NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials are setting the stage for a national COVID-19 vaccination campaign for younger children, inviting state officials to order doses before the shots are authorized.

Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine is currently being given to people as young as 12 in the U.S. In the next three weeks, federal officials plan to discuss making smaller-dose versions available to the nation’s 28 million children between the ages of 5 and 11.

To help states and cities prepare, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent out a seven-page document with guidance on how to set up expanded vaccination programs.

For example, it notes pharmacies in every state can give COVID-19 shots to children, but it clarifies that only doses prepared and packaged specifically for children are to be used for those under 12.

It doesn’t speak to some thornier questions, however, such as how much school-based clinics should be relied on or whether kids should be required to get then shots as a condition of school attendance.

Those questions will have to be worked out in each state and city.

The guidance comes as communities are gearing up for a new phase in the 10-month-old effort to vaccinate as many people as possible against a virus that has killed more than 720,000 in the U.S.

The disease has been most dangerous to older adults, who have higher rates of death and hospitalization than children. But some kids are at risk for severe illness, and more than 540 U.S. children have died from COVID-19, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Just as important, health officials believe that vaccinating children will reduce virus spread to vulnerable adults.

Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech are furthest along in researching use of their vaccine in younger children. They say a two-dose vaccine series — one-third as potent as the version giving to people over 12 years old — is safe and effective in 5- to 11-year-olds.

An independent expert panel that advises the Food and Drug Administration is scheduled to publicly debate the evidence at a meeting in late October. If the FDA authorizes the kid-size doses, a different expert panel advising the CDC would take up the matter in early November, and then offer a recommendation to the CDC.

It’s not yet clear how many people will get shots for their younger kids right away, said Dr. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.

“We’re going to have potentially a very busy, and perhaps modestly chaotic time” initially, he said.

But there probably will not be the kind of heavy demand seen when shots first became available for adults, he added.

The new CDC guidance calls for shots to be given at the offices of pediatricians and family-practice doctors, and at pharmacies, rural health clinics and federally-qualified health centers.

The CDC discussed the option of vaccination clinics at schools, but stopped short of endorsing that as a primary way to get kids vaccinated. School clinics are logistically appealing, but many parents may not be comfortable with the idea, Plescia said.

The guidance also warns health care providers to only use doses that have been prepared especially for kids, and not try to fraction adult doses, Plescia noted.

CDC guidance said immunization program managers can start ordering doses Wednesday, though vials wouldn’t be delivered until the FDA and CDC sign off.

When the coronavirus vaccines were first authorized in December, the U.S. government prioritized having hospitals and pharmacies administer them. Some office-based physicians felt left out.

Dr. Jesse Hackell registered early with New York state to be able to administer the shots to teens. He said his office, located 25 miles north of New York City, didn’t receive doses for that until May.

But Hackell said the CDC has reassured pediatricians that once authorization happens for 5- to-11-year-olds, the process will go more smoothly and pediatricians’ offices will be able to get shipments quickly.

Dr. Richard Besser called on the government to do more to address racial and economic disparities that might emerge in the push to vaccinate younger kids.

For example, kids may not get shots if parents can’t get time off from work to bring them in.

“It’s really important that we recognize the barriers to vaccinations,” said Besser, chief executive of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director of the CDC.

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials are setting the stage for a national COVID-19 vaccination campaign for younger children, inviting state officials to order doses before the shots are authorized.Pfizer’s coronavirus vaccine is currently being given to people as young as 12 in the U.S. In the next three weeks, federal officials plan to discuss making smaller-dose versions available to the nation’s 28 million children between the ages of 5 and 11.To help states and cities prepare, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention sent out a seven-page document with guidance on how to set up expanded vaccination programs.For example, it notes pharmacies in every state can give COVID-19 shots to children, but it clarifies that only doses prepared and packaged specifically for children are to be used for those under 12.It doesn’t speak to some thornier questions, however, such as how much school-based clinics should be relied on or whether kids should be required to get then shots as a condition of school attendance.Those questions will have to be worked out in each state and city.The guidance comes as communities are gearing up for a new phase in the 10-month-old effort to vaccinate as many people as possible against a virus that has killed more than 720,000 in the U.S.The disease has been most dangerous to older adults, who have higher rates of death and hospitalization than children. But some kids are at risk for severe illness, and more than 540 U.S. children have died from COVID-19, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.Just as important, health officials believe that vaccinating children will reduce virus spread to vulnerable adults.Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech are furthest along in researching use of their vaccine in younger children. They say a two-dose vaccine series — one-third as potent as the version giving to people over 12 years old — is safe and effective in 5- to 11-year-olds.An independent expert panel that advises the Food and Drug Administration is scheduled to publicly debate the evidence at a meeting in late October. If the FDA authorizes the kid-size doses, a different expert panel advising the CDC would take up the matter in early November, and then offer a recommendation to the CDC.It’s not yet clear how many people will get shots for their younger kids right away, said Dr. Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials.“We’re going to have potentially a very busy, and perhaps modestly chaotic time” initially, he said.But there probably will not be the kind of heavy demand seen when shots first became available for adults, he added.The new CDC guidance calls for shots to be given at the offices of pediatricians and family-practice doctors, and at pharmacies, rural health clinics and federally-qualified health centers.The CDC discussed the option of vaccination clinics at schools, but stopped short of endorsing that as a primary way to get kids vaccinated. School clinics are logistically appealing, but many parents may not be comfortable with the idea, Plescia said.The guidance also warns health care providers to only use doses that have been prepared especially for kids, and not try to fraction adult doses, Plescia noted.CDC guidance said immunization program managers can start ordering doses Wednesday, though vials wouldn’t be delivered until the FDA and CDC sign off.When the coronavirus vaccines were first authorized in December, the U.S. government prioritized having hospitals and pharmacies administer them. Some office-based physicians felt left out.Dr. Jesse Hackell registered early with New York state to be able to administer the shots to teens. He said his office, located 25 miles north of New York City, didn’t receive doses for that until May.But Hackell said the CDC has reassured pediatricians that once authorization happens for 5- to-11-year-olds, the process will go more smoothly and pediatricians’ offices will be able to get shipments quickly.Dr. Richard Besser called on the government to do more to address racial and economic disparities that might emerge in the push to vaccinate younger kids.For example, kids may not get shots if parents can’t get time off from work to bring them in.“It’s really important that we recognize the barriers to vaccinations,” said Besser, chief executive of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former acting director of the CDC.___

States set to reserve COVID-19 shots for younger kids 

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced that 
beginning October 18, the IRS's large business division will accept all 
taxpayer requests to meet with IRS employees using secure 
videoconferencing. This step extends the practice used during the 
pandemic to accommodate taxpayers who sought more than meeting with an 
IRS employee over telephone calls.

"Since 2020, we advanced several measures to better interact 
virtually and digitally with large business taxpayers," said Nikole 
Flax, IRS commissioner of the Large Business and International Division 
(LB&amp;I). "Our success in using these tools and the convenience and 
efficiency for taxpayers and their representatives convinced us that the
 way forward will continue to involve the use of 
video-teleconferencing."

The new guidance, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/foia/ig/lmsb/lbi-04-0821-0011.pdf">Video Meetings with LB&amp;I Taxpayers and their Representatives</a>&nbsp;PDF,
 requires LB&amp;I employees to grant large business taxpayer requests 
for a secure video meeting with IRS-approved platforms in lieu of an 
in-person or telephone discussion with a compliance function.

Today's announcement represents a step forward in the IRS's effort to
 work with taxpayers in a virtual environment, including the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/foia/ig/spder/nhq-01-0421-0001.pdf">expanded use of secure email</a>&nbsp;PDF
 and the launch of a virtual reading room environment to enable large 
LB&amp;I taxpayers and IRS agents to share certain privileged taxpayer 
documents in a read-only capacity. In addition, LB&amp;I also launched 
and expanded its use of paperless processes so that cases can continue 
to move swiftly through examination and resolution.

These efforts are aimed at continuing to improve service to meet the 
needs of large business taxpayers and their representatives and are a 
part of the IRS's ongoing commitment to find more convenient and 
effective ways to interact with taxpayers and the community of tax 
professionals.

LB&amp;I is responsible for tax administration activities for 
domestic and foreign businesses with a United States tax reporting 
requirement and assets equal to or exceeding $10 million, as well as the
 Global High Wealth and International Individual Compliance programs.

IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced that 
beginning October 18, the IRS's large business division will accept all 
taxpayer requests to meet with IRS employees using secure 
videoconferencing. This step extends the practice used during the 
pandemic to accommodate taxpayers who sought more than meeting with an 
IRS employee over telephone calls."Since 2020, we advanced several measures to better interact 
virtually and digitally with large business taxpayers," said Nikole 
Flax, IRS commissioner of the Large Business and International Division 
(LB&amp;I). "Our success in using these tools and the convenience and 
efficiency for taxpayers and their representatives convinced us that the
 way forward will continue to involve the use of 
video-teleconferencing."The new guidance, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/foia/ig/lmsb/lbi-04-0821-0011.pdf">Video Meetings with LB&amp;I Taxpayers and their Representatives</a>&nbsp;PDF,
 requires LB&amp;I employees to grant large business taxpayer requests 
for a secure video meeting with IRS-approved platforms in lieu of an 
in-person or telephone discussion with a compliance function.Today's announcement represents a step forward in the IRS's effort to
 work with taxpayers in a virtual environment, including the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/foia/ig/spder/nhq-01-0421-0001.pdf">expanded use of secure email</a>&nbsp;PDF
 and the launch of a virtual reading room environment to enable large 
LB&amp;I taxpayers and IRS agents to share certain privileged taxpayer 
documents in a read-only capacity. In addition, LB&amp;I also launched 
and expanded its use of paperless processes so that cases can continue 
to move swiftly through examination and resolution.These efforts are aimed at continuing to improve service to meet the 
needs of large business taxpayers and their representatives and are a 
part of the IRS's ongoing commitment to find more convenient and 
effective ways to interact with taxpayers and the community of tax 
professionals.LB&amp;I is responsible for tax administration activities for 
domestic and foreign businesses with a United States tax reporting 
requirement and assets equal to or exceeding $10 million, as well as the
 Global High Wealth and International Individual Compliance programs.

