FALLS CHURCH, Virginia (AP) —A Virginia school board voted Friday to restore the names of Confederate military leaders to a high school and an elementary school, four years after the names were removed amid nationwide protests calling for a reckoning over racial injustice.

In a reversal experts believe was the first of its kind, Shenandoah County's school board voted 5-1 to rename Mountain View High School as Stonewall Jackson High School and Honey Run Elementary as Ashby Lee Elementary.

Friday's vote reversed a decision by the school board in 2020 when school systems across Virginia and the South were removing Confederate names from schools and other public locations in response to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/black-lives-matter">Black Lives Matter</a>&nbsp;movement.

The Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project, which maintains a database of more than 2,000 Confederate memorials nationwide, is not aware of another case of a school system restoring a Confederate name that was removed, said senior research analyst Rivka Maizlish.

Overall, the trend toward removal of Confederate names and memorials has continued, even if it has slowed somewhat since 2020, she said, noting that the Army renamed nine installations named for Confederate leaders, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arlington-national-cemetery-confederate-memorial-removal-88f1d672070c440a4da080da91bd57b7">removed a Confederate memorial</a>&nbsp;from Arlington National Cemetery.

In Virginia, local governments had been banned from removing Confederate memorials and statues until the law was changed in 2020, though the statute did not apply to school names.

On Friday, school board members who voted to restore the Confederate names said the previous board ignored popular sentiment and due process when the names were stripped.

Elections in 2023 significantly changed the school board's makeup, with one board member writing in an op-ed for the Northern Virginia Daily that the results gave Shenandoah County “the first 100% conservative board since anyone can remember.”

That board member, Gloria Carlineo, said during the six-hour meeting that began Thursday night that opponents of the Confederate names should “stop bringing racism and prejudice into everything” because it “detracts from true cases of racism.”

The lone board member to vote against restoring the Confederate names, Kyle Gutshall, said he respected both sides of the debate but believed a majority of residents in his district wanted to leave the Mountain View and Honey Run names in place.

“I don't judge anybody or look down on anybody for the decision they're making,” he said. “It's a complex issue.”

During several hours of public comment, county residents spoke up on both sides of the issue.

Beth Ogle, a longtime resident with children in the school system, said restoring the Confederate names is “a statement to the world that you do not value the dignity and respect of your minority students, faculty and staff.”

Kenny Wakeman, a lifelong county resident, said the Stonewall Jackson name “stood proudly for 60 years until 2020," when he said the “actions of a rogue police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota,” prompted a move to change the name, a reference to the killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd">Floyd</a>&nbsp;that propelled nationwide protests and debate over racial injustice.

Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson was a Confederate general from Virginia who gained fame at the First Battle of Bull Run near Manassas in 1861 and died in 1863 after he was shot and had his arm amputated. Jackson's name&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/88a3c977101353baf3fc76dc3084056b">was also removed from another high school in Virginia's Prince William County in 2020</a>&nbsp;that is now known as Unity Reed High School.

Ashby Lee is named for both Gen. Robert E. Lee, a Virginia native who commanded Confederate forces, and for Turner Ashby, a Confederate cavalry officer who was killed in battle in 1862 near Harrisonburg, Virginia. A high school near Harrisonburg is also named for Ashby.

The resolution approved by the school board states that private donations would be used to pay for the name changes.

Shenandoah County, a largely rural jurisdiction with a population of about 45,000, roughly 100 miles west of the nation's capital, has long been politically conservative. In 2020, Republican Donald Trump won 70% of the presidential vote in Shenandoah, even as Biden won Virginia by 10 points.

In Virginia, local governments were banned from removing Confederate memorials and statues until the 2020 law lifted those restrictions. Statues of Confederate leaders, including Lee, Jackson and Confederate President Jefferson Davis were removed from Richmond’s famed Monument Avenue in 2020 and 2021 following protests and vandalizing of the statues.

Maizlish, from the Southern Poverty Law Center, said it's unusual, though not unprecedented, that conservative jurisdictions like Shenandoah removed Confederate names in the first place.

