News Release Nance County Sheriff's Office

FULLERTON, Neb.-Authorities in Nance County said a mountain lion was struck by a vehicle.

At approximately 8:30 pm on Sept. 21, the Nance County Sheriff’s Office was called to a single-vehicle accident on Highway 14 just south of Fullerton, north of the Loup River Bridge. The driver reported striking an animal they believed to be a mountain lion. 

Deputies found evidence that the driver had correctly identified the animal, but were not able to locate the animal along the highway. 

Due to the close proximity to houses and to the city of Fullerton a search of the area was conducted by members of the Nance County Sheriff’s Office and Nebraska Game and Parks. Residents in the area were notified of the situation. The animal was not located. 

The Sheriff’s Office will continue to work with Game and Parks to ensure the safety of everyone in our community. We will be conducting further searches of the area south of Fullerton during the daytime.

An injured predator such as a mountain lion can be extremely dangerous and unpredictable if encountered in the wild. We encourage everyone to be aware of your surroundings and if you do come across an injured animal do not approach it, leave the area slowly and  cautiously, then contact the Sheriff’s Office at 308-536-2452. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/6/1560361906017.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News Release Nance County Sheriff's OfficeFULLERTON, Neb.-Authorities in Nance County said a mountain lion was struck by a vehicle.At approximately 8:30 pm on Sept. 21, the Nance County Sheriff’s Office was called to a single-vehicle accident on Highway 14 just south of Fullerton, north of the Loup River Bridge. The driver reported striking an animal they believed to be a mountain lion. Deputies found evidence that the driver had correctly identified the animal, but were not able to locate the animal along the highway. Due to the close proximity to houses and to the city of Fullerton a search of the area was conducted by members of the Nance County Sheriff’s Office and Nebraska Game and Parks. Residents in the area were notified of the situation. The animal was not located. The Sheriff’s Office will continue to work with Game and Parks to ensure the safety of everyone in our community. We will be conducting further searches of the area south of Fullerton during the daytime.An injured predator such as a mountain lion can be extremely dangerous and unpredictable if encountered in the wild. We encourage everyone to be aware of your surroundings and if you do come across an injured animal do not approach it, leave the area slowly and cautiously, then contact the Sheriff’s Office at 308-536-2452.

Mountain lion struck by vehicle near Fullerton

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting near a&nbsp; Wichita high school have&nbsp;arrested a 17-year-old boy and two 16-year-old boy, according to Officer Charley Davidson.

At approximately 12:20 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting in the 2300 block of East Douglas.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located a 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old who both had minor gunshot wounds.&nbsp; They were taken to an area hospital for medical treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and released from the hospital, according to Davidson.

Later, officers were notified of another 15-year-old who had a superficial gunshot wound and received medical treatment on the scene.

The investigation revealed the three suspects pulled into an alley north of Douglas off Spruce in a gray Volkswagen Passat.&nbsp; The suspects exited the vehicle and approached the 15-year-old and 17-year-old victims on Spruce North of Douglas.&nbsp; 

Multiple shots were fired toward the victims, striking them and East High School.&nbsp; The victims then ran across Douglas to a food truck parked on the Southside of Douglas where officers contacted them.&nbsp; The suspects fled in the Passat. Officers later learned another 15-year-old boy was outside the school when he sustained a superficial gunshot wound.&nbsp; The three victims are all students of East High school.

With the help of alert witnesses, officers obtained the vehicle description and tag number of the suspect vehicle.&nbsp; The information was placed into WPD’s Flock License Plate Reader program that helped track the suspects and suspect vehicle to the 1900 block of South Roanoke where the suspects were arrested.&nbsp; Officers located a handgun inside of the vehicle and other evidence related to the shooting.

The East High building was struck twice by gunfire.&nbsp; Both shots ricocheted off windows and did not penetrate the building.&nbsp;

This was not a random incident and is believed to stem from ongoing disputes, according to Davidson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632304941239.png" alt="The Wichita East High building was struck twice by gunfire. Both shots ricocheted off windows and did not penetrate the building-photo courtesy KWCH&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The Wichita East High building was struck twice by gunfire. Both shots ricocheted off windows and did not penetrate the building-photo courtesy KWCH&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting near a&nbsp; Wichita high school have&nbsp;arrested a 17-year-old boy and two 16-year-old boy, according to Officer Charley Davidson.At approximately 12:20 p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a shooting in the 2300 block of East Douglas.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located a 15-year-old boy and a 16-year-old who both had minor gunshot wounds.&nbsp; They were taken to an area hospital for medical treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and released from the hospital, according to Davidson.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/ETyrQAMN6D">pic.twitter.com/ETyrQAMN6D</a>&mdash; East High Aces (@EastHighAces) <a href="https://twitter.com/EastHighAces/status/1440406957907611652?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Later, officers were notified of another 15-year-old who had a superficial gunshot wound and received medical treatment on the scene.The investigation revealed the three suspects pulled into an alley north of Douglas off Spruce in a gray Volkswagen Passat.&nbsp; The suspects exited the vehicle and approached the 15-year-old and 17-year-old victims on Spruce North of Douglas.&nbsp; Multiple shots were fired toward the victims, striking them and East High School.&nbsp; The victims then ran across Douglas to a food truck parked on the Southside of Douglas where officers contacted them.&nbsp; The suspects fled in the Passat. Officers later learned another 15-year-old boy was outside the school when he sustained a superficial gunshot wound.&nbsp; The three victims are all students of East High school.With the help of alert witnesses, officers obtained the vehicle description and tag number of the suspect vehicle.&nbsp; The information was placed into WPD’s Flock License Plate Reader program that helped track the suspects and suspect vehicle to the 1900 block of South Roanoke where the suspects were arrested.&nbsp; Officers located a handgun inside of the vehicle and other evidence related to the shooting.The East High building was struck twice by gunfire.&nbsp; Both shots ricocheted off windows and did not penetrate the building.&nbsp;This was not a random incident and is believed to stem from ongoing disputes, according to Davidson.

Police arrest 3 after shooting near Kansas high school

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Apple’s and Google’s cooperation with the Russian government’s efforts to suppress an app opposed to the ruling regime is escalating concerns about whether Big Tech’s pursuit of ever-higher profits has trampled their commitment to protecting civil rights. 

The debate is being spurred by last week’s abrupt removal of a voting app organizing opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin. 

Both Apple and Google expunged the Smart Voting app from their respective app stores in Russia after being repeatedly warned that it was breaking that country’s laws. 

That galled supporters of free elections and raised worries other government leaders will resort to similar tactics.

BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) — Apple’s and Google’s cooperation with the Russian government’s efforts to suppress an app opposed to the ruling regime is escalating concerns about whether Big Tech’s pursuit of ever-higher profits has trampled their commitment to protecting civil rights. The debate is being spurred by last week’s abrupt removal of a voting app organizing opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Both Apple and Google expunged the Smart Voting app from their respective app stores in Russia after being repeatedly warned that it was breaking that country’s laws. That galled supporters of free elections and raised worries other government leaders will resort to similar tactics.

Apple, Google raise new concerns by yanking Russian app

The Cybersecurity and Infastructure Security Agency (CISA) along with the FBI recommend consumers and businesses <a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news/2021/08/31/cisa-and-fbi-urge-organizations-remain-vigilant-ransomware-threats-holidays" target="_blank">take steps to protect electronic devices against cyber attacks.</a>

Ransomware attacks are becoming a regular occurrence, locking 
computers and networks using file encryption software, with hackers 
demanding payment by Bitcoin or other non-traceable crypto-currency to 
release the data. The attack typically enters through a phishing email 
and then spreads to other machines on the same network.&nbsp;

BBB joins with the <a href="http://www.staysafeonline.org/" target="_blank">National Cyber Security Alliance</a>&nbsp;in suggesting the following cyber hygiene defenses:

Businesses need to take special precautions when it comes to protecting their customers’ information. One of the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/standards-for-trust" target="_blank">BBB Standards for Trust</a>
 is "Safeguard Privacy: Protect any data collected against mishandling 
and fraud, collect personal information only as needed, and respect the 
preferences of consumers regarding the use of their information."

