By&nbsp;SOFIA RESNICK <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

Pharmaceutical sciences professor Chris Adkins was perusing news on his computer in December when he came across an item that fascinated him: Anti-abortion groups had sued the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to force a recall on a commonly used abortion drug.

Adkins teaches future pharmacists at South University School of Pharmacy* in Savannah, Georgia. His early-career research focused on cancer drugs, but mifepristone is among the many drugs he’s familiar with. Adkins understood from the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.acog.org/clinical/clinical-guidance/practice-bulletin/articles/2020/10/medication-abortion-up-to-70-days-of-gestation">&nbsp;medical literature</a>&nbsp;that the FDA-approved two-drug abortion regimen has a high safety and efficacy record. So, it surprised him to read<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/suspect-science-and-claims-center-abortion-pill-lawsuit">&nbsp;plaintiffs arguing</a>&nbsp;this medication is so unsafe it needs to be pulled from the market. But what he still can’t get over is the research U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk cited liberally to order a suspension of mifepristone’s FDA approval earlier this year.

That<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/after-scotus-ruling-disappointed-abortion-foes-vow-keep-attacking-abortion-pill">&nbsp;ultimately blocked</a>&nbsp;April 7 ruling in Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA relied on a handful of studies authored by many of the same anti-abortion activists directly involved in suing the FDA. Kacsmaryk leaned hard on a<a target="_blank" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23333928211053965">&nbsp;2021 study</a>&nbsp;that was designed, funded and produced by the research arm of one of the most powerful anti-abortion political groups in the U.S. The judge cited this paper — which looked at Medicaid patients’ visits to the emergency room within 30 days of having an abortion — to justify that a group of anti-abortion doctors and medical groups have legal standing to force the FDA to recall mifepristone.

“Here, the [plaintiff medical] associations’ members have standing because they allege adverse events from chemical abortion drugs can overwhelm the medical system and place ‘enormous pressure and stress’ on doctors during emergencies and complications,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.370067/gov.uscourts.txnd.370067.137.0_17.pdf#page=7">Kacsmaryk wrote</a>.

But U.S.-based global academic publisher Sage Publishing, which publishes thousands of journals including “Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology,” is now investigating this study and the peer review process it went through after Adkins contacted the journal in April with a pile of red flags. Last week Sage published an “<a target="_blank" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23333928231189400">expression of concern</a>” about the paper.

“As part of the investigation, we are looking into Dr. Adkins’ concerns as well as any concerns related to conflict of interest,” Sage spokesperson Camille Gamboa told States Newsroom in an email. The lead author of the paper, James Studnicki, who works for the anti-abortion think tank Charlotte Lozier Institute, is also on the<a target="_blank" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/editorial-board/HME">&nbsp;editorial board</a>&nbsp;of “Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology.” Gamboa said that Studnicki, in accordance with his journal’s<a target="_blank" href="https://publicationethics.org/core-practices">&nbsp;ethics guidelines</a>, was “not involved in the decision-making process for this article.”

Adkins dissected this paper the way he used to as a onetime peer reviewer. He told States Newsroom that the authors exaggerated their findings and visually misrepresented them in ways that are “grossly misleading.” And that’s led to legal consequences. Except, he said, their study doesn’t actually show what Kacsmaryk said it does: that medication abortion leads to significantly high rates of complications.

“I can’t prove that there was intent to deceive, but I struggled to find an alternative reason to present your data in such a way that exaggerates the magnitude,” Adkins said. “They’re misrepresenting its conclusions to begin with. That’s my frustration with this whole process.”

For now, mifepristone remains legal (except in the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/see-data-reproductive-rights?eType=EmailBlastContent&amp;eId=0df6a929-cf53-4ee2-bb17-92127ecce75d">&nbsp;14 states with total abortion bans</a>). But this high-stakes federal lawsuit is ongoing,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/appeals-court-judges-embrace-anti-abortion-speculation">awaiting a decision</a>&nbsp;from the conservative 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. And while Sage determines whether this study should have been published in the first place, plaintiffs continue wielding it as one of their best defenses against a safe drug protocol that is now the most common method of terminating a pregnancy (and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.acog.org/womens-health/experts-and-stories/the-latest/what-to-know-about-abortion-and-miscarriages-with-or-without-mifepristone">managing miscarriages</a>) post-Roe v. Wade.

Wading into politically charged science fights is new territory for Adkins. So is advocating for abortion rights, something he says he didn’t believe in when he was growing up in Amarillo, Texas, where the lawsuit was coincidentally filed. He said his views on abortion (and gender and climate science) radically shifted when he left his conservative hometown for graduate school and then became a scientist.

“I have significant concerns about the merits, legality, and use of shoddy studies and personal anecdotes to upend national healthcare policies essential to women’s reproductive health and bodily autonomy,” Adkins told States Newsroom. “To go out and say this drug needs to be, you know, removed from the market, it’s not honestly paying tribute to what the true science really is saying.”

Roe v. Wade was overturned on Adkins’ birthday last year — about a year before he would meet his first child. Living in South Carolina, where laws about pregnancy termination have toggled throughout the year, Adkins has been thinking often about the consequences of ending federal abortion rights. He’s grateful his wife didn’t have any pregnancy complications, but he worries about her reproductive freedom going forward, and that of their weeks-old daughter.

“I now have a daughter that is born in a world where there is no Roe v. Wade, no federal recognition that women have the right of bodily autonomy,” Adkins said. “And just, I don’t know. … I’m going to support her in whatever way I can.”

This lawsuit ultimately hinges on scientific questions: Was the science strong enough to justify the FDA’s approval of abortion drugs more than 20 years ago and then its relaxing of certain restrictions? And does the data predominantly show that medication abortion is safe and effective? Evidence in the affirmative, presented by the FDA’s defense team,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2023/04/01/health/abortion-pill-safety.html">&nbsp;outweighs</a>&nbsp;that of plaintiffs in volume and medical journal prestige.

Most drugs approved by the FDA come with some risk of side effects, but mifepristone’s risk level is<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/washington-fda-lawsuit-part-larger-strategy-preserve-abortion-access">&nbsp;significantly lower</a>&nbsp;than many commonly used over-the-counter drugs. In 23 years,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/media/164331/download">&nbsp;28 out of more than 5 million</a>&nbsp;medication-abortion patients have died, but not all necessarily because of mifepristone. Some died of sepsis, ectopic pregnancies, homicide and drug overdoses.

Still, plaintiffs who sued the FDA to revoke mifepristone’s approval&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/suspect-science-and-claims-center-abortion-pill-lawsuit">rely on studies that have been criticized — and on speculation</a>&nbsp;about a potential spike in future adverse events.

Many U.S. scientists and mainstream national medical institutions like the American Medical Association have asked the courts<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ama-assn.org/delivering-care/public-health/ama-court-don-t-overturn-fda-approval-mifepristone">&nbsp;not to overturn</a>&nbsp;FDA approval of mifepristone, and have called out the<a target="_blank" href="https://www.ama-assn.org/about/leadership/judge-s-ruling-mifepristone-has-no-basis-medical-science">&nbsp;misuse of science</a>&nbsp;in the lawsuit. And yet, the conservative federal judges assigned to the case have<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/appeals-court-judges-embrace-anti-abortion-speculation">&nbsp;been nodding along</a>&nbsp;to plaintiffs’ hyperbolic arguments that abortion via medication leads to<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/suspect-science-and-claims-center-abortion-pill-lawsuit">&nbsp;overwhelmed emergency rooms and blood supply shortages</a>.

One study that appears to have convinced Kacsmaryk that mifepristone causes high amounts of severe adverse events was authored by a half-dozen longtime anti-abortion activists. The study, “<a target="_blank" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23333928211053965">A Longitudinal Cohort Study of Emergency Room Utilization Following Mifepristone Chemical and Surgical Abortions, 1999–2015</a>,” was funded by the Charlotte Lozier Institute, the research arm of the influential Susan B. Anthony Pro-Life America, which works to elect federal and state anti-abortion lawmakers. The study was published in November 2021, exactly one year before plaintiffs filed in the Amarillo court. Charlotte Lozier filed a “<a target="_blank" href="https://lozierinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/CLI-Final-Brief.pdf">friend of the court brief</a>,” citing its research.

All but one of the eight authors are affiliated with the Charlotte Lozier Institute, including principal author James Studnicki, who is the institute’s vice president and director of data analytics. Currently everyone on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/editorial-board/HME">editorial board</a>&nbsp;of “Health Services Research and Managerial Epidemiology” works for a university except for Studnicki, who until 2016 was a university professor focused on health policy and management for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/INAG/2019/08/27/file_attachments/1273796/77-2%20-%20Exhibit%20B.pdf#page=15">most of his career</a>. Now he works for an anti-abortion think tank and in recent years has served as a paid expert witness that defends anti-abortion laws in federal court.

Dr. Donna Harrison, another co-author, was until recently the CEO of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists, one of the plaintiff medical groups suing the FDA over mifepristone. Another author is longtime anti-abortion activist David Reardon, who has a record of criticized research that tries to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/21/magazine/21abortion.t.html">directly link abortion to depression and suicide</a>.

The Studnicki et al. 2021 longitudinal study looked at people who had a surgical or medication abortion between 1999 and 2015. The researchers used data from 17 states that allow state Medicaid funding of abortion, and identified more than 400,000 abortion patients. Of those they found that more than one-quarter visited an emergency department within 30 days of having the abortion. Over the 16 years, they found that there were progressively more emergency room visits following a medication abortion than a surgical procedure. The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lozierinstitute.org/public-health-threat-chemical-abortion-leads-to-significantly-higher-rate-of-er-visits/">authors claim</a>&nbsp;that between 2002 and 2015, there was a 500% increase in emergency room visits from people who had had a medication abortion within 30 days.

Following the study’s release in 2021, Studnicki penned an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsweek.com/fdas-dangerous-unscientific-abortion-decision-opinion-1659296">opinion piece in Newsweek</a>, calling the study’s findings “clear and alarming.” “Post-abortion emergency room visits are increasing following any type of abortion, but visits following a chemical abortion are growing faster,” Studnicki wrote.

