ATLANTA (AP) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization say measles immunization has dropped significantly since the coronavirus pandemic began, resulting in a record high of nearly 40 million children missing a vaccine dose last year.

In a report issued this month, the CDC and the WHO said millions of children were now susceptible to measles, among the world’s most contagious diseases. In 2021, officials said there were about 9 million measles infections and 128,000 deaths worldwide.

The WHO and CDC said continued drops in vaccination, weak disease surveillance and delayed response plans due to COVID-19, in addition to ongoing outbreaks in more than 20 countries, mean that “measles is an imminent threat in every region of the world.”

Scientists estimate that at least 95% of a population needs to be immunized to protect against epidemics; the WHO and the CDC reported that only about 81% of children receive their first dose of measles vaccine while 71% get their second dose, marking the lowest global coverage rates of the first measles dose since 2008.

“The record number of children under-immunized and susceptible to measles shows the profound damage immunization systems have sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.

Measles is mostly spread through direct contact or in the air and causes symptoms including fever, muscle pain and a skin rash on the face and upper neck. Most measles-related deaths are caused by complications including swelling of the brain and dehydration. The WHO says serious complications are most serious in children under five and adults over 30.

More than 95% of measles deaths occur in developing countries, mostly in Africa and Asia. There is no specific treatment for measles, but the two-dose vaccine against it is about 97% effective in preventing severe illness and death.

In July, the U.N. said 25 million children have missed out on routine immunizations against diseases including diphtheria, largely because the coronavirus disrupted routine health services or triggered vaccine misinformation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1652901529032.png" alt="“The record number of children under-immunized and susceptible to measles shows the profound damage immunization systems have sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement." />
 <figcaption>“The record number of children under-immunized and susceptible to measles shows the profound damage immunization systems have sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization say measles immunization has dropped significantly since the coronavirus pandemic began, resulting in a record high of nearly 40 million children missing a vaccine dose last year.In a report issued this month, the CDC and the WHO said millions of children were now susceptible to measles, among the world’s most contagious diseases. In 2021, officials said there were about 9 million measles infections and 128,000 deaths worldwide.The WHO and CDC said continued drops in vaccination, weak disease surveillance and delayed response plans due to COVID-19, in addition to ongoing outbreaks in more than 20 countries, mean that “measles is an imminent threat in every region of the world.”Scientists estimate that at least 95% of a population needs to be immunized to protect against epidemics; the WHO and the CDC reported that only about 81% of children receive their first dose of measles vaccine while 71% get their second dose, marking the lowest global coverage rates of the first measles dose since 2008.“The record number of children under-immunized and susceptible to measles shows the profound damage immunization systems have sustained during the COVID-19 pandemic,” CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said in a statement.Measles is mostly spread through direct contact or in the air and causes symptoms including fever, muscle pain and a skin rash on the face and upper neck. Most measles-related deaths are caused by complications including swelling of the brain and dehydration. The WHO says serious complications are most serious in children under five and adults over 30.More than 95% of measles deaths occur in developing countries, mostly in Africa and Asia. There is no specific treatment for measles, but the two-dose vaccine against it is about 97% effective in preventing severe illness and death.In July, the U.N. said 25 million children have missed out on routine immunizations against diseases including diphtheria, largely because the coronavirus disrupted routine health services or triggered vaccine misinformation.

CDC: A record 40 million kids miss measles vaccine dose

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is taking up a dispute over a blocked Biden administration policy that would prioritize deportation of people in the country illegally who pose the greatest public safety risk.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx">Click here to listen </a>to the debate

Republican-led states sued and won a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-texas-louisiana-immigration-government-and-politics-ca4a8bc99794bd46beb88f0a2d347cd5">nationwide court order</a>&nbsp;that is meant to limit immigration officers’ discretion in deciding whom to deport. The justices are hearing arguments in the case Tuesday.

It's the latest example of a Republican litigation strategy that has succeeded in slowing Biden administration initiatives by going to GOP-friendly courts.

In a separate ongoing legal dispute, three judges chosen by President Donald Trump are among the four Republican-appointed judges who have so far prevented the administration's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-government-and-politics-f524c55faae26c2066b6795a9d29bc8d">student loan cancellation program</a>&nbsp;from taking effect.

At the center of the immigration legal fight is a September 2021 directive from the Department of Homeland Security that paused deportations unless individuals had committed acts of terrorism, espionage or “egregious threats to public safety.”

The guidance, issued after Joe Biden became president, updated a Trump-era policy that removed people in the country illegally regardless of criminal history or community ties.

The administration said in a written high-court filing that the “decision to prioritize threats to national security, public safety, and border security was both reasonable and reasonably explained,” especially since Congress has not given DHS enough money to vastly increase the number of people it holds and deports.

Texas and Louisiana, which sued over the directive, responded that the administration’s guidance violates federal law that requires the detention of people who are in the U.S. illegally and who have been convicted of serious crimes.

The states said they would face added costs of having to detain people the federal government might allow to remain free inside the United States, despite their criminal records.

Federal appeals courts had reached conflicting decisions over DHS guidance.

The federal appeals court in Cincinnati earlier overturned a district judge’s order that put the policy on hold in a lawsuit filed by Arizona, Ohio and Montana.

But in a separate suit filed by Texas and Louisiana, a federal judge in Texas ordered a nationwide halt to the guidance and a federal appellate panel in New Orleans declined to step in.

In July, the court voted 5-4 to leave the immigration policy frozen nationwide. Conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court’s three liberals in saying they would have allowed the Biden administration to put in place the guidance.

At the same time, the court said it would hear arguments in the case in late November.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632317716965.png" alt="At the center of the immigration legal fight is a September 2021 directive from the Department of Homeland Security that paused deportations unless individuals had committed acts of terrorism, espionage or “egregious threats to public safety.”-photo Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>At the center of the immigration legal fight is a September 2021 directive from the Department of Homeland Security that paused deportations unless individuals had committed acts of terrorism, espionage or “egregious threats to public safety.”-photo Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is taking up a dispute over a blocked Biden administration policy that would prioritize deportation of people in the country illegally who pose the greatest public safety risk.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/live.aspx">Click here to listen </a>to the debateRepublican-led states sued and won a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-texas-louisiana-immigration-government-and-politics-ca4a8bc99794bd46beb88f0a2d347cd5">nationwide court order</a>&nbsp;that is meant to limit immigration officers’ discretion in deciding whom to deport. The justices are hearing arguments in the case Tuesday.It's the latest example of a Republican litigation strategy that has succeeded in slowing Biden administration initiatives by going to GOP-friendly courts.In a separate ongoing legal dispute, three judges chosen by President Donald Trump are among the four Republican-appointed judges who have so far prevented the administration's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-government-and-politics-f524c55faae26c2066b6795a9d29bc8d">student loan cancellation program</a>&nbsp;from taking effect.At the center of the immigration legal fight is a September 2021 directive from the Department of Homeland Security that paused deportations unless individuals had committed acts of terrorism, espionage or “egregious threats to public safety.”The guidance, issued after Joe Biden became president, updated a Trump-era policy that removed people in the country illegally regardless of criminal history or community ties.The administration said in a written high-court filing that the “decision to prioritize threats to national security, public safety, and border security was both reasonable and reasonably explained,” especially since Congress has not given DHS enough money to vastly increase the number of people it holds and deports.Texas and Louisiana, which sued over the directive, responded that the administration’s guidance violates federal law that requires the detention of people who are in the U.S. illegally and who have been convicted of serious crimes.The states said they would face added costs of having to detain people the federal government might allow to remain free inside the United States, despite their criminal records.Federal appeals courts had reached conflicting decisions over DHS guidance.The federal appeals court in Cincinnati earlier overturned a district judge’s order that put the policy on hold in a lawsuit filed by Arizona, Ohio and Montana.But in a separate suit filed by Texas and Louisiana, a federal judge in Texas ordered a nationwide halt to the guidance and a federal appellate panel in New Orleans declined to step in.In July, the court voted 5-4 to leave the immigration policy frozen nationwide. Conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett joined the court’s three liberals in saying they would have allowed the Biden administration to put in place the guidance.At the same time, the court said it would hear arguments in the case in late November.

🎤Supreme Court weighs deportation policy as crisis rages

By JOHN FLESHER AP Environmental Writer

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — The Biden administration declared the northern long-eared bat endangered on Tuesday in a last-ditch effort to save a species driven to the brink of extinction by white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease.

"White-nose syndrome is decimating cave-dwelling bat species like the northern long-eared bat at unprecedented rates," said Martha Williams, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

The agency is "deeply committed to working with partners on a balanced approach that reduces the impacts of disease and protects the survivors to recover northern long-eared bat populations," she said.

First documented in the U.S. in 2006, the disease has infected 12 types of bats and killed millions. The northern long-eared bat is among the hardest hit, with estimated declines of 97% or higher in affected populations. The bat is found in 37 eastern and north-central states, plus Washington, D.C., and much of Canada.

Named for white, fuzzy spots that appear on infected bats, white-nose syndrome attacks bats' wings, muzzles and ears when they hibernate in caves and abandoned mines.

It causes them to wake early from hibernation and to sometimes fly outside. They can burn up their winter fat stores and eventually starve.

The disease has spread across nearly 80% of the geographical range where northern long-eared bats live and is expected to cover it all by 2025.

Another species ravaged by the fungus is the tricolored bat, which the government proposed to classify as endangered in September.

Bats are believed to give U.S. agriculture an annual boost of $3 billion by gobbling pests and pollinating some plants.

The Fish and Wildlife Service designated the northern long-eared bat as threatened in 2015. With its situation increasingly dire, the agency proposed an endangered listing in March and considered public comments before deciding to proceed. The reclassification takes effect Jan. 30, 2023.

In many cases, the service identifies "critical habitat" areas considered particularly important for the survival of an endangered species. Officials decided against doing so for the northern long-eared bat because habitat loss isn't the primary reason for its decline, spokeswoman Georgia Parham said. Calling attention to their winter hibernation spots could make things worse, she added.

