Consumer Complaint Center</a>.WHEN DO THESE RULES TAKE EFFECT?While many providers will begin displaying their labels in April, some firms with less than 100,000 subscribers will have until Oct. 10, 2024, to comply with the FCC rules.“The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.”

FCC made it easier to compare fees, pricing of internet providers

KANSAS CITY (AP) —A bird flu outbreak in U.S. dairy cows has grown to affect&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock">more than two dozen herds</a>&nbsp;in eight states, just weeks after the nation's largest egg producer found&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-texas-mississippi-chickens-dbae49f8786dda586036c1b86b9d0997">the virus</a>&nbsp;in its chickens.

Health officials stress that the risk to the public is low and that the U.S. food supply remains safe and stable.

“At this time, there continues to be no concern that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health, or that it affects the safety of the interstate commercial milk supply,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a statement.

Here’s what you need to know about bird flu and food:

WHICH STATES HAVE FOUND BIRD FLU IN DAIRY COWS?

As of Friday, the strain of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-avian-flu-chickens-eggs-03793b5b1cb7429ce293e8577aef0358">bird flu</a>&nbsp;that has killed millions of wild birds in recent years has been found in at least 26 dairy herds in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock">eight U.S. states</a>: Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas and South Dakota.

The virus, known as Type A H5N1, has been detected in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/disease-outbreaks-hong-kong-health-bird-flu-animals-75e5d058e0fda23b5359f66cafb74cdf">range of mammals</a>&nbsp;over the last few years, but this is the first time it has been found in cattle, according to federal health and animal agencies. Genetic analysis of the virus does not show that it has changed to spread more easily in people, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.

HOW IS BIRD FLU AFFECTING FOOD PRODUCTION?

Agriculture officials in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.avma.org/news/states-begin-restrict-cattle-imports-those-influenza-cases">at least 17 states</a>&nbsp;have restricted imports of dairy cattle from states where the virus has been detected, but, so far, government agencies say it’s had little effect on commercial milk production. Officials believe cows likely have been infected by exposure to wild birds, but said cow-to-cow spread&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-announcements/usda-fda-cdc-share-update-hpai-detections-dairy-cattle">“cannot be ruled out."</a>

Farmers are testing cows that show symptoms of infection, including sharply reduced milk supply and lethargy. Animals that show signs or test positive for illness are being separated from other animals on the farms. The animals appear to recover within two weeks.

U.S. egg producers are watching the situation closely after bird flu was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-avian-flu-chickens-eggs-03793b5b1cb7429ce293e8577aef0358">detected in chickens in Texas and Michigan.</a>&nbsp;Millions of birds have been killed, but the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/egg-guidance-regulation-and-other-information/questions-and-answers-regarding-safety-eggs-during-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-outbreaks">FDA said</a>&nbsp;the risk of affected eggs getting into the retail market or causing infections in humans is low because of federal inspections and other safeguards.

Scientists say there’s no evidence to suggest that people can contract the virus by consuming food that’s been pasteurized, or heat-treated — or properly cooked.

“It’s not a food safety concern,” said Lee-Ann Jaykus, an emeritus food microbiologist and virologist at North Carolina State University.

Two people in U.S. have been infected with bird flu to date.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-texas-cows-355f1e288e72df8b81b0e2efd8b3ae2f">A Texas dairy worker</a>&nbsp;who was in close contact with an infected cow recently developed a mild eye infection and has recovered. In 2022, a prison inmate in a work program&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-environment-colorado-b98906e0a1899bb1f92da30a7b1dbe28">caught it</a>&nbsp;while killing infected birds at a Colorado poultry farm. His only symptom was fatigue, and he recovered.

IS GROCERY STORE MILK SAFE FROM BIRD FLU?

Yes, according to food safety experts and government officials.

U.S. producers are barred from selling milk from sick cows and must divert and destroy it. In addition, milk sold across state lines is required to be pasteurized, or heat-treated using a process that kills bacteria and viruses, including influenza.

“We firmly believe that pasteurization provides a safe milk supply,” Tracey Forfa, director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine told a webinar audience this week.

The FDA and the CDC are less certain about unpasteurized, or raw, milk sold in many states, saying there’s limited information about the possible transmission of the H5N1 virus in such products.

So far, no herds linked to raw milk providers have reported cows infected with bird flu, but the agencies recommend that the industry not make or sell raw milk or raw milk cheese products made with milk from cows that show symptoms — or are exposed to infected cows.

U.S. health officials have long warned against the risk of foodborne illness tied to raw milk, which the CDC said caused more than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/rawmilk/rawmilk-outbreaks.">200 outbreaks</a>&nbsp;that sickened more than 2,600 people between 1998 and 2018.

Still, raw milk proponents like Mark McAfee, owner of Raw Farm USA in Fresno, Calif., said the outbreak of H5N1 in commercial cows appears to have spurred higher sales of the products, despite federal warnings.

CAN YOU CATCH BIRD FLU FROM EGGS OR MEAT?

Only dairy cows, not beef cattle, have been infected or shown signs of illness to date, agriculture officials said.

The largest egg producer in the U.S. temporarily halted operations on April 2 after finding bird flu in its chickens. Cal-Maine Foods culled about 1.6 million laying hens and another 337,000 pullets, or young hens, after the detection.

The company said there was no risk to eggs in the market and that no eggs had been recalled.

Eggs that are handled properly and cooked thoroughly are safe to eat, said Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Center for Food Safety and Nutrition Security at George Washington University.

“A lot of people like runny eggs. Personally, if I eat an egg, it’s very well cooked,” she said.

Still, Kowalcyk and others cautioned that the situation could change.