But Adkins and other researchers told States Newsroom that some of these findings are missing important context, and that the study’s major flaws are related to methodology and in how they communicate their findings:

Studnicki did not respond to a request for comment. He continues to defend the study, and recently&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2023/04/13/abortion-pill-safety/">told the Washington Post</a>&nbsp;that abortion rights groups are discounting ER visits as serious matters and underplaying potential complications from abortions involving mifepristone. He blames academic and media bias for the criticism the Charlotte Lozier Institute’s work has received.

“We have a very biased media,” Studnicki&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mYwEC_CMW60">said on the Canadian podcast Pro-Life Guys</a>&nbsp;earlier this year. “Our media outlets are largely pro-abortion in their ideological posture. And we fight against that every day. But we’re just going to keep pounding on the rock basically.”

Adkins argues there is bias within Charlotte Lozier’s science and within the conservative courts hearing the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine v. FDA lawsuit. Federal Judge Kacsmaryk used this paper (and a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35633832/">follow-up 2022 analysis</a>&nbsp;published in the same journal, by the same researchers) to argue that mifepristone leads to high complication rates. This summer the Charlotte Lozier team produced yet&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dovepress.com/getfile.php?fileID=90478">another study</a>&nbsp;using Medicaid data, this time published in the International Journal of Women’s Health, which concludes that a first pregnancy abortion compared with birth is associated with “significantly higher subsequent mental health services utilization.”

“The fact that, you know, the judge really gives a lot of credit to a very niche, a very small pocket of doctors that don’t fully represent consensus, that’s one of my big problems,” Adkins said.

In his April 7 ruling, Kacsmaryk also echoed plaintiffs’ arguments that the FDA has been undercounting adverse events related to mifepristone and<a target="_blank" href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.txnd.370067/gov.uscourts.txnd.370067.137.0_17.pdf#page=47">&nbsp;cited the other big finding</a>&nbsp;in the Studnicki paper, which is that some patients who have taken abortion drugs but come to the emergency room for observation or treatment are miscoded as miscarriage patients.

“Consequently, the treating physician may not know the adverse event is due to mifepristone,” Kacsmaryk wrote. “Studies support this conclusion by finding over sixty percent of women and girls’ emergency room visits after chemical abortions are miscoded as ‘miscarriages’ rather than adverse effects to mifepristone. Simply put, FDA’s data are incomplete and potentially misleading, as are the statistics touted by mifepristone advocates.”

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals in its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.ca5.213145/gov.uscourts.ca5.213145.183.2_1.pdf">ultimately blocked April ruling</a>&nbsp;to temporarily reinstate old restrictions on medication abortion, referenced many of the same studies as Kascmaryk to justify the plaintiff doctors’ position, writing: “the risk of severe bleeding with chemical abortion is five times higher than from surgical abortion.”

Adkins said he believes that how the Charlotte Lozier team presented their data visually lends for judges to be misled about the significance of the paper’s findings. For example,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/23333928211053965">Figure 3</a>&nbsp;showed about 800 emergency room visits in 2015 within 30 days of a medication abortion, out of more than 5,000 abortion-related visits, but the authors inexplicably used two different y axes to plot these numbers, making it possible to conclude that medication-abortion-related visits were numbered in the thousands.

“Scientific communication is something I deeply value, and I think this is an example of one way that misuse of science through improper communication can influence how public policy manifests itself, through a result of dishonest science,” Adkins said. “It really makes the likelihood of someone misreading that and then, for instance, Kacsmaryk coming back and saying the alleged adverse events from chemical abortion drugs can overwhelm the medical system. Well, maybe he didn’t scrutinize these figures if he read this paper. That’s a highly plausible outcome here because he’s basically thinking, ‘Oh, my gosh, look at these numbers. They’re skyrocketing.’ When they’re really kind of not.”

For now, Adkins impatiently awaits the results of Sage’s probe into this study. A few months ago, he wrote a letter to Georgia U.S. Rep. Earl L. “Buddy” Carter, one of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1620916653830868992">the few</a>&nbsp;licensed pharmacists in Congress, who joined other Republicans in supporting the plaintiffs’ lawsuit against the FDA. Carter is outspokenly anti-abortion, but Adkins tried to appeal to the congressman’s inner pharmacist.

“All practicing US pharmacists publicly recite an oath which affirms pharmacists’ embracement and advocacy for ‘changes that improve patient care,’” Adkins wrote in the letter, which he says the congressman never answered. “The case rendered in Amarillo only deteriorates patient care and sows unnecessary distrust of scientific and medical institutions in the United States.”

*Chris Adkins said his opinions are his own and do not reflect the opinions or positions of South University.

Study cited by judge in abortion-pill case under investigation

NEW YORK (AP) — Social media influencer Kai Cenat is facing charges of inciting a riot and promoting an unlawful gathering in New York City, after the online streamer drew thousands of his followers, many of them teenagers, with promises of giving away electronics, including a new PlayStation.

The event produced chaos, with dozens of people arrested — some jumping atop vehicles, hurling bottles and throwing punches.

Cenat was released early Saturday from police custody after being issued a desk appearance ticket, which police issue to require a suspect to appear in court to answer charges. A police spokesperson said he is to appear in court on Aug. 18.

The mayhem in New York City's Union Square Friday afternoon put further focus on the hold social media influencers have on the people who follow and fawn over them.

“Our children cannot be raised by social media," Mayor Eric Adams said Saturday during a press briefing on an unrelated crime.

Police said they arrested 65 people, including 30 juveniles. Several people were injured, including some with bloodied faces. At least four people were taken away in ambulances.

“I don’t think people realize the level of discipline that we showed to take a very dangerous, volatile situation and to be able to bring it to a level of resolve without any loss of life or any substantial damage to property and without young people harming themselves," Adams said.

Cenat, 21, is a video creator with 6.5 million followers on the platform Twitch, where he regularly livestreams. He also boasts 4 million subscribers on YouTube, where he posts daily life and comedy vlogs ranging from “Fake Hibachi Chef Prank!” to his most recent video, “I Rented Us Girlfriends In Japan!”

His 299 YouTube videos have amassed more than 276 million views among them. In December, he was crowned streamer of the year at the 12th annual Streamy Awards.

Media representatives for AMP, which represents Cenat and a small group of other influencers, said in an email Saturday that the Union Square event was intended to show appreciation to fans.

“We've hosted fan meet ups and video shoots in the past, but we've never experienced anything at the scale of what took place yesterday,” AMP said.

“We recognize that our audience and influence is growing, and with that comes greater responsibility,” the statement continued. “We are deeply disheartened by the outbreak of disorderly conduct that affected innocent people and businesses, and do not condone behavior.”

In its apology, the company said it was cooperating with authorities.

Livestreaming on Twitch from a vehicle as the event gathered steam, Cenat displayed gift cards he planned to give away. Noting the crowd and police presence, he urged, “Everybody who’s out there, make sure y’all safe. ... We’re not gonna do nothin’ until it’s safe.”

Eventually he and an entourage got out of the vehicle and hustled through a crowd, crossed a street and went into the park, where Cenat was surrounded by a cheering, shoving mob.

Chief Jeffrey Maddrey of the New York Police Department said Cenat at some point in the afternoon was removed “for his safety” and police were in contact with him. Videos posted on social media and taken from news helicopters showed Cenat being lifted over a fence and out of the crowd and then placed in a police vehicle.

Aerial TV news footage showed a surging, tightly packed crowd running through the streets, scaling structures in the park and snarling traffic. Shouting teenagers swung objects at car windows, threw paint cans and set off fire extinguishers. Some people climbed on a moving vehicle, falling off as it sped away. Others pounded on or climbed atop city buses.

Skylark Jones, 19, likened the scene to “a movie," as he said police arrived with riot gear and began “charging at people.”

Jones arrived with a friend hoping to get a chance at getting one of the giveaways. When they arrived, the scene was already packed and things became unruly even before Cenat appeared, he said.

“We have encountered things like this before but never to this level of dangerousness,” Maddrey said.

“Listen, we’re not against young people having a good time. We’re not against young people gathering,” Maddrey said. “But it can’t be to this level where it’s dangerous. A lot of people got hurt today.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691320000839.jpeg" alt="Police officers set off a smoke bomb in order to disperse a crowd, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York's Union Square. Police in New York City struggled to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)" />
 <figcaption>Police officers set off a smoke bomb in order to disperse a crowd, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York's Union Square. Police in New York City struggled to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Social media influencer Kai Cenat is facing charges of inciting a riot and promoting an unlawful gathering in New York City, after the online streamer drew thousands of his followers, many of them teenagers, with promises of giving away electronics, including a new PlayStation.The event produced chaos, with dozens of people arrested — some jumping atop vehicles, hurling bottles and throwing punches.Cenat was released early Saturday from police custody after being issued a desk appearance ticket, which police issue to require a suspect to appear in court to answer charges. A police spokesperson said he is to appear in court on Aug. 18.The mayhem in New York City's Union Square Friday afternoon put further focus on the hold social media influencers have on the people who follow and fawn over them.“Our children cannot be raised by social media," Mayor Eric Adams said Saturday during a press briefing on an unrelated crime.Police said they arrested 65 people, including 30 juveniles. Several people were injured, including some with bloodied faces. At least four people were taken away in ambulances.“I don’t think people realize the level of discipline that we showed to take a very dangerous, volatile situation and to be able to bring it to a level of resolve without any loss of life or any substantial damage to property and without young people harming themselves," Adams said.Cenat, 21, is a video creator with 6.5 million followers on the platform Twitch, where he regularly livestreams. He also boasts 4 million subscribers on YouTube, where he posts daily life and comedy vlogs ranging from “Fake Hibachi Chef Prank!” to his most recent video, “I Rented Us Girlfriends In Japan!”His 299 YouTube videos have amassed more than 276 million views among them. In December, he was crowned streamer of the year at the 12th annual Streamy Awards.Media representatives for AMP, which represents Cenat and a small group of other influencers, said in an email Saturday that the Union Square event was intended to show appreciation to fans.“We've hosted fan meet ups and video shoots in the past, but we've never experienced anything at the scale of what took place yesterday,” AMP said.“We recognize that our audience and influence is growing, and with that comes greater responsibility,” the statement continued. “We are deeply disheartened by the outbreak of disorderly conduct that affected innocent people and businesses, and do not condone behavior.”In its apology, the company said it was cooperating with authorities.Livestreaming on Twitch from a vehicle as the event gathered steam, Cenat displayed gift cards he planned to give away. Noting the crowd and police presence, he urged, “Everybody who’s out there, make sure y’all safe. ... We’re not gonna do nothin’ until it’s safe.”Eventually he and an entourage got out of the vehicle and hustled through a crowd, crossed a street and went into the park, where Cenat was surrounded by a cheering, shoving mob.Chief Jeffrey Maddrey of the New York Police Department said Cenat at some point in the afternoon was removed “for his safety” and police were in contact with him. Videos posted on social media and taken from news helicopters showed Cenat being lifted over a fence and out of the crowd and then placed in a police vehicle.Aerial TV news footage showed a surging, tightly packed crowd running through the streets, scaling structures in the park and snarling traffic. Shouting teenagers swung objects at car windows, threw paint cans and set off fire extinguishers. Some people climbed on a moving vehicle, falling off as it sped away. Others pounded on or climbed atop city buses.Skylark Jones, 19, likened the scene to “a movie," as he said police arrived with riot gear and began “charging at people.”Jones arrived with a friend hoping to get a chance at getting one of the giveaways. When they arrived, the scene was already packed and things became unruly even before Cenat appeared, he said.Maddrey said three officers were hurt.“We have encountered things like this before but never to this level of dangerousness,” Maddrey said.“Listen, we’re not against young people having a good time. We’re not against young people gathering,” Maddrey said. “But it can’t be to this level where it’s dangerous. A lot of people got hurt today.”