Recovery efforts will focus on wooded areas where the bats roost in summer — usually alone or in small groups, nestling beneath bark or in tree cavities and crevices. Emerging at dusk, they feed on moths, beetles and other insects.

Under the Endangered Species Act, federal agencies are required to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service to be sure projects that they fund or authorize — such as timber harvests, prescribed fires and highway construction — will not jeopardize a listed species' existence.

For nonfederal landowners, actions that could result in unintentional kills could be allowed but will require permits.

The Fish and Wildlife Service said that it will also work with wind energy companies to reduce the likelihood that bats will strike turbines. These collisions are currently a threat in roughly half of the northern long-eared bat's range, an area likely to grow as wind energy development expands.

The service has approved nearly two dozen plans allowing wind energy and forestry projects to proceed after steps were taken to make them more bat-friendly, said Karen Herrington, Midwest regional coordinator for threatened and endangered species.

Operators can limit the danger by curtailing blade rotation during bats' migration season and when winds are low.

Research continues for methods to fight white-nose syndrome, including development of a vaccine. The service has distributed more than $46 million for the campaign, which involves around 150 agencies, private organizations and Native American tribes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669734492258.jpeg" alt="This undated photo provided by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources shows a northern long-eared bat. On Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022, the Biden administration declared the northern long-eared bat endangered, a last-ditch effort to save a species driven to the brink of extinction by a deadly fungus. This is the third species of bat recommended for the designation this year due to white-nose syndrome. (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources via AP, File)" />
 <figcaption>This undated photo provided by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources shows a northern long-eared bat. On Tuesday, Nov. 29, 2022, the Biden administration declared the northern long-eared bat endangered, a last-ditch effort to save a species driven to the brink of extinction by a deadly fungus. This is the third species of bat recommended for the designation this year due to white-nose syndrome. (Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources via AP, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN FLESHER AP Environmental WriterTRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — The Biden administration declared the northern long-eared bat endangered on Tuesday in a last-ditch effort to save a species driven to the brink of extinction by white-nose syndrome, a fungal disease."White-nose syndrome is decimating cave-dwelling bat species like the northern long-eared bat at unprecedented rates," said Martha Williams, director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.The agency is "deeply committed to working with partners on a balanced approach that reduces the impacts of disease and protects the survivors to recover northern long-eared bat populations," she said.First documented in the U.S. in 2006, the disease has infected 12 types of bats and killed millions. The northern long-eared bat is among the hardest hit, with estimated declines of 97% or higher in affected populations. The bat is found in 37 eastern and north-central states, plus Washington, D.C., and much of Canada.Named for white, fuzzy spots that appear on infected bats, white-nose syndrome attacks bats' wings, muzzles and ears when they hibernate in caves and abandoned mines.It causes them to wake early from hibernation and to sometimes fly outside. They can burn up their winter fat stores and eventually starve.The disease has spread across nearly 80% of the geographical range where northern long-eared bats live and is expected to cover it all by 2025.Another species ravaged by the fungus is the tricolored bat, which the government proposed to classify as endangered in September.Bats are believed to give U.S. agriculture an annual boost of $3 billion by gobbling pests and pollinating some plants.The Fish and Wildlife Service designated the northern long-eared bat as threatened in 2015. With its situation increasingly dire, the agency proposed an endangered listing in March and considered public comments before deciding to proceed. The reclassification takes effect Jan. 30, 2023.In many cases, the service identifies "critical habitat" areas considered particularly important for the survival of an endangered species. Officials decided against doing so for the northern long-eared bat because habitat loss isn't the primary reason for its decline, spokeswoman Georgia Parham said. Calling attention to their winter hibernation spots could make things worse, she added.Recovery efforts will focus on wooded areas where the bats roost in summer — usually alone or in small groups, nestling beneath bark or in tree cavities and crevices. Emerging at dusk, they feed on moths, beetles and other insects.Under the Endangered Species Act, federal agencies are required to consult with the Fish and Wildlife Service to be sure projects that they fund or authorize — such as timber harvests, prescribed fires and highway construction — will not jeopardize a listed species' existence.For nonfederal landowners, actions that could result in unintentional kills could be allowed but will require permits.The Fish and Wildlife Service said that it will also work with wind energy companies to reduce the likelihood that bats will strike turbines. These collisions are currently a threat in roughly half of the northern long-eared bat's range, an area likely to grow as wind energy development expands.The service has approved nearly two dozen plans allowing wind energy and forestry projects to proceed after steps were taken to make them more bat-friendly, said Karen Herrington, Midwest regional coordinator for threatened and endangered species.Operators can limit the danger by curtailing blade rotation during bats' migration season and when winds are low.Research continues for methods to fight white-nose syndrome, including development of a vaccine. The service has distributed more than $46 million for the campaign, which involves around 150 agencies, private organizations and Native American tribes.

US bat species devastated by fungus now listed as endangered

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A suspect captured after the abduction of a 6-year-old Kansas girl is awaiting extradition to Kansas.

Just before 7p.m. p.m. Nov. 20, police responded to the 2300 block of N. Amidon in Wichita for an auto theft, kidnapping in a liquor store parking lot, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

A 35-year-old man reported that while he had gone into the store, an unknown man stole his&nbsp;gold/tan Lexus Rx330  with his 6-year-old daughter still inside.

Officers immediately began checking the area for the vehicle and the juvenile and&nbsp; utilized Flock cameras and other License Plate Reader (LPR) technology and learned that the vehicle had entered the Kansas Turnpike headed South at approximately 7:02 p.m.

Neighboring counties, the Kansas Highway Patrol, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Tulsa Police Department were notified of the circumstances and the vehicle's last known location. 

At 8 p.m., Troopers with Oklahoma Highway Patrol were able to stop the car approximately 22 miles south of the Kansas/Oklahoma state line and recover the girl.

The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Benjamin Brady, was taken into custody by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and booked into the Kay County, Oklahoma jail on requested charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, abduction of individual under age 15 and crossing state line, driving under suspended license, failure to stop for law enforcement and attempt to elude law enforcement, according to online jail records-photo Kay County Oklahoma    

On November 12, police in Wichita arrested Brady for alleged DUI, possession of stolen property and transporting an open container, according to the Sedgwick County arrest report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669067284425.png" alt="Brady is being held on requested charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, abduction of individual under age 15 and cross ing state line, driving under suspended license, failure to stop for law enforcement and attempt to elude law enforcement, according to online jail records-photo Kay County Oklahoma&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Brady is being held on requested charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, abduction of individual under age 15 and cross ing state line, driving under suspended license, failure to stop for law enforcement and attempt to elude law enforcement, according to online jail records-photo Kay County Oklahoma&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A suspect captured after the abduction of a 6-year-old Kansas girl is awaiting extradition to Kansas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669565691218.png" alt="On November 12, police in Wichita arrested Brady for alleged DUI, possession of stolen property and transporting an open container, according to the Sedgwick County arrest report.Brady -photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>On November 12, police in Wichita arrested Brady for alleged DUI, possession of stolen property and transporting an open container, according to the Sedgwick County arrest report.Brady -photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 7p.m. p.m. Nov. 20, police responded to the 2300 block of N. Amidon in Wichita for an auto theft, kidnapping in a liquor store parking lot, according to Officer Trevor Macy.A 35-year-old man reported that while he had gone into the store, an unknown man stole his&nbsp;gold/tan Lexus Rx330 with his 6-year-old daughter still inside.Officers immediately began checking the area for the vehicle and the juvenile and&nbsp; utilized Flock cameras and other License Plate Reader (LPR) technology and learned that the vehicle had entered the Kansas Turnpike headed South at approximately 7:02 p.m.Neighboring counties, the Kansas Highway Patrol, Oklahoma Highway Patrol, and the Tulsa Police Department were notified of the circumstances and the vehicle's last known location. At 8 p.m., Troopers with Oklahoma Highway Patrol were able to stop the car approximately 22 miles south of the Kansas/Oklahoma state line and recover the girl.The suspect, identified as 34-year-old Benjamin Brady, was taken into custody by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and booked into the Kay County, Oklahoma jail on requested charges of unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, abduction of individual under age 15 and crossing state line, driving under suspended license, failure to stop for law enforcement and attempt to elude law enforcement, according to online jail records-photo Kay County Oklahoma On November 12, police in Wichita arrested Brady for alleged DUI, possession of stolen property and transporting an open container, according to the Sedgwick County arrest report.

Suspect in Kan. girl's abduction remains in Oklahoma jail

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The last World Cup clash between the United States and Iran 24 years ago is considered one of the most politically charged matches in soccer history.

This time, the political overtones are just as strong and relations perhaps even more fraught as the U.S. and Iran face off once again on Tuesday in Qatar.

Iran's nationwide protests, its expanding nuclear program and regional and international attacks linked back to Tehran have pushed the match beyond the stadium and into geopolitics.

No matter the outcome, tensions are likely only to worsen in the coming months.

When relations soured between the U.S. and Iran depends on who you ask. Iranians point to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-united-arab-emirates-ap-top-news-dubai-middle-east-5111167bcaf84892b01eea93eea4bc01">the 1953 CIA-backed coup that cemented Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi's power.</a>&nbsp;Americans remember&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-revolution-anniversary-donald-trump-ap-top-news-persian-gulf-tensions-tehran-c77d68ec46a54bb199960f81de2c0875">the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover and 444-day hostage crisis</a>&nbsp;during the Iranian Revolution.

In soccer, however, the timeline is much simpler as this will be only the second time Iran and the U.S. have played each other in the World Cup.

The last time was at the 1998 tournament in France — a totally different time in the Islamic Republic. Iran won 2-1 in Lyon, a low point for the U.S. men's team as Iranians celebrated in Tehran.