IRS extends videoconferencing to large business taxpayers

WASHIINGTON (AP) — Colin Powell, who served Democratic and Republican presidents in war and peace but whose sterling reputation was forever stained when he went before the U.N. and made faulty claims to justify the U.S. war in Iraq, has died of COVID-19 complications. He was 84.

A veteran of the Vietnam War, Powell rose to the rank of four-star general and in 1989 became the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In that role he oversaw the U.S. invasion of Panama and later the U.S. invasion of Kuwait to oust the Iraqi army in 1991.

But his legacy was marred when, in 2003, he went before the U.N. Security Council as secretary of state and made the case for U.S. war against Iraq at a moment of great international skepticism. He cited faulty information claiming Saddam Hussein had secretly stashed away weapons of mass destruction. Iraq’s claims that it had no such weapons represented “a web of lies,” he told the world body.

In announcing his death on social media, Powell’s family said he had been fully vaccinated.

“We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father and grandfather and a great American,” the family said. Powell had been treated at Walter Reed National Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

Powell was the first American official to publicly lay the blame for the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida network and made a lightning trip to Pakistan in October, 2001 to demand that then-Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf cooperate with the United States in going after the Afghanistan-based group, which also had a presence in Pakistan, where bin Laden was later killed.

As President George W. Bush’s first secretary of state, Powell led a State Department that was dubious of the military and intelligence communities’ conviction that Saddam Hussein possessed or was developing weapons of mass destruction. And yet, despite his reservations, he presented the administration’s case that Saddam indeed posed a major regional and global threat in a speech to the UN Security Council in the run-up to the war.

That speech, replete with his display of a vial of what he said could have been a biological weapon, was later derided as a low-point in Powell’s career, although he had removed some elements that he deemed to have been based on poor intelligence assessments.

Bush said Monday that he and former first lady Laura Bush were “deeply saddened” by Powell’s death.

“He was a great public servant” and “widely respected at home and abroad,” Bush said. “And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend. Laura and I send Alma and their children our sincere condolences as they remember the life of a great man.”

Powell rose to national prominence under Republican presidents and considered a presidential bid of his own, but ultimately moved away from the party. He endorsed Democrats in the last four presidential elections, starting with former President Barack Obama. He emerged as a vocal Donald Trump critic in recent years, describing Trump as “a national disgrace” who should have been removed from office through impeachment. Following the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol, Powell said he no longer considers himself a Republican.

Powell rose from a childhood in a fraying New York neighborhood to become the nation’s chief diplomat. “Mine is the story of a black kid of no early promise from an immigrant family of limited means who was raised in the South Bronx,” he wrote in his 1995 autobiography “My American Journey.”

At City College, Powell discovered the ROTC. When he put on his first uniform, “I liked what I saw,” he wrote.

He joined the Army and in 1962 he was one of more than 16,000 military advisers sent to South Vietnam by President John F. Kennedy. A series of promotions led to the Pentagon and assignment as a military assistant to Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, who became his unofficial sponsor. He later became commander of the Army’s 5th Corps in Germany and later was national security assistant to President Ronald Reagan.

During his term as Joint Chiefs chairman, his approach to war became known as the Powell Doctrine, which held that the United States should only commit forces in a conflict if it has clear and achievable objectives with public support, sufficient firepower and a strategy for ending the war.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, a retired Army general, said the news of Powell’s death left “a hole in my heart.”

“The world lost one of the greatest leaders that we have ever witnessed,” Austin said while traveling in Europe. “Alma lost a great husband and the family lost a tremendous father and I lost a tremendous personal friend and mentor. He has been my mentor for a number of years. He always made time for me and I can always go to him with tough issues, he always had great counsel.”

Powell’s appearances at the United Nations as secretary of state, including his Iraq speech, were often accompanied by fond reminiscing of his childhood in the city, where he grew up the child of Jamaican immigrants who got one of his first jobs at the Pepsi-Cola bottling plant directly across the East River from the UN headquarters.

A fan of calypso music, Powell was the subject of criticism from, among others, singing legend Harry Belafonte, who likened Powell to a “house slave” for going along with the decision to invade Iraq. Powell declined to get into a public spat with Belafonte, but made it known that he was not a fan and much preferred the Trinidadian calypso star the “Mighty Sparrow.”

Powell maintained, in a 2012 interview with The Associated Press, that on balance, U.S. succeeded in Iraq.

“I think we had a lot of successes,” Powell said. “Iraq’s terrible dictator is gone.” Saddam was captured by U.S. forces while hiding out in northern Iraq in December 2003 and later executed by the Iraqi government. But the insurgency grew, and the war dragged on far longer than had been foreseen. Obama pulled U.S. troops out of Iraq in 2011, but he sent advisers back in 2014 after the Islamic State group swept into the country from Syria and captured large swaths of Iraqi territory.

WASHIINGTON (AP) — Colin Powell, former Joint Chiefs chairman and secretary of state, has died from COVID-19 complications, his family said Monday. In an announcement on social media, the family said Powell had been fully vaccinated. 

Powell was the first African American to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and secretary of state. But his reputation also suffered a painful setback when, in 2003, Powell went before the U.N. Security Council and made the case for U.S. war against Iraq. 

He cited faulty information claiming Saddam Hussein had secretly stashed away weapons of mass destruction. Iraq’s claims that it had not represented “a web of lies,” he told the world body.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634560584731.png" alt=" Former Secretary of State Colin Powell interviewed at a Virtual Leadership Conference in February of 2021-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption> Former Secretary of State Colin Powell interviewed at a Virtual Leadership Conference in February of 2021-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHIINGTON (AP) — Colin Powell, who served Democratic and Republican presidents in war and peace but whose sterling reputation was forever stained when he went before the U.N. and made faulty claims to justify the U.S. war in Iraq, has died of COVID-19 complications. He was 84.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My statement on the passing of former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell: <a href="https://t.co/7uwRtsk0K9">pic.twitter.com/7uwRtsk0K9</a>&mdash; Governor Laura Kelly (@GovLauraKelly) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly/status/1450115133267644416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 18, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>A veteran of the Vietnam War, Powell rose to the rank of four-star general and in 1989 became the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In that role he oversaw the U.S. invasion of Panama and later the U.S. invasion of Kuwait to oust the Iraqi army in 1991.But his legacy was marred when, in 2003, he went before the U.N. Security Council as secretary of state and made the case for U.S. war against Iraq at a moment of great international skepticism. He cited faulty information claiming Saddam Hussein had secretly stashed away weapons of mass destruction. Iraq’s claims that it had no such weapons represented “a web of lies,” he told the world body.In announcing his death on social media, Powell’s family said he had been fully vaccinated.“We have lost a remarkable and loving husband, father and grandfather and a great American,” the family said. Powell had been treated at Walter Reed National Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.Powell was the first American official to publicly lay the blame for the 9/11 terrorist attacks on Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaida network and made a lightning trip to Pakistan in October, 2001 to demand that then-Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf cooperate with the United States in going after the Afghanistan-based group, which also had a presence in Pakistan, where bin Laden was later killed.As President George W. Bush’s first secretary of state, Powell led a State Department that was dubious of the military and intelligence communities’ conviction that Saddam Hussein possessed or was developing weapons of mass destruction. And yet, despite his reservations, he presented the administration’s case that Saddam indeed posed a major regional and global threat in a speech to the UN Security Council in the run-up to the war.That speech, replete with his display of a vial of what he said could have been a biological weapon, was later derided as a low-point in Powell’s career, although he had removed some elements that he deemed to have been based on poor intelligence assessments.Bush said Monday that he and former first lady Laura Bush were “deeply saddened” by Powell’s death.“He was a great public servant” and “widely respected at home and abroad,” Bush said. “And most important, Colin was a family man and a friend. Laura and I send Alma and their children our sincere condolences as they remember the life of a great man.”Powell rose to national prominence under Republican presidents and considered a presidential bid of his own, but ultimately moved away from the party. He endorsed Democrats in the last four presidential elections, starting with former President Barack Obama. He emerged as a vocal Donald Trump critic in recent years, describing Trump as “a national disgrace” who should have been removed from office through impeachment. Following the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol, Powell said he no longer considers himself a Republican.Powell rose from a childhood in a fraying New York neighborhood to become the nation’s chief diplomat. “Mine is the story of a black kid of no early promise from an immigrant family of limited means who was raised in the South Bronx,” he wrote in his 1995 autobiography “My American Journey.”At City College, Powell discovered the ROTC. When he put on his first uniform, “I liked what I saw,” he wrote.He joined the Army and in 1962 he was one of more than 16,000 military advisers sent to South Vietnam by President John F. Kennedy. A series of promotions led to the Pentagon and assignment as a military assistant to Secretary of Defense Caspar Weinberger, who became his unofficial sponsor. He later became commander of the Army’s 5th Corps in Germany and later was national security assistant to President Ronald Reagan.During his term as Joint Chiefs chairman, his approach to war became known as the Powell Doctrine, which held that the United States should only commit forces in a conflict if it has clear and achievable objectives with public support, sufficient firepower and a strategy for ending the war.Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, a retired Army general, said the news of Powell’s death left “a hole in my heart.”“The world lost one of the greatest leaders that we have ever witnessed,” Austin said while traveling in Europe. “Alma lost a great husband and the family lost a tremendous father and I lost a tremendous personal friend and mentor. He has been my mentor for a number of years. He always made time for me and I can always go to him with tough issues, he always had great counsel.”Powell’s appearances at the United Nations as secretary of state, including his Iraq speech, were often accompanied by fond reminiscing of his childhood in the city, where he grew up the child of Jamaican immigrants who got one of his first jobs at the Pepsi-Cola bottling plant directly across the East River from the UN headquarters.A fan of calypso music, Powell was the subject of criticism from, among others, singing legend Harry Belafonte, who likened Powell to a “house slave” for going along with the decision to invade Iraq. Powell declined to get into a public spat with Belafonte, but made it known that he was not a fan and much preferred the Trinidadian calypso star the “Mighty Sparrow.”Powell maintained, in a 2012 interview with The Associated Press, that on balance, U.S. succeeded in Iraq.“I think we had a lot of successes,” Powell said. “Iraq’s terrible dictator is gone.” Saddam was captured by U.S. forces while hiding out in northern Iraq in December 2003 and later executed by the Iraqi government. But the insurgency grew, and the war dragged on far longer than had been foreseen. Obama pulled U.S. troops out of Iraq in 2011, but he sent advisers back in 2014 after the Islamic State group swept into the country from Syria and captured large swaths of Iraqi territory.------WASHIINGTON (AP) — Colin Powell, former Joint Chiefs chairman and secretary of state, has died from COVID-19 complications, his family said Monday. In an announcement on social media, the family said Powell had been fully vaccinated. Powell was the first African American to serve as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and secretary of state. But his reputation also suffered a painful setback when, in 2003, Powell went before the U.N. Security Council and made the case for U.S. war against Iraq. He cited faulty information claiming Saddam Hussein had secretly stashed away weapons of mass destruction. Iraq’s claims that it had not represented “a web of lies,” he told the world body.

