WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday indicated he had decided how to respond after the killing of three American service members Sunday in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jordan-drone-attack-attack-confusion-f175962e058b9b6f668303faf248d8e6">drone attack in Jordan</a>&nbsp;that his administration has pinned on Iran-backed militia groups, saying he does not want to expand the war in the Middle East but demurring on specifics.

U.S. officials said they are still determining which of several Iran-backed groups was responsible for the first killing of American troops in a wave of attacks against U.S. forces in the region since the Oct. 7 Hamas assault on Israel. Biden plans to attend the dignified transfer to mark the fallen troops' return to American soil on Friday and answered in the affirmative when asked by reporters if he'd decided on a response, as he indicated he was aiming to prevent further escalation.

“I don’t think we need a wider war in the Middle East," Biden said at the White House before departing for a fundraising trip to Florida. “That’s not what I’m looking for.”

It was not immediately clear whether Biden meant he had decided on a specific retaliatory plan. A U.S. official told The Associated Press that the Pentagon is still assessing options to respond to the attack in Jordan.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters traveling with Biden aboard Air Force One that he would not preview the U.S. response, but indicated it would come in phases.

“It’s very possible that what you’ll see is a tiered approach here, not just a single action, but potentially multiple actions over a period of time," he said.

Meanwhile, the Iranian-backed Iraqi militia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iraq-airstrike-military-iran-d93d861feeef90cfeac3ba85f1f2f36d">Kataib Hezbollah</a>, one of several groups eyed by U.S. officials, announced Tuesday in a statement “the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces in order to prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government.”

The attacks on U.S. forces by Iraqi militias over the past four months have placed the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in an awkward position. Sudani was brought to power by Iranian-allied factions but has also attempted to stay in Washington’s good graces and has condemned the attacks on U.S. forces serving in Iraq as part of an international commission to fight the Islamic State. Iraqi and U.S. officials on Saturday opened talks aimed at winding down the commission’s presence.

Kirby said that Biden spoke with the soldiers' families Tuesday morning and extended his condolences, pledging full assistance to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drone-attack-soldier-killed-jordan-sanders-georgia-947c5c440e149154b06bc1bc29d84a19">families as they grieve</a>.

In separate calls with the families, Biden also gauged their feelings about his attendance at Friday's dignified transfer of the fallen service members' remains at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Friday, and “all of them supported his presence there,” Kirby said.

“He was grateful for their time. He expressed to them how proud we all are of their service," Kirby said of Biden's calls with the families. “How we mourn and feel sorrow over their loss.”

Kirby added: “The president will be going to the dignified transfer on Friday.”

The solemn ceremony marks the return of fallen service members to American soil as they journey to their final resting place, with silent honor guards carrying flag-draped transfer cases holding the remains from transport aircraft to military vehicles.

The Pentagon identified those killed in the attack as Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia; Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Georgia; and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia. The Army Reserve announced on Tuesday that it had posthumously promoted Sanders and Moffett to the rank of sergeant.

There have been a total of 166 attacks on U.S. military installations since Oct. 18, including 67 in Iraq, 98 in Syria and now one in Jordan, a U.S. military official said. On Tuesday, Al-Asad Air Base in Western Iraq was targeted again by a single rocket, but there was no damage and no injuries in that attack, a U.S. military official said. The three soldiers killed in the Jordan strike were the first U.S. military fatalities in the Middle East since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out. One contractor has also died as the result of a heart attack after a strike on Al-Asad in December.

In 2021, Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-biden-troops-killed-509f29aaca012ee8e83871d2c03384bf">attended the dignified transfer</a>&nbsp;of the remains of 13 troops killed in a suicide attack during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.

Separately, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany said it expected to receive 3 U.S. service members who were injured in the drone attack, including one listed in critical, but stable, condition. The Pentagon has said at least 40 troops were injured alongside the three killed in action.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Tuesday indicated he had decided how to respond after the killing of three American service members Sunday in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jordan-drone-attack-attack-confusion-f175962e058b9b6f668303faf248d8e6">drone attack in Jordan</a>&nbsp;that his administration has pinned on Iran-backed militia groups, saying he does not want to expand the war in the Middle East but demurring on specifics.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden on Iran: &quot;I do hold them responsible in a sense that they&#39;re supplying the weapons to the people who did it...I don&#39;t think we need a wider war in the Middle East. That&#39;s not what I&#39;m looking for.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/mcviToXzgJ">pic.twitter.com/mcviToXzgJ</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1752363083987575127?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>U.S. officials said they are still determining which of several Iran-backed groups was responsible for the first killing of American troops in a wave of attacks against U.S. forces in the region since the Oct. 7 Hamas assault on Israel. Biden plans to attend the dignified transfer to mark the fallen troops' return to American soil on Friday and answered in the affirmative when asked by reporters if he'd decided on a response, as he indicated he was aiming to prevent further escalation.“I don’t think we need a wider war in the Middle East," Biden said at the White House before departing for a fundraising trip to Florida. “That’s not what I’m looking for.”It was not immediately clear whether Biden meant he had decided on a specific retaliatory plan. A U.S. official told The Associated Press that the Pentagon is still assessing options to respond to the attack in Jordan.National Security Council spokesman John Kirby told reporters traveling with Biden aboard Air Force One that he would not preview the U.S. response, but indicated it would come in phases.“It’s very possible that what you’ll see is a tiered approach here, not just a single action, but potentially multiple actions over a period of time," he said.Meanwhile, the Iranian-backed Iraqi militia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-iraq-airstrike-military-iran-d93d861feeef90cfeac3ba85f1f2f36d">Kataib Hezbollah</a>, one of several groups eyed by U.S. officials, announced Tuesday in a statement “the suspension of military and security operations against the occupation forces in order to prevent embarrassment to the Iraqi government.”The attacks on U.S. forces by Iraqi militias over the past four months have placed the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani in an awkward position. Sudani was brought to power by Iranian-allied factions but has also attempted to stay in Washington’s good graces and has condemned the attacks on U.S. forces serving in Iraq as part of an international commission to fight the Islamic State. Iraqi and U.S. officials on Saturday opened talks aimed at winding down the commission’s presence.Kirby said that Biden spoke with the soldiers' families Tuesday morning and extended his condolences, pledging full assistance to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/drone-attack-soldier-killed-jordan-sanders-georgia-947c5c440e149154b06bc1bc29d84a19">families as they grieve</a>.In separate calls with the families, Biden also gauged their feelings about his attendance at Friday's dignified transfer of the fallen service members' remains at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on Friday, and “all of them supported his presence there,” Kirby said.“He was grateful for their time. He expressed to them how proud we all are of their service," Kirby said of Biden's calls with the families. “How we mourn and feel sorrow over their loss.”Kirby added: “The president will be going to the dignified transfer on Friday.”The solemn ceremony marks the return of fallen service members to American soil as they journey to their final resting place, with silent honor guards carrying flag-draped transfer cases holding the remains from transport aircraft to military vehicles.The Pentagon identified those killed in the attack as Sgt. William Jerome Rivers, 46, of Carrollton, Georgia; Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders, 24, of Waycross, Georgia; and Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett, 23, of Savannah, Georgia. The Army Reserve announced on Tuesday that it had posthumously promoted Sanders and Moffett to the rank of sergeant.There have been a total of 166 attacks on U.S. military installations since Oct. 18, including 67 in Iraq, 98 in Syria and now one in Jordan, a U.S. military official said. On Tuesday, Al-Asad Air Base in Western Iraq was targeted again by a single rocket, but there was no damage and no injuries in that attack, a U.S. military official said. The three soldiers killed in the Jordan strike were the first U.S. military fatalities in the Middle East since the war between Israel and Hamas broke out. One contractor has also died as the result of a heart attack after a strike on Al-Asad in December.In 2021, Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-biden-troops-killed-509f29aaca012ee8e83871d2c03384bf">attended the dignified transfer</a>&nbsp;of the remains of 13 troops killed in a suicide attack during the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.Separately, Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany said it expected to receive 3 U.S. service members who were injured in the drone attack, including one listed in critical, but stable, condition. The Pentagon has said at least 40 troops were injured alongside the three killed in action.—

🎥Biden decides how to respond to deadly attack by Iran-backed terrorists 

UNMC professor Lisa Rucks, PhD, is the featured speaker&nbsp;

Lisa Rucks, PhD, a professor in the department of pathology, microbiology, and immunology
at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, will discuss
Chlamydia trachomatis
 at the next Science Café presentation, to be held at 7 p.m. on Feb. 6 at the Slowdown, 729
 N. 14th
 St. in Omaha.


Dr. Rucks first became interested in this topic while attending graduate school at West Virginia University,
 where she was inspired by Priscilla Wyrick, PhD, and the late Jane Raulston, PhD, visiting scientists who were invited to present on it.&nbsp;


“I was trying to decide what to do next after defending my PhD and because of their seminars, I became
 absolutely fascinated by this amazing pathogen and wanted to become a better cellular microbiologist,” Dr. Rucks said.&nbsp;


Dr. Rucks said that about 70 percent of chlamydial infections are asymptomatic, which is one of the
 reasons why it is so easily spread and often goes untreated, something she will talk about during her presentation.&nbsp;


“These infections disproportionately impact young women between the ages 17 and 25, which is typically
 before the average women becomes pregnant for the first time,” Dr. Rucks said. “Untreated chlamydial infections can lead to fibrotic scarring in the upper genital tract, which can impair fertility. Antibiotic treatment of chlamydia can negatively impact the
 vaginal microbiome, which can result in additional uncomfortable complications like yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Dr. Rucks said that by understanding how
C. trachomatis manipulates its host and establishes infection, novel and targeted anti-chlamydial drugs can be developed that will leave the rest of vaginal microbiome untouched.&nbsp;


Dr. Rucks is one of five principal investigators within the Obligate Intracellular Pathogen Research
 Group at UNMC and is also a member of the UNMC Nebraska Center for Women’s Health Research.&nbsp;


Her current research interests include understanding fundamental chlamydial-host interactions that
 facilitate infection and disease severity.&nbsp;


Science Cafés involve a conversation with an expert about current science topics.
 They are open to everyone. Each meeting is organized around an interesting topic of conversation. Experts give a brief presentation followed by a Q&amp;A period.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As Nebraska’s only public academic health science center, the University of Nebraska Medical Center
 enrolls more than 4,555 students across six colleges, two institutes and a graduate studies program. Its mission is to create a healthier future for Nebraskans through premier education, research and clinical care, but its impact -- rooted in a culture of
 collaboration, big ideas and public-private partnerships – goes far beyond, in areas that include infectious diseases, rural health, cancer research and treatments, global health security, and
simulation and experiential learning technologies.&nbsp;