At the time, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised the Iranian team, saying “the strong and arrogant opponent felt the bitter taste of defeat."

But off the pitch, Iran's then-president, Mohammad Khatami, sought to improve ties to the West and the wider world. Inside Iran, Khatami pushed so-called “reformist" policies, seeking to liberalize aspects of its theocracy while maintaining its structure with a supreme leader at the top.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bcf17618047d8b47168a78dab0d65e68">U.S. President Bill Clinton and his administration hoped Khatami's election could be part of a thaw</a>.

The two teams posed for a joint photograph, and the Iranian players handed white flowers to their American opponents. The U.S. gave the Iranians U.S. Soccer Federation pennants. They even exchanged jerseys, though the Iranians didn't put them on. They later played a friendly in Pasadena, California, as well.

Fast-forward 24 years later, and relations are perhaps more tense than they've ever been.

Iran is now governed entirely by hard-liners after the election of President Ebrahim Raisi, a protege of Khamenei,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran--president-elect-ebrahim-raisi-biden-63db1fbbdb1ff9fe40aca40f3f8046a2">who took part in the 1988 mass execution of thousands of political prisoners at the end of the Iran-Iraq war</a>.

Following the collapse of Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, sparked by President Donald Trump's unilateral withdrawal from the accord, Tehran is now enriching uranium to 60% purity — a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels. Non-proliferation experts warn the Islamic Republic already has enough uranium to build at least one nuclear bomb.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-israel-iran-iran-nuclear-united-arab-emirates-9835ba4644959e9cb4584ca999f49002">A shadow war of drone strikes, targeted killings and sabotage</a>&nbsp;has been shaking the wider Middle East for years amid the deal's collapse. Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-iran-europe-dubai-united-arab-emirates-eb59a349e2b55416a863e5304819ec6f">Russia pounds civilian areas and power infrastructure in Ukraine with Iranian-made drones.</a>

For two months, Iran has been convulsed by the mass protests that followed the Sept. 16 death of Mahsa Amini,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-morality-police-explainer-b53475eda867a4158ac5032fe1b3e62e">a 22-year-old woman who had been earlier detained by the country's morality police</a>. The protests have seen at least 451 people killed since they started, as well as over 18,000 arrested, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, an advocacy group following the demonstrations.

At the World Cup in Qatar,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-world-cup-soccer-sports-wayne-hennessey-a68eafb416294c5e5fcc7656fdf32bd4">Iran's 2-0 win against Wales</a>&nbsp;provided a brief moment of good news for hard-liners. After the match, riot police in Tehran waved Iranian flags in the street, something that angered demonstrators. Khamenei himself acknowledged the win “stirred joy in the country.”

However, the supreme leader warned that “when the World Cup is taking place, all eyes are on it. The opponent typically takes advantage of this lax moment to act.”

As the demonstrations intensified, Iran has alleged without providing evidence that its enemies abroad, including the U.S., are fomenting the unrest. At a World Cup where organizers hoped to divorce politics from the pitch, those tensions have bled out around the stadiums with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/womens-soccer-world-cup-iran-sports-0584e3e37e03babc19f04d79c8843ca0">pro- and anti-government demonstrators shouting at each other</a>.

Ahead of Tuesday's match at Al Thumama Stadium, Iran has released a propaganda video with young children singing, including girls in white hijabs, in front of a small field. Waving flags and set against a blasting synthesizer beat, the children sing: “We back you on the bleachers, all with one voice Iran, Iran."

“We are waiting for a goal, our heart second by second is beating for our Iran,” they add.

Such a win could prove to be a further boost to hard-liners. Already, they've reacted angrily to a protest by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-iran-flag-2bdce7a1ba387050f59f6b8fa32927e8">the U.S. Soccer Federation that saw them briefly erase the emblem of the Islamic Republic from Iran's flag in social media posts</a>.

It's unclear whether any Iranian or U.S. government officials will be on hand for the match.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-sports-soccer-qatar-middle-east-5844db2380e11fd1f469339e35cf9b55">U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken already attended the U.S. match against Wales</a>&nbsp;at the start of the tournament.

But opponents of Iran’s government are on hand in Qatar with their own message. Among them is former U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus, who flew in Monday afternoon for the Iran match. Ortagus served in the Trump administration and was one of the faces of its so-called “maximum pressure” campaign.

“It’s one of those pivotal moments when geopolitics and sports collides,” Ortagus told The Associated Press. “You’re seeing the Iran team do what they can to stand up for the protesters and the people peacefully demonstrating."

DOHA, Qatar (AP) — The last World Cup clash between the United States and Iran 24 years ago is considered one of the most politically charged matches in soccer history.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/OnlyForward?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#OnlyForward</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/SoloPalante?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#SoloPalante</a> <a href="https://t.co/GbK82459TR">pic.twitter.com/GbK82459TR</a>&mdash; U.S. Men&#39;s National Soccer Team (@USMNT) <a href="https://twitter.com/USMNT/status/1597574380892061696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>This time, the political overtones are just as strong and relations perhaps even more fraught as the U.S. and Iran face off once again on Tuesday in Qatar.Iran's nationwide protests, its expanding nuclear program and regional and international attacks linked back to Tehran have pushed the match beyond the stadium and into geopolitics.No matter the outcome, tensions are likely only to worsen in the coming months.When relations soured between the U.S. and Iran depends on who you ask. Iranians point to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-united-arab-emirates-ap-top-news-dubai-middle-east-5111167bcaf84892b01eea93eea4bc01">the 1953 CIA-backed coup that cemented Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi's power.</a>&nbsp;Americans remember&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-revolution-anniversary-donald-trump-ap-top-news-persian-gulf-tensions-tehran-c77d68ec46a54bb199960f81de2c0875">the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover and 444-day hostage crisis</a>&nbsp;during the Iranian Revolution.In soccer, however, the timeline is much simpler as this will be only the second time Iran and the U.S. have played each other in the World Cup.The last time was at the 1998 tournament in France — a totally different time in the Islamic Republic. Iran won 2-1 in Lyon, a low point for the U.S. men's team as Iranians celebrated in Tehran.At the time, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei praised the Iranian team, saying “the strong and arrogant opponent felt the bitter taste of defeat."But off the pitch, Iran's then-president, Mohammad Khatami, sought to improve ties to the West and the wider world. Inside Iran, Khatami pushed so-called “reformist" policies, seeking to liberalize aspects of its theocracy while maintaining its structure with a supreme leader at the top.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bcf17618047d8b47168a78dab0d65e68">U.S. President Bill Clinton and his administration hoped Khatami's election could be part of a thaw</a>.The two teams posed for a joint photograph, and the Iranian players handed white flowers to their American opponents. The U.S. gave the Iranians U.S. Soccer Federation pennants. They even exchanged jerseys, though the Iranians didn't put them on. They later played a friendly in Pasadena, California, as well.Fast-forward 24 years later, and relations are perhaps more tense than they've ever been.Iran is now governed entirely by hard-liners after the election of President Ebrahim Raisi, a protege of Khamenei,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran--president-elect-ebrahim-raisi-biden-63db1fbbdb1ff9fe40aca40f3f8046a2">who took part in the 1988 mass execution of thousands of political prisoners at the end of the Iran-Iraq war</a>.Following the collapse of Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, sparked by President Donald Trump's unilateral withdrawal from the accord, Tehran is now enriching uranium to 60% purity — a short, technical step from weapons-grade levels. Non-proliferation experts warn the Islamic Republic already has enough uranium to build at least one nuclear bomb.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-israel-iran-iran-nuclear-united-arab-emirates-9835ba4644959e9cb4584ca999f49002">A shadow war of drone strikes, targeted killings and sabotage</a>&nbsp;has been shaking the wider Middle East for years amid the deal's collapse. Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-iran-europe-dubai-united-arab-emirates-eb59a349e2b55416a863e5304819ec6f">Russia pounds civilian areas and power infrastructure in Ukraine with Iranian-made drones.</a>For two months, Iran has been convulsed by the mass protests that followed the Sept. 16 death of Mahsa Amini,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-protests-morality-police-explainer-b53475eda867a4158ac5032fe1b3e62e">a 22-year-old woman who had been earlier detained by the country's morality police</a>. The protests have seen at least 451 people killed since they started, as well as over 18,000 arrested, according to Human Rights Activists in Iran, an advocacy group following the demonstrations.At the World Cup in Qatar,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-world-cup-soccer-sports-wayne-hennessey-a68eafb416294c5e5fcc7656fdf32bd4">Iran's 2-0 win against Wales</a>&nbsp;provided a brief moment of good news for hard-liners. After the match, riot police in Tehran waved Iranian flags in the street, something that angered demonstrators. Khamenei himself acknowledged the win “stirred joy in the country.”However, the supreme leader warned that “when the World Cup is taking place, all eyes are on it. The opponent typically takes advantage of this lax moment to act.”As the demonstrations intensified, Iran has alleged without providing evidence that its enemies abroad, including the U.S., are fomenting the unrest. At a World Cup where organizers hoped to divorce politics from the pitch, those tensions have bled out around the stadiums with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/womens-soccer-world-cup-iran-sports-0584e3e37e03babc19f04d79c8843ca0">pro- and anti-government demonstrators shouting at each other</a>.Ahead of Tuesday's match at Al Thumama Stadium, Iran has released a propaganda video with young children singing, including girls in white hijabs, in front of a small field. Waving flags and set against a blasting synthesizer beat, the children sing: “We back you on the bleachers, all with one voice Iran, Iran."“We are waiting for a goal, our heart second by second is beating for our Iran,” they add.Such a win could prove to be a further boost to hard-liners. Already, they've reacted angrily to a protest by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-iran-flag-2bdce7a1ba387050f59f6b8fa32927e8">the U.S. Soccer Federation that saw them briefly erase the emblem of the Islamic Republic from Iran's flag in social media posts</a>.It's unclear whether any Iranian or U.S. government officials will be on hand for the match.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-cup-sports-soccer-qatar-middle-east-5844db2380e11fd1f469339e35cf9b55">U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken already attended the U.S. match against Wales</a>&nbsp;at the start of the tournament.But opponents of Iran’s government are on hand in Qatar with their own message. Among them is former U.S. State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus, who flew in Monday afternoon for the Iran match. Ortagus served in the Trump administration and was one of the faces of its so-called “maximum pressure” campaign.“It’s one of those pivotal moments when geopolitics and sports collides,” Ortagus told The Associated Press. “You’re seeing the Iran team do what they can to stand up for the protesters and the people peacefully demonstrating."

