WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;marked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-government-and-politics-c5e1bcbcf3327938bb3c1a34e4807a5d">the 21st anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks</a>, taking part in a somber wreath-laying ceremony at the Pentagon held under a steady rain and paying tribute to “extraordinary Americans” who gave their lives on one of the nation's darkest days.

Sunday's ceremony occurred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-afghanistan-biden-al-qaida-ayman-zawahri-92a61266ea72b54aeefe14fe2450792b">a little more than a year</a>&nbsp;after Biden ended the long and costly war in Afghanistan that the U.S. and allies launched in response to the terror attacks.

Biden noted that even after the United States left Afghanistan that his administration continues to pursue those responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Last month, Biden announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ayman-al-zawahri-al-qaida-terrorism-biden-36e5f10256c9bc9972b252849eda91f2">the U.S. had killed Ayman al-Zawahri</a>, the al-Qaida leader who helped plot the Sept. 11 attacks, in a clandestine operation.

“We will never forget, we will never give up,” Biden said. “Our commitment to preventing another attack on the United States is without end.”

The president was joined by family members of the fallen, first responders who had been at the Pentagon on the day of the attack, as well as Defense Department leadership for the annual moment of tribute carried out in New York City, the Pentagon and Somerset County, Pennsylvania.

In ending the Afghanistan war, the Democratic president followed through on a campaign pledge to bring home U.S. troops from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-e10e038baea732dae879c11234507f81">the country's longest conflict</a>. But the war concluded chaotically in August 2021, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-taliban-kabul-bagram-e1ed33fe0c665ee67ba132c51b8e32a5">the U.S.-backed Afghan government collapsed</a>, a grisly bombing killed 170 Afghans and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-bombings-kabul-42e66fb3b72492dbec3ef070b73cf018">13 U.S. troops at Kabul's airport</a>, and thousands of desperate Afghans gathered in hopes of escape before the final U.S. cargo planes departed over the Hindu Kush.

Biden marked the one-year anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan late last month in low-key fashion. He issued a statement in honor of the 13 U.S. troops killed in the bombing at the Kabul airport and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-biden-veterans-national-security-government-and-politics-37f7409b05b8c4236bd4a1272c2affbe">spoke by phone with U.S. veterans</a>&nbsp;assisting ongoing efforts to resettle in the United States Afghans who helped the war effort.

Biden on Sunday said an “incredible debt” was owed to the U.S. troops who served in Afghanistan as well as their families. More than 2,200 U.S. service members were killed and more than 20,000 were wounded over the course of the nearly 20-year war,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defense.gov/casualty.pdf">according to the Pentagon.</a>

He also vowed that the nation will “never fail to meet the sacred obligation to you to properly prepare and equip those that we send into harm’s way and care for those and their families when they come home — and to never, ever, ever forget.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday criticized Biden's handling of the end of the war and noted that the country has spiraled downward under renewed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-covid-entertainment-health-ashraf-ghani-458d17a5eba416b2845e127ecbe35ebc">Taliban rule</a>&nbsp;since the U.S. withdrawal.

“Now, one year on from last August’s disaster, the devastating scale of the fallout from President Biden’s decision has come into sharper focus," McConnell said. “Afghanistan has become a global pariah. Its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-business-united-nations-economy-9cbaf19f8b4e79311305b35295a9ad6d">economy has shrunk</a>&nbsp;by nearly a third. Half of its population is now suffering critical levels of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-health-prices-united-nations-d74bb5f7326d57e53e17258a42452d92">food insecurity</a>."

The president also remembered the words of comfort Queen Elizabeth II, who died last week, sent to the American people soon after the 2001 attacks: “Grief is the price we pay for love." Biden said those words remain as poignant as they did 21 years ago but the weight of loss also remains heavy.

“On this day, when the price feels so great, Jill and I are holding all of you close to our hearts.” Biden said.

Biden has recently dialed up warnings about what he calls the “extreme ideology” of former President Donald Trump and his “MAGA Republican" adherents as a threat to American democracy. Without naming Trump, Biden again on Sunday raised a call for Americans to safeguard democracy.

“It’s not enough to stand up for democracy once a year or every now and then,” Biden said. “It’s something we have to do every single day. So this is a day not only to remember, but also is a day for renewal and resolve for each and every American in our devotion to this country, to the principles it embodies, to our democracy.”

First lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-jill-biden-congress-government-and-politics-adf38eae4d6395768b096f57218a3f79">Jill Biden</a>&nbsp;spoke to a crowd at the Flight 93 National Memorial Observance in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where she recalled the concern she had about her sister Bonny Jacobs, a United Airlines flight attendant.

She said the attacks showed that “with courage and kindness we can be a light in that darkness.”

“It showed us that we are all connected to one another,” said Biden, who was joined by her sister in Shanksville for Sunday's commemoration. “So as we stand on this sacred and scarred earth, a record of our collective grief and a monument to the memories that live on each day, this is the legacy we much carry forward: Hope that defies hate.”

Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband attended a commemoration ceremony at the National September 11th Memorial in New York.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;is set to mark&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-government-and-politics-c5e1bcbcf3327938bb3c1a34e4807a5d">the 21st anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks</a>&nbsp;at the Pentagon, a year after he ended the long and costly war in Afghanistan that the U.S. and allies launched in response to the terror attacks.

In ending the Afghanistan war, the Democratic president followed through on a campaign pledge to bring home U.S. troops from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-e10e038baea732dae879c11234507f81">the country's longest conflict</a>. But the war concluded chaotically in August 2021, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-taliban-kabul-bagram-e1ed33fe0c665ee67ba132c51b8e32a5">the U.S.-backed Afghan government collapsed</a>&nbsp;in the face of a countrywide Taliban advance that returned the fundamentalist group to power. A bombing claimed by an Afghanistan-based extremist group killed 170 Afghans and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-bombings-kabul-42e66fb3b72492dbec3ef070b73cf018">13 U.S. troops at Kabul's airport</a>, where thousands of desperate Afghans gathered in hopes of escape before the final U.S. cargo planes departed over the Hindu Kush.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Biden in his remarks Sunday will recognize the impact&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/9-11-a-world-changed">the 2001 attacks</a>&nbsp;had on the U.S. and the world and honor the nearly 3,000 people killed that day when al-Qaida hijackers took control of commercial planes and crashed them into New York’s World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field.

“I think you’ll hear him talk about how America will stay vigilant to the threat but also look to future threats and challenges and be able to learn to meet those threats and challenges,” Kirby said.

First lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-jill-biden-congress-government-and-politics-adf38eae4d6395768b096f57218a3f79">Jill Biden</a>&nbsp;will speak Sunday at the Flight 93 National Memorial Observance in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband will go to New York City for a commemoration ceremony at the National September 11th Memorial.