<a href="https://twitter.com/unmc" target="_blank">Twitter</a>  |  <a href="https://www.facebook.com/unmcedu" target="_blank">Facebook</a> 
 |  <a href="https://instagram.com/iamunmc" target="_blank">Instagram</a> 
 |  <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/UNMCEDU" target="_blank">YouTube</a> 
 |  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/unmc/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>&nbsp;

UNMCUNMC professor Lisa Rucks, PhD, is the featured speaker&nbsp;
Lisa Rucks, PhD, a professor in the department of pathology, microbiology, and immunology
at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, will discuss
Chlamydia trachomatis
 at the next Science Café presentation, to be held at 7 p.m. on Feb. 6 at the Slowdown, 729
 N. 14th
 St. in Omaha.
Dr. Rucks first became interested in this topic while attending graduate school at West Virginia University,
 where she was inspired by Priscilla Wyrick, PhD, and the late Jane Raulston, PhD, visiting scientists who were invited to present on it.&nbsp;
“I was trying to decide what to do next after defending my PhD and because of their seminars, I became
 absolutely fascinated by this amazing pathogen and wanted to become a better cellular microbiologist,” Dr. Rucks said.&nbsp;
Dr. Rucks said that about 70 percent of chlamydial infections are asymptomatic, which is one of the
 reasons why it is so easily spread and often goes untreated, something she will talk about during her presentation.&nbsp;
“These infections disproportionately impact young women between the ages 17 and 25, which is typically
 before the average women becomes pregnant for the first time,” Dr. Rucks said. “Untreated chlamydial infections can lead to fibrotic scarring in the upper genital tract, which can impair fertility. Antibiotic treatment of chlamydia can negatively impact the
 vaginal microbiome, which can result in additional uncomfortable complications like yeast infections or bacterial vaginosis.”&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;
Dr. Rucks said that by understanding how
C. trachomatis manipulates its host and establishes infection, novel and targeted anti-chlamydial drugs can be developed that will leave the rest of vaginal microbiome untouched.&nbsp;
Dr. Rucks is one of five principal investigators within the Obligate Intracellular Pathogen Research
 Group at UNMC and is also a member of the UNMC Nebraska Center for Women’s Health Research.&nbsp;
Her current research interests include understanding fundamental chlamydial-host interactions that
 facilitate infection and disease severity.&nbsp;
Science Cafés involve a conversation with an expert about current science topics.
 They are open to everyone. Each meeting is organized around an interesting topic of conversation. Experts give a brief presentation followed by a Q&amp;A period.&nbsp;&nbsp;
About UNMC&nbsp;
As Nebraska’s only public academic health science center, the University of Nebraska Medical Center
 enrolls more than 4,555 students across six colleges, two institutes and a graduate studies program. Its mission is to create a healthier future for Nebraskans through premier education, research and clinical care, but its impact -- rooted in a culture of
 collaboration, big ideas and public-private partnerships – goes far beyond, in areas that include infectious diseases, rural health, cancer research and treatments, global health security, and
simulation and experiential learning technologies.&nbsp;
<a href="https://twitter.com/unmc" target="_blank">Twitter</a>  |  <a href="https://www.facebook.com/unmcedu" target="_blank">Facebook</a> 
 |  <a href="https://instagram.com/iamunmc" target="_blank">Instagram</a> 
 |  <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/UNMCEDU" target="_blank">YouTube</a> 
 |  <a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/unmc/" target="_blank">Flickr</a>&nbsp;

Chlamydia is the topic of Feb. 6 Science Café

NEW YORK (AP) — Chita Rivera, the dynamic dancer, singer and actress who garnered 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, in a long Broadway career that forged a path for Latina artists and shrugged off a near-fatal car accident, died Tuesday. She was 91.

Rivera's death was announced by her daughter, Lisa Mordente, who said she died in New York after a brief illness.

Rivera first gained wide notice in 1957 as Anita in the original production of "West Side Story" and was still dancing on Broadway with her trademark energy a half-century later in 2015’s “The Visit.”

"I wouldn't know what to do if I wasn't moving or telling a story to you or singing a song," she told The Associated Press then. "That's the spirit of my life, and I'm really so lucky to be able to do what I love, even at this time in my life."

In August 2009, Rivera was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor the U.S. can give a civilian. Rivera put her hand over her heart and shook her head in wonderment as President Barack Obama presented the medal. In 2013, she was the marshal at the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City.

“She was a true Broadway legend,” playwright Paul Rudnick said on X, formerly Twitter. “She always delivered and audiences adored her. The moment she stepped onstage, the world became more exciting and glorious.”

Rivera rose from chorus girl to star, collaborating along the way with many of Broadway’s greatest talents, including Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Bob Fosse, Gower Champion, Michael Kidd, Harold Prince, Jack Cole, Peter Gennaro and John Kander and Fred Ebb.

She rebounded from a car accident in 1988 that crushed her right leg and became an indefatigable star on the road. She was on Broadway in a raucous production of “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” in 2012 and the chilly “The Visit” in 2014, earning another best actress Tony nomination.

“She can’t rehearse except for full-out,” said playwright Terrence McNally in 2005. “She can’t perform except for full-out, no matter what the size of the house. She’s going to be there 101% for that audience.”

She won Tonys for “The Rink” in 1984 and “Kiss of the Spider Woman” in 1993. When accepting a Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2018, she said “I wouldn’t trade my life in the theater for anything, because theater is life.”

She was nominated for the award seven other times, for “Bye Bye Birdie,” which opened in 1960; “Chicago,” 1975; "Bring Back Birdie,” 1981; “Merlin,” 1983; “Jerry’s Girls,” 1985; “Nine,” 2003; and “Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life,” 2005.

“I don’t think we have enough original musicals,” she told The Associated Press in 2012. “I know I’m being old fashioned, but the theater is the place where music, lyrics, words, scenery and stories come together. And I’ve been blessed enough to have done several shows when they really did. They take you places and they’re daring. That’s what we need.”

Her albums include 16 tracks pulled from her original cast recordings and put out as part of Sony’s Legends of Broadway series and two solo CDs — “And Now I Sing” for a tiny record label in the 1960s and “And Now I Swing” in 2009 for Yellow Sound Label.

In the 1993 musical “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” Rivera played the title role, a glamorous movie star at the center of the fantasy life of an inmate in a South American prison. The story, from a novel by Manuel Puig, had already been made into an Oscar-winning 1985 movie.

In his review, then-Associated Press drama critic Michael Kuchwara wrote that Rivera “is more than a musical theater star. She’s a force of nature — which is exactly what is needed for the role of the Spider Woman. With her Louise Brooks haircut, brassy voice and lithe dancer’s body, Rivera dominates the stage whenever she appears.”

In 1975, she originated the role of Velma Kelly (to Gwen Verdon’s Roxie Hart) in the original Broadway production of “Chicago.” Rivera had a small role in the 2002 film version, while Catherine Zeta-Jones won the best supporting actress Oscar as Velma — just as Rita Moreno had picked up an Oscar for her portrayal of Anita in “West Side Story.”

The songwriters for “Chicago,” Kander and Ebb, also wrote Rivera’s first Tony-winning performance, for “The Rink.” In winning the Tony for best actress in a musical, Rivera topped the show’s top star, Liza Minnelli, who also had been nominated. The two played a mother and daughter who struggle to rebuild their relationship after a long estrangement; the setting is an old-fashioned roller rink that has seen better days.

“Spider Woman” had been her first Broadway show since 1986, when she suffered a broken leg in the traffic accident while she was appearing in “Jerry’s Girls,” a Broadway tribute to the songs of Jerry Herman.

At the Tony awards a few weeks later, she flashed her cast and belted out “Put on a Happy Face” from the musical “Bye, Bye, Birdie.”

It took months of physical therapy to bring back her dancing skills. She told The Associated Press: “It never entered my mind that I wouldn’t dance again. Never. I can’t explain to you why. It’s hard work getting back but that’s what I’m doing.”

Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero was born Jan. 23, 1933, in Washington, D.C. Her Puerto Rican father, Pedro del Rivero, was a musician who played in the United States Navy Band, who died when she was 7. Her mother was Scottish and Italian descent.

She took dance classes and then entered the prestigious School of American Ballet in New York. Her first theater gig, at age 17, was in the touring company of “Call Me Madam.” That led to chorus stints in such shows as “Guys and Dolls” and “Can-Can.”

In her 2023 memoir, “Chita: A Memoir,” another woman steals scene after scene: her self-proclaimed alter ego, Dolores. Unapologetic and fiery, Dolores was the unfiltered version of Chita and served as motivation in times of self-doubt. In one chapter, Rivera writes that she doesn’t read reviews “or Dolores just might invest in a dozen voodoo dolls.”

“I consist of — and I think we all do — I consist of two people: Dolores and Conchita,” Rivera sain in an interview with the AP that year. “Conchita, she’s the one that has been taking all the glory, you know. She’s been doing all the shows, but Dolores is the one that’s pushed her into it. And she’s been keeping me on track, so I listen to Dolores. I listen to her. She’s growing in my head now as we speak.”

Among other early appearances on the New York stage were roles in “The Shoestring Revue,” 1955; a 1955 musical version of “Seventh Heaven” starring Ricardo Montalban; and “Mr. Wonderful,” a 1956 show starring Sammy Davis Jr.

“I can’t believe that I’ve been given the gift to look back and relive my life,” she told The Associated Press shortly before “The Dancer’s Life” opened on Broadway in late 2005. “It’s about how anybody can do it — if you really believe it, you have the good fortune, you do all the right things and you really work hard.”

Rivera, who had a relationship with the now-deceased Davis, married fellow “West Side Story” performer Tony Mordente in 1957. The marriage ended in divorce. Their daughter, Lisa Mordente, also became a performer who occasionally appeared on Broadway, garnering a Tony nomination in 1982 for “Marlowe.”