Iran-US World Cup clash rife with political tension

An inmate convicted of ambushing and killing a St. Louis area police officer he blamed in the death of his younger brother&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-executions-missouri-3c5c00c2e09cc3d4639b827e374e45a1">was scheduled to be executed</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, barring a last-minute intervention.

Kevin Johnson's legal team doesn't deny that he killed Officer William McEntee in 2005, but contended in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/discrimination-race-and-ethnicity-executions-racial-injustice-missouri-ba50b563ab37d87e3c05a44926391fa1">an appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;that he was sentenced to death in part because he is Black. But in a 5-2 ruling late Monday, the state Supreme Court denied a stay.

The U.S. Supreme Court also declined a stay request last week, and Gov. Mike Parson on Monday announced he would not grant clemency.

“The violent murder of any citizen, let alone a Missouri law enforcement officer, should be met only with the fullest punishment state law allows,” Parson, a Republican and a former county sheriff, said in a statement. “Through Mr. Johnson’s own heinous actions, he stole the life of Sergeant McEntee and left a family grieving, a wife widowed, and children fatherless. Clemency will not be granted.”

It wasn't immediately clear if other appeals were planned. A message left early Tuesday with Johnson's lawyer was not immediately returned.

Johnson, 37, faces execution Tuesday evening at the state prison in Bonne Terre. He would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-executions-st-louis-sentencing-missouri-30fa4991720e49efc6690f4c99244061">the second Missouri man put to death in 2022</a>&nbsp;and the 17th nationally.

McEntee, 43, was a 20-year veteran of the police department in Kirkwood, a St. Louis suburb. The father of three was among the officers sent to Johnson’s home on July 5, 2005, to serve a warrant for his arrest. Johnson was on probation for assaulting his girlfriend, and police believed he had violated probation.

Johnson saw officers arrive and awoke his 12-year-old brother, Joseph “Bam Bam” Long, who ran to a house next door. Once there, the boy, who suffered from a congenital heart defect, collapsed and began having a seizure.

Johnson testified at trial that McEntee kept his mother from entering the house to aid his brother, who died a short time later at a hospital.

That same evening, McEntee returned to the neighborhood to check on unrelated reports of fireworks being shot off. A court filing from the Missouri attorney general's office said McEntee was in his car questioning three children when Johnson shot him through the open passenger-side window, striking the officer's leg, head and torso. Johnson then got into the car and took McEntee's gun.

The court filing said Johnson walked down the street and told his mother that McEntee “let my brother die” and “needs to see what it feels like to die.” Though she told him, “That's not true,” Johnson returned to the shooting scene and found McEntee alive, on his knees near the patrol car. Johnson shot McEntee in the back and in the head, killing him.

Johnson’s lawyers have previously asked the courts to intervene for other reasons, including a history of mental illness and his age — 19 — at the time of the crime. Courts have increasingly moved away from sentencing teen offenders to death since the Supreme Court in 2005&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/explore/locked-up-for-life/Roper-v-Simmons">banned the execution</a>&nbsp;of offenders who were younger than 18 at the time of their crime.

But a broader focus of appeals has been on alleged racial bias. In October, St. Louis Circuit Judge Mary Elizabeth Ott appointed a special prosecutor to review the case. The special prosecutor, E.E. Keenan, filed a motion earlier this month to vacate the death sentence, stating that race played a “decisive factor” in the death sentence.

Ott declined to set aside the death penalty.

Keenan told the state Supreme Court that former St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch’s office handled five cases involving the deaths of police officers during his 28 years in office. McCulloch sought the death penalty in the four cases involving Black defendants, but did not seek death in the one case where the defendant was white, the file said.

Assistant Attorney General Andrew Crane responded that “a fair jury determined he deserves the death penalty.”

McCulloch does not have a listed phone number and could not be reached for comment.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/executions-kansas-city-missouri-american-civil-liberties-union-fb286220ab2c127df3b9f56db67c6d45">Johnson's 19-year-old daughter</a>, Khorry Ramey, had sought to witness the execution, but a state law prohibits anyone under 21 from observing the process. Courts have declined to step in on Ramey's behalf.

The U.S. saw 98 executions in 1999 but the number has dropped dramatically in recent years. Missouri already has two scheduled for early 2023. Convicted killer Scott McLaughlin is scheduled to die on Jan. 3, and convicted killer Leonard Taylor’s execution is set for Feb. 7.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1661445268889.png" alt="Johnson-photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Johnson-photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>By JIM SALTER&nbsp;An inmate convicted of ambushing and killing a St. Louis area police officer he blamed in the death of his younger brother&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/police-executions-missouri-3c5c00c2e09cc3d4639b827e374e45a1">was scheduled to be executed</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, barring a last-minute intervention.Kevin Johnson's legal team doesn't deny that he killed Officer William McEntee in 2005, but contended in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/discrimination-race-and-ethnicity-executions-racial-injustice-missouri-ba50b563ab37d87e3c05a44926391fa1">an appeal to the Missouri Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;that he was sentenced to death in part because he is Black. But in a 5-2 ruling late Monday, the state Supreme Court denied a stay.The U.S. Supreme Court also declined a stay request last week, and Gov. Mike Parson on Monday announced he would not grant clemency.“The violent murder of any citizen, let alone a Missouri law enforcement officer, should be met only with the fullest punishment state law allows,” Parson, a Republican and a former county sheriff, said in a statement. “Through Mr. Johnson’s own heinous actions, he stole the life of Sergeant McEntee and left a family grieving, a wife widowed, and children fatherless. Clemency will not be granted.”It wasn't immediately clear if other appeals were planned. A message left early Tuesday with Johnson's lawyer was not immediately returned.Johnson, 37, faces execution Tuesday evening at the state prison in Bonne Terre. He would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-executions-st-louis-sentencing-missouri-30fa4991720e49efc6690f4c99244061">the second Missouri man put to death in 2022</a>&nbsp;and the 17th nationally.McEntee, 43, was a 20-year veteran of the police department in Kirkwood, a St. Louis suburb. The father of three was among the officers sent to Johnson’s home on July 5, 2005, to serve a warrant for his arrest. Johnson was on probation for assaulting his girlfriend, and police believed he had violated probation.Johnson saw officers arrive and awoke his 12-year-old brother, Joseph “Bam Bam” Long, who ran to a house next door. Once there, the boy, who suffered from a congenital heart defect, collapsed and began having a seizure.Johnson testified at trial that McEntee kept his mother from entering the house to aid his brother, who died a short time later at a hospital.That same evening, McEntee returned to the neighborhood to check on unrelated reports of fireworks being shot off. A court filing from the Missouri attorney general's office said McEntee was in his car questioning three children when Johnson shot him through the open passenger-side window, striking the officer's leg, head and torso. Johnson then got into the car and took McEntee's gun.The court filing said Johnson walked down the street and told his mother that McEntee “let my brother die” and “needs to see what it feels like to die.” Though she told him, “That's not true,” Johnson returned to the shooting scene and found McEntee alive, on his knees near the patrol car. Johnson shot McEntee in the back and in the head, killing him.Johnson’s lawyers have previously asked the courts to intervene for other reasons, including a history of mental illness and his age — 19 — at the time of the crime. Courts have increasingly moved away from sentencing teen offenders to death since the Supreme Court in 2005&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/explore/locked-up-for-life/Roper-v-Simmons">banned the execution</a>&nbsp;of offenders who were younger than 18 at the time of their crime.But a broader focus of appeals has been on alleged racial bias. In October, St. Louis Circuit Judge Mary Elizabeth Ott appointed a special prosecutor to review the case. The special prosecutor, E.E. Keenan, filed a motion earlier this month to vacate the death sentence, stating that race played a “decisive factor” in the death sentence.Ott declined to set aside the death penalty.Keenan told the state Supreme Court that former St. Louis County Prosecutor Bob McCulloch’s office handled five cases involving the deaths of police officers during his 28 years in office. McCulloch sought the death penalty in the four cases involving Black defendants, but did not seek death in the one case where the defendant was white, the file said.Assistant Attorney General Andrew Crane responded that “a fair jury determined he deserves the death penalty.”McCulloch does not have a listed phone number and could not be reached for comment.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/executions-kansas-city-missouri-american-civil-liberties-union-fb286220ab2c127df3b9f56db67c6d45">Johnson's 19-year-old daughter</a>, Khorry Ramey, had sought to witness the execution, but a state law prohibits anyone under 21 from observing the process. Courts have declined to step in on Ramey's behalf.The U.S. saw 98 executions in 1999 but the number has dropped dramatically in recent years. Missouri already has two scheduled for early 2023. Convicted killer Scott McLaughlin is scheduled to die on Jan. 3, and convicted killer Leonard Taylor’s execution is set for Feb. 7.

Execution Day for man who killed police officer in 2005

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — President Joe Biden on Monday asked Congress to intervene and block a railroad strike before next month’s deadline in the stalled contract talks, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said lawmakers would take up legislation this week to impose the deal that unions agreed to in September.

“Let me be clear: a rail shutdown would devastate our economy,” Biden said in a statement. “Without freight rail, many U.S. industries would shut down.”

In a statement, Pelosi said: “We are reluctant to bypass the standard ratification process for the Tentative Agreement — but we must act to prevent a catastrophic nationwide rail strike, which would grind our economy to a halt.”