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;marked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-government-and-politics-c5e1bcbcf3327938bb3c1a34e4807a5d">the 21st anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks</a>, taking part in a somber wreath-laying ceremony at the Pentagon held under a steady rain and paying tribute to “extraordinary Americans” who gave their lives on one of the nation's darkest days.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In the midst of the dark days following September 11th, we found a true sense of national unity. <a href="https://t.co/vxQLF5GRIv">pic.twitter.com/vxQLF5GRIv</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1569049531878178818?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Sunday's ceremony occurred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-afghanistan-biden-al-qaida-ayman-zawahri-92a61266ea72b54aeefe14fe2450792b">a little more than a year</a>&nbsp;after Biden ended the long and costly war in Afghanistan that the U.S. and allies launched in response to the terror attacks.Biden noted that even after the United States left Afghanistan that his administration continues to pursue those responsible for the 9/11 attacks. Last month, Biden announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ayman-al-zawahri-al-qaida-terrorism-biden-36e5f10256c9bc9972b252849eda91f2">the U.S. had killed Ayman al-Zawahri</a>, the al-Qaida leader who helped plot the Sept. 11 attacks, in a clandestine operation.“We will never forget, we will never give up,” Biden said. “Our commitment to preventing another attack on the United States is without end.”The president was joined by family members of the fallen, first responders who had been at the Pentagon on the day of the attack, as well as Defense Department leadership for the annual moment of tribute carried out in New York City, the Pentagon and Somerset County, Pennsylvania.In ending the Afghanistan war, the Democratic president followed through on a campaign pledge to bring home U.S. troops from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-e10e038baea732dae879c11234507f81">the country's longest conflict</a>. But the war concluded chaotically in August 2021, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-taliban-kabul-bagram-e1ed33fe0c665ee67ba132c51b8e32a5">the U.S.-backed Afghan government collapsed</a>, a grisly bombing killed 170 Afghans and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-bombings-kabul-42e66fb3b72492dbec3ef070b73cf018">13 U.S. troops at Kabul's airport</a>, and thousands of desperate Afghans gathered in hopes of escape before the final U.S. cargo planes departed over the Hindu Kush.Biden marked the one-year anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan late last month in low-key fashion. He issued a statement in honor of the 13 U.S. troops killed in the bombing at the Kabul airport and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-biden-veterans-national-security-government-and-politics-37f7409b05b8c4236bd4a1272c2affbe">spoke by phone with U.S. veterans</a>&nbsp;assisting ongoing efforts to resettle in the United States Afghans who helped the war effort.Biden on Sunday said an “incredible debt” was owed to the U.S. troops who served in Afghanistan as well as their families. More than 2,200 U.S. service members were killed and more than 20,000 were wounded over the course of the nearly 20-year war,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defense.gov/casualty.pdf">according to the Pentagon.</a>He also vowed that the nation will “never fail to meet the sacred obligation to you to properly prepare and equip those that we send into harm’s way and care for those and their families when they come home — and to never, ever, ever forget.”Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday criticized Biden's handling of the end of the war and noted that the country has spiraled downward under renewed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-covid-entertainment-health-ashraf-ghani-458d17a5eba416b2845e127ecbe35ebc">Taliban rule</a>&nbsp;since the U.S. withdrawal.“Now, one year on from last August’s disaster, the devastating scale of the fallout from President Biden’s decision has come into sharper focus," McConnell said. “Afghanistan has become a global pariah. Its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-business-united-nations-economy-9cbaf19f8b4e79311305b35295a9ad6d">economy has shrunk</a>&nbsp;by nearly a third. Half of its population is now suffering critical levels of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-health-prices-united-nations-d74bb5f7326d57e53e17258a42452d92">food insecurity</a>."The president also remembered the words of comfort Queen Elizabeth II, who died last week, sent to the American people soon after the 2001 attacks: “Grief is the price we pay for love." Biden said those words remain as poignant as they did 21 years ago but the weight of loss also remains heavy.“On this day, when the price feels so great, Jill and I are holding all of you close to our hearts.” Biden said.Biden has recently dialed up warnings about what he calls the “extreme ideology” of former President Donald Trump and his “MAGA Republican" adherents as a threat to American democracy. Without naming Trump, Biden again on Sunday raised a call for Americans to safeguard democracy.“It’s not enough to stand up for democracy once a year or every now and then,” Biden said. “It’s something we have to do every single day. So this is a day not only to remember, but also is a day for renewal and resolve for each and every American in our devotion to this country, to the principles it embodies, to our democracy.”First lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-jill-biden-congress-government-and-politics-adf38eae4d6395768b096f57218a3f79">Jill Biden</a>&nbsp;spoke to a crowd at the Flight 93 National Memorial Observance in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where she recalled the concern she had about her sister Bonny Jacobs, a United Airlines flight attendant.She said the attacks showed that “with courage and kindness we can be a light in that darkness.”“It showed us that we are all connected to one another,” said Biden, who was joined by her sister in Shanksville for Sunday's commemoration. “So as we stand on this sacred and scarred earth, a record of our collective grief and a monument to the memories that live on each day, this is the legacy we much carry forward: Hope that defies hate.”Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband attended a commemoration ceremony at the National September 11th Memorial in New York.------WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;is set to mark&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-government-and-politics-c5e1bcbcf3327938bb3c1a34e4807a5d">the 21st anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks</a>&nbsp;at the Pentagon, a year after he ended the long and costly war in Afghanistan that the U.S. and allies launched in response to the terror attacks.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Twenty-one years later, we keep alive the memory of all the precious lives stolen from us at Ground Zero, in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, and at the Pentagon. To the families and loved ones who still feel the ache, Jill and I hold you close in our hearts. We will never forget. <a href="https://t.co/IZlAmyone2">pic.twitter.com/IZlAmyone2</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1568932731622490112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In ending the Afghanistan war, the Democratic president followed through on a campaign pledge to bring home U.S. troops from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-e10e038baea732dae879c11234507f81">the country's longest conflict</a>. But the war concluded chaotically in August 2021, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-taliban-kabul-bagram-e1ed33fe0c665ee67ba132c51b8e32a5">the U.S.-backed Afghan government collapsed</a>&nbsp;in the face of a countrywide Taliban advance that returned the fundamentalist group to power. A bombing claimed by an Afghanistan-based extremist group killed 170 Afghans and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-bombings-kabul-42e66fb3b72492dbec3ef070b73cf018">13 U.S. troops at Kabul's airport</a>, where thousands of desperate Afghans gathered in hopes of escape before the final U.S. cargo planes departed over the Hindu Kush.White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said Biden in his remarks Sunday will recognize the impact&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/9-11-a-world-changed">the 2001 attacks</a>&nbsp;had on the U.S. and the world and honor the nearly 3,000 people killed that day when al-Qaida hijackers took control of commercial planes and crashed them into New York’s World Trade Center, the Pentagon and a Pennsylvania field.“I think you’ll hear him talk about how America will stay vigilant to the threat but also look to future threats and challenges and be able to learn to meet those threats and challenges,” Kirby said.Biden marked the one-year anniversary of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan late last month in low-key fashion. He issued a statement in honor of the 13 U.S. troops killed in the bombing at the Kabul airport and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-biden-veterans-national-security-government-and-politics-37f7409b05b8c4236bd4a1272c2affbe">spoke by phone with U.S. veterans</a>&nbsp;assisting ongoing efforts to resettle in the United States Afghans who helped the war effort.Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell on Thursday criticized Biden's handling of the end of the war and noted that the country has spiraled downward under renewed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-covid-entertainment-health-ashraf-ghani-458d17a5eba416b2845e127ecbe35ebc">Taliban rule</a>&nbsp;since the U.S. withdrawal.“Now, one year on from last August’s disaster, the devastating scale of the fallout from President Biden’s decision has come into sharper focus," McConnell said. “Afghanistan has become a global pariah. Its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-business-united-nations-economy-9cbaf19f8b4e79311305b35295a9ad6d">economy has shrunk</a>&nbsp;by nearly a third. Half of its population is now suffering critical levels of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-health-prices-united-nations-d74bb5f7326d57e53e17258a42452d92">food insecurity</a>."First lady&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-jill-biden-congress-government-and-politics-adf38eae4d6395768b096f57218a3f79">Jill Biden</a>&nbsp;will speak Sunday at the Flight 93 National Memorial Observance in Shanksville, Pennsylvania. Vice President Kamala Harris and her husband will go to New York City for a commemoration ceremony at the National September 11th Memorial.

🎥Biden honors 9/11 victims, vows commitment to thwart terror

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Two American Indian tribes in South Dakota have joined forces to purchase 40 acres around the Wounded Knee National Historic Landmark, the site of one of the deadliest massacres in U.S. history.

The Oglala Sioux and the Cheyenne River Sioux said the purchase of the land on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation was an act of cooperation to ensure the area was preserved as a sacred site. More than 200 Native Americans — including children and elderly people — were killed at Wounded Knee in 1890. The bloodshed marked a seminal moment in the frontier battles the U.S. Army waged against tribes.

“It's a small step towards healing and really making sure that we as a tribe are protecting our critical areas and assets,” Oglala Sioux Tribe President Kevin Killer told The Associated Press.

The tribes agreed this week to petition the U.S. Department of the Interior to take the land into trust on behalf of both tribes. The Oglala Sioux tribe will pay $255,000 and the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe will pay $245,000 for the site,&nbsp;<a href="https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/wounded-knee-land-comes-home-at-last">Indian Country Today reported</a>. The title to the land will be held in the name of the Oglala Sioux tribe.

Marlis Afraid of Hawk, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe whose grandfather, Albert Afraid of Hawk, survived the 1890 massacre as a 13-year-old boy, said she was overjoyed to see the tribes take ownership. She said she carries on the oral tradition of telling her grandchildren how her grandfather survived by fleeing through a ravine after a rifle held by a U.S. calvary soldier failed to fire at him.

As a member of a group that represents the descendants of the massacre's survivors, she had initially raised objections to the Oglala Sioux Tribe's purchase of the land, but said the joint purchase made her feel “honored and grateful.”

Members of the Oglala Sioux, Standing Rock Sioux, Rosebud Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes were all at Wounded Knee in 1890, Afraid of Hawk said.

She hoped the site could be used for “education for the people who come and see the massacre site.”

“They need to know the history. It needs to come through the true, true Lakota people,” she said.

The tribes' agreement ends a decades-long dispute over ownership of a site that has figured largely in Indigenous people's struggles with the U.S. government. Jeanette Czywczynski became sole owner of the property after her husband, James, died in 2019. He had purchased the property in 1968.

The Czywczynski family operated a trading post and museum there until 1973, when American Indian Movement protesters occupied the site, destroying both the post and Czywczynski’s home.

The 71-day standoff that left two tribal members dead and a federal agent seriously wounded led to heightened awareness about Native American struggles and propelled a wider protest movement.

The family moved away from the area and put the land up for sale, asking $3.9 million for the 40-acre parcel nearest the massacre site even though the land, including an additional adjacent 40-acre plot, had been assessed at $14,000.

In 2013, film star&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b6717eb8406143278dc9de92ce8d9830">Johnny Depp announced a plan to buy the property</a>&nbsp;and donate it to the Oglala Sioux tribe. Depp, who played the role of Tonto in a remake of the film, “The Lone Ranger,” was criticized for trying to capitalize on the film by making unsubstantiated claims of having Native American ancestry. Depp did not follow through on the purchase.

Killer, the Oglala Sioux Tribe's president, said the tribe's resolution for the land purchase calls for it to be preserved as a sacred site.

He said, “There’s still a lot of unresolved artifacts and items that should be left undisturbed."

Manny Iron Hawk, another member of the Wounded Knee Survivor's Association, said he saw the land acquisition as another step in the century-old Indian revival movement known as the Ghost Dance. The U.S. military was trying to suppress the Ghost Dance in 1890 after it had swept across Indigenous communities with a prophecy that colonial expansion would end and Native American communities would unite for prosperity.

“The Ghost Dance was a beautiful dream for our people. It wasn’t a dream of death, it was a dream of life,” Iron Hawk said. “Today we are the new Ghost Dancers and we carry on a duty that came to us to do what we can for our relatives there at Wounded Knee.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662899445420.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSSIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Two American Indian tribes in South Dakota have joined forces to purchase 40 acres around the Wounded Knee National Historic Landmark, the site of one of the deadliest massacres in U.S. history.The Oglala Sioux and the Cheyenne River Sioux said the purchase of the land on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation was an act of cooperation to ensure the area was preserved as a sacred site. More than 200 Native Americans — including children and elderly people — were killed at Wounded Knee in 1890. The bloodshed marked a seminal moment in the frontier battles the U.S. Army waged against tribes.“It's a small step towards healing and really making sure that we as a tribe are protecting our critical areas and assets,” Oglala Sioux Tribe President Kevin Killer told The Associated Press.The tribes agreed this week to petition the U.S. Department of the Interior to take the land into trust on behalf of both tribes. The Oglala Sioux tribe will pay $255,000 and the Cheyenne River Sioux tribe will pay $245,000 for the site,&nbsp;<a href="https://indiancountrytoday.com/news/wounded-knee-land-comes-home-at-last">Indian Country Today reported</a>. The title to the land will be held in the name of the Oglala Sioux tribe.Marlis Afraid of Hawk, a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe whose grandfather, Albert Afraid of Hawk, survived the 1890 massacre as a 13-year-old boy, said she was overjoyed to see the tribes take ownership. She said she carries on the oral tradition of telling her grandchildren how her grandfather survived by fleeing through a ravine after a rifle held by a U.S. calvary soldier failed to fire at him.As a member of a group that represents the descendants of the massacre's survivors, she had initially raised objections to the Oglala Sioux Tribe's purchase of the land, but said the joint purchase made her feel “honored and grateful.”Members of the Oglala Sioux, Standing Rock Sioux, Rosebud Sioux and Cheyenne River Sioux tribes were all at Wounded Knee in 1890, Afraid of Hawk said.She hoped the site could be used for “education for the people who come and see the massacre site.”“They need to know the history. It needs to come through the true, true Lakota people,” she said.The tribes' agreement ends a decades-long dispute over ownership of a site that has figured largely in Indigenous people's struggles with the U.S. government. Jeanette Czywczynski became sole owner of the property after her husband, James, died in 2019. He had purchased the property in 1968.The Czywczynski family operated a trading post and museum there until 1973, when American Indian Movement protesters occupied the site, destroying both the post and Czywczynski’s home.The 71-day standoff that left two tribal members dead and a federal agent seriously wounded led to heightened awareness about Native American struggles and propelled a wider protest movement.The family moved away from the area and put the land up for sale, asking $3.9 million for the 40-acre parcel nearest the massacre site even though the land, including an additional adjacent 40-acre plot, had been assessed at $14,000.In 2013, film star&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/b6717eb8406143278dc9de92ce8d9830">Johnny Depp announced a plan to buy the property</a>&nbsp;and donate it to the Oglala Sioux tribe. Depp, who played the role of Tonto in a remake of the film, “The Lone Ranger,” was criticized for trying to capitalize on the film by making unsubstantiated claims of having Native American ancestry. Depp did not follow through on the purchase.Killer, the Oglala Sioux Tribe's president, said the tribe's resolution for the land purchase calls for it to be preserved as a sacred site.He said, “There’s still a lot of unresolved artifacts and items that should be left undisturbed."Manny Iron Hawk, another member of the Wounded Knee Survivor's Association, said he saw the land acquisition as another step in the century-old Indian revival movement known as the Ghost Dance. The U.S. military was trying to suppress the Ghost Dance in 1890 after it had swept across Indigenous communities with a prophecy that colonial expansion would end and Native American communities would unite for prosperity.“The Ghost Dance was a beautiful dream for our people. It wasn’t a dream of death, it was a dream of life,” Iron Hawk said. “Today we are the new Ghost Dancers and we carry on a duty that came to us to do what we can for our relatives there at Wounded Knee.”