Social media influencer Kai Cenat faces charges of inciting riot after thousands cause mayhem in NYC

By Paul Hamel <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/08/state-approved-use-of-pesticide-coated-seed-corn-for-ethanol-plant-a-decade-ago/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Drivers on Nebraska roads are putting the pedal to the metal and getting pinched for it.

In July, troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol stopped 118 people for speeding at 100 mph or more — the most since July 2020.

Another 505 tickets were written for lead-footed driving of between 90 and 99 mph in July.

The Patrol reported that in 2023, 85 drivers per month, on average, have been ticketed for traveling above 100 mph and 421 per month for speeds between 90 and 99 mph.

The peak in tickets came during a national “Speed Catches Up with You” campaign, from July 10-31, to deter speeding.

“The statistics are clear: Speeding plays a factor in a large percentage of serious injury or fatal crashes,” said Col. John Bolduc, the Patrol’s superintendent.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.iihs.org/topics/bibliography/ref/2258">in a 2022 study in Virginia,</a>&nbsp;blamed the COVID-19 pandemic — and the emptier roads that resulted — for a 50% increase in excessive speeding.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691327548724.png" alt="Traffic flows along Interstate 80 east of exit 432. (Rebecca S. Gratz for Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Traffic flows along Interstate 80 east of exit 432. (Rebecca S. Gratz for Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Paul Hamel <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/08/state-approved-use-of-pesticide-coated-seed-corn-for-ethanol-plant-a-decade-ago/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Drivers on Nebraska roads are putting the pedal to the metal and getting pinched for it.In July, troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol stopped 118 people for speeding at 100 mph or more — the most since July 2020.Another 505 tickets were written for lead-footed driving of between 90 and 99 mph in July.The Patrol reported that in 2023, 85 drivers per month, on average, have been ticketed for traveling above 100 mph and 421 per month for speeds between 90 and 99 mph.The peak in tickets came during a national “Speed Catches Up with You” campaign, from July 10-31, to deter speeding.“The statistics are clear: Speeding plays a factor in a large percentage of serious injury or fatal crashes,” said Col. John Bolduc, the Patrol’s superintendent.The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.iihs.org/topics/bibliography/ref/2258">in a 2022 study in Virginia,</a>&nbsp;blamed the COVID-19 pandemic — and the emptier roads that resulted — for a 50% increase in excessive speeding.

Lead-footed driving over 100 mph leads to peak in State Patrol tickets

WASHINGTON (AP) —The Justice Department has asked a federal judge overseeing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-a79f2d3683c7591058635c9b3d870070">criminal case against former President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in Washington to step in after he released a post online that appeared to promise revenge on anyone who goes after him.

Prosecutors on Friday requested that U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan issue a protective order concerning evidence in the case, a day after Trump pleaded not guilty to charges of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/explain-charges-trump-indictment-jan-6-investigation-7efd7577e41f0cbf9c697fa4613f93a3">trying to overturn his 2020 election loss</a>&nbsp;and block the peaceful transition of power. The order, different from a “gag order,” would limit what information Trump and his legal team could share publicly about the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith.

<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.1.0_2.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the latest indictment&nbsp;

Chutkan on Saturday gave Trump’s legal team until 5 p.m. Monday to respond to the government’s request. Trump's legal team, which has indicated he would look to slow the case down despite prosecutors’ pledge of a speedy trial, then filed a request to extend the response deadline to Thursday and to hold a hearing on the matter, saying it needed more time for discussion.

Chutkan swiftly denied that extension request Saturday evening, reaffirming that Trump must abide by Monday's deadline.

Protective orders are common in criminal cases, but prosecutors said it's “particularly important in this case” because Trump has posted on social media about "witnesses, judges, attorneys, and others associated with legal matters pending against him."

Prosecutors pointed specifically to a post on Trump's Truth Social platform from earlier Friday in which Trump wrote, in all capital letters, “If you go after me, I’m coming after you!”

Prosecutors said they are ready to hand over a "substantial" amount of evidence — “much of which includes sensitive and confidential information” — to Trump's legal team.

They told the judge that if Trump were to begin posting about grand jury transcripts or other evidence provided by the Justice Department, it could have a “harmful chilling effect on witnesses or adversely affect the fair administration of justice in this case.”

Prosecutors' proposed protective order seeks to prevent Trump and his lawyers from disclosing materials provided by the government to anyone other than people on his legal team, possible witnesses, the witnesses' lawyers or others approved by the court. It would put stricter limits on “sensitive materials,” which would include grand jury witness testimony and materials obtained through sealed search warrants.

A Trump spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the former president's post “is the definition of political speech,” and was made in response to “dishonest special interest groups and Super PACs.”

Chutkan, a former assistant public defender nominated to the bench by President Barack Obama, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-only-on-ap-donald-trump-government-and-politics-sentencing-de394dd56b3251aac5a50014f4d6afa7">one of the toughest punishers of rioters</a>&nbsp;who stormed the Capitol in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack, fueled by Trump’s baseless claims of a stolen election.

The indictment unsealed this past week accuses Republican Trump of brazenly conspiring with allies to spread falsehoods and concoct schemes intended to overturn his election loss to Democrat Joe Biden as his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-losing-election-lawsuits-36d113484ac0946fa5f0614deb7de15e">legal challenges floundered in court.</a>

The indictment chronicles how Trump and his allies, in what Smith described as an attack on a “bedrock function of the U.S. government,” repeatedly lied about the results in the two months after he lost the election and pressured his vice president,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-jan-6-trump-indictment-ab36fd360a0850562a07d1b404f15d69">Mike Pence</a>, and state election officials to take action to help him cling to power.

Trump faces charges including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and conspiracy to obstruct Congress’ certification of Biden’s electoral victory.

It's the third criminal case brought this year against the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-presidential-candidates-who-is-running-e89fbfee94e7e7980594a9ce3994fec7">the early front-runner</a>&nbsp;in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. But it’s the first case to try to hold Trump responsible for his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-committee-final-report-trump-bcfea6162fe9cfa0d120e86d069af0e4">efforts to remain in power</a>&nbsp;during the chaotic weeks between his election loss and the attack by his supporters on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.</a>

Smith has also charged Trump in Florida federal court with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-indictment-miami-court-e9412bb71b63ab1b7cfb8e8b122e9809">illegally hoarding classified documents</a>&nbsp;at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate and thwarting government efforts to get them back.

The magistrate judge in that case agreed to a protective order in June that prohibits Trump and his legal team from publicly disclosing evidence turned over to them by prosecutors without prior approval. Prosecutors are seeking another protective order in that case with more rules about the defense team's handling of classified evidence.

After his court appearance on Thursday in the Washington case, Trump characterized the prosecution as a “persecution” designed to hurt his 2024 presidential campaign. His legal team has described it as an attack on his right to free speech and his right to challenge an election that he believed had been stolen.

On Saturday night to more than 1,000 attendees at the South Carolina Republican Party's 56th annual Silver Elephant Gala, Trump kept up his attacks on Smith, sticking to his usual caricature of the prosecutor as “deranged" for pursuing charges against him.

Smith has said prosecutors will seek a “speedy trial" against Trump in the election case. Judge Chutkan has ordered the government to file a brief by Thursday proposing a trial date. The first court hearing in front of Chutkan is scheduled for Aug. 28.