Pelosi said the House would not change the terms of the September agreement, which would challenge the Senate to approve the House bill without changes.

The September agreement that Biden and Pelosi are calling for is a slight improvement over what the board of arbitrators recommended in the summer. The September agreement added three unpaid days off a year for engineers and conductors to tend to medical appointments as long as they scheduled them at least 30 days in advance. The railroads also promised in September not to penalize workers who are hospitalized and to negotiate further with the unions after the contract is approved about improving the regular scheduling of days off.

Hundreds of business groups had been urging Congress and the president to step into the deadlocked contract talk and prevent a strike.

Both the unions and railroads have been lobbying Congress while contract talks continue. If Congress acts, it will end talks between the railroads and four rail unions that rejected their deals Biden helped broker before the original strike deadline in September. Eight other unions have approved their five-year deals with the railroads and are in the process of getting back pay for their workers for the 24% raises that are retroactive to 2020.

If Congress does what Biden suggests and imposes terms similar to what was agreed on in September, that will end the union’s push to add paid sick time. The four unions that have rejected their deals have been pressing for the railroads to add that benefit to help address workers’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality of life concerns</a>, but the railroads had refused to consider that.

Biden said that as a “a proud pro-labor president” he was reluctant to override the views of people who voted against the agreement. “But in this case — where the economic impact of a shutdown would hurt millions of other working people and families — I believe Congress must use its powers to adopt this deal."

Biden's remarks and Pelosi's statement came after a coalition of more than 400 business groups sent a letter to congressional leaders Monday urging them to step into the stalled talks because of fears about the devastating potential impact of a strike that could force many businesses to shut down if they can’t get the rail deliveries they need. Commuter railroads and Amtrak would also be affected in a strike because many of them use tracks owned by the freight railroads.

The business groups led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers and National Retail Federation said even a short-term strike would have a tremendous impact and the economic pain would start to be felt even before the Dec. 9 strike deadline. They said the railroads would stop hauling hazardous chemicals, fertilizers and perishable goods up to a week beforehand to keep those products from being stranded somewhere along the tracks.

“A potential rail strike only adds to the headwinds facing the U.S. economy,” the businesses wrote. “A rail stoppage would immediately lead to supply shortages and higher prices. The cessation of Amtrak and commuter rail services would disrupt up to 7 million travelers a day. Many businesses would see their sales disrupted right in the middle of the critical holiday shopping season.”

A similar group of businesses sent another letter to Biden last month urging him to play a more active role in resolving the contract dispute.

On Monday, the Association of American Railroads trade group praised Biden’s action.

“No one benefits from a rail work stoppage — not our customers, not rail employees and not the American economy,” said AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies. “Now is the appropriate time for Congress to pass legislation to implement the agreements already ratified by eight of the twelve unions."

Business groups that have been pushing for Congress to settle this contract dispute praised Biden’s move.

“The Biden administration’s endorsement of congressional intervention affirms what America’s food, beverage, household and personal care manufacturers have been saying: Freight rail operations cannot shut down and imperil the availability and affordability of consumers’ everyday essentials,” said Tom Madrecki, vice president of supply chain for the Consumer Brands Association. “The consequences to consumers if a strike were to occur are too serious, especially amid continued supply chain challenges and disruptions.”

Clark Ballew, a spokesman for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division, which represents track maintenance workers, said before Biden's announcement that the union was "headed to D.C. this week to meet with lawmakers on the Hill from both parties. We have instructed our members to contact their federal lawmakers in the House and Senate for several weeks now.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Neil Bradley said Biden was correct in advocating for the deal already reached. “Congress must do what it has done 18 times before: intervene against a national rail strike," Bradley said in a statement, and he called Congress enforcing the deal agreed to by railroads and union leaders the "only path to avoid crippling strike.”

The railroads, which include Union Pacific, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, CSX and Kansas City Southern, wanted any deal to closely follow the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-norfolk-government-and-politics-eeedec386f2acba5d63181436ca03f3f">recommendations</a>&nbsp;a special board of arbitrators that Biden appointed made this summer that called for the 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses but didn't resolve workers' concerns about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lawsuits-5123fda3d039543700b23d939e0bdda2">demanding schedules</a>&nbsp;that make it hard to take a day off and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-aab7d3084a8d17d8d721d2cb750be323">working conditions</a>. That's what Biden is calling on Congress to impose.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Business groups are increasing the pressure on lawmakers to intervene and block a railroad strike before next month’s deadline in the stalled contract talks.

A coalition of more than 400 business groups&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uschamber.com/infrastructure/transportation/coalition-letter-on-rail-labor-negotiations">sent a letter</a>&nbsp;to Congressional leaders Monday urging them to step into the stalled talks because of fears about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-strikes-climate-and-environment-government-politics-92ea7632a29f807ccc0e2658c50d731e">devastating potential impact of a strike</a>&nbsp;that could force many businesses to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-congress-government-and-politics-a53abd85fa6f8b3ccd622222ea9a4c46">shut down</a>&nbsp;if they can't get the rail deliveries they need. Commuter railroads and Amtrak would also be affected in a strike because many of them use tracks owned by the freight railroads.

The business groups led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers and National Retail Federation said even a short-term strike would have a tremendous impact and the economic pain would start to be felt even before the Dec. 9 strike deadline because the railroads would stop hauling hazardous chemicals, fertilizers and perishable goods up to a week beforehand to keep those products from being stranded somewhere along the tracks.

A similar group of businesses&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-congress-government-and-politics-6b60d53fefc7b85f301b0a3e7011715b">sent another letter</a>&nbsp;to President Joe Biden last month urging him to play a more active role in resolving the contract dispute.

Congressional leaders and the White House have said they are monitoring the contract talks closely but haven't indicated when they might act or what they will do. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said leaders are aware of the situation with the rail negotiations and will monitor the talks in the coming days.

Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., said on Fox News Sunday that Congressional intervention is a last resort, but lawmakers will have to be ready to act.

“Congress will not let this strike happen. That’s for sure,” said Fitzpatrick who helps lead a bipartisan group of 58 lawmakers. “It would be devastating to our economy. So, we’ll get to a resolution one way or another.”

A White House spokeswoman has said that a rail strike would be “unacceptable.”

Congress has the power to impose contract terms on the workers, but it's not clear what they might include if they do that. They could also force the negotiations to continue into the new year.

Both the unions and railroads have been lobbying Congress while contract talks continue. Four rail unions that represent more than half of the 115,000 workers in the industry have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-congress-government-and-politics-79d2e2c2779598b0a14396464ee4f7e9">rejected the deals</a>&nbsp;that President Joe Biden helped broker before the original strike deadline in September and are back at the table trying to work out new agreements. Eight other unions have approved their five-year deals with the railroads and are in the process of getting back pay for their workers for the 24% raises that are retroactive to 2020.

“It certainly could end up in Congress’ lap, which is why we are headed to D.C. this week to meet with lawmakers on The Hill from both parties,” said Clark Ballew, a spokesman for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union that represents track maintenance workers. “We have instructed our members to contact their federal lawmakers in the House and Senate for several weeks now.”

The unions have asked the railroads to consider adding paid sick time to what they already offered to address some of workers'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality of life concerns</a>. But so far, the railroads, which include Union Pacific, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, CSX and Kansas City Southern, have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-business-strikes-940da8fc519f8c526ca614e201d01216">refused</a>&nbsp;to consider that.