South Dakota tribes buy land near Wounded Knee massacre site

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration hopes to make getting a COVID-19 booster as routine as going in for the yearly flu shot.

That’s at the heart of its campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-omicron-booster-shot-227514678d25a99b65b7ee092735fb03?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_2">to sell the newly authorized shot</a>&nbsp;to an American public that has widely rejected COVID-19 boosters since they first became available last fall.

Shots of the updated boosters, specifically designed by Pfizer and Moderna to respond to the omicron strain, are available. The U.S. government has purchased 170 million doses and is emphasizing that everyone will have free access to the booster.

White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said this latest round of shots offer protection during the busy cold and flu season, with the hope of transitioning people to get the vaccine yearly. Typically,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/fluvaxview/dashboard/vaccination-dashboard.html">at least half of U.S. adults get a flu shot</a>.

“We expect them to provide more durable protection over time,” Jha said in an interview with The Associated Press. “The goal very much is to get to a point where people get their COVID shot on a regular basis, the way they do their flu shot.”

Community health workers in North Carolina, home to the country’s lowest COVID-19 booster rate, like the strategy, especially because of confusion among some people about vaccine schedules.

“I believe in keeping things simple,” said Marty Stamey, an outreach coordinator for the Mountain Area Health Education Center in western North Carolina. “I’ve heard a lot of people say, ‘I think I’ll just wait and try to do it like the flu shots.’”

The White House plan also relies in part of on local health departments, providers and community groups to reach out and encourage people to get the updated booster. Pharmacies, health providers and state or local health departments are preparing to send text messages to millions of people that will encourage them to get a booster this fall, White House officials said.

Jha said he recommends most Americans get the booster by the end of October.

Still, this latest vaccination campaign faces several challenges.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations_vacc-people-additional-dose-totalpop">majority of Americans got their first and second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine</a>&nbsp;when it was released last year but they’ve been more reluctant to get a booster jab, with less than half getting their first booster since it became available late last year.

Congress also has not moved forward on President Joe Biden’s $22.5 billion request&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-business-health-congress-e5b411a879b2becf3e342fea3b0df981">earlier this year for the COVID-19 response</a>. Republicans criticized the request, pointing to the $1.9 trillion already spent on responding to the pandemic. Running short on funds, the government announced it would stop shipping COVID-19 tests to people’s homes after Friday.

And COVID-19 funding is drying up for many of the community groups that received millions of federal tax dollars to hire workers who spent months reaching deep into neighborhoods with door knocks, mobile vaccine clinics and posters encouraging people to inoculate against COVID-19.

White House officials say those local leaders deserve a lot of credit for stamping out misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine and convincing many around the country that the shot will protect them.

“Those are the really critical messengers,” Jha said.

That on-the-ground work has been crucial to getting people vaccinated in the rural, Spanish- and Haitian-speaking communities that the Migrant Clinicians Network has reached throughout Texas, California and Maryland with its $8.5 million federal grant.

“Simply having the vaccines available is one thing, but getting the shots in the arms is another,” said Amy Liebman, a chief program officer for the nonprofit group.

Some of those local health organizations, too, are now stretched as they work to get low&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-pfizer-covid-vaccines-kids-1423b2ab0a51bc9c36dbe86964777c07">vaccination rates among children under 12 up</a>. Only a third of 5- to 11-year-olds received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine since becoming eligible late last year. Meanwhile, just&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-infections/children-and-covid-19-vaccination-trends/">7% of children under 5</a>&nbsp;have gotten a first dose since it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-politics-health-us-news-368ca7b4ab393dc48ffa04b5a3171d5b">was made available this summer</a>.

Dr. Niharika Khanna at the University of Maryland School of Medicine has just started making progress on convincing new mothers that the vaccine is safe and effective for their babies.

Her program, which has hired more than 269 health workers and administered more than 12,000 vaccinations and boosters across Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, isn’t quite ready to transition back to pushing COVID-19 boosters.

“All of these people, all of these relationships we’ve carefully cultivated are at risk for falling apart,” Khanna said. “Today if you were to say to me switch to booster, I’d say no. I need another two to three weeks to really get these people going.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1648688148561.png" alt="The latest vaccination campaign faces challenges-photo White House" />
 <figcaption>The latest vaccination campaign faces challenges-photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration hopes to make getting a COVID-19 booster as routine as going in for the yearly flu shot.That’s at the heart of its campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-omicron-booster-shot-227514678d25a99b65b7ee092735fb03?utm_source=homepage&amp;utm_medium=TopNews&amp;utm_campaign=position_2">to sell the newly authorized shot</a>&nbsp;to an American public that has widely rejected COVID-19 boosters since they first became available last fall.Shots of the updated boosters, specifically designed by Pfizer and Moderna to respond to the omicron strain, are available. The U.S. government has purchased 170 million doses and is emphasizing that everyone will have free access to the booster.White House COVID-19 coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha said this latest round of shots offer protection during the busy cold and flu season, with the hope of transitioning people to get the vaccine yearly. Typically,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/fluvaxview/dashboard/vaccination-dashboard.html">at least half of U.S. adults get a flu shot</a>.“We expect them to provide more durable protection over time,” Jha said in an interview with The Associated Press. “The goal very much is to get to a point where people get their COVID shot on a regular basis, the way they do their flu shot.”Community health workers in North Carolina, home to the country’s lowest COVID-19 booster rate, like the strategy, especially because of confusion among some people about vaccine schedules.“I believe in keeping things simple,” said Marty Stamey, an outreach coordinator for the Mountain Area Health Education Center in western North Carolina. “I’ve heard a lot of people say, ‘I think I’ll just wait and try to do it like the flu shots.’”The White House plan also relies in part of on local health departments, providers and community groups to reach out and encourage people to get the updated booster. Pharmacies, health providers and state or local health departments are preparing to send text messages to millions of people that will encourage them to get a booster this fall, White House officials said.Jha said he recommends most Americans get the booster by the end of October.Still, this latest vaccination campaign faces several challenges.A&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations_vacc-people-additional-dose-totalpop">majority of Americans got their first and second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine</a>&nbsp;when it was released last year but they’ve been more reluctant to get a booster jab, with less than half getting their first booster since it became available late last year.Congress also has not moved forward on President Joe Biden’s $22.5 billion request&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-business-health-congress-e5b411a879b2becf3e342fea3b0df981">earlier this year for the COVID-19 response</a>. Republicans criticized the request, pointing to the $1.9 trillion already spent on responding to the pandemic. Running short on funds, the government announced it would stop shipping COVID-19 tests to people’s homes after Friday.And COVID-19 funding is drying up for many of the community groups that received millions of federal tax dollars to hire workers who spent months reaching deep into neighborhoods with door knocks, mobile vaccine clinics and posters encouraging people to inoculate against COVID-19.White House officials say those local leaders deserve a lot of credit for stamping out misinformation about the COVID-19 vaccine and convincing many around the country that the shot will protect them.“Those are the really critical messengers,” Jha said.That on-the-ground work has been crucial to getting people vaccinated in the rural, Spanish- and Haitian-speaking communities that the Migrant Clinicians Network has reached throughout Texas, California and Maryland with its $8.5 million federal grant.“Simply having the vaccines available is one thing, but getting the shots in the arms is another,” said Amy Liebman, a chief program officer for the nonprofit group.Some of those local health organizations, too, are now stretched as they work to get low&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-pfizer-covid-vaccines-kids-1423b2ab0a51bc9c36dbe86964777c07">vaccination rates among children under 12 up</a>. Only a third of 5- to 11-year-olds received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine since becoming eligible late last year. Meanwhile, just&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aap.org/en/pages/2019-novel-coronavirus-covid-19-infections/children-and-covid-19-vaccination-trends/">7% of children under 5</a>&nbsp;have gotten a first dose since it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-politics-health-us-news-368ca7b4ab393dc48ffa04b5a3171d5b">was made available this summer</a>.Dr. Niharika Khanna at the University of Maryland School of Medicine has just started making progress on convincing new mothers that the vaccine is safe and effective for their babies.Her program, which has hired more than 269 health workers and administered more than 12,000 vaccinations and boosters across Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, isn’t quite ready to transition back to pushing COVID-19 boosters.“All of these people, all of these relationships we’ve carefully cultivated are at risk for falling apart,” Khanna said. “Today if you were to say to me switch to booster, I’d say no. I need another two to three weeks to really get these people going.”

Fall COVID vaccination campaign faces many challenges

By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/09/wwii-veteran-charles-jackson-frenchs-name-now-on-benson-post-office/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — The brick post office in Benson now bears the name of a Navy man with Omaha ties: World War II hero Charles Jackson French.

Members of the French family and elected leaders attended a ceremony Friday celebrating naming the building for him.

“If his parents and his siblings were living, they would be very proud,” said Chester French, one of Charles’ nephews.&nbsp;

Another nephew, Roscoe Harris, 
thanked the group of more than 50 attendees for honoring their uncle’s 
sacrifice. Both nephews live in Omaha.

Eighty years ago this month, Japanese forces sank the ship on which French served, the USS Gregory, near Guadalcanal Island.&nbsp;

Petty Officer 1st Class French, a 
Black man who lived in Omaha before entering the Navy, saved the lives 
of 15 injured white sailors.&nbsp;

French tied a rope to his waist, jumped into the ocean and swam for six to eight hours, pulling a raft with the injured men.

At that point, the Navy was segregated and limited service members of color to jobs in the ship’s galley.&nbsp;

After French and the sailors were rescued, a crew tried separating him from the others. Sailors vouched for him.&nbsp;

Chester French said his family have 
heard from the daughters of one sailor who hung off the side of the raft
 and helped Charles navigate. They also have heard from family members 
of others on the raft.&nbsp;

Navy Capt. Ben Selph, who works now at STRATCOM, said French’s selfless example is one that American sailors aspire to match.

“Petty Officer French, Charles Jackson French, knew before so many in our country
 did that what matters is the content of a man’s character over the 
color of his skin,” said Selph, who was previously based in San Diego.