“Our hearts go out to everyone who loved her,” GLAAD said in a statement. “Rivera spent much of her long career advocating for LGBTQ people and people living with HIV and AIDS.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706643832440.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Chita Rivera, the dynamic dancer, singer and actress who garnered 10 Tony nominations, winning twice, in a long Broadway career that forged a path for Latina artists and shrugged off a near-fatal car accident, died Tuesday. She was 91.Rivera's death was announced by her daughter, Lisa Mordente, who said she died in New York after a brief illness.Rivera first gained wide notice in 1957 as Anita in the original production of "West Side Story" and was still dancing on Broadway with her trademark energy a half-century later in 2015’s “The Visit.”"I wouldn't know what to do if I wasn't moving or telling a story to you or singing a song," she told The Associated Press then. "That's the spirit of my life, and I'm really so lucky to be able to do what I love, even at this time in my life."In August 2009, Rivera was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor the U.S. can give a civilian. Rivera put her hand over her heart and shook her head in wonderment as President Barack Obama presented the medal. In 2013, she was the marshal at the Puerto Rican Day Parade in New York City.“She was a true Broadway legend,” playwright Paul Rudnick said on X, formerly Twitter. “She always delivered and audiences adored her. The moment she stepped onstage, the world became more exciting and glorious.”Rivera rose from chorus girl to star, collaborating along the way with many of Broadway’s greatest talents, including Jerome Robbins, Leonard Bernstein, Bob Fosse, Gower Champion, Michael Kidd, Harold Prince, Jack Cole, Peter Gennaro and John Kander and Fred Ebb.She rebounded from a car accident in 1988 that crushed her right leg and became an indefatigable star on the road. She was on Broadway in a raucous production of “The Mystery of Edwin Drood” in 2012 and the chilly “The Visit” in 2014, earning another best actress Tony nomination.“She can’t rehearse except for full-out,” said playwright Terrence McNally in 2005. “She can’t perform except for full-out, no matter what the size of the house. She’s going to be there 101% for that audience.”She won Tonys for “The Rink” in 1984 and “Kiss of the Spider Woman” in 1993. When accepting a Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2018, she said “I wouldn’t trade my life in the theater for anything, because theater is life.”She was nominated for the award seven other times, for “Bye Bye Birdie,” which opened in 1960; “Chicago,” 1975; "Bring Back Birdie,” 1981; “Merlin,” 1983; “Jerry’s Girls,” 1985; “Nine,” 2003; and “Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life,” 2005.“I don’t think we have enough original musicals,” she told The Associated Press in 2012. “I know I’m being old fashioned, but the theater is the place where music, lyrics, words, scenery and stories come together. And I’ve been blessed enough to have done several shows when they really did. They take you places and they’re daring. That’s what we need.”Her albums include 16 tracks pulled from her original cast recordings and put out as part of Sony’s Legends of Broadway series and two solo CDs — “And Now I Sing” for a tiny record label in the 1960s and “And Now I Swing” in 2009 for Yellow Sound Label.In the 1993 musical “Kiss of the Spider Woman,” Rivera played the title role, a glamorous movie star at the center of the fantasy life of an inmate in a South American prison. The story, from a novel by Manuel Puig, had already been made into an Oscar-winning 1985 movie.In his review, then-Associated Press drama critic Michael Kuchwara wrote that Rivera “is more than a musical theater star. She’s a force of nature — which is exactly what is needed for the role of the Spider Woman. With her Louise Brooks haircut, brassy voice and lithe dancer’s body, Rivera dominates the stage whenever she appears.”In 1975, she originated the role of Velma Kelly (to Gwen Verdon’s Roxie Hart) in the original Broadway production of “Chicago.” Rivera had a small role in the 2002 film version, while Catherine Zeta-Jones won the best supporting actress Oscar as Velma — just as Rita Moreno had picked up an Oscar for her portrayal of Anita in “West Side Story.”The songwriters for “Chicago,” Kander and Ebb, also wrote Rivera’s first Tony-winning performance, for “The Rink.” In winning the Tony for best actress in a musical, Rivera topped the show’s top star, Liza Minnelli, who also had been nominated. The two played a mother and daughter who struggle to rebuild their relationship after a long estrangement; the setting is an old-fashioned roller rink that has seen better days.“Spider Woman” had been her first Broadway show since 1986, when she suffered a broken leg in the traffic accident while she was appearing in “Jerry’s Girls,” a Broadway tribute to the songs of Jerry Herman.At the Tony awards a few weeks later, she flashed her cast and belted out “Put on a Happy Face” from the musical “Bye, Bye, Birdie.”It took months of physical therapy to bring back her dancing skills. She told The Associated Press: “It never entered my mind that I wouldn’t dance again. Never. I can’t explain to you why. It’s hard work getting back but that’s what I’m doing.”“My spirit is still there.”Dolores Conchita Figueroa del Rivero was born Jan. 23, 1933, in Washington, D.C. Her Puerto Rican father, Pedro del Rivero, was a musician who played in the United States Navy Band, who died when she was 7. Her mother was Scottish and Italian descent.She took dance classes and then entered the prestigious School of American Ballet in New York. Her first theater gig, at age 17, was in the touring company of “Call Me Madam.” That led to chorus stints in such shows as “Guys and Dolls” and “Can-Can.”In her 2023 memoir, “Chita: A Memoir,” another woman steals scene after scene: her self-proclaimed alter ego, Dolores. Unapologetic and fiery, Dolores was the unfiltered version of Chita and served as motivation in times of self-doubt. In one chapter, Rivera writes that she doesn’t read reviews “or Dolores just might invest in a dozen voodoo dolls.”“I consist of — and I think we all do — I consist of two people: Dolores and Conchita,” Rivera sain in an interview with the AP that year. “Conchita, she’s the one that has been taking all the glory, you know. She’s been doing all the shows, but Dolores is the one that’s pushed her into it. And she’s been keeping me on track, so I listen to Dolores. I listen to her. She’s growing in my head now as we speak.”Among other early appearances on the New York stage were roles in “The Shoestring Revue,” 1955; a 1955 musical version of “Seventh Heaven” starring Ricardo Montalban; and “Mr. Wonderful,” a 1956 show starring Sammy Davis Jr.“I can’t believe that I’ve been given the gift to look back and relive my life,” she told The Associated Press shortly before “The Dancer’s Life” opened on Broadway in late 2005. “It’s about how anybody can do it — if you really believe it, you have the good fortune, you do all the right things and you really work hard.”Rivera, who had a relationship with the now-deceased Davis, married fellow “West Side Story” performer Tony Mordente in 1957. The marriage ended in divorce. Their daughter, Lisa Mordente, also became a performer who occasionally appeared on Broadway, garnering a Tony nomination in 1982 for “Marlowe.”“Our hearts go out to everyone who loved her,” GLAAD said in a statement. “Rivera spent much of her long career advocating for LGBTQ people and people living with HIV and AIDS.”

Chita Rivera, revered Tony-winning dancer and singer, dead at 91

NEW YORK (AP) — According to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>, the first human received an implant from his computer-brain interface company Neuralink over the weekend.

In a Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1752098683024220632">post on X</a>, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Musk said that the patient received the implant the day prior and was “recovering well.” He added that “initial results show promising neuron spike detection.”

The billionaire, who co-founded Neuralink, did not provide additional details about the patient. When Neuralink announced in September that it would begin recruiting people, the company said it was searching for individuals with quadriplegia due to cervical spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease.

Neuralink is one of many groups working on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pain-management-pittsburgh-stroke-health-198f8bdfc5803ef3594e9916685fe739">linking the nervous system to computers</a>, efforts aimed at helping treat brain disorders, overcoming brain injuries and other applications. There are more than&nbsp;<a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=brain+computer+interface&amp;Search=Apply&amp;recrs=b&amp;recrs=a&amp;recrs=f&amp;recrs=d&amp;age_v=&amp;gndr=&amp;type=&amp;rslt=">40 brain computer interface trials</a>&nbsp;underway, according to clinicaltrials.gov.

Neuralink reposted Musk's Monday post on X, but did not publish any additional statements acknowledging the human implant. The company did not immediately respond to The Associated Press' requests for comment Tuesday.

Neuralink&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-neuralink-brain-computer-interface-7e80956022b1d8f31ee24ed7c1fe1138">previously announced</a>&nbsp;that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had approved its “investigational device exemption,” which generally allows a sponsor to begin a clinical study “in patients who fit the inclusion criteria,” the FDA said Tuesday. The agency pointed out that it can’t confirm or disclose information about a particular study of this kind.

Neuralink’s device is about the size of a large coin and is designed to be implanted in the skull, with ultra-thin wires going directly into the brain. In its September announcement, Neuralink said the wires would be surgically placed in a region of the brain that controls movement intention. The initial goal of the so-called brain computer interface is to give people the ability to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts alone.

In a separate Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1752118131579867417">post on X</a>, Musk said that the first Neuralink product is called “Telepathy” — which, he said, will enable users to control their phones or computers “just by thinking.” He added that intial users would be those who have lost use of their limbs.

It’s unclear how well this device or similar interfaces will ultimately work, or how safe they might be. Clinical trials are designed to collect data on safety and effectiveness.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706630950527.png" alt="In September Elon Musk met with U.S. Senators on artificial Intelligence-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>In September Elon Musk met with U.S. Senators on artificial Intelligence-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — According to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a>, the first human received an implant from his computer-brain interface company Neuralink over the weekend.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The first human received an implant from <a href="https://twitter.com/neuralink?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Neuralink</a> yesterday and is recovering well. Initial results show promising neuron spike detection.&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1752098683024220632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1752098683024220632">post on X</a>, the platform formerly known as Twitter, Musk said that the patient received the implant the day prior and was “recovering well.” He added that “initial results show promising neuron spike detection.”The billionaire, who co-founded Neuralink, did not provide additional details about the patient. When Neuralink announced in September that it would begin recruiting people, the company said it was searching for individuals with quadriplegia due to cervical spinal cord injury or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease.Neuralink is one of many groups working on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pain-management-pittsburgh-stroke-health-198f8bdfc5803ef3594e9916685fe739">linking the nervous system to computers</a>, efforts aimed at helping treat brain disorders, overcoming brain injuries and other applications. There are more than&nbsp;<a href="https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/results?cond=brain+computer+interface&amp;Search=Apply&amp;recrs=b&amp;recrs=a&amp;recrs=f&amp;recrs=d&amp;age_v=&amp;gndr=&amp;type=&amp;rslt=">40 brain computer interface trials</a>&nbsp;underway, according to clinicaltrials.gov.Neuralink reposted Musk's Monday post on X, but did not publish any additional statements acknowledging the human implant. The company did not immediately respond to The Associated Press' requests for comment Tuesday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The first <a href="https://twitter.com/neuralink?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Neuralink</a> product is called Telepathy&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1752118131579867417?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 29, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Neuralink&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-neuralink-brain-computer-interface-7e80956022b1d8f31ee24ed7c1fe1138">previously announced</a>&nbsp;that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had approved its “investigational device exemption,” which generally allows a sponsor to begin a clinical study “in patients who fit the inclusion criteria,” the FDA said Tuesday. The agency pointed out that it can’t confirm or disclose information about a particular study of this kind.Neuralink’s device is about the size of a large coin and is designed to be implanted in the skull, with ultra-thin wires going directly into the brain. In its September announcement, Neuralink said the wires would be surgically placed in a region of the brain that controls movement intention. The initial goal of the so-called brain computer interface is to give people the ability to control a computer cursor or keyboard using their thoughts alone.In a separate Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1752118131579867417">post on X</a>, Musk said that the first Neuralink product is called “Telepathy” — which, he said, will enable users to control their phones or computers “just by thinking.” He added that intial users would be those who have lost use of their limbs.It’s unclear how well this device or similar interfaces will ultimately work, or how safe they might be. Clinical trials are designed to collect data on safety and effectiveness.

