WASHINGTON (AP) — Government reports on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/latest-inflation-numbers-consumer-prices-616055db3bf67691b4fdc0015fc00783">rising inflation</a>&nbsp;and the potential costs of President Joe Biden’s social and environment legislation raised fresh questions about the bill’s fate, with both sides hoping the new numbers would influence pivotal Sen. Joe Manchin.

The moderate Manchin, D-W.Va., has spent months forcing Democrats to trim&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-health-congress-161b5e35f8db33bb664b55cd7a74a681">the 10-year, $2 trillion package</a>, arguing it’s too expensive and at times citing growing inflation as a reason to slow work on the bill. On Friday, the Labor Department said consumer prices grew last month at an annual rate of 6.8%, the highest in 39 years.

A separate report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said that if many of the bill’s temporary spending boosts and tax cuts were made permanent, it would add $3 trillion to the price tag. That would more than double its 10-year cost to around $5 trillion. Democrats called the projections from the Republican-requested report fictitious.

On Monday, Manchin said in a brief interview that he wanted to know “where we are in inflation and where we are on the true price” of the bill, adding he was “very concerned.” He said he expects to meet with Biden late Monday.

The latest inflation figures prompted Biden to use some of his strongest language yet, telling reporters at the White House on Friday, “I think this is the peak of the crisis.” While the numbers illustrate a clear political danger for the administration, the recent performance of financial markets suggests investors don’t see inflation as a long-term problem.

Friday’s reports popped out two weeks before Christmas, by when Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., hopes to end months of talks among Democrats and finally push a compromise bill through the Senate. The House approved an initial version last month.

With Manchin still seeking cuts in a measure that originally cost $3.5 trillion, the day’s reports at the least increased his leverage in a tortuous process that’s already seen several near-death moments caused by Democratic infighting. At worst, the numbers fueled worries that Manchin might abandon the package, sinking it.

“I don’t know the answer to that,” Biden said at the White House when asked if he could win Manchin’s support.

Every Democrat in the 50-50 chamber will have to back the bill so Vice President Kamala Harris can cast a tie-breaking vote to approve it.

The political sensitivity of inflation and its impact on the Democratic bill, a collection of family services, health care and climate change priorities, was illustrated as leaders of both parties tried to spin the numbers to their advantage.

Democrats argued that the inflation report intensified the need to approve the measure. They said the legislation’s spending and tax credits for health care, children’s costs, education and other programs would help families cope with rising prices. Most of the bill is paid for with tax boosts on the wealthy and big corporations.

The legislation’s impact will be “reducing costs for ordinary people,” Biden said.

Republicans said the legislation’s expenditures would further feed inflation, which has been driven by supply chain delays making products less available and spending prompted by a strong underlying economy.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said inflation means “the average American has gotten a pay cut,” adding, “It is unthinkable that Senate Democrats would try to respond to this inflation report by ramming through another massive socialist spending package in a matter of days.”

Possibly mitigating the political impact of Friday’s inflation numbers was that they were expected and represented a modest rise from October’s 6.2%.

Adding any additional juice to the economy might worsen inflation. But the extra fiscal stimulus over the next several years in Democrats’ bill would be less than 1% the size of the entire U.S. economy, making its likely inflationary impact mild, said the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.

Democrats limited the duration of many initiatives in their package to help contain the bill’s price tag. That includes extending enhancements to the child tax credit for just one year and free, universal pre-school for only six years.

It’s an accounting move both parties have used to make their budget plans seem more affordable — even though they would like their proposals to be permanent and some may be extended because they are popular. Republicans used such phaseouts robustly for their big tax cuts in 2001 and 2017.

“If you believe these programs go away after one, two or three years, you shouldn’t have a driver’s license,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, top Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, who requested the CBO estimates. He said the bill’s higher price tag and rising inflation meant Democrats’ legislation would be “lethal to the economy and lethal to your paycheck.”

Democrats argued the estimated added $3 trillion cost was bogus because if they decided to seek any future extensions of their initiatives, they would propose savings to pay for them.

As if sharing a script, Psaki called the GOP claims “fundamentally dishonest” and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Republicans were using “fake scores based on mistruths.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called the numbers “a phony score of an imaginary bill.”

Outside groups have produced similar estimates about the legislation’s cost if its programs were permanent. CBO numbers usually have more clout in Congress because the agency’s impartiality is respected.

Much about the legislation remains in play. Manchin still wants to remove a paid family leave program and curb or eliminate some tax breaks aimed at encouraging a shift to cleaner energy. Moderate Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., has also pushed to trim the measure.

Democrats have also had differences over how to ease limits on federal tax deductions that people can take on state and local taxes. In addition, the Senate parliamentarian must decide whether some provisions — including a top party priority of letting millions of migrants remain in the U.S. — violate the chamber’s rules and should be removed.

That’s left it unclear whether Schumer will be able to meet his Christmas deadline.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639015686812.png" alt="President Biden spent a day in Kansas City last week to sell his his $2Trillion plan and said, "the legislation’s impact will be reducing costs for ordinary people." -photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Biden spent a day in Kansas City last week to sell his his $2Trillion plan and said, "the legislation’s impact will be reducing costs for ordinary people." -photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Government reports on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/latest-inflation-numbers-consumer-prices-616055db3bf67691b4fdc0015fc00783">rising inflation</a>&nbsp;and the potential costs of President Joe Biden’s social and environment legislation raised fresh questions about the bill’s fate, with both sides hoping the new numbers would influence pivotal Sen. Joe Manchin.The moderate Manchin, D-W.Va., has spent months forcing Democrats to trim&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-health-congress-161b5e35f8db33bb664b55cd7a74a681">the 10-year, $2 trillion package</a>, arguing it’s too expensive and at times citing growing inflation as a reason to slow work on the bill. On Friday, the Labor Department said consumer prices grew last month at an annual rate of 6.8%, the highest in 39 years.A separate report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said that if many of the bill’s temporary spending boosts and tax cuts were made permanent, it would add $3 trillion to the price tag. That would more than double its 10-year cost to around $5 trillion. Democrats called the projections from the Republican-requested report fictitious.On Monday, Manchin said in a brief interview that he wanted to know “where we are in inflation and where we are on the true price” of the bill, adding he was “very concerned.” He said he expects to meet with Biden late Monday.The latest inflation figures prompted Biden to use some of his strongest language yet, telling reporters at the White House on Friday, “I think this is the peak of the crisis.” While the numbers illustrate a clear political danger for the administration, the recent performance of financial markets suggests investors don’t see inflation as a long-term problem.Friday’s reports popped out two weeks before Christmas, by when Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., hopes to end months of talks among Democrats and finally push a compromise bill through the Senate. The House approved an initial version last month.With Manchin still seeking cuts in a measure that originally cost $3.5 trillion, the day’s reports at the least increased his leverage in a tortuous process that’s already seen several near-death moments caused by Democratic infighting. At worst, the numbers fueled worries that Manchin might abandon the package, sinking it.“I don’t know the answer to that,” Biden said at the White House when asked if he could win Manchin’s support.Every Democrat in the 50-50 chamber will have to back the bill so Vice President Kamala Harris can cast a tie-breaking vote to approve it.The political sensitivity of inflation and its impact on the Democratic bill, a collection of family services, health care and climate change priorities, was illustrated as leaders of both parties tried to spin the numbers to their advantage.Democrats argued that the inflation report intensified the need to approve the measure. They said the legislation’s spending and tax credits for health care, children’s costs, education and other programs would help families cope with rising prices. Most of the bill is paid for with tax boosts on the wealthy and big corporations.The legislation’s impact will be “reducing costs for ordinary people,” Biden said.Republicans said the legislation’s expenditures would further feed inflation, which has been driven by supply chain delays making products less available and spending prompted by a strong underlying economy.Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said inflation means “the average American has gotten a pay cut,” adding, “It is unthinkable that Senate Democrats would try to respond to this inflation report by ramming through another massive socialist spending package in a matter of days.”Possibly mitigating the political impact of Friday’s inflation numbers was that they were expected and represented a modest rise from October’s 6.2%.Adding any additional juice to the economy might worsen inflation. But the extra fiscal stimulus over the next several years in Democrats’ bill would be less than 1% the size of the entire U.S. economy, making its likely inflationary impact mild, said the nonpartisan Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget.Democrats limited the duration of many initiatives in their package to help contain the bill’s price tag. That includes extending enhancements to the child tax credit for just one year and free, universal pre-school for only six years.It’s an accounting move both parties have used to make their budget plans seem more affordable — even though they would like their proposals to be permanent and some may be extended because they are popular. Republicans used such phaseouts robustly for their big tax cuts in 2001 and 2017.“If you believe these programs go away after one, two or three years, you shouldn’t have a driver’s license,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, top Republican on the Senate Budget Committee, who requested the CBO estimates. He said the bill’s higher price tag and rising inflation meant Democrats’ legislation would be “lethal to the economy and lethal to your paycheck.”Democrats argued the estimated added $3 trillion cost was bogus because if they decided to seek any future extensions of their initiatives, they would propose savings to pay for them.As if sharing a script, Psaki called the GOP claims “fundamentally dishonest” and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said Republicans were using “fake scores based on mistruths.” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., called the numbers “a phony score of an imaginary bill.”Outside groups have produced similar estimates about the legislation’s cost if its programs were permanent. CBO numbers usually have more clout in Congress because the agency’s impartiality is respected.Much about the legislation remains in play. Manchin still wants to remove a paid family leave program and curb or eliminate some tax breaks aimed at encouraging a shift to cleaner energy. Moderate Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., has also pushed to trim the measure.Democrats have also had differences over how to ease limits on federal tax deductions that people can take on state and local taxes. In addition, the Senate parliamentarian must decide whether some provisions — including a top party priority of letting millions of migrants remain in the U.S. — violate the chamber’s rules and should be removed.That’s left it unclear whether Schumer will be able to meet his Christmas deadline.