“This is an emerging issue and clearly this pathogen is evolving and there’s a lot that we don’t know,” she said. “I do think that everybody is trying to figure it out as quickly as possible.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636037846131.jpeg" alt="Photo USDA" />
 <figcaption>Photo USDA</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —A bird flu outbreak in U.S. dairy cows has grown to affect&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock">more than two dozen herds</a>&nbsp;in eight states, just weeks after the nation's largest egg producer found&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-texas-mississippi-chickens-dbae49f8786dda586036c1b86b9d0997">the virus</a>&nbsp;in its chickens.Health officials stress that the risk to the public is low and that the U.S. food supply remains safe and stable.“At this time, there continues to be no concern that this circumstance poses a risk to consumer health, or that it affects the safety of the interstate commercial milk supply,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said in a statement.Here’s what you need to know about bird flu and food:WHICH STATES HAVE FOUND BIRD FLU IN DAIRY COWS?As of Friday, the strain of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-avian-flu-chickens-eggs-03793b5b1cb7429ce293e8577aef0358">bird flu</a>&nbsp;that has killed millions of wild birds in recent years has been found in at least 26 dairy herds in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock">eight U.S. states</a>: Idaho, Kansas, Michigan, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas and South Dakota.The virus, known as Type A H5N1, has been detected in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/disease-outbreaks-hong-kong-health-bird-flu-animals-75e5d058e0fda23b5359f66cafb74cdf">range of mammals</a>&nbsp;over the last few years, but this is the first time it has been found in cattle, according to federal health and animal agencies. Genetic analysis of the virus does not show that it has changed to spread more easily in people, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.HOW IS BIRD FLU AFFECTING FOOD PRODUCTION?Agriculture officials in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.avma.org/news/states-begin-restrict-cattle-imports-those-influenza-cases">at least 17 states</a>&nbsp;have restricted imports of dairy cattle from states where the virus has been detected, but, so far, government agencies say it’s had little effect on commercial milk production. Officials believe cows likely have been infected by exposure to wild birds, but said cow-to-cow spread&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-announcements/usda-fda-cdc-share-update-hpai-detections-dairy-cattle">“cannot be ruled out."</a>Farmers are testing cows that show symptoms of infection, including sharply reduced milk supply and lethargy. Animals that show signs or test positive for illness are being separated from other animals on the farms. The animals appear to recover within two weeks.U.S. egg producers are watching the situation closely after bird flu was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-avian-flu-chickens-eggs-03793b5b1cb7429ce293e8577aef0358">detected in chickens in Texas and Michigan.</a>&nbsp;Millions of birds have been killed, but the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/food/egg-guidance-regulation-and-other-information/questions-and-answers-regarding-safety-eggs-during-highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza-outbreaks">FDA said</a>&nbsp;the risk of affected eggs getting into the retail market or causing infections in humans is low because of federal inspections and other safeguards.DOES PASTEURIZATION KILL BIRD FLU?Scientists say there’s no evidence to suggest that people can contract the virus by consuming food that’s been pasteurized, or heat-treated — or properly cooked.“It’s not a food safety concern,” said Lee-Ann Jaykus, an emeritus food microbiologist and virologist at North Carolina State University.Two people in U.S. have been infected with bird flu to date.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-texas-cows-355f1e288e72df8b81b0e2efd8b3ae2f">A Texas dairy worker</a>&nbsp;who was in close contact with an infected cow recently developed a mild eye infection and has recovered. In 2022, a prison inmate in a work program&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-environment-colorado-b98906e0a1899bb1f92da30a7b1dbe28">caught it</a>&nbsp;while killing infected birds at a Colorado poultry farm. His only symptom was fatigue, and he recovered.IS GROCERY STORE MILK SAFE FROM BIRD FLU?Yes, according to food safety experts and government officials.U.S. producers are barred from selling milk from sick cows and must divert and destroy it. In addition, milk sold across state lines is required to be pasteurized, or heat-treated using a process that kills bacteria and viruses, including influenza.“We firmly believe that pasteurization provides a safe milk supply,” Tracey Forfa, director of the FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine told a webinar audience this week.IS RAW MILK SAFE FROM BIRD FLU?The FDA and the CDC are less certain about unpasteurized, or raw, milk sold in many states, saying there’s limited information about the possible transmission of the H5N1 virus in such products.So far, no herds linked to raw milk providers have reported cows infected with bird flu, but the agencies recommend that the industry not make or sell raw milk or raw milk cheese products made with milk from cows that show symptoms — or are exposed to infected cows.U.S. health officials have long warned against the risk of foodborne illness tied to raw milk, which the CDC said caused more than&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/foodsafety/rawmilk/rawmilk-outbreaks.">200 outbreaks</a>&nbsp;that sickened more than 2,600 people between 1998 and 2018.Still, raw milk proponents like Mark McAfee, owner of Raw Farm USA in Fresno, Calif., said the outbreak of H5N1 in commercial cows appears to have spurred higher sales of the products, despite federal warnings.CAN YOU CATCH BIRD FLU FROM EGGS OR MEAT?Only dairy cows, not beef cattle, have been infected or shown signs of illness to date, agriculture officials said.The largest egg producer in the U.S. temporarily halted operations on April 2 after finding bird flu in its chickens. Cal-Maine Foods culled about 1.6 million laying hens and another 337,000 pullets, or young hens, after the detection.The company said there was no risk to eggs in the market and that no eggs had been recalled.Eggs that are handled properly and cooked thoroughly are safe to eat, said Barbara Kowalcyk, director of the Center for Food Safety and Nutrition Security at George Washington University.“A lot of people like runny eggs. Personally, if I eat an egg, it’s very well cooked,” she said.Still, Kowalcyk and others cautioned that the situation could change.“This is an emerging issue and clearly this pathogen is evolving and there’s a lot that we don’t know,” she said. “I do think that everybody is trying to figure it out as quickly as possible.”___

Bird flu is spreading to more farm animals. Are milk and eggs safe?

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden lauded American forces who helped Israel down “nearly all” of the drones and missiles&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-attacks-f27cda966ac274982d968cbcc033eff0">fired by Iran</a>&nbsp;and vowed to coordinate a global response to Tehran's unprecedented attack. The Pentagon said U.S. forces intercepted “dozens of missiles” and drones launched from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen that were headed toward Israel.

With regional tensions at their highest since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;began six months ago, Biden pledged on Saturday that American support for Israel's defense against attacks by Iran and its proxies is “ironclad.” The attack marked the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel, risking a wider regional conflict.

Biden made clear in a call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. would not participate in any offensive action against Iran, according to a senior administration official who was not authorized to publicly discuss the private conversation and spoke on condition of anonmymity.

The U.S. and Israel had been bracing for an attack for days after Iran said it would retaliate for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">suspected Israeli strike</a>&nbsp;this month on an Iranian consular building in Syria that killed 12 people, including two senior Iranian generals in the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force.

“At my direction, to support the defense of Israel, the U.S. military moved aircraft and ballistic missile defense destroyers to the region over the course of the past week,” Biden said in a statement late Saturday. "Thanks to these deployments and the extraordinary skill of our servicemembers, we helped Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles."

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a statement said the U.S. took out dozens of the attacks, but did not provide details on ships or aircraft involved in the operation that commanders had been preparing for over the past two weeks.

“Our forces remain postured to protect U.S. troops and partners in the region, provide further support for Israel’s defense, and enhance regional stability,” Austin said, adding that troops are standing ready to prevent any further conflict.

Biden had cut short a weekend stay at his Delaware beach house to meet with his national security team at the White House, returning to Washington minutes before Israeli officials confirmed that they had detected drones being launched toward their territory from Iran.

He convened a principals meeting of the National Security Council in the White House Situation Room to discuss the unfolding situation, the White House said, before speaking with Netanyahu.

“I told him that Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks – sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel,” Biden said.

Biden added that he would convene a meeting of the Group of Seven advanced democracies on Sunday “to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack.”

The Pentagon reported that Austin had spoken twice with his Israeli counterpart to praise the “extraordinary defensive measures and strong cooperation undertaken to defeat this Iranian attack against Israel” and again stated clearly that "Israel could count on full U.S. support to defend Israel against any future attacks by Iran and its regional proxies.” National security adviser Jake Sullivan also spoke with his counterpart to reinforce Washington's “ironclad commitment to the security of Israel.”

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement that “Iran has begun an airborne attack against Israel.” She added: “The United States will stand with the people of Israel and support their defense against these threats from Iran.”

Biden on Friday said the United States was "devoted” to defending Israel and that “Iran will not succeed.” Asked by reporters what his message was for Iran, the president’s only reply was: “Don’t.”

He ignored a question about what would trigger a direct U.S. military response.

The U.S., along with its allies, have sent direct messages to Tehran to warn against further escalating the conflict.

During the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, there have been near-daily exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group along the Israel-Lebanon border. U.S. officials have recorded more than 150 attacks by Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria on U.S. forces at bases in those countries since war started on Oct. 7.

One attack in late January killed three U.S. service members in Jordan. In retaliation, the U.S. launched a massive air assault, hitting more than 85 targets at seven locations in Iraq and Syria.

Meantime, on Saturday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strait-of-hormuz-vessel-33fcffde2d867380e98c89403776a8ac">commandos from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard</a>&nbsp;rappelled from a helicopter onto an Israeli-affiliated container ship near the Strait of Hormuz and seized the vessel.

Watson, the NSC spokesperson, said the U.S. strongly condemned the seizure and urged Iran to release the ship and crew immediately.

“We will work with our partners to hold Iran to account for its actions,” she said.