Elon Musk: Neuralink implants computer brain chip in first human

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/01/29/nu-seeks-to-protect-academic-athletic-future-in-big-ten-pledging-closer-unl-unmc-ties/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln took a significant step toward securing its future in the Big Ten Conference on Monday, which would preserve its membership in the academically prestigious group and its access to the highest level of college sports.

The University of Nebraska system announced that the National Science Foundation has agreed to let UNL and the University of Nebraska Medical Center combine their annual federal&nbsp;research funding when responding to the foundation’s annual survey of national colleges and universities.

Securing this change addresses a key issue that the Association of American Universities cited in 2011 when it took the unprecedented step of kicking out UNL. Iowa State University resigned from the AAU in 2022 to avoid a similar fate.

Leaders at UNL and Iowa State have said some AAU leaders had prioritized medical research over agricultural research when evaluating their academic peers, which left land grant universities such as theirs in a difficult position.&nbsp;

Both have said they want to continue their legacies of research that impacts every part of the state and will keep prioritizing agriculture. But Nebraska is the only Big Ten member that doesn’t belong to the 71-member club of top-tier research universities.

The NU Board of Regents has pledged to do all it can to help UNL rejoin the AAU, including boosting research ties between UNL and UNMC in Omaha.

Interim NU President Chris Kabourek said reporting research as a single University of Nebraska was “a first step.” He called it “a big deal” and said it “instantly makes Nebraska look more like our peers.” But, he stressed, it is one of many steps needed.

One big component is a massive private fundraising effort to grow the university’s academic reputation and reach. Another is securing buy-in from state stakeholders for what it takes to reach the NU vision as a Big Ten peer.

Kabourek also said the university may have to take a deeper look at its administrative structure, set in the 1960s. He said it can’t hamstring the federal and private research dollars that have opened up since UNL joined the Big Ten Academic Alliance.

He said the National Science Foundation would never let NU simply change some administrative roles to boost its numbers. It also had to commit to pursuing greater cooperation and administrative ties between the two campuses.

Kabourek said it was too soon to tell what shape those changes might take. Every other Big Ten member except Purdue University has an academic medical center under its administrative umbrella.&nbsp;

“We cannot get bogged down between these regional differences. This can’t be an Omaha versus Lincoln thing. This has to be a Nebraska thing,” he said. “If we’re going to compete with Wisconsin and Purdue and Michigan, we don’t have quite the population base that some of those places have. So we have to leverage team Nebraska.”

Last year, the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research &amp; Development Survey listed UNL’s research at $113.2 million. It listed UNMC’s at $114.7 million.

The change in how the research totals are reported goes into effect next year. If it had been in place this year, it would have moved UNL from ranking 122nd in research to the mid-60s.

Combining UNL and UNMC would push that number to $251 million, above the University of Oregon, a Big Ten newcomer, at $97 million and nearer the $314 million of the University of Iowa.&nbsp;

On the other end of the Big Ten, the University of Michigan reported nearly $1 billion in research and another Big Ten newcomer, the University of California at Los Angeles, reported $850 million.

UNMC Chancellor Dr. Jeffrey Gold said people will benefit from closer ties between UNMC and all of the state’s campuses, including UNL. He said NU had been an outlier because it reported its research by individual campuses.&nbsp;

“This is the common model,” Gold said. “Frankly, it will allow us to be more accurately compared to many of our peers.”

Asked about the possibility of changes in the university’s administrative structure, Gold said he is focused elsewhere, on “the very best of the research strengths of both institutions and marrying them in a way that really serves our mission.”

UNMC is already a part of the academic side of the Big Ten, and Gold said cancer patients benefit from those ties. Academic medical centers in the group often cooperate on things like trials of new cancer treatments and drugs, he said.

Working more closely with UNL and its College of Engineering, for example, will help UNMC offer students more opportunities in research, he said, and reporting totals that are more reflective of the institution will help with student and faculty recruitment.

UNL Chancellor Rodney Bennett echoed that sentiment, saying, “When we work together, big things happen for Nebraska. … When Nebraska’s flagship and medical center work together, it is good for agriculture, national defense, engineering, health care and all areas that matter to Nebraskans.”

NU officials acknowledge part of the urgency for Nebraska in regaining AAU membership involves changes in college athletics. But given the impact of Big Ten membership on research and academics, they say it matters to NU as a whole.

Two power conferences, the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten, are adding the biggest football brands and pulling away from the rest in terms of TV revenue. Schools in the remaining conferences are unlikely to be able to offer their athletes the same perks or outside opportunities as schools in the top two.

One example: NU Athletics Director Trev Alberts said last month that the top conference schools are already discussing how they might try to share revenues with the players.

Kabourek said it was vital to knock down the “firewall” people have put up between academics and athletics.&nbsp;

“I know one thing about Nebraskans,” he said. “We’re Nebraska nice, but we like to compete, and we need to make sure that from the leadership perspective, that we are doing everything we can to make sure we are being as competitive as we can.”

He said that includes making sure UNL looks like its peers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706623652835.jpeg" alt="Chancellor Ronnie Green delivers his undergraduate commencement address at Memorial Stadium. May 20, 2023. (Craig Chandler/University Communication)" />
 <figcaption>Chancellor Ronnie Green delivers his undergraduate commencement address at Memorial Stadium. May 20, 2023. (Craig Chandler/University Communication)</figcaption>
 </figure>Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/01/29/nu-seeks-to-protect-academic-athletic-future-in-big-ten-pledging-closer-unl-unmc-ties/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln took a significant step toward securing its future in the Big Ten Conference on Monday, which would preserve its membership in the academically prestigious group and its access to the highest level of college sports.The University of Nebraska system announced that the National Science Foundation has agreed to let UNL and the University of Nebraska Medical Center combine their annual federal&nbsp;research funding when responding to the foundation’s annual survey of national colleges and universities.Securing this change addresses a key issue that the Association of American Universities cited in 2011 when it took the unprecedented step of kicking out UNL. Iowa State University resigned from the AAU in 2022 to avoid a similar fate.Leaders at UNL and Iowa State have said some AAU leaders had prioritized medical research over agricultural research when evaluating their academic peers, which left land grant universities such as theirs in a difficult position.&nbsp;Both have said they want to continue their legacies of research that impacts every part of the state and will keep prioritizing agriculture. But Nebraska is the only Big Ten member that doesn’t belong to the 71-member club of top-tier research universities.<h2>Part of push to rejoin AAU</h2>The NU Board of Regents has pledged to do all it can to help UNL rejoin the AAU, including boosting research ties between UNL and UNMC in Omaha.Interim NU President Chris Kabourek said reporting research as a single University of Nebraska was “a first step.” He called it “a big deal” and said it “instantly makes Nebraska look more like our peers.” But, he stressed, it is one of many steps needed.One big component is a massive private fundraising effort to grow the university’s academic reputation and reach. Another is securing buy-in from state stakeholders for what it takes to reach the NU vision as a Big Ten peer.Kabourek also said the university may have to take a deeper look at its administrative structure, set in the 1960s. He said it can’t hamstring the federal and private research dollars that have opened up since UNL joined the Big Ten Academic Alliance.He said the National Science Foundation would never let NU simply change some administrative roles to boost its numbers. It also had to commit to pursuing greater cooperation and administrative ties between the two campuses.Kabourek said it was too soon to tell what shape those changes might take. Every other Big Ten member except Purdue University has an academic medical center under its administrative umbrella.&nbsp;“We cannot get bogged down between these regional differences. This can’t be an Omaha versus Lincoln thing. This has to be a Nebraska thing,” he said. “If we’re going to compete with Wisconsin and Purdue and Michigan, we don’t have quite the population base that some of those places have. So we have to leverage team Nebraska.”<h2>By the numbers</h2>Last year, the National Science Foundation’s Higher Education Research &amp; Development Survey listed UNL’s research at $113.2 million. It listed UNMC’s at $114.7 million.The change in how the research totals are reported goes into effect next year. If it had been in place this year, it would have moved UNL from ranking 122nd in research to the mid-60s.Combining UNL and UNMC would push that number to $251 million, above the University of Oregon, a Big Ten newcomer, at $97 million and nearer the $314 million of the University of Iowa.&nbsp;On the other end of the Big Ten, the University of Michigan reported nearly $1 billion in research and another Big Ten newcomer, the University of California at Los Angeles, reported $850 million.UNMC Chancellor Dr. Jeffrey Gold said people will benefit from closer ties between UNMC and all of the state’s campuses, including UNL. He said NU had been an outlier because it reported its research by individual campuses.&nbsp;“This is the common model,” Gold said. “Frankly, it will allow us to be more accurately compared to many of our peers.”Asked about the possibility of changes in the university’s administrative structure, Gold said he is focused elsewhere, on “the very best of the research strengths of both institutions and marrying them in a way that really serves our mission.”UNMC is already a part of the academic side of the Big Ten, and Gold said cancer patients benefit from those ties. Academic medical centers in the group often cooperate on things like trials of new cancer treatments and drugs, he said.Working more closely with UNL and its College of Engineering, for example, will help UNMC offer students more opportunities in research, he said, and reporting totals that are more reflective of the institution will help with student and faculty recruitment.UNL Chancellor Rodney Bennett echoed that sentiment, saying, “When we work together, big things happen for Nebraska. … When Nebraska’s flagship and medical center work together, it is good for agriculture, national defense, engineering, health care and all areas that matter to Nebraskans.”<h2>Athletics and academics matter to both</h2>NU officials acknowledge part of the urgency for Nebraska in regaining AAU membership involves changes in college athletics. But given the impact of Big Ten membership on research and academics, they say it matters to NU as a whole.Two power conferences, the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten, are adding the biggest football brands and pulling away from the rest in terms of TV revenue. Schools in the remaining conferences are unlikely to be able to offer their athletes the same perks or outside opportunities as schools in the top two.One example: NU Athletics Director Trev Alberts said last month that the top conference schools are already discussing how they might try to share revenues with the players.Kabourek said it was vital to knock down the “firewall” people have put up between academics and athletics.&nbsp;“I know one thing about Nebraskans,” he said. “We’re Nebraska nice, but we like to compete, and we need to make sure that from the leadership perspective, that we are doing everything we can to make sure we are being as competitive as we can.”He said that includes making sure UNL looks like its peers.

NU seeks to protect academic, athletic future in Big Ten, pledging closer UNL-UNMC ties

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>, State's Newsroom

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on March 26 in the case that could significantly curtail access to a prescription drug used for both abortions and miscarriage care.