&nbsp;BBB recommends the following <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/business/23641-bbb-business-tip-cybersecurity-practices-every-small-business-needs-to-do-now" target="_blank">cybersecurity tips for U.S. small businesses</a> and <a href="https://cyber.gc.ca/en/" target="_blank">Cyber Security tips for Canada</a>

Consumers can learn more about avoiding scams and fraud at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/8767-bbb-tips-10-steps-to-avoid-scams" target="_blank">10 Steps to Avoid Scams</a>.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632330784200.jpeg" alt="Pixabay photo" />
 <figcaption>Pixabay photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BBBThe Cybersecurity and Infastructure Security Agency (CISA) along with the FBI recommend consumers and businesses <a href="https://www.cisa.gov/news/2021/08/31/cisa-and-fbi-urge-organizations-remain-vigilant-ransomware-threats-holidays" target="_blank">take steps to protect electronic devices against cyber attacks.</a>Ransomware attacks are becoming a regular occurrence, locking 
computers and networks using file encryption software, with hackers 
demanding payment by Bitcoin or other non-traceable crypto-currency to 
release the data. The attack typically enters through a phishing email 
and then spreads to other machines on the same network.&nbsp;BBB joins with the <a href="http://www.staysafeonline.org/" target="_blank">National Cyber Security Alliance</a>&nbsp;in suggesting the following cyber hygiene defenses:<ul>
 <li>Don’t click on links&nbsp;from unfamiliar sources. Even 
if you think you know the sender, be cautious about clicking on email 
links. When in doubt, delete it. Be especially wary of messages 
requiring you to act quickly, asking for personal information, or 
threatening you in any way.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Keep clean machines and stay up-to-date with software:&nbsp;Prevent
 infections by updating critical software as soon as patches or new 
operating system versions are available. This includes mobile and other 
internet-connected devices.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Use strong authentication, requiring more than a 
username and password to access accounts, especially critical networks, 
to prevent access through stolen or hacked credentials.&nbsp;</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Conduct regular backups of systems:&nbsp;Systems can be restored in cases of ransomware and having current backup of all data speeds the recovery process.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Make better passwords:&nbsp;In cases where passwords are
 still used, require long, strong and unique passwords to better harden 
accounts against intrusions.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Enable popup blockers.&nbsp;Popups are regularly used by
 scammers to spread malware. Prevent them from appearing in the first 
place by adjusting your browser settings.</li>
 </ul> Businesses need to take special precautions when it comes to protecting their customers’ information. One of the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/standards-for-trust" target="_blank">BBB Standards for Trust</a>
 is "Safeguard Privacy: Protect any data collected against mishandling 
and fraud, collect personal information only as needed, and respect the 
preferences of consumers regarding the use of their information."&nbsp;BBB recommends the following <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/business/23641-bbb-business-tip-cybersecurity-practices-every-small-business-needs-to-do-now" target="_blank">cybersecurity tips for U.S. small businesses</a> and <a href="https://cyber.gc.ca/en/" target="_blank">Cyber Security tips for Canada</a>Consumers can learn more about avoiding scams and fraud at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/8767-bbb-tips-10-steps-to-avoid-scams" target="_blank">10 Steps to Avoid Scams</a>.&nbsp;

BBB Tip: Update software to help prevent ransomware

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted to keep the government funded, suspend the federal debt limit and provide disaster and refugee aid, setting up a high-stakes showdown with Republicans who oppose the package despite the risk of triggering a fiscal crisis.

The federal government faces a shutdown if funding stops on Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year — midnight next Thursday. Additionally, at some point in October the U.S. risks defaulting on its accumulated debt load if its borrowing limits are not waived or adjusted.

Rushing to prevent that dire outcome, the Democratic-led House passed the measure Tuesday night by a party-line vote of 220-211. The bill now goes to the Senate, where it is likely to falter because of overwhelming GOP opposition.

“Our country will suffer greatly if we do not act now to stave off this unnecessary and preventable crisis,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said shortly before the vote.

Backed by the White House, the Democratic leaders pushed the package to approval at a time of great uncertainty in Congress. With lawmakers already chiseling away at the $3.5 trillion price tag of President Joe Biden’s broad “build back better” agenda, immediate attention focused on the upcoming deadlines to avert deeper problems if votes to shore up government funding fail.

The package approved Tuesday would provide stopgap money to keep the government funded to Dec. 3 and extend borrowing authority through the end of 2022. It includes $28.6 billion in disaster relief for the aftermath of Hurricane Ida and other extreme weather events, and $6.3 billion to support Afghanistan evacuees in the fallout from the end of the 20-year war.

While suspending the debt ceiling allows the government to meet financial obligations already incurred, Republicans argued it would also facilitate a spending binge in the months ahead.

“I will not support signing a blank check as this majority is advancing the most reckless expansion of government in generations,” said Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., during the debate.

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said since Democrats control the White House and Congress, it’s their problem to find the votes — even though he had relied on bipartisan cooperation to approve the debt limits when Republicans were in charge.

“The debt ceiling will be raised as it always should be, but it will be raised by the Democrats,” McConnell said.

In the 50-50 Senate, Democrats will be hard-pressed to find 10 Republicans to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster.

“This is playing with fire,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.

The Treasury Department has been using “extraordinary measures” to fund the government since the last debt limit suspension expired July 31, and projects that at some point next month will run out cash reserves. Then, it will have to rely on incoming receipts to pay its obligations, now at $28.4 trillion. That could force the Treasury to delay or miss payments, a devastating situation.

Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, warned if lawmakers allow a federal debt default “this economic scenario is cataclysmic.”

In a report being circulated by Democrats, Zandi warned that a potential downturn from government funding cutbacks would cost 6 million jobs and stock market losses would wipe out $15 trillion of household wealth.

Once a routine matter, raising the debt ceiling has become a political weapon of choice for Republicans in Washington ever since the 2011 arrival of tea party lawmakers who refused to allow the increase. At the time, they argued against more spending and the standoff triggered a fiscal crisis.

Echoing that strategy, McConnell is setting the tone for his party, but some GOP senators might have a tough time voting no.

Republican John Kennedy of Louisiana, whose state was battered by the hurricane and who is up for election next year, said he will likely vote for the increase. “My people desperately need the help,” he said.

White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that “in our view, this should not be a controversial vote.” Psaki said Congress has raised the debt ceiling numerous times on a bipartisan basis, including three times under President Donald Trump.

Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the Democratic chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, was forced to introduce another version of the bill Tuesday after some within the Democratic caucus objected to the inclusion of $1 billion for Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, which uses missiles to intercept short-range rockets fired into the country.

The Israel defense issue splits Democrats, but DeLauro assured colleagues that money for the weapons system would be included in the annual defense spending bill. Hoyer went a step further and said he would bring a bill to the floor this week to replenish the Iron Dome system.

Republicans were highly critical of the change and vowed to stand as allies with Israel.

Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Democrats were negotiating over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-5ff8a8f7403e1e8cc27f192d87894d9e">Biden’s big “build back better” package</a>&nbsp;as the price tag likely slips to win over skeptical centrist lawmakers who view it as too much.

Publicly, the White House has remained confident the legislation will pass soon, despite sharp differences among progressives and moderates in the party over the eventual size of the package and a companion $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill.

There has been a flurry of outreach from the White House to Democrats on Capitol Hill, and Biden himself was given a call sheet of lawmakers to cajole. The president has been talking to a wide number of lawmakers beyond his recent meetings with key centrist Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., according to a White House official familiar with the calls and granted anonymity to discuss them.

Biden’s big initiative touches almost all aspects of Americans’ lives. It would impose tax hikes on corporations and wealthy Americans earning beyond $400,000 a year and plow that money back into federal programs for young and old, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-69c7bb592f8d73232bec1d8e15be82e3">government health, education and family support&nbsp;</a>and environmental efforts to fight climate change.

With Republicans opposed to Biden’s vision, Democrats have no votes to spare in the Senate, and just a few votes’ margin in the House.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has promised a Sept. 27 vote on the companion $1 trillion bill of public works projects that has already passed the Senate.