The railroads want any deal to closely follow the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-norfolk-government-and-politics-eeedec386f2acba5d63181436ca03f3f">recommendations</a>&nbsp;a special board of arbitrators that Biden appointed made this summer that called for the 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses but didn't resolve workers' concerns about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lawsuits-5123fda3d039543700b23d939e0bdda2">demanding schedules</a>&nbsp;that make it hard to take a day off and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-aab7d3084a8d17d8d721d2cb750be323">working conditions</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663279444886.png" alt="In Sept.&nbsp;President Biden celebrated a tentative railway labor agreement in the Rose Garden of the White House.-White House photo " />
 <figcaption>In Sept.&nbsp;President Biden celebrated a tentative railway labor agreement in the Rose Garden of the White House.-White House photo </figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — President Joe Biden on Monday asked Congress to intervene and block a railroad strike before next month’s deadline in the stalled contract talks, and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said lawmakers would take up legislation this week to impose the deal that unions agreed to in September.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I&#39;m calling on Congress to pass legislation immediately to adopt the Tentative Agreement between railroad workers and operators. Let me be clear: a rail shutdown would devastate our economy. Without freight rail, many U.S. industries would shut down.&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1597383590282682369?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Let me be clear: a rail shutdown would devastate our economy,” Biden said in a statement. “Without freight rail, many U.S. industries would shut down.”In a statement, Pelosi said: “We are reluctant to bypass the standard ratification process for the Tentative Agreement — but we must act to prevent a catastrophic nationwide rail strike, which would grind our economy to a halt.”Pelosi said the House would not change the terms of the September agreement, which would challenge the Senate to approve the House bill without changes.The September agreement that Biden and Pelosi are calling for is a slight improvement over what the board of arbitrators recommended in the summer. The September agreement added three unpaid days off a year for engineers and conductors to tend to medical appointments as long as they scheduled them at least 30 days in advance. The railroads also promised in September not to penalize workers who are hospitalized and to negotiate further with the unions after the contract is approved about improving the regular scheduling of days off.Hundreds of business groups had been urging Congress and the president to step into the deadlocked contract talk and prevent a strike.Both the unions and railroads have been lobbying Congress while contract talks continue. If Congress acts, it will end talks between the railroads and four rail unions that rejected their deals Biden helped broker before the original strike deadline in September. Eight other unions have approved their five-year deals with the railroads and are in the process of getting back pay for their workers for the 24% raises that are retroactive to 2020.If Congress does what Biden suggests and imposes terms similar to what was agreed on in September, that will end the union’s push to add paid sick time. The four unions that have rejected their deals have been pressing for the railroads to add that benefit to help address workers’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality of life concerns</a>, but the railroads had refused to consider that.Biden said that as a “a proud pro-labor president” he was reluctant to override the views of people who voted against the agreement. “But in this case — where the economic impact of a shutdown would hurt millions of other working people and families — I believe Congress must use its powers to adopt this deal."Biden's remarks and Pelosi's statement came after a coalition of more than 400 business groups sent a letter to congressional leaders Monday urging them to step into the stalled talks because of fears about the devastating potential impact of a strike that could force many businesses to shut down if they can’t get the rail deliveries they need. Commuter railroads and Amtrak would also be affected in a strike because many of them use tracks owned by the freight railroads.The business groups led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers and National Retail Federation said even a short-term strike would have a tremendous impact and the economic pain would start to be felt even before the Dec. 9 strike deadline. They said the railroads would stop hauling hazardous chemicals, fertilizers and perishable goods up to a week beforehand to keep those products from being stranded somewhere along the tracks.“A potential rail strike only adds to the headwinds facing the U.S. economy,” the businesses wrote. “A rail stoppage would immediately lead to supply shortages and higher prices. The cessation of Amtrak and commuter rail services would disrupt up to 7 million travelers a day. Many businesses would see their sales disrupted right in the middle of the critical holiday shopping season.”A similar group of businesses sent another letter to Biden last month urging him to play a more active role in resolving the contract dispute.On Monday, the Association of American Railroads trade group praised Biden’s action.“No one benefits from a rail work stoppage — not our customers, not rail employees and not the American economy,” said AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies. “Now is the appropriate time for Congress to pass legislation to implement the agreements already ratified by eight of the twelve unions."Business groups that have been pushing for Congress to settle this contract dispute praised Biden’s move.“The Biden administration’s endorsement of congressional intervention affirms what America’s food, beverage, household and personal care manufacturers have been saying: Freight rail operations cannot shut down and imperil the availability and affordability of consumers’ everyday essentials,” said Tom Madrecki, vice president of supply chain for the Consumer Brands Association. “The consequences to consumers if a strike were to occur are too serious, especially amid continued supply chain challenges and disruptions.”Clark Ballew, a spokesman for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division, which represents track maintenance workers, said before Biden's announcement that the union was "headed to D.C. this week to meet with lawmakers on the Hill from both parties. We have instructed our members to contact their federal lawmakers in the House and Senate for several weeks now.”The U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Neil Bradley said Biden was correct in advocating for the deal already reached. “Congress must do what it has done 18 times before: intervene against a national rail strike," Bradley said in a statement, and he called Congress enforcing the deal agreed to by railroads and union leaders the "only path to avoid crippling strike.”The railroads, which include Union Pacific, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, CSX and Kansas City Southern, wanted any deal to closely follow the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-norfolk-government-and-politics-eeedec386f2acba5d63181436ca03f3f">recommendations</a>&nbsp;a special board of arbitrators that Biden appointed made this summer that called for the 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses but didn't resolve workers' concerns about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lawsuits-5123fda3d039543700b23d939e0bdda2">demanding schedules</a>&nbsp;that make it hard to take a day off and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-aab7d3084a8d17d8d721d2cb750be323">working conditions</a>. That's what Biden is calling on Congress to impose.------------OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Business groups are increasing the pressure on lawmakers to intervene and block a railroad strike before next month’s deadline in the stalled contract talks.A coalition of more than 400 business groups&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uschamber.com/infrastructure/transportation/coalition-letter-on-rail-labor-negotiations">sent a letter</a>&nbsp;to Congressional leaders Monday urging them to step into the stalled talks because of fears about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-strikes-climate-and-environment-government-politics-92ea7632a29f807ccc0e2658c50d731e">devastating potential impact of a strike</a>&nbsp;that could force many businesses to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-congress-government-and-politics-a53abd85fa6f8b3ccd622222ea9a4c46">shut down</a>&nbsp;if they can't get the rail deliveries they need. Commuter railroads and Amtrak would also be affected in a strike because many of them use tracks owned by the freight railroads.The business groups led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, National Association of Manufacturers and National Retail Federation said even a short-term strike would have a tremendous impact and the economic pain would start to be felt even before the Dec. 9 strike deadline because the railroads would stop hauling hazardous chemicals, fertilizers and perishable goods up to a week beforehand to keep those products from being stranded somewhere along the tracks.“A potential rail strike only adds to the headwinds facing the U.S. economy,” the businesses wrote. “A rail stoppage would immediately lead to supply shortages and higher prices. The cessation of Amtrak and commuter rail services would disrupt up to 7 million travelers a day. Many businesses would see their sales disrupted right in the middle of the critical holiday shopping season.”A similar group of businesses&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-business-economy-congress-government-and-politics-6b60d53fefc7b85f301b0a3e7011715b">sent another letter</a>&nbsp;to President Joe Biden last month urging him to play a more active role in resolving the contract dispute.Congressional leaders and the White House have said they are monitoring the contract talks closely but haven't indicated when they might act or what they will do. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said leaders are aware of the situation with the rail negotiations and will monitor the talks in the coming days.Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., said on Fox News Sunday that Congressional intervention is a last resort, but lawmakers will have to be ready to act.“Congress will not let this strike happen. That’s for sure,” said Fitzpatrick who helps lead a bipartisan group of 58 lawmakers. “It would be devastating to our economy. So, we’ll get to a resolution one way or another.”A White House spokeswoman has said that a rail strike would be “unacceptable.”Congress has the power to impose contract terms on the workers, but it's not clear what they might include if they do that. They could also force the negotiations to continue into the new year.Both the unions and railroads have been lobbying Congress while contract talks continue. Four rail unions that represent more than half of the 115,000 workers in the industry have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-congress-government-and-politics-79d2e2c2779598b0a14396464ee4f7e9">rejected the deals</a>&nbsp;that President Joe Biden helped broker before the original strike deadline in September and are back at the table trying to work out new agreements. Eight other unions have approved their five-year deals with the railroads and are in the process of getting back pay for their workers for the 24% raises that are retroactive to 2020.“It certainly could end up in Congress’ lap, which is why we are headed to D.C. this week to meet with lawmakers on The Hill from both parties,” said Clark Ballew, a spokesman for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employes Division union that represents track maintenance workers. “We have instructed our members to contact their federal lawmakers in the House and Senate for several weeks now.”The unions have asked the railroads to consider adding paid sick time to what they already offered to address some of workers'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-economy-government-and-politics-207229bcd558b6a6c1d58f3f85e2d804">quality of life concerns</a>. But so far, the railroads, which include Union Pacific, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, CSX and Kansas City Southern, have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-business-strikes-940da8fc519f8c526ca614e201d01216">refused</a>&nbsp;to consider that.The railroads want any deal to closely follow the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-norfolk-government-and-politics-eeedec386f2acba5d63181436ca03f3f">recommendations</a>&nbsp;a special board of arbitrators that Biden appointed made this summer that called for the 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses but didn't resolve workers' concerns about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lawsuits-5123fda3d039543700b23d939e0bdda2">demanding schedules</a>&nbsp;that make it hard to take a day off and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-aab7d3084a8d17d8d721d2cb750be323">working conditions</a>.

Biden now wants Congress to prevent potential rail strike

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged kidnapping and continue asking for help to locate a suspect.

Aldrick L. Scott, 47, of Topeka, is wanted by the Douglas County Nebraska Sheriff's Office in connection with the disappearance of 43-year-old Cari Allen.

Nebraska officials are working to locate Allen, according to a social media report from Omaha Police. She is described as a white female, 5-foot-8, 130 pounds, blonde hair and hazel eyes. She&nbsp;was last seen Saturday, Nov. 19 at 11 p.m. Scott has ties to Topeka and Shawnee County, according to the sheriff's department. On Monday, the sheriff's office released photos of Scott.

Anyone with information on Allen's whereabouts is encouraged to call the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 402-444-6000 or 911.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669652492930.png" alt="Scott-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Scott-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged kidnapping and continue asking for help to locate a suspect.Aldrick L. Scott, 47, of Topeka, is wanted by the Douglas County Nebraska Sheriff's Office in connection with the disappearance of 43-year-old Cari Allen.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669587276863.png" alt="Allen-photo Omaha Police" />
 <figcaption>Allen-photo Omaha Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Nebraska officials are working to locate Allen, according to a social media report from Omaha Police. She is described as a white female, 5-foot-8, 130 pounds, blonde hair and hazel eyes. She&nbsp;was last seen Saturday, Nov. 19 at 11 p.m. Scott has ties to Topeka and Shawnee County, according to the sheriff's department. On Monday, the sheriff's office released photos of Scott.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669652758142.png" alt="Scott-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Scott-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Anyone with information on Allen's whereabouts is encouraged to call the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office tip line at 402-444-6000 or 911.

Search continues for Kan. man in woman's disappearance

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced that 
interest rates will increase for the calendar quarter beginning January 
1, 2023.

For individuals, the rate for overpayments and underpayments will be 
7% per year, compounded daily, up from 6% for the quarter that began on 
October 1. Here is a complete list of the new rates:

Under the Internal Revenue Code, the rate of interest is 
determined on a quarterly basis. For taxpayers other than corporations, 
the overpayment and underpayment rate is the federal short-term rate 
plus 3 percentage points.

Generally, in the case of a corporation, the underpayment rate is the
 federal short-term rate plus 3 percentage points and the overpayment 
rate is the federal short-term rate plus 2 percentage points. The rate 
for large corporate underpayments is the federal short-term rate plus 5 
percentage points. The rate on the portion of a corporate overpayment of
 tax exceeding $10,000 for a taxable period is the federal short-term 
rate plus one-half (0.5) of a percentage point.