The case centers on when and how patients can access mifepristone, a pharmaceutical the U.S. Food and Drug Administration originally approved in 2000.

Mifepristone is currently approved for use up to 10 weeks gestation and accounts for more than half of abortions in the United States when used in combination with a second pharmaceutical called misoprostol.

Doctors also often use the two-drug regimen to provide treatment following a miscarriage.

The original lawsuit, brought by the anti-abortion legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom, asked the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas to overturn the FDA’s original approval of mifepristone.

If the judge didn’t agree to that, the organization requested the court revert prescribing and dosage of mifepristone to what was in place before the FDA began implementing changes in 2016.

Judge Matthew Joseph Kacsmaryk&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://newsfromthestates.com/article/us-justice-department-ask-supreme-court-reject-limits-access-abortion-pill-1">stayed the FDA’s original approval of mifepristone</a>&nbsp;in an April 2023 ruling that was later put on hold by the U.S. Supreme Court pending appeal.

The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals heard<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/three-judge-panel-us-appeals-court-hears-arguments-abortion-pill-case">&nbsp;oral arguments</a>&nbsp;in May 2023 before&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/abortion-pill-stay-market-until-us-supreme-court-ruling-after-appeals-court-order-0">issuing its ruling</a>&nbsp;a few months later, in August.

That three-judge panel said that mifepristone could remain legal in the United States, but that prescribing and dosage guidelines should go back to what was used before changes began taking effect in 2016. That ruling is on hold pending the Supreme Court’s decision in this case.

That ruling, should it ever take effect, would lower the maximum gestational age from 10 weeks to seven weeks and remove the option for mifepristone to be prescribed via telehealth appointments and mailed to patients’ homes.

Patients would once again be required to attend three in-person doctor’s office visits to complete a medication abortion.

Only doctors would be able to prescribe mifepristone, instead of health care providers who are authorized to prescribe medications.

Dosage and timing of mifepristone and the second drug used in medication abortion, misoprostol, would need to be administered under guidelines that went out of use more than seven years ago.

Dozens of medical organizations and pharmaceutical groups have filed briefs with the Supreme Court, urging it to decide one way or another.

The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America wrote in its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/23/23-235/284838/20231012134701542_PhRMA%20Amicus%20Br.%20ISO%20Petitioners.pdf">28-page brief&nbsp;</a>that if the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling is left in place it “could invite boundless litigation to FDA drug approvals.”

“Congress created an FDA approval process that is both rigorous and thorough, and pharmaceutical companies invest billions of dollars in research and development to meet FDA’s scientific standards,” they wrote.

If the appeals court’s ruling is allowed to take effect, they wrote, it “threatens to stifle pharmaceutical innovation by disrupting industry’s reasonable investment-backed expectations.”

Several medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association, wrote in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/23/23-235/284910/20231012165311306_Amicus%20Brief%20of%20American%20College%20of%20Obstetricians%20and%20Gynecologists%20et%20al..pdf">36-page brief&nbsp;</a>to the Supreme Court that “[n]o patient should be denied treatment for miscarriage or other early pregnancy loss because of Respondents’ hypothetical fears or personal beliefs.”

When it comes to abortion access, they wrote that patients “in states where abortion remains legal and protected should not be denied the ability to safely and privately seek to exercise that right through safe and effective medication abortion.”

“Restricting access to mifepristone — the safety of which is proven by decades of rigorous scientific study and millions of uses — in ways that are not medically necessary or scientifically sound would seriously increase risk for hundreds of thousands of patients, while protecting none,” they wrote.

“For already vulnerable populations (particularly those living in areas with limited access to OB/GYN care) the rollback approved by the Fifth Circuit promises to be especially devastating and to further perpetuate racial and socioeconomic inequalities,” they added.

Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Erin Hawley said in a written statement released last week that she urged “the Supreme Court to hold the FDA accountable and require the agency to reinstate its safety standards.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680967457500.png" alt="Photo AP" />
 <figcaption>Photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>, State's NewsroomWASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on March 26 in the case that could significantly curtail access to a prescription drug used for both abortions and miscarriage care.The case centers on when and how patients can access mifepristone, a pharmaceutical the U.S. Food and Drug Administration originally approved in 2000.Mifepristone is currently approved for use up to 10 weeks gestation and accounts for more than half of abortions in the United States when used in combination with a second pharmaceutical called misoprostol.Doctors also often use the two-drug regimen to provide treatment following a miscarriage.<h2>Lawsuit history</h2>The original lawsuit, brought by the anti-abortion legal organization Alliance Defending Freedom, asked the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas to overturn the FDA’s original approval of mifepristone.If the judge didn’t agree to that, the organization requested the court revert prescribing and dosage of mifepristone to what was in place before the FDA began implementing changes in 2016.Judge Matthew Joseph Kacsmaryk&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://newsfromthestates.com/article/us-justice-department-ask-supreme-court-reject-limits-access-abortion-pill-1">stayed the FDA’s original approval of mifepristone</a>&nbsp;in an April 2023 ruling that was later put on hold by the U.S. Supreme Court pending appeal.The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals heard<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/three-judge-panel-us-appeals-court-hears-arguments-abortion-pill-case">&nbsp;oral arguments</a>&nbsp;in May 2023 before&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/abortion-pill-stay-market-until-us-supreme-court-ruling-after-appeals-court-order-0">issuing its ruling</a>&nbsp;a few months later, in August.That three-judge panel said that mifepristone could remain legal in the United States, but that prescribing and dosage guidelines should go back to what was used before changes began taking effect in 2016. That ruling is on hold pending the Supreme Court’s decision in this case.That ruling, should it ever take effect, would lower the maximum gestational age from 10 weeks to seven weeks and remove the option for mifepristone to be prescribed via telehealth appointments and mailed to patients’ homes.Patients would once again be required to attend three in-person doctor’s office visits to complete a medication abortion.Only doctors would be able to prescribe mifepristone, instead of health care providers who are authorized to prescribe medications.Dosage and timing of mifepristone and the second drug used in medication abortion, misoprostol, would need to be administered under guidelines that went out of use more than seven years ago.<h2>Briefs filed</h2>Dozens of medical organizations and pharmaceutical groups have filed briefs with the Supreme Court, urging it to decide one way or another.The Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America wrote in its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/23/23-235/284838/20231012134701542_PhRMA%20Amicus%20Br.%20ISO%20Petitioners.pdf">28-page brief&nbsp;</a>that if the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling is left in place it “could invite boundless litigation to FDA drug approvals.”“Congress created an FDA approval process that is both rigorous and thorough, and pharmaceutical companies invest billions of dollars in research and development to meet FDA’s scientific standards,” they wrote.If the appeals court’s ruling is allowed to take effect, they wrote, it “threatens to stifle pharmaceutical innovation by disrupting industry’s reasonable investment-backed expectations.”Several medical organizations, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Medical Association, wrote in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/23/23-235/284910/20231012165311306_Amicus%20Brief%20of%20American%20College%20of%20Obstetricians%20and%20Gynecologists%20et%20al..pdf">36-page brief&nbsp;</a>to the Supreme Court that “[n]o patient should be denied treatment for miscarriage or other early pregnancy loss because of Respondents’ hypothetical fears or personal beliefs.”When it comes to abortion access, they wrote that patients “in states where abortion remains legal and protected should not be denied the ability to safely and privately seek to exercise that right through safe and effective medication abortion.”“Restricting access to mifepristone — the safety of which is proven by decades of rigorous scientific study and millions of uses — in ways that are not medically necessary or scientifically sound would seriously increase risk for hundreds of thousands of patients, while protecting none,” they wrote.“For already vulnerable populations (particularly those living in areas with limited access to OB/GYN care) the rollback approved by the Fifth Circuit promises to be especially devastating and to further perpetuate racial and socioeconomic inequalities,” they added.Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Erin Hawley said in a written statement released last week that she urged “the Supreme Court to hold the FDA accountable and require the agency to reinstate its safety standards.”

Supreme Court sets date for high-stakes abortion pill oral arguments

DETROIT (AP) — Toyota and General Motors are telling the owners of about 61,000 older Corolla, Matrix, RAV4 and Pontiac Vibe models to stop driving them because their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-a299627fb48ab780790dfc8d482d89e5">Takata air bag</a>&nbsp;inflators are at risk of exploding and hurling shrapnel.

The urgent warning Monday covers certain Corolla compact cars and Matrix hatchbacks from the 2003 and 2004 model years, as well as the RAV4 small SUV from 2004 and 2005. Also covered are about 11,000 Pontiac Vibes from 2003 and 2004, which are essentially the same as the Matrix and were made at the same California factory. Most of the vehicles are in the U.S.

“If the air bag deploys, a part inside is more likely to explode and shoot sharp metal fragments, which could cause serious injury or death to the driver or passengers,” Toyota said in a statement.

The recalled RAV4s have Takata driver's air bags while the Corolla and Matrix models have them on the passenger side. The Corolla and Matrix also are under a separate recall because their air bags can be deployed without a crash, the company said.

Both companies said owners should contact a local dealer instead of driving the cars in for repairs. Dealers will provide options such as mobile repair, towing the car to a dealer, or vehicle pickup and delivery.

Owners can go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?gad_source=1&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAtt2tBhBDEiwALZuhAJtqmpF8gQ3kBbr0NwD14YZaXQGGGUI3ZYseffhmG2m6Ngwt0nlfUxoCuVMQAvD_BwE&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds">nhtsa.gov/recalls</a>&nbsp;and enter their 17-digit vehicle identification number to see if their cars are affected.

Takata used volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate air bags in a crash. But the chemical propellant can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel.

At least 26 people have been killed in the U.S. by Takata inflators since May 2009, and at least 30 have died worldwide including people in Malaysia and Australia. In addition, about 400 people have been injured. The exploding air bags sent Takata of Japan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/62185be67b03495c9a377a3a271af44b">into bankruptcy</a>.