Kan. Gov. on the passing of former U.S. Sec. of State Colin Powell

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Biden administration said it will turn next to the U.S. Supreme Court in another attempt to halt a Texas law that has banned most abortions since September.

The move comes as the Texas clinics are running out of avenues to stop the GOP-engineered law that bans abortions once cardiac activity is detected,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-laws-government-and-politics-health-77c9ba98c4f4ab46fdbd5bcc47b5b938">which is usually around six weeks.</a>&nbsp;It amounts to the nation’s biggest curb to abortion in nearly 50 years.

The latest defeat for clinics came Thursday night when a federal appeals panel in New Orleans, in a 2-1 decision, allowed the restrictions to remain in place for a third time in the last several weeks alone.

Justice Department spokesman Anthony Coley said the federal government will now ask the Supreme Court to reverse that decision but did not say how quickly.

The Biden administration was under pressure from abortion rights supporters to go to the Supreme Court even before the announcement. The court already once&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-courts-us-supreme-court-32ee7ae7eeec9bdfd1471a848c163321">allowed the restrictions to take effect, but did so&nbsp;</a>without ruling on the law’s constitutionality.

Since the law took effect Sept. 1, Texas women&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-louisiana-0cc666fde471f0fe2ce8a5f28977ad28">have sought out abortion clinics in neighboring states</a>, some driving hours through the middle of the night and including patients as young as 12 years old. The law makes no exception for cases of rape or incest.

The Texas Attorney General’s Office called Thursday night’s decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals a “testament that we are on the right side of the law and life.”

A 1992 decision by the Supreme Court prevented states from banning abortion before viability, the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb, around 24 weeks of pregnancy. But Texas’ law has outmaneuvered courts so far because it offloads enforcement to private citizens. Anyone who brings a successful lawsuit against an abortion provider for violating the law is entitled to claim at least $10,000 in damages, which the Biden administration says amounts to a bounty.

Only once has a court moved to put the restrictions on hold&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-austin-courts-health-8f8f701e4bb857e7cd39bd45daa02063">— and that order stood for only 48 hours</a>.

During that brief window, some Texas clinics rushed to perform abortions on patients past six weeks, but many more appointments were canceled after the 5th Circuit moved to swiftly reinstate the law last week.

Texas had roughly two dozen abortion clinics before the law took effect, and operators have said some may be forced to close if the restrictions stay in place for much longer.

Texas Right to Life, the state’s largest anti-abortion group, set up a tip line to receive allegations against abortion providers but has not filed any lawsuits. Kimberlyn Schwartz, a spokeswoman, said Thursday the group expected the Biden administration to go to the Supreme Court next and was “confident Texas will ultimately defeat these attacks on our life-saving efforts.”

Already the stakes are high in the coming months over the future of abortion rights in the U.S. In December, the new conservative majority on the Supreme Court will hear Mississippi’s bid to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that guarantees a woman’s right to an abortion.

On Wednesday, 18 state attorneys generals from mostly GOP-controlled states threw new support behind the Texas law, urging the court to let the restrictions stand while accusing the federal government of overstepping in bringing the challenge in the first place. Last month, more than 20 other states, mostly run by Democrats, had urged the lower court to throw out the law.

U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-justice-department-lawsuit-851b4ef55da816bda704be491bfc032c">has called the law “clearly unconstitutional”</a>&nbsp;and warned that it could become a model elsewhere in the country unless it’s struck down.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas can continue banning most abortions after a federal appeals court rejected the Biden administration’s latest attempt to stop a novel law that has become the nation’s biggest curb to abortion in nearly 50 years.

The decision Thursday could push the law closer to returning to the U.S. Supreme Court, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-courts-us-supreme-court-32ee7ae7eeec9bdfd1471a848c163321">has already once allowed the restrictions to take effect</a>&nbsp;without ruling on its constitutionality. The Texas law bans abortions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-laws-government-and-politics-health-77c9ba98c4f4ab46fdbd5bcc47b5b938">once cardiac activity is detected</a>, usually around six weeks and before some women know they are pregnant.

Since the law took effect in early September, Texas women&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-louisiana-0cc666fde471f0fe2ce8a5f28977ad28">have sought out abortion clinics in neighboring states</a>, some driving hours through the middle of the night and including patients as young as 12 years old. The law makes no exception in cases of rape or incest.

“We hope the Department of Justice urgently appeals this order to the Supreme Court to restore Texans’ ability to obtain abortion care after six weeks in pregnancy,” said Brigitte Amiri, deputy director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project.

The Justice Department did not immediately react to the decision and a spokesperson had no comment late Thursday.

In a 2-1 decision, a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted Texas’ request to keep the law in place as the court case proceeds. It marks the third time the conservative-leaning appeals court has sided with Texas and let the restrictions stand.

The panel said it would expedite the appeal and schedule oral arguments, but did not say when.

The Texas Attorney General’s Office called the decision a “testament that we are on the right side of the law and life.”

It marks another setback for the Justice Department and Texas abortion providers in their efforts to derail the law, which has thus far prevailed because of a unique structure that leaves enforcement up to private citizens. Anyone who brings a successful lawsuit against an abortion provider for violating the law is entitled to claim at least $10,000 in damages, which the Biden administration says amounts to a bounty.

Despite numerous legal challenges both before and after the law took effect Sept. 1, only once has a court moved to put the restriction on hold&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-austin-courts-health-8f8f701e4bb857e7cd39bd45daa02063">— and that order only stood for 48 hours</a>.

A 1992 decision by the Supreme Court prevented states from banning abortion before viability, the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb, around 24 weeks of pregnancy. But Texas’ version has outmaneuvered courts so far due to the fact that it offloads enforcement to private citizens.

Texas Right to Life, the state’s largest anti-abortion group, set up a tipline to receive allegations against abortion providers but has not filed any lawsuits. Kimberlyn Schwartz, a spokeswoman, said Thursday the group expected the Biden administration to go to the Supreme Court next and was “confident Texas will ultimately defeat these attacks on our life-saving efforts.”

On Wednesday, 18 state attorneys generals from mostly GOP-controlled states threw new support behind the Texas law, urging the court to let the restrictions stand while accusing the federal government of overstepping in bringing the challenge in the first place.

“The Attorney General has no authority to act as a roving reviser of state law, challenging as unconstitutional any rule with which he disagrees,” Indiana Attorney General Theodore Rokita told the appeals court in a brief filed Wednesday.