Even though that bipartisan bill should be an easy legislative lift, it too faces a political obstacle course. Dozens of lawmakers in the Congressional Progressive Caucus are expected to vote against it if it comes ahead of the broader Biden package. And centrists won’t vote for the broader package unless they are assured the bipartisan bill will also be included.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632274549553.png" alt="House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn. fields questions about the politics of the federal debt, at the Capitol Tuesday-photo courtesy House Appropriations Committee" />
 <figcaption>House Appropriations Committee Chair Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn. fields questions about the politics of the federal debt, at the Capitol Tuesday-photo courtesy House Appropriations Committee</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted to keep the government funded, suspend the federal debt limit and provide disaster and refugee aid, setting up a high-stakes showdown with Republicans who oppose the package despite the risk of triggering a fiscal crisis.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Extending Government Funding and Delivering Emergency Assistance Act provides vital services that working families need. Watch Chair <a href="https://twitter.com/rosadelauro?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@rosadelauro</a> discuss this crucial legislation with <a href="https://twitter.com/RulesDemocrats?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RulesDemocrats</a>: <a href="https://t.co/UOQEdIrNDd">pic.twitter.com/UOQEdIrNDd</a>&mdash; House Appropriations (@AppropsDems) <a href="https://twitter.com/AppropsDems/status/1440386314914828298?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 21, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The federal government faces a shutdown if funding stops on Sept. 30, the end of the fiscal year — midnight next Thursday. Additionally, at some point in October the U.S. risks defaulting on its accumulated debt load if its borrowing limits are not waived or adjusted.Rushing to prevent that dire outcome, the Democratic-led House passed the measure Tuesday night by a party-line vote of 220-211. The bill now goes to the Senate, where it is likely to falter because of overwhelming GOP opposition.“Our country will suffer greatly if we do not act now to stave off this unnecessary and preventable crisis,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said shortly before the vote.Backed by the White House, the Democratic leaders pushed the package to approval at a time of great uncertainty in Congress. With lawmakers already chiseling away at the $3.5 trillion price tag of President Joe Biden’s broad “build back better” agenda, immediate attention focused on the upcoming deadlines to avert deeper problems if votes to shore up government funding fail.The package approved Tuesday would provide stopgap money to keep the government funded to Dec. 3 and extend borrowing authority through the end of 2022. It includes $28.6 billion in disaster relief for the aftermath of Hurricane Ida and other extreme weather events, and $6.3 billion to support Afghanistan evacuees in the fallout from the end of the 20-year war.While suspending the debt ceiling allows the government to meet financial obligations already incurred, Republicans argued it would also facilitate a spending binge in the months ahead.“I will not support signing a blank check as this majority is advancing the most reckless expansion of government in generations,” said Rep. Dan Meuser, R-Pa., during the debate.Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said since Democrats control the White House and Congress, it’s their problem to find the votes — even though he had relied on bipartisan cooperation to approve the debt limits when Republicans were in charge.“The debt ceiling will be raised as it always should be, but it will be raised by the Democrats,” McConnell said.In the 50-50 Senate, Democrats will be hard-pressed to find 10 Republicans to reach the 60-vote threshold needed to overcome a filibuster.“This is playing with fire,” said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.The Treasury Department has been using “extraordinary measures” to fund the government since the last debt limit suspension expired July 31, and projects that at some point next month will run out cash reserves. Then, it will have to rely on incoming receipts to pay its obligations, now at $28.4 trillion. That could force the Treasury to delay or miss payments, a devastating situation.Mark Zandi, the chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, warned if lawmakers allow a federal debt default “this economic scenario is cataclysmic.”In a report being circulated by Democrats, Zandi warned that a potential downturn from government funding cutbacks would cost 6 million jobs and stock market losses would wipe out $15 trillion of household wealth.Once a routine matter, raising the debt ceiling has become a political weapon of choice for Republicans in Washington ever since the 2011 arrival of tea party lawmakers who refused to allow the increase. At the time, they argued against more spending and the standoff triggered a fiscal crisis.Echoing that strategy, McConnell is setting the tone for his party, but some GOP senators might have a tough time voting no.Republican John Kennedy of Louisiana, whose state was battered by the hurricane and who is up for election next year, said he will likely vote for the increase. “My people desperately need the help,” he said.White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that “in our view, this should not be a controversial vote.” Psaki said Congress has raised the debt ceiling numerous times on a bipartisan basis, including three times under President Donald Trump.Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the Democratic chairwoman of the House Appropriations Committee, was forced to introduce another version of the bill Tuesday after some within the Democratic caucus objected to the inclusion of $1 billion for Israel’s Iron Dome defense system, which uses missiles to intercept short-range rockets fired into the country.The Israel defense issue splits Democrats, but DeLauro assured colleagues that money for the weapons system would be included in the annual defense spending bill. Hoyer went a step further and said he would bring a bill to the floor this week to replenish the Iron Dome system.Republicans were highly critical of the change and vowed to stand as allies with Israel.Meanwhile, behind the scenes, Democrats were negotiating over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-health-5ff8a8f7403e1e8cc27f192d87894d9e">Biden’s big “build back better” package</a>&nbsp;as the price tag likely slips to win over skeptical centrist lawmakers who view it as too much.Publicly, the White House has remained confident the legislation will pass soon, despite sharp differences among progressives and moderates in the party over the eventual size of the package and a companion $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill.There has been a flurry of outreach from the White House to Democrats on Capitol Hill, and Biden himself was given a call sheet of lawmakers to cajole. The president has been talking to a wide number of lawmakers beyond his recent meetings with key centrist Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., according to a White House official familiar with the calls and granted anonymity to discuss them.Biden’s big initiative touches almost all aspects of Americans’ lives. It would impose tax hikes on corporations and wealthy Americans earning beyond $400,000 a year and plow that money back into federal programs for young and old, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-health-care-69c7bb592f8d73232bec1d8e15be82e3">government health, education and family support&nbsp;</a>and environmental efforts to fight climate change.With Republicans opposed to Biden’s vision, Democrats have no votes to spare in the Senate, and just a few votes’ margin in the House.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has promised a Sept. 27 vote on the companion $1 trillion bill of public works projects that has already passed the Senate.Even though that bipartisan bill should be an easy legislative lift, it too faces a political obstacle course. Dozens of lawmakers in the Congressional Progressive Caucus are expected to vote against it if it comes ahead of the broader Biden package. And centrists won’t vote for the broader package unless they are assured the bipartisan bill will also be included.

House votes to suspend federal debt limit inviting clash with GOP

WASHINGTON —&nbsp;The IRS today introduced a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/large-tax-refunds-and-credits-subject-to-review-by-the-joint-committee-on-taxation-what-to-expect">new webpage</a>
 that provides information to taxpayers whose large refunds are subject 
to further review by the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT or Joint 
Committee).

By law, when taxpayers claim a federal tax refund or credit of more 
than $2 million ($5 million for a C corporation), the IRS must review 
the refund or credit and provide a report to the JCT, a non-partisan 
committee of the U.S. Congress. Refunds subject to this review are known
 as “Joint Committee Refund Cases.”

Taxpayers can now find answers to most questions about Joint Committee case reviews and links to additional resources at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/large-tax-refunds-and-credits-subject-to-review-by-the-joint-committee-on-taxation-what-to-expect">Large Tax Refunds and Credits Subject to Review by the Joint Committee on Taxation – What to Expect</a>.

The new webpage covers the following topics:

A Joint Committee Refund Case may arise from the following:

The IRS estimates the new webpage will help hundreds of 
taxpayers. The agency notifies taxpayers who have Joint Committee Refund
 Cases that are subject to review. Taxpayers who have been contacted by 
an IRS agent should work with the agent assigned to their Joint 
Committee Refund Case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON —&nbsp;The IRS today introduced a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/large-tax-refunds-and-credits-subject-to-review-by-the-joint-committee-on-taxation-what-to-expect">new webpage</a>
 that provides information to taxpayers whose large refunds are subject 
to further review by the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT or Joint 
Committee).By law, when taxpayers claim a federal tax refund or credit of more 
than $2 million ($5 million for a C corporation), the IRS must review 
the refund or credit and provide a report to the JCT, a non-partisan 
committee of the U.S. Congress. Refunds subject to this review are known
 as “Joint Committee Refund Cases.”Taxpayers can now find answers to most questions about Joint Committee case reviews and links to additional resources at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/refunds/large-tax-refunds-and-credits-subject-to-review-by-the-joint-committee-on-taxation-what-to-expect">Large Tax Refunds and Credits Subject to Review by the Joint Committee on Taxation – What to Expect</a>.The new webpage covers the following topics:<ul>
 <li>What is a Joint Committee Refund Case</li><li>How the IRS handles a Joint Committee Refund Case</li><li>What you need to do</li>
 </ul>A Joint Committee Refund Case may arise from the following:<ul>
 <li>A refund claim for previously assessed and paid taxes. A refund 
claim may be made on an amended return or be made by a claim submitted 
during an examination. A refund claim would be reviewed by the IRS and 
reported to the JCT before being paid.</li><li>A tentative refund from tentative carrybacks of net operating 
losses, capital losses or credits. The tentative refund would be claimed
 on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1139">Form 1139, Corporation Application for Tentative Refund</a>, or on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-form-1045">Form 1045, Application for Tentative Refund</a>. A tentative refund would be paid prior to IRS and JCT review.</li><li>A refund or credit of income taxes due to certain losses relating to federally declared disasters.</li>
 </ul>The IRS estimates the new webpage will help hundreds of 
taxpayers. The agency notifies taxpayers who have Joint Committee Refund
 Cases that are subject to review. Taxpayers who have been contacted by 
an IRS agent should work with the agent assigned to their Joint 
Committee Refund Case.

New IRS website launched to help taxpayers with refund reviews

BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — A suburban Omaha principal is on leave after being charged with drunken driving after rear-ending a motorcycle and injuring its driver. 

Andrew Miller, 46 of Omaha, was arrested Friday after the crash near 141st and Pacific streets.

 Motorcyclist Bruce Blaydes, 58, of Omaha, remained in critical condition Tuesday, a hospital spokeswoman said. 

The Bellevue schools district said Miller remains on paid leave from his job as principal of LeMay Elementary School. 

Miller remained jailed Tuesday in lieu of $250,000 bail. Online court records do not show an attorney who could comment on his behalf.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632263919172.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — A suburban Omaha principal is on leave after being charged with drunken driving after rear-ending a motorcycle and injuring its driver. Andrew Miller, 46 of Omaha, was arrested Friday after the crash near 141st and Pacific streets. Motorcyclist Bruce Blaydes, 58, of Omaha, remained in critical condition Tuesday, a hospital spokeswoman said. The Bellevue schools district said Miller remains on paid leave from his job as principal of LeMay Elementary School. Miller remained jailed Tuesday in lieu of $250,000 bail. Online court records do not show an attorney who could comment on his behalf.