DETROIT (AP) — Toyota and General Motors are telling the owners of about 61,000 older Corolla, Matrix, RAV4 and Pontiac Vibe models to stop driving them because their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-a299627fb48ab780790dfc8d482d89e5">Takata air bag</a>&nbsp;inflators are at risk of exploding and hurling shrapnel.The urgent warning Monday covers certain Corolla compact cars and Matrix hatchbacks from the 2003 and 2004 model years, as well as the RAV4 small SUV from 2004 and 2005. Also covered are about 11,000 Pontiac Vibes from 2003 and 2004, which are essentially the same as the Matrix and were made at the same California factory. Most of the vehicles are in the U.S.“If the air bag deploys, a part inside is more likely to explode and shoot sharp metal fragments, which could cause serious injury or death to the driver or passengers,” Toyota said in a statement.The recalled RAV4s have Takata driver's air bags while the Corolla and Matrix models have them on the passenger side. The Corolla and Matrix also are under a separate recall because their air bags can be deployed without a crash, the company said.Both companies said owners should contact a local dealer instead of driving the cars in for repairs. Dealers will provide options such as mobile repair, towing the car to a dealer, or vehicle pickup and delivery.Owners can go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?gad_source=1&amp;gclid=CjwKCAiAtt2tBhBDEiwALZuhAJtqmpF8gQ3kBbr0NwD14YZaXQGGGUI3ZYseffhmG2m6Ngwt0nlfUxoCuVMQAvD_BwE&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds">nhtsa.gov/recalls</a>&nbsp;and enter their 17-digit vehicle identification number to see if their cars are affected.Takata used volatile ammonium nitrate to create a small explosion to inflate air bags in a crash. But the chemical propellant can deteriorate over time when exposed to high temperatures and humidity. It can explode with too much force, blowing apart a metal canister and spewing shrapnel.At least 26 people have been killed in the U.S. by Takata inflators since May 2009, and at least 30 have died worldwide including people in Malaysia and Australia. In addition, about 400 people have been injured. The exploding air bags sent Takata of Japan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/62185be67b03495c9a377a3a271af44b">into bankruptcy</a>.

Toyota urges owners to stop driving these models until air bags are replaced

JANUARY 29, 2024 (FREMONT, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating an incident during which a Fremont man died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound during an interaction with Dodge County Sheriff’s Deputies.

Sunday afternoon, deputies were conducting an investigation at a residence in the 2500 block of East 34th&nbsp;Blvd, just outside of Fremont. Deputies attempted to contact the resident, but he initially refused to speak with them. A short time later, another resident allowed the deputies into the home and advised that the subject they were seeking to contact had gone upstairs.

Preliminary investigation shows that before deputies were able to contact the subject, they heard a single gunshot in a room upstairs. Deputies then located the subject inside the room with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was transported to Methodist Fremont Health where he was pronounced deceased.

The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office has requested the Nebraska State Patrol conduct an in-custody death investigation. No deputies fired their weapons during this incident and no other injuries occurred. The investigation remains ongoing.

Cody ThomasNebraska State PatrolJANUARY 29, 2024 (FREMONT, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating an incident during which a Fremont man died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound during an interaction with Dodge County Sheriff’s Deputies.Sunday afternoon, deputies were conducting an investigation at a residence in the 2500 block of East 34th&nbsp;Blvd, just outside of Fremont. Deputies attempted to contact the resident, but he initially refused to speak with them. A short time later, another resident allowed the deputies into the home and advised that the subject they were seeking to contact had gone upstairs.Preliminary investigation shows that before deputies were able to contact the subject, they heard a single gunshot in a room upstairs. Deputies then located the subject inside the room with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. He was transported to Methodist Fremont Health where he was pronounced deceased.The Dodge County Sheriff’s Office has requested the Nebraska State Patrol conduct an in-custody death investigation. No deputies fired their weapons during this incident and no other injuries occurred. The investigation remains ongoing.

Nebraska State Patrol Investigating Death in Dodge County

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Described by their parents as bubbly and constantly laughing, Spc. Kennedy Sanders and Spc. Breonna Moffett became close friends soon after enlisting in the Army Reserve five years ago. Sgt. William Jerome Rivers served a tour in Iraq before joining the same company of Army engineers.

The three citizen-soldiers from different corners of Georgia all died in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jordan-drone-attack-attack-confusion-f175962e058b9b6f668303faf248d8e6" target="_blank">weekend drone strike</a>&nbsp;on a U.S. base in Jordan near the Syrian border that also wounded more than 40 others. Families of the slain reservists said they were shocked when uniformed military officers came to their doors to deliver the news Sunday.

While President Joe Biden has promised&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-american-service-members-killed-jordan-iran-5cb774fd835a558d840ae91263037489" target="_blank">the U.S. will respond</a>, Moffett’s parents said they hope there’s no escalation in violence that kills more American troops. Their daughter celebrated her 23rd birthday oversees just nine days before she was killed.

“I just hope and pray no other family has to go through this,” Francine Moffett, the young soldier’s mother, said Monday through tears at the dining table of her Savannah home. “It takes your heart and your soul.

Breonna Moffitt joined the Army Reserve in 2019 after graduating from high school. In addition to her military service, she worked for a home care provider cooking, cleaning and running errands for people with disabilities, her parents said. When Moffett left with fellow soldiers from the 718th Engineer Company, 926th Engineer Battalion based at Fort Moore in August, it was her first overseas deployment.

She was the oldest of four siblings. Every morning, Francine Moffett said, her 8-year-old daughter would call her big sister to say hello while riding to school.

Whenever the Moffett family called, they typically would hear from Sanders too.

“Every time I’d call Breonna, I’d see Sanders just stick her head in and say, `Hey! How you doing?’” Francine Moffett said.

A native of Waycross, 100 miles southwest of Savannah, 24-year-old Sanders had volunteered for the Middle East deployment, eager to see a new part of the world, her parents said.

At home, she helped coach children’s soccer and basketball teams. She also worked at a pharmacy while taking college courses with the aim of becoming an X-ray technician. Lately, however, she had considered becoming a full-time soldier on active duty once her Army Reserve contract was fulfilled.

“She was loved. She didn’t have any enemies. All the time you saw her smiling,” her father, Shawn Sanders, said in an interview Monday. “This is somebody who was just living life, enjoying life at a young age, working toward a career.”

At age 46, Rivers had far more military experience than the two young women. The Defense Department said he joined the Army Reserve in New Jersey in 2011 and served a nine-month tour in Iraq in 2018. He joined the 718th Engineering Company at Fort Moore last year and lived in Carrollton, about 45 miles (70 kilometers) west of Atlanta.

The Associated Press was unsuccessful in attempts to contact Rivers’ family on Monday.

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued a statement mourning the “inexcusable loss of life” of the three soldiers, saying they “gave the last full measure of devotion in service to this country.” Army Brig. Gen. Todd Lazaroski, commander of the Army Reserve’s 412th Theater Engineer Command, said in a statement: “They represent the best of America.”

In Sanders’ hometown of Waycross, flags were lowered to half-staff. Her parents said her unit first deployed to Kuwait, then to Jordan where the U.S. operates a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-jordan-drone-attack-iran-tower-22-israel-hamas-war-0265beed527e3009a966c0531c08838e" target="_blank">logistics support base</a>&nbsp;along the Syrian border.

In her spare time while deployed, Sanders would practice jiu-jitsu and run to keep in shape. She relaxed by knitting and called home almost daily, her parents said. While she occasionally mentioned drones being shot down nearby, there was no sense of imminent danger, said Oneida Oliver-Sanders, the reservist’s mother.

When they last spoke the day before she was killed, Sanders said she was thinking about buying a motorcycle — much to her mother’s disapproval. She had also spoken recently of buying a home.

“All of these different things that she had plans for, you know, were just cut short in the blink of an eye,” Oliver-Sanders said. “I just feel like somebody like her, that’s so full of life, it’s just unfair that she’ll never get to realize those dreams that she had.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706575508905.png" alt="Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders-photo courtesy U.S. Army" />
 <figcaption>Spc. Kennedy Ladon Sanders-photo courtesy U.S. Army</figcaption>
 </figure>SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Described by their parents as bubbly and constantly laughing, Spc. Kennedy Sanders and Spc. Breonna Moffett became close friends soon after enlisting in the Army Reserve five years ago. Sgt. William Jerome Rivers served a tour in Iraq before joining the same company of Army engineers.The three citizen-soldiers from different corners of Georgia all died in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jordan-drone-attack-attack-confusion-f175962e058b9b6f668303faf248d8e6" target="_blank">weekend drone strike</a>&nbsp;on a U.S. base in Jordan near the Syrian border that also wounded more than 40 others. Families of the slain reservists said they were shocked when uniformed military officers came to their doors to deliver the news Sunday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706575435826.png" alt="Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett-photo courtesy U.S. Army" />
 <figcaption>Spc. Breonna Alexsondria Moffett-photo courtesy U.S. Army</figcaption>
 </figure>While President Joe Biden has promised&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-american-service-members-killed-jordan-iran-5cb774fd835a558d840ae91263037489" target="_blank">the U.S. will respond</a>, Moffett’s parents said they hope there’s no escalation in violence that kills more American troops. Their daughter celebrated her 23rd birthday oversees just nine days before she was killed.“I just hope and pray no other family has to go through this,” Francine Moffett, the young soldier’s mother, said Monday through tears at the dining table of her Savannah home. “It takes your heart and your soul.Breonna Moffitt joined the Army Reserve in 2019 after graduating from high school. In addition to her military service, she worked for a home care provider cooking, cleaning and running errands for people with disabilities, her parents said. When Moffett left with fellow soldiers from the 718th Engineer Company, 926th Engineer Battalion based at Fort Moore in August, it was her first overseas deployment.She was the oldest of four siblings. Every morning, Francine Moffett said, her 8-year-old daughter would call her big sister to say hello while riding to school.Whenever the Moffett family called, they typically would hear from Sanders too.“Every time I’d call Breonna, I’d see Sanders just stick her head in and say, `Hey! How you doing?’” Francine Moffett said.A native of Waycross, 100 miles southwest of Savannah, 24-year-old Sanders had volunteered for the Middle East deployment, eager to see a new part of the world, her parents said.At home, she helped coach children’s soccer and basketball teams. She also worked at a pharmacy while taking college courses with the aim of becoming an X-ray technician. Lately, however, she had considered becoming a full-time soldier on active duty once her Army Reserve contract was fulfilled.“She was loved. She didn’t have any enemies. All the time you saw her smiling,” her father, Shawn Sanders, said in an interview Monday. “This is somebody who was just living life, enjoying life at a young age, working toward a career.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706575477315.png" alt="Sgt. William Jerome Rivers-photo courtesy U.S. Army" />
 <figcaption>Sgt. William Jerome Rivers-photo courtesy U.S. Army</figcaption>
 </figure>At age 46, Rivers had far more military experience than the two young women. The Defense Department said he joined the Army Reserve in New Jersey in 2011 and served a nine-month tour in Iraq in 2018. He joined the 718th Engineering Company at Fort Moore last year and lived in Carrollton, about 45 miles (70 kilometers) west of Atlanta.The Associated Press was unsuccessful in attempts to contact Rivers’ family on Monday.Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued a statement mourning the “inexcusable loss of life” of the three soldiers, saying they “gave the last full measure of devotion in service to this country.” Army Brig. Gen. Todd Lazaroski, commander of the Army Reserve’s 412th Theater Engineer Command, said in a statement: “They represent the best of America.”In Sanders’ hometown of Waycross, flags were lowered to half-staff. Her parents said her unit first deployed to Kuwait, then to Jordan where the U.S. operates a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-jordan-drone-attack-iran-tower-22-israel-hamas-war-0265beed527e3009a966c0531c08838e" target="_blank">logistics support base</a>&nbsp;along the Syrian border.In her spare time while deployed, Sanders would practice jiu-jitsu and run to keep in shape. She relaxed by knitting and called home almost daily, her parents said. While she occasionally mentioned drones being shot down nearby, there was no sense of imminent danger, said Oneida Oliver-Sanders, the reservist’s mother.When they last spoke the day before she was killed, Sanders said she was thinking about buying a motorcycle — much to her mother’s disapproval. She had also spoken recently of buying a home.“All of these different things that she had plans for, you know, were just cut short in the blink of an eye,” Oliver-Sanders said. “I just feel like somebody like her, that’s so full of life, it’s just unfair that she’ll never get to realize those dreams that she had.”