Also Saturday, the Israeli-occupied West Bank also saw some of the worst violence since Hamas' attack on Israel.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden says U.S. forces helped Israel down “nearly all” of the drones and missiles launched by Iran and pledged to convene allies to develop a unified response.

Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke early Sunday, Israeli time, their governments said. Biden said in a statement that he reaffirmed “America’s ironclad commitment” to Israel’s security — a departure from his harsh criticism over Israel’s handling of the war in Gaza.

“At my direction, to support the defense of Israel, the U.S. military moved aircraft and ballistic missile defense destroyers to the region over the course of the past week,” Biden said in the statement. “Thanks to these deployments and the extraordinary skill of our servicemembers, we helped Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles.”

Meanwhile,&nbsp; Iran has sent a message to the U.S. warning Washington against cooperation with Israel in any military operation again Tehran following its unprecedented attack on Israel.

The state-run IRNA news agency quoted Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, the chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, as saying that Tehran had communicated its message to the U.S. through the Swiss Embassy, which handles U.S. interest in Iran in the absence of diplomatic relations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713097769608.png" alt="On Saturday evening President Biden met with his national security team for an update on Iran’s attacks against Israel. "Our commitment to Israel’s security against threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad," Biden wrote on social media-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>On Saturday evening President Biden met with his national security team for an update on Iran’s attacks against Israel. "Our commitment to Israel’s security against threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad," Biden wrote on social media-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden lauded American forces who helped Israel down “nearly all” of the drones and missiles&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-attacks-f27cda966ac274982d968cbcc033eff0">fired by Iran</a>&nbsp;and vowed to coordinate a global response to Tehran's unprecedented attack. The Pentagon said U.S. forces intercepted “dozens of missiles” and drones launched from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen that were headed toward Israel.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I condemn Iran&#39;s attacks in the strongest possible terms and reaffirm America’s ironclad commitment to the security of Israel. My full statement on Iran’s attacks against Israel: <a href="https://t.co/EuPJZoGw6w">pic.twitter.com/EuPJZoGw6w</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1779347601764020297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 14, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>With regional tensions at their highest since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;began six months ago, Biden pledged on Saturday that American support for Israel's defense against attacks by Iran and its proxies is “ironclad.” The attack marked the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel, risking a wider regional conflict.Biden made clear in a call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that the U.S. would not participate in any offensive action against Iran, according to a senior administration official who was not authorized to publicly discuss the private conversation and spoke on condition of anonmymity.The U.S. and Israel had been bracing for an attack for days after Iran said it would retaliate for a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">suspected Israeli strike</a>&nbsp;this month on an Iranian consular building in Syria that killed 12 people, including two senior Iranian generals in the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force.“At my direction, to support the defense of Israel, the U.S. military moved aircraft and ballistic missile defense destroyers to the region over the course of the past week,” Biden said in a statement late Saturday. "Thanks to these deployments and the extraordinary skill of our servicemembers, we helped Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles."Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in a statement said the U.S. took out dozens of the attacks, but did not provide details on ships or aircraft involved in the operation that commanders had been preparing for over the past two weeks.“Our forces remain postured to protect U.S. troops and partners in the region, provide further support for Israel’s defense, and enhance regional stability,” Austin said, adding that troops are standing ready to prevent any further conflict.Biden had cut short a weekend stay at his Delaware beach house to meet with his national security team at the White House, returning to Washington minutes before Israeli officials confirmed that they had detected drones being launched toward their territory from Iran.He convened a principals meeting of the National Security Council in the White House Situation Room to discuss the unfolding situation, the White House said, before speaking with Netanyahu.“I told him that Israel demonstrated a remarkable capacity to defend against and defeat even unprecedented attacks – sending a clear message to its foes that they cannot effectively threaten the security of Israel,” Biden said.Biden added that he would convene a meeting of the Group of Seven advanced democracies on Sunday “to coordinate a united diplomatic response to Iran’s brazen attack.”The Pentagon reported that Austin had spoken twice with his Israeli counterpart to praise the “extraordinary defensive measures and strong cooperation undertaken to defeat this Iranian attack against Israel” and again stated clearly that "Israel could count on full U.S. support to defend Israel against any future attacks by Iran and its regional proxies.” National security adviser Jake Sullivan also spoke with his counterpart to reinforce Washington's “ironclad commitment to the security of Israel.”National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement that “Iran has begun an airborne attack against Israel.” She added: “The United States will stand with the people of Israel and support their defense against these threats from Iran.”Biden on Friday said the United States was "devoted” to defending Israel and that “Iran will not succeed.” Asked by reporters what his message was for Iran, the president’s only reply was: “Don’t.”He ignored a question about what would trigger a direct U.S. military response.The U.S., along with its allies, have sent direct messages to Tehran to warn against further escalating the conflict.During the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, there have been near-daily exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group along the Israel-Lebanon border. U.S. officials have recorded more than 150 attacks by Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria on U.S. forces at bases in those countries since war started on Oct. 7.One attack in late January killed three U.S. service members in Jordan. In retaliation, the U.S. launched a massive air assault, hitting more than 85 targets at seven locations in Iraq and Syria.Meantime, on Saturday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strait-of-hormuz-vessel-33fcffde2d867380e98c89403776a8ac">commandos from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard</a>&nbsp;rappelled from a helicopter onto an Israeli-affiliated container ship near the Strait of Hormuz and seized the vessel.Watson, the NSC spokesperson, said the U.S. strongly condemned the seizure and urged Iran to release the ship and crew immediately.“We will work with our partners to hold Iran to account for its actions,” she said.Also Saturday, the Israeli-occupied West Bank also saw some of the worst violence since Hamas' attack on Israel.___WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden says U.S. forces helped Israel down “nearly all” of the drones and missiles launched by Iran and pledged to convene allies to develop a unified response.Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke early Sunday, Israeli time, their governments said. Biden said in a statement that he reaffirmed “America’s ironclad commitment” to Israel’s security — a departure from his harsh criticism over Israel’s handling of the war in Gaza.“At my direction, to support the defense of Israel, the U.S. military moved aircraft and ballistic missile defense destroyers to the region over the course of the past week,” Biden said in the statement. “Thanks to these deployments and the extraordinary skill of our servicemembers, we helped Israel take down nearly all of the incoming drones and missiles.”Meanwhile,&nbsp; Iran has sent a message to the U.S. warning Washington against cooperation with Israel in any military operation again Tehran following its unprecedented attack on Israel.The state-run IRNA news agency quoted Gen. Mohammad Hossein Bagheri, the chief of staff of the Iranian armed forces, as saying that Tehran had communicated its message to the U.S. through the Swiss Embassy, which handles U.S. interest in Iran in the absence of diplomatic relations.President Ebrahim Raisi sent a message praising Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard for launching the attack, saying it had taught a lesson to the “Zionist regime.” He also warned that “any new adventure against the interests of the Iranian nation would be met with a heavier and regretful response from the Islamic Republic of Iran.”State TV meanwhile broadcast interviews with people on the street who praised the Iranian missile and drone attack on Israel and thanked the Iranian military.

Biden: U.S. forces helped Israel down Iranian drones, missiles 

READING, Pa. (AP) — Conjoined twins Lori and George Schappell, who pursued separate careers, interests and relationships during lives that defied medical expectations, died this month in Pennsylvania, according to <a href="https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/schappell/lori">funeral home officials</a>. They were 62.

The twins, listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest living conjoined twins, died April 7 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, according to obituaries posted by Leibensperger Funeral Homes of Hamburg. The cause of death was not detailed.

“When we were born, the doctors didn’t think we’d make 30, but we proved them wrong,” Lori said in an interview when they turned 50, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. George came out as transgender in 2007.