Rising inflation places Biden's $2T spending bill in jeopardy

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska authorities have identified two people killed in a crash in eastern Nebraska on a snow and ice-slicked highway. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that 46-year-old Hector Martinez Mezquita, of Fremont, and 26-year-old Francisco Alfaro died in the Saturday morning crash on U.S. Highway 77 near Mead.

 The Saunders County Sheriff's Office says Mezquita was driving a car south on the highway and lost control because of ice and snow on the roadway.

 The car was then hit on its passenger side by a northbound pickup truck. Mezquita and Alfaro died at the scene. 

Investigators say a 37-year-old Yutan woman and a child who was her passenger were seriously injured in the crash and taken to an Omaha hospital.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska authorities have identified two people killed in a crash in eastern Nebraska on a snow and ice-slicked highway. The Omaha World-Herald reports that 46-year-old Hector Martinez Mezquita, of Fremont, and 26-year-old Francisco Alfaro died in the Saturday morning crash on U.S. Highway 77 near Mead. The Saunders County Sheriff's Office says Mezquita was driving a car south on the highway and lost control because of ice and snow on the roadway. The car was then hit on its passenger side by a northbound pickup truck. Mezquita and Alfaro died at the scene. Investigators say a 37-year-old Yutan woman and a child who was her passenger were seriously injured in the crash and taken to an Omaha hospital.

Officials ID 2 killed in eastern Nebraska crash during storm

WASHINGTON (AP) —More U.S. states desperate to defend against COVID-19 are calling on the National Guard and other military personnel to assist virus-weary medical staffs at hospitals and other care centers.

People who became sick after refusing to get vaccinated are overwhelming hospitals in certain states, especially in the Northeast and the Upper Midwest. New York, meanwhile, announced a statewide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-mask-mandate-coronavirus-cfe8fb80401bb0fe66f3260bf5f51dda">indoor mask order</a>, effective Monday and lasting five weeks through the holiday season.

“We’re entering a time of uncertainty, and we could either plateau here or our cases could get out of control,” Gov. Kathy Hochul warned Friday.

In Michigan, health director Elizabeth Hertel was equally blunt: “I want to be absolutely clear: You are risking serious illness, hospitalization and even death” without a vaccination.

The seven-day rolling average for daily new cases in the U.S. rose over the past two weeks to 117,677 by Thursday, compared to 84,756 on Nov. 25, Thanksgiving Day, according to Johns Hopkins University. The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 has soared to about 54,000 on average, according&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#hospitalizations" target="_blank">to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</a>

Meanwhile, the country is approaching a new milestone of 800,000 COVID-19 deaths. More than 200 million Americans, or about 60% of the population, are now fully vaccinated.

In Maine, which hit a pandemic high this week with nearly 400 COVID-19 patients in hospitals, as many as 75 members of the National Guard were being summoned to try to keep people out of critical care with monoclonal antibodies and to perform other non-clinical tasks.

Maine has one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.maine.gov/covid19/vaccines/dashboard" target="_blank">highest COVID-19 vaccination rates&nbsp;</a>in the country — 73% — but that rate lags in many of the state’s rural pockets.

The New York National Guard said it had deployed 120 Army medics and Air Force medical technicians to 12 nursing homes and long-term care facilities to relieve fatigued staff.

Dr. Paolo Marciano, chief medical officer at Beaumont Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan, said it was a “tremendous lifeline” to get assistance from the Defense Department, which has more than 60 nurses, doctors and respiratory therapists assigned to the state.

“It allowed us to be able to care for the COVID patients and at the same time still maintain the level of care that cancer patients require or people with chronic illnesses,” Marciano said. “Where we are today is really just keeping our heads above water.”

New York’s mask order covers all indoor public places unless a business or venue has a vaccine requirement. The state reported more than 68,000 positive tests for the virus in a seven-day period that ended Wednesday, the most for any seven-day stretch since February.

New York City and several upstate New York counties already have mask mandates. Critics, however, said the governor’s announcement was another burden for businesses.

“Government overreach at its worst,” said Republican Assemblyman Mike Lawler.

Michigan is sending more ventilators to hospitals and asking for even more from the national stockpile. Infection rates and hospitalizations are at record levels, 21 months into the pandemic. The first case of the omicron variant was confirmed Thursday in the Grand Rapids area.

The largest hospital system in Indiana enlisted National Guard for support this week at a time when the number of COVID-19 patients in the state has more than doubled in the past month. The state’s COVID-19 hospitalizations are now higher than Indiana’s summer surge that peaked in September and are approaching the pandemic peak reached in late 2020.

WASHINGTON (AP) —More U.S. states desperate to defend against COVID-19 are calling on the National Guard and other military personnel to assist virus-weary medical staffs at hospitals and other care centers.People who became sick after refusing to get vaccinated are overwhelming hospitals in certain states, especially in the Northeast and the Upper Midwest. New York, meanwhile, announced a statewide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-mask-mandate-coronavirus-cfe8fb80401bb0fe66f3260bf5f51dda">indoor mask order</a>, effective Monday and lasting five weeks through the holiday season.“We’re entering a time of uncertainty, and we could either plateau here or our cases could get out of control,” Gov. Kathy Hochul warned Friday.In Michigan, health director Elizabeth Hertel was equally blunt: “I want to be absolutely clear: You are risking serious illness, hospitalization and even death” without a vaccination.The seven-day rolling average for daily new cases in the U.S. rose over the past two weeks to 117,677 by Thursday, compared to 84,756 on Nov. 25, Thanksgiving Day, according to Johns Hopkins University. The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 has soared to about 54,000 on average, according&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#hospitalizations" target="_blank">to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.</a>Meanwhile, the country is approaching a new milestone of 800,000 COVID-19 deaths. More than 200 million Americans, or about 60% of the population, are now fully vaccinated.In Maine, which hit a pandemic high this week with nearly 400 COVID-19 patients in hospitals, as many as 75 members of the National Guard were being summoned to try to keep people out of critical care with monoclonal antibodies and to perform other non-clinical tasks.Maine has one of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.maine.gov/covid19/vaccines/dashboard" target="_blank">highest COVID-19 vaccination rates&nbsp;</a>in the country — 73% — but that rate lags in many of the state’s rural pockets.The New York National Guard said it had deployed 120 Army medics and Air Force medical technicians to 12 nursing homes and long-term care facilities to relieve fatigued staff.Dr. Paolo Marciano, chief medical officer at Beaumont Hospital in Dearborn, Michigan, said it was a “tremendous lifeline” to get assistance from the Defense Department, which has more than 60 nurses, doctors and respiratory therapists assigned to the state.“It allowed us to be able to care for the COVID patients and at the same time still maintain the level of care that cancer patients require or people with chronic illnesses,” Marciano said. “Where we are today is really just keeping our heads above water.”New York’s mask order covers all indoor public places unless a business or venue has a vaccine requirement. The state reported more than 68,000 positive tests for the virus in a seven-day period that ended Wednesday, the most for any seven-day stretch since February.New York City and several upstate New York counties already have mask mandates. Critics, however, said the governor’s announcement was another burden for businesses.“Government overreach at its worst,” said Republican Assemblyman Mike Lawler.Michigan is sending more ventilators to hospitals and asking for even more from the national stockpile. Infection rates and hospitalizations are at record levels, 21 months into the pandemic. The first case of the omicron variant was confirmed Thursday in the Grand Rapids area.The largest hospital system in Indiana enlisted National Guard for support this week at a time when the number of COVID-19 patients in the state has more than doubled in the past month. The state’s COVID-19 hospitalizations are now higher than Indiana’s summer surge that peaked in September and are approaching the pandemic peak reached in late 2020.___

National Guard helping virus-sapped states, hospitals

BOSTON (AP) — A critical vulnerability in a widely used software tool — one quickly exploited in the online game Minecraft — is rapidly emerging as a major threat to organizations around the world.