Nebraska elementary principal on leave after drunken driving arrest

WASHINGTON (AP) —Several progressive lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a bill that would reimpose a nationwide eviction moratorium at a time when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-pandemics-united-states-coronavirus-pandemic-c15d5c6dd7ece88d0832993f11279fbb">deaths from COVID-19</a>&nbsp;are running at their highest levels since early March.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., said the bill would direct the secretary of Health and Human Services to implement a ban on evictions in response to the COVID pandemic. It would also amend a section of the Public Health Service Act to grant permanent authority to Health and Human Services to implement an eviction moratorium to address public health crises.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-courts-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-daa34fb48a04dc9f3ddad94fb6b4cbb2">Supreme Court’s conservative majority</a>&nbsp;at the end of August allowed evictions to resume across the United States, blocking the Biden administration from enforcing a temporary ban that was put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“This pandemic isn’t over, and we have to do everything we can to protect renters from the harm and trauma of needless eviction, which upends the lives of those struggling to get back on their feet,” Warren said in a statement. “Pushing hundreds of thousands of people out of their homes will only exacerbate this public health crisis, and cause economic harm to families, their communities, and our overall recovery."

Bush, who pressured Biden to extend the moratorium until the end of August and was once evicted herself, said the delta variant-fueled surge makes a moratorium critical.

“As the delta variant continues to force individuals to quarantine, close schools, and stifle businesses, we must do all we can to save lives. That starts with keeping every person safely housed,” she said. Three dozen other lawmakers supported the bill.

Eviction filings have begun to tick up since the moratorium was lifted but most advocates said a surge in actual evictions is still weeks away. Nearly 3.7 million people in the U.S. as of Aug. 30 said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey. That is slightly higher than the numbers early in August.

Many tenants at risk of eviction are counting on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-us-supreme-court-172517788bd2d5974c245627086ca6f8">emergency rental relief</a>&nbsp;to keep them housed. But that money has been slow to reach them so pressure has increased to reimpose a moratorium.

The Treasury Department said last month that just over $5.1 billion of the estimated $46.5 billion in federal rental assistance — only 11% — has been distributed by states and localities through July. This includes some $3 billion handed out by the end of June and another $1.5 billion by May 31.

The prospects for the bill remain unclear but housing advocates said a moratorium was the best way to ensure more people are forced from their homes.

“The federal eviction moratorium was a lifeline for millions of renters, and the last federal protection keeping many of them stably housed as they wait for emergency rental assistance to reach them,” said Diane Yentel, CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. “Without the moratorium in place, families will be pushed deeper into poverty, communities will struggle with increased spread of COVID-19, and our country will have a harder time containing the virus.”

Landlords, who have long opposed the moratorium, said it would only saddle renters with debt they can't pay.

"Instead of responsibly addressing the crisis at hand, moratoriums leave renters strapped with insurmountable debt and housing providers left to unfairly hold the bag," said Greg Brown, a senior vice president for government affairs at the National Apartment Association. “Ultimately, any effort to pursue additional moratoriums will only balloon the nation’s rental debt ... and exacerbate the housing affordability crisis, permanently jeopardizing the availability of safe and affordable housing.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632242311950.png" alt="During the Tuesday news conference, Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo. and&nbsp;Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. said the bill would direct the secretary of Health and Human Services to implement a ban on evictions in response to the COVID pandemic.-photo office of Rep. Cori Bush" />
 <figcaption>During the Tuesday news conference, Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo. and&nbsp;Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass. said the bill would direct the secretary of Health and Human Services to implement a ban on evictions in response to the COVID pandemic.-photo office of Rep. Cori Bush</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Several progressive lawmakers on Tuesday introduced a bill that would reimpose a nationwide eviction moratorium at a time when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-pandemics-united-states-coronavirus-pandemic-c15d5c6dd7ece88d0832993f11279fbb">deaths from COVID-19</a>&nbsp;are running at their highest levels since early March.Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., said the bill would direct the secretary of Health and Human Services to implement a ban on evictions in response to the COVID pandemic. It would also amend a section of the Public Health Service Act to grant permanent authority to Health and Human Services to implement an eviction moratorium to address public health crises.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-courts-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-daa34fb48a04dc9f3ddad94fb6b4cbb2">Supreme Court’s conservative majority</a>&nbsp;at the end of August allowed evictions to resume across the United States, blocking the Biden administration from enforcing a temporary ban that was put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic.“This pandemic isn’t over, and we have to do everything we can to protect renters from the harm and trauma of needless eviction, which upends the lives of those struggling to get back on their feet,” Warren said in a statement. “Pushing hundreds of thousands of people out of their homes will only exacerbate this public health crisis, and cause economic harm to families, their communities, and our overall recovery."Bush, who pressured Biden to extend the moratorium until the end of August and was once evicted herself, said the delta variant-fueled surge makes a moratorium critical.“As the delta variant continues to force individuals to quarantine, close schools, and stifle businesses, we must do all we can to save lives. That starts with keeping every person safely housed,” she said. Three dozen other lawmakers supported the bill.Eviction filings have begun to tick up since the moratorium was lifted but most advocates said a surge in actual evictions is still weeks away. Nearly 3.7 million people in the U.S. as of Aug. 30 said they face eviction in the next two months, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey. That is slightly higher than the numbers early in August.Many tenants at risk of eviction are counting on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-business-health-coronavirus-pandemic-us-supreme-court-172517788bd2d5974c245627086ca6f8">emergency rental relief</a>&nbsp;to keep them housed. But that money has been slow to reach them so pressure has increased to reimpose a moratorium.The Treasury Department said last month that just over $5.1 billion of the estimated $46.5 billion in federal rental assistance — only 11% — has been distributed by states and localities through July. This includes some $3 billion handed out by the end of June and another $1.5 billion by May 31.The prospects for the bill remain unclear but housing advocates said a moratorium was the best way to ensure more people are forced from their homes.“The federal eviction moratorium was a lifeline for millions of renters, and the last federal protection keeping many of them stably housed as they wait for emergency rental assistance to reach them,” said Diane Yentel, CEO of the National Low Income Housing Coalition. “Without the moratorium in place, families will be pushed deeper into poverty, communities will struggle with increased spread of COVID-19, and our country will have a harder time containing the virus.”Landlords, who have long opposed the moratorium, said it would only saddle renters with debt they can't pay."Instead of responsibly addressing the crisis at hand, moratoriums leave renters strapped with insurmountable debt and housing providers left to unfairly hold the bag," said Greg Brown, a senior vice president for government affairs at the National Apartment Association. “Ultimately, any effort to pursue additional moratoriums will only balloon the nation’s rental debt ... and exacerbate the housing affordability crisis, permanently jeopardizing the availability of safe and affordable housing.”

Lawmakers attempt to revive nationwide eviction moratorium 

SUMNER COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accident involving a lawnmower and a small child.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Just before 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Mulvane EMS&nbsp; responded to a home on East Samantha Court in Mulvane, according to a media release.

Upon arrival they discovered a 1-year-old with life-threatening injuries. EMS transported the child to a Wichita hospital. The child's grandparents have&nbsp; established a<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/medical-expenses-for-everlee-kay?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=copy_link_all&amp;utm_source=customer"> GoFundMe</a> to assist the family.

Police have released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632243860459.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SUMNER COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accident involving a lawnmower and a small child.&nbsp; &nbsp;Just before 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Mulvane EMS&nbsp; responded to a home on East Samantha Court in Mulvane, according to a media release.Upon arrival they discovered a 1-year-old with life-threatening injuries. EMS transported the child to a Wichita hospital. The child's grandparents have&nbsp; established a<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/medical-expenses-for-everlee-kay?utm_campaign=p_cp+share-sheet&amp;utm_medium=copy_link_all&amp;utm_source=customer"> GoFundMe</a> to assist the family.Police have released no additional details.

Toddler injured in lawnmower accident at Kansas home

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A former chancellor for the Roman Catholic Church's Archdiocese of Omaha is under criminal investigation after being accused of stealing a total of $275,000 from a former priest accused of sexual abuse and from a Springfield parish. 

The Omaha World-Herald reports that the Rev. Michael Gutgsell is accused of stealing $179,000 from the saving of the late Rev. Theodore Richling Jr. and $96,000 from St. Joseph Catholic Church in Springfield. 

The archdiocese announced the 72-year-old Gutgsell's resignation last month, saying a routine audit had uncovered the theft. 

Deacon Tim McNeill, the current chancellor of the archdiocese, says Gutgsell wrote unauthorized loans to himself during his time at St. Joseph.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A former chancellor for the Roman Catholic Church's Archdiocese of Omaha is under criminal investigation after being accused of stealing a total of $275,000 from a former priest accused of sexual abuse and from a Springfield parish. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the Rev. Michael Gutgsell is accused of stealing $179,000 from the saving of the late Rev. Theodore Richling Jr. and $96,000 from St. Joseph Catholic Church in Springfield. The archdiocese announced the 72-year-old Gutgsell's resignation last month, saying a routine audit had uncovered the theft. Deacon Tim McNeill, the current chancellor of the archdiocese, says Gutgsell wrote unauthorized loans to himself during his time at St. Joseph.

Ex-Omaha Archdiocese chancellor accused of stealing $275K

SPRINGFIELD, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a man died in a tractor accident on private property in eastern Nebraska over the weekend. 

The Sarpy County Sheriff's Office says the accident happened Saturday afternoon on a property just east of Springfield. 