She said that while there's no evidence other jurisdictions have restored Confederate names or monuments, she is “always concerned about people who work to continue to promote Lost Cause propaganda.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715377992875.png" alt="File photo Virginia removed the statue of Robert E. Lee from the U.S. Capitol in December 2020 -photo by Jack Mayer, Office of former Governor Ralph Northam" />
 <figcaption>File photo Virginia removed the statue of Robert E. Lee from the U.S. Capitol in December 2020 -photo by Jack Mayer, Office of former Governor Ralph Northam</figcaption>
 </figure>FALLS CHURCH, Virginia (AP) —A Virginia school board voted Friday to restore the names of Confederate military leaders to a high school and an elementary school, four years after the names were removed amid nationwide protests calling for a reckoning over racial injustice.In a reversal experts believe was the first of its kind, Shenandoah County's school board voted 5-1 to rename Mountain View High School as Stonewall Jackson High School and Honey Run Elementary as Ashby Lee Elementary.Friday's vote reversed a decision by the school board in 2020 when school systems across Virginia and the South were removing Confederate names from schools and other public locations in response to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/black-lives-matter">Black Lives Matter</a>&nbsp;movement.The Southern Poverty Law Center's Intelligence Project, which maintains a database of more than 2,000 Confederate memorials nationwide, is not aware of another case of a school system restoring a Confederate name that was removed, said senior research analyst Rivka Maizlish.Overall, the trend toward removal of Confederate names and memorials has continued, even if it has slowed somewhat since 2020, she said, noting that the Army renamed nine installations named for Confederate leaders, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arlington-national-cemetery-confederate-memorial-removal-88f1d672070c440a4da080da91bd57b7">removed a Confederate memorial</a>&nbsp;from Arlington National Cemetery.In Virginia, local governments had been banned from removing Confederate memorials and statues until the law was changed in 2020, though the statute did not apply to school names.On Friday, school board members who voted to restore the Confederate names said the previous board ignored popular sentiment and due process when the names were stripped.Elections in 2023 significantly changed the school board's makeup, with one board member writing in an op-ed for the Northern Virginia Daily that the results gave Shenandoah County “the first 100% conservative board since anyone can remember.”That board member, Gloria Carlineo, said during the six-hour meeting that began Thursday night that opponents of the Confederate names should “stop bringing racism and prejudice into everything” because it “detracts from true cases of racism.”The lone board member to vote against restoring the Confederate names, Kyle Gutshall, said he respected both sides of the debate but believed a majority of residents in his district wanted to leave the Mountain View and Honey Run names in place.“I don't judge anybody or look down on anybody for the decision they're making,” he said. “It's a complex issue.”During several hours of public comment, county residents spoke up on both sides of the issue.Beth Ogle, a longtime resident with children in the school system, said restoring the Confederate names is “a statement to the world that you do not value the dignity and respect of your minority students, faculty and staff.”Kenny Wakeman, a lifelong county resident, said the Stonewall Jackson name “stood proudly for 60 years until 2020," when he said the “actions of a rogue police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota,” prompted a move to change the name, a reference to the killing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd">Floyd</a>&nbsp;that propelled nationwide protests and debate over racial injustice.Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson was a Confederate general from Virginia who gained fame at the First Battle of Bull Run near Manassas in 1861 and died in 1863 after he was shot and had his arm amputated. Jackson's name&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/88a3c977101353baf3fc76dc3084056b">was also removed from another high school in Virginia's Prince William County in 2020</a>&nbsp;that is now known as Unity Reed High School.Ashby Lee is named for both Gen. Robert E. Lee, a Virginia native who commanded Confederate forces, and for Turner Ashby, a Confederate cavalry officer who was killed in battle in 1862 near Harrisonburg, Virginia. A high school near Harrisonburg is also named for Ashby.The resolution approved by the school board states that private donations would be used to pay for the name changes.Shenandoah County, a largely rural jurisdiction with a population of about 45,000, roughly 100 miles west of the nation's capital, has long been politically conservative. In 2020, Republican Donald Trump won 70% of the presidential vote in Shenandoah, even as Biden won Virginia by 10 points.In Virginia, local governments were banned from removing Confederate memorials and statues until the 2020 law lifted those restrictions. Statues of Confederate leaders, including Lee, Jackson and Confederate President Jefferson Davis were removed from Richmond’s famed Monument Avenue in 2020 and 2021 following protests and vandalizing of the statues.Maizlish, from the Southern Poverty Law Center, said it's unusual, though not unprecedented, that conservative jurisdictions like Shenandoah removed Confederate names in the first place.She said that while there's no evidence other jurisdictions have restored Confederate names or monuments, she is “always concerned about people who work to continue to promote Lost Cause propaganda.”___