Last month, more than 20 other states, mostly run by Democrats, had urged the lower court to throw out the law.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634041318695.png" alt="Abortion protesters in Kansas City last month" />
 <figcaption>Abortion protesters in Kansas City last month</figcaption>
 </figure>AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — The Biden administration said it will turn next to the U.S. Supreme Court in another attempt to halt a Texas law that has banned most abortions since September.The move comes as the Texas clinics are running out of avenues to stop the GOP-engineered law that bans abortions once cardiac activity is detected,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-laws-government-and-politics-health-77c9ba98c4f4ab46fdbd5bcc47b5b938">which is usually around six weeks.</a>&nbsp;It amounts to the nation’s biggest curb to abortion in nearly 50 years.The latest defeat for clinics came Thursday night when a federal appeals panel in New Orleans, in a 2-1 decision, allowed the restrictions to remain in place for a third time in the last several weeks alone.Justice Department spokesman Anthony Coley said the federal government will now ask the Supreme Court to reverse that decision but did not say how quickly.The Biden administration was under pressure from abortion rights supporters to go to the Supreme Court even before the announcement. The court already once&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-courts-us-supreme-court-32ee7ae7eeec9bdfd1471a848c163321">allowed the restrictions to take effect, but did so&nbsp;</a>without ruling on the law’s constitutionality.Since the law took effect Sept. 1, Texas women&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-louisiana-0cc666fde471f0fe2ce8a5f28977ad28">have sought out abortion clinics in neighboring states</a>, some driving hours through the middle of the night and including patients as young as 12 years old. The law makes no exception for cases of rape or incest.The Texas Attorney General’s Office called Thursday night’s decision by the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals a “testament that we are on the right side of the law and life.”A 1992 decision by the Supreme Court prevented states from banning abortion before viability, the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb, around 24 weeks of pregnancy. But Texas’ law has outmaneuvered courts so far because it offloads enforcement to private citizens. Anyone who brings a successful lawsuit against an abortion provider for violating the law is entitled to claim at least $10,000 in damages, which the Biden administration says amounts to a bounty.Only once has a court moved to put the restrictions on hold&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-austin-courts-health-8f8f701e4bb857e7cd39bd45daa02063">— and that order stood for only 48 hours</a>.During that brief window, some Texas clinics rushed to perform abortions on patients past six weeks, but many more appointments were canceled after the 5th Circuit moved to swiftly reinstate the law last week.Texas had roughly two dozen abortion clinics before the law took effect, and operators have said some may be forced to close if the restrictions stay in place for much longer.Texas Right to Life, the state’s largest anti-abortion group, set up a tip line to receive allegations against abortion providers but has not filed any lawsuits. Kimberlyn Schwartz, a spokeswoman, said Thursday the group expected the Biden administration to go to the Supreme Court next and was “confident Texas will ultimately defeat these attacks on our life-saving efforts.”Already the stakes are high in the coming months over the future of abortion rights in the U.S. In December, the new conservative majority on the Supreme Court will hear Mississippi’s bid to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that guarantees a woman’s right to an abortion.On Wednesday, 18 state attorneys generals from mostly GOP-controlled states threw new support behind the Texas law, urging the court to let the restrictions stand while accusing the federal government of overstepping in bringing the challenge in the first place. Last month, more than 20 other states, mostly run by Democrats, had urged the lower court to throw out the law.U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-justice-department-lawsuit-851b4ef55da816bda704be491bfc032c">has called the law “clearly unconstitutional”</a>&nbsp;and warned that it could become a model elsewhere in the country unless it’s struck down.-----------AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas can continue banning most abortions after a federal appeals court rejected the Biden administration’s latest attempt to stop a novel law that has become the nation’s biggest curb to abortion in nearly 50 years.The decision Thursday could push the law closer to returning to the U.S. Supreme Court, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-courts-us-supreme-court-32ee7ae7eeec9bdfd1471a848c163321">has already once allowed the restrictions to take effect</a>&nbsp;without ruling on its constitutionality. The Texas law bans abortions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-laws-government-and-politics-health-77c9ba98c4f4ab46fdbd5bcc47b5b938">once cardiac activity is detected</a>, usually around six weeks and before some women know they are pregnant.Since the law took effect in early September, Texas women&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-louisiana-0cc666fde471f0fe2ce8a5f28977ad28">have sought out abortion clinics in neighboring states</a>, some driving hours through the middle of the night and including patients as young as 12 years old. The law makes no exception in cases of rape or incest.“We hope the Department of Justice urgently appeals this order to the Supreme Court to restore Texans’ ability to obtain abortion care after six weeks in pregnancy,” said Brigitte Amiri, deputy director of the ACLU Reproductive Freedom Project.The Justice Department did not immediately react to the decision and a spokesperson had no comment late Thursday.In a 2-1 decision, a three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted Texas’ request to keep the law in place as the court case proceeds. It marks the third time the conservative-leaning appeals court has sided with Texas and let the restrictions stand.The panel said it would expedite the appeal and schedule oral arguments, but did not say when.The Texas Attorney General’s Office called the decision a “testament that we are on the right side of the law and life.”It marks another setback for the Justice Department and Texas abortion providers in their efforts to derail the law, which has thus far prevailed because of a unique structure that leaves enforcement up to private citizens. Anyone who brings a successful lawsuit against an abortion provider for violating the law is entitled to claim at least $10,000 in damages, which the Biden administration says amounts to a bounty.Despite numerous legal challenges both before and after the law took effect Sept. 1, only once has a court moved to put the restriction on hold&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-austin-courts-health-8f8f701e4bb857e7cd39bd45daa02063">— and that order only stood for 48 hours</a>.During that brief window, some Texas clinics rushed to perform abortions on patients past six weeks, but many more appointments were canceled after the 5th Circuit moved to swiftly reinstate the law last week.Texas had roughly two dozen abortion clinics before the law took effect, and operators have said some may be forced to close if the restrictions stay in place for much longer.Already the stakes are high in the coming months over the future of abortion rights in the U.S. In December, the new conservative majority on the Supreme Court will hear Mississippi’s bid to overturn the landmark Roe v. Wade decision that guarantees a woman’s right to an abortion.A 1992 decision by the Supreme Court prevented states from banning abortion before viability, the point at which a fetus can survive outside the womb, around 24 weeks of pregnancy. But Texas’ version has outmaneuvered courts so far due to the fact that it offloads enforcement to private citizens.Texas Right to Life, the state’s largest anti-abortion group, set up a tipline to receive allegations against abortion providers but has not filed any lawsuits. Kimberlyn Schwartz, a spokeswoman, said Thursday the group expected the Biden administration to go to the Supreme Court next and was “confident Texas will ultimately defeat these attacks on our life-saving efforts.”On Wednesday, 18 state attorneys generals from mostly GOP-controlled states threw new support behind the Texas law, urging the court to let the restrictions stand while accusing the federal government of overstepping in bringing the challenge in the first place.U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-justice-department-lawsuit-851b4ef55da816bda704be491bfc032c">has called the law “clearly unconstitutional”</a>&nbsp;and warned that it could become a model elsewhere in the country unless it’s struck down.“The Attorney General has no authority to act as a roving reviser of state law, challenging as unconstitutional any rule with which he disagrees,” Indiana Attorney General Theodore Rokita told the appeals court in a brief filed Wednesday.Last month, more than 20 other states, mostly run by Democrats, had urged the lower court to throw out the law.

Supreme Court asked to halt nation's most restrictive abortion law

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department
 announced today that millions of American families are now receiving 
their advance Child Tax Credit (CTC) payment for the month of October.

This fourth batch of advance monthly payments, totaling about $15 
billion, is reaching about 36 million families today across the 
country.&nbsp;The majority of payments will be issued by direct deposit.

Under the American Rescue Plan, most eligible families received 
payments dated July 15, August 13 and September 15. Future payments are 
scheduled for November 15 and December 15. For these families, 
each&nbsp;payment is up to $300 per month for each child under age 6 and up 
to $250 per month for each child ages 6 through 17. The vast majority 
will be issued by direct deposit.

The IRS is currently sending letters to some Americans reminding
 them it is not too late for families who haven't filed a 2020 income 
tax return — including those who are not normally required to file 
because their incomes are too low — to sign up for advance CTC payments.
 Most low-income families can get these monthly payments. The IRS urges 
families who normally aren't required to file a tax return to visit 
IRS.gov for more information on how to file a return and receive their 
credit.

Update on September advance Child Tax Credit payments

In September, the IRS successfully delivered a third monthly round of
 approximately 36 million Child Tax Credit payments, totaling more than 
$15 billion. Given the new components of this program, the IRS continues
 to work hard to make improvements and deliver payments timely.

After the September payment was issued, the IRS resolved a technical 
issue, which the agency estimates caused fewer than 2% of CTC recipients
 not to receive their September payment on the scheduled payment date. 
Payments have since gone out to affected individuals.

The impacted group primarily included taxpayers who recently made an 
update to their bank account or address information using the IRS Child 
Tax Credit Update Portal. In particular, the issue affected payments to 
married taxpayers filing jointly where only one spouse made a bank 
account or address change, which usually results in payments being split
 into two (between the existing account or address and the new account 
or address).

In some of these cases, the split payment caused a delay in making 
payments, and further caused individuals to receive slightly more than 
the correct payment in September. To address this, the payment that each
 spouse receives in October, November and December will be reduced 
slightly to adjust for the overpayment. For each taxpayer receiving a 
payment, the typical overpayment was $31.25 per child between 6 and 17 
years old and $37.50 per child under 6 years old. This will result in 
about a $10 to $13 reduction per child in the three remaining monthly 
payments.

The IRS will send letters to affected individuals with this 
information. The IRS continues to closely monitor this program and the 
agency appreciates the patience of those whose payments were affected.

The IRS encourages partners and community groups to share information and use available <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">online tools and toolkits</a> to help non-filers, low-income families and other underserved groups sign up to receive these benefits.