Lt. Greg Monico tells the Omaha World-Herald that the 79-year-old victim had gone out to trim trees on his property. 

When he didn't return home as scheduled, his wife went to look for him and found him pinned under the tractor. 

Authorities have not released the man's name.

SPRINGFIELD, Neb. (AP) — Authorities say a man died in a tractor accident on private property in eastern Nebraska over the weekend. The Sarpy County Sheriff's Office says the accident happened Saturday afternoon on a property just east of Springfield. Lt. Greg Monico tells the Omaha World-Herald that the 79-year-old victim had gone out to trim trees on his property. When he didn't return home as scheduled, his wife went to look for him and found him pinned under the tractor. Authorities have not released the man's name.

Man killed in farm accident on property in eastern Nebraska

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Sept. 1, shooting and after asking for the public help have identified a suspect&nbsp;as Adofo-Julius J. Smith, 19 of Topeka.&nbsp;

He is a person of interest in the shooting that occurred on September 1 in the 1300 block of SW Huntoon Street in Topeka. Just after 7:30p.m. that day, officers arrived at the scene and found an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.

TPD is asking for the public’s help in locating Smith. If you see Smith, call 911 immediately. Anonymous tips regarding Smith’s whereabouts can be made by calling Shawnee County Crime

Stoppers at 785-234-0007. You can also make anonymous tips online at www.p3tips.com/128. 

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and asking the public for help to identify suspect.

Just after 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, police&nbsp; were dispatched to the 1300 Block of SW Huntoon Street in Topeka in reference to a shooting, according to Lt. Edward Stanley.

Officers arrived and found an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.

Police are attempting to identify the suspects as seen on security cameras.&nbsp; Anyone with information is asked to call police at 785-368-9551 or email telltpd@topeka.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630680788404.png" alt="Photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Sept. 1, shooting and after asking for the public help have identified a suspect&nbsp;as Adofo-Julius J. Smith, 19 of Topeka.&nbsp;He is a person of interest in the shooting that occurred on September 1 in the 1300 block of SW Huntoon Street in Topeka. Just after 7:30p.m. that day, officers arrived at the scene and found an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630579814551.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TPD is asking for the public’s help in locating Smith. If you see Smith, call 911 immediately. Anonymous tips regarding Smith’s whereabouts can be made by calling Shawnee County CrimeStoppers at 785-234-0007. You can also make anonymous tips online at www.p3tips.com/128. ---------SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and asking the public for help to identify suspect.Just after 7:30 p.m., Tuesday, police&nbsp; were dispatched to the 1300 Block of SW Huntoon Street in Topeka in reference to a shooting, according to Lt. Edward Stanley.Officers arrived and found an adult male suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital with life threatening injuries.Police are attempting to identify the suspects as seen on security cameras.&nbsp; Anyone with information is asked to call police at 785-368-9551 or email telltpd@topeka.org.

Police ID suspect in Kan. shooting, ask for help to find him 

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — President Joe Biden used his first address before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-general-assembly-health-china-coronavirus-pandemic-africa-3284c8ff8739dd7cfaf78db214098403">U.N. General Assembly</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday to declare that the world stands and at an “inflection point in history” and must move quickly and cooperatively to address the festering issues of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and human rights abuse.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?514742-1/president-biden-world-leaders-address-un-general-assembly&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here to watch </a>a replay of President Biden's comments.

Amid growing China tensions Biden also declared the U.S. is “not seeking a new Cold War.”

Without mentioning China directly, Biden acknowledged increasing concerns about rising tensions between the two nations. But he said, “We are not seeking a new Cold War or a world divided into rigid blocs.”

The president noted his decision to end America’s longest war last month, in Afghanistan, and set the table for his administration to shift U.S. attention to intensive diplomacy with no shortage of crises facing the globe. He said he is driven by a belief that “to deliver for our own people, we must also engage deeply with the rest of the world.”

“We’ve ended 20 years of conflict in Afghanistan,” Biden said. “And as we close this period of relentless war, we’re opening a new era of relentless diplomacy of using the power of our development aid to invest in new ways of lifting people up around the world.”

Biden, who arrived in New York on Monday evening to meet with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ahead of Tuesday’s address, offered a full-throated endorsement of the body’s relevance and ambition at a difficult moment in history.

The president, in brief remarks at the start of his meeting with Guterres, returned to his mantra that “America is back” — a phrase that’s become presidential shorthand meant to encapsulate his promise to take a dramatically different tack with allies than predecessor Donald Trump. In his remarks, he declared the United States was “back at the table.”

“We will lead not just with the example of our power but God willing with the power of our example,” Biden said Monday night.

But the president was facing a healthy measure of skepticism from allies during his week of high-level diplomacy. The opening months of his presidency have included a series of difficult moments with friendly nations that were expecting greater cooperation from Biden following four years of Trump’s “America first” approach to foreign policy.

Eight months into his presidency, Biden has been out of sync with allies on the chaotic ending to the U.S. war in Afghanistan. He has faced differences over how to go about sharing coronavirus vaccines with the developing world and over pandemic travel restrictions. And there are questions about the best way to respond to military and economic moves by China.

Biden also finds himself in the midst of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-business-france-new-york-paris-a3098023771399baea74520cf8adaa7f">fresh diplomatic spat with France,&nbsp;</a>the United States’ oldest ally, after announcing plans — along with Britain — to equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. The move is expected to give Australia improved capabilities to patrol the Pacific amid growing concern about the Chinese military’s increasingly aggressive tactics, but it upended a French defense contract worth at least $66 billion to sell diesel-powered submarines to Australia.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Monday there was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-business-france-new-york-paris-a3098023771399baea74520cf8adaa7f">“crisis of trust”</a>&nbsp;with the U.S. as a result of the episode.

Biden downplayed the tensions with France. Asked by a reporter as he arrived at the U.N. on Tuesday how he planned to repair relations with the French, Biden responded merely, “They’re great.”

Before Biden’s arrival, EU Council President Charles Michel strongly criticized the Biden administration for leaving Europe “out of the game in the Indo-Pacific region” and ignoring the underlying elements of the trans-Atlantic alliance — transparency and loyalty — in the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the announcement of the U.S.-U.K.-Australia alliance.

Despite such differences, Biden hoped to use his address to the General Assembly as well as a series of one-on-one and larger meetings with world leaders this week to make the case for American leadership on the world stage.

“There are points of disagreement, including when we have disagreed with the decisions other countries are making, the decision points of when countries have disagreed with the decisions we’re making,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. “But the larger point here ... is that we are committed to those alliances, and that always requires work from every president, from every global leader.”

In an interview before his meeting with Biden, Guterres&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-general-assembly-china-climate-united-states-health-f1186707bee7f8376b0be5523496ddca">told The Associated Press&nbsp;</a>that he was concerned about the “completely dysfunctional” U.S.-China relationship and that it could lead to a new cold war. Psaki said the administration disagreed with the assessment, adding that the U.S.-China relationship was “one not of conflict but of competition.”

The secretary-general did not back off his concerns about the U.S.-China tensions as he addressed leaders at the opening of Tuesday’s gathering. “It will be impossible to address dramatic economic and development challenges, while the world’s two largest economies are at odds with each other”

Biden put a heavy emphasis on a need for world leaders to work together on the COVID-19 pandemic, meet past obligations to address climate change, head off emerging technology issues and firm up trade rules.

“We will choose to build a better future. We, you and I, we have the will and capacity to make it better. Ladies and gentlemen, we cannot afford to waste any more time. ... We can do this.”

The Biden administration on Monday announced plans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-easing-foreign-travel-restrictions-requiring-vaccines-5d78d14dab51389b02fd70228a5b55b9">ease foreign travel restrictions</a>&nbsp;to the U.S. beginning in November. The U.S. has largely restricted travel by non-U.S. citizens coming from Europe since the start of the pandemic, an issue that had become a point of contention in trans-Atlantic relations.

The new rules will allow foreigners in if they have proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test, the White House said Monday.

Biden planned to limit his time at the United Nations due to coronavirus concerns. He was to meet with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison while in New York before shifting the rest of the week’s diplomacy to virtual and Washington settings.

At a virtual COVID-19 summit Biden is hosting Wednesday, leaders will be urged to step up vaccine-sharing commitments, address oxygen shortages around the globe and deal with other critical pandemic-related issues.