In reversal, school board votes to restore Confederate names to 2 schools

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has dismissed all impeachment charges against Homeland Security Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/alejandro-mayorkas">Alejandro Mayorkas</a>, ending the House Republican push to remove the Cabinet secretary from office over his handling of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-security-migrants-homeland-security-1c6e9f612dff721191c0254f980947a5">the U.S.-Mexico border</a>&nbsp;and ending his trial before arguments even began.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?534981-1/senate-session&amp;live">Click here to watch the Senate</a> impeachment trial 12 noon CDT

<a href="https://d3i6fh83elv35t.cloudfront.net/static/2024/01/Articles-of-Impeachment.pdf">Click here to read full</a>&nbsp;articles of impeachment against Sec. Mayorkas

Senators voted to dismiss both articles of impeachment and end the trial, with Democrats arguing that the articles were unconstitutional. The first article charged Mayorkas with “willful and systemic refusal to comply" with immigration law. The second article charged Mayorkas with a “breach of trust” for saying the border was secure. The votes were 51-48 and 51-49, both along party lines.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the House Republicans’ case failed to meet “the high standard of high crimes and misdemeanors” and could set a dangerous precedent.

“For the sake of the Senate’s integrity and to protect impeachment for those rare cases we truly need it, senators should dismiss today’s charges,” said Schumer, D-N.Y., as he opened Wednesday’s session.

Senate Republicans had argued for a full impeachment trial after the House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-mayorkas-impeachment-vote-border-security-80cbd5bbb8f512c6814f155f825a1214">narrowly voted</a>&nbsp;in February to impeach Mayorkas for his handling of the border, arguing in the two articles that he “willfully and systematically” refused to enforce immigration laws. The House vote was the first time in nearly 150 years that a Cabinet secretary was impeached.

An outright dismissal of House Republicans’ prosecution of Mayorkas, with no chance to argue the case, is an embarrassing defeat for House Republicans and embattled House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who made the impeachment a priority. And it is likely to resonate politically for both Republicans and Democrats in a presidential election year when border security has been a top issue.

Republicans argue that President Joe Biden has been weak on the border as arrests for illegal crossings skyrocketed to more than 2 million people during the last two years of his term, though they have fallen from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-crossings-mexico-biden-18ac91ef502e0c5433f74de6cc629b32">a record-high</a>&nbsp;of 250,000 in December amid heightened enforcement in Mexico. Democrats say that instead of impeaching Mayorkas, Republicans should have accepted a bipartisan Senate compromise aimed at reducing the number of migrants who come into the U.S. illegally.

House impeachment managers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-mayorkas-impeachment-trial-border-security-63e9ec242ec8a2f0a95f84497c506e0d">delivered the charges to the Senate</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, standing in the well of the Senate and reading them aloud to a captive audience of senators. But they did not get a chance to present the case before the Senate dismissed it.

Once the senators were sworn in on Wednesday, the chamber turned into the court of impeachment, with Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington presiding. Murray is the president pro tempore of the Senate, or the senior-most member of the majority party who sits in for the vice president. Senators approached the front of the Senate in groups of four to sign an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/political-news-57ef0cdd29d9875b13713f4974eab9d5">oath book</a>&nbsp;that is stored in the National Archives.

Schumer then called for the votes to dismiss the trial after Republicans rejected a proposed agreement for Senate debate time and several votes on GOP objections. Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt said Democrats were “bulldozing 200 years of precedent" on impeachments by trying to dismiss the trial.

Angry Republicans called for several votes to delay the inevitable final outcome, but none of them passed as all Democrats and three Independents held together.

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said “history will not judge this moment well.”

“This process must not be abused," McConnell said. "It must not be short-circuited."

Still, Republicans similarly moved to dismiss former President Donald Trump's second impeachment trial in 2021, weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2021-united-states-capitol-riot">the Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the Capitol. All but five GOP senators — including McConnell — voted to end the trial, arguing it was unconstitutional because Trump had already left office.

As Johnson signed the articles Monday in preparation for sending them across the Capitol, he said Schumer should convene a trial to “hold those who engineered this crisis to full account.”

Schumer “is the only impediment to delivering accountability for the American people,” Johnson said. “Pursuant to the Constitution, the House demands a trial.”

Even if the Senate held a trial, Republicans would not be able to win the support of the two-thirds of the Senate that is needed to convict and remove Mayorkas from office — Democrats control the Senate, 51-49, and they appear to be united against the impeachment effort. Not one House Democrat supported it, either.