Links to online tools, a step-by-step guide to using the Non-filer 
Sign-up Tool, answers to frequently asked questions and other helpful 
resources are available on the IRS' special advance CTC 2021 page. It's 
at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department
 announced today that millions of American families are now receiving 
their advance Child Tax Credit (CTC) payment for the month of October.This fourth batch of advance monthly payments, totaling about $15 
billion, is reaching about 36 million families today across the 
country.&nbsp;The majority of payments will be issued by direct deposit.Under the American Rescue Plan, most eligible families received 
payments dated July 15, August 13 and September 15. Future payments are 
scheduled for November 15 and December 15. For these families, 
each&nbsp;payment is up to $300 per month for each child under age 6 and up 
to $250 per month for each child ages 6 through 17. The vast majority 
will be issued by direct deposit.Here are more details on those payments:<ul>
 <li>Families will see the direct deposit payments in their accounts 
starting October 15. Like the prior payments, the vast majority of 
families will receive them by direct deposit.</li><li>For those receiving payments by paper check, be sure to allow extra
 time, through the end of October, for delivery by mail. Those wishing 
to receive future payments by direct deposit can make this change using 
the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-update-portal">Child Tax Credit Update Portal</a>, available only on IRS.gov. To access the portal or to get a new step-by-step guide for using it, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>.</li><li>Payments went to eligible families who filed a 2019 or 2020 income 
tax return. Returns processed by October 4 are reflected in these 
payments. This includes people who don't typically file a return but 
during 2020 successfully registered for Economic Impact Payments using 
the IRS Non-Filers tool on IRS.gov or in 2021 successfully used the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-non-filer-sign-up-tool">Non-filer Sign-up Tool for advance CTC</a>, also available only on IRS.gov.</li><li>Payments are automatic. Aside from filing a tax return, including a
 simplified return from the Non-filer Sign-up Tool, families don't have 
to do anything if they are eligible to receive monthly payments.</li><li>Families who did not get a July, August or September payment and 
are getting their first monthly payment this month will still receive 
their total advance payment for the year. This means that the total 
payment will be spread over three months, rather than six, making each 
monthly payment larger.</li>
 </ul>The IRS is currently sending letters to some Americans reminding
 them it is not too late for families who haven't filed a 2020 income 
tax return — including those who are not normally required to file 
because their incomes are too low — to sign up for advance CTC payments.
 Most low-income families can get these monthly payments. The IRS urges 
families who normally aren't required to file a tax return to visit 
IRS.gov for more information on how to file a return and receive their 
credit.<h2>Update on September advance Child Tax Credit payments</h2>In September, the IRS successfully delivered a third monthly round of
 approximately 36 million Child Tax Credit payments, totaling more than 
$15 billion. Given the new components of this program, the IRS continues
 to work hard to make improvements and deliver payments timely.After the September payment was issued, the IRS resolved a technical 
issue, which the agency estimates caused fewer than 2% of CTC recipients
 not to receive their September payment on the scheduled payment date. 
Payments have since gone out to affected individuals.The impacted group primarily included taxpayers who recently made an 
update to their bank account or address information using the IRS Child 
Tax Credit Update Portal. In particular, the issue affected payments to 
married taxpayers filing jointly where only one spouse made a bank 
account or address change, which usually results in payments being split
 into two (between the existing account or address and the new account 
or address).In some of these cases, the split payment caused a delay in making 
payments, and further caused individuals to receive slightly more than 
the correct payment in September. To address this, the payment that each
 spouse receives in October, November and December will be reduced 
slightly to adjust for the overpayment. For each taxpayer receiving a 
payment, the typical overpayment was $31.25 per child between 6 and 17 
years old and $37.50 per child under 6 years old. This will result in 
about a $10 to $13 reduction per child in the three remaining monthly 
payments.The IRS will send letters to affected individuals with this 
information. The IRS continues to closely monitor this program and the 
agency appreciates the patience of those whose payments were affected.The IRS encourages partners and community groups to share information and use available <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">online tools and toolkits</a> to help non-filers, low-income families and other underserved groups sign up to receive these benefits.Links to online tools, a step-by-step guide to using the Non-filer 
Sign-up Tool, answers to frequently asked questions and other helpful 
resources are available on the IRS' special advance CTC 2021 page. It's 
at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>.

October Child Tax Credit payments sent to American families

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal hotel shooting continue to search for a suspect identified as&nbsp;31-year-old Patricio Gomez.

Just before 6:30 p.m. Sept. 30, police responded to a shooting call at&nbsp;Extended Stay America, 9450 E Corporate Hills, in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located 42-year-old Michael Martinez of Wichita who had been shot.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.&nbsp;

Investigators learned Gomez and a woman later identified as 35-year-old Shae Roberts arrived at the hotel regarding an illegal drug transaction.&nbsp; During the transaction, a disturbance ensued and Gomez fired multiple shots at Martinez, striking him.&nbsp; Gomez and the Roberts fled the scene in a black Cadillac Escalade.

On Oct. 1, police located the Cadillac outside of a hotel in Park City and on Oct. 7, police arrested Robers. She has been&nbsp;charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder and attempted distribution of methamphetamine, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=399685">She remains jailed on a&nbsp;</a> $500,000 bond.&nbsp;&nbsp;

If you know the whereabouts of Gomez or see him, please call 911.  He should be considered armed and dangerous.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633117408445.png" alt="Gomez should be considered armed and dangerous, according to police." />
 <figcaption>Gomez should be considered armed and dangerous, according to police.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal hotel shooting continue to search for a suspect identified as&nbsp;31-year-old Patricio Gomez.Just before 6:30 p.m. Sept. 30, police responded to a shooting call at&nbsp;Extended Stay America, 9450 E Corporate Hills, in Wichita, according to Officer Charley Davidson.&nbsp; Upon arrival, officers located 42-year-old Michael Martinez of Wichita who had been shot.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633117696289.png" alt="Police outside a hotel in Park City where they recovered the Esclade-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police outside a hotel in Park City where they recovered the Esclade-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Investigators learned Gomez and a woman later identified as 35-year-old Shae Roberts arrived at the hotel regarding an illegal drug transaction.&nbsp; During the transaction, a disturbance ensued and Gomez fired multiple shots at Martinez, striking him.&nbsp; Gomez and the Roberts fled the scene in a black Cadillac Escalade.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634486646051.png" alt="Roberts-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Roberts-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Oct. 1, police located the Cadillac outside of a hotel in Park City and on Oct. 7, police arrested Robers. She has been&nbsp;charged with 1st&nbsp;degree murder and attempted distribution of methamphetamine, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=399685">She remains jailed on a&nbsp;</a> $500,000 bond.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you know the whereabouts of Gomez or see him, please call 911. He should be considered armed and dangerous.

Police continue search for suspect in Kansas drug deal killing 

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A group of 17 U.S. missionaries, including children, was kidnapped by a gang in Haiti on Saturday, according to a voice message sent to various religious missions by an organization with direct knowledge of the incident.

The missionaries were on their way home from building an orphanage, according to a message from Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries.

“This is a special prayer alert,” the one-minute message said. “Pray that the gang members would come to repentance.”

The message says the mission’s field director is working with the U.S. Embassy, and that the field director’s family and one other unidentified man stayed at the ministry’s base while everyone else visited the orphanage.

No other details were immediately available.

A U.S. government spokesperson said they were aware of the reports on the kidnapping.

“The welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the Department of State,” the spokesperson said, declining further comment.

Haiti is once again struggling with a spike in gang-related kidnappings that had diminished after President Jovenel Moïse was fatally shot at his private residence on July 7, and following a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck southwest Haiti in August and killed more than 2,200 people.

Gangs have demanded ransoms ranging from a couple hundred dollars to more than $1 million, according to authorities.

Last month, a deacon was killed in front of a church in the capital of Port-au-Prince and his wife kidnapped, one of dozens of people who have been abducted in recent months.

At least 328 kidnapping victims were reported to Haiti’s National Police in the first eight months of 2021, compared with a total of 234 for all of 2020, according to a report issued last month by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti known as BINUH.

Gangs have been accused of kidnapping schoolchildren, doctors, police officers, busloads of passengers and others as they grow more powerful. In April, one gang kidnapped five priests and two nuns, a move that prompted a protest similar to the one organized for this Monday to decry the lack of security in the impoverished country.

“Political turmoil, the surge in gang violence, deteriorating socioeconomic conditions – including food insecurity and malnutrition – all contribute to the worsening of the humanitarian situation,” BINUH said in its report. “An overstretched and under-resourced police force alone cannot address the security ills of Haiti.”

On Friday, the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to extend the U.N. political mission in Haiti.

The kidnapping of the missionaries comes just days after high-level U.S. officials visited Haiti and promised more resources for Haiti’s National Police, including another $15 million to help reduce gang violence, which this year has displaced thousands of Haitians who now live in temporary shelters in increasingly unhygienic conditions.

Among those who met with Haiti’s police chief was Uzra Zeya, U.S. under secretary of state for civilian security, democracy, and human rights.

“Dismantling violent gangs is vital to Haitian stability and citizen security,” she recently tweeted.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — A group of 17 U.S. missionaries, including children, was kidnapped by a gang in Haiti on Saturday, according to a voice message sent to various religious missions by an organization with direct knowledge of the incident.The missionaries were on their way home from building an orphanage, according to a message from Ohio-based Christian Aid Ministries.“This is a special prayer alert,” the one-minute message said. “Pray that the gang members would come to repentance.”The message says the mission’s field director is working with the U.S. Embassy, and that the field director’s family and one other unidentified man stayed at the ministry’s base while everyone else visited the orphanage.No other details were immediately available.A U.S. government spokesperson said they were aware of the reports on the kidnapping.“The welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad is one of the highest priorities of the Department of State,” the spokesperson said, declining further comment.Haiti is once again struggling with a spike in gang-related kidnappings that had diminished after President Jovenel Moïse was fatally shot at his private residence on July 7, and following a 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck southwest Haiti in August and killed more than 2,200 people.Gangs have demanded ransoms ranging from a couple hundred dollars to more than $1 million, according to authorities.Last month, a deacon was killed in front of a church in the capital of Port-au-Prince and his wife kidnapped, one of dozens of people who have been abducted in recent months.At least 328 kidnapping victims were reported to Haiti’s National Police in the first eight months of 2021, compared with a total of 234 for all of 2020, according to a report issued last month by the United Nations Integrated Office in Haiti known as BINUH.Gangs have been accused of kidnapping schoolchildren, doctors, police officers, busloads of passengers and others as they grow more powerful. In April, one gang kidnapped five priests and two nuns, a move that prompted a protest similar to the one organized for this Monday to decry the lack of security in the impoverished country.“Political turmoil, the surge in gang violence, deteriorating socioeconomic conditions – including food insecurity and malnutrition – all contribute to the worsening of the humanitarian situation,” BINUH said in its report. “An overstretched and under-resourced police force alone cannot address the security ills of Haiti.”On Friday, the U.N. Security Council voted unanimously to extend the U.N. political mission in Haiti.The kidnapping of the missionaries comes just days after high-level U.S. officials visited Haiti and promised more resources for Haiti’s National Police, including another $15 million to help reduce gang violence, which this year has displaced thousands of Haitians who now live in temporary shelters in increasingly unhygienic conditions.Among those who met with Haiti’s police chief was Uzra Zeya, U.S. under secretary of state for civilian security, democracy, and human rights.“Dismantling violent gangs is vital to Haitian stability and citizen security,” she recently tweeted.___

Religious group: 17 U.S. missionaries kidnapped in Haiti

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Nurses around the U.S. are getting burned out by the COVID-19 crisis and quitting, yet applications to nursing schools are rising, driven by what educators say are young people who see the global emergency as an opportunity and a challenge.