The president is also scheduled to meet with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday at the White House, and invited the prime ministers of Australia, India and Japan — part of a Pacific alliance known as “the Quad” — to Washington on Friday. In addition to the gathering of Quad leaders, Biden will sit down for one-on-one meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632235233386.png" alt="President Biden, arrived in New York on Monday evening to meet with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ahead of Tuesday’s address. photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Biden, arrived in New York on Monday evening to meet with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ahead of Tuesday’s address. photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>UNITED NATIONS (AP) — President Joe Biden used his first address before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-general-assembly-health-china-coronavirus-pandemic-africa-3284c8ff8739dd7cfaf78db214098403">U.N. General Assembly</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday to declare that the world stands and at an “inflection point in history” and must move quickly and cooperatively to address the festering issues of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and human rights abuse.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?514742-1/president-biden-world-leaders-address-un-general-assembly&amp;live&amp;vod">Click here to watch </a>a replay of President Biden's comments.Amid growing China tensions Biden also declared the U.S. is “not seeking a new Cold War.”Without mentioning China directly, Biden acknowledged increasing concerns about rising tensions between the two nations. But he said, “We are not seeking a new Cold War or a world divided into rigid blocs.”The president noted his decision to end America’s longest war last month, in Afghanistan, and set the table for his administration to shift U.S. attention to intensive diplomacy with no shortage of crises facing the globe. He said he is driven by a belief that “to deliver for our own people, we must also engage deeply with the rest of the world.”“We’ve ended 20 years of conflict in Afghanistan,” Biden said. “And as we close this period of relentless war, we’re opening a new era of relentless diplomacy of using the power of our development aid to invest in new ways of lifting people up around the world.”Biden, who arrived in New York on Monday evening to meet with Secretary-General Antonio Guterres ahead of Tuesday’s address, offered a full-throated endorsement of the body’s relevance and ambition at a difficult moment in history.The president, in brief remarks at the start of his meeting with Guterres, returned to his mantra that “America is back” — a phrase that’s become presidential shorthand meant to encapsulate his promise to take a dramatically different tack with allies than predecessor Donald Trump. In his remarks, he declared the United States was “back at the table.”“We will lead not just with the example of our power but God willing with the power of our example,” Biden said Monday night.But the president was facing a healthy measure of skepticism from allies during his week of high-level diplomacy. The opening months of his presidency have included a series of difficult moments with friendly nations that were expecting greater cooperation from Biden following four years of Trump’s “America first” approach to foreign policy.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632234956890.png" alt="Biden put a heavy emphasis on a need for world leaders to work together on the COVID-19 pandemic, meet past obligations to address climate change, head off emerging technology issues and firm up trade rules.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Biden put a heavy emphasis on a need for world leaders to work together on the COVID-19 pandemic, meet past obligations to address climate change, head off emerging technology issues and firm up trade rules.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Eight months into his presidency, Biden has been out of sync with allies on the chaotic ending to the U.S. war in Afghanistan. He has faced differences over how to go about sharing coronavirus vaccines with the developing world and over pandemic travel restrictions. And there are questions about the best way to respond to military and economic moves by China.Biden also finds himself in the midst of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-business-france-new-york-paris-a3098023771399baea74520cf8adaa7f">fresh diplomatic spat with France,&nbsp;</a>the United States’ oldest ally, after announcing plans — along with Britain — to equip Australia with nuclear-powered submarines. The move is expected to give Australia improved capabilities to patrol the Pacific amid growing concern about the Chinese military’s increasingly aggressive tactics, but it upended a French defense contract worth at least $66 billion to sell diesel-powered submarines to Australia.French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Monday there was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-business-france-new-york-paris-a3098023771399baea74520cf8adaa7f">“crisis of trust”</a>&nbsp;with the U.S. as a result of the episode.Biden downplayed the tensions with France. Asked by a reporter as he arrived at the U.N. on Tuesday how he planned to repair relations with the French, Biden responded merely, “They’re great.”Before Biden’s arrival, EU Council President Charles Michel strongly criticized the Biden administration for leaving Europe “out of the game in the Indo-Pacific region” and ignoring the underlying elements of the trans-Atlantic alliance — transparency and loyalty — in the withdrawal from Afghanistan and the announcement of the U.S.-U.K.-Australia alliance.Despite such differences, Biden hoped to use his address to the General Assembly as well as a series of one-on-one and larger meetings with world leaders this week to make the case for American leadership on the world stage.“There are points of disagreement, including when we have disagreed with the decisions other countries are making, the decision points of when countries have disagreed with the decisions we’re making,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said. “But the larger point here ... is that we are committed to those alliances, and that always requires work from every president, from every global leader.”In an interview before his meeting with Biden, Guterres&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-general-assembly-china-climate-united-states-health-f1186707bee7f8376b0be5523496ddca">told The Associated Press&nbsp;</a>that he was concerned about the “completely dysfunctional” U.S.-China relationship and that it could lead to a new cold war. Psaki said the administration disagreed with the assessment, adding that the U.S.-China relationship was “one not of conflict but of competition.”The secretary-general did not back off his concerns about the U.S.-China tensions as he addressed leaders at the opening of Tuesday’s gathering. “It will be impossible to address dramatic economic and development challenges, while the world’s two largest economies are at odds with each other”Biden put a heavy emphasis on a need for world leaders to work together on the COVID-19 pandemic, meet past obligations to address climate change, head off emerging technology issues and firm up trade rules.“We will choose to build a better future. We, you and I, we have the will and capacity to make it better. Ladies and gentlemen, we cannot afford to waste any more time. ... We can do this.”The Biden administration on Monday announced plans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-easing-foreign-travel-restrictions-requiring-vaccines-5d78d14dab51389b02fd70228a5b55b9">ease foreign travel restrictions</a>&nbsp;to the U.S. beginning in November. The U.S. has largely restricted travel by non-U.S. citizens coming from Europe since the start of the pandemic, an issue that had become a point of contention in trans-Atlantic relations.The new rules will allow foreigners in if they have proof of vaccination and a negative COVID-19 test, the White House said Monday.Biden planned to limit his time at the United Nations due to coronavirus concerns. He was to meet with Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison while in New York before shifting the rest of the week’s diplomacy to virtual and Washington settings.At a virtual COVID-19 summit Biden is hosting Wednesday, leaders will be urged to step up vaccine-sharing commitments, address oxygen shortages around the globe and deal with other critical pandemic-related issues.The president is also scheduled to meet with British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday at the White House, and invited the prime ministers of Australia, India and Japan — part of a Pacific alliance known as “the Quad” — to Washington on Friday. In addition to the gathering of Quad leaders, Biden will sit down for one-on-one meetings with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.___

🎥  Pres. Biden declares World at 'inflection point' amid crises

LONDON (AP) — Johnson &amp; Johnson released data showing that a booster dose to its one-shot coronavirus vaccine provides a strong immune response months after people receive a first dose.

J&amp;J said in statement Tuesday that it ran two early studies in people previously given its vaccine and found that a second dose produced an increased antibody response in adults from age 18 to 55. The study’s results haven’t yet been peer-reviewed.

“A booster dose of the Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 vaccine further increases antibody responses among study participants who had previously received our vaccine,” said Dr. Mathai Mammen, global head of research and development at J&amp;J. The company previously published data showing its one-shot dose provided protection for up to eight months after immunization.

J&amp;J said it is now in talks with regulators including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency and others regarding using booster doses of its vaccine.

J&amp;J’s vaccine is approved for use in the U.S., across Europe and there are plans for at least 200 million doses to be shared with the U.N.-backed COVAX effort aimed at distributing vaccines to poor countries. But the company has been plagued by production problems and millions of doses made at a troubled factory in Baltimore had to be thrown out.

The J&amp;J vaccine has been considered critical by numerous health officials to ending the pandemic because it requires only one shot, but fears about the easier-to-spread delta coronavirus variant have prompted numerous governments to consider the use of booster shots for many approved vaccines.

Last week, experts at the FDA recommended people 65 and older get a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech while Britain previously authorized booster shots for people 50 and over in addition to priority groups like health workers and those with underlying health conditions. Other countries including Israel, France and Germany have also begun offering third vaccine doses to some people.

The World Health Organization has urged rich countries to stop administering booster doses until at least the end of the year, saying vaccines should immediately be redirected to Africa, where fewer than 4% of the population is fully immunized. In a paper published last week in the journal Lancet, top scientists from the WHO and FDA argued that the average person doesn’t need a booster shot and that the authorized vaccines to date provide strong protection against severe COVID-19, hospitalization and death.

LONDON (AP) — Johnson &amp; Johnson released data showing that a booster dose to its one-shot coronavirus vaccine provides a strong immune response months after people receive a first dose.J&amp;J said in statement Tuesday that it ran two early studies in people previously given its vaccine and found that a second dose produced an increased antibody response in adults from age 18 to 55. The study’s results haven’t yet been peer-reviewed.“A booster dose of the Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 vaccine further increases antibody responses among study participants who had previously received our vaccine,” said Dr. Mathai Mammen, global head of research and development at J&amp;J. The company previously published data showing its one-shot dose provided protection for up to eight months after immunization.J&amp;J said it is now in talks with regulators including the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the European Medicines Agency and others regarding using booster doses of its vaccine.J&amp;J’s vaccine is approved for use in the U.S., across Europe and there are plans for at least 200 million doses to be shared with the U.N.-backed COVAX effort aimed at distributing vaccines to poor countries. But the company has been plagued by production problems and millions of doses made at a troubled factory in Baltimore had to be thrown out.The J&amp;J vaccine has been considered critical by numerous health officials to ending the pandemic because it requires only one shot, but fears about the easier-to-spread delta coronavirus variant have prompted numerous governments to consider the use of booster shots for many approved vaccines.Last week, experts at the FDA recommended people 65 and older get a third dose of the COVID-19 vaccine made by Pfizer-BioNTech while Britain previously authorized booster shots for people 50 and over in addition to priority groups like health workers and those with underlying health conditions. Other countries including Israel, France and Germany have also begun offering third vaccine doses to some people.The World Health Organization has urged rich countries to stop administering booster doses until at least the end of the year, saying vaccines should immediately be redirected to Africa, where fewer than 4% of the population is fully immunized. In a paper published last week in the journal Lancet, top scientists from the WHO and FDA argued that the average person doesn’t need a booster shot and that the authorized vaccines to date provide strong protection against severe COVID-19, hospitalization and death.