Mayorkas, who was in New York on Wednesday to launch a campaign for children’s online safety, reiterated that he’s focused on the work of his department. “The Senate is going to do what the Senate considers to be appropriate as that proceeds,” he said. “I am here in New York City on Wednesday morning fighting online sexual exploitation and abuse. I’m focused on our mission.”

Johnson delayed sending the articles to the Senate for weeks while both chambers finished work on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-shutdown-budget-speaker-johnson-85dc1e93f6c49c154c02a166d0e8e784">government funding</a>&nbsp;legislation and took a two-week recess. Johnson had said he would send them to the Senate last week, but he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayorkas-impeachment-house-speaker-johnson-border-534cbf59e92c9cf141bba1ff38dc01cf">punted again</a>&nbsp;after Senate Republicans said they wanted more time to prepare.

At a hearing with Mayorkas on Tuesday about President Joe Biden's budget request for the department, some of the House impeachment managers previewed the arguments they would have made.

Tennessee Rep. Mark Green, the chairman of the House Homeland Security panel, told the secretary that he has a duty under the law to control and guard U.S. borders, and “during your three years as secretary, you have failed to fulfill this oath. You have refused to comply with the laws passed by Congress, and you have breached the public trust.”

Mayorkas defended the department's efforts but said the nation's immigration system is “fundamentally broken, and only Congress can fix it."

The impeachment trial is the third in five years. Democrats impeached President Donald Trump twice, once over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-elections-politics-election-2020-d78192d45b176f73ad435ae9fb926ed3">his dealings with Ukraine</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">second time</a>&nbsp;in the days after the Capitol attack.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-ut-state-wire-acquittals-politics-93c85dcfb0e6b2185391965e77ebea51">Trump was acquitted</a>&nbsp;by the Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-riots-trials-impeachments-b245b52fd7d4a079ae199c954baba452">both times</a>.

If the Senate had moved to a trial on Mayorkas, senators would have been forced to sit in their seats for the duration, maybe weeks, while the House impeachment managers and lawyers representing Mayorkas made their cases.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has voted to dismiss the first of two articles of impeachment against Homeland Security Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/alejandro-mayorkas">Alejandro Mayorkas</a>, the first step in ending its trial on his handling of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-security-migrants-homeland-security-1c6e9f612dff721191c0254f980947a5">the U.S.-Mexico border</a>,

Democrats said the article, which charged Mayorkas with “willful and systemic refusal to comply with the law,” is unconstitutional. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has called for a second vote that would dismiss the second article, which charges Mayorkas with a breach of trust over saying that the border was secure.

The vote to dismiss the first article was 51-48 along party lines, with Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska voting “present.”

If the Senate votes to dismiss both articles, the trial will be over before arguments start. Schumer said the House Republicans' case fails to meet "the high standard of high crimes and misdemeanors" and could set a dangerous precedent.

“For the sake of the Senate's integrity and to protect impeachment for those rare cases we truly need it, senators should dismiss today's charges,” said Schumer, D-N.Y., as he opened Wednesday's session.

The House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-mayorkas-impeachment-vote-border-security-80cbd5bbb8f512c6814f155f825a1214">narrowly voted</a>&nbsp;in February to impeach Mayorkas for his handling of the border, arguing in the two articles that he “willfully and systematically” refused to enforce immigration laws. House impeachment managers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-mayorkas-impeachment-trial-border-security-63e9ec242ec8a2f0a95f84497c506e0d">delivered the charges to the Senate</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, standing in the well of the Senate and reading them aloud to a captive audience of senators.

An outright dismissal of House Republicans’ prosecution of Mayorkas, with no chance to argue the case, would be an embarrassing defeat for House Republicans and embattled House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who made the impeachment a priority. And it is likely to resonate politically for both Republicans and Democrats in a presidential election year when border security has been a top issue.

Schumer then called for the votes to dismiss the trial after Republicans rejected a proposed agreement for Senate debate time and several votes on GOP objections. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell called for a delay in the proceedings while Republican senators huddled on the floor to discuss how to proceed and called for several votes to delay the final outcome. All the votes were party-line.

In any case, Republicans would not be able to win the support of the two-thirds of the Senate that is needed to convict and remove Mayorkas from office — Democrats control the Senate, 51-49, and they appear to be united against the impeachment effort. Not one House Democrat supported it, either.

While most Republicans oppose quick dismissal, some have hinted they could vote with Democrats.

Sen. Mitt Romney, R-Utah, said last week he wasn’t sure what he would do if there were a move to dismiss the trial. “I think it’s virtually certain that there will not be the conviction of someone when the constitutional test has not been met,” he said.