Trump is already scheduled to stand trial in March in the New York case stemming from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">hush-money payments made during the 2016 campaign</a>&nbsp;and in May in the classified documents case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691091392217.png" alt="Former Presiden Donald Trump as he arrives Thursday in Washington for the arraignment-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Former Presiden Donald Trump as he arrives Thursday in Washington for the arraignment-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —The Justice Department has asked a federal judge overseeing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-a79f2d3683c7591058635c9b3d870070">criminal case against former President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in Washington to step in after he released a post online that appeared to promise revenge on anyone who goes after him.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691329048946.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Prosecutors on Friday requested that U.S. District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan issue a protective order concerning evidence in the case, a day after Trump pleaded not guilty to charges of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/explain-charges-trump-indictment-jan-6-investigation-7efd7577e41f0cbf9c697fa4613f93a3">trying to overturn his 2020 election loss</a>&nbsp;and block the peaceful transition of power. The order, different from a “gag order,” would limit what information Trump and his legal team could share publicly about the case brought by special counsel Jack Smith.<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.1.0_2.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the latest indictment&nbsp;Chutkan on Saturday gave Trump’s legal team until 5 p.m. Monday to respond to the government’s request. Trump's legal team, which has indicated he would look to slow the case down despite prosecutors’ pledge of a speedy trial, then filed a request to extend the response deadline to Thursday and to hold a hearing on the matter, saying it needed more time for discussion.Chutkan swiftly denied that extension request Saturday evening, reaffirming that Trump must abide by Monday's deadline.Protective orders are common in criminal cases, but prosecutors said it's “particularly important in this case” because Trump has posted on social media about "witnesses, judges, attorneys, and others associated with legal matters pending against him."Prosecutors pointed specifically to a post on Trump's Truth Social platform from earlier Friday in which Trump wrote, in all capital letters, “If you go after me, I’m coming after you!”Prosecutors said they are ready to hand over a "substantial" amount of evidence — “much of which includes sensitive and confidential information” — to Trump's legal team.They told the judge that if Trump were to begin posting about grand jury transcripts or other evidence provided by the Justice Department, it could have a “harmful chilling effect on witnesses or adversely affect the fair administration of justice in this case.”Prosecutors' proposed protective order seeks to prevent Trump and his lawyers from disclosing materials provided by the government to anyone other than people on his legal team, possible witnesses, the witnesses' lawyers or others approved by the court. It would put stricter limits on “sensitive materials,” which would include grand jury witness testimony and materials obtained through sealed search warrants.A Trump spokesperson said in an emailed statement that the former president's post “is the definition of political speech,” and was made in response to “dishonest special interest groups and Super PACs.”Chutkan, a former assistant public defender nominated to the bench by President Barack Obama, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-only-on-ap-donald-trump-government-and-politics-sentencing-de394dd56b3251aac5a50014f4d6afa7">one of the toughest punishers of rioters</a>&nbsp;who stormed the Capitol in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack, fueled by Trump’s baseless claims of a stolen election.The indictment unsealed this past week accuses Republican Trump of brazenly conspiring with allies to spread falsehoods and concoct schemes intended to overturn his election loss to Democrat Joe Biden as his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-losing-election-lawsuits-36d113484ac0946fa5f0614deb7de15e">legal challenges floundered in court.</a>The indictment chronicles how Trump and his allies, in what Smith described as an attack on a “bedrock function of the U.S. government,” repeatedly lied about the results in the two months after he lost the election and pressured his vice president,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-jan-6-trump-indictment-ab36fd360a0850562a07d1b404f15d69">Mike Pence</a>, and state election officials to take action to help him cling to power.Trump faces charges including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and conspiracy to obstruct Congress’ certification of Biden’s electoral victory.It's the third criminal case brought this year against the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-presidential-candidates-who-is-running-e89fbfee94e7e7980594a9ce3994fec7">the early front-runner</a>&nbsp;in the 2024 Republican presidential primary. But it’s the first case to try to hold Trump responsible for his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-committee-final-report-trump-bcfea6162fe9cfa0d120e86d069af0e4">efforts to remain in power</a>&nbsp;during the chaotic weeks between his election loss and the attack by his supporters on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.</a>Smith has also charged Trump in Florida federal court with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-indictment-miami-court-e9412bb71b63ab1b7cfb8e8b122e9809">illegally hoarding classified documents</a>&nbsp;at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate and thwarting government efforts to get them back.The magistrate judge in that case agreed to a protective order in June that prohibits Trump and his legal team from publicly disclosing evidence turned over to them by prosecutors without prior approval. Prosecutors are seeking another protective order in that case with more rules about the defense team's handling of classified evidence.After his court appearance on Thursday in the Washington case, Trump characterized the prosecution as a “persecution” designed to hurt his 2024 presidential campaign. His legal team has described it as an attack on his right to free speech and his right to challenge an election that he believed had been stolen.On Saturday night to more than 1,000 attendees at the South Carolina Republican Party's 56th annual Silver Elephant Gala, Trump kept up his attacks on Smith, sticking to his usual caricature of the prosecutor as “deranged" for pursuing charges against him.Smith has said prosecutors will seek a “speedy trial" against Trump in the election case. Judge Chutkan has ordered the government to file a brief by Thursday proposing a trial date. The first court hearing in front of Chutkan is scheduled for Aug. 28.Trump is already scheduled to stand trial in March in the New York case stemming from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">hush-money payments made during the 2016 campaign</a>&nbsp;and in May in the classified documents case.____

Prosecutors ask judge to issue protective order after Trump post appearing to promise revenge

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/04/110-million-mental-health-center-for-kids-breaks-ground-in-omaha/">Nebraska Examiner</a> OMAHA — After a young teen attempting suicide received emergency medical attention recently at Children’s Hospital, the attending health care team knew he was still at risk.

But when they sought to have the boy transferred to a mental health facility for more intensive psychiatric care, they could find no open beds nearby.&nbsp;

He was sent to a place several hours away, Chanda Chacón, CEO of Children’s Hospital &amp; Medical Center, recalled on Friday.

“This is a burden for families, many of whom often can not accompany their children out of state,” said Chacón.&nbsp;

That availability is expected to change with the planned $110 million Behavioral Health &amp; Wellness Center at the Children’s Hospital campus at 84th Street and West Dodge Road.&nbsp;

An official groundbreaking was held Friday for the pediatric mental health center set to bring 38 in-patient beds — an amount supporters said more than doubles the area’s capacity.

Also Friday, the first architectural renderings were revealed of the 107,250-square-foot, four-story structure expected to open in early 2026.

Among features: a special “experiential” kitchen for youth and families dealing with eating disorders; 14,000 square feet of space for general outpatient therapy; and a crisis screening and stabilization assessment hub that organizers said will be the “first of its kind” regionally.

The array of services, set to rise on a seven-acre lot just west of the main hospital, will help meet what organizers described as an “urgent” need, as suicide and related mental health problems have climbed, especially since the pandemic.

Funded in part by federal dollars earmarked by the Nebraska Legislature, the center stands out also for the continuum of services, medical care and follow-up mental health services that youths will be able to get co-located at the same campus.

“Just imagine the improved access to care for families,” said Chacón.

The effort was led by the Mental Health Innovation Foundation and its president, philanthropist Ken Stinson. At the event, Stinson spoke of the “sobering trend” and “alarming” rise of suicide among young people, which he said is fueled by proliferation of social media.

Social isolation and anxiety of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated mental illness scares, Stinson said. Consider these statistics from the Children’s Hospital Association and Centers for Disease Control:

Stinson noted an advisory issued earlier this year by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, calling attention to a public health “crisis” and “epidemic” of loneliness, isolation and lack of social connection in the country.

Given health consequences, Murthy called for public policymakers to enact strategies encouraging social connection.

Tom Warren, chief of staff speaking for Mayor Jean Stothert, underscored the demand for services with statistics from the Omaha Police Department.

Warren said OPD in 2022 responded to 7,700 emergency calls for service from people reporting a mental health crisis.

In the first five months of this year, he said, OPD already has responded to nearly 5,000 mental health calls.

City Council members Pete Festersen, Danny Begley and Brinker Harding were present at the event, which also drew Omaha State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan and U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer.

As planned, the complex will rise on the site of the recently demolished Nebraska Methodist College. The nonprofit foundation chose Kiewit Building Group as design-builder, which is to partner with HDR.

In addition to private donors, funding sources include $16 million earmarked by the Legislature from $40 million it set aside in 2022 for mental health projects across the state.

Another $15 million is to come from Children’s, which will operate the center and hire additional mental health care practitioners of all levels, Chacón said.

The health care community has started collaborating with partners to grow that workforce — including educational institutions, many of which were represented at the groundbreaking.

”We’re confident that this facility will help us attract the best and the brightest to Omaha to be part of that compassionate connected community we all see here today,” Chacón said.

Mental health has been a focus of Stinson’s for years, officials of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development noted in a recent media release. Stinson and Rhonda Hawks were among a group that raised funds to launch Omaha’s Lasting Hope Recovery Center in 2008.

The DED said mental health often has been stigmatized and often misunderstood.

Chacón described as shocking and scary the rise of youth mental illness and suicide attempts and said the new center is “catching up to the need.”