J&J: Booster dose of its COVID shot prompts strong response

COVID-19 has now killed about as many Americans as the 1918-19 Spanish flu pandemic did — approximately 675,000.

The U.S. population a century ago was just one-third of what it is today, meaning the flu cut a much bigger, more lethal swath through the country. But the COVID-19 crisis is by any measure a colossal tragedy in its own right, especially given the incredible advances in scientific knowledge since then and the failure to take maximum advantage of the vaccines available this time.

“Big pockets of American society — and, worse, their leaders — have thrown this away,” medical historian Dr. Howard Markel of the University of Michigan said of the opportunity to vaccinate everyone eligible by now.

Like the Spanish flu, the coronavirus may never entirely disappear from our midst. Instead, scientists hope it becomes a mild seasonal bug as human immunity strengthens through vaccination and repeated infection. That could take time.

“We hope it will be like getting a cold, but there’s no guarantee,” said Emory University biologist Rustom Antia, who suggests an optimistic scenario in which this could happen over a few years.

For now, the pandemic still has the United States and other parts of the world firmly in its jaws.

While the delta-fueled surge in infections may have peaked, U.S. deaths are running at over 1,900 a day on average, the highest level since early March, and the country’s overall toll topped 675,000 Monday, according to the count kept by Johns Hopkins University, though the real number is believed to be higher.

Winter may bring a new surge, with the University of Washington’s influential model projecting an additional 100,000 or so Americans will die of COVID-19 by Jan. 1, which would bring the overall U.S. toll to 776,000.

The 1918-19 influenza pandemic killed 50 million victims globally at a time when the world had one-quarter the population it does now. Global deaths from COVID-19 now stand at more than 4.6 million.

The Spanish flu’s U.S. death toll is a rough guess, given the incomplete records of the era and the poor scientific understanding of what caused the illness. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1918-pandemic-h1n1.html" target="_blank">675,000 figure</a>&nbsp;comes from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The ebbing of COVID-19 could happen if the virus progressively weakens as it mutates and more and more humans’ immune systems learn to attack it. Vaccination and surviving infection are the main ways the immune system improves. Breast-fed infants also gain some immunity from their mothers.

Under that optimistic scenario, schoolchildren would get mild illness that trains their immune systems. As they grow up, the children would carry the immune response memory, so that when they are old and vulnerable, the coronavirus would be no more dangerous than cold viruses.

The same goes for today’s vaccinated teens: Their immune systems would get stronger through the shots and mild infections.

“We will all get infected,” Antia predicted. “What’s important is whether the infections are severe.”

Something similar happened with the H1N1 flu virus, the culprit in the 1918-19 pandemic. It encountered too many people who were immune, and it also eventually weakened through mutation. H1N1 still circulates today, but immunity acquired through infection and vaccination has triumphed.

Getting an annual flu shot now protects against H1N1 and several other strains of flu. To be sure, flu kills between 12,000 and 61,000 Americans each year, but on average, it is a seasonal problem and a manageable one.

Before COVID-19, the 1918-19 flu was universally considered the worst pandemic disease in human history. Whether the current scourge ultimately proves deadlier is unclear.

In many ways, the 1918-19 flu — which was wrongly named Spanish flu because it first received widespread news coverage in Spain — was worse.

Spread by the mobility of World War I, it killed young, healthy adults in vast numbers. No vaccine existed to slow it, and there were no antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial infections. And, of course, the world was much smaller.

Yet jet travel and mass migrations threaten to increase the toll of the current pandemic. Much of the world is unvaccinated. And the coronavirus has been full of surprises.

Markel said he is continually astounded by the magnitude of the disruption the pandemic has brought to the planet.

“I was gobsmacked by the size of the quarantines” the Chinese government undertook initially, Markel said, “and I’ve since been gob-gob-gob-smacked to the nth degree.” The lagging pace of U.S. vaccinations is the latest source of his astonishment.

Just under 64% of the U.S. population has received as least one dose of the vaccine, with state rates ranging from a high of approximately 77% in Vermont and Massachusetts to lows around 46% to 49% in Idaho, Wyoming, West Virginia and Mississippi.

Globally, about&nbsp;<a href="https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations" target="_blank">43% of the population</a>&nbsp;has received at least one dose, according to Our World in Data, with some African countries just beginning to give their first shots.

“We know that all pandemics come to an end,” said Dr. Jeremy Brown, director of emergency care research at the National Institutes of Health, who wrote a book on influenza. “They can do terrible things while they’re raging.”

COVID-19 could have been far less lethal in the U.S. if more people had gotten vaccinated faster, “and we still have an opportunity to turn it around,” Brown said. “We often lose sight of how lucky we are to take these things for granted.”

The current vaccines work extremely well in preventing severe disease and death from the variants of the virus that have emerged so far.

It will be crucial for scientists to make sure the ever-mutating virus hasn’t changed enough to evade vaccines or to cause severe illness in unvaccinated children, Antia said.

If the virus changes significantly, a new vaccine using the technology behind the Pfizer and Moderna shots could be produced in 110 days, a Pfizer executive said Wednesday. The company is studying whether annual shots with the current vaccine will be required to keep immunity high.

One plus: The coronavirus mutates at a slower pace than flu viruses, making it a more stable target for vaccination, said Ann Marie Kimball, a retired University of Washington professor of epidemiology.

So, will the current pandemic unseat the 1918-19 flu pandemic as the worst in human history?

“You’d like to say no. We have a lot more infection control, a lot more ability to support people who are sick. We have modern medicine,” Kimball said. “But we have a lot more people and a lot more mobility. ... The fear is eventually a new strain gets around a particular vaccine target.”

To those unvaccinated individuals who are counting on infection rather than vaccination for immune protection, Kimball said, “The trouble is, you have to survive infection to acquire the immunity.” It’s easier, she said, to go to the drugstore and get a shot.