At the same time, Romney said he wants to at least express his view that “Mayorkas has done a terrible job, but he’s following the direction of the president and has not met the constitutional test of a high crime or misdemeanor.”

The two articles argue that Mayorkas not only refused to enforce existing law but also breached the public trust by lying to Congress and saying the border was secure. The House vote was the first time in nearly 150 years that a Cabinet secretary was impeached.

Since then, Johnson delayed sending the articles to the Senate for weeks while both chambers finished work on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-shutdown-budget-speaker-johnson-85dc1e93f6c49c154c02a166d0e8e784">government funding</a>&nbsp;legislation and took a two-week recess. Johnson had said he would send them to the Senate last week, but he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mayorkas-impeachment-house-speaker-johnson-border-534cbf59e92c9cf141bba1ff38dc01cf">punted again</a>&nbsp;after Senate Republicans said they wanted more time to prepare.

House impeachment managers previewed some of their arguments at a hearing with Mayorkas on Tuesday morning about President Joe Biden's budget request for the department.

Other impeachment managers are Michael McCaul of Texas, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Ben Cline of Virginia, Andrew Garbarino of New York, Michael Guest of Mississippi, Harriet Hageman of Wyoming, Clay Higgins of Louisiana, Laurel Lee of Florida, August Plfuger of Texas and Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia.

If Democrats were unable to dismiss or table both articles, they could follow the precedent of several impeachment trials for federal judges over the last century and hold a vote to create a trial committee that would investigate the charges. While there is sufficient precedent for this approach, Democrats may prefer to end the process completely, especially in a presidential election year when immigration and border security are top issues.

The impeachment trial is the third in five years. Democrats impeached President Donald Trump twice, once over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-elections-politics-election-2020-d78192d45b176f73ad435ae9fb926ed3">his dealings with Ukraine</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">a second time</a>&nbsp;in the days after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2021-united-states-capitol-riot">the Jan. 6, 2021, attack</a>&nbsp;on the Capitol.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-ut-state-wire-acquittals-politics-93c85dcfb0e6b2185391965e77ebea51">Trump was acquitted</a>&nbsp;by the Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-riots-trials-impeachments-b245b52fd7d4a079ae199c954baba452">both times</a>.

At a trial, senators would be forced to sit in their seats for the duration, maybe weeks, while the House impeachment managers and lawyers representing Mayorkas make their cases. The Senate is allowed to call witnesses, as well, if it so decides, and it can ask questions of both sides after the opening arguments are finished.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Wednesday opened the impeachment trial of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/alejandro-mayorkas">Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas</a>&nbsp;over his handling of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-security-migrants-homeland-security-1c6e9f612dff721191c0254f980947a5">the U.S.-Mexico border</a>, swearing in senators as jurors while Democrats said they wanted to end the trial before arguments even begin.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said that he will move to dismiss the trial, arguing that House Republicans' two impeachment articles “fail to meet the high standard of high crimes and misdemeanors" and could set a dangerous precedent.

“For the sake of the Senate's integrity and to protect impeachment for those rare cases we truly need it, senators should dismiss today's charges,” Schumer, D-N.Y., said as he opened the Senate.

Now that the the senators are sworn in, the chamber has turned into the court of impeachment, with Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington presiding. Murray is the president pro tempore of the Senate, or the senior-most member of the majority party who sits in for the vice president. Senators approached the front of the Senate in groups of four to sign an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/political-news-57ef0cdd29d9875b13713f4974eab9d5">oath book</a>&nbsp;that is stored in the National Archives.

The entire process could be done within hours. Schumer said he will seek an agreement from Republicans for a period of debate — an offer they are unlikely to accept — and then allow some Republican objections. He will them move to dismiss the trial and hold a vote.

To win that vote, Schumer will need the support of all of the Senate's Democrats and three independents.

If Democrats are unable to dismiss or table the articles, they could follow the precedent of several impeachment trials for federal judges over the last century and hold a vote to create a trial committee that would investigate the charges. While there is sufficient precedent for this approach, Democrats may prefer to end the process completely, especially in a presidential election year when immigration and border security are top issues.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats could end the impeachment trial of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/alejandro-mayorkas">Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday before arguments even begin.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is expected to call votes to dismiss two articles of impeachment against Mayorkas after senators are sworn in as jurors midday, a move that could scuttle the trial and frustrate Republicans who have demanded that House prosecutors be able to make their case. Democrats appear to be united in opposition to moving forward.