The interest rates announced today are computed from the federal 
short-term rate determined during October 2022. See the revenue ruling 
for details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced that 
interest rates will increase for the calendar quarter beginning January 
1, 2023.For individuals, the rate for overpayments and underpayments will be 
7% per year, compounded daily, up from 6% for the quarter that began on 
October 1. Here is a complete list of the new rates:<ul>
 <li>7% for overpayments (payments made in excess of the amount owed), 6% for corporations.</li><li>4.5% for the portion of a corporate overpayment exceeding $10,000.</li><li>7% for underpayments. (taxes owed but not fully paid)</li><li>9% for large corporate underpayments.</li>
 </ul>Under the Internal Revenue Code, the rate of interest is 
determined on a quarterly basis. For taxpayers other than corporations, 
the overpayment and underpayment rate is the federal short-term rate 
plus 3 percentage points.Generally, in the case of a corporation, the underpayment rate is the
 federal short-term rate plus 3 percentage points and the overpayment 
rate is the federal short-term rate plus 2 percentage points. The rate 
for large corporate underpayments is the federal short-term rate plus 5 
percentage points. The rate on the portion of a corporate overpayment of
 tax exceeding $10,000 for a taxable period is the federal short-term 
rate plus one-half (0.5) of a percentage point.The interest rates announced today are computed from the federal 
short-term rate determined during October 2022. See the revenue ruling 
for details.

IRS: Interest rates increase for the first quarter of 2023

WASHINGTON (AP) — Drawing decorating inspiration from America's founding documents,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jill-biden">Jill Biden</a>&nbsp;chose a “We the People” theme to deck the White House halls and to remind Americans of what unites them throughout the year, especially during the holidays.

Journalists were given a sneak peek early Monday before the first lady was to unveil the transformational work of a small army of volunteer decorators during an event later in the day.

As part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-michelle-obama-michael-pence-volunteer-forces-c13b158b555669e8e46191f641e1538d">Joining Forces</a>, her White House initiative to support military families, Biden will be joined by National Guard leaders from across the country, as well as National Guard families. Her late son,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d8f69eb645d74b7886387f713981b739">Beau Biden</a>, was a major in the Delaware Army National Guard.

“The soul of our nation is, and always has been, ‘We the People,’” she says in prepared remarks released by the White House. “And that is what inspired this year's White House holiday decoration.”

The decorations include more than 83,000 twinkling lights on trees, garlands, wreaths and other displays, 77 Christmas trees and 25 wreaths on the exterior of the executive mansion.

A copy of the Declaration of Independence is on display in the library, while the always-show-stopping gingerbread White House includes a sugar cookie replica of Philadelphia's Independence Hall, where the Constitution and Declaration of Independence were signed. The Constitution opens with the phrase, “We the People.”

“The values that unite us can be found all around you, a belief in possibility, optimism and unity,” Biden says in her prepared remarks. “Room by room, we represent what brings us together during the holidays and throughout the year.”

A new addition this year is a menorah, used in Jewish worship, that was built by White House carpenters from wood that was removed during a Truman-era renovation. The menorah is located on the State Floor.

Some 50,000 visitors are expected to pass through the White House during the holidays, including tourists and guests invited to various receptions. Among them will be French President Emmanuel Macron, who is scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden on Thursday and be honored that evening at a White House state dinner, the first of the Biden administration.

More than 150 volunteers began decorating the interior and the exterior of the White House last week and continued through the Thanksgiving holiday. Planning began in the spring.

Illustrations of the family pets — dog Commander and cat Willow — can be found in the Vermeil Room, where the décor represents different ways of showing kindness and gratitude.

Groupings of snowy trees fill corners of the East Room, which reflects nature and recreation. Four well-known national parks are depicted on the fireplace mantels: Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah.

In the Blue Room, the official White House Christmas tree — an 18 1/2-foot (5.6-meter) Concolor fir from Auburn, Pennsylvania — is decorated to represent unity and hope with handmade renderings of the official birds from all 57 territories, states and the District of Columbia.

The State Dining Room is dedicated to the next generation — children — and trees there are decorated with ornaments that are self-portraits of the students of the 2021 Teachers of the Year, “ensuring that children see themselves” in the décor, the White House said.

Hanging from the fireplace in the State Dining Room are the Biden family Christmas stockings.

The gingerbread White House was made using 20 sheets of sugar cookie dough, 30 sheets of gingerbread dough, 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of pastillage, 30 pounds (14 kilograms) of chocolate and 40 pounds (18 kilograms) of royal icing.

“We the People” are celebrated in the Grand Foyer and Cross Hall on the State Floor, where metal ribbons also are inscribed with the names of all the states, territories and the District of Columbia.

“Mirrored ornaments and reflective surfaces ensure that visitors can see themselves in the décor, noting that the strength of our country — the Soul of our Nation — comes from ‘We the People,’” the White House said.

The White House noted that the holiday guide book visitors will receive was designed this year by Las Vegas-based Daria Peoples, who is Black. Peoples is a former elementary school teacher who has written and illustrated a series of picture books to support children of color, including those who have experienced race-based trauma.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Drawing decorating inspiration from America's founding documents,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jill-biden">Jill Biden</a>&nbsp;chose a “We the People” theme to deck the White House halls and to remind Americans of what unites them throughout the year, especially during the holidays.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">For this year’s holidays at the White House, we hope to capture the spirit embodied in the very idea of America: We the People. <a href="https://t.co/SKyXZ9RkI8">pic.twitter.com/SKyXZ9RkI8</a>&mdash; Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/1597223258969247746?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Journalists were given a sneak peek early Monday before the first lady was to unveil the transformational work of a small army of volunteer decorators during an event later in the day.As part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jill-biden-michelle-obama-michael-pence-volunteer-forces-c13b158b555669e8e46191f641e1538d">Joining Forces</a>, her White House initiative to support military families, Biden will be joined by National Guard leaders from across the country, as well as National Guard families. Her late son,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d8f69eb645d74b7886387f713981b739">Beau Biden</a>, was a major in the Delaware Army National Guard.“The soul of our nation is, and always has been, ‘We the People,’” she says in prepared remarks released by the White House. “And that is what inspired this year's White House holiday decoration.”The decorations include more than 83,000 twinkling lights on trees, garlands, wreaths and other displays, 77 Christmas trees and 25 wreaths on the exterior of the executive mansion.A copy of the Declaration of Independence is on display in the library, while the always-show-stopping gingerbread White House includes a sugar cookie replica of Philadelphia's Independence Hall, where the Constitution and Declaration of Independence were signed. The Constitution opens with the phrase, “We the People.”“The values that unite us can be found all around you, a belief in possibility, optimism and unity,” Biden says in her prepared remarks. “Room by room, we represent what brings us together during the holidays and throughout the year.”A new addition this year is a menorah, used in Jewish worship, that was built by White House carpenters from wood that was removed during a Truman-era renovation. The menorah is located on the State Floor.Some 50,000 visitors are expected to pass through the White House during the holidays, including tourists and guests invited to various receptions. Among them will be French President Emmanuel Macron, who is scheduled to meet with President Joe Biden on Thursday and be honored that evening at a White House state dinner, the first of the Biden administration.More than 150 volunteers began decorating the interior and the exterior of the White House last week and continued through the Thanksgiving holiday. Planning began in the spring.Illustrations of the family pets — dog Commander and cat Willow — can be found in the Vermeil Room, where the décor represents different ways of showing kindness and gratitude.Groupings of snowy trees fill corners of the East Room, which reflects nature and recreation. Four well-known national parks are depicted on the fireplace mantels: Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Great Smoky Mountains and Shenandoah.In the Blue Room, the official White House Christmas tree — an 18 1/2-foot (5.6-meter) Concolor fir from Auburn, Pennsylvania — is decorated to represent unity and hope with handmade renderings of the official birds from all 57 territories, states and the District of Columbia.The State Dining Room is dedicated to the next generation — children — and trees there are decorated with ornaments that are self-portraits of the students of the 2021 Teachers of the Year, “ensuring that children see themselves” in the décor, the White House said.Hanging from the fireplace in the State Dining Room are the Biden family Christmas stockings.The gingerbread White House was made using 20 sheets of sugar cookie dough, 30 sheets of gingerbread dough, 100 pounds (45 kilograms) of pastillage, 30 pounds (14 kilograms) of chocolate and 40 pounds (18 kilograms) of royal icing.“We the People” are celebrated in the Grand Foyer and Cross Hall on the State Floor, where metal ribbons also are inscribed with the names of all the states, territories and the District of Columbia.“Mirrored ornaments and reflective surfaces ensure that visitors can see themselves in the décor, noting that the strength of our country — the Soul of our Nation — comes from ‘We the People,’” the White House said.The White House noted that the holiday guide book visitors will receive was designed this year by Las Vegas-based Daria Peoples, who is Black. Peoples is a former elementary school teacher who has written and illustrated a series of picture books to support children of color, including those who have experienced race-based trauma.

'We the People' is the White House's theme for the holidays

Former AG: Sending checks to individuals would be a ‘nightmare’

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/28/lawsuit-settlement-funds-obtained-by-the-state-go-to-many-places-purposes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The State of Nebraska recently raked in more than $20 
million as part of settlements of multi-state consumer lawsuits against 
corporate giants Google and Walmart.

The state will receive nearly $12 million from Google as part of a <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/google-agrees-to-a-record-settlement-over-misleading-tracking-of-location-data/">$391.5 million out-of-court settlement </a>over misleading tracking of users’ locations.

Another $11 million is on its way 
from Walmart, which agreed to pay $3 billion to several states to 
resolve allegations that the company failed to properly monitor the 
dispersing of highly addictive opioids.

But where does such “settlement” 
money go? Who decides how it’s spent? And why aren’t checks just sent to
 us, the customers of Google and Walmart?

The answer to the first question is: The money goes a lot of places.

The answer to the second: In some 
cases, it’s state lawmakers who decide; in others, it’s the Nebraska 
attorney general, and in others, advisory committees.