The twins, born Sept. 18, 1961, in West Reading, Pennsylvania, had distinct brains but were joined at the skull. George, who had spina bifida and was 4 inches shorter, was wheeled around by Lori on an adaptive wheeled stool. Despite each having to go where the other went, it was “very important” to both “to live as independently as possible,” the obituary said.

Both graduated from a public high school and took college classes. George went along for six years as Lori worked in a hospital laundry. Lori — “a trophy-winning bowler,” according to the obituary notice — gave up the job in 1996 so her sibling could launch a country music career.

“Since the age of 24, they have maintained their own residence and have traveled extensively,” the obituary notice said. Over the years, they appeared in many documentaries and talk shows, as well as in an episode of the FX medical drama “Nip/Tuck.”

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Lori was once engaged to be married but that her fiance died in an automobile accident.

“When I went on dates,” Lori said, “George would bring along books to read.”

The twins said in a 1997 documentary that they had different bathing schedules and showered one at a time. George spoke of giving someone you love and respect “the privacy and compromise in situations that you would want them to give you.” Lori said compromise meant "you don’t get everything you want right when you want it.”

Conjoined twins occur once in every 50,000 to 60,000 births when identical twins from a single embryo fail to separate. About 70% are female, and most are stillborn. Only a small percentage are joined at the head, with nearly three-quarters joined at the chest and others at the abdomen or pelvis.

Separation was deemed risky for the Schappell twins, but Lori Schappell told The Associated Press in a 2002 interview at the twins’ apartment in a high-rise seniors complex that she didn't think such an operation was necessary in any case.

“You don’t mess with what God made, even if it means you enjoy both children for a shorter time,” she said. In the 1997 documentary, George also strongly ruled out the idea of separation, saying, “Why fix what is not broken?”

It isn't immediately clear who will now take the title of oldest living conjoined twins. The oldest ever documented were Ronnie and Donnie Galyon, who died in 2020 at age 68. Eng and Chang Bunker, the 19th century “Siamese Twins” who gained fame as a circus act, lived to be 63.

The Schappell twins' survivors include their father and six siblings. Private services are planned, the funeral home said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713034834727.png" alt="George (Dori) Schappell-Photo courtesy Leibensperger Funeral Home" />
 <figcaption>George (Dori) Schappell-Photo courtesy Leibensperger Funeral Home</figcaption>
 </figure>READING, Pa. (AP) — Conjoined twins Lori and George Schappell, who pursued separate careers, interests and relationships during lives that defied medical expectations, died this month in Pennsylvania, according to <a href="https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/name/schappell/lori">funeral home officials</a>. They were 62.The twins, listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest living conjoined twins, died April 7 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, according to obituaries posted by Leibensperger Funeral Homes of Hamburg. The cause of death was not detailed.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713034956068.png" alt="FILE - Conjoined 40-year-old twins George, left, and Lori Schappell are seen in their Reading, Pa., home, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2002. Lori and George Schappell, who pursued separate careers, interests and relationships during lives that defied medical expectations, died April 7, 2024, at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. They were 62. (AP Photo/Brad C. Bower, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Conjoined 40-year-old twins George, left, and Lori Schappell are seen in their Reading, Pa., home, Thursday, Aug. 8, 2002. Lori and George Schappell, who pursued separate careers, interests and relationships during lives that defied medical expectations, died April 7, 2024, at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. They were 62. (AP Photo/Brad C. Bower, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>“When we were born, the doctors didn’t think we’d make 30, but we proved them wrong,” Lori said in an interview when they turned 50, The Philadelphia Inquirer reported. George came out as transgender in 2007.The twins, born Sept. 18, 1961, in West Reading, Pennsylvania, had distinct brains but were joined at the skull. George, who had spina bifida and was 4 inches shorter, was wheeled around by Lori on an adaptive wheeled stool. Despite each having to go where the other went, it was “very important” to both “to live as independently as possible,” the obituary said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713034808967.png" alt="Lori Schappell-Photo courtesy Leibensperger Funeral Home" />
 <figcaption>Lori Schappell-Photo courtesy Leibensperger Funeral Home</figcaption>
 </figure>Both graduated from a public high school and took college classes. George went along for six years as Lori worked in a hospital laundry. Lori — “a trophy-winning bowler,” according to the obituary notice — gave up the job in 1996 so her sibling could launch a country music career.“Since the age of 24, they have maintained their own residence and have traveled extensively,” the obituary notice said. Over the years, they appeared in many documentaries and talk shows, as well as in an episode of the FX medical drama “Nip/Tuck.”The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that Lori was once engaged to be married but that her fiance died in an automobile accident.“When I went on dates,” Lori said, “George would bring along books to read.”The twins said in a 1997 documentary that they had different bathing schedules and showered one at a time. George spoke of giving someone you love and respect “the privacy and compromise in situations that you would want them to give you.” Lori said compromise meant "you don’t get everything you want right when you want it.”Conjoined twins occur once in every 50,000 to 60,000 births when identical twins from a single embryo fail to separate. About 70% are female, and most are stillborn. Only a small percentage are joined at the head, with nearly three-quarters joined at the chest and others at the abdomen or pelvis.Separation was deemed risky for the Schappell twins, but Lori Schappell told The Associated Press in a 2002 interview at the twins’ apartment in a high-rise seniors complex that she didn't think such an operation was necessary in any case.“You don’t mess with what God made, even if it means you enjoy both children for a shorter time,” she said. In the 1997 documentary, George also strongly ruled out the idea of separation, saying, “Why fix what is not broken?”It isn't immediately clear who will now take the title of oldest living conjoined twins. The oldest ever documented were Ronnie and Donnie Galyon, who died in 2020 at age 68. Eng and Chang Bunker, the 19th century “Siamese Twins” who gained fame as a circus act, lived to be 63.The Schappell twins' survivors include their father and six siblings. Private services are planned, the funeral home said.

Oldest living conjoined twins, Lori and George Schappell, die at 62

JERUSALEM (AP) — Booms and air raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem early Sunday after Iran launched dozens of drones and ballistic missiles toward Israel in an unprecedented revenge mission that pushed the Middle East ever closer to a regionwide war.

The attack marked the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel, despite decades of enmity dating back to the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Condemnation was swift, with France saying that “Iran has crossed a new threshold with regard to its destabilizing activities and is risking a potential military escalation.” Britain called the attacks “reckless.”

There was no immediate word from authorities on whether any explosions were an incoming attack. Air raid sirens were reported in numerous places, including northern Israel, southern Israel, the northern West Bank and the Dead Sea near the Jordanian border. Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said it was treating a 10-year-old boy in critical condition in the Bedouin area in the Arad region but provided no details.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/The%20U.S.,%20with%20its%20large%20troop%20presence%20in%20the%20region,">U.S. forces</a>&nbsp;downed some of the Iran-launched drones flying toward Israel, according to a U.S. defense official and two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. The defense official said the effort to intercept the attack was ongoing.

Israel's military said over 100 drones had been fired. It didn't mention ballistic missiles, which are less easily shot down, but Iran said they were part of the attack.

“We are monitoring the threat,” the Israeli military’s spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, announced in a nationwide television address.

Iran had vowed revenge since an April 1&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">airstrike in Syria</a>&nbsp;killed two Iranian generals inside an Iranian consular building. Iran accused Israel of being behind the attack. Israel hasn’t commented on it.

Israel and Iran have been on a collision course throughout Israel’s six-month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-oct-7-327bfeb7bfce5cb0de1568bf41a0ff06">war against Hamas militants</a>&nbsp;in the Gaza Strip. The war erupted after Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two militant groups backed by Iran, carried out a devastating cross-border attack on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others. An Israeli offensive in Gaza has caused widespread devastation and killed over 33,000 people, according to local health officials.