The House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-mayorkas-impeachment-vote-border-security-80cbd5bbb8f512c6814f155f825a1214">narrowly voted</a>&nbsp;in February to impeach Mayorkas for his handling of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-security-migrants-homeland-security-1c6e9f612dff721191c0254f980947a5">the U.S.-Mexico border</a>, arguing in the two articles that he “willfully and systematically” refused to enforce immigration laws. House impeachment managers appointed by Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., delivered the charges to the Senate on Tuesday, standing in the well of the Senate and reading them aloud to a captive audience of senators.

The entire process could be done within hours on Wednesday. Majority Democrats have said the GOP case against Mayorkas doesn’t rise to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/cc4471115abf4d7bad43e07cb64958d7">“high crimes and misdemeanors”</a>&nbsp;laid out as a bar for impeachment in the Constitution, and Schumer probably has enough votes to end the trial immediately if he decides to do so.

Schumer has said he wants to “address this issue as expeditiously as possible.”

“Impeachment should never be used to settle a policy disagreement,” Schumer said. “That would set a horrible precedent for the Congress.”

🎥 Historic impeachment trial of DHS Secretary Mayorkas 

DES MOINES (AP) —The stars have aligned in the lottery universe like never before, with two jackpots totaling nearly $2 billion.

With an estimated $1.1 billion Mega Millions prize and an estimated $800 million Powerball jackpot, it's the first time the two nearly national lottery games have each&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/largest-lottery-jackpots-mega-millions-powerball-cb473805c48cd3b74a84d7ee4127450d">grown so large</a>&nbsp;at the same time.

Both massive prizes are the results of months without a big winner, but the larger jackpots entice more people to play the games, increasing the chance that someone, somewhere, will finally hit it rich.

Up first is the Powerball drawing on Monday night, followed by Tuesday night's Mega Millions drawing. If there isn't a winner, the next chance to win Powerball will be Wednesday night and the next drawing for Mega Millions will be Friday night.

Lottery prizes have been larger than the current jackpots, but it's the first time both games have offered top prizes of $800 million or more since the games were created decades ago.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mega-millions-lottery-jackpot-66aa7beb592c6bb408da87d5b677dcab">prizes have grown so big</a>&nbsp;because it has been months since anyone has won a jackpot.

The last Mega Millions jackpot winner was on Dec. 8. Since then, there have been 30 consecutive drawings without a winner of the grand prize. No one has won the Powerball jackpot since Jan. 1, making for 35 consecutive drawings without a big winner of the game, which holds three weekly drawings.

The Mega Millions prize ranks as the 8th largest in U.S. lottery history and is about half the size of the largest jackpot, a $2.04 billion Powerball prize won in November 2022.

“There’s always an air of excitement around the country when the Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots soar simultaneously,” said Gretchen Corbin, president of the Georgia Lottery Corporation and lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium.

It's no mystery why months have passed without a jackpot winner — the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-lottery-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-b5572da1e5d74f6e974bea45c707b5cb">odds of snagging the big prizes</a>&nbsp;are terrible.

For Mega Millions, the odds of matching all six numbers are 1 in 302.6 million. Powerball has slightly better odds of 1 in 292.2 million.

To put those odds in perspective, lottery officials note that after a win when jackpots reset at $20 million, total ticket sales typically cover less than 10% of all the possible number combinations. As jackpots climb to $1 billion or more, sales increase dramatically but still usually cover only about half of the possible combinations.

That means, there is still a good chance no one will hit a jackpot.

Of course, millions or people do win smaller prizes that range from $2 to $2 million. Players of both games have about a 1 in 4 chance of winning some kind of prize.

And remember, regardless of how large jackpots grow, the odds of an individual ticket winning never changes.

As massive as the jackpots are, winners should brace for much smaller payoffs than the figures advertised on billboards.

That's because the state lotteries that run the games promote the total payoff if the prize is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">paid through an annuity</a>&nbsp;over 30 years. That figure is now roughly double the cash prize, which nearly all winners choose because they want to invest the money themselves rather than opt for a defined payout.

For Mega Millions, that means the $1.1 billion jackpot actually would pay out an estimated $525.8 million cash prize. For Powerball, the $800 million annuity prize would mean an estimated $384.8 million cash prize.

Those prizes will be subject to federal taxes, and many states also tax lottery winnings. There also is a chance that multiple players will hit a jackpot, which would then be split between the winners.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states plus Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball also is played in those states as well as Washington, D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

The Mega Millions numbers are drawn at a TV studio in Atlanta and Powerball draws numbers at a Florida Lottery studio in Tallahassee.