U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., and U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/bill-to-name-benson-post-office-bill-after-wwii-hero-charles-jackson-french-advances-to-voice-vote-in-senate/">led an effort that was joined by the rest of the Nebraska congressional delegation</a> to rename the post office for French.&nbsp;

Bacon, a retired Air Force brigadier 
general, said at the ceremony that people who have served in the 
military recognize “gallantry, courage, never leaving your buddy 
behind.” They see a brother in French, he said.&nbsp;

“He changed hearts of 15 sailors who 
were there that day,” Bacon said. “It has taken thousands of Petty 
Officer Frenches to change hearts and minds.”

Fischer called Friday a joyous 
occasion that was “a long time coming.” She said the country needed to 
honor French for his service and sacrifice.&nbsp;

“It’s important for future 
generations that they can be inspired by this story of one man and his 
remarkable actions to save his colleagues,” she said. “It is our duty to
 keep those stories alive.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662834580773.png" alt="The U.S. Postal Service held a ceremony Friday in Omaha to formally rename the Benson branch post pffice for World War II Navy veteran Charles Jackson French. A photo of French is shown outside the building at 63rd and Maple Streets. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>The U.S. Postal Service held a ceremony Friday in Omaha to formally rename the Benson branch post pffice for World War II Navy veteran Charles Jackson French. A photo of French is shown outside the building at 63rd and Maple Streets. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/09/09/wwii-veteran-charles-jackson-frenchs-name-now-on-benson-post-office/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — The brick post office in Benson now bears the name of a Navy man with Omaha ties: World War II hero Charles Jackson French.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662834663120.jpeg" alt="Chester French, a nephew of Navy World War II veteran Charles Jackson French, speaks during the ceremony marking the renaming of the Benson post office after his uncle. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Chester French, a nephew of Navy World War II veteran Charles Jackson French, speaks during the ceremony marking the renaming of the Benson post office after his uncle. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Members of the French family and elected leaders attended a ceremony Friday celebrating naming the building for him.“If his parents and his siblings were living, they would be very proud,” said Chester French, one of Charles’ nephews.&nbsp;Another nephew, Roscoe Harris, 
thanked the group of more than 50 attendees for honoring their uncle’s 
sacrifice. Both nephews live in Omaha.Eighty years ago this month, Japanese forces sank the ship on which French served, the USS Gregory, near Guadalcanal Island.&nbsp;Petty Officer 1st Class French, a 
Black man who lived in Omaha before entering the Navy, saved the lives 
of 15 injured white sailors.&nbsp;French tied a rope to his waist, jumped into the ocean and swam for six to eight hours, pulling a raft with the injured men.At that point, the Navy was segregated and limited service members of color to jobs in the ship’s galley.&nbsp;After French and the sailors were rescued, a crew tried separating him from the others. Sailors vouched for him.&nbsp;Chester French said his family have 
heard from the daughters of one sailor who hung off the side of the raft
 and helped Charles navigate. They also have heard from family members 
of others on the raft.&nbsp;Navy Capt. Ben Selph, who works now at STRATCOM, said French’s selfless example is one that American sailors aspire to match.“Petty Officer French, Charles Jackson French, knew before so many in our country
 did that what matters is the content of a man’s character over the 
color of his skin,” said Selph, who was previously based in San Diego.U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, R-Neb., and U.S. Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb., <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/bill-to-name-benson-post-office-bill-after-wwii-hero-charles-jackson-french-advances-to-voice-vote-in-senate/">led an effort that was joined by the rest of the Nebraska congressional delegation</a> to rename the post office for French.&nbsp;Bacon, a retired Air Force brigadier 
general, said at the ceremony that people who have served in the 
military recognize “gallantry, courage, never leaving your buddy 
behind.” They see a brother in French, he said.&nbsp;“He changed hearts of 15 sailors who 
were there that day,” Bacon said. “It has taken thousands of Petty 
Officer Frenches to change hearts and minds.”Fischer called Friday a joyous 
occasion that was “a long time coming.” She said the country needed to 
honor French for his service and sacrifice.&nbsp;“It’s important for future 
generations that they can be inspired by this story of one man and his 
remarkable actions to save his colleagues,” she said. “It is our duty to
 keep those stories alive.”

World War II veteran's name now on Nebraska post office

LONDON (AP) —Palace officials say the state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II will take place on Sept. 19 at Westminster Abbey in London after the public gets an opportunity to pay their last respects to the monarch.

Elizabeth, the nation’s longest-reigning sovereign, died Thursday at her summer retreat in the Scottish Highlands.

Details on the 96-year old queen’s funeral will be released later, but organizers on Saturday described the ceremony as a “a fitting farewell to one of the defining figures of our times.’’

Palace officials said there would be opportunities to see the late sovereign’s oak coffin as it journeys from Balmoral Castle in Scotland to Edinburgh and again in London, where her body will lie in state for four days starting Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662828587465.png" alt="The condolence book at the British Consulate General in Houston, Texas-photo courtesy&nbsp; office of British Consulate General" />
 <figcaption>The condolence book at the British Consulate General in Houston, Texas-photo courtesy&nbsp; office of British Consulate General</figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) —Palace officials say the state funeral for Queen Elizabeth II will take place on Sept. 19 at Westminster Abbey in London after the public gets an opportunity to pay their last respects to the monarch.Elizabeth, the nation’s longest-reigning sovereign, died Thursday at her summer retreat in the Scottish Highlands.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The State Funeral of Her Majesty The Queen will take place at Westminster Abbey on Monday 19th September. Prior to the State Funeral, The Queen will Lie-in-State in Westminster Hall for four days, to allow the public to pay their respects.&mdash; The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) <a href="https://twitter.com/RoyalFamily/status/1568631258657312770?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Details on the 96-year old queen’s funeral will be released later, but organizers on Saturday described the ceremony as a “a fitting farewell to one of the defining figures of our times.’’Palace officials said there would be opportunities to see the late sovereign’s oak coffin as it journeys from Balmoral Castle in Scotland to Edinburgh and again in London, where her body will lie in state for four days starting Wednesday.

Palace sets date for Queen Elizabeth II's funeral 

LONDON (AP) — King Charles III vowed in his first speech as monarch Friday to carry on Queen Elizabeth II's “lifelong service,” as Britain entered an uncertain new age under a new sovereign. Around the world, the queen's exceptional reign was commemorated, celebrated and debated.

Charles, who spent much of his 73 years preparing for the role of king, addressed a nation grieving the only British monarch most people alive today had ever known. He takes the throne in an era of unease for both his country and the monarchy itself.

He spoke of his “profound sorrow” over the death of his mother, calling her “an inspiration and example to me and to all my family.”

“That promise of lifelong service I renew to all today,” he said in the 9 1/2-minute address, recorded earlier in the day and delivered with a framed photo of the queen on a desk in front of him.

“As the queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I, too, now solemnly pledge myself, throughout the remaining time God grants me, to uphold the constitutional principles at the heart of our nation," he said.

The king's speech was broadcast on television and streamed at St. Paul’s Cathedral, where some 2,000 people attended a service of remembrance for the queen. They included Prime Minister Liz Truss and members of her government.

As the country began a 10-day mourning period, people around the globe gathered at British embassies to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-russia-ukraine-putin-biden-united-nations-3308a9ada3312a6b7f294997231ebb23">pay homage to the queen</a>, who died Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.

In London and at military sites across the United Kingdom, cannons fired 96 shots in an elaborate, 16-minute salute marking each year of the queen’s life.

The widespread admiration for Elizabeth in Britain and across its former colonies was occasionally mixed with scorn for the institution and the imperial history she symbolized.

Charles, who became the monarch immediately upon his mother’s death, will be formally proclaimed king at a ceremony on Saturday. He is expected to tour the United Kingdom in the coming days.

The queen’s coffin will be brought to London, where she will lie in state before a funeral at Westminster Abbey, expected around Sept. 19.

On the king's first full day of duties, Charles left Balmoral and flew to London for a meeting with Truss, appointed by the queen just two days before her death.

He arrived at Buckingham Palace, the monarch's London home, for the first time as sovereign, emerging from the official state Bentley limousine alongside Camilla, the queen consort, to shouts from the crowd of “Well done, Charlie!” and the singing of the national anthem, now called “God Save the King.” One woman gave him a kiss on the cheek.

Under intense scrutiny and pressure to show he can be both caring and regal, Charles walked slowly past flowers heaped at the palace gates for his mother. The mood was both grieving and celebratory.

The seismic change of monarch comes at a time when many Britons are facing an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f4ea4c93b9d0b30063ed6018e7727959">energy crisis</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/storms-inflation-economy-prices-f4ea4c93b9d0b30063ed6018e7727959">soaring cost of living</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war in Ukraine</a>&nbsp;and the fallout from Brexit.

In his speech, Charles looked to both the past — noting his mother's unwavering “dedication and devotion as sovereign” — and the future, seeking to strike a reassuring note of constancy.

He reflected on how the country had changed during the queen's reign into a society “of many cultures and many faiths" while “our values have remained, and must remain, constant.”

He spoke of his son Prince William, now heir to the throne and formally given the title that Charles long held, Prince of Wales.

“With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the center ground where vital help can be given,” Charles said, referring to the couple's work on homelessness, mental health and other issues.

And he struck a note of reconciliation after a raw family rift when he said, “I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas."

Prince Harry and wife Meghan have been in a tense relationship with the royal family since they stepped away from their official duties and left the country in 2020, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media toward the biracial American actress.

As the second Elizabethan Age came to a close, throngs of people arrived all day to grieve together and lay flowers outside the gates of Buckingham Palace and other royal residences.

Finance worker Giles Cudmore said the queen had “just been a constant through everything, everything good and bad.”

At Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, mourner April Hamilton stood with her young daughter, struggling to hold back tears.

“It’s just such a momentous change that is going to happen,” she said. “I’m trying to hold it together today.”

Many sporting and cultural events were canceled as a mark of respect, and some businesses — including Selfridges department store and the Legoland amusement park — shut their doors. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-russia-ukraine-united-kingdom-3b41a590eda012fa9da043a53324d00b">Bank of England</a>&nbsp;postponed its meeting by a week.

Elizabeth was Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a symbol of constancy in a turbulent era that saw the decline of the British empire and upheaval in her family, including the messy divorce of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.

The public’s affection for the queen had helped sustain support for the monarchy amid complaints in some quarters that it had outlived its usefulness. But Charles does not command that kind of popularity.

“Charles can never replace her, you know," said 31-year-old Londoner Mariam Sherwani.

Like many, she referred to Elizabeth as a grandmother figure. Others compared her to their mothers, or great-grandmothers.

But around the world, her passing revealed conflicting emotions about the nation and institutions she represented.

In India, once the “jewel in the crown” of the British empire, entrepreneur Dhiren Singh described his own personal sadness at her death, but added, “I do not think we have any place for kings and queens in today’s world."