“The internet’s on fire right now,” said Adam Meyers, senior vice president of intelligence at the cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike. “People are scrambling to patch,” he said, “and all kinds of people scrambling to exploit it.” He said Friday that in the 12 hours since the bug’s existence was disclosed that it had been “fully weaponized,” meaning malefactors had developed and distributed tools to exploit it.

The flaw may be the worst computer vulnerability discovered in years. It was uncovered in a utility that’s ubiquitous in cloud servers and enterprise software used across industry and government. Unless it is fixed, it grants criminals, spies and programming novices alike easy access to internal networks where they can loot valuable data, plant malware, erase crucial information and much more.

“I’d be hard-pressed to think of a company that’s not at risk,” said Joe Sullivan, chief security officer for Cloudflare, whose online infrastructure protects websites from malicious actors. Untold millions of servers have it installed, and experts said the fallout would not be known for several days.

Amit Yoran, CEO of the cybersecurity firm Tenable, called it “the single biggest, most critical vulnerability of the last decade” — and possibly the biggest in the history of modern computing.

The vulnerability,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lunasec.io/docs/blog/log4j-zero-day/" target="_blank">dubbed ‘Log4Shell,’</a>&nbsp;was rated 10 on a scale of one to 10 the Apache Software Foundation, which oversees development of the software. Anyone with the exploit can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/current-activity/2021/12/10/apache-releases-log4j-version-2150-address-critical-rce" target="_blank">obtain full access to an unpatched computer</a>&nbsp;that uses the software,

Experts said the extreme ease with which the vulnerability lets an attacker access a web server — no password required — is what makes it so dangerous.

New Zealand’s computer emergency response team was among the first to report that the flaw was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cert.govt.nz/it-specialists/advisories/log4j-rce-0-day-actively-exploited/" target="_blank">being “actively exploited in the wild”</a>&nbsp;just hours after it was publicly reported Thursday and a patch released.

The vulnerability, located in open-source Apache software used to run websites and other web services, was reported to the foundation on Nov. 24 by the Chinese tech giant Alibaba, it&nbsp;<a href="https://logging.apache.org/log4j/2.x/security.html" target="_blank">said</a>. It took two weeks to develop and release a fix.

But patching systems around the world could be a complicated task. While most organizations and cloud providers such as Amazon should be able to update their web servers easily, the same Apache software is also often embedded in third-party programs, which often can only be updated by their owners.

Yoran, of Tenable, said organizations need to presume they’ve been compromised and act quickly.

The first obvious signs of the flaw’s exploitation appeared in Minecraft, an online game hugely popular with kids and owned by Microsoft. Meyers and security expert Marcus Hutchins said&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MalwareTechBlog/status/1469290238702874625?s=20" target="_blank">Minecraft users were already using it to execute programs</a>&nbsp;on the computers of other users by pasting a short message in a chat box.

Microsoft said it had issued a software update for Minecraft users. “Customers who apply the fix are protected,” it said.

Researchers reported finding evidence the vulnerability could be exploited in servers run by companies such as Apple, Amazon, Twitter and Cloudflare.

Cloudflare’s Sullivan said there we no indication his company’s servers had been compromised. Apple, Amazon and Twitter did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

BOSTON (AP) — A critical vulnerability in a widely used software tool — one quickly exploited in the online game Minecraft — is rapidly emerging as a major threat to organizations around the world.“The internet’s on fire right now,” said Adam Meyers, senior vice president of intelligence at the cybersecurity firm Crowdstrike. “People are scrambling to patch,” he said, “and all kinds of people scrambling to exploit it.” He said Friday that in the 12 hours since the bug’s existence was disclosed that it had been “fully weaponized,” meaning malefactors had developed and distributed tools to exploit it.The flaw may be the worst computer vulnerability discovered in years. It was uncovered in a utility that’s ubiquitous in cloud servers and enterprise software used across industry and government. Unless it is fixed, it grants criminals, spies and programming novices alike easy access to internal networks where they can loot valuable data, plant malware, erase crucial information and much more.“I’d be hard-pressed to think of a company that’s not at risk,” said Joe Sullivan, chief security officer for Cloudflare, whose online infrastructure protects websites from malicious actors. Untold millions of servers have it installed, and experts said the fallout would not be known for several days.Amit Yoran, CEO of the cybersecurity firm Tenable, called it “the single biggest, most critical vulnerability of the last decade” — and possibly the biggest in the history of modern computing.The vulnerability,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.lunasec.io/docs/blog/log4j-zero-day/" target="_blank">dubbed ‘Log4Shell,’</a>&nbsp;was rated 10 on a scale of one to 10 the Apache Software Foundation, which oversees development of the software. Anyone with the exploit can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cisa.gov/uscert/ncas/current-activity/2021/12/10/apache-releases-log4j-version-2150-address-critical-rce" target="_blank">obtain full access to an unpatched computer</a>&nbsp;that uses the software,Experts said the extreme ease with which the vulnerability lets an attacker access a web server — no password required — is what makes it so dangerous.New Zealand’s computer emergency response team was among the first to report that the flaw was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cert.govt.nz/it-specialists/advisories/log4j-rce-0-day-actively-exploited/" target="_blank">being “actively exploited in the wild”</a>&nbsp;just hours after it was publicly reported Thursday and a patch released.The vulnerability, located in open-source Apache software used to run websites and other web services, was reported to the foundation on Nov. 24 by the Chinese tech giant Alibaba, it&nbsp;<a href="https://logging.apache.org/log4j/2.x/security.html" target="_blank">said</a>. It took two weeks to develop and release a fix.But patching systems around the world could be a complicated task. While most organizations and cloud providers such as Amazon should be able to update their web servers easily, the same Apache software is also often embedded in third-party programs, which often can only be updated by their owners.Yoran, of Tenable, said organizations need to presume they’ve been compromised and act quickly.The first obvious signs of the flaw’s exploitation appeared in Minecraft, an online game hugely popular with kids and owned by Microsoft. Meyers and security expert Marcus Hutchins said&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/MalwareTechBlog/status/1469290238702874625?s=20" target="_blank">Minecraft users were already using it to execute programs</a>&nbsp;on the computers of other users by pasting a short message in a chat box.Microsoft said it had issued a software update for Minecraft users. “Customers who apply the fix are protected,” it said.Researchers reported finding evidence the vulnerability could be exploited in servers run by companies such as Apple, Amazon, Twitter and Cloudflare.Cloudflare’s Sullivan said there we no indication his company’s servers had been compromised. Apple, Amazon and Twitter did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Critical internet issue: Techs race to fix software flaw

WASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/newsroom/fs-2021-17.pdf">updated frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>&nbsp;PDF
 (FS-2021-17). Individuals who didn't get the full first and second 
Economic Impact Payments may be eligible to claim the 2020 Recovery 
Rebate Credit.

The first and second rounds of Economic Impact Payments were issued 
in 2020 and early 2021. The first two rounds of Economic Impact Payments
 were advance payments of the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit claimed on a 
2020 tax return.

Individuals who are missing the first or second stimulus payments 
should review the revised answers to determine their eligibility and 
whether they need to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit for tax year 2020. 
If they're eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit, they will need 
to file a 2020 tax return if they have not filed yet or amend their 2020
 tax return if it's already been processed.

These FAQs are being issued to provide general information to taxpayers and tax professionals as expeditiously as possible

More information about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/general-overview-of-taxpayer-reliance-on-guidance-published-in-the-internal-revenue-bulletin-and-faqs">reliance</a> is available.

More information on the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a> is available on IRS.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON – The Internal Revenue Service today <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/newsroom/fs-2021-17.pdf">updated frequently asked questions (FAQs) regarding the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>&nbsp;PDF
 (FS-2021-17). Individuals who didn't get the full first and second 
Economic Impact Payments may be eligible to claim the 2020 Recovery 
Rebate Credit.The first and second rounds of Economic Impact Payments were issued 
in 2020 and early 2021. The first two rounds of Economic Impact Payments
 were advance payments of the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit claimed on a 
2020 tax return.Individuals who are missing the first or second stimulus payments 
should review the revised answers to determine their eligibility and 
whether they need to claim a Recovery Rebate Credit for tax year 2020. 
If they're eligible to claim the Recovery Rebate Credit, they will need 
to file a 2020 tax return if they have not filed yet or amend their 2020
 tax return if it's already been processed.These FAQs are being issued to provide general information to taxpayers and tax professionals as expeditiously as possibleMore information about <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/general-overview-of-taxpayer-reliance-on-guidance-published-in-the-internal-revenue-bulletin-and-faqs">reliance</a> is available.More information on the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">Recovery Rebate Credit</a> is available on IRS.gov.