Profits from the games fund state programs.

DES MOINES (AP) —The stars have aligned in the lottery universe like never before, with two jackpots totaling nearly $2 billion.With an estimated $1.1 billion Mega Millions prize and an estimated $800 million Powerball jackpot, it's the first time the two nearly national lottery games have each&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/largest-lottery-jackpots-mega-millions-powerball-cb473805c48cd3b74a84d7ee4127450d">grown so large</a>&nbsp;at the same time.Both massive prizes are the results of months without a big winner, but the larger jackpots entice more people to play the games, increasing the chance that someone, somewhere, will finally hit it rich.WHEN ARE THE DRAWINGS?Up first is the Powerball drawing on Monday night, followed by Tuesday night's Mega Millions drawing. If there isn't a winner, the next chance to win Powerball will be Wednesday night and the next drawing for Mega Millions will be Friday night.TWO MASSIVE PRIZESLottery prizes have been larger than the current jackpots, but it's the first time both games have offered top prizes of $800 million or more since the games were created decades ago.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mega-millions-lottery-jackpot-66aa7beb592c6bb408da87d5b677dcab">prizes have grown so big</a>&nbsp;because it has been months since anyone has won a jackpot.The last Mega Millions jackpot winner was on Dec. 8. Since then, there have been 30 consecutive drawings without a winner of the grand prize. No one has won the Powerball jackpot since Jan. 1, making for 35 consecutive drawings without a big winner of the game, which holds three weekly drawings.The Mega Millions prize ranks as the 8th largest in U.S. lottery history and is about half the size of the largest jackpot, a $2.04 billion Powerball prize won in November 2022.“There’s always an air of excitement around the country when the Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots soar simultaneously,” said Gretchen Corbin, president of the Georgia Lottery Corporation and lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium.THE DISMAL ODDSIt's no mystery why months have passed without a jackpot winner — the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-lottery-us-news-ap-top-news-ia-state-wire-b5572da1e5d74f6e974bea45c707b5cb">odds of snagging the big prizes</a>&nbsp;are terrible.For Mega Millions, the odds of matching all six numbers are 1 in 302.6 million. Powerball has slightly better odds of 1 in 292.2 million.To put those odds in perspective, lottery officials note that after a win when jackpots reset at $20 million, total ticket sales typically cover less than 10% of all the possible number combinations. As jackpots climb to $1 billion or more, sales increase dramatically but still usually cover only about half of the possible combinations.That means, there is still a good chance no one will hit a jackpot.Of course, millions or people do win smaller prizes that range from $2 to $2 million. Players of both games have about a 1 in 4 chance of winning some kind of prize.And remember, regardless of how large jackpots grow, the odds of an individual ticket winning never changes.THE WINNINGSAs massive as the jackpots are, winners should brace for much smaller payoffs than the figures advertised on billboards.That's because the state lotteries that run the games promote the total payoff if the prize is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-jackpot-annuity-vs-cash-0e741f164106c0f4dba89707c5763c99">paid through an annuity</a>&nbsp;over 30 years. That figure is now roughly double the cash prize, which nearly all winners choose because they want to invest the money themselves rather than opt for a defined payout.For Mega Millions, that means the $1.1 billion jackpot actually would pay out an estimated $525.8 million cash prize. For Powerball, the $800 million annuity prize would mean an estimated $384.8 million cash prize.Those prizes will be subject to federal taxes, and many states also tax lottery winnings. There also is a chance that multiple players will hit a jackpot, which would then be split between the winners.THE GAMESMega Millions is played in 45 states plus Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball also is played in those states as well as Washington, D.C., the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.The Mega Millions numbers are drawn at a TV studio in Atlanta and Powerball draws numbers at a Florida Lottery studio in Tallahassee.Profits from the games fund state programs.___

Nearly $2 billion up for grabs: Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots soar

WASHINGTON (AP) —A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted a stay on a Texas law that gives police&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-2edc0f202156bf792cd531e814bbf2f5#:~:text=Under%20the%20law%2C%20any%20police,law%20could%20potentially%20take%20effect.">broad powers to arrest migrants</a>&nbsp;suspected of crossing the border illegally, while a legal battle over immigration authority plays out.

The Biden administration is suing to strike down the measure, arguing it’s a clear violation of federal authority that would hurt international relations and create chaos in administering immigration law. Texas has argued it has a right to take action over what authorities have called an ongoing crisis at the southern border.