Almost immediately after the war erupted, Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militant group in Lebanon, began attacking Israel’s northern border. The two sides have been involved in daily exchanges of fire, while Iranian-backed groups in Iraq, Syria and Yemen have launched rockets and missiles toward Israel.

In a statement carried late Saturday by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard acknowledged launching “dozens of drones and missiles towards the occupied territories and positions of the Zionist regime.”

In a later statement, the Revolutionary Guard issued a direct warning to the U.S.: “The terrorist U.S. government is warned any support or participation in harming Iran’s interests will be followed by decisive and regretting response by Iran’s armed forces."

IRNA also quoted an anonymous official saying ballistic missiles were part of the attack. A ballistic missile moves on an arch trajectory, heading up into space before gravity brings the weapon down at a speed several times faster than the speed of sound.

Israel has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-missile-defense-iron-dome-arrow-bbf6330918da036f2e000360556a81f6">missile defense systems</a>&nbsp;capable of targeting ballistic missiles. However, in a massive attack involving multiple drones and missiles, the likelihood of a strike making it through is higher.

Iran has a vast arsenal of drones and missiles. Online videos shared by Iranian state television purported to show delta-wing-style drones resembling the Iranian Shahed-136s long used by Russia in its war on Ukraine. The slow-flying drones carry bombs. Ukraine has successfully used both surface-to-air missiles and ground fire to target them.

Israel has a multilayered air-defense network that includes systems capable of intercepting a variety of threats including long-range missiles, cruise missiles, drones and short-range rockets.

Hagari, the army spokesman, said Israel was “prepared and ready." But he cautioned that the air defenses are not 100% effective and urged the public to heed safety instructions.

The army ordered residents in the Golan Heights — near the Syrian and Lebanese borders — as well as the southern towns of Nevatim and Dimona and the Red Sea resort of Eilat “to stay near protective spaces until further notice.” Dimona is home to Israel’s main nuclear facility, and Nevatim has a major air base.

The army’s Home Front Command canceled school on Sunday and limited public gatherings to no more than 1,000 people. Israel closed its airspace and canceled all flights.

Earlier Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned: “Whoever harms us, we will harm them.”

In Washington, President Joe Biden cut short a weekend trip to his beach house in Delaware to return to the White House. He was set to convene a principals meeting of the National Security Council on Saturday to discuss the unfolding attack, the White House said.

“The United States will stand with the people of Israel and support their defense against these threats from Iran,” National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement.

Gen. Erik Kurilla, the head of the U.S. military’s Central Command, was in Israel over the weekend consulting with Israeli defense officials about the Iranian threat. The Central Command oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations issued a warning to both Israel and the U.S. “Should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran’s response will be considerably more severe,” it wrote online. “It is a conflict between Iran and the rogue Israeli regime, from which the U.S. MUST STAY AWAY!”

For days, Iranian officials including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had threatened to “slap” Israel for its Syria strike.

In Iran’s capital, Tehran, witnesses saw long lines at gas stations early Sunday as people appeared worried about what may come next. Dozens of hard-liners demonstrated in support of the attack at Palestine Square.

Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported heavy Israeli airstrikes and shelling on multiple locations in south Lebanon following Iran's launch of drones. The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said it launched “dozens” of Katyusha rockets at an Israeli military site in the Golan Heights early Sunday. It was not immediately clear if there was any damage.

Countries in the region began to close their airspace.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden cut short a weekend stay at his Delaware beach house and was returning to the White House on Saturday to meet with his national security team and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-mideast-israel-hamas-syria-iran-a083ddef0db28cde2a6fdd84e0a56367">monitor the situation in the Middle East</a>&nbsp;as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-retaliation-killed-general-b2e8625500409405c9dc88731063fa71">Iran launched an attack against Israel.</a>

Tensions are at their highest since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;began six months ago after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">suspected Israeli strike</a>&nbsp;this month on an Iranian consular building in Syria killed 12 people, including two senior Iranian generals in the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-funeral-revolutionary-guard-e07df55596d48413fb87bf43711c9441">Iran has promised to retaliate</a>&nbsp;against Israel, and U.S. and Israeli officials have been bracing for an attack, raising concerns about the conflict escalating into a wider regional war.

Biden boarded the presidential helicopter from a park near his house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, to return to Washington Saturday afternoon shortly before Israeli officials confirmed that they had detected drones being launched toward their territory from Iran. He was set to convene a principals meeting of the National Security Council in the White House Situation Room to discuss the events and plan the U.S. response.

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a Saturday statement that “Iran has begun an airborne attack against Israel.” She added: “The United States will stand with the people of Israel and support their defense against these threats from Iran.”

The Pentagon reported that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had spoken with his Israeli counterpart “to discuss urgent regional threats ... and made clear that Israel could count on full U.S. support to defend Israel against any attacks by Iran and its regional proxies." National security adviser Jake Sullivan also spoke with his counterpart to reinforce Washington's “ironclad commitment to the security of Israel.”

He ignored a question about what would trigger a direct U.S. military response, and when asked how imminent an Iranian attack on Israel was, Biden said he did not want to get into secure information, “but my expectation is sooner than later.”

National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the U.S. strongly condemned the seizure and urged Iran to release the ship and crew immediately.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Commandos from Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard rappelled from a helicopter onto an Israeli-affiliated container ship near the Strait of Hormuz and seized the vessel Saturday in the latest attack between the two countries.

The seizure followed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">a suspected Israeli strike</a>&nbsp;this month on an Iranian consular building in Syria that killed 12 people, including a senior Guard general.

U.S. President Joe Biden cut short a weekend trip to his beach house in Delaware to return to the White House and monitor the situation in the Middle East, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-oct-7-327bfeb7bfce5cb0de1568bf41a0ff06">Israel's war on Hamas</a>&nbsp;in the Gaza Strip has inflamed decade-old tensions. With Iranian-backed forces like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Yemen's Houthi rebels also involved in the fighting, any new attack threatens to escalate that conflict into a wider regional war.

Iran's state-run IRNA said a special forces unit of the Guard's navy carried out the attack on the Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries, a container ship associated with London-based Zodiac Maritime.

Zodiac Maritime is part of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group. Zodiac declined to comment and referred questions to MSC. Geneva-based MSC acknowledged the seizure and said 25 crew members were on the ship.

“We are working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure their wellbeing, and safe return of the vessel,” MSC said.

White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the crew was made up of Indian, Filipino, Pakistani, Russian and Estonian nationals and urged Iran to release them and the vessel.

IRNA said the Guard would take the vessel into Iranian territorial waters.

A Middle East defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, provided video of the attack to The Associated Press in which Iranian commandos are seen rappelling onto a stack of containers on the vessel's deck.

A crew member can be heard saying: “Don’t come out.” He then tells his colleagues to go to the ship’s bridge as more commandos come down. One commando can be seen kneeling above the others to provide them potential cover fire.

The video corresponded with known details of the MSC Aries. The commandos rappelled from what appeared to be a Soviet-era Mil Mi-17 helicopter, which both the Guard and the Iranian-backed Houthis have used before to raid ships.

The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations described the vessel as being “seized by regional authorities” in the Gulf of Oman off the Emirati port city of Fujairah, without elaborating.

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called on nations to list the Guard as a terrorist organization.

Iran “is a criminal regime that supports Hamas’ crimes and is now conducting a pirate operation in violation of international law,” Katz said.

For days, Iranian officials including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have threatened to “slap” Israel for its Syria strike.