IRS on COVID payments: New 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit eligibility Q&A

By LAURA OLSON <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2021/12/10/cdc-25-states-report-omicron-strain-of-covid-19-but-delta-remains-biggest-threat/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON —&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/omicron-variant.html">Twenty-five states</a> have identified cases of the new omicron variant of COVID-19, federal public health officials said Friday as they released&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7050e1.htm?s_cid=mm7050e1_w">new data</a>&nbsp;on the first 43 U.S. cases.

Of those initial, confirmed cases, more than half were among people 
between the ages of 18 and 39, according to Dr. Rochelle Walensky, 
director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

About one-third of the infections were among individuals who recently
 had traveled internationally, Walensky said during a news briefing 
Friday. And 80%, or 34 individuals, were fully vaccinated, including 
some who had recently received a booster.

Most of the omicron infections so far have resulted in only mild 
symptoms, Walensky said, adding that’s in line with what would be 
expected among individuals who were fully vaccinated.

Walensky and other public health officials said early data suggests 
that getting a vaccine booster could bolster protection against the new 
variant, urging anyone who is currently eligible — including the 16- and
 17-year-olds&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1208-16-17-booster.html">who became eligible this week</a>&nbsp;— to get a follow-up shot.

While the unknowns of the new variant still loom, officials 
emphasized that the highly transmissible delta variant that caused the 
summer surge in infections still remains the main threat.

“Over 99% of cases in this country right now are caused by the delta 
variant, which is driving increases in cases and hospitalizations,” 
Walensky said.

The seven-day average of infections nationally increased by 37% over 
the last week, while hospitalizations increased by 16% and deaths rose 
by 28% over that same time period.

Those rising numbers come after families gathered for Thanksgiving 
last month, and many are preparing for holiday gatherings this month.

Asked for any guidance for those wondering if they should reassess 
holiday travel plans, Walensky said gathering together this season will 
require Americans to be “vigilant” about safety precautions. She 
reiterated the need to ensure those getting together are fully 
vaccinated and boosted if possible, as well as wearing masks in the 
weeks leading up to any gatherings and taking a COVID-19 test.

By LAURA OLSON <a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2021/12/10/cdc-25-states-report-omicron-strain-of-covid-19-but-delta-remains-biggest-threat/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON —&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/variants/omicron-variant.html">Twenty-five states</a> have identified cases of the new omicron variant of COVID-19, federal public health officials said Friday as they released&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/70/wr/mm7050e1.htm?s_cid=mm7050e1_w">new data</a>&nbsp;on the first 43 U.S. cases.Of those initial, confirmed cases, more than half were among people 
between the ages of 18 and 39, according to Dr. Rochelle Walensky, 
director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.About one-third of the infections were among individuals who recently
 had traveled internationally, Walensky said during a news briefing 
Friday. And 80%, or 34 individuals, were fully vaccinated, including 
some who had recently received a booster.Most of the omicron infections so far have resulted in only mild 
symptoms, Walensky said, adding that’s in line with what would be 
expected among individuals who were fully vaccinated.Walensky and other public health officials said early data suggests 
that getting a vaccine booster could bolster protection against the new 
variant, urging anyone who is currently eligible — including the 16- and
 17-year-olds&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/s1208-16-17-booster.html">who became eligible this week</a>&nbsp;— to get a follow-up shot.While the unknowns of the new variant still loom, officials 
emphasized that the highly transmissible delta variant that caused the 
summer surge in infections still remains the main threat.“Over 99% of cases in this country right now are caused by the delta 
variant, which is driving increases in cases and hospitalizations,” 
Walensky said.The seven-day average of infections nationally increased by 37% over 
the last week, while hospitalizations increased by 16% and deaths rose 
by 28% over that same time period.Those rising numbers come after families gathered for Thanksgiving 
last month, and many are preparing for holiday gatherings this month.Asked for any guidance for those wondering if they should reassess 
holiday travel plans, Walensky said gathering together this season will 
require Americans to be “vigilant” about safety precautions. She 
reiterated the need to ensure those getting together are fully 
vaccinated and boosted if possible, as well as wearing masks in the 
weeks leading up to any gatherings and taking a COVID-19 test.Cover image courtesy Pixabay

CDC: 25 states report omicron, but delta remains biggest threat

SPRINGFIELD, Neb. (AP) — Sarpy County authorities are investigating after a 19-year-old man was struck and killed by a pickup truck early Sunday near Springfield 

Sarpy County Sheriff’s Capt. Brian Richards said the man died at the scene of the crash near 132nd and Main streets. 

The crash happened around 12:45 a.m. &nbsp;Sunday. 

Richards said the 19-year-old and two 18-year-old men were in a Ford pickup truck, but the 19-year-old got out of the truck before the crash. 

Investigators are trying to determine how the 19-year-old came to be struck by the pickup. 

His name was not immediately released on Sunday.

SPRINGFIELD, Neb. (AP) — Sarpy County authorities are investigating after a 19-year-old man was struck and killed by a pickup truck early Sunday near Springfield Sarpy County Sheriff’s Capt. Brian Richards said the man died at the scene of the crash near 132nd and Main streets. The crash happened around 12:45 a.m. &nbsp;Sunday. Richards said the 19-year-old and two 18-year-old men were in a Ford pickup truck, but the 19-year-old got out of the truck before the crash. Investigators are trying to determine how the 19-year-old came to be struck by the pickup. His name was not immediately released on Sunday.

Nineteen-year-old Nebraska man struck by pickup and killed

By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-12-08/thousands-of-kansas-families-stick-with-homeschooling-after-getting-a-taste-during-the-pandemic">Kansas News Service</a>

WICHITA&nbsp;— Worried about safety, resistant to 
mask orders and troubled by a lack of confidence in public schools, 
thousands more Kansas parents are opting to teach their kids at home.

The shift comes in the wake of the pandemic that convinced those families they could handle the job.

“We
 just had call after call after call,” said Bert Moore, who oversees 
home-school registrations for the Kansas Department of Education. “And 
they continue to call us. This isn’t something that occurs in just 
August. . . . It will be May before we have the final number.”

During a normal school year, about 1,400 Kansas families <a href="https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Division-of-Learning-Services/Special-Education-and-Title-Services/Title-Services/Non-Accredited-Private-Schools" target="_blank">newly register to home school</a>.
 Last year that number more than tripled — to 5,527 — and the trend 
doesn’t seem to be slowing. So far this year, more than 2,250 new 
families have registered.

Experts say the switch to remote 
learning during the pandemic persuaded record numbers of families to 
consider home-schooling long-term. Some want more flexible schedules or 
greater control over their children’s lessons. Others are disillusioned 
with the traditional model of education or worried about <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-11-23/test-scores-show-kansas-students-fell-further-behind-during-pandemic" target="_blank">plummeting test scores</a>.

“This
 increase in homeschooling is something that was ratcheting up for many 
years prior to the pandemic, but the pandemic has certainly jump-started
 it and caused it to spike,” said Lance Izumi, author of “The Homeschool
 Boom.”

During the early stages of lockdowns, parents got 
front-row seats to their children’s schooling. That, Izumi said, 
“demystified the learning process for them.”

“You’re seeing people
 discovering home-schooling as something that is doable, which they 
thought was not prior to the pandemic,” he said.

Moore, the state 
education official, said it’s hard to know whether COVID-19 is causing a
 temporary increase in home-schooling or a larger shift that will 
continue after the virus is controlled.

The number of students 
enrolled in Kansas public and private schools in dropped by more than 
15,000 in 2021 compared to 2019, according to state data. Some of those 
students may have moved out of the state, but many likely enrolled in 
virtual or homeschooling.

“It’s not going to be a momentary blip,”
 said Izumi, the author. “That’s the incentive for regular public 
schools to address those gaps in order to entice these parents to come 
back.”

Enrollment in Wichita, the state’s largest district, fell 
by 5.6% during the 2020-21 school year — much of that in pre-school and 
kindergarten. Officials hired two full-time staff members to visit 
preschools and daycare centers in an <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-04-26/wichita-schools-looking-to-recruit-back-students-after-enrollment-dips" target="_blank">attempt to recruit them back</a>.