Shock, grief and mourning for 3 US soldiers killed in drone strike

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — About 1,000 engineers and conductors who work for Norfolk Southern will soon be able to report safety concerns anonymously through a federal system without any fear of discipline.

Norfolk Southern is the first of the six major freight railroads to follow through on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroad-safety-ohio-derailment-hazardous-materials-74d7aec638500c52d1eb9fda0acf9f26">promises</a>&nbsp;made in the wake of last year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-ohio-evacuations-fires-5d399dc745f51ef746e22828083d8591">fiery eastern Ohio derailment</a>&nbsp;to join the Federal Railroad Administration's program. The one-year pilot agreement is limited to members of just two unions who work in Atlanta, Georgia; Elkhart, Indiana; and Roanoke, Virginia.

But federal officials who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-accidents-transportation-pete-buttigieg-ohio-pennsylvania-f1cd9d79cdd66b1f45d1dcdf1e53ff58">urged the railroads</a>&nbsp;to do more to improve safety touted the agreement Monday as a breakthrough coming just days before Saturday's one-year anniversary of the disastrous Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/air-quality-evacuations-fires-pennsylvania-ohio-50644fb91216cf775e4a356e4f21cb9b">temporary evacuations</a>, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/norfolk-southern-fourth-quarter-profit-derailment-ohio-9e6d48eac14f7bed075a6ae5c096f2fe">$1 billion and counting</a>&nbsp;cleanup and lingering questions about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-contamination-fears-brockovich-fc68b402096a4f5f8598a657f7e399f8">long-term health consequences</a>&nbsp;for residents in the area near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border.

“Norfolk Southern has taken a good first step, and it’s time for the other Class I railroads to back up their talk with action and make good on their promises to join this close call reporting system and keep America’s rail network safe,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

The major freight railroads have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroad-safety-derailments-anonymous-hotline-dc509efa21aa51554078998964ba4ea6">resisted joining</a>&nbsp;the anonymous reporting system because they wanted the ability to discipline workers who use the hotline in certain circumstances. The Association of American Railroads trade group has said railroads were worried that the system could be abused by workers who try to avoid discipline by reporting situations a railroad already knows about.

Unions and workplace safety experts countered that the idea of disciplining workers who report safety concerns undermines the entire purpose of such a hotline because workers won’t use it if they fear retribution. Experts say programs like the one overseen by the Federal Railroad Administration are especially important in industries where there is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/freight-railroad-whistleblowers-safety-derailments-3cd9619350bacc9c7c01c9a1910f3435">long history</a>&nbsp;of workers being fired for reporting safety violations or injuries.

Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw said he hopes his railroad's agreement to join the reporting system will set an example for the rest of the industry. Shaw has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/norfolk-southern-derailment-east-palestine-73d273f88147b30ea53caf3d2b23f669">focused</a>&nbsp;on improving safety and service at Norfolk Southern ever since the East Palestine derailment.

“NS is proud to partner with our labor leaders and FRA to make another industry-leading advancement in safety,” Shaw said.

Officials with the unions that signed onto the deal — the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers — praised the agreement and urged the other major freight railroads to join.

“For far too long the large railroads and their trade association, The Association of American Railroads, have paid lip service to safety,” BLET First Vice President Mark Wallace said. “The AAR prefers to spend millions of dollars on television commercials bragging about safety while backtracking on safety agreements.”

Amtrak and several dozen small railroads use the government reporting program, but none of the big freight railroads have signed on to it so only about 32,000 rail workers are covered. The big freight railroads, which include Union Pacific, CSX, Canadian National, CPKC and BNSF, collectively employ more than 100,000.

The railroads have said part of why they resisted joining the federal program is because they believe their own internal reporting systems are sufficient. But railroad unions have consistently said workers are reluctant to use the railroads’ own safety hotlines because they fear retribution.

The head of the SMART-TD conductors' union Jeremy Ferguson said this agreement at Norfolk Southern “will allow our members to speak up when they see unsafe conditions without fear of negative repercussions.”

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — About 1,000 engineers and conductors who work for Norfolk Southern will soon be able to report safety concerns anonymously through a federal system without any fear of discipline.Norfolk Southern is the first of the six major freight railroads to follow through on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroad-safety-ohio-derailment-hazardous-materials-74d7aec638500c52d1eb9fda0acf9f26">promises</a>&nbsp;made in the wake of last year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pennsylvania-ohio-evacuations-fires-5d399dc745f51ef746e22828083d8591">fiery eastern Ohio derailment</a>&nbsp;to join the Federal Railroad Administration's program. The one-year pilot agreement is limited to members of just two unions who work in Atlanta, Georgia; Elkhart, Indiana; and Roanoke, Virginia.But federal officials who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-accidents-transportation-pete-buttigieg-ohio-pennsylvania-f1cd9d79cdd66b1f45d1dcdf1e53ff58">urged the railroads</a>&nbsp;to do more to improve safety touted the agreement Monday as a breakthrough coming just days before Saturday's one-year anniversary of the disastrous Norfolk Southern derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/air-quality-evacuations-fires-pennsylvania-ohio-50644fb91216cf775e4a356e4f21cb9b">temporary evacuations</a>, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/norfolk-southern-fourth-quarter-profit-derailment-ohio-9e6d48eac14f7bed075a6ae5c096f2fe">$1 billion and counting</a>&nbsp;cleanup and lingering questions about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-contamination-fears-brockovich-fc68b402096a4f5f8598a657f7e399f8">long-term health consequences</a>&nbsp;for residents in the area near the Ohio-Pennsylvania border.“Norfolk Southern has taken a good first step, and it’s time for the other Class I railroads to back up their talk with action and make good on their promises to join this close call reporting system and keep America’s rail network safe,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.The major freight railroads have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroad-safety-derailments-anonymous-hotline-dc509efa21aa51554078998964ba4ea6">resisted joining</a>&nbsp;the anonymous reporting system because they wanted the ability to discipline workers who use the hotline in certain circumstances. The Association of American Railroads trade group has said railroads were worried that the system could be abused by workers who try to avoid discipline by reporting situations a railroad already knows about.Unions and workplace safety experts countered that the idea of disciplining workers who report safety concerns undermines the entire purpose of such a hotline because workers won’t use it if they fear retribution. Experts say programs like the one overseen by the Federal Railroad Administration are especially important in industries where there is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/freight-railroad-whistleblowers-safety-derailments-3cd9619350bacc9c7c01c9a1910f3435">long history</a>&nbsp;of workers being fired for reporting safety violations or injuries.Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw said he hopes his railroad's agreement to join the reporting system will set an example for the rest of the industry. Shaw has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/norfolk-southern-derailment-east-palestine-73d273f88147b30ea53caf3d2b23f669">focused</a>&nbsp;on improving safety and service at Norfolk Southern ever since the East Palestine derailment.“NS is proud to partner with our labor leaders and FRA to make another industry-leading advancement in safety,” Shaw said.Officials with the unions that signed onto the deal — the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and the Transportation Division of the International Association of Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers — praised the agreement and urged the other major freight railroads to join.“For far too long the large railroads and their trade association, The Association of American Railroads, have paid lip service to safety,” BLET First Vice President Mark Wallace said. “The AAR prefers to spend millions of dollars on television commercials bragging about safety while backtracking on safety agreements.”Amtrak and several dozen small railroads use the government reporting program, but none of the big freight railroads have signed on to it so only about 32,000 rail workers are covered. The big freight railroads, which include Union Pacific, CSX, Canadian National, CPKC and BNSF, collectively employ more than 100,000.The railroads have said part of why they resisted joining the federal program is because they believe their own internal reporting systems are sufficient. But railroad unions have consistently said workers are reluctant to use the railroads’ own safety hotlines because they fear retribution.The head of the SMART-TD conductors' union Jeremy Ferguson said this agreement at Norfolk Southern “will allow our members to speak up when they see unsafe conditions without fear of negative repercussions.”

Norfolk Southern is 1st big freight railway to let workers use anonymous federal safety hotline

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;should declare that Donald Trump is ineligible to be president again because he spearheaded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;in an effort to overturn his 2020 election loss, lawyers leading the fight to keep him off the ballot told the justices on Friday.

In a filing filled with vivid descriptions of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6, 2021, violence at the Capitol</a>, the lawyers urged the justices not to flinch from doing their constitutional duty and to uphold a first-of-its-kind Colorado court decision to kick the 2024 Republican presidential front-runner off the state's primary ballot.

“Nobody, not even a former President, is above the law,” the lawyers wrote.

The court will hear arguments in less than two weeks in a historic case that has the potential to disrupt the 2024 presidential election.

The case presents the high court with its first look at a provision of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-2024-election-ballot-9c5f79203109ba221b35a48e708ad725">the 14th Amendment</a>&nbsp;barring some people who “engaged in insurrection” from holding public office. The amendment was adopted in 1868, following the Civil War.

In their plea to the court, the lawyers said, "Trump intentionally organized and incited a violent mob to attack the United States Capitol in a desperate effort to prevent the counting of electoral votes cast against him” after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">he lost the election</a>&nbsp;to Democrat Joe Biden.

They called for a decision that makes clear that what happened on Jan. 6 was an insurrection, for which Trump bears responsibility. The president is covered by the constitutional provision at issue, and Congress doesn’t need to take action before states can apply it, the lawyers wrote.

The written filing includes extensive details of Trump's actions leading up to Jan. 6, including his tweet on Dec. 19, 2020, in which he informed his followers of the planned protest on the day Congress would count the electoral votes and wrote, “Be there, will be wild.”

Then in his speech to supporters on Jan. 6, the lawyers wrote, “Trump lit the fuse.” The brief reproduces photographs of the mayhem from that day, including one of Metropolitan Police Department Officer Daniel Hodges pinned in a doorway during the attack.