Among them is University of Connecticut sophomore Brianna Monte, a 19-year-old from Mahopac, New York, who had been considering majoring in education but decided on nursing after watching nurses care for her 84-year-grandmother, who was diagnosed last year with COVID-19 and also had cancer.

“They were switching out their protective gear in between every patient, running like crazy trying to make sure all of their patients were attended to,” she said. “I had that moment of clarity that made me want to jump right in to health care and join the workers on the front line.”

Nationally, enrollment in bachelor's, master’s and doctoral nursing programs increased 5.6% in 2020 from the year before to just over 250,000 students,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aacnnursing.org/News-Information/Press-Releases/View/ArticleId/24802/2020-survey-data-student-enrollment">according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.</a>

Figures for the current 2021-22 school year won't be available until January, but administrators say they have continued to see a spike in interest.

The University of Michigan nursing school reported getting about 1,800 applications for 150 freshman slots this fall, compared with about 1,200 in 2019.

Marie Nolan, executive vice dean of the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing in Baltimore, said it has seen its biggest number of applicants ever, many of them applying even before a vaccine was available, despite her worries that COVID-19 would scare off students.

Students at those and other schools have been able to gain valuable hands-on experience during the pandemic, doing COVID-19 testing and contact tracing and working at community vaccination clinics.

“We’ve said to the students, ‘This is a career opportunity that you’ll never see again,’” Nolan said.

Emma Champlin, a first-year nursing student at Fresno State, said that like many of her classmates, she saw the pandemic as a chance to learn critical-care skills and then apply them. And she is young and her immune system is fine, she said, “so the idea of getting the virus didn’t scare me.”

“It’s just time for us to step in and give it our all and figure out how we can help, because there has to be a new generation and that’s got to be us,” the 21-year-old said.

The higher enrollment could help ease a nursing shortage that existed even before COVID-19. But it has brought its own problems: The increase, combined with the departure of too many experienced nurses whose job is to help train students, has left many nursing programs without the ability to expand.

The rise is happening even as hospital leaders around the U.S. report that thousands of nurses have quit or retired during the outbreak, many of them exhausted and demoralized because of the pressure of caring for the dying, hostility from patients and families, and the frustration in knowing that many deaths were preventable by way of masks and vaccinations.

Eric Kumor saw many of his nursing colleagues from a COVID-19 unit in Lansing, Michigan, transfer or take other jobs this past spring when the pandemic’s third wave began to hit. He followed them out the door in July.

“It was like this mass exodus. Everybody chose their own health and wellness over dealing with another wave,” he said.

He said he plans on returning to health care someday, but for now is working at a barbecue joint, where the worst thing that can happen is “burning a brisket.”

“I’m not done with nursing yet,” he said.

Betty Jo Rocchio, chief nursing officer for Mercy Health, which runs hospitals and clinics in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma, said her system has about 8,500 nurses but is losing about 160 each month.

The departures are also taking their toll on nursing education, which relies on clinical instructors and preceptors, the experienced, hands-on nurses who mentor students on the job.

Nursing faculty is expected to shrink by 25% by 2025 across the country as nurses retire or leave because of burnout or other reasons, said Patricia Hurn, the nursing school dean at Michigan.

Mindy Schiebler, a cardiac nurse from Vancouver, Washington, taught nursing students for three years before quitting in 2016. She said she would love to still be teaching but that it’s not workable financially. She said she knows nursing professors who work multiple jobs or dip into their retirement savings.

“How long can you subsidize your own job?” she asked. “Nurses will make double what you make in just a few years out of the gate.”

Administrators said they would like to see more financial incentives such as tax breaks for instructors and preceptors. Rocchio said it would also help to have national licensing instead of state-by-state requirements, giving health systems more flexibility in training and hiring.

Champlin, the Fresno State student now doing clinical studies in a COVID-19 ward, said the stress, even on students, is sometimes overwhelming. It’s physically and mentally tiring to don cumbersome protective equipment every time you enter someone's room and then watch as a tube is inserted down the frightened patient's throat and the person is hooked up to a ventilator.

“I don’t even know when it will stop,” she said. “Is this the new normal? I think the scariness of it has worn off at this point, and now we’re just all exhausted." She confessed: "That has had me reconsider, at times, my career choice.”

Hurn said the pandemic has led to a new focus at her school on the mental health of students, leading to the creation of programs such as “Yoga on the Lawn."

“For nursing, you have to develop the skills to be resilient, to adapt to high-strain conditions,” she said.

Monte, whose grandmother survived, said she believes the pandemic is waning and hopes to have a long career no matter the challenges.

“They do have this nursing shortage right now, which selfishly is good for me, because I won’t have trouble finding a job, wherever I decide to go,” she said. “I feel like I won’t get burned out, even if we have another national emergency. I feel I’ll still be committed to nursing."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1606851264919.png" alt="Nationally, enrollment in bachelor's, master’s and doctoral nursing programs increased 5.6% in 2020-photo by Carlos Moreno / KCUR&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Nationally, enrollment in bachelor's, master’s and doctoral nursing programs increased 5.6% in 2020-photo by Carlos Moreno / KCUR&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Nurses around the U.S. are getting burned out by the COVID-19 crisis and quitting, yet applications to nursing schools are rising, driven by what educators say are young people who see the global emergency as an opportunity and a challenge.Among them is University of Connecticut sophomore Brianna Monte, a 19-year-old from Mahopac, New York, who had been considering majoring in education but decided on nursing after watching nurses care for her 84-year-grandmother, who was diagnosed last year with COVID-19 and also had cancer.“They were switching out their protective gear in between every patient, running like crazy trying to make sure all of their patients were attended to,” she said. “I had that moment of clarity that made me want to jump right in to health care and join the workers on the front line.”Nationally, enrollment in bachelor's, master’s and doctoral nursing programs increased 5.6% in 2020 from the year before to just over 250,000 students,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aacnnursing.org/News-Information/Press-Releases/View/ArticleId/24802/2020-survey-data-student-enrollment">according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.</a>Figures for the current 2021-22 school year won't be available until January, but administrators say they have continued to see a spike in interest.The University of Michigan nursing school reported getting about 1,800 applications for 150 freshman slots this fall, compared with about 1,200 in 2019.Marie Nolan, executive vice dean of the Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing in Baltimore, said it has seen its biggest number of applicants ever, many of them applying even before a vaccine was available, despite her worries that COVID-19 would scare off students.Students at those and other schools have been able to gain valuable hands-on experience during the pandemic, doing COVID-19 testing and contact tracing and working at community vaccination clinics.“We’ve said to the students, ‘This is a career opportunity that you’ll never see again,’” Nolan said.Emma Champlin, a first-year nursing student at Fresno State, said that like many of her classmates, she saw the pandemic as a chance to learn critical-care skills and then apply them. And she is young and her immune system is fine, she said, “so the idea of getting the virus didn’t scare me.”“It’s just time for us to step in and give it our all and figure out how we can help, because there has to be a new generation and that’s got to be us,” the 21-year-old said.The higher enrollment could help ease a nursing shortage that existed even before COVID-19. But it has brought its own problems: The increase, combined with the departure of too many experienced nurses whose job is to help train students, has left many nursing programs without the ability to expand.The rise is happening even as hospital leaders around the U.S. report that thousands of nurses have quit or retired during the outbreak, many of them exhausted and demoralized because of the pressure of caring for the dying, hostility from patients and families, and the frustration in knowing that many deaths were preventable by way of masks and vaccinations.Eric Kumor saw many of his nursing colleagues from a COVID-19 unit in Lansing, Michigan, transfer or take other jobs this past spring when the pandemic’s third wave began to hit. He followed them out the door in July.“It was like this mass exodus. Everybody chose their own health and wellness over dealing with another wave,” he said.He said he plans on returning to health care someday, but for now is working at a barbecue joint, where the worst thing that can happen is “burning a brisket.”“I’m not done with nursing yet,” he said.Betty Jo Rocchio, chief nursing officer for Mercy Health, which runs hospitals and clinics in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas and Oklahoma, said her system has about 8,500 nurses but is losing about 160 each month.The departures are also taking their toll on nursing education, which relies on clinical instructors and preceptors, the experienced, hands-on nurses who mentor students on the job.Nursing faculty is expected to shrink by 25% by 2025 across the country as nurses retire or leave because of burnout or other reasons, said Patricia Hurn, the nursing school dean at Michigan.Mindy Schiebler, a cardiac nurse from Vancouver, Washington, taught nursing students for three years before quitting in 2016. She said she would love to still be teaching but that it’s not workable financially. She said she knows nursing professors who work multiple jobs or dip into their retirement savings.“How long can you subsidize your own job?” she asked. “Nurses will make double what you make in just a few years out of the gate.”Administrators said they would like to see more financial incentives such as tax breaks for instructors and preceptors. Rocchio said it would also help to have national licensing instead of state-by-state requirements, giving health systems more flexibility in training and hiring.Champlin, the Fresno State student now doing clinical studies in a COVID-19 ward, said the stress, even on students, is sometimes overwhelming. It’s physically and mentally tiring to don cumbersome protective equipment every time you enter someone's room and then watch as a tube is inserted down the frightened patient's throat and the person is hooked up to a ventilator.“I don’t even know when it will stop,” she said. “Is this the new normal? I think the scariness of it has worn off at this point, and now we’re just all exhausted." She confessed: "That has had me reconsider, at times, my career choice.”Hurn said the pandemic has led to a new focus at her school on the mental health of students, leading to the creation of programs such as “Yoga on the Lawn."“For nursing, you have to develop the skills to be resilient, to adapt to high-strain conditions,” she said.Monte, whose grandmother survived, said she believes the pandemic is waning and hopes to have a long career no matter the challenges.“They do have this nursing shortage right now, which selfishly is good for me, because I won’t have trouble finding a job, wherever I decide to go,” she said. “I feel like I won’t get burned out, even if we have another national emergency. I feel I’ll still be committed to nursing."