Across the country this fall, a record 8 million students are being home-schooled, including a <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/black-families-are-choosing-home-school-children-fall-rcna1869" target="_blank">growing number of Black children</a>. A <a href="https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/03/homeschooling-on-the-rise-during-covid-19-pandemic.html" target="_blank">survey by the U.S. Census Bureau</a> showed that more than 16% of Black families were homeschooling in the fall of 2020 – up from about 3% the previous spring.

Some education advocates raise concerns about the quality of home schools, since there is little state oversight.

“There
 are good quality programs out there for home-schooling,” Moore said. 
“But I am concerned about students’ exposure to collaboration, to 
cooperative learning, to working in teams and having that experience of 
participating in the things that students in our schools get to 
experience.”

Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638994123574.png" alt="Across the country this fall, a record 8 million students are being home-schooled. Stephan Bisaha / KMUW" />
 <figcaption>Across the country this fall, a record 8 million students are being home-schooled. Stephan Bisaha / KMUW</figcaption>
 </figure>By SUZANNE PEREZ <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-12-08/thousands-of-kansas-families-stick-with-homeschooling-after-getting-a-taste-during-the-pandemic">Kansas News Service</a>WICHITA&nbsp;— Worried about safety, resistant to 
mask orders and troubled by a lack of confidence in public schools, 
thousands more Kansas parents are opting to teach their kids at home.The shift comes in the wake of the pandemic that convinced those families they could handle the job.“We
 just had call after call after call,” said Bert Moore, who oversees 
home-school registrations for the Kansas Department of Education. “And 
they continue to call us. This isn’t something that occurs in just 
August. . . . It will be May before we have the final number.”During a normal school year, about 1,400 Kansas families <a href="https://www.ksde.org/Agency/Division-of-Learning-Services/Special-Education-and-Title-Services/Title-Services/Non-Accredited-Private-Schools" target="_blank">newly register to home school</a>.
 Last year that number more than tripled — to 5,527 — and the trend 
doesn’t seem to be slowing. So far this year, more than 2,250 new 
families have registered.Experts say the switch to remote 
learning during the pandemic persuaded record numbers of families to 
consider home-schooling long-term. Some want more flexible schedules or 
greater control over their children’s lessons. Others are disillusioned 
with the traditional model of education or worried about <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/2021-11-23/test-scores-show-kansas-students-fell-further-behind-during-pandemic" target="_blank">plummeting test scores</a>.“This
 increase in homeschooling is something that was ratcheting up for many 
years prior to the pandemic, but the pandemic has certainly jump-started
 it and caused it to spike,” said Lance Izumi, author of “The Homeschool
 Boom.”During the early stages of lockdowns, parents got 
front-row seats to their children’s schooling. That, Izumi said, 
“demystified the learning process for them.”“You’re seeing people
 discovering home-schooling as something that is doable, which they 
thought was not prior to the pandemic,” he said.Moore, the state 
education official, said it’s hard to know whether COVID-19 is causing a
 temporary increase in home-schooling or a larger shift that will 
continue after the virus is controlled.The number of students 
enrolled in Kansas public and private schools in dropped by more than 
15,000 in 2021 compared to 2019, according to state data. Some of those 
students may have moved out of the state, but many likely enrolled in 
virtual or homeschooling.“It’s not going to be a momentary blip,”
 said Izumi, the author. “That’s the incentive for regular public 
schools to address those gaps in order to entice these parents to come 
back.”Enrollment in Wichita, the state’s largest district, fell 
by 5.6% during the 2020-21 school year — much of that in pre-school and 
kindergarten. Officials hired two full-time staff members to visit 
preschools and daycare centers in an <a href="https://www.kmuw.org/education/2021-04-26/wichita-schools-looking-to-recruit-back-students-after-enrollment-dips" target="_blank">attempt to recruit them back</a>.Across the country this fall, a record 8 million students are being home-schooled, including a <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/black-families-are-choosing-home-school-children-fall-rcna1869" target="_blank">growing number of Black children</a>. A <a href="https://www.census.gov/library/stories/2021/03/homeschooling-on-the-rise-during-covid-19-pandemic.html" target="_blank">survey by the U.S. Census Bureau</a> showed that more than 16% of Black families were homeschooling in the fall of 2020 – up from about 3% the previous spring.Some education advocates raise concerns about the quality of home schools, since there is little state oversight.“There
 are good quality programs out there for home-schooling,” Moore said. 
“But I am concerned about students’ exposure to collaboration, to 
cooperative learning, to working in teams and having that experience of 
participating in the things that students in our schools get to 
experience.”Suzanne Perez reports on education for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @SuzPerezICT.

More families sticking with homeschooling after pandemic

SALINE COUNTY —A series of earthquakes rattled central Kansas Saturday including a 3.8 magnitude quake just after 8p.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.&nbsp; The larger temblor was centered approximately three miles southwest of Gypsum in Saline County.

The seven other quakes all measured under a magnitude 3, according to the Kansas Geological Survey. There are no reports of damage or injury.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639275800811.png" alt="USGS image of Saturday night's 3.8 magnitude quake in Saline County" />
 <figcaption>USGS image of Saturday night's 3.8 magnitude quake in Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —A series of earthquakes rattled central Kansas Saturday including a 3.8 magnitude quake just after 8p.m., according to the U.S. Geological Survey.&nbsp; The larger temblor was centered approximately three miles southwest of Gypsum in Saline County.The seven other quakes all measured under a magnitude 3, according to the Kansas Geological Survey. There are no reports of damage or injury.

Series of earthquakes shake central Kansas

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Winter weather dumped up to 7 inches of snow in parts of eastern Nebraska and caused a car crash that killed two people and injured two others.

 The Saunders County sheriff told KETV on Saturday that outside the small town of Mead, about 30 miles west of Omaha, wintry conditions were to blame for a deadly crash on U.S. Highway 77. &nbsp;

Snow and ice on the road caused a driver to lose control of a car and it was hit by a pickup. 

The two people inside the car died at the scene. Two people inside the pickup were taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Winter weather dumped up to 7 inches of snow in parts of eastern Nebraska and caused a car crash that killed two people and injured two others. The Saunders County sheriff told KETV on Saturday that outside the small town of Mead, about 30 miles west of Omaha, wintry conditions were to blame for a deadly crash on U.S. Highway 77. &nbsp;Snow and ice on the road caused a driver to lose control of a car and it was hit by a pickup. The two people inside the car died at the scene. Two people inside the pickup were taken to the hospital with serious injuries.

Wintry weather blamed for deadly eastern Nebraska car crash

By MATT O'BRIEN and FRANK BAJAK, Associated Press

Robotic vacuum cleaners wouldn’t start. Doorbell cameras stopped watching for package thieves, though some of those deliveries were canceled anyway. Netflix and Disney movies got interrupted and The Associated Press had trouble publishing the news.

A major outage in Amazon’s cloud computing network Tuesday severely disrupted services at a wide range of U.S. companies for hours, raising questions about the vulnerability of the internet and its concentration in the hands of a few firms.

Amazon has still said nothing about what, exactly, went wrong. The company limited its communications Tuesday to terse technical explanations on an Amazon Web Services dashboard and a brief statement delivered via spokesperson Richard Rocha that acknowledged the outage had affected Amazon’s own warehouse and delivery operations but said the company was “working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.” It didn’t immediately respond to further questions Wednesday.

The incident at Amazon Web Services mostly affected the eastern U.S., but still impacted everything from airline reservations and auto dealerships to payment apps and video streaming services to Amazon’s own massive e-commerce operation.

Amazon Web Services is a cloud-service operation — it stores its customers’ data, runs their online activities and more — and a huge profit center for Amazon. It holds roughly 40% of the $64 billion global cloud infrastructure market, a larger share than its closest rivals Microsoft, Alibaba and Google, combined, according to research firm Gartner.

It was formerly run by Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, who succeeded founder Jeff Bezos in July.

Some cybersecurity experts have warned for years about the potentially ugly consequences of allowing a handful of big tech companies to dominate key internet operations.

“The latest AWS outage is a prime example of the danger of centralized network infrastructure,” said Sean O’Brien, a visiting lecturer in cybersecurity at Yale Law School. “Though most people browsing the internet or using an app don’t know it, Amazon is baked into most of the apps and websites they use each day.” O’Brien said it’s important to build a new network model that resembles the peer-to-peer roots of the early internet. Big outages have already knocked huge swaths of the world offline, as happened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/facebook-outage-global-reaction-281fded63f1478193d7e5e3e799833fc">during an October Facebook incident</a>.