For some, Elizabeth was a queen whose coronation glittered with shards of a stunning 3,106-carat diamond pulled from grim southern African mines, a monarch who inherited an empire they resented.

Across Africa, nations rejected British rule and chose independence in her first decade on the throne.

LONDON (AP) — King Charles III vowed in his first speech as monarch Friday to carry on Queen Elizabeth II's “lifelong service,” as Britain entered an uncertain new age under a new sovereign. Around the world, the queen's exceptional reign was commemorated, celebrated and debated.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/E_5REdx2Vtk?start=12" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Charles, who spent much of his 73 years preparing for the role of king, addressed a nation grieving the only British monarch most people alive today had ever known. He takes the throne in an era of unease for both his country and the monarchy itself.He spoke of his “profound sorrow” over the death of his mother, calling her “an inspiration and example to me and to all my family.”“That promise of lifelong service I renew to all today,” he said in the 9 1/2-minute address, recorded earlier in the day and delivered with a framed photo of the queen on a desk in front of him.“As the queen herself did with such unswerving devotion, I, too, now solemnly pledge myself, throughout the remaining time God grants me, to uphold the constitutional principles at the heart of our nation," he said.The king's speech was broadcast on television and streamed at St. Paul’s Cathedral, where some 2,000 people attended a service of remembrance for the queen. They included Prime Minister Liz Truss and members of her government.As the country began a 10-day mourning period, people around the globe gathered at British embassies to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-russia-ukraine-putin-biden-united-nations-3308a9ada3312a6b7f294997231ebb23">pay homage to the queen</a>, who died Thursday at Balmoral Castle in Scotland.In London and at military sites across the United Kingdom, cannons fired 96 shots in an elaborate, 16-minute salute marking each year of the queen’s life.The widespread admiration for Elizabeth in Britain and across its former colonies was occasionally mixed with scorn for the institution and the imperial history she symbolized.Charles, who became the monarch immediately upon his mother’s death, will be formally proclaimed king at a ceremony on Saturday. He is expected to tour the United Kingdom in the coming days.The queen’s coffin will be brought to London, where she will lie in state before a funeral at Westminster Abbey, expected around Sept. 19.On the king's first full day of duties, Charles left Balmoral and flew to London for a meeting with Truss, appointed by the queen just two days before her death.He arrived at Buckingham Palace, the monarch's London home, for the first time as sovereign, emerging from the official state Bentley limousine alongside Camilla, the queen consort, to shouts from the crowd of “Well done, Charlie!” and the singing of the national anthem, now called “God Save the King.” One woman gave him a kiss on the cheek.Under intense scrutiny and pressure to show he can be both caring and regal, Charles walked slowly past flowers heaped at the palace gates for his mother. The mood was both grieving and celebratory.The seismic change of monarch comes at a time when many Britons are facing an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f4ea4c93b9d0b30063ed6018e7727959">energy crisis</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/storms-inflation-economy-prices-f4ea4c93b9d0b30063ed6018e7727959">soaring cost of living</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war in Ukraine</a>&nbsp;and the fallout from Brexit.In his speech, Charles looked to both the past — noting his mother's unwavering “dedication and devotion as sovereign” — and the future, seeking to strike a reassuring note of constancy.He reflected on how the country had changed during the queen's reign into a society “of many cultures and many faiths" while “our values have remained, and must remain, constant.”He spoke of his son Prince William, now heir to the throne and formally given the title that Charles long held, Prince of Wales.“With Catherine beside him, our new Prince and Princess of Wales will, I know, continue to inspire and lead our national conversations, helping to bring the marginal to the center ground where vital help can be given,” Charles said, referring to the couple's work on homelessness, mental health and other issues.And he struck a note of reconciliation after a raw family rift when he said, “I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas."Prince Harry and wife Meghan have been in a tense relationship with the royal family since they stepped away from their official duties and left the country in 2020, citing what they said were the unbearable intrusions and racist attitudes of the British media toward the biracial American actress.As the second Elizabethan Age came to a close, throngs of people arrived all day to grieve together and lay flowers outside the gates of Buckingham Palace and other royal residences.Finance worker Giles Cudmore said the queen had “just been a constant through everything, everything good and bad.”At Holyrood Palace in Edinburgh, mourner April Hamilton stood with her young daughter, struggling to hold back tears.“It’s just such a momentous change that is going to happen,” she said. “I’m trying to hold it together today.”Many sporting and cultural events were canceled as a mark of respect, and some businesses — including Selfridges department store and the Legoland amusement park — shut their doors. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-russia-ukraine-united-kingdom-3b41a590eda012fa9da043a53324d00b">Bank of England</a>&nbsp;postponed its meeting by a week.Elizabeth was Britain’s longest-reigning monarch and a symbol of constancy in a turbulent era that saw the decline of the British empire and upheaval in her family, including the messy divorce of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.The public’s affection for the queen had helped sustain support for the monarchy amid complaints in some quarters that it had outlived its usefulness. But Charles does not command that kind of popularity.“Charles can never replace her, you know," said 31-year-old Londoner Mariam Sherwani.Like many, she referred to Elizabeth as a grandmother figure. Others compared her to their mothers, or great-grandmothers.But around the world, her passing revealed conflicting emotions about the nation and institutions she represented.In Ireland, some soccer fans cheered.In India, once the “jewel in the crown” of the British empire, entrepreneur Dhiren Singh described his own personal sadness at her death, but added, “I do not think we have any place for kings and queens in today’s world."For some, Elizabeth was a queen whose coronation glittered with shards of a stunning 3,106-carat diamond pulled from grim southern African mines, a monarch who inherited an empire they resented.Across Africa, nations rejected British rule and chose independence in her first decade on the throne.

🎥King Charles III, in first address, vows `lifelong service'

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Major freight railroads, in a bid to apply pressure on unions and Congress, say a strike that could come after a key deadline passes next week would cost the economy more than $2 billion a day and disrupt deliveries of all kinds of goods and passenger traffic nationwide.

The Association of American Railroads trade group on Thursday issued a report estimating the dire consequences of a strike. Their report came a day after Labor Secretary Marty Walsh took part in talks in a bid to hammer out an agreement.

A strike or lockout won't be allowed until next Friday at the soonest under the federal law that governs railroad negotiations.

Five of the 12 unions involved that together represent some 115,000 workers have announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-497a373594515a27e7435cdf97df7a41">tentative agreements</a>&nbsp;covering over 21,000 workers based on a set of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-strikes-a83dffef79d38e36dc25588b19bf54b4">recommendations</a>&nbsp;that a special panel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-transportation-strikes-ba718974eb14fcd615d606bfcdffb3d2">appointed by President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;made last month. But several key unions are holding out in the hope that the railroads will agree to go beyond those recommendations and address some of their concerns about working conditions.

The Presidential Emergency Board recommended a five-year deal, retroactive to 2020, that includes 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses. But it wants unions to take their concerns about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lawsuits-5123fda3d039543700b23d939e0bdda2">attendance policies</a>, paid leave and expenses to arbitration or to negotiate separately with the railroads. Unions say their workloads have become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-aab7d3084a8d17d8d721d2cb750be323">unbearable</a>&nbsp;after railroads eliminated nearly one-third of their workforces over the past six years.

The railroad trade group said a strike would idle some 7,000 freight trains a day run by CSX, Union Pacific, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, Kansas City Southern and other railroads and disrupt passenger operations nationwide because Amtrak and half of all commuter rail systems rely at least partly on tracks owned by the freight railroads.

The AAR also said it would be impossible for trucks to pick up the slack if railroads shut down because roughly 467,000 additional trucks a day would be needed to handle all the freight railroads deliver, and there is already a shortage of trucks and drivers.

AAR CEO Ian Jefferies said the unions should accept the recommendations of the Presidential Emergency Board because they would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-norfolk-government-and-politics-eeedec386f2acba5d63181436ca03f3f">deliver the biggest raises</a>&nbsp;in nearly 50 years and they represent a compromise.

"Should negotiations fail and result in a work stoppage, Congress must act to implement the PEB recommendations,” Jefferies said.

A Labor Department spokesman confirmed that Walsh took part in the talks Wednesday. If this contract dispute does fall to Congress to resolve, lawmakers might be forced to make some difficult decisions in an election year.

A coalition of 31 large agricultural groups sent a letter to Congress Thursday urging lawmakers to be prepared to intervene and block a strike if the two sides can't reach an agreement before next Friday's deadline. They say they are already dealing with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-omaha-7824a3d4042a757755ea76f55e51f641">delayed deliveries</a>&nbsp;because railroads are shorthanded, and the problems would get much worse in a strike even if it were brief.

“Most freight railroads currently lack extra capacity to make up for down time," the agricultural groups said in their letter. “Thus, a sizable portion of freight backlogged due to a stoppage may never be made up leading to less production from rail-dependent businesses to the detriment of producers and consumers.”

Edward Jones analyst Jeff Windau said lawmakers' decisions would be put under a magnifying glass with the midterm elections looming, but they'll “definitely want to keep the economy moving smoothly” if they do have to settle the contract dispute. But Windau said he's optimistic the two sides will reach an agreement over the next week.

Independent railroad analyst Anthony Hatch said the unions are trying to take advantage of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-health-business-prices-66e5f5612c0a56c18ac218425e2cd20a">current environment</a>&nbsp;with Democrats in control of the White House and Congress and a tight job market, but ultimately he doesn't think a strike will happen.

“It makes sense for them to hold on until the last minute and try to get the best deal that they can. For the railroads, it makes perfect sense for them to say a disruption would be cataclysmic,” Hatch said.

Even if a strike were to happen, Hatch predicted it would “last not weeks, not days, not hours but minutes” because Congress would intervene. And the long-term cost of these deals may have a bigger impact on the railroads than the short-term crisis of a strike.

Ultimately, ongoing local negotiations on the railroads' proposals to reduce crew sizes from the current two down to one might prove more important to the industry than these wage deals because they will affect how competitive railroads can remain against trucking as autonomous trucks are developed, he said.

That topic has been pushed out of the current national wage negotiations to talks at each individual railroad, although a proposed Federal Railroad Administration rule that would require two-person crews in most instances would make it difficult for railroads to cut crews. The unions have also vigorously opposed reducing crew size because of safety and job concerns.