“It cannot come soon enough,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691250255028.jpeg" alt="The planned pediatric mental health facility to rise on the Children’s Hospital campus will span 107,250 square feet. This evening rendering is a view of the front entrance of the “Behavioral Health &amp; Wellness Center” with the perspective of someone walking into the building. (Courtesy of Kiewit and HDR)" />
 <figcaption>The planned pediatric mental health facility to rise on the Children’s Hospital campus will span 107,250 square feet. This evening rendering is a view of the front entrance of the “Behavioral Health &amp; Wellness Center” with the perspective of someone walking into the building. (Courtesy of Kiewit and HDR)</figcaption>
 </figure>By Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/08/04/110-million-mental-health-center-for-kids-breaks-ground-in-omaha/">Nebraska Examiner</a> OMAHA — After a young teen attempting suicide received emergency medical attention recently at Children’s Hospital, the attending health care team knew he was still at risk.But when they sought to have the boy transferred to a mental health facility for more intensive psychiatric care, they could find no open beds nearby.&nbsp;He was sent to a place several hours away, Chanda Chacón, CEO of Children’s Hospital &amp; Medical Center, recalled on Friday.“This is a burden for families, many of whom often can not accompany their children out of state,” said Chacón.&nbsp;That availability is expected to change with the planned $110 million Behavioral Health &amp; Wellness Center at the Children’s Hospital campus at 84th Street and West Dodge Road.&nbsp;<h2>Eating disorders and other therapy</h2>An official groundbreaking was held Friday for the pediatric mental health center set to bring 38 in-patient beds — an amount supporters said more than doubles the area’s capacity.Also Friday, the first architectural renderings were revealed of the 107,250-square-foot, four-story structure expected to open in early 2026.Among features: a special “experiential” kitchen for youth and families dealing with eating disorders; 14,000 square feet of space for general outpatient therapy; and a crisis screening and stabilization assessment hub that organizers said will be the “first of its kind” regionally.The array of services, set to rise on a seven-acre lot just west of the main hospital, will help meet what organizers described as an “urgent” need, as suicide and related mental health problems have climbed, especially since the pandemic.Funded in part by federal dollars earmarked by the Nebraska Legislature, the center stands out also for the continuum of services, medical care and follow-up mental health services that youths will be able to get co-located at the same campus.“Just imagine the improved access to care for families,” said Chacón.The effort was led by the Mental Health Innovation Foundation and its president, philanthropist Ken Stinson. At the event, Stinson spoke of the “sobering trend” and “alarming” rise of suicide among young people, which he said is fueled by proliferation of social media.Social isolation and anxiety of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated mental illness scares, Stinson said. Consider these statistics from the Children’s Hospital Association and Centers for Disease Control:<ul>
 <li>Mental health-related emergency room visits between March and October of 2020 jumped 24% among ages 5 to 11 and 31% among those 12 to 17.</li><li>In the first three quarters of 2021, children’s hospitals across the country reported emergency room visits for self-injury and suicide attempts in kids up to 18 years at a 42% higher rate than during the same period in 2019.</li><li>Suicide was the second leading cause of death, nationally, for youths ages 10 to 14 in 2021. “Here in Nebraska our statistics are not on the right side of that trend,” added Stinson.</li>
 </ul>Stinson noted an advisory issued earlier this year by U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, calling attention to a public health “crisis” and “epidemic” of loneliness, isolation and lack of social connection in the country.Given health consequences, Murthy called for public policymakers to enact strategies encouraging social connection.<h2>Rise in police calls&nbsp;</h2>Tom Warren, chief of staff speaking for Mayor Jean Stothert, underscored the demand for services with statistics from the Omaha Police Department.Warren said OPD in 2022 responded to 7,700 emergency calls for service from people reporting a mental health crisis.In the first five months of this year, he said, OPD already has responded to nearly 5,000 mental health calls.“Today is a hopeful day,” he said.City Council members Pete Festersen, Danny Begley and Brinker Harding were present at the event, which also drew Omaha State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan and U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer.As planned, the complex will rise on the site of the recently demolished Nebraska Methodist College. The nonprofit foundation chose Kiewit Building Group as design-builder, which is to partner with HDR.In addition to private donors, funding sources include $16 million earmarked by the Legislature from $40 million it set aside in 2022 for mental health projects across the state.Another $15 million is to come from Children’s, which will operate the center and hire additional mental health care practitioners of all levels, Chacón said.The health care community has started collaborating with partners to grow that workforce — including educational institutions, many of which were represented at the groundbreaking.”We’re confident that this facility will help us attract the best and the brightest to Omaha to be part of that compassionate connected community we all see here today,” Chacón said.Mental health has been a focus of Stinson’s for years, officials of the Nebraska Department of Economic Development noted in a recent media release. Stinson and Rhonda Hawks were among a group that raised funds to launch Omaha’s Lasting Hope Recovery Center in 2008.The DED said mental health often has been stigmatized and often misunderstood.Chacón described as shocking and scary the rise of youth mental illness and suicide attempts and said the new center is “catching up to the need.”“It cannot come soon enough,” she said.

$110 million mental health center for youths breaks ground in Omaha

MANCHESTER, Conn. (AP) — Hospitals and clinics in several states on Friday began the time-consuming process of recovering from a cyberattack that disrupted their computer systems, forcing some emergency rooms to shut down and ambulances to be diverted.

Many primary care services at facilities run by Prospect Medical Holdings remained closed on Friday as security experts worked to determine the extent of the problem and resolve it.

John Riggi, the American Hospital Association's national advisory for cybersecurity and risk, said the recovery process can often take weeks, with hospitals in the meantime reverting to paper systems and humans to do things such as monitor equipment and run records between departments.

“These are threat-to-life crimes, which risk not only the safety of the patients within the hospital, but also risk the safety of the entire community that depends on the availability of that emergency department to be there," Riggi said.

The latest “data security incident” began Thursday at facilities operated by Prospect, which is based in California and has hospitals and clinics there and in Texas, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.

“Upon learning of this, we took our systems offline to protect them and launched an investigation with the help of third-party cybersecurity specialists,” the company said in a statement Friday. “While our investigation continues, we are focused on addressing the pressing needs of our patients as we work diligently to return to normal operations as quickly as possible.”

In Connecticut, the emergency departments at Manchester Memorial and Rockville General hospital were closed for much of Thursday and patients were diverted to other nearby medical centers.

“We have a national Prospect team working and evaluating the impact of the attack on all of the organizations,” Jillian Menzel, chief operating officer for the Eastern Connecticut Health Network, said in a statement.

The FBI in Connecticut issued a statement saying it is working with “law enforcement partners and the victim entities” but could not comment further on an ongoing investigation.

Elective surgeries, outpatient appointments, blood drives and other services were suspended, and while the emergency departments reopened late Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.echn.org/patients-and-visitors/closings/">many primary care services were closed on Friday</a>, according to the Eastern Connecticut Health Network, which runs the facilities. Patients were being contacted individually, according to the network's website.

Similar disruptions also were reported at other facilities system-wide.

"Waterbury Hospital is following downtime procedures, including the use of paper records, until the situation is resolved,” spokeswoman Lauresha Xhihani, said in a statement. “We are working closely with IT security experts to resolve it as quickly as possible.”

In Pennsylvania, the attack affected services at facilities including the Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland, Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park, Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill and Springfield Hospital in Springfield,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.inquirer.com/health/crozer-health-computer-systems-down-20230803.html">according the Philadelphia Inquirer.</a>

In California, the company has seven hospitals in Los Angeles and Orange counties including two behavioral health facilities and a 130-bed acute care hospital in Los Angeles, according to Prospect's website. Messages sent to representatives for these hospitals were not immediately returned.

Globally, the healthcare industry was the hardest-hit by cyberattacks in the year ending in March, according to IBM’s annual report on data breaches. For the 13th straight year it reported the most expensive breaches, averaging $11 million each. Next was the financial sector at $5.9 million.

Healthcare providers are a common target for criminal extortionists because they have so much sensitive patient data, including health care histories, payment information, and even critical research data, Riggi said.

Riggi, a former cybersecurity specialist with the FBI, said hospitals have been working to put in place better safeguards and more backup systems to prevent such attacks and respond to them when they occur. But he said it is almost impossible to make them completely safe, especially because the systems need to rely on Internet and network-connected technologies to share patient information among clinicians involved in a patient's care.

“Overall, that's a good thing,” he said. “But it also expands our digital attack surface.”

MANCHESTER, Conn. (AP) — Hospitals and clinics in several states on Friday began the time-consuming process of recovering from a cyberattack that disrupted their computer systems, forcing some emergency rooms to shut down and ambulances to be diverted.Many primary care services at facilities run by Prospect Medical Holdings remained closed on Friday as security experts worked to determine the extent of the problem and resolve it.John Riggi, the American Hospital Association's national advisory for cybersecurity and risk, said the recovery process can often take weeks, with hospitals in the meantime reverting to paper systems and humans to do things such as monitor equipment and run records between departments.“These are threat-to-life crimes, which risk not only the safety of the patients within the hospital, but also risk the safety of the entire community that depends on the availability of that emergency department to be there," Riggi said.The latest “data security incident” began Thursday at facilities operated by Prospect, which is based in California and has hospitals and clinics there and in Texas, Connecticut, Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.“Upon learning of this, we took our systems offline to protect them and launched an investigation with the help of third-party cybersecurity specialists,” the company said in a statement Friday. “While our investigation continues, we are focused on addressing the pressing needs of our patients as we work diligently to return to normal operations as quickly as possible.”In Connecticut, the emergency departments at Manchester Memorial and Rockville General hospital were closed for much of Thursday and patients were diverted to other nearby medical centers.“We have a national Prospect team working and evaluating the impact of the attack on all of the organizations,” Jillian Menzel, chief operating officer for the Eastern Connecticut Health Network, said in a statement.The FBI in Connecticut issued a statement saying it is working with “law enforcement partners and the victim entities” but could not comment further on an ongoing investigation.Elective surgeries, outpatient appointments, blood drives and other services were suspended, and while the emergency departments reopened late Thursday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.echn.org/patients-and-visitors/closings/">many primary care services were closed on Friday</a>, according to the Eastern Connecticut Health Network, which runs the facilities. Patients were being contacted individually, according to the network's website.Similar disruptions also were reported at other facilities system-wide."Waterbury Hospital is following downtime procedures, including the use of paper records, until the situation is resolved,” spokeswoman Lauresha Xhihani, said in a statement. “We are working closely with IT security experts to resolve it as quickly as possible.”In Pennsylvania, the attack affected services at facilities including the Crozer-Chester Medical Center in Upland, Taylor Hospital in Ridley Park, Delaware County Memorial Hospital in Drexel Hill and Springfield Hospital in Springfield,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.inquirer.com/health/crozer-health-computer-systems-down-20230803.html">according the Philadelphia Inquirer.</a>In California, the company has seven hospitals in Los Angeles and Orange counties including two behavioral health facilities and a 130-bed acute care hospital in Los Angeles, according to Prospect's website. Messages sent to representatives for these hospitals were not immediately returned.Globally, the healthcare industry was the hardest-hit by cyberattacks in the year ending in March, according to IBM’s annual report on data breaches. For the 13th straight year it reported the most expensive breaches, averaging $11 million each. Next was the financial sector at $5.9 million.Healthcare providers are a common target for criminal extortionists because they have so much sensitive patient data, including health care histories, payment information, and even critical research data, Riggi said.Riggi, a former cybersecurity specialist with the FBI, said hospitals have been working to put in place better safeguards and more backup systems to prevent such attacks and respond to them when they occur. But he said it is almost impossible to make them completely safe, especially because the systems need to rely on Internet and network-connected technologies to share patient information among clinicians involved in a patient's care.“Overall, that's a good thing,” he said. “But it also expands our digital attack surface.”

Cyberattack disrupted hospitals and health care in several states

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Pillen had a phone call with U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack this week to inform him of livestock losses recently experienced by cattle producers. The combination of extreme temperatures, high humidity and lack of air movement over the course of several days impacted cattle feeders in the east central region of the state. Gov. Pillen is requesting Sec. Vilsack’s help in ensuring producers receive timely and appropriate federal support through existing disaster assistance programs such as the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP).