Nursing schools see applications rise, despite COVID burnout

Mobile providers may be required to block illegal text messages

WASHINGTON — Federal Communications Commission Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel today shared with her colleagues a proposed rulemaking that would require mobile wireless providers to block illegal text messaging, building on the agency’s ongoing work to stop illegal and unwanted robocalls.  As the FCC continues to combat unwanted robocalls, it recognizes that it must adapt to the latest scamming trends—including the rise of robotexts. 

In 2020 alone, the Commission received approximately 14,000 consumer complaints about unwanted text messages, representing an almost 146% increase from the number of complaints the year before.  Thus far in 2021, the Commission has received over 9,800 consumer complaints about unwanted texts.  Meanwhile, data from other sources reaffirm evidence of the problem. For example, RoboKiller reports 7.4 billion spam texts were sent in March 2021.

“In a world where so many of us rely heavily on texting to stay connected with our friends and family, ensuring the integrity of this communication is vitally important,”&nbsp;said Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel.&nbsp; “We’ve seen a rise in scammers trying to take advantage of our trust of text messages by sending bogus robotexts that try to trick consumers to share sensitive information or click on malicious links. &nbsp;It’s time we take steps to confront this latest wave of fraud and identify how mobile carriers can block these automated messages before they have the opportunity to cause any harm.”

If adopted by a vote of the full Commission, the rulemaking would explore steps to protect consumers from illegal robotexts, including network level blocking and applying caller authentication standards to text messaging. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584977952684.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Mobile providers may be required to block illegal text messages</h2>FCCWASHINGTON — Federal Communications Commission Acting Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel today shared with her colleagues a proposed rulemaking that would require mobile wireless providers to block illegal text messaging, building on the agency’s ongoing work to stop illegal and unwanted robocalls. As the FCC continues to combat unwanted robocalls, it recognizes that it must adapt to the latest scamming trends—including the rise of robotexts. In 2020 alone, the Commission received approximately 14,000 consumer complaints about unwanted text messages, representing an almost 146% increase from the number of complaints the year before. Thus far in 2021, the Commission has received over 9,800 consumer complaints about unwanted texts. Meanwhile, data from other sources reaffirm evidence of the problem. For example, RoboKiller reports 7.4 billion spam texts were sent in March 2021.“In a world where so many of us rely heavily on texting to stay connected with our friends and family, ensuring the integrity of this communication is vitally important,”&nbsp;said Acting Chairwoman Rosenworcel.&nbsp; “We’ve seen a rise in scammers trying to take advantage of our trust of text messages by sending bogus robotexts that try to trick consumers to share sensitive information or click on malicious links. &nbsp;It’s time we take steps to confront this latest wave of fraud and identify how mobile carriers can block these automated messages before they have the opportunity to cause any harm.”If adopted by a vote of the full Commission, the rulemaking would explore steps to protect consumers from illegal robotexts, including network level blocking and applying caller authentication standards to text messaging.

FCC chair proposes new rule to fight robotexts

Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have apprehended three juveniles following a pursuit with a stolen vehicle in Omaha. Troopers also recovered two stolen handguns during the incident.

At approximately 12:50 a.m. Saturday, NSP received a report that a Jeep Gladiator had been stolen in Lincoln and was traveling eastbound toward Omaha on Interstate 80. A trooper was able to locate the vehicle on I-80 in Omaha and attempted a traffic stop near the 42nd&nbsp;street interchange. The vehicle stopped briefly, but then fled as the trooper attempted to contact the driver. The trooper initiated a pursuit.

As the Jeep proceeded eastbound on I-80, with speeds reaching 110 miles per hour, a handgun was thrown out the window of the vehicle. Another trooper recovered the gun while the pursuit continued. The Jeep then voluntarily stopped near the 20th&nbsp;street overpass. Troopers were then able to take the three occupants into custody without further incident. A second handgun was located inside the vehicle. Both guns were determined to be stolen.

The driver, an 11-year-old male, was cited for theft by unlawful taking – over $5,000, possession of a stolen firearm, flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, obstruction, and traffic violations. He was released to his mother. The two passengers, 14-year-old males, were lodged in the Douglas County Youth Center for possession of a stolen firearm.

There were no injuries related to the pursuit, which lasted a total of three minutes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634425957788.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol have apprehended three juveniles following a pursuit with a stolen vehicle in Omaha. Troopers also recovered two stolen handguns during the incident.At approximately 12:50 a.m. Saturday, NSP received a report that a Jeep Gladiator had been stolen in Lincoln and was traveling eastbound toward Omaha on Interstate 80. A trooper was able to locate the vehicle on I-80 in Omaha and attempted a traffic stop near the 42nd&nbsp;street interchange. The vehicle stopped briefly, but then fled as the trooper attempted to contact the driver. The trooper initiated a pursuit.As the Jeep proceeded eastbound on I-80, with speeds reaching 110 miles per hour, a handgun was thrown out the window of the vehicle. Another trooper recovered the gun while the pursuit continued. The Jeep then voluntarily stopped near the 20th&nbsp;street overpass. Troopers were then able to take the three occupants into custody without further incident. A second handgun was located inside the vehicle. Both guns were determined to be stolen.The driver, an 11-year-old male, was cited for theft by unlawful taking – over $5,000, possession of a stolen firearm, flight to avoid arrest, willful reckless driving, obstruction, and traffic violations. He was released to his mother. The two passengers, 14-year-old males, were lodged in the Douglas County Youth Center for possession of a stolen firearm.There were no injuries related to the pursuit, which lasted a total of three minutes.#

11-year-old, 2 other juveniles arrested after Omaha pursuit

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing&nbsp; that sent a man to the hospital and asking the public for assistance locating a person of interest identified as 41-year-old Keisson Smith.

On Friday, police responded to the 1100 Block of SW Clay Street in Topeka regarding a recent stabbing call for service, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.&nbsp; The victim, a 45-year-old Topeka man,m sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the incident. another.

&nbsp;Anyone with information about Smith’s location, including past sightings, is asked to call the police at 785-368-9551 or email telltpd@topeka.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634406705569.png" alt="Smith photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Smith photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing&nbsp; that sent a man to the hospital and asking the public for assistance locating a person of interest identified as 41-year-old Keisson Smith.On Friday, police responded to the 1100 Block of SW Clay Street in Topeka regarding a recent stabbing call for service, according to Lt. Jerry Monasmith.&nbsp; The victim, a 45-year-old Topeka man,m sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the incident. another.&nbsp;Anyone with information about Smith’s location, including past sightings, is asked to call the police at 785-368-9551 or email telltpd@topeka.org.

Police ask for help to locate Kansas stabbing suspect

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Defense Department said Friday that it is committed to offering condolence payments to relatives of the 10 people who were killed in an errant U.S. drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, in August.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement that the Defense Department was also working with the State Department to help surviving family members relocate to the United States.

Kirby said the matter arose in a meeting Thursday between Dr. Colin Kahl, under secretary of defense for policy, and Dr. Steven Kwon, founder and president of the nonprofit group Nutrition &amp; Education International.

“Dr. Kahl reiterated Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s commitment to the families, including offering ex gratia condolence payments,” Kirby said. He did not say how much money would be offered.

On Aug. 29, a U.S. Hellfire missile struck a car driven by Zemerai Ahmadi, who had just pulled into the driveway of the Ahmadi family compound. In all, 10 members of the family, including seven children, were killed in the strike.

Weeks later, Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, called the strike a “tragic mistake” and said innocent civilians were indeed killed in the attack.

During the meeting Thursday, Kwon told Kahl that Ahmadi had work with NEI for many years, “providing care and lifesaving assistance for people facing high mortality rates in Afghanistan,” according to Kirby.

The U.S. military initially defended the strike, saying it had targeted an Islamic State group’s “facilitator” and disrupted the militants’ ability to carry out attacks during the chaotic final stage of the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops from Afghanistan.

Discrepancies between the military’s portrayal of the strike and findings on the ground quickly emerged. The Associated Press and other news organizations reported that the driver of the targeted vehicle was a longtime employee at a U.S. humanitarian organization. There were no signs of a large secondary blast, despite the Pentagon’s assertion that the vehicle contained explosives.

The drone strike followed a devastating suicide bombing by an Islamic State offshoot that killed 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. military personnel at one of the gates to the Kabul airport in late August.