The heads of the two biggest rail unions — the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers — Transportation Division union that represents conductors, and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union that represents engineers — said in a joint statement last week that Congress should remain on the sidelines because that would put more pressure on the railroads and help them reach an agreement workers will approve.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) Major freight railroads, in a bid to apply pressure on unions and Congress, say a strike that could come after a key deadline passes next week would cost the economy more than $2 billion a day and disrupt deliveries of all kinds of goods and passenger traffic nationwide.The Association of American Railroads trade group on Thursday issued a report estimating the dire consequences of a strike. Their report came a day after Labor Secretary Marty Walsh took part in talks in a bid to hammer out an agreement.A strike or lockout won't be allowed until next Friday at the soonest under the federal law that governs railroad negotiations.Five of the 12 unions involved that together represent some 115,000 workers have announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-497a373594515a27e7435cdf97df7a41">tentative agreements</a>&nbsp;covering over 21,000 workers based on a set of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-strikes-a83dffef79d38e36dc25588b19bf54b4">recommendations</a>&nbsp;that a special panel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-transportation-strikes-ba718974eb14fcd615d606bfcdffb3d2">appointed by President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;made last month. But several key unions are holding out in the hope that the railroads will agree to go beyond those recommendations and address some of their concerns about working conditions.The Presidential Emergency Board recommended a five-year deal, retroactive to 2020, that includes 24% raises and $5,000 in bonuses. But it wants unions to take their concerns about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lawsuits-5123fda3d039543700b23d939e0bdda2">attendance policies</a>, paid leave and expenses to arbitration or to negotiate separately with the railroads. Unions say their workloads have become&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-aab7d3084a8d17d8d721d2cb750be323">unbearable</a>&nbsp;after railroads eliminated nearly one-third of their workforces over the past six years.The railroad trade group said a strike would idle some 7,000 freight trains a day run by CSX, Union Pacific, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, Kansas City Southern and other railroads and disrupt passenger operations nationwide because Amtrak and half of all commuter rail systems rely at least partly on tracks owned by the freight railroads.The AAR also said it would be impossible for trucks to pick up the slack if railroads shut down because roughly 467,000 additional trucks a day would be needed to handle all the freight railroads deliver, and there is already a shortage of trucks and drivers.AAR CEO Ian Jefferies said the unions should accept the recommendations of the Presidential Emergency Board because they would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-norfolk-government-and-politics-eeedec386f2acba5d63181436ca03f3f">deliver the biggest raises</a>&nbsp;in nearly 50 years and they represent a compromise."Should negotiations fail and result in a work stoppage, Congress must act to implement the PEB recommendations,” Jefferies said.A Labor Department spokesman confirmed that Walsh took part in the talks Wednesday. If this contract dispute does fall to Congress to resolve, lawmakers might be forced to make some difficult decisions in an election year.A coalition of 31 large agricultural groups sent a letter to Congress Thursday urging lawmakers to be prepared to intervene and block a strike if the two sides can't reach an agreement before next Friday's deadline. They say they are already dealing with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-omaha-7824a3d4042a757755ea76f55e51f641">delayed deliveries</a>&nbsp;because railroads are shorthanded, and the problems would get much worse in a strike even if it were brief.“Most freight railroads currently lack extra capacity to make up for down time," the agricultural groups said in their letter. “Thus, a sizable portion of freight backlogged due to a stoppage may never be made up leading to less production from rail-dependent businesses to the detriment of producers and consumers.”Edward Jones analyst Jeff Windau said lawmakers' decisions would be put under a magnifying glass with the midterm elections looming, but they'll “definitely want to keep the economy moving smoothly” if they do have to settle the contract dispute. But Windau said he's optimistic the two sides will reach an agreement over the next week.Independent railroad analyst Anthony Hatch said the unions are trying to take advantage of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-lifestyle-health-business-prices-66e5f5612c0a56c18ac218425e2cd20a">current environment</a>&nbsp;with Democrats in control of the White House and Congress and a tight job market, but ultimately he doesn't think a strike will happen.“It makes sense for them to hold on until the last minute and try to get the best deal that they can. For the railroads, it makes perfect sense for them to say a disruption would be cataclysmic,” Hatch said.Even if a strike were to happen, Hatch predicted it would “last not weeks, not days, not hours but minutes” because Congress would intervene. And the long-term cost of these deals may have a bigger impact on the railroads than the short-term crisis of a strike.Ultimately, ongoing local negotiations on the railroads' proposals to reduce crew sizes from the current two down to one might prove more important to the industry than these wage deals because they will affect how competitive railroads can remain against trucking as autonomous trucks are developed, he said.That topic has been pushed out of the current national wage negotiations to talks at each individual railroad, although a proposed Federal Railroad Administration rule that would require two-person crews in most instances would make it difficult for railroads to cut crews. The unions have also vigorously opposed reducing crew size because of safety and job concerns.The heads of the two biggest rail unions — the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers — Transportation Division union that represents conductors, and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen union that represents engineers — said in a joint statement last week that Congress should remain on the sidelines because that would put more pressure on the railroads and help them reach an agreement workers will approve.

As deadline looms, railroads say strike would cost $2B a day

UpdateThe Endangered Missing Advisory activated to determine the whereabouts of Matthew E. Schoel, has been cancelled. The alert has been cancelled due to Schoel was found safe This advisory was for the following State Patrol Troop Areas: Troop A, Troop C, Troop D, Troop H. For&nbsp;more&nbsp;information&nbsp;visit&nbsp;our&nbsp;website&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="http://nsp.ne.gov/ema" target="_blank">http://nsp.ne.gov/ema</a> ********** Issued On: Friday, Sept. 9, 2022, at 11:20:25 AM

Description:An Endangered Missing Advisory has been activated to determine the whereabouts of Matthew E. Schoel.

An Endangered Missing Advisory has been issued for Central Nebraska. The Webster County Sheriff's office is attempting to locate Matthew E. Schoel, white male, age 44, 6'0" 250 lbs, Blue Eyes, Black Hair, no teeth. Last seen wearing white t-shirt, brown pants. Schoel was last seen at 602 Michigan Ave. in Inavale NE at 0230 hours. Schoel is diabetic and schizophrenic and does not have his medication.

This advisory is for the following State Patrol Troop Areas: Troop A, Troop C, Troop D, Troop H

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662742513748.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>UpdateThe Endangered Missing Advisory activated to determine the whereabouts of Matthew E. Schoel, has been cancelled. The alert has been cancelled due to Schoel was found safe This advisory was for the following State Patrol Troop Areas: Troop A, Troop C, Troop D, Troop H. For&nbsp;more&nbsp;information&nbsp;visit&nbsp;our&nbsp;website&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="http://nsp.ne.gov/ema" target="_blank">http://nsp.ne.gov/ema</a> ********** Issued On: Friday, Sept. 9, 2022, at 11:20:25 AMName:Matthew E. SchoelDescription:An Endangered Missing Advisory has been activated to determine the whereabouts of Matthew E. Schoel.An Endangered Missing Advisory has been issued for Central Nebraska. The Webster County Sheriff's office is attempting to locate Matthew E. Schoel, white male, age 44, 6'0" 250 lbs, Blue Eyes, Black Hair, no teeth. Last seen wearing white t-shirt, brown pants. Schoel was last seen at 602 Michigan Ave. in Inavale NE at 0230 hours. Schoel is diabetic and schizophrenic and does not have his medication.This advisory is for the following State Patrol Troop Areas: Troop A, Troop C, Troop D, Troop H

UPDATED Missing/Endangered Advisory issued for Central Neb. man

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A car left running inside a garage led to the carbon monoxide deaths of three Omaha residents last week, investigators said.

The car was the source of the colorless, odorless gas that killed 52-year-old David Coleman, 18-year-old Thomas Coleman and 19-year-old Cole Oban inside a west Omaha home, the Omaha Fire Department confirmed Wednesday.

Their bodies were found the evening of Aug. 31 in a home in Omaha's Millard community. A fourth person, a woman, was taken to a hospital for treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Investigators believe the car was accidentally left running in the home's garage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662735164085.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A car left running inside a garage led to the carbon monoxide deaths of three Omaha residents last week, investigators said.The car was the source of the colorless, odorless gas that killed 52-year-old David Coleman, 18-year-old Thomas Coleman and 19-year-old Cole Oban inside a west Omaha home, the Omaha Fire Department confirmed Wednesday.Their bodies were found the evening of Aug. 31 in a home in Omaha's Millard community. A fourth person, a woman, was taken to a hospital for treatment of carbon monoxide poisoning.Investigators believe the car was accidentally left running in the home's garage.

Officials: Car left running in garage led to 3 Omaha deaths

In this support scam twist, con artists are posing as tech experts 
who are eager to help resolve your problem – for a price. The "issue"? 
Someone in your house has been watching online pornography. BBB is 
seeing an increasing number of similar cons reported to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>.&nbsp;

Something is wrong with your home computer or internet connection, so
 you search online for a customer support phone number. In a rush, you 
click to dial the phone number listed in a top result.&nbsp;

A company "representative" answers and asks you a few standard 
questions about your device, such as the make and model number. The call
 seems normal at first, but it soon takes a turn. This "tech support 
rep" has some creative stories to explain the issue. They may insist 
that someone in your house has been watching pornography, and that has 
resulted in your computer being hacked. In one recent report, the 
"representative" asked if the caller had a teenage son and then insisted
 the boy was to blame. In another case, "tech support" claimed that 
"thousands of people" had been using the caller's IP address to view 
pornography.

This scam is a setup for selling expensive computer security 
software, typically costing victims between $200 and $900. 
Unfortunately, it does nothing to fix your computer or internet issues. 
In some cases, the scammers will also want remote access to your 
computer. Allowing them remote access enables them to install malware 
that records passwords, keystrokes, or other files that contain personal
 information.&nbsp;

How to protect yourself from tech support scams

• Never open attachments or links in emails from unknown senders.
 These can generate fake warning pop-ups that prompt you to make a call 
to scammers. If you get a suspicious pop-up alert, don't click on 
anything and restart your computer, tablet or phone.

• Never give strangers remote access to your computer.
 You should only allow remote access to technicians of trustworthy 
companies you contacted through a legitimate customer service number or 
chat.

• Avoid clicking on pop-up boxes or ads stating that something is wrong. If a pop-up won't go away, disconnect from the internet and wi-fi by shutting off the device immediately and restarting it.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBIn this support scam twist, con artists are posing as tech experts 
who are eager to help resolve your problem – for a price. The "issue"? 
Someone in your house has been watching online pornography. BBB is 
seeing an increasing number of similar cons reported to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>.&nbsp;<h2>How the scam works</h2>Something is wrong with your home computer or internet connection, so
 you search online for a customer support phone number. In a rush, you 
click to dial the phone number listed in a top result.&nbsp;A company "representative" answers and asks you a few standard 
questions about your device, such as the make and model number. The call
 seems normal at first, but it soon takes a turn. This "tech support 
rep" has some creative stories to explain the issue. They may insist 
that someone in your house has been watching pornography, and that has 
resulted in your computer being hacked. In one recent report, the 
"representative" asked if the caller had a teenage son and then insisted
 the boy was to blame. In another case, "tech support" claimed that 
"thousands of people" had been using the caller's IP address to view 
pornography.This scam is a setup for selling expensive computer security 
software, typically costing victims between $200 and $900. 
Unfortunately, it does nothing to fix your computer or internet issues. 
In some cases, the scammers will also want remote access to your 
computer. Allowing them remote access enables them to install malware 
that records passwords, keystrokes, or other files that contain personal
 information.&nbsp;<h2>How to protect yourself from tech support scams</h2>• Never open attachments or links in emails from unknown senders.
 These can generate fake warning pop-ups that prompt you to make a call 
to scammers. If you get a suspicious pop-up alert, don't click on 
anything and restart your computer, tablet or phone.• Never give strangers remote access to your computer.
 You should only allow remote access to technicians of trustworthy 
companies you contacted through a legitimate customer service number or 
chat.• Avoid clicking on pop-up boxes or ads stating that something is wrong. If a pop-up won't go away, disconnect from the internet and wi-fi by shutting off the device immediately and restarting it.&nbsp;

Scam alert: Tech support scam takes an 'adult' twist

The Nebraska State Patrol continues investigating a shooting death that occurred Wednesday evening in rural Wayne County. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office initially responded to the incident at approximately 7:15 p.m. at a residence at 320 Y Road, north of Wisner.