Trump's lawyers have argued that efforts to keep him off the ballot “threaten to disenfranchise tens of millions of Americans and ... promise to unleash chaos and bedlam” if other states follow Colorado's lead.

The Colorado Supreme Court's 4-3 ruling should be reversed for any of several reasons, Trump's lawyers wrote, including that Trump did not engage in insurrection and that the presidency is not covered by the amendment. They also contend that Congress would have to enact legislation before states could invoke the provision to keep candidates off the ballot.

The justices are hearing arguments Feb. 8. Trump already has won the first two GOP presidential contests: the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley is Trump's sole remaining significant GOP opponent.

Still, both sides have said the court needs to act quickly so that voters know whether Trump is eligible to hold the presidency.

The court is dealing with the dispute under a compressed timeframe that could produce a decision before Super Tuesday on March 5, when the largest number of delegates in a day is up for grabs, including in Colorado.

A two-sentence provision in Section 3 of the 14th Amendment states that anyone who swore an oath to uphold the Constitution and then “engaged in insurrection” against it is no longer eligible for state or federal office. After Congress passed an amnesty for most of the former confederates the measure targeted in 1872, the provision fell into disuse until dozens of suits were filed to keep Trump off the ballot this year. Only the one in Colorado was successful.

Trump is separately appealing to state court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-trump-presidential-ballot-election-insurrection-081fd38ce1f20be9b8423cb2f8c66dee">a ruling by Maine’s Democratic secretary of state</a>, Shenna Bellows, that he is ineligible to appear on that state’s ballot over his role in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Capitol attack</a>. Both the Colorado Supreme Court and the Maine secretary of state’s rulings are on hold until the appeals play out.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654808700580.png" alt="image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">The Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;should declare that Donald Trump is ineligible to be president again because he spearheaded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">the violent attack on the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;in an effort to overturn his 2020 election loss, lawyers leading the fight to keep him off the ballot told the justices on Friday.In a filing filled with vivid descriptions of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6, 2021, violence at the Capitol</a>, the lawyers urged the justices not to flinch from doing their constitutional duty and to uphold a first-of-its-kind Colorado court decision to kick the 2024 Republican presidential front-runner off the state's primary ballot.“Nobody, not even a former President, is above the law,” the lawyers wrote.The court will hear arguments in less than two weeks in a historic case that has the potential to disrupt the 2024 presidential election.The case presents the high court with its first look at a provision of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-2024-election-ballot-9c5f79203109ba221b35a48e708ad725">the 14th Amendment</a>&nbsp;barring some people who “engaged in insurrection” from holding public office. The amendment was adopted in 1868, following the Civil War.In their plea to the court, the lawyers said, "Trump intentionally organized and incited a violent mob to attack the United States Capitol in a desperate effort to prevent the counting of electoral votes cast against him” after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">he lost the election</a>&nbsp;to Democrat Joe Biden.They called for a decision that makes clear that what happened on Jan. 6 was an insurrection, for which Trump bears responsibility. The president is covered by the constitutional provision at issue, and Congress doesn’t need to take action before states can apply it, the lawyers wrote.The written filing includes extensive details of Trump's actions leading up to Jan. 6, including his tweet on Dec. 19, 2020, in which he informed his followers of the planned protest on the day Congress would count the electoral votes and wrote, “Be there, will be wild.”Then in his speech to supporters on Jan. 6, the lawyers wrote, “Trump lit the fuse.” The brief reproduces photographs of the mayhem from that day, including one of Metropolitan Police Department Officer Daniel Hodges pinned in a doorway during the attack.Trump's lawyers have argued that efforts to keep him off the ballot “threaten to disenfranchise tens of millions of Americans and ... promise to unleash chaos and bedlam” if other states follow Colorado's lead.The Colorado Supreme Court's 4-3 ruling should be reversed for any of several reasons, Trump's lawyers wrote, including that Trump did not engage in insurrection and that the presidency is not covered by the amendment. They also contend that Congress would have to enact legislation before states could invoke the provision to keep candidates off the ballot.The justices are hearing arguments Feb. 8. Trump already has won the first two GOP presidential contests: the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley is Trump's sole remaining significant GOP opponent.Still, both sides have said the court needs to act quickly so that voters know whether Trump is eligible to hold the presidency.The court is dealing with the dispute under a compressed timeframe that could produce a decision before Super Tuesday on March 5, when the largest number of delegates in a day is up for grabs, including in Colorado.A two-sentence provision in Section 3 of the 14th Amendment states that anyone who swore an oath to uphold the Constitution and then “engaged in insurrection” against it is no longer eligible for state or federal office. After Congress passed an amnesty for most of the former confederates the measure targeted in 1872, the provision fell into disuse until dozens of suits were filed to keep Trump off the ballot this year. Only the one in Colorado was successful.Trump is separately appealing to state court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-trump-presidential-ballot-election-insurrection-081fd38ce1f20be9b8423cb2f8c66dee">a ruling by Maine’s Democratic secretary of state</a>, Shenna Bellows, that he is ineligible to appear on that state’s ballot over his role in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Capitol attack</a>. Both the Colorado Supreme Court and the Maine secretary of state’s rulings are on hold until the appeals play out.

Supreme Court urged to rule Trump ineligible to be president again because of Jan. 6 

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen held press conferences in North Omaha and South Omaha to announce historic state investments into both communities, totaling more than $234 million.

The investments were made through the North and South Omaha Recovery Grant (NSORG) Program, administered by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED). The NSORG Program was established through the Economic Recovery Act, enacted in 2022 (LB 1024) and amended in 2023 (LB 531). The program’s purpose is to respond to the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic and to build resilient and innovative communities in Omaha.

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen held press conferences in North Omaha and South Omaha to announce historic state investments into both communities, totaling more than $234 million.The investments were made through the North and South Omaha Recovery Grant (NSORG) Program, administered by the Nebraska Department of Economic Development (DED). The NSORG Program was established through the Economic Recovery Act, enacted in 2022 (LB 1024) and amended in 2023 (LB 531). The program’s purpose is to respond to the negative impact of the coronavirus pandemic and to build resilient and innovative communities in Omaha.“From urban neighborhoods to our most rural counties, the state is supporting entrepreneurship and the creation of great career opportunities for our graduates,” said Gov. Pillen. “Leaders in North and South Omaha are building thriving communities where the future is tremendously bright. Today’s grants provide an infusion of capital that will multiply the influence of local organizations as they propel Omaha forward.”At each award announcement, DED Director K.C. Belitz congratulated grant recipients and thanked state senators and state teammates for their thoroughness in managing the NSORG program. This process included holding meetings to gather public input, offering live technical assistance workshops, reviewing proposals and applications, interviewing small business proprietors, conducting economic impact analyses, and hosting regular office hours at DED’s North and South Omaha field offices to assist constituents with questions about the NSORG Program.Carmen Tapio, president and CEO of North End Teleservices is among the North Omaha grant recipients. She joined Gov. Pillen, Omaha Mayor Jean Stothert and other grant awardees for today’s announcement at the Fort Omaha Campus of Metro Community College.&nbsp; She noted that funding would act as a catalyst for economic opportunity in the community.“Our Forever North” project will anchor North End Teleservices in North Omaha with a new global headquarters, creating new careers and opportunities for North Omaha residents,” said Tapio. “We are excited that this mixed-use development takes a comprehensive community development approach by connecting childcare, retail, and multi-family housing opportunities to the 24th and Lake neighborhood.”Addressing a crowd at the Livestock Exchange Building in South Omaha, grant recipient Cesar Garcia shared his gratitude for the support he received working with DED and the impact that will take place, because of the funding.&nbsp;“This crucial allocation of funding will play a pivotal role in realizing several long-standing projects that have been in the pipeline for years,” said Garcia, executive director of Canopy South. “With these resources, we are empowered to address the pressing needs expressed by our community, fostering positive economic change and sustainable development in South Omaha.”State senators Tony Vargas and Mike McDonnell also joined Gov. Pillen at the announcement in South Omaha – highlighting the transformative potential of the NSORG awards in their districts. Both senators are members of the Legislature’s Economic Recovery Special Committee, which oversaw the initial solicitation of project proposals under the Economic Recovery Act.“This funding and these projects are going to be transformational for North and South Omaha,” said Senator Vargas. “It’s been so rewarding working with my colleagues in the legislature and in the Ricketts and Pillen administrations to get this across the finish line over the past couple of years, and it shows that we can truly accomplish great things for our communities when we work together towards a common goal.”&nbsp;“Today marks a groundbreaking moment as we unveil Nebraska's most significant economic partnership, a transformative force for both North and South Omaha. South Omaha was once known as the Magic City and this initiative will help bring that magic back. It embodies a profound commitment to enhance lives and revitalize these vital communities,” noted Senator McDonnell. “Our unprecedented support goes beyond merely celebrating the past glory of the Magic City. It's about building a resilient foundation for future generations, ensuring that the American dream flourishes in every corner of North and South Omaha, enabling all residents to live, thrive, and cherish their share of this dream."President and CEO of the Greater Omaha Chamber Heath Mello also shared his appreciation for the determination and dedication that preceded today’s announcements."On behalf of the Greater Omaha Chamber, we cannot thank Governor Pillen, state senators Terrell McKinney, Justin Wayne, Mike McDonnell, and Tony Vargas and the Nebraska Legislature enough for their leadership in making historic economic recovery investments in North and South Omaha,” said Mello. “This unprecedented level of support heralds a new era of growth and collaboration, lighting the path towards a more vibrant and prosperous future for North and South Omaha.”North and South Omaha Recovery Grant Program – Awards and ImpactGrants through the NSORG Program are supporting 53 projects across six funding categories:<ol>
 <li>Placemaking Infrastructure</li><li>Entrepreneurship &amp; Innovation</li><li>Youth, Talent &amp; Workforce Development</li><li>Sports &amp; Tourism</li><li>Arts, Culture, &amp; Social Assistance</li><li>Recovery Assistance Program for Immediate Distribution (RAPID)</li>
 </ol>Additionally, DED has offered grants of at least $50,000 each to 77 small businesses through a seventh funding category (Small Business Support) within the NSORG Program. These grants, representing over $46 million in immediate impact, are benefiting small businesses in qualified census tracts and economic redevelopment areas in North and South Omaha.DED anticipates that the NSORG Program awards, through their combined impact, will help create over 9,250 jobs – an estimated 4,662 permanent jobs and 4,607 temporary jobs – in North and South Omaha over the next five years.For more information about the North and South Omaha Recovery Grant Program, visit DED’s website at:&nbsp;<a href="https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/programs/recovery/nsorg/" target="_blank">https://opportunity.nebraska.gov/programs/recovery/nsorg/</a>.