Even under the current model, companies do have some options to split their services between different cloud providers, although it can be complicated, or to at least make sure they can move their services to a different region run by the same provider. Tuesday’s outage mostly affected Amazon’s “US East 1” region.

“Which means if you had critical systems only available in that region, you were in trouble,” said Servaas Verbiest, lead cloud evangelist at Sungard Availability Services. “If you heavily embraced the AWS ecosystem and are locked into using solely their services and functions, you must ensure you balance your workloads between regions.”

Yes. The last major AWS outage was in November 2020. There have been been numerous other disruptive and lengthy internet outages involving other providers. In June, the behind-the-scenes content distributor Fastly suffered a failure that briefly took down dozens of major internet sites including CNN, The New York Times and Britain’s government home page. Another that month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-b372a6796f95a3f51fbbb2bc8f6b40bf">affected provider Akamai</a>&nbsp;during peak business hours in Asia in June.

In the October outage, Facebook — now known as Meta Platforms — blamed a “faulty configuration change” for an hours-long worldwide outage that took down Instagram and WhatsApp in addition to its titular platform.

It was unclear how, or whether, Tuesday’s outage affected governments, but many of them also rely on Amazon and its rivals.

Among the most influential organizations to rethink its approach of depending on a single cloud provider was the Pentagon, which in July canceled a disputed cloud-computing contract with Microsoft that could eventually have been worth $10 billion. It will instead pursue a deal with both Microsoft and Amazon and possibly other cloud service providers such as Google, Oracle and IBM.

The National Security Agency earlier this year awarded Amazon a contract with a potential estimated value of $10 billion to be the sole manager of the NSA’s own migration to cloud computing. The contract is known by its agency code name “Wild and Stormy.” The General Accountability Office in October sustained a bid protest by Microsoft, finding that certain parts of the NSA’s decision were “unreasonable,” although the full decision is classified.

By MATT O'BRIEN and FRANK BAJAK, Associated PressRobotic vacuum cleaners wouldn’t start. Doorbell cameras stopped watching for package thieves, though some of those deliveries were canceled anyway. Netflix and Disney movies got interrupted and The Associated Press had trouble publishing the news.A major outage in Amazon’s cloud computing network Tuesday severely disrupted services at a wide range of U.S. companies for hours, raising questions about the vulnerability of the internet and its concentration in the hands of a few firms.HOW DID IT HAPPEN?Amazon has still said nothing about what, exactly, went wrong. The company limited its communications Tuesday to terse technical explanations on an Amazon Web Services dashboard and a brief statement delivered via spokesperson Richard Rocha that acknowledged the outage had affected Amazon’s own warehouse and delivery operations but said the company was “working to resolve the issue as quickly as possible.” It didn’t immediately respond to further questions Wednesday.The incident at Amazon Web Services mostly affected the eastern U.S., but still impacted everything from airline reservations and auto dealerships to payment apps and video streaming services to Amazon’s own massive e-commerce operation.Amazon Web Services is a cloud-service operation — it stores its customers’ data, runs their online activities and more — and a huge profit center for Amazon. It holds roughly 40% of the $64 billion global cloud infrastructure market, a larger share than its closest rivals Microsoft, Alibaba and Google, combined, according to research firm Gartner.It was formerly run by Amazon CEO Andy Jassy, who succeeded founder Jeff Bezos in July.TOO MANY EGGS IN ONE BASKET?Some cybersecurity experts have warned for years about the potentially ugly consequences of allowing a handful of big tech companies to dominate key internet operations.“The latest AWS outage is a prime example of the danger of centralized network infrastructure,” said Sean O’Brien, a visiting lecturer in cybersecurity at Yale Law School. “Though most people browsing the internet or using an app don’t know it, Amazon is baked into most of the apps and websites they use each day.” O’Brien said it’s important to build a new network model that resembles the peer-to-peer roots of the early internet. Big outages have already knocked huge swaths of the world offline, as happened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/facebook-outage-global-reaction-281fded63f1478193d7e5e3e799833fc">during an October Facebook incident</a>.Even under the current model, companies do have some options to split their services between different cloud providers, although it can be complicated, or to at least make sure they can move their services to a different region run by the same provider. Tuesday’s outage mostly affected Amazon’s “US East 1” region.“Which means if you had critical systems only available in that region, you were in trouble,” said Servaas Verbiest, lead cloud evangelist at Sungard Availability Services. “If you heavily embraced the AWS ecosystem and are locked into using solely their services and functions, you must ensure you balance your workloads between regions.”HASN’T THIS HAPPENED BEFORE?Yes. The last major AWS outage was in November 2020. There have been been numerous other disruptive and lengthy internet outages involving other providers. In June, the behind-the-scenes content distributor Fastly suffered a failure that briefly took down dozens of major internet sites including CNN, The New York Times and Britain’s government home page. Another that month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-b372a6796f95a3f51fbbb2bc8f6b40bf">affected provider Akamai</a>&nbsp;during peak business hours in Asia in June.In the October outage, Facebook — now known as Meta Platforms — blamed a “faulty configuration change” for an hours-long worldwide outage that took down Instagram and WhatsApp in addition to its titular platform.WHAT ABOUT THE GOVERNMENT?It was unclear how, or whether, Tuesday’s outage affected governments, but many of them also rely on Amazon and its rivals.Among the most influential organizations to rethink its approach of depending on a single cloud provider was the Pentagon, which in July canceled a disputed cloud-computing contract with Microsoft that could eventually have been worth $10 billion. It will instead pursue a deal with both Microsoft and Amazon and possibly other cloud service providers such as Google, Oracle and IBM.The National Security Agency earlier this year awarded Amazon a contract with a potential estimated value of $10 billion to be the sole manager of the NSA’s own migration to cloud computing. The contract is known by its agency code name “Wild and Stormy.” The General Accountability Office in October sustained a bid protest by Microsoft, finding that certain parts of the NSA’s decision were “unreasonable,” although the full decision is classified.——

What caused Amazon's outage? Will there be more?

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Tornadoes and severe weather caused catastrophic damage across multiple states late Friday, killing at least six people overnight as a storm system tore through a candle factory in Kentucky, an Amazon facility in Illinois and a nursing home in Arkansas. The Kentucky governor said he feared dozens more could be dead.

Gov. Andy Beshear said about 110 people were in the factory in Mayfield, Kentucky, when the tornado hit.

“We believe our death toll from this event will exceed 50 Kentuckians and probably end up 70 to 100,” he said at a news conference Saturday. “It’s very hard, really tough, and we’re praying for each and every one of those families.”

Kyana Parsons-Perez, a factory employee, was trapped under five feet&nbsp; of debris for at least two hours until rescuers managed to free her.

Kyana Parsons-Perez, a factory employee, was trapped under five feet of debris for at least two hours until rescuers managed to free her.

In an interview with TODAY, she said it was the “absolutely the most terrifying” event she had ever experienced. “I did not think I was going to make it at all.”

Just before the tornado struck, the building’s lights flickered. She felt a gust of wind, her ears started “popping” and then, “Boom. Everything came down on us.” People started screaming, and she heard Hispanic workers praying in Spanish.

Among those who helped rescue the trapped workers were inmates from the nearby Graves County Jail, she said.

“They could have used that moment to try to run away or anything, but they did not. They were there, helping us,” she said.

At least one person died at an Amazon facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, Police Chief Mike Fillback told reporters Saturday morning. The roof of the building was ripped off and a wall about the length of a football field collapsed.

Two people at the facility were taken by helicopter to hospitals in St. Louis, Fillback said. The chief said he did not know how serious their injuries were. Edwardsville is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of St. Louis.

It wasn’t immediately clear whether the damage was caused by straight-line storms or a tornado, but the National Weather Service office near St. Louis reported “radar-confirmed tornadoes” in the Edwardsville area around the time of the collapse.

About 30 people who were in the building were taken by bus to the police station in nearby Pontoon Beach for evaluation.

Early Saturday, rescue crews were still sorting through the rubble. Fillback said the process could take several more hours. Cranes and backhoes were brought in to help move debris.

The Belleville News-Democrat reported that the Amazon fulfillment center in Edwardsville opened with two warehouses in 2016, with 1.5 million square feet (about 139,000 square meters) of space. The warehouses are used to store items until they are shipped to mail-order customers.

“The safety and well-being of our employees and partners is our top priority right now,” Amazon spokesperson Richard Rocha said in a written statement Friday night. “We’re assessing the situation and will share additional information when it’s available.”

Workers at a National Weather Service office had to take shelter as a tornado passed near their office in Weldon Spring, Missouri, about 30 miles west of St. Louis. One person died and two others were injured in building collapses near the towns of Defiance and New Melle, both just a few miles from the weather service office.