“The weather situation only lasted a few days, but some Nebraska producers were significantly impacted. Connecting affected producers with emergency resources available to them is important,” said Gov. Pillen. “I appreciate the time Sec. Vilsack took to understand what our cattle producers experienced, and I am hopeful he will be able to assist in this unique situation.”

The LIP provides financial benefits to producers who suffer excessive livestock losses due to adverse weather. All losses or injuries must be documented within 30 days, making reporting of those situations time sensitive.

Gov. Pillen urged producers to do their part and report losses to their county Farm Service Agencies (FSA).

“Those offices are the front lines for determining eligibility for federal assistance. Any producers whose herds were adversely affected by the extreme heat need to document and report their losses to FSA as soon as they can,” said Gov. Pillen.

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Pillen had a phone call with U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack this week to inform him of livestock losses recently experienced by cattle producers. The combination of extreme temperatures, high humidity and lack of air movement over the course of several days impacted cattle feeders in the east central region of the state. Gov. Pillen is requesting Sec. Vilsack’s help in ensuring producers receive timely and appropriate federal support through existing disaster assistance programs such as the Livestock Indemnity Program (LIP).“The weather situation only lasted a few days, but some Nebraska producers were significantly impacted. Connecting affected producers with emergency resources available to them is important,” said Gov. Pillen. “I appreciate the time Sec. Vilsack took to understand what our cattle producers experienced, and I am hopeful he will be able to assist in this unique situation.”The LIP provides financial benefits to producers who suffer excessive livestock losses due to adverse weather. All losses or injuries must be documented within 30 days, making reporting of those situations time sensitive.Gov. Pillen urged producers to do their part and report losses to their county Farm Service Agencies (FSA).“Those offices are the front lines for determining eligibility for federal assistance. Any producers whose herds were adversely affected by the extreme heat need to document and report their losses to FSA as soon as they can,” said Gov. Pillen.

Gov. Pillen Advocates for Cattle Producers Following Heat Loss Event

Protecting and serving the public by enforcing our laws is a fundamental duty of American government. The post-pandemic rise in rates of violent crime in our nation has called attention to this responsibility and the important role law enforcement officers play in fulfilling it.

House Republicans have made a&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001LcAwUHwInhHqITBonRPxVWvoUyql3aWCR5a8DZ8e7vmI8ORZtIx6TNQs7LfSg00tI8oAdegVw7WY-W6LfdASJAjefnZ9_VgK94SKKq44Wkf32Vz6LrSpdRwdd_pYVNf5YCydmH6ovC1lk-naSeWRerToPTYWN4pB&amp;c=lBGKDAXVvyCZTe62Mv3gkfpK4CXC3AWBnAJUTBf1BkGi8YeW_rRm2w==&amp;ch=NpBXf3fAGTMvy-u-EE6Gj-Ug7rz4KVr0W3Zh1DdjNLH-vPDcfPzKIg==" target="_blank">Commitment to America</a>&nbsp;to ensure we have a nation that’s safe. An essential component of delivering on that commitment is reducing crime and promoting public safety through support for our law enforcement officers. Sadly, statistics from the National Fraternal Order of Police show through July, 226 officers have been shot in 2023. This is up 22 percent from the same period in 2021.

Law enforcement officers assume extreme risk each day, and we must do everything we can to ensure they have the necessary tools to jobs well and return home safely to their families. Because of this I am a cosponsor of several measures in the House to honor and reinforce support for those who safeguard our communities.

One of those measures, H. Res. 69 condemns calls to “defund,” “disband,” “dismantle,” or “abolish” the police. The resolution expresses recognition and appreciation for the brave and dedicated men and women who put their lives on the line to ensure we have safe communities, serve others, and prevent crime. Calls to cut law enforcement funding or personnel are dangerous, unproductive, and misguided. We should be working alongside law enforcement to make our communities stronger, not implementing policies that make their jobs more challenging.

I am also a cosponsor of H.R. 734, the Protect and Serve Act, which would impose criminal penalties for assaulting and causing injury to an officer in circumstances affecting interstate commerce. Each day officers do the dangerous work of ensuring those who travel and do business across state lines do not do so in fear. This bill would increase legal protection for those officers.

Additionally, those who work to secure our southern border are deserving of our thanks, particularly those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. For this reason, I am a cosponsor of H.R. 412, a bill to name a post office in McAllen, TX, in honor of a U.S. Border Patrol agent who tragically lost his life in the line of duty. In December 2022, Raul Gonzalez Jr., suffered fatal injuries when his ATV crashed at high speed while in pursuit of individuals illegally crossing our southern border.

Furthermore, when action is taken by law enforcement to protect the most vulnerable among us, they should be supported, not prohibited from doing their job. H.R. 1650, the Police Officers Protecting Children Act, would codify protections for officers who are authorized to carry concealed firearms, ensuring they are not subject to the federal prohibition on possessing and use of a firearm in a school zone.

Robust support for the courageous heroes who put themselves in harm’s way to protect Americans and maintain the rule of law is critical to ensure a nation that’s safe. I will always fight for the men and women in uniform who give so much to our&nbsp;Amendment.

Adrian SmithProtecting and serving the public by enforcing our laws is a fundamental duty of American government. The post-pandemic rise in rates of violent crime in our nation has called attention to this responsibility and the important role law enforcement officers play in fulfilling it.House Republicans have made a&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001LcAwUHwInhHqITBonRPxVWvoUyql3aWCR5a8DZ8e7vmI8ORZtIx6TNQs7LfSg00tI8oAdegVw7WY-W6LfdASJAjefnZ9_VgK94SKKq44Wkf32Vz6LrSpdRwdd_pYVNf5YCydmH6ovC1lk-naSeWRerToPTYWN4pB&amp;c=lBGKDAXVvyCZTe62Mv3gkfpK4CXC3AWBnAJUTBf1BkGi8YeW_rRm2w==&amp;ch=NpBXf3fAGTMvy-u-EE6Gj-Ug7rz4KVr0W3Zh1DdjNLH-vPDcfPzKIg==" target="_blank">Commitment to America</a>&nbsp;to ensure we have a nation that’s safe. An essential component of delivering on that commitment is reducing crime and promoting public safety through support for our law enforcement officers. Sadly, statistics from the National Fraternal Order of Police show through July, 226 officers have been shot in 2023. This is up 22 percent from the same period in 2021.Law enforcement officers assume extreme risk each day, and we must do everything we can to ensure they have the necessary tools to jobs well and return home safely to their families. Because of this I am a cosponsor of several measures in the House to honor and reinforce support for those who safeguard our communities.One of those measures, H. Res. 69 condemns calls to “defund,” “disband,” “dismantle,” or “abolish” the police. The resolution expresses recognition and appreciation for the brave and dedicated men and women who put their lives on the line to ensure we have safe communities, serve others, and prevent crime. Calls to cut law enforcement funding or personnel are dangerous, unproductive, and misguided. We should be working alongside law enforcement to make our communities stronger, not implementing policies that make their jobs more challenging.I am also a cosponsor of H.R. 734, the Protect and Serve Act, which would impose criminal penalties for assaulting and causing injury to an officer in circumstances affecting interstate commerce. Each day officers do the dangerous work of ensuring those who travel and do business across state lines do not do so in fear. This bill would increase legal protection for those officers.Additionally, those who work to secure our southern border are deserving of our thanks, particularly those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. For this reason, I am a cosponsor of H.R. 412, a bill to name a post office in McAllen, TX, in honor of a U.S. Border Patrol agent who tragically lost his life in the line of duty. In December 2022, Raul Gonzalez Jr., suffered fatal injuries when his ATV crashed at high speed while in pursuit of individuals illegally crossing our southern border.Furthermore, when action is taken by law enforcement to protect the most vulnerable among us, they should be supported, not prohibited from doing their job. H.R. 1650, the Police Officers Protecting Children Act, would codify protections for officers who are authorized to carry concealed firearms, ensuring they are not subject to the federal prohibition on possessing and use of a firearm in a school zone.Robust support for the courageous heroes who put themselves in harm’s way to protect Americans and maintain the rule of law is critical to ensure a nation that’s safe. I will always fight for the men and women in uniform who give so much to our&nbsp;Amendment.

 Supporting Law Enforcement ﻿

FATIMA, Portugal (AP) — Pope Francis visited the Portuguese town of Fatima on Saturday to pray for peace at a shrine known for apocalyptic prophesies of hell, peace and Soviet communism that have found new relevance with Russia’s war in Ukraine.

But for the third time of his trip to Portugal for World Youth Day, Francis ditched his prepared remarks and didn’t even recite a prayer written for the occasion pleading for peace. The prayer had been expected to be a highlight of Francis’ visit to Fatima, given the shrine’s century-old affiliation with exhortations of peace and conversion in Russia.

Francis instead “prayed silently for peace, with pain,” while meditating for a long period before a statue of the Virgin Mary, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said. And the Vatican later tweeted the prayer.

The unusual morning unfolded at the shrine where,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-europe-religion-prayer-communism-9df80314be754c4aa3de4403cd5ecced">according to legend,</a>&nbsp;three young peasant children in 1917 saw visions of the Madonna. The apparitions turned the small town nestled in the fields of vineyards, olive groves and fruit orchards north of Lisbon into one of the most popular Marian pilgrimage sites in the world, drawing millions of visitors each year.

On Saturday, an estimated 200,000 turned out for Francis’ visit, packing the central esplanade long before the red-tinted moon set and the sun rose. Nearby wildfires turned the sky smoky black and sent ash snowing down on the crowd.

Francis’ visit marked a side trip from his main program in Lisbon to preside over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-portugal-students-economic-justice-environment-bb708ed61f35b54ddb28a04b43bcd9e1">World Youth Day Catholic festival.</a>&nbsp;The featured protagonists in Fatima were also young, including some young people with disabilities who read aloud prayers and young inmates who were allowed to attend. Babies were out in force, as parents offered them up to Francis to bless as he looped through the crowd in his popemobile.

“We are here with great joy," said Maria Florido, a 24-year-old Spaniard who also saw Francis in Lisbon. "We woke up very early to come here and see the pope ... and we’re here with great enthusiasm.”