The U.S., Israel’s main backer, has stood by the country despite growing concerns over Israel’s war on Gaza killing more than 33,600 Palestinians and wounding over 76,200 more. Israel’s war began after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw some 250 others taken hostage.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III told Israel's defense minister that the nation could count on U.S. support to defend against attacks by Iran, Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Saturday.

Iran since 2019 has engaged in a series of ship seizures, and attacks on vessels have been attributed to it amid ongoing tensions with the West over its rapidly advancing nuclear program.

In previous seizures, Iran provided initial explanations about its operations to make it seem like the attacks had nothing to do with wider geopolitical tensions — though later acknowledging as much. In Saturday's attack, however, Iran offered no explanation other than to say the MSC Aries had links to Israel.

Iran has largely avoided directly attacking Israel, despite its targeted killings of nuclear scientists and sabotage campaigns on Iran's atomic sites. Iran has targeted Israeli or Jewish-linked sites through proxy forces.

In Iran on Saturday, officials publicly denied faked text messages sent in the name of civil defense authorities that urged the public to “prepare drinking water and dry food” due to the “emerging emergency situation.

The Gulf of Oman is near the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all globally traded oil passes. Fujairah, on the United Arab Emirates’ eastern coast, is a main port for ships to take on new oil cargo, pick up supplies or trade out crew. Since 2019, the waters off Fujairah have seen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5484dc4a51644fa9839546e1cd7bf89f">a series of explosions and hijackings.</a>

Meanwhile, Lufthansa Group on Saturday extended its suspension of flights between Frankfurt and Tehran through Thursday and said its planes would avoid Iranian airspace. The German carrier also said that, until at least Tuesday, flights to and from Amman will be operated as “day flights” so crews won't spend a night in the Jordanian capital.