Upon arrival, deputies located a male victim with a gunshot wound. The victim, identified as Gerald Ruskamp, 65, was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The Sheriff’s Office has requested that the State Patrol lead the investigation.

As troopers and deputies from Wayne and Cuming counties worked to secure the scene and surrounding area, a marijuana grow operation was discovered on the property. Two individuals, identified as Carl Ruskamp, 30, and Duane Ruskamp, 64, were both arrested on charges related to the grow operation. Both men were lodged in Thurston County Jail.

At this time, there are no suspects in custody in relation to the shooting investigation. The investigation remains ongoing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1560127290802.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By NEBRASKA STATE PATROLThe Nebraska State Patrol continues investigating a shooting death that occurred Wednesday evening in rural Wayne County. The Wayne County Sheriff’s Office initially responded to the incident at approximately 7:15 p.m. at a residence at 320 Y Road, north of Wisner.Upon arrival, deputies located a male victim with a gunshot wound. The victim, identified as Gerald Ruskamp, 65, was transported to the hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The Sheriff’s Office has requested that the State Patrol lead the investigation.As troopers and deputies from Wayne and Cuming counties worked to secure the scene and surrounding area, a marijuana grow operation was discovered on the property. Two individuals, identified as Carl Ruskamp, 30, and Duane Ruskamp, 64, were both arrested on charges related to the grow operation. Both men were lodged in Thurston County Jail.At this time, there are no suspects in custody in relation to the shooting investigation. The investigation remains ongoing.

Patrol investigates shooting death in rural Wayne County

Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested one person after locating more than 380 pounds of suspected marijuana during a traffic stop on Interstate 80 near Waco.

At approximately 7:25 a.m. Wednesday, a trooper observed multiple traffic violations on an eastbound Chrysler van near mile marker 361. During the traffic stop, the trooper detected the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle.

A search of the vehicle revealed 387 pounds of suspected marijuana, concealed inside cardboard boxes in the rear of the van. The driver of the van, Jimma Tot, 40, of Sandy Springs, Georgia was arrested for possession of marijuana – more than one pound, possession with intent to deliver, and no drug tax stamp. Tot was lodged in York County Jail.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662716070452.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By NEBRASKA STATE PATROLTroopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have arrested one person after locating more than 380 pounds of suspected marijuana during a traffic stop on Interstate 80 near Waco.At approximately 7:25 a.m. Wednesday, a trooper observed multiple traffic violations on an eastbound Chrysler van near mile marker 361. During the traffic stop, the trooper detected the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle.A search of the vehicle revealed 387 pounds of suspected marijuana, concealed inside cardboard boxes in the rear of the van. The driver of the van, Jimma Tot, 40, of Sandy Springs, Georgia was arrested for possession of marijuana – more than one pound, possession with intent to deliver, and no drug tax stamp. Tot was lodged in York County Jail.&nbsp;

Troopers seize over 380 pounds of marijuana in stop near Waco

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission this week announced it is committing over $81 million in a new funding round through the Emergency Connectivity Program, which provides digital services for students in communities across the country.  Today’s funding commitments support applications from our third application window, benefiting approximately 170,000 students across the country, including students in Alaska, Iowa, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Washington, and the District of Columbia.  

“With students heading back to classrooms this fall, we need to make sure all our kids can connect with teachers and homework assignments when school ends for the day,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel.  “This latest round of funding will help make that happen, and bring us closer to closing the Homework Gap.”

To date, the Commission has committed nearly $5.8 billion to schools and libraries across the country as part of the Emergency Connectivity Program, which launched last year.  The program has provided schools and libraries three different “application windows” for schools and libraries to apply for support.  Today’s announcement includes over $81 million from the third application window that will support over 300 schools, 25 libraries, and 2 consortia.

The funding can be used to support off-campus learning, such as nightly homework, to ensure students across the country have the necessary support to keep up with their education.  To date, the program has provided support to approximately 10,000 schools, 900 libraries, and 100 consortia, and providing nearly 12 million connected devices and over 7 million broadband connections.  Of the nearly $5.8 billion in funding commitments approved to date, approximately $4.1 billion is supporting applications from Window 1; $800 million from Window 2; and $893 million from Window 3.  

More details about which schools and libraries have received funding commitments can be found <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/emergency-connectivity-fund">HERE</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584977952684.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FCCWASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission this week announced it is committing over $81 million in a new funding round through the Emergency Connectivity Program, which provides digital services for students in communities across the country. Today’s funding commitments support applications from our third application window, benefiting approximately 170,000 students across the country, including students in Alaska, Iowa, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Washington, and the District of Columbia. “With students heading back to classrooms this fall, we need to make sure all our kids can connect with teachers and homework assignments when school ends for the day,” said Chairwoman Rosenworcel. “This latest round of funding will help make that happen, and bring us closer to closing the Homework Gap.”To date, the Commission has committed nearly $5.8 billion to schools and libraries across the country as part of the Emergency Connectivity Program, which launched last year. The program has provided schools and libraries three different “application windows” for schools and libraries to apply for support. Today’s announcement includes over $81 million from the third application window that will support over 300 schools, 25 libraries, and 2 consortia.The funding can be used to support off-campus learning, such as nightly homework, to ensure students across the country have the necessary support to keep up with their education. To date, the program has provided support to approximately 10,000 schools, 900 libraries, and 100 consortia, and providing nearly 12 million connected devices and over 7 million broadband connections. Of the nearly $5.8 billion in funding commitments approved to date, approximately $4.1 billion is supporting applications from Window 1; $800 million from Window 2; and $893 million from Window 3. More details about which schools and libraries have received funding commitments can be found <a href="https://www.fcc.gov/emergency-connectivity-fund">HERE</a>.

FCC commits another $81M to emergency broadband fund

LONDON (AP) — Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-what-to-know-42a4083044d0fa9a024082edc0be8833">longest-reigning monarch</a>&nbsp;and a symbol of stability in a turbulent era that saw the decline of the British empire and disarray in her own family, died Thursday after 70 years on the throne. She was 96.

The palace announced she died at Balmoral Castle, her summer residence in Scotland, where members of the royal family had rushed to her side after her health took a turn for the worse.

A link to the almost-vanished generation that fought World War II, she was the only monarch most Britons have ever known.

Her 73-year-old son&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-III-british-throne-ab21181c92dbb154a29bad12075662e9">Prince Charles automatically became king</a>&nbsp;and will be known as King Charles III, it was announced. British monarchs in the past have selected new names upon taking the throne.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/camilla-queen-consort-98f15d3c5482be8374e4ea85bc1eeda0">Charles' second wife, Camilla</a>, will be known as the Queen Consort.

A funeral was to be held after 10 days of official mourning.

The BBC played the national anthem, “God Save the Queen,” over a portrait of Elizabeth in full regalia as her death was announced, and the flag over Buckingham Palace was lowered to half-staff as the second Elizabethan age came to a close.

The impact of her loss will be huge and unpredictable, both for the nation and for the monarchy, an institution she helped stabilize and modernize across decades of enormous social change and family scandals, but whose relevance in the 21st century has often been called into question.

The public's abiding affection for the queen has helped sustain support for the monarchy during the scandals. Charles is nowhere near as popular.