The Fatima story dates back to 1917, when according to tradition, Portuguese siblings Francisco and Jacinta Marto and their cousin Lucia said the Virgin Mary appeared to them six times and confided to them three secrets. The first two described an apocalyptic image of hell, foretold the end of World War I and the start of World War II, and portended the rise and fall of Soviet communism.

In 2000, the Vatican disclosed the long-awaited third secret, describing it as foretelling the May 13, 1981, assassination attempt against St. John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square, which fell on the anniversary of the original vision.

According to later writings by Lucia, who became a nun and died in 2005, Russia would be converted and peace would reign if the pope and all the bishops of the world consecrated Russia to the “Immaculate Heart of Mary.” Lucia later claimed that John Paul fulfilled that prophecy during a 1984 Mass, even though he never specified Russia in the prayer.

Fatima has long captivated Catholics, because of its blending of mystical, Marian apparitions, apocalyptic prophesies about the rise and fall of Soviet communism and the death of a pope. While Saturday’s wildfires and related ashfall were easily explained, they also harked back to another element of the Fatima phenomenon, an unusual weather phenomenon known as the “Miracle of the Sun.”

According to legend, on Oct. 13, 1917, the Fatima “seers” predicted that the Virgin would perform a miracle that day, and tens of thousands of people flocked to Fatima. They saw what witnesses reported was a vision of the sun “spinning” in the sky and zigzagging toward Earth.

Francis’ visit to Fatima fell on the anniversary of another odd weather phenomenon at a Marian church closely related to Fatima: According to that church legend, on Aug. 5, 1655, it actually snowed outside St. Mary Major basilica in Rome, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6aff551d2b3346aba439decd43ee8b44">Francis always goes to pray</a>&nbsp;before an icon of Mary at the end of each trip.

Vatican Media had said before the trip that Francis would pray for peace in Ukraine and the world while in Fatima. It seemed logical, given Francis had already consecrated both Russia and Ukraine to Mary in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-pope-francis-prayer-europe-portugal-723d6b846d4c3e535cbb321de79304b8">a prayer for peace</a>&nbsp;following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, essentially fulfilling Sr. Lucia's exhortation.

In the prayer tweeted by the @Pontifex account but not read aloud, Francis didn’t name either country but consecrated the church and world, “especially those countries at war,” to Mary. “Open paths where it seems that none exist,” he wrote. “Loosen the tangles of self-centeredness and the snares of power.”

Fatima Bishop Jose Ornelas made a prayer for Ukraine explicit in his remarks. “We associate ourselves to Your Holiness’ prayer for peace, for which this sanctuary is profoundly identified, thinking in particular of the war in Ukraine and so many other conflicts in the world,” he said.

In explaining the changes, Vatican spokesman Bruni said Francis “always addresses firstly the people he meets, as a shepherd, and speaks accordingly.” The 86-year-old Francis often deviates from his prepared remarks, even more when speaking in his native Spanish. Bruni denied the changes had any other serious reason, including with his eyesight.

Francis has been hospitalized twice this year, including in June when he spent nine days in the hospital recovering from abdominal surgery to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-health-758c3d7b07e6d6f242c4a5ea6f2de154">repair a hernia and remove scar tissue</a>&nbsp;on his intestine. Saturday was perhaps the most grueling day of his five-day visit to Portugal, given the round-trip helicopter ride to Fatima and a planned prayer vigil that wasn’t expected to begin until his usual bedtime in Rome.

To give him more rest before the vigil, the Vatican planned to move up an afternoon encounter with his fellow Jesuits, Bruni said.

On Sunday morning, Francis is to preside over a final, outdoor Mass – on a day when temperatures in Lisbon are expected to top 40 degrees C (104F) – before returning to the Vatican.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691249361207.png" alt="Pope Francis arrives surrounded by bodyguards at Our Lady of Fatima shrine in Fatima, central Portugal Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023. Pope Francis is in Portugal through the weekend into Sunday's 37th World Youth Day to preside over the jamboree that St. John Paul II launched in the 1980s to encourage young Catholics in their faith. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)" />
 <figcaption>Pope Francis arrives surrounded by bodyguards at Our Lady of Fatima shrine in Fatima, central Portugal Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023. Pope Francis is in Portugal through the weekend into Sunday's 37th World Youth Day to preside over the jamboree that St. John Paul II launched in the 1980s to encourage young Catholics in their faith. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco)</figcaption>
 </figure>FATIMA, Portugal (AP) — Pope Francis visited the Portuguese town of Fatima on Saturday to pray for peace at a shrine known for apocalyptic prophesies of hell, peace and Soviet communism that have found new relevance with Russia’s war in Ukraine.But for the third time of his trip to Portugal for World Youth Day, Francis ditched his prepared remarks and didn’t even recite a prayer written for the occasion pleading for peace. The prayer had been expected to be a highlight of Francis’ visit to Fatima, given the shrine’s century-old affiliation with exhortations of peace and conversion in Russia.Francis instead “prayed silently for peace, with pain,” while meditating for a long period before a statue of the Virgin Mary, Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni said. And the Vatican later tweeted the prayer.The unusual morning unfolded at the shrine where,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-europe-religion-prayer-communism-9df80314be754c4aa3de4403cd5ecced">according to legend,</a>&nbsp;three young peasant children in 1917 saw visions of the Madonna. The apparitions turned the small town nestled in the fields of vineyards, olive groves and fruit orchards north of Lisbon into one of the most popular Marian pilgrimage sites in the world, drawing millions of visitors each year.On Saturday, an estimated 200,000 turned out for Francis’ visit, packing the central esplanade long before the red-tinted moon set and the sun rose. Nearby wildfires turned the sky smoky black and sent ash snowing down on the crowd.Francis’ visit marked a side trip from his main program in Lisbon to preside over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-portugal-students-economic-justice-environment-bb708ed61f35b54ddb28a04b43bcd9e1">World Youth Day Catholic festival.</a>&nbsp;The featured protagonists in Fatima were also young, including some young people with disabilities who read aloud prayers and young inmates who were allowed to attend. Babies were out in force, as parents offered them up to Francis to bless as he looped through the crowd in his popemobile.“We are here with great joy," said Maria Florido, a 24-year-old Spaniard who also saw Francis in Lisbon. "We woke up very early to come here and see the pope ... and we’re here with great enthusiasm.”The Fatima story dates back to 1917, when according to tradition, Portuguese siblings Francisco and Jacinta Marto and their cousin Lucia said the Virgin Mary appeared to them six times and confided to them three secrets. The first two described an apocalyptic image of hell, foretold the end of World War I and the start of World War II, and portended the rise and fall of Soviet communism.In 2000, the Vatican disclosed the long-awaited third secret, describing it as foretelling the May 13, 1981, assassination attempt against St. John Paul II in St. Peter’s Square, which fell on the anniversary of the original vision.According to later writings by Lucia, who became a nun and died in 2005, Russia would be converted and peace would reign if the pope and all the bishops of the world consecrated Russia to the “Immaculate Heart of Mary.” Lucia later claimed that John Paul fulfilled that prophecy during a 1984 Mass, even though he never specified Russia in the prayer.Fatima has long captivated Catholics, because of its blending of mystical, Marian apparitions, apocalyptic prophesies about the rise and fall of Soviet communism and the death of a pope. While Saturday’s wildfires and related ashfall were easily explained, they also harked back to another element of the Fatima phenomenon, an unusual weather phenomenon known as the “Miracle of the Sun.”According to legend, on Oct. 13, 1917, the Fatima “seers” predicted that the Virgin would perform a miracle that day, and tens of thousands of people flocked to Fatima. They saw what witnesses reported was a vision of the sun “spinning” in the sky and zigzagging toward Earth.Francis’ visit to Fatima fell on the anniversary of another odd weather phenomenon at a Marian church closely related to Fatima: According to that church legend, on Aug. 5, 1655, it actually snowed outside St. Mary Major basilica in Rome, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/6aff551d2b3346aba439decd43ee8b44">Francis always goes to pray</a>&nbsp;before an icon of Mary at the end of each trip.Vatican Media had said before the trip that Francis would pray for peace in Ukraine and the world while in Fatima. It seemed logical, given Francis had already consecrated both Russia and Ukraine to Mary in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-pope-francis-prayer-europe-portugal-723d6b846d4c3e535cbb321de79304b8">a prayer for peace</a>&nbsp;following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, essentially fulfilling Sr. Lucia's exhortation.In the prayer tweeted by the @Pontifex account but not read aloud, Francis didn’t name either country but consecrated the church and world, “especially those countries at war,” to Mary. “Open paths where it seems that none exist,” he wrote. “Loosen the tangles of self-centeredness and the snares of power.”Fatima Bishop Jose Ornelas made a prayer for Ukraine explicit in his remarks. “We associate ourselves to Your Holiness’ prayer for peace, for which this sanctuary is profoundly identified, thinking in particular of the war in Ukraine and so many other conflicts in the world,” he said.In explaining the changes, Vatican spokesman Bruni said Francis “always addresses firstly the people he meets, as a shepherd, and speaks accordingly.” The 86-year-old Francis often deviates from his prepared remarks, even more when speaking in his native Spanish. Bruni denied the changes had any other serious reason, including with his eyesight.Francis has been hospitalized twice this year, including in June when he spent nine days in the hospital recovering from abdominal surgery to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-health-758c3d7b07e6d6f242c4a5ea6f2de154">repair a hernia and remove scar tissue</a>&nbsp;on his intestine. Saturday was perhaps the most grueling day of his five-day visit to Portugal, given the round-trip helicopter ride to Fatima and a planned prayer vigil that wasn’t expected to begin until his usual bedtime in Rome.To give him more rest before the vigil, the Vatican planned to move up an afternoon encounter with his fellow Jesuits, Bruni said.On Sunday morning, Francis is to preside over a final, outdoor Mass – on a day when temperatures in Lisbon are expected to top 40 degrees C (104F) – before returning to the Vatican.