Dutch airline KLM said it will no longer fly over Iran or Israel, but will continue flights to and from Tel Aviv.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713052204025.png" alt="On Saturday evening President Biden met with his national security team for an update on Iran’s attacks against Israel. "Our commitment to Israel’s security against threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad," Biden wrote on social media-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>On Saturday evening President Biden met with his national security team for an update on Iran’s attacks against Israel. "Our commitment to Israel’s security against threats from Iran and its proxies is ironclad," Biden wrote on social media-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — Booms and air raid sirens sounded in Jerusalem early Sunday after Iran launched dozens of drones and ballistic missiles toward Israel in an unprecedented revenge mission that pushed the Middle East ever closer to a regionwide war.The attack marked the first time Iran has launched a direct military assault on Israel, despite decades of enmity dating back to the country’s 1979 Islamic Revolution. Condemnation was swift, with France saying that “Iran has crossed a new threshold with regard to its destabilizing activities and is risking a potential military escalation.” Britain called the attacks “reckless.”There was no immediate word from authorities on whether any explosions were an incoming attack. Air raid sirens were reported in numerous places, including northern Israel, southern Israel, the northern West Bank and the Dead Sea near the Jordanian border. Israel’s Magen David Adom rescue service said it was treating a 10-year-old boy in critical condition in the Bedouin area in the Arad region but provided no details.<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/The%20U.S.,%20with%20its%20large%20troop%20presence%20in%20the%20region,">U.S. forces</a>&nbsp;downed some of the Iran-launched drones flying toward Israel, according to a U.S. defense official and two U.S. officials who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. The defense official said the effort to intercept the attack was ongoing.Israel's military said over 100 drones had been fired. It didn't mention ballistic missiles, which are less easily shot down, but Iran said they were part of the attack.“We are monitoring the threat,” the Israeli military’s spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, announced in a nationwide television address.Iran had vowed revenge since an April 1&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">airstrike in Syria</a>&nbsp;killed two Iranian generals inside an Iranian consular building. Iran accused Israel of being behind the attack. Israel hasn’t commented on it.Israel and Iran have been on a collision course throughout Israel’s six-month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-oct-7-327bfeb7bfce5cb0de1568bf41a0ff06">war against Hamas militants</a>&nbsp;in the Gaza Strip. The war erupted after Hamas and Islamic Jihad, two militant groups backed by Iran, carried out a devastating cross-border attack on Oct. 7 that killed 1,200 people in Israel and kidnapped 250 others. An Israeli offensive in Gaza has caused widespread devastation and killed over 33,000 people, according to local health officials.Almost immediately after the war erupted, Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militant group in Lebanon, began attacking Israel’s northern border. The two sides have been involved in daily exchanges of fire, while Iranian-backed groups in Iraq, Syria and Yemen have launched rockets and missiles toward Israel.In a statement carried late Saturday by Iran’s state-run IRNA news agency, the country’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard acknowledged launching “dozens of drones and missiles towards the occupied territories and positions of the Zionist regime.”In a later statement, the Revolutionary Guard issued a direct warning to the U.S.: “The terrorist U.S. government is warned any support or participation in harming Iran’s interests will be followed by decisive and regretting response by Iran’s armed forces."IRNA also quoted an anonymous official saying ballistic missiles were part of the attack. A ballistic missile moves on an arch trajectory, heading up into space before gravity brings the weapon down at a speed several times faster than the speed of sound.Israel has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iran-missile-defense-iron-dome-arrow-bbf6330918da036f2e000360556a81f6">missile defense systems</a>&nbsp;capable of targeting ballistic missiles. However, in a massive attack involving multiple drones and missiles, the likelihood of a strike making it through is higher.Iran has a vast arsenal of drones and missiles. Online videos shared by Iranian state television purported to show delta-wing-style drones resembling the Iranian Shahed-136s long used by Russia in its war on Ukraine. The slow-flying drones carry bombs. Ukraine has successfully used both surface-to-air missiles and ground fire to target them.Israel has a multilayered air-defense network that includes systems capable of intercepting a variety of threats including long-range missiles, cruise missiles, drones and short-range rockets.Hagari, the army spokesman, said Israel was “prepared and ready." But he cautioned that the air defenses are not 100% effective and urged the public to heed safety instructions.The army ordered residents in the Golan Heights — near the Syrian and Lebanese borders — as well as the southern towns of Nevatim and Dimona and the Red Sea resort of Eilat “to stay near protective spaces until further notice.” Dimona is home to Israel’s main nuclear facility, and Nevatim has a major air base.The army’s Home Front Command canceled school on Sunday and limited public gatherings to no more than 1,000 people. Israel closed its airspace and canceled all flights.Earlier Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned: “Whoever harms us, we will harm them.”In Washington, President Joe Biden cut short a weekend trip to his beach house in Delaware to return to the White House. He was set to convene a principals meeting of the National Security Council on Saturday to discuss the unfolding attack, the White House said.“The United States will stand with the people of Israel and support their defense against these threats from Iran,” National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a statement.Gen. Erik Kurilla, the head of the U.S. military’s Central Command, was in Israel over the weekend consulting with Israeli defense officials about the Iranian threat. The Central Command oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East.Iran’s mission to the United Nations issued a warning to both Israel and the U.S. “Should the Israeli regime make another mistake, Iran’s response will be considerably more severe,” it wrote online. “It is a conflict between Iran and the rogue Israeli regime, from which the U.S. MUST STAY AWAY!”For days, Iranian officials including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had threatened to “slap” Israel for its Syria strike.In Iran’s capital, Tehran, witnesses saw long lines at gas stations early Sunday as people appeared worried about what may come next. Dozens of hard-liners demonstrated in support of the attack at Palestine Square.Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported heavy Israeli airstrikes and shelling on multiple locations in south Lebanon following Iran's launch of drones. The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah said it launched “dozens” of Katyusha rockets at an Israeli military site in the Golan Heights early Sunday. It was not immediately clear if there was any damage.Countries in the region began to close their airspace.---------------WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden cut short a weekend stay at his Delaware beach house and was returning to the White House on Saturday to meet with his national security team and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pentagon-mideast-israel-hamas-syria-iran-a083ddef0db28cde2a6fdd84e0a56367">monitor the situation in the Middle East</a>&nbsp;as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-retaliation-killed-general-b2e8625500409405c9dc88731063fa71">Iran launched an attack against Israel.</a>Tensions are at their highest since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;began six months ago after a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">suspected Israeli strike</a>&nbsp;this month on an Iranian consular building in Syria killed 12 people, including two senior Iranian generals in the Revolutionary Guard’s elite Quds Force.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-israel-funeral-revolutionary-guard-e07df55596d48413fb87bf43711c9441">Iran has promised to retaliate</a>&nbsp;against Israel, and U.S. and Israeli officials have been bracing for an attack, raising concerns about the conflict escalating into a wider regional war.Biden boarded the presidential helicopter from a park near his house in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, to return to Washington Saturday afternoon shortly before Israeli officials confirmed that they had detected drones being launched toward their territory from Iran. He was set to convene a principals meeting of the National Security Council in the White House Situation Room to discuss the events and plan the U.S. response.National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said in a Saturday statement that “Iran has begun an airborne attack against Israel.” She added: “The United States will stand with the people of Israel and support their defense against these threats from Iran.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685236579953.png" alt="President Joe Biden cut short a weekend trip to his beach house in Delaware to return to the White House and monitor the situation in the Middle East, File photo -courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden cut short a weekend trip to his beach house in Delaware to return to the White House and monitor the situation in the Middle East, File photo -courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The Pentagon reported that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had spoken with his Israeli counterpart “to discuss urgent regional threats ... and made clear that Israel could count on full U.S. support to defend Israel against any attacks by Iran and its regional proxies." National security adviser Jake Sullivan also spoke with his counterpart to reinforce Washington's “ironclad commitment to the security of Israel.”Biden on Friday said the United States was "devoted” to defending Israel and that “Iran will not succeed.” Asked by reporters what his message was for Iran, the president’s only reply was: “Don’t.”He ignored a question about what would trigger a direct U.S. military response, and when asked how imminent an Iranian attack on Israel was, Biden said he did not want to get into secure information, “but my expectation is sooner than later.”The U.S., along with its allies, have sent direct messages to Tehran to warn against further escalating the conflict.During the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza, there have been near-daily exchanges of fire between Israeli forces and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group along the Israel-Lebanon border. U.S. officials have recorded more than 150 attacks by Iran-backed militias in Iraq and Syria on U.S. forces at bases in those countries since war started on Oct. 7.One attack in late January killed three U.S. service members in Jordan. In retaliation, the U.S. launched a massive air assault, hitting more than 85 targets at seven locations in Iraq and Syria.Meantime, on Saturday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strait-of-hormuz-vessel-33fcffde2d867380e98c89403776a8ac">commandos from Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard</a>&nbsp;rappelled from a helicopter onto an Israeli-affiliated container ship near the Strait of Hormuz and seized the vessel.National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the U.S. strongly condemned the seizure and urged Iran to release the ship and crew immediately.“We will work with our partners to hold Iran to account for its actions,” she said.Also Saturday, the Israeli-occupied West Bank also saw some of the worst violence since Hamas' attack on Israel.___DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Commandos from Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard rappelled from a helicopter onto an Israeli-affiliated container ship near the Strait of Hormuz and seized the vessel Saturday in the latest attack between the two countries.The seizure followed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-syria-airstrike-iranian-embassy-edca34c52d38c8bc57281e4ebf33b240">a suspected Israeli strike</a>&nbsp;this month on an Iranian consular building in Syria that killed 12 people, including a senior Guard general.U.S. President Joe Biden cut short a weekend trip to his beach house in Delaware to return to the White House and monitor the situation in the Middle East, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-oct-7-327bfeb7bfce5cb0de1568bf41a0ff06">Israel's war on Hamas</a>&nbsp;in the Gaza Strip has inflamed decade-old tensions. With Iranian-backed forces like Hezbollah in Lebanon and Yemen's Houthi rebels also involved in the fighting, any new attack threatens to escalate that conflict into a wider regional war.Iran's state-run IRNA said a special forces unit of the Guard's navy carried out the attack on the Portuguese-flagged MSC Aries, a container ship associated with London-based Zodiac Maritime.Zodiac Maritime is part of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group. Zodiac declined to comment and referred questions to MSC. Geneva-based MSC acknowledged the seizure and said 25 crew members were on the ship.“We are working closely with the relevant authorities to ensure their wellbeing, and safe return of the vessel,” MSC said.White House National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said the crew was made up of Indian, Filipino, Pakistani, Russian and Estonian nationals and urged Iran to release them and the vessel.IRNA said the Guard would take the vessel into Iranian territorial waters.A Middle East defense official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters, provided video of the attack to The Associated Press in which Iranian commandos are seen rappelling onto a stack of containers on the vessel's deck.A crew member can be heard saying: “Don’t come out.” He then tells his colleagues to go to the ship’s bridge as more commandos come down. One commando can be seen kneeling above the others to provide them potential cover fire.The video corresponded with known details of the MSC Aries. The commandos rappelled from what appeared to be a Soviet-era Mil Mi-17 helicopter, which both the Guard and the Iranian-backed Houthis have used before to raid ships.The British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations described the vessel as being “seized by regional authorities” in the Gulf of Oman off the Emirati port city of Fujairah, without elaborating.Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz called on nations to list the Guard as a terrorist organization.Iran “is a criminal regime that supports Hamas’ crimes and is now conducting a pirate operation in violation of international law,” Katz said.For days, Iranian officials including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have threatened to “slap” Israel for its Syria strike.The U.S., Israel’s main backer, has stood by the country despite growing concerns over Israel’s war on Gaza killing more than 33,600 Palestinians and wounding over 76,200 more. Israel’s war began after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw some 250 others taken hostage.U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd J. Austin III told Israel's defense minister that the nation could count on U.S. support to defend against attacks by Iran, Pentagon Press Secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Saturday.Iran since 2019 has engaged in a series of ship seizures, and attacks on vessels have been attributed to it amid ongoing tensions with the West over its rapidly advancing nuclear program.In previous seizures, Iran provided initial explanations about its operations to make it seem like the attacks had nothing to do with wider geopolitical tensions — though later acknowledging as much. In Saturday's attack, however, Iran offered no explanation other than to say the MSC Aries had links to Israel.Iran has largely avoided directly attacking Israel, despite its targeted killings of nuclear scientists and sabotage campaigns on Iran's atomic sites. Iran has targeted Israeli or Jewish-linked sites through proxy forces.In Iran on Saturday, officials publicly denied faked text messages sent in the name of civil defense authorities that urged the public to “prepare drinking water and dry food” due to the “emerging emergency situation.The Gulf of Oman is near the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which a fifth of all globally traded oil passes. Fujairah, on the United Arab Emirates’ eastern coast, is a main port for ships to take on new oil cargo, pick up supplies or trade out crew. Since 2019, the waters off Fujairah have seen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5484dc4a51644fa9839546e1cd7bf89f">a series of explosions and hijackings.</a>Meanwhile, Lufthansa Group on Saturday extended its suspension of flights between Frankfurt and Tehran through Thursday and said its planes would avoid Iranian airspace. The German carrier also said that, until at least Tuesday, flights to and from Amman will be operated as “day flights” so crews won't spend a night in the Jordanian capital.Dutch airline KLM said it will no longer fly over Iran or Israel, but will continue flights to and from Tel Aviv.___

Biden cuts weekend trip short as Iran launches attack on Israel

LONDON (AP) — Instagram says it's deploying new tools to protect young people and combat sexual extortion, including a feature that will automatically blur nudity in direct messages.