By CARLA K. JOHNSON, Associated PressCOVID-19 has now killed about as many Americans as the 1918-19 Spanish flu pandemic did — approximately 675,000.The U.S. population a century ago was just one-third of what it is today, meaning the flu cut a much bigger, more lethal swath through the country. But the COVID-19 crisis is by any measure a colossal tragedy in its own right, especially given the incredible advances in scientific knowledge since then and the failure to take maximum advantage of the vaccines available this time.“Big pockets of American society — and, worse, their leaders — have thrown this away,” medical historian Dr. Howard Markel of the University of Michigan said of the opportunity to vaccinate everyone eligible by now.Like the Spanish flu, the coronavirus may never entirely disappear from our midst. Instead, scientists hope it becomes a mild seasonal bug as human immunity strengthens through vaccination and repeated infection. That could take time.“We hope it will be like getting a cold, but there’s no guarantee,” said Emory University biologist Rustom Antia, who suggests an optimistic scenario in which this could happen over a few years.For now, the pandemic still has the United States and other parts of the world firmly in its jaws.While the delta-fueled surge in infections may have peaked, U.S. deaths are running at over 1,900 a day on average, the highest level since early March, and the country’s overall toll topped 675,000 Monday, according to the count kept by Johns Hopkins University, though the real number is believed to be higher.Winter may bring a new surge, with the University of Washington’s influential model projecting an additional 100,000 or so Americans will die of COVID-19 by Jan. 1, which would bring the overall U.S. toll to 776,000.The 1918-19 influenza pandemic killed 50 million victims globally at a time when the world had one-quarter the population it does now. Global deaths from COVID-19 now stand at more than 4.6 million.The Spanish flu’s U.S. death toll is a rough guess, given the incomplete records of the era and the poor scientific understanding of what caused the illness. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/flu/pandemic-resources/1918-pandemic-h1n1.html" target="_blank">675,000 figure</a>&nbsp;comes from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.The ebbing of COVID-19 could happen if the virus progressively weakens as it mutates and more and more humans’ immune systems learn to attack it. Vaccination and surviving infection are the main ways the immune system improves. Breast-fed infants also gain some immunity from their mothers.Under that optimistic scenario, schoolchildren would get mild illness that trains their immune systems. As they grow up, the children would carry the immune response memory, so that when they are old and vulnerable, the coronavirus would be no more dangerous than cold viruses.The same goes for today’s vaccinated teens: Their immune systems would get stronger through the shots and mild infections.“We will all get infected,” Antia predicted. “What’s important is whether the infections are severe.”Something similar happened with the H1N1 flu virus, the culprit in the 1918-19 pandemic. It encountered too many people who were immune, and it also eventually weakened through mutation. H1N1 still circulates today, but immunity acquired through infection and vaccination has triumphed.Getting an annual flu shot now protects against H1N1 and several other strains of flu. To be sure, flu kills between 12,000 and 61,000 Americans each year, but on average, it is a seasonal problem and a manageable one.Before COVID-19, the 1918-19 flu was universally considered the worst pandemic disease in human history. Whether the current scourge ultimately proves deadlier is unclear.In many ways, the 1918-19 flu — which was wrongly named Spanish flu because it first received widespread news coverage in Spain — was worse.Spread by the mobility of World War I, it killed young, healthy adults in vast numbers. No vaccine existed to slow it, and there were no antibiotics to treat secondary bacterial infections. And, of course, the world was much smaller.Yet jet travel and mass migrations threaten to increase the toll of the current pandemic. Much of the world is unvaccinated. And the coronavirus has been full of surprises.Markel said he is continually astounded by the magnitude of the disruption the pandemic has brought to the planet.“I was gobsmacked by the size of the quarantines” the Chinese government undertook initially, Markel said, “and I’ve since been gob-gob-gob-smacked to the nth degree.” The lagging pace of U.S. vaccinations is the latest source of his astonishment.Just under 64% of the U.S. population has received as least one dose of the vaccine, with state rates ranging from a high of approximately 77% in Vermont and Massachusetts to lows around 46% to 49% in Idaho, Wyoming, West Virginia and Mississippi.Globally, about&nbsp;<a href="https://ourworldindata.org/covid-vaccinations" target="_blank">43% of the population</a>&nbsp;has received at least one dose, according to Our World in Data, with some African countries just beginning to give their first shots.“We know that all pandemics come to an end,” said Dr. Jeremy Brown, director of emergency care research at the National Institutes of Health, who wrote a book on influenza. “They can do terrible things while they’re raging.”COVID-19 could have been far less lethal in the U.S. if more people had gotten vaccinated faster, “and we still have an opportunity to turn it around,” Brown said. “We often lose sight of how lucky we are to take these things for granted.”The current vaccines work extremely well in preventing severe disease and death from the variants of the virus that have emerged so far.It will be crucial for scientists to make sure the ever-mutating virus hasn’t changed enough to evade vaccines or to cause severe illness in unvaccinated children, Antia said.If the virus changes significantly, a new vaccine using the technology behind the Pfizer and Moderna shots could be produced in 110 days, a Pfizer executive said Wednesday. The company is studying whether annual shots with the current vaccine will be required to keep immunity high.One plus: The coronavirus mutates at a slower pace than flu viruses, making it a more stable target for vaccination, said Ann Marie Kimball, a retired University of Washington professor of epidemiology.So, will the current pandemic unseat the 1918-19 flu pandemic as the worst in human history?“You’d like to say no. We have a lot more infection control, a lot more ability to support people who are sick. We have modern medicine,” Kimball said. “But we have a lot more people and a lot more mobility. ... The fear is eventually a new strain gets around a particular vaccine target.”To those unvaccinated individuals who are counting on infection rather than vaccination for immune protection, Kimball said, “The trouble is, you have to survive infection to acquire the immunity.” It’s easier, she said, to go to the drugstore and get a shot.___

COVID has killed about as many Americans as the 1918-19 flu

Plenty of people who are connected to the internet are catching 
up with friends on social media or randomly surfing the web. 
Unfortunately, so are scammers. They are taking advantage of social 
networking sites, earning victims’ trust by pretending to be someone 
they already know and sending out a message or two with COVID-19 news, a
 fundraising request or perhaps a great deal on a product.

While scrolling through Facebook, a message pops up in Facebook 
Messenger. It’s your friend, family member, or neighbor. At least it 
"looks" like them because the profile picture matches. From here, the 
conversation goes one of two ways. In one version, your “friend” tells 
you about the most awesome deal they found online, or they want you to 
view a video. All you must do is select a link, share the good news or 
simply respond to the message. In some cases, perhaps you want to take 
part in the offer and are ready to pay a processing fee and tax. Stop 
and think: would your real friend pass along this type of information?&nbsp;&nbsp;

In another version, the “friend” claims to be raising money for a 
charity to support emergency personnel, a food bank or some other 
organization that has really been hit hard by the pandemic. They'll push
 for a donation and yet, it sounds suspicious. But the message appears 
to be coming from someone you know and trust. Or is it?

A third version is circulating where the "friend" believes their 
account has been 'hacked' and to friend them on a new request. Turns 
out, they were not hacked at all. The profile is publicly visible and 
copied by a cyber thief who then creates a new profile and is now 
sending out new friend requests to a bogus account that looks like it's 
your friend.&nbsp;

BBB warns everyone before responding to such a request, check that 
the Facebook profile image is from who it says it is. Or, go the extra 
step and call, text, or email the friend to see if they really did send 
it to you.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBPlenty of people who are connected to the internet are catching 
up with friends on social media or randomly surfing the web. 
Unfortunately, so are scammers. They are taking advantage of social 
networking sites, earning victims’ trust by pretending to be someone 
they already know and sending out a message or two with COVID-19 news, a
 fundraising request or perhaps a great deal on a product.How the Scam WorksWhile scrolling through Facebook, a message pops up in Facebook 
Messenger. It’s your friend, family member, or neighbor. At least it 
"looks" like them because the profile picture matches. From here, the 
conversation goes one of two ways. In one version, your “friend” tells 
you about the most awesome deal they found online, or they want you to 
view a video. All you must do is select a link, share the good news or 
simply respond to the message. In some cases, perhaps you want to take 
part in the offer and are ready to pay a processing fee and tax. Stop 
and think: would your real friend pass along this type of information?&nbsp;&nbsp;In another version, the “friend” claims to be raising money for a 
charity to support emergency personnel, a food bank or some other 
organization that has really been hit hard by the pandemic. They'll push
 for a donation and yet, it sounds suspicious. But the message appears 
to be coming from someone you know and trust. Or is it?A third version is circulating where the "friend" believes their 
account has been 'hacked' and to friend them on a new request. Turns 
out, they were not hacked at all. The profile is publicly visible and 
copied by a cyber thief who then creates a new profile and is now 
sending out new friend requests to a bogus account that looks like it's 
your friend.&nbsp;BBB warns everyone before responding to such a request, check that 
the Facebook profile image is from who it says it is. Or, go the extra 
step and call, text, or email the friend to see if they really did send 
it to you.&nbsp;How to Protect Yourself from Facebook Scams<ul>
 <li>Be wary of online messages.&nbsp;A person may be 
trustworthy in real life, but sometimes friends share things without 
checking them out first, and online accounts can be hacked. Take a 
closer look before sharing, applying, or donating. Go to <a href="https://www.give.org" target="_blank">Give.org</a> to verify a charity.</li><li>Do some research. Go to <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker" target="_blank">BBB.org/scamtracker</a>
 to see if the online website that is selling masks (or whatever product
 the friend is mentioning) is truly legitimate. If you can’t find a 
website, it’s most likely a fake. If you can find a website, look for 
contact information (no contact info is a red flag).</li><li>Press for details. Ask strategic questions without 
giving any personal information to confirm you are actually talking to 
someone you know.&nbsp; If your “friend” can’t give you straight answers, 
leave the conversation, block them and then change your Facebook 
settings as well as your password.</li><li>Check your friends list. If you've gotten a friend request from someone you think is already your friend, check your <a href="https://www.facebook.com/help/204604196335128" target="_blank">friends list</a> to see if this could be a duplicate, fake account.&nbsp;</li><li>Report suspicious activity to Facebook.&nbsp;You can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/help/181495968648557?helpref=faq_content" target="_blank">report scammers</a> to Facebook to help protect your real friends and family from a scam, plus you can <a href="https://www.facebook.com/help/174210519303259/?helpref=search&amp;query=impersonation&amp;search_session_id=d8d5f09d1347ca2c34b9d4a8b2a318c1&amp;sr=0" target="_blank">report impersonations</a>.
 You can reduce the risk of having your profile impersonated by 
tightening up your privacy settings and hiding your Friends list. Do a 
“Privacy Checkup” by clicking on the question mark at the top of your 
Facebook home page.</li>
 </ul>For other Facebook-related warnings, see BBB's articles on <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/23675-bbb-tip-dont-share-your-vaccine-card-on-social-media" target="_blank">sharing your vaccine card</a>, <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/22088-bbb-tip-thinking-of-sharing-your-senior-photo-on-facebook-think-twice" target="_blank">sharing your senior photo</a>, and taking <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16992-scam-alert-that-facebook-quiz-might-be-a-big-data-company-mining-your-personal-information" target="_blank">Facebook quizzes</a>.&nbsp;For More InformationTo learn more about avoiding scams, read BBB’s article&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/scams/8767-bbb-tips-10-steps-to-avoid-scams" target="_blank">10 Steps to Avoid Scams</a>. See Give.org’s <a href="https://give.org/donor-landing-page/giving-guidance-tips" target="_blank">Giving Guidance &amp; Tips</a>.Report your experience on <a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/us/" target="_blank">BBB.org/ScamTracker</a>. Your experience can help others to spot a scam.Additional news, tips, and scam alerts can be found at <a href="https://www.bbb.org/news" target="_blank">BBB.org/news</a>.