In a statement, Charles called his mother’s death “a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family,” adding: “I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662711995875.png" alt="Queen Elizabeth during a visit to officially open a new building at Thames Hospice in Maidenhead in July. Photograph: Kirsty O’Connor/AP" />
 <figcaption>Queen Elizabeth during a visit to officially open a new building at Thames Hospice in Maidenhead in July. Photograph: Kirsty O’Connor/AP</figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-what-to-know-42a4083044d0fa9a024082edc0be8833">longest-reigning monarch</a>&nbsp;and a symbol of stability in a turbulent era that saw the decline of the British empire and disarray in her own family, died Thursday after 70 years on the throne. She was 96.The palace announced she died at Balmoral Castle, her summer residence in Scotland, where members of the royal family had rushed to her side after her health took a turn for the worse.A link to the almost-vanished generation that fought World War II, she was the only monarch most Britons have ever known.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662712389227.png" alt="In a statement, Charles called his mother’s death “a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family,” adding: “I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>In a statement, Charles called his mother’s death “a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family,” adding: “I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Her 73-year-old son&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/king-charles-III-british-throne-ab21181c92dbb154a29bad12075662e9">Prince Charles automatically became king</a>&nbsp;and will be known as King Charles III, it was announced. British monarchs in the past have selected new names upon taking the throne.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/camilla-queen-consort-98f15d3c5482be8374e4ea85bc1eeda0">Charles' second wife, Camilla</a>, will be known as the Queen Consort.A funeral was to be held after 10 days of official mourning.The BBC played the national anthem, “God Save the Queen,” over a portrait of Elizabeth in full regalia as her death was announced, and the flag over Buckingham Palace was lowered to half-staff as the second Elizabethan age came to a close.The impact of her loss will be huge and unpredictable, both for the nation and for the monarchy, an institution she helped stabilize and modernize across decades of enormous social change and family scandals, but whose relevance in the 21st century has often been called into question.The public's abiding affection for the queen has helped sustain support for the monarchy during the scandals. Charles is nowhere near as popular.In a statement, Charles called his mother’s death “a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family,” adding: “I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.”The changing of the guard comes at a fraught moment for Britain, which has a brand-new prime minister and is grappling with an energy crisis, double-digit inflation, the war in Ukraine and the fallout from Brexit.Prime Minister Liz Truss, appointed by the queen just 48 hours earlier, pronounced the country “devastated” and called Elizabeth “the rock on which modern Britain was built.”British subjects outside Buckingham Palace wept when officials carried a notice confirming the queen’s death to the wrought-iron gates of the queen's London home. Hundreds soon gathered in the rain, and mourners laid dozens of colorful bouquets at the gates.“As a young person, this is a really huge moment,” said Romy McCarthy, 20. “It marks the end of an era, particularly as a woman. We had a woman who was in power as someone to look up to.”World leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-world-reaction-54f6d136256f15253a0bb64a1fc33806">extended condolences</a>&nbsp;and paid tribute to the queen.In Canada, where the British monarch is the country's head of state, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's eyes were red with emotion as he saluted her “wisdom, compassion and warmth.” In India, once the “jewel in the crown” of the British empire, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted: “She personified dignity and decency in public life. Pained by her demise.”U.S. President Joe Biden called her a “stateswoman of unmatched dignity and constancy who deepened the bedrock alliance between the United Kingdom and the United States.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-timeline-c907149c5aba3565883da93bdc841b1f">Since Feb. 6, 1952</a>, Elizabeth reigned over a Britain that rebuilt from a destructive and financially exhausting war and lost its empire; joined the European Union and then left it; and made the painful transition into the 21st century.She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/queen-elizabeth-ii-prime-ministers-9b1d631878dfcc594af1fe69cc838dca">endured through 15 prime ministers</a>, from Winston Churchill to Truss, becoming an institution and an icon -- a reassuring presence even for those who ignored or loathed the monarchy.She became less visible in her final years as age and frailty curtailed many public appearances. But she remained firmly in control of the monarchy and at the center of national life as Britain celebrated her Platinum Jubilee with days of parties and pageants in June.That same month she became the second longest-reigning monarch in history, behind 17th-century French King Louis XIV, who took the throne at age 4. On Tuesday, she presided at a ceremony at Balmoral Castle to accept the resignation of Boris Johnson as prime minister and appoint Truss as his successor.When Elizabeth was 21, almost five years before she became queen, she promised the people of Britain and the Commonwealth that “my whole life, whether it be long or short, shall be devoted to your service.”It was a promise she kept across more than seven decades.Despite Britain’s complex and often fraught ties with its former colonies, Elizabeth was widely respected and remained head of state of more than a dozen countries, from Canada to Tuvalu. She headed the 54-nation Commonwealth, built around Britain and its former colonies.Married for more than 73 years to Prince Philip, who died in 2021 at age 99, Elizabeth was matriarch to a royal family whose troubles were a subject of global fascination -- amplified by fictionalized accounts such as the TV series “The Crown.” She is survived by four children, eight grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.Through countless public events, she probably met more people than anyone in history. Her image, which adorned stamps, coins and banknotes, was among the most reproduced in the world.But her inner life and opinions remained mostly an enigma. Of her personality, the public saw relatively little. A horse owner, she rarely seemed happier than during the Royal Ascot racing week. She never tired of the companionship of her beloved Welsh corgi dogs.Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor was born in London on April 21, 1926, the first child of the Duke and Duchess of York. She was not born to be queen -- her father’s elder brother, Prince Edward, was destined for the crown, to be followed by any children he had.But in 1936, when she was 10, Edward VIII abdicated to marry twice-divorced American Wallis Simpson, and Elizabeth’s father became King George VI.Princess Margaret recalled asking her sister whether this meant that Elizabeth would one day be queen. “Yes, I suppose it does,” Margaret quoted Elizabeth as saying. “She didn’t mention it again.”Elizabeth was barely in her teens when Britain went to war with Germany in 1939. While the king and queen stayed at Buckingham Palace during the Blitz and toured the bombed-out neighborhoods of London, Elizabeth and Margaret spent most of the war at Windsor Castle, west of the capital. Even there, 300 bombs fell in an adjacent park, and the princesses spent many nights in an underground shelter.She made her first public broadcast in 1940 when she was 14, sending a wartime message to children evacuated to the countryside or overseas.“We children at home are full of cheerfulness and courage,” she said with a blend of stoicism and hope that would echo throughout her reign. “We are trying to do all we can to help out gallant soldiers, sailors and airmen. And we are trying, too, to bear our own share of the danger and sadness of war. We know, every one of us, that in the end all will be well.”In 1945, after months of campaigning for her parents’ permission to do something for the war effort, the heir to the throne became Second Subaltern Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor in the Auxiliary Territorial Service. She enthusiastically learned to drive and service heavy vehicles.On the night the war ended in Europe, May 8, 1945, she and Margaret managed to mingle, unrecognized, with celebrating crowds in London — “swept along on a tide of happiness and relief,” as she told the BBC decades later, describing it as “one of the most memorable nights of my life.”At Westminster Abbey in November 1947 she married Royal Navy officer Philip Mountbatten, a prince of Greece and Denmark whom she had first met in 1939 when she was 13 and he 18. Postwar Britain was experiencing austerity and rationing, and so street decorations were limited and no public holiday was declared. But the bride was allowed 100 extra ration coupons for her trousseau.The couple lived for a time in Malta, where Philip was stationed, and Elizabeth enjoyed an almost-normal life as a navy wife. The first of their four children, Prince Charles, was born in 1948. He was followed by Princess Anne in 1950, Prince Andrew in 1960, and Prince Edward in 1964.In 1952, George VI died at 56 after years of ill health. Elizabeth, on a visit to Kenya, was told that she was now queen.Her private secretary, Martin Charteris, later recalled finding the new monarch at her desk, “sitting erect, no tears, color up a little, fully accepting her destiny.”“In a way, I didn’t have an apprenticeship,” Elizabeth reflected in a BBC documentary in 1992 that opened a rare view into her emotions. “My father died much too young, and so it was all a very sudden kind of taking on, and making the best job you can.”Her coronation took place more than a year later, a grand spectacle at Westminster Abbey viewed by millions through the still-new medium of television.Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s first reaction to the king’s death was to complain that the new queen was “only a child,” but he was won over within days and eventually became an ardent admirer.In Britain’s constitutional monarchy, the queen is head of state but has little direct power; in her official actions she does what the government orders. However, she was not without influence. The queen, officially the head of the Church of England, once reportedly commented that there was nothing she could do legally to block the appointment of a bishop, “but I can always say that I should like more information. That is an indication that the prime minister will not miss.”The extent of the monarch’s political influence occasionally sparked speculation -- but not much criticism while Elizabeth was alive. The views of Charles, who has expressed strong opinions on everything from architecture to the environment, might prove more contentious.She was obliged to meet weekly with the prime minister, and they generally found her well-informed, inquisitive and up to date. The one possible exception was Margaret Thatcher, with whom her relations were said to be cool, if not frosty, though neither woman ever commented.The queen’s views in those private meetings became a subject of intense speculation and fertile ground for dramatists like Peter Morgan, author of the play “The Audience” and the hit TV series “The Crown.” Those semi-fictionalized accounts were the product of an era of declining deference and rising celebrity, when the royal family’s troubles became public property.And there were plenty of troubles within the family, an institution known as “The Firm.” In Elizabeth’s first years on the throne, Princess Margaret provoked a national controversy through her romance with a divorced man.In what the queen called the “annus horribilis” of 1992, her daughter, Princess Anne, was divorced, Prince Charles and Princess Diana separated, and so did her son Prince Andrew and his wife, Sarah. That was also the year Windsor Castle, a residence she far preferred to Buckingham Palace, was seriously damaged by fire.The public split of Charles and Diana -- “There were three of us in that marriage,” Diana said of her husband’s relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles -- was followed by the shock of Diana’s death in a Paris car crash in 1997. For once, the queen appeared out of step with her people.Amid unprecedented public mourning, Elizabeth’s failure to make a public show of grief appeared to many to be unfeeling. After several days, she finally made a televised address to the nation.The dent in her popularity was brief. She was by now a sort of national grandmother, with a stern gaze and a twinkling smile.Despite being one of the world’s wealthiest people, Elizabeth had a reputation for frugality and common sense. She turned off lights in empty rooms, and didn't flinch from strangling pheasants.A newspaper reporter who went undercover to work as a palace footman reinforced that down-to-earth image, capturing pictures of the royal Tupperware on the breakfast table and a rubber duck in the bath.Her sangfroid was not dented when a young man aimed a pistol at her and fired six blanks as she rode by on a horse in 1981, nor when she discovered a disturbed intruder sitting on her bed in Buckingham Palace in 1982.The image of the queen as an exemplar of ordinary British decency was satirized by the magazine Private Eye, which called her Brenda, apparently because it sounded working-class. Anti-monarchists dubbed her “Mrs. Windsor.” But the republican cause gained limited traction while the queen was alive.On her Golden Jubilee in 2002, she said the country could “look back with measured pride on the history of the last 50 years.”“It has been a pretty remarkable 50 years by any standards,” she said in a speech. “There have been ups and downs, but anyone who can remember what things were like after those six long years of war appreciates what immense changes have been achieved since then.”A reassuring presence at home, she was also an emblem of Britain abroad — a form of soft power, consistently respected whatever the vagaries of the country’s political leaders on the world stage. It felt only fitting that she attended the opening of the 2012 London Olympics alongside another icon, James Bond. Through some movie magic, she appeared to parachute into the Olympic Stadium.In 2015, she overtook her great-great-grandmother Queen Victoria’s reign of 63 years, seven months and two days to become the longest-serving monarch in British history. She kept working into her 10th decade, though Prince Charles and his elder son, Prince William, increasingly took over the visits, ribbon-cuttings and investitures that form the bulk of royal duties.The loss of Philip in 2021 was a heavy blow, as she poignantly sat alone at his funeral in the chapel at Windsor Castle because of coronavirus restrictions.And the family troubles continued. Her son Prince Andrew was entangled in the sordid tale of sex offender businessman Jeffrey Epstein, an American businessman who had been a friend. Andrew denied accusations that he had sex with one of the women who said she was trafficked by Epstein.The queen’s grandson Prince Harry walked away from Britain and his royal duties after marrying American TV actress Meghan Markle, who is biracial, in 2018. He alleged in an interview that some in the family -– but pointedly not the queen -– had been less than welcoming to his wife.She enjoyed robust health well into her 90s, although she used a cane in an appearance after Philip’s death. Months ago, she told guests at a reception “as you can see, I can’t move.” The palace, tight-lipped about details, said the queen was experiencing “episodic mobility issues.”She held virtual meetings with diplomats and politicians from Windsor Castle, but public appearances grew rarer.Meanwhile, she took steps to prepare for the transition to come. In February, the queen announced that she wanted Camilla to be known as “Queen Consort” when “in the fullness of time” her son became king. It removed a question mark over the role of the woman some blamed for the breakup of Charles’ marriage to Princess Diana in the 1990s.May brought another symbolic moment, when she asked Charles to stand in for her and read the Queen’s Speech at the State Opening of Parliament, one of the monarch’s most central constitutional duties.Seven decades after World War II, Elizabeth was again at the center of the national mood amid the uncertainty and loss of COVID 19 -- a disease she came through herself in February.In April 2020 -- with the country in lockdown and Prime Minister Boris Johnson hospitalized with the virus -- she made a rare video address, urging people to stick together.She summoned the spirit of World War II, that vital time in her life, and the nation’s, by echoing Vera Lynn’s wartime anthem “We’ll Meet Again.”“We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return. We will be with our friends again. We will be with our families again. We will meet again,” she said.___