The social media platform said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://about.instagram.com/blog/announcements/new-tools-to-help-protect-against-sextortion-and-intimate-image-abuse">blog post</a>&nbsp;Thursday that it's testing out the features as part of its campaign to fight sexual scams and other forms of “image abuse,” and to make it tougher for criminals to contact teens.

Sexual extortion, or sextortion, involves persuading a person to send explicit photos online and then threatening to make the images public unless the victim pays money or engages in sexual favors. Recent high-profile cases include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sexual-extortion-guilty-pleas-michigan-nigerian-brothers-25c1593410c9fa538d39539ca34363c0">two Nigerian brothers</a>&nbsp;who pleaded guilty to sexually extorting teen boys and young men in Michigan, including one who took his own life, and a Virginia sheriff’s deputy who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-fires-california-virginia-riverside-c35722488c9c3dd20b7c04162d8b9425">sexually extorted and kidnapped</a>&nbsp;a 15-year-old girl.

Instagram and other social media companies have faced growing criticism for not doing enough to protect young people. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Instagram's owner Meta Platforms,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/social-media-meta-platforms-inc-children-x-corp-national-a98bac4cb6634acaaea4cf58ca28d3d2">apologized</a>&nbsp;to the parents of victims of such abuse during a Senate hearing earlier this year.

Meta, which is based in Menlo Park, California, also owns Facebook and WhatsApp but the nudity blur feature won’t be added to messages sent on those platforms.

Instagram said scammers often use direct messages to ask for “intimate images.” To counter this, it will soon start testing out a nudity-protection feature for direct messages that blurs any images with nudity “and encourages people to think twice before sending nude images.”

“The feature is designed not only to protect people from seeing unwanted nudity in their DMs, but also to protect them from scammers who may send nude images to trick people into sending their own images in return,” Instagram said.

The feature will be turned on by default globally for teens under 18. Adult users will get a notification encouraging them to activate it.

Images with nudity will be blurred with a warning, giving users the option to view it. They'll also get an option to block the sender and report the chat.

For people sending direct messages with nudity, they will get a message reminding them to be cautious when sending “sensitive photos." They'll also be informed that they can unsend the photos if they change their mind, but that there's a chance others may have already seen them.

As with many of Meta's tools and policies around child safety, critics saw the move as a positive step, but one that does not go far enough.

“I think the tools announced can protect senders, and that is welcome. But what about recipients?" said Arturo Béjar, former engineering director at the social media giant who is known for his expertise in curbing online harassment. He said 1 in 8 teens receives an unwanted advance on Instagram every seven days, citing internal research he compiled while at Meta that he presented in November&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-teens-meta-instagram-arturo-bejar-5f7fb7d55fb9f0da12cf3a57837fa0c5">testimony before Congress</a>. "What tools do they get? What can they do if they get an unwanted nude?”

Béjar said “things won’t meaningfully change” until there is a way for a teen to say they’ve received an unwanted advance, and there is transparency about it.

White House assistant press secretary Robyn Patterson also noted Thursday that President Joe Biden “has been outspoken about his belief that social media companies can do more to combat sexual exploitation online.”

Instagram said it's working on technology to help identify accounts that could be potentially be engaging in sexual extortion scams, “based on a range of signals that could indicate sextortion behavior.”

To stop criminals from connecting with young people, it's also taking measures including not showing the “message” button on a teen’s profile to potential sextortion accounts, even if they already follow each other, and testing new ways to hide teens from these accounts.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1712933938998.png" alt="Instagram" />
 <figcaption>Instagram</figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — Instagram says it's deploying new tools to protect young people and combat sexual extortion, including a feature that will automatically blur nudity in direct messages.The social media platform said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://about.instagram.com/blog/announcements/new-tools-to-help-protect-against-sextortion-and-intimate-image-abuse">blog post</a>&nbsp;Thursday that it's testing out the features as part of its campaign to fight sexual scams and other forms of “image abuse,” and to make it tougher for criminals to contact teens.Sexual extortion, or sextortion, involves persuading a person to send explicit photos online and then threatening to make the images public unless the victim pays money or engages in sexual favors. Recent high-profile cases include&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sexual-extortion-guilty-pleas-michigan-nigerian-brothers-25c1593410c9fa538d39539ca34363c0">two Nigerian brothers</a>&nbsp;who pleaded guilty to sexually extorting teen boys and young men in Michigan, including one who took his own life, and a Virginia sheriff’s deputy who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-fires-california-virginia-riverside-c35722488c9c3dd20b7c04162d8b9425">sexually extorted and kidnapped</a>&nbsp;a 15-year-old girl.Instagram and other social media companies have faced growing criticism for not doing enough to protect young people. Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Instagram's owner Meta Platforms,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/social-media-meta-platforms-inc-children-x-corp-national-a98bac4cb6634acaaea4cf58ca28d3d2">apologized</a>&nbsp;to the parents of victims of such abuse during a Senate hearing earlier this year.Meta, which is based in Menlo Park, California, also owns Facebook and WhatsApp but the nudity blur feature won’t be added to messages sent on those platforms.Instagram said scammers often use direct messages to ask for “intimate images.” To counter this, it will soon start testing out a nudity-protection feature for direct messages that blurs any images with nudity “and encourages people to think twice before sending nude images.”“The feature is designed not only to protect people from seeing unwanted nudity in their DMs, but also to protect them from scammers who may send nude images to trick people into sending their own images in return,” Instagram said.The feature will be turned on by default globally for teens under 18. Adult users will get a notification encouraging them to activate it.Images with nudity will be blurred with a warning, giving users the option to view it. They'll also get an option to block the sender and report the chat.For people sending direct messages with nudity, they will get a message reminding them to be cautious when sending “sensitive photos." They'll also be informed that they can unsend the photos if they change their mind, but that there's a chance others may have already seen them.As with many of Meta's tools and policies around child safety, critics saw the move as a positive step, but one that does not go far enough.“I think the tools announced can protect senders, and that is welcome. But what about recipients?" said Arturo Béjar, former engineering director at the social media giant who is known for his expertise in curbing online harassment. He said 1 in 8 teens receives an unwanted advance on Instagram every seven days, citing internal research he compiled while at Meta that he presented in November&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-teens-meta-instagram-arturo-bejar-5f7fb7d55fb9f0da12cf3a57837fa0c5">testimony before Congress</a>. "What tools do they get? What can they do if they get an unwanted nude?”Béjar said “things won’t meaningfully change” until there is a way for a teen to say they’ve received an unwanted advance, and there is transparency about it.White House assistant press secretary Robyn Patterson also noted Thursday that President Joe Biden “has been outspoken about his belief that social media companies can do more to combat sexual exploitation online.”Instagram said it's working on technology to help identify accounts that could be potentially be engaging in sexual extortion scams, “based on a range of signals that could indicate sextortion behavior.”To stop criminals from connecting with young people, it's also taking measures including not showing the “message” button on a teen’s profile to potential sextortion accounts, even if they already follow each other, and testing new ways to hide teens from these accounts.In January, the FBI warned of a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/sextortion">“huge increase” in sextortion</a>&nbsp;cases targeting children — including financial sextortion, where someone threatens to release compromising images unless the victim pays. The targeted victims are primarily boys between the ages of 14 to 17, but the FBI said any child can become a victim. In the six-month period from October 2022 to March 2023, the FBI saw a more than 20% increase in reporting of financially motivated sextortion cases involving minor victims compared to the same period in the previous year.__