The answer to the final question is, basically, it would be too complicated.

Trying to sort out which customers of Walmart and Google should get 
checks, how much they should get and getting those checks to them, would
 be an “administrative nightmare,” said former Nebraska Attorney General
 Jon Bruning.

“It’s much easier to send a block of money to the state and let it 
figure out how it should be used,” said Bruning, now in private 
practice.

Plus, he said, dividing a settlement between thousands and perhaps 
hundreds of thousands of Nebraska would leave some pretty tiny checks, 
per consumer.

A spokeswoman for the Nebraska 
Attorney General’s Office, which handles such consumer protection and 
anti-trust lawsuits for the state, said the settlement agreements, as 
well as state law, often dictate where the money should go and exactly 
how it should be used.

For instance, settlement funds from the giant “Master Settlement 
Agreement” with tobacco companies in 1998 was to be used to reduce 
smoking and the hazards it causes.

A $4.25 billion nationwide settlement with opioid maker Teva 
Pharmaceuticals this summer included an agreement to provide more than a
 billion dollars’ worth of the company’s generic naloxone product, which
 is used to counteract overdoses.

The Walmart settlement directed the 
funds to Nebraska’s Opioid Recovery Fund, which is used to combat opioid
 addiction and is overseen by an advisory committee of law enforcement, 
county and drug treatment officials.&nbsp;

The Attorney General’s Office, according to spokeswoman Suzanne Gage,
 files consumer protection and anti-trust lawsuits on behalf of the 
citizens of the state to protect their interests. Often, those lawsuits 
are filed along with other states’ attorneys general.

According to Bruning, current Attorney General Doug Peterson has been
 particularly effective at multi-state litigation and has earned a 
national reputation for it.

The success is reflected, in part, in the growth of the settlement 
cash fund that is controlled by the Attorney General’s Office. It had a 
balance of $17.4 million as of June 2020 and brought in about $28 
million over the past decade, according to a recent legislative hearing.

The office must request authorization from the Legislature to spend 
money from the settlement fund and has been seeking about $1.8 million a
 year.

The money is mainly used to finance salaries of attorneys who work on
 the lawsuits, pay two communications officers in the Attorney General’s
 Office and do consumer education and research. The office’s consumer 
protection bureau includes a hotline that fields about 9,000 calls a 
year.

Two legislative sessions ago, State Sen. John Stinner of Gering, who 
chairs the Legislature’s Budget Committee, introduced a bill to cap the 
amount in the AG’s settlement fund at $5 million. He noted that, at the 
time, the fund held more than $14 million, which was well above the AG’s
 office request of $1.7 million that year.

State legislators, Stinner said, should be given the excess $9 
million to use for the rest of the state budget, which could slightly 
reduce the need for state taxes.

But the Attorney General’s Office opposed the idea, and the bill died.

Josh Shasserre, an assistant attorney
 general, testified against the proposal. He said the influx of funds 
into the settlement fund has been good in recent years, but it varies 
widely — it was $5.7 million in fiscal year 2020-21 but has been less 
than $50,000 in some past years.

If there was a cap, and a couple of 
sub-par years, he said it’s possible the AG’s office might have to ask 
for more general tax funds to cover expenses.

<h2>Former AG: Sending checks to individuals would be a ‘nightmare’</h2>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/11/28/lawsuit-settlement-funds-obtained-by-the-state-go-to-many-places-purposes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The State of Nebraska recently raked in more than $20 
million as part of settlements of multi-state consumer lawsuits against 
corporate giants Google and Walmart.The state will receive nearly $12 million from Google as part of a <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/google-agrees-to-a-record-settlement-over-misleading-tracking-of-location-data/">$391.5 million out-of-court settlement </a>over misleading tracking of users’ locations.Another $11 million is on its way 
from Walmart, which agreed to pay $3 billion to several states to 
resolve allegations that the company failed to properly monitor the 
dispersing of highly addictive opioids.But where does such “settlement” 
money go? Who decides how it’s spent? And why aren’t checks just sent to
 us, the customers of Google and Walmart?<h2>Legislature, committees, AG decide</h2>The answer to the first question is: The money goes a lot of places.The answer to the second: In some 
cases, it’s state lawmakers who decide; in others, it’s the Nebraska 
attorney general, and in others, advisory committees.The answer to the final question is, basically, it would be too complicated.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669670654258.png" alt="Jon Bruning, former Nebraska attorney general&nbsp;(Courtesy of Jon Bruning Law Group)" />
 <figcaption>Jon Bruning, former Nebraska attorney general&nbsp;(Courtesy of Jon Bruning Law Group)</figcaption>
 </figure>Trying to sort out which customers of Walmart and Google should get 
checks, how much they should get and getting those checks to them, would
 be an “administrative nightmare,” said former Nebraska Attorney General
 Jon Bruning.<h2>‘Much easier’</h2>“It’s much easier to send a block of money to the state and let it 
figure out how it should be used,” said Bruning, now in private 
practice.Plus, he said, dividing a settlement between thousands and perhaps 
hundreds of thousands of Nebraska would leave some pretty tiny checks, 
per consumer.A spokeswoman for the Nebraska 
Attorney General’s Office, which handles such consumer protection and 
anti-trust lawsuits for the state, said the settlement agreements, as 
well as state law, often dictate where the money should go and exactly 
how it should be used.For instance, settlement funds from the giant “Master Settlement 
Agreement” with tobacco companies in 1998 was to be used to reduce 
smoking and the hazards it causes.A $4.25 billion nationwide settlement with opioid maker Teva 
Pharmaceuticals this summer included an agreement to provide more than a
 billion dollars’ worth of the company’s generic naloxone product, which
 is used to counteract overdoses.The Walmart settlement directed the 
funds to Nebraska’s Opioid Recovery Fund, which is used to combat opioid
 addiction and is overseen by an advisory committee of law enforcement, 
county and drug treatment officials.&nbsp;The Attorney General’s Office, according to spokeswoman Suzanne Gage,
 files consumer protection and anti-trust lawsuits on behalf of the 
citizens of the state to protect their interests. Often, those lawsuits 
are filed along with other states’ attorneys general.According to Bruning, current Attorney General Doug Peterson has been
 particularly effective at multi-state litigation and has earned a 
national reputation for it.<h2>AG’s fund grows to $17.4 million</h2>The success is reflected, in part, in the growth of the settlement 
cash fund that is controlled by the Attorney General’s Office. It had a 
balance of $17.4 million as of June 2020 and brought in about $28 
million over the past decade, according to a recent legislative hearing.The office must request authorization from the Legislature to spend 
money from the settlement fund and has been seeking about $1.8 million a
 year.The money is mainly used to finance salaries of attorneys who work on
 the lawsuits, pay two communications officers in the Attorney General’s
 Office and do consumer education and research. The office’s consumer 
protection bureau includes a hotline that fields about 9,000 calls a 
year.<h2>Bill would have capped fund</h2>Two legislative sessions ago, State Sen. John Stinner of Gering, who 
chairs the Legislature’s Budget Committee, introduced a bill to cap the 
amount in the AG’s settlement fund at $5 million. He noted that, at the 
time, the fund held more than $14 million, which was well above the AG’s
 office request of $1.7 million that year.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646255676328.jpeg" alt="Sen. John Stinner at the Nebraska Legislature (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Sen. John Stinner at the Nebraska Legislature (Rebecca S. Gratz for the Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>State legislators, Stinner said, should be given the excess $9 
million to use for the rest of the state budget, which could slightly 
reduce the need for state taxes.But the Attorney General’s Office opposed the idea, and the bill died.Josh Shasserre, an assistant attorney
 general, testified against the proposal. He said the influx of funds 
into the settlement fund has been good in recent years, but it varies 
widely — it was $5.7 million in fiscal year 2020-21 but has been less 
than $50,000 in some past years.If there was a cap, and a couple of 
sub-par years, he said it’s possible the AG’s office might have to ask 
for more general tax funds to cover expenses.<h2>In tough times, settlement funds used</h2>It was also noted at the public hearing on the proposal that the 
Legislature can “sweep out” money from these settlement cash funds when 
budgets are tight, and it has done so several times to balance the state
 budget and avoid tax increases.The largest settlement cash fund that Nebraska has is the tobacco 
settlement fund, which now shows a balance of nearly $496 million.Each year, between $50 million and $60 million is withdrawn from that
 account into the state’s Health Care Cash Fund, which funds a variety 
of programs. Just recently, up to $15 million was earmarked from the 
fund for pancreatic cancer research (dependent on matching private 
dollars).There’s also a Volkswagen Settlement Cash Fund, administered by the 
Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy, that received $4.2 
million from the car company’s settlement of lawsuits in 2018 over its 
manipulation of vehicle emission tests and deception of customers.<h2>Several opioid settlements</h2>In 2020, the State Legislature 
created the Nebraska Opioid Recovery Fund to handle and distribute 
settlement funds awarded as part of a legal crusade related to the 
opioid crisis.Walmart’s contribution was just the latest in the series of opioid settlements for Nebraska that included:• Pharmaceutical company Johnson &amp; Johnson, which agreed to pay out up to $19.9 million over nine years. • Distributors AmerisourceBerge, Cardinal Health and McKesson, which will pay as much as $81 million over 18 years. • Consultants McKinsey &amp; Company, $2.6 million over the next five years. • Retailers such as Walmart. Negotiations are also underway with pharmacy chains Walgreens and CVS.Under the settlements with the distributors and pharmacies, 70% of 
the funds are to be used for opioid abuse abatement, with the remaining 
30% split evenly between the state and qualifying cities and counties.By state law, that 15% cut for the state also goes into the Opioid Recovery Fund, which is administered by the State Department of Health and Human Services.Those funds must be used for opioid 
disorder-related treatment and prevention. An Opioid Remediation 
Advisory Committee, consisting of law enforcement, county and drug-abuse
 treatment officials, decides how the money will be used.