Last month, McKenzie said the United States was considering making reparation payments to the family of the drone strike victims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/8/1629894518244.png" alt="Photo courtesy U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton who made a surprise trip to Afghanistan in late August" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton who made a surprise trip to Afghanistan in late August</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Defense Department said Friday that it is committed to offering condolence payments to relatives of the 10 people who were killed in an errant U.S. drone strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, in August.Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement that the Defense Department was also working with the State Department to help surviving family members relocate to the United States.Kirby said the matter arose in a meeting Thursday between Dr. Colin Kahl, under secretary of defense for policy, and Dr. Steven Kwon, founder and president of the nonprofit group Nutrition &amp; Education International.“Dr. Kahl reiterated Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin’s commitment to the families, including offering ex gratia condolence payments,” Kirby said. He did not say how much money would be offered.On Aug. 29, a U.S. Hellfire missile struck a car driven by Zemerai Ahmadi, who had just pulled into the driveway of the Ahmadi family compound. In all, 10 members of the family, including seven children, were killed in the strike.Weeks later, Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, called the strike a “tragic mistake” and said innocent civilians were indeed killed in the attack.During the meeting Thursday, Kwon told Kahl that Ahmadi had work with NEI for many years, “providing care and lifesaving assistance for people facing high mortality rates in Afghanistan,” according to Kirby.The U.S. military initially defended the strike, saying it had targeted an Islamic State group’s “facilitator” and disrupted the militants’ ability to carry out attacks during the chaotic final stage of the withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops from Afghanistan.Discrepancies between the military’s portrayal of the strike and findings on the ground quickly emerged. The Associated Press and other news organizations reported that the driver of the targeted vehicle was a longtime employee at a U.S. humanitarian organization. There were no signs of a large secondary blast, despite the Pentagon’s assertion that the vehicle contained explosives.The drone strike followed a devastating suicide bombing by an Islamic State offshoot that killed 169 Afghans and 13 U.S. military personnel at one of the gates to the Kabul airport in late August.Last month, McKenzie said the United States was considering making reparation payments to the family of the drone strike victims.

US vows to pay relatives after 7 Afghan children killed in drone strike

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A former chancellor for the Roman Catholic Church’s Archdiocese of Omaha has been charged with two felony counts accusing him of stealing a total of more than $285,000 from a former priest and from a Springfield parish. 

The Rev. Michael Gutgsell turned himself in to police on Friday and was briefly jailed before being released on his own recognizance. He is charged with attempted theft and abuse of a vulnerable adult. 

Police say Gutgsell admitted to taking $106,000 from his former parish, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Springfield, as well as taking $180,000 from the bank accounts of retired Omaha priest Theodore Richling, who was suffering from Alzheimer's at the time.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A former chancellor for the Roman Catholic Church’s Archdiocese of Omaha has been charged with two felony counts accusing him of stealing a total of more than $285,000 from a former priest and from a Springfield parish. The Rev. Michael Gutgsell turned himself in to police on Friday and was briefly jailed before being released on his own recognizance. He is charged with attempted theft and abuse of a vulnerable adult. Police say Gutgsell admitted to taking $106,000 from his former parish, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Springfield, as well as taking $180,000 from the bank accounts of retired Omaha priest Theodore Richling, who was suffering from Alzheimer's at the time.

Ex-Omaha Archdiocese chancellor charged in theft case

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — President Joe Biden said Friday that although he expects his social safety net and climate spending package to shrink, “we’re going to come back and get the rest” after it’s passed, a seeming effort to assuage progressives worried their priorities may get cut in the negotiations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634336393644.png" alt="On Friday, President Biden visited a child development center in Hartford to speak about the need for investments in child care and other social safety net programs, arguing they’re imperative to keep America competitive in the global economy.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>On Friday, President Biden visited a child development center in Hartford to speak about the need for investments in child care and other social safety net programs, arguing they’re imperative to keep America competitive in the global economy.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — President Joe Biden said Friday that although he expects his social safety net and climate spending package to shrink, “we’re going to come back and get the rest” after it’s passed, a seeming effort to assuage progressives worried their priorities may get cut in the negotiations.“We’re not going to get $3.5 trillion. We’ll get less than that, but we’re gonna get it. And we’re going to come back and get the rest,” he said during remarks at a child care center in Connecticut.Democrats on Capitol Hill are working to reduce the sweeping package down to about $2 trillion in spending, which would be paid for with higher taxes on corporations and the wealthy. The proposal includes everything from free child care and community college to dental, vision and hearing aid benefits for seniors and a number of significant provisions meant to combat climate change, all key items for progressives, but moderates have balked at the original $3.5 trillion price tag.With slim margins in the House and an evenly-divided Senate, Democrats have no votes to spare on the bill. The whittling process&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-3d3e926b5856b36f82818b8a2d916231">has sparked concern</a>&nbsp;from some progressives that their priorities could be left out of the bill.But Biden has openly acknowledged the price tag will have to come down. On Friday, he visited a child development center in Hartford to speak about the need for investments in child care and other social safety net programs, arguing they’re imperative to keep America competitive in the global economy.At the center, Biden promoted his proposal to make such care free for lower-income families, and ensure that families making up to 150% of their state’s median income pay less than 7% of their salaries on child care. It’s part of a massive expansion of the social safety net that Biden has championed and is aiming to pass with just Democratic votes in Congress.“Too many folks in Washington still don’t realize it isn’t enough just to invest in our physical infrastructure. We also have to invest in our people,” he said.Biden went on to outline how his plan would reduce child care costs for Connecticut residents, and noted the disparity between U.S. spending on early child care versus greater investments in other countries, to argue that the lack of investment is causing the U.S. to fall behind.“How can we compete in the world if millions of American parents, especially moms, can’t be part of the workforce because they can’t afford the cost of child care or eldercare?”He briefly greeted some of the children at the center’s playground before speaking, at one point kneeling down to give a child a hug.The president’s sales pitch comes as his Democratic allies have raised alarm that the American public does not understand the benefits of the package.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-health-house-elections-b0719b901d945a9b63ed5cf6f036c4ef">There is renewed urgency among Democrats</a>&nbsp;to push through the package ahead of an end-of-month deadline on transportation funding, Biden’s upcoming foreign trip, and a closer-than-anticipated race for Virginia’s next governor.Talks between the White House and members of Congress continue, as they try to reach consensus both on the total spending level for the legislation and what particular programs should be included. Objections by centrist Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-health-seniors-29366e47034eb12d0d4b28b314cace60">forcing Democrats to shrink the package from Biden’s proposed $3.5 trillion to closer to $2 trillion</a>.The fate of that legislation, branded “Build Back Better” by Biden, is also holding up a more than $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill that passed the Senate this summer. House progressives are balking at supporting that bill until agreement is reached on a path forward on the social safety net package.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-barack-obama-congress-terry-mcauliffe-only-on-ap-89137912636ec3dcea9fda2857085370">In an interview this week with The Associated Press</a>, Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic candidate for Virginia governor, criticized Democrats and Biden over the stalled infrastructure package.“They all got to get their act together and vote,” McAuliffe said. Asked specifically if he was calling out Biden, McAuliffe said, “I put everybody there.” McAuliffe is in a tight race with Republican newcomer Glenn Youngkin in a state Biden carried by 10 points just last fall.Biden is also set to deliver remarks Friday at the dedication of the Dodd Center for Human Rights at the University of Connecticut, which is being renamed to honor a longtime friend, former Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, in addition to Dodd’s father, who was also a former senator.___HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — President Joe Biden is set to highlight his plan to lower the cost of child care for most American families as he makes the case for his stalled social spending bill during a visit to Connecticut on Friday.Biden visited a child development center in Hartford to promote his proposal to make such care free for lower-income families and ensure that families making up to 150% of their state’s median income pay less than 7% of their salaries on child care. The proposal is part of a massive expansion of the social safety net that Biden has championed and is aiming to pass with just Democratic votes in Congress.The president’s sales pitch comes as his Democratic allies have raised alarm that the American public does not understand the benefits of the package.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-health-house-elections-b0719b901d945a9b63ed5cf6f036c4ef">There is renewed urgency among Democrats</a>&nbsp;to push through the package ahead of an end-of-month deadline on transportation funding, Biden’s upcoming foreign trip, and a closer-than-anticipated race for Virginia’s next governor.Talks between the White House and members of Congress continue, as they try to reach consensus both on the total spending level for the legislation and what particular programs should be included. Objections by centrist Sens. Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-congress-health-seniors-29366e47034eb12d0d4b28b314cace60">forcing Democrats to shrink the package from Biden’s proposed $3.5 trillion to closer to $2 trillion</a>.The fate of that legislation, branded “Build Back Better” by Biden, is also holding up a more than $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill that passed the Senate this summer. House progressives are balking at supporting that bill until agreement is reached on a path forward on the social safety net package.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-barack-obama-congress-terry-mcauliffe-only-on-ap-89137912636ec3dcea9fda2857085370">In an interview this week with The Associated Press</a>, Terry McAuliffe, the Democratic candidate for Virginia governor, criticized Democrats and Biden over the stalled infrastructure package.“They all got to get their act together and vote,” McAuliffe said. Asked specifically if he was calling out Biden, McAuliffe said, “I put everybody there.” McAuliffe is in a tight race with Republican newcomer Glenn Youngkin in a state Biden carried by 10 points just last fall.Biden is also set to deliver remarks Friday at the dedication of the Dodd Center for Human Rights at the University of Connecticut, which is being renamed to honor a longtime friend, former Connecticut Sen. Chris Dodd, in addition to Dodd’s father, who was also a former senator.