Pope visits shrine known for apocalyptic prophesy 

Acting United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Lindsey Ann Rokahr, 40, of Ewing, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha&nbsp;for her participation in a methamphetamine conspiracy.&nbsp;&nbsp;Chief United States District Judge&nbsp;Robert F. Rossiter, Jr.&nbsp;sentenced&nbsp;Rokahr to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.&nbsp; After her release from prison, she will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.&nbsp;

In May 2020,&nbsp;<a>the Holt County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol, and United States Postal Inspection Service&nbsp;</a>began investigating Rokahr and Dallas Rhinehart for their involvement in the distribution of methamphetamine in the Norfolk area.&nbsp; As a result of the investigation, it was determined that Katherine Marie Tacheira would mail multi-ounce packages from California to different recipients in Nebraska.&nbsp; The USPS was able to determine that three packages of methamphetamine were sent by Tacheira to Rokahr in July, August, and September of 2020.&nbsp; The September package from Tacheira to Rokahr was intercepted and contained three ounces of methamphetamine.&nbsp; Rokahr was found responsible for receiving at least 13 ounces in the mail.

Rhinehart was sentenced on March 13, 2023, to 130 months’ imprisonment.&nbsp; Tacheira was sentenced on May 16, 2023, to 120 months’ imprisonment.

This case was investigated by&nbsp;the Holt County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol, and United States Postal Inspection Service.

Department of JusticeActing United States Attorney Susan Lehr announced that Lindsey Ann Rokahr, 40, of Ewing, Nebraska, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha&nbsp;for her participation in a methamphetamine conspiracy.&nbsp;&nbsp;Chief United States District Judge&nbsp;Robert F. Rossiter, Jr.&nbsp;sentenced&nbsp;Rokahr to 60 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.&nbsp; After her release from prison, she will begin a 4-year term of supervised release.&nbsp;In May 2020,&nbsp;<a>the Holt County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol, and United States Postal Inspection Service&nbsp;</a>began investigating Rokahr and Dallas Rhinehart for their involvement in the distribution of methamphetamine in the Norfolk area.&nbsp; As a result of the investigation, it was determined that Katherine Marie Tacheira would mail multi-ounce packages from California to different recipients in Nebraska.&nbsp; The USPS was able to determine that three packages of methamphetamine were sent by Tacheira to Rokahr in July, August, and September of 2020.&nbsp; The September package from Tacheira to Rokahr was intercepted and contained three ounces of methamphetamine.&nbsp; Rokahr was found responsible for receiving at least 13 ounces in the mail.Rhinehart was sentenced on March 13, 2023, to 130 months’ imprisonment.&nbsp; Tacheira was sentenced on May 16, 2023, to 120 months’ imprisonment.This case was investigated by&nbsp;the Holt County Sheriff’s Office, Nebraska State Patrol, and United States Postal Inspection Service.

Ewing, Nebraska Woman Sentenced in Methamphetamine Conspiracy

KANSAS CITY —The FBI, working with its state and local partners, identified and located 200 victims of sex trafficking during a nationwide enforcement campaign, called "Operation Cross Country," according to a media release from the agency this week.

 The operation also led to identification or arrest of 126 suspects of child sexual exploitation and human trafficking offenses and 68 suspects of trafficking were identified or arrested.&nbsp;

FBI agents from the Kansas City Field Office worked with law enforcement partners from Wichita Police, Overland Park, Kansas Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Sedgwick County, Kansas Exploited and Missing Children’s Unit, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, KCMO Police and many other regional law enforcement agencies.

Through targeted operations and collaborative efforts, Operation Cross Country achieved significant milestones in recovering victims, apprehending offenders, and raising public awareness about these heinous crimes. The FBI and its partners located 59 minor victims of child sex trafficking and child sexual exploitation offenses and located 59 actively missing children during its 2-week operation in July.

"Sex traffickers exploit and endanger some of the most vulnerable members of our society and cause their victims unimaginable harm," said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. "This operation, which located 59 actively missing children, builds on the tremendous work the FBI has undertaken over many years to rescue minor victims and arrest those responsible for these unspeakable crimes. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners across the country to prevent human trafficking; increase detection, investigation, and prosecution of human trafficking crimes; and expand support and services to protect and empower survivors."

The FBI-led nationwide initiative, in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), focused on identifying and locating victims of sex trafficking and investigating and arresting individuals and criminal enterprises involved in both child sex and human trafficking. Law enforcement agencies conducted targeted operations to identify and apprehend offenders, dismantling criminal networks and preventing further harm to victims. Those suspects identified will be subject to additional investigation for potential charges.

"Human traffickers prey on the most vulnerable members of our society, and their crimes scar victims—many of them children—for life. The FBI's commitment to combatting this threat will never waver, and we will continue to send our message that these atrocities will not be tolerated," said FBI Director Christopher Wray. "This operation would not be possible without the commitment and collaboration from our state and local law enforcement partners, and it demonstrates our continued focus on actively pursuing the criminals responsible for these heinous violations and connecting those impacted with dedicated victim services and resources."

A multidisciplinary team (MDT), to include victim specialists, child/adolescent forensic interviewers, and other victim service personnel, in addition to special agents, ensures a victim-centered, culturally responsive, trauma-informed investigative response. The FBI MDT works with state and local partners to make resources available to meet the unique needs of trafficking victims.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Victim specialists provide services based on the individual needs of human trafficking victims, to include crisis intervention, emergency food and clothing, transportation to receive emergency services, and locating shelter or housing. The victim specialists also serve as conduit between the victims and the investigative team to help ensure they are receiving case updates, as appropriate.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"Behind every statistic, there is a person with dreams, aspirations, and the right to live a life free from child sex trafficking and exploitation. As a society we must work together to ensure the protection, support, and empowerment of those impacted by this heinous crime." said Michelle DeLaune, President and CEO of the National Center for Missing &amp; Exploited Children. "We applaud the FBI and their partner law enforcement agencies for their unwavering dedication to protecting children. Their tireless efforts in combatting crimes against children sends a powerful message that child sexual exploitation will not be tolerated."

The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to combatting child exploitation and human trafficking. Operation Cross Country is just one facet of the Bureau's ongoing efforts to protect the most vulnerable members of society and hold offenders accountable. The FBI encourages continued vigilance, cooperation, and reporting from the public to help identify and recover victims and bring perpetrators to justice.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691101172618.png" alt="Image from video footage of Operation Cross Country 13, an FBI-led nationwide law enforcement initiative—now in its 13th year. The coordinated operation, which included other federal agencies, state and local police, and social services agencies across the country, aims to find and assist victims of human trafficking, particularly child victims." />
 <figcaption>Image from video footage of Operation Cross Country 13, an FBI-led nationwide law enforcement initiative—now in its 13th year. The coordinated operation, which included other federal agencies, state and local police, and social services agencies across the country, aims to find and assist victims of human trafficking, particularly child victims.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —The FBI, working with its state and local partners, identified and located 200 victims of sex trafficking during a nationwide enforcement campaign, called "Operation Cross Country," according to a media release from the agency this week. The operation also led to identification or arrest of 126 suspects of child sexual exploitation and human trafficking offenses and 68 suspects of trafficking were identified or arrested.&nbsp;FBI agents from the Kansas City Field Office worked with law enforcement partners from Wichita Police, Overland Park, Kansas Police Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, Sedgwick County, Kansas Exploited and Missing Children’s Unit, Department of Homeland Security Investigations, KCMO Police and many other regional law enforcement agencies.Through targeted operations and collaborative efforts, Operation Cross Country achieved significant milestones in recovering victims, apprehending offenders, and raising public awareness about these heinous crimes. The FBI and its partners located 59 minor victims of child sex trafficking and child sexual exploitation offenses and located 59 actively missing children during its 2-week operation in July."Sex traffickers exploit and endanger some of the most vulnerable members of our society and cause their victims unimaginable harm," said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. "This operation, which located 59 actively missing children, builds on the tremendous work the FBI has undertaken over many years to rescue minor victims and arrest those responsible for these unspeakable crimes. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners across the country to prevent human trafficking; increase detection, investigation, and prosecution of human trafficking crimes; and expand support and services to protect and empower survivors."The FBI-led nationwide initiative, in partnership with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), focused on identifying and locating victims of sex trafficking and investigating and arresting individuals and criminal enterprises involved in both child sex and human trafficking. Law enforcement agencies conducted targeted operations to identify and apprehend offenders, dismantling criminal networks and preventing further harm to victims. Those suspects identified will be subject to additional investigation for potential charges."Human traffickers prey on the most vulnerable members of our society, and their crimes scar victims—many of them children—for life. The FBI's commitment to combatting this threat will never waver, and we will continue to send our message that these atrocities will not be tolerated," said FBI Director Christopher Wray. "This operation would not be possible without the commitment and collaboration from our state and local law enforcement partners, and it demonstrates our continued focus on actively pursuing the criminals responsible for these heinous violations and connecting those impacted with dedicated victim services and resources."A multidisciplinary team (MDT), to include victim specialists, child/adolescent forensic interviewers, and other victim service personnel, in addition to special agents, ensures a victim-centered, culturally responsive, trauma-informed investigative response. The FBI MDT works with state and local partners to make resources available to meet the unique needs of trafficking victims.&nbsp;&nbsp;Victim specialists provide services based on the individual needs of human trafficking victims, to include crisis intervention, emergency food and clothing, transportation to receive emergency services, and locating shelter or housing. The victim specialists also serve as conduit between the victims and the investigative team to help ensure they are receiving case updates, as appropriate.&nbsp;&nbsp;"Behind every statistic, there is a person with dreams, aspirations, and the right to live a life free from child sex trafficking and exploitation. As a society we must work together to ensure the protection, support, and empowerment of those impacted by this heinous crime." said Michelle DeLaune, President and CEO of the National Center for Missing &amp; Exploited Children. "We applaud the FBI and their partner law enforcement agencies for their unwavering dedication to protecting children. Their tireless efforts in combatting crimes against children sends a powerful message that child sexual exploitation will not be tolerated."The FBI remains steadfast in its commitment to combatting child exploitation and human trafficking. Operation Cross Country is just one facet of the Bureau's ongoing efforts to protect the most vulnerable members of society and hold offenders accountable. The FBI encourages continued vigilance, cooperation, and reporting from the public to help identify and recover victims and bring perpetrators to justice.&nbsp;