A tornado struck the Monette Manor nursing home in Arkansas on Friday night, killing one person and trapping 20 people inside as the building collapsed, Craighead County Judge Marvin Day told The Associated Press.

Five people had serious injuries, and a few others had minor ones, he said. The nursing home has 86 beds.

Three storm-related deaths were confirmed in Tennessee, said Dean Flener, spokesman for the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. Two of the deaths occurred in Lake County, and the third was in Obion County — both in the northwestern corner of the state.

In Kentucky, several buildings collapsed during the severe weather that struck Mayfield, said Sarah Burgess, a trooper with the Kentucky State Police.

“The entire building is essentially leveled,” she said.

Farther east in Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University said on Twitter that emergency crews were assessing significant storm damage and that no injuries were immediately reported. However, the school called off commencement ceremonies that were planned for Saturday because the campus was without power.

“It’s obvious we had major wind damage,” said Ronnie Ward, a Bowling Green police spokesman, in a telephone interview.

Rescue efforts in Bowling Green and elsewhere were hampered by debris strewn across roads. Ward said numerous apartment complexes in Bowling Green had major structural damage, and some factories had collapsed during the storms.

“Right now we’re focusing on the citizens, trying to get to everybody that needs us,” Ward said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639235312847.png" alt="Two people were killed and at least five hurt after a nursing home was destroyed Friday night during a tornado event in Monette, Arkansas-photo courtesy KARK-TV" />
 <figcaption>Two people were killed and at least five hurt after a nursing home was destroyed Friday night during a tornado event in Monette, Arkansas-photo courtesy KARK-TV</figcaption>
 </figure>EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Tornadoes and severe weather caused catastrophic damage across multiple states late Friday, killing at least six people overnight as a storm system tore through a candle factory in Kentucky, an Amazon facility in Illinois and a nursing home in Arkansas. The Kentucky governor said he feared dozens more could be dead.Gov. Andy Beshear said about 110 people were in the factory in Mayfield, Kentucky, when the tornado hit.“We believe our death toll from this event will exceed 50 Kentuckians and probably end up 70 to 100,” he said at a news conference Saturday. “It’s very hard, really tough, and we’re praying for each and every one of those families.”Kyana Parsons-Perez, a factory employee, was trapped under five feet&nbsp; of debris for at least two hours until rescuers managed to free her.Gov. Andy Beshear said about 110 people were in the factory in Mayfield, Kentucky, when the tornado hit.“We believe our death toll from this event will exceed 50 Kentuckians and probably end up 70 to 100,” he said at a news conference Saturday. “It’s very hard, really tough, and we’re praying for each and every one of those families.”Kyana Parsons-Perez, a factory employee, was trapped under five feet of debris for at least two hours until rescuers managed to free her.In an interview with TODAY, she said it was the “absolutely the most terrifying” event she had ever experienced. “I did not think I was going to make it at all.”Just before the tornado struck, the building’s lights flickered. She felt a gust of wind, her ears started “popping” and then, “Boom. Everything came down on us.” People started screaming, and she heard Hispanic workers praying in Spanish.Among those who helped rescue the trapped workers were inmates from the nearby Graves County Jail, she said.“They could have used that moment to try to run away or anything, but they did not. They were there, helping us,” she said.At least one person died at an Amazon facility in Edwardsville, Illinois, Police Chief Mike Fillback told reporters Saturday morning. The roof of the building was ripped off and a wall about the length of a football field collapsed.Two people at the facility were taken by helicopter to hospitals in St. Louis, Fillback said. The chief said he did not know how serious their injuries were. Edwardsville is about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of St. Louis.It wasn’t immediately clear whether the damage was caused by straight-line storms or a tornado, but the National Weather Service office near St. Louis reported “radar-confirmed tornadoes” in the Edwardsville area around the time of the collapse.About 30 people who were in the building were taken by bus to the police station in nearby Pontoon Beach for evaluation.Early Saturday, rescue crews were still sorting through the rubble. Fillback said the process could take several more hours. Cranes and backhoes were brought in to help move debris.The Belleville News-Democrat reported that the Amazon fulfillment center in Edwardsville opened with two warehouses in 2016, with 1.5 million square feet (about 139,000 square meters) of space. The warehouses are used to store items until they are shipped to mail-order customers.“The safety and well-being of our employees and partners is our top priority right now,” Amazon spokesperson Richard Rocha said in a written statement Friday night. “We’re assessing the situation and will share additional information when it’s available.”Workers at a National Weather Service office had to take shelter as a tornado passed near their office in Weldon Spring, Missouri, about 30 miles west of St. Louis. One person died and two others were injured in building collapses near the towns of Defiance and New Melle, both just a few miles from the weather service office.A tornado struck the Monette Manor nursing home in Arkansas on Friday night, killing one person and trapping 20 people inside as the building collapsed, Craighead County Judge Marvin Day told The Associated Press.Five people had serious injuries, and a few others had minor ones, he said. The nursing home has 86 beds.Three storm-related deaths were confirmed in Tennessee, said Dean Flener, spokesman for the Tennessee Emergency Management Agency. Two of the deaths occurred in Lake County, and the third was in Obion County — both in the northwestern corner of the state.In Kentucky, several buildings collapsed during the severe weather that struck Mayfield, said Sarah Burgess, a trooper with the Kentucky State Police.“The entire building is essentially leveled,” she said.Farther east in Bowling Green, Western Kentucky University said on Twitter that emergency crews were assessing significant storm damage and that no injuries were immediately reported. However, the school called off commencement ceremonies that were planned for Saturday because the campus was without power.“It’s obvious we had major wind damage,” said Ronnie Ward, a Bowling Green police spokesman, in a telephone interview.Rescue efforts in Bowling Green and elsewhere were hampered by debris strewn across roads. Ward said numerous apartment complexes in Bowling Green had major structural damage, and some factories had collapsed during the storms.“Right now we’re focusing on the citizens, trying to get to everybody that needs us,” Ward said.

Dozens feared dead as tornadoes, storms strike central US 

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Tornadoes and severe weather caused catastrophic damage across multiple states late Friday, killing at least six people overnight.

 And, Kentucky's governor feared dozens were dead after the storm struck a candle factory. 

Police in Illinois say at least one person died at an Amazon facility where the roof was ripped off after a possible tornado. 

Rescue crews are still sorting through the rubble there. Three people have died in severe weather in Tennessee. 

One person has died after an apparent tornado tore through a nursing home in Arkansas. 

At least one fatality has been reported in Missouri. 

Western Kentucky University says emergency crews are assessing storm damage after reports of a tornado in Bowling Green.

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Tornadoes and severe weather caused catastrophic damage across multiple states late Friday, killing at least six people overnight. And, Kentucky's governor feared dozens were dead after the storm struck a candle factory. Police in Illinois say at least one person died at an Amazon facility where the roof was ripped off after a possible tornado. Rescue crews are still sorting through the rubble there. Three people have died in severe weather in Tennessee. One person has died after an apparent tornado tore through a nursing home in Arkansas. At least one fatality has been reported in Missouri. Western Kentucky University says emergency crews are assessing storm damage after reports of a tornado in Bowling Green.

Tornadoes, storms strike US; Kentucky gov fears dozens dead

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — This winter, more motorists may find themselves stuck on snowy highways or have their travel delayed due to a shortage of snowplow drivers.

States from Washington to Pennsylvania and some in the Rocky Mountains are having trouble finding enough people willing to take the comparatively low-paying jobs that require a Commercial Driver's License and often entail working at odd hours in dangerous conditions. 

States are warning that it could take longer for the plows to clear highways during winter storms. 

State transportation departments are competing for drivers with trucking companies with the ability to increase pay and offer signing bonuses. And trucking companies are short on drivers, too.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639170227894.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HELENA, Mont. (AP) — This winter, more motorists may find themselves stuck on snowy highways or have their travel delayed due to a shortage of snowplow drivers.States from Washington to Pennsylvania and some in the Rocky Mountains are having trouble finding enough people willing to take the comparatively low-paying jobs that require a Commercial Driver's License and often entail working at odd hours in dangerous conditions. States are warning that it could take longer for the plows to clear highways during winter storms. State transportation departments are competing for drivers with trucking companies with the ability to increase pay and offer signing bonuses. And trucking companies are short on drivers, too.

Shortage of snowplow drivers hampers states as storms arrive

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Those used to taking a quick commuter flight from Lincoln to Minneapolis and back will soon be out of luck. 

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that Delta Air Lines has informed Lincoln Airport officials that it will end the twice-daily fights between the two cities next month. 

Airport executive director David Haring says the cancellation of the flights was unexpected. 

Haring said airport officials have spent days reaching out to representatives of both Delta and SkyWest Airlines, the regional carrier contracted by Delta that operates the Minneapolis flights to and from Lincoln, but to no avail. 

The last of the flights to Minneapolis from Lincoln is scheduled for Jan. 10.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639170037826.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Those used to taking a quick commuter flight from Lincoln to Minneapolis and back will soon be out of luck. The Lincoln Journal Star reports that Delta Air Lines has informed Lincoln Airport officials that it will end the twice-daily fights between the two cities next month. Airport executive director David Haring says the cancellation of the flights was unexpected. Haring said airport officials have spent days reaching out to representatives of both Delta and SkyWest Airlines, the regional carrier contracted by Delta that operates the Minneapolis flights to and from Lincoln, but to no avail. The last of the flights to Minneapolis from Lincoln is scheduled for Jan. 10.

Delta Air Lines cancels flights between Lincoln, Minneapolis

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Michael Nesmith, the singer-songwriter, author, actor-director and entrepreneur who will likely be best remembered as the wool-hatted, guitar-strumming member of the made-for-television rock band The Monkees, has died at 78.

Nesmith, who had undergone quadruple bypass surgery in 2018, died at home Friday of natural causes, his family said in a statement.

Nesmith was a struggling singer-songwriter in September 1966 when “The Monkees” television debut turned him and fellow band members Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and David Jones into overnight rock stars.

After the group broke up in 1970, Nesmith moved on to a long and creative career, not only as a musician but as a writer, producer and director of films, author of several books, head of a media arts company and creator of a music video format that led to the creation of MTV.

Nesmith was running “hoot nights” at the popular West Hollywood nightclub The Troubadour when he saw a trade publication ad seeking “four insane boys” to play rock musicians in a band modeled after the Beatles.

The show featured the comical misadventures of a quartet that tooled around Los Angeles in a tricked-out Pontiac GTO called the MonkeeMobile and, when they weren’t chasing girls, pursued music stardom.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639165324949.png" alt="Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Davy Jones pose for an album cover in the late 1960s" />
 <figcaption>Mike Nesmith, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Davy Jones pose for an album cover in the late 1960s</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Michael Nesmith, the singer-songwriter, author, actor-director and entrepreneur who will likely be best remembered as the wool-hatted, guitar-strumming member of the made-for-television rock band The Monkees, has died at 78.Nesmith, who had undergone quadruple bypass surgery in 2018, died at home Friday of natural causes, his family said in a statement.Nesmith was a struggling singer-songwriter in September 1966 when “The Monkees” television debut turned him and fellow band members Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and David Jones into overnight rock stars.After the group broke up in 1970, Nesmith moved on to a long and creative career, not only as a musician but as a writer, producer and director of films, author of several books, head of a media arts company and creator of a music video format that led to the creation of MTV.Nesmith was running “hoot nights” at the popular West Hollywood nightclub The Troubadour when he saw a trade publication ad seeking “four insane boys” to play rock musicians in a band modeled after the Beatles.The show featured the comical misadventures of a quartet that tooled around Los Angeles in a tricked-out Pontiac GTO called the MonkeeMobile and, when they weren’t chasing girls, pursued music stardom.Each episode rolled out two or three new Monkees songs, six of which became Top 10 Billboard hits during the show’s two-year run. Three others, “I’m a Believer,” ″Daydream Believer” and “Last Train to Clarksville,” reached No. 1.Jones, with his British accent and boyish good looks, was the group’s cute lead singer. Dolenz became the wacky drummer, although he had to learn to play the drums as the show went along. Tork, a folk-rock musician, portrayed the comically clueless bass player. Nesmith, with his twangy Texas accent and the wool hat he’d worn to his audition, became the serious but naive lead guitarist.A prankster by nature, he’d arrived at the audition carrying a guitar and bag of dirty laundry he said he planned to wash immediately afterward. With a harmonica around his neck, he stormed into a casting office, banging the door loudly. After pausing to gaze at a painting as if it were a mirror, he sat down and immediately put his feet up on a desk.He got the job.But he rebelled almost immediately when producers told him they were going to call his character “Wool Hat.” He demanded they use his real name, as they did with the other actors.It would be the first of many confrontations Nesmith would have with producers during a tumultuous two-year run in which “The Monkees” won the 1967 Emmy for best comedy series.Nesmith and Tork, the group’s two most accomplished musicians, railed against the program’s refusal to allow them to play their own instruments at recording sessions. But when Nesmith revealed that fact to reporters, music critics quickly turned on “The Monkees,” dismissing the show as a fraud and the band as the “Prefab Four,” a mocking reference to the Beatles’ nickname, Fab Four.Nesmith, meanwhile, had written several songs he hoped to debut on the show, but almost all were dismissed by music producer Don Kirshner, as sounding too country.Among them was “Different Drum,” which Linda Ronstadt recorded in 1967 for her first hit single, validating to Nesmith his opinion that Kirshner, hailed by the pop music industry as “The Man With The Golden Ear,” didn’t know what he was talking about.Things came to a head when all four Monkees demanded they take control of the music. They were warned they would be sued for breach of contract.At that, Nesmith rose from his seat and smashed his fist through a wall, telling Kirshner it could have been his face.For years Nesmith would refuse to confirm or deny the incident, even as the other three gleefully recounted it to reporters. In his 2017 memoir, “Infinite Tuesday,” he did acknowledge it, saying he’d lost his temper when he felt his integrity was being questioned.“It was an absurd moment in so many ways,” he wrote.It did give the Monkees control over their music, however, beginning with the group’s third album, “Headquarters.”After the show concluded in 1968 the band embarked on a lengthy concert tour where members sang many of their own songs and played their own instruments before crowds of adoring fans. Jimi Hendrix was sometimes their opening act.Following the band’s breakup Nesmith rarely rejoined the others for reunion tours, leading many to believe he disliked the band and the show, something he steadfastly denied.“I really enjoyed being in the show. I really enjoyed working with Davy and Micky and Peter,” he told Australian Musician magazine in 2019.It was, he would often say, that he was simply too busy doing other things.Over the years he recorded more than a dozen albums and toured with the First National Band, the country-rock-folk group he assembled.He wrote scores of songs, including “Some of Shelly’s Blues,” “Papa Gene’s Blues,” You Just May Be the One” and “The Girl That I knew Somewhere” that he performed with the Monkees. Others, performed with the First National Band, included “Joanne,” “Propinquity (I’ve Just Begun to Care)” and “Different Drum.”For the Monkees’ 30th anniversary he induced the others to reunite to record a new album, “Justus,” for which all four composed the songs and played the instruments. He also rejoined the others for a brief tour and wrote and directed their 1997 TV reunion film, “Hey, Hey, It’s the Monkees.”Nesmith also wrote and produced the 1982 science-fiction film “Timerider: The Adventure of Lyle Swann” and earned executive producer credits on “Repo Man,” “Tape Heads” and other films.His 1981 comedy-music video “Elephant Parts” won a Grammy and led to “PopClips,” a series of music videos broadcast on the Nickelodeon cable network that in turn led to the creation of MTV.Nesmith even published two well received novels, 1998’s “The Long Sandy Hair of Neftoon Zamora” and 2009’s “The America Gene.”In 1999 he prevailed in a bitter courtroom battle with the Public Broadcasting System over royalties from a home-video deal his media company, Pacific Arts, had struck with PBS. A federal jury awarded him $48 million, concluding the popular purveyor of children’s shows and documentaries had defrauded him.Nesmith, showing he hadn’t lost his Monkees sense of humor, said afterward: “It’s like catching your grandmother stealing your stereo. You’re glad to get your stereo back, but you’re sad to find out that Grandma’s a thief.”Both sides agreed on an undisclosed settlement and Nesmith founded another company, Videoranch.After Jones died in 2012 he began to rejoin the Monkees more frequently, their concerts now earning glowing reviews from critics. He attributed that to most of the group’s original critics having died or retired.Following Tork’s death in 2019, Nesmith and Dolenz took on the name The Monkees Mike &amp; Micky.Robert Michael Nesmith was born Dec. 30, 1942, in Houston, Texas, the only child of Warren and Bette Nesmith.His parents divorced when he was 4 and his mother often worked two jobs, as a secretary and painter, to support her son and herself. It was that latter job that inspired her to whip up a typewriter correction fluid called Liquid Paper in her kitchen blender. By the mid-1970s it had made her a fortune, which she eventually left to her son and to nonprofit foundations she endowed to promote women in business and the arts.Her son, who was married and divorced three times, is survived by four children, Christian, Jason, Jessica and Jonathan.