Opponents say the law, known as Senate Bill 4, the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since an Arizona law more than a decade ago, portions of which were struck down by the Supreme Court. Critics have also said the Texas law could lead to civil rights violations and racial profiling.

A federal judge in Texas struck down the law in late February, but the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals quickly stayed that ruling, leading the federal government to appeal to the Supreme Court.

The majority did not write a detailed opinion in the case, as it typical in emergency appeals. But the decision to let the law go into effect drew dissents from liberal justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor.

Sotomayor wrote in a blistering dissent that allowing Texas to enforce the law “invites further chaos and crisis” and “upends the federal-state balance of power that has existed for over a century"

In a separate dissent, Kagan wrote that the type of order entered by the 5th Circuit “should not spell the difference between respecting and revoking long-settled immigration law.”

Justice Amy Coney Barrett, joined by fellow conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh, suggested in a concurring opinion that her vote in favor of Texas stemmed from the technicalities of the appeals process rather than agreement with the state on the substance of the law.

“So far as I know, this Court has never reviewed the decision of a court of appeals to enter — or not enter — an administrative stay. I would not get into the business. When entered, an administrative stay is supposed to be a short-lived prelude to the main event: a ruling on the motion for a stay pending appeal,” she wrote.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals could potentially block the measure again, and either side can return to the Supreme Court once the 5th Circuit acts.

Texas Gov Greg Abbott said the ruling allows Texas to begin enforcing the law, calling the decision a “positive development” while noting that an appeals court is still weighing whether the law is constitutional. He has previously said Texas has a right to take action on the border crisis.

The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is “prepared to handle any influx in population” spokeswoman Amanda Hernandez said in a statement.

Other Texas officials sounded a cautious note.

“A lot of the local police chiefs here, we don’t believe it will survive a constitutional challenge. It doesn’t look like it’s going to, because a Texas peace officer is not trained. We have no training whatsoever to determine whether an individual is here in this country, legally,” said Sheriff Eddie Guerra of Hidalgo County.

Guerra is also the president of the Southwestern Border Sheriffs’ Coalition representing 31 border counties from Texas to California.

The battle over the Texas immigration law is one of multiple legal disputes between Texas officials and the Biden administration over how far the state can go to patrol the Texas-Mexico border and prevent illegal border crossings.

Several Republican governors have backed Gov. Greg Abbott’s efforts, saying the federal government is not doing enough to enforce existing immigration laws.

The Supreme Court in 2012 struck down key parts of an Arizona law that would have allowed police to arrest people for federal immigration violations, often referred to by opponents as the “show me your papers” bill. The divided high court found then that the impasse in Washington over immigration reform did not justify state intrusion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683898210525.png" alt="Photo Texas Dept. of Public Safety" />
 <figcaption>Photo Texas Dept. of Public Safety</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —A divided Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted a stay on a Texas law that gives police&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-texas-2edc0f202156bf792cd531e814bbf2f5#:~:text=Under%20the%20law%2C%20any%20police,law%20could%20potentially%20take%20effect.">broad powers to arrest migrants</a>&nbsp;suspected of crossing the border illegally, while a legal battle over immigration authority plays out.The Biden administration is suing to strike down the measure, arguing it’s a clear violation of federal authority that would hurt international relations and create chaos in administering immigration law. Texas has argued it has a right to take action over what authorities have called an ongoing crisis at the southern border.Opponents say the law, known as Senate Bill 4, the most dramatic attempt by a state to police immigration since an Arizona law more than a decade ago, portions of which were struck down by the Supreme Court. Critics have also said the Texas law could lead to civil rights violations and racial profiling.A federal judge in Texas struck down the law in late February, but the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals quickly stayed that ruling, leading the federal government to appeal to the Supreme Court.The majority did not write a detailed opinion in the case, as it typical in emergency appeals. But the decision to let the law go into effect drew dissents from liberal justices Ketanji Brown Jackson, Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor.Sotomayor wrote in a blistering dissent that allowing Texas to enforce the law “invites further chaos and crisis” and “upends the federal-state balance of power that has existed for over a century"In a separate dissent, Kagan wrote that the type of order entered by the 5th Circuit “should not spell the difference between respecting and revoking long-settled immigration law.”Justice Amy Coney Barrett, joined by fellow conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh, suggested in a concurring opinion that her vote in favor of Texas stemmed from the technicalities of the appeals process rather than agreement with the state on the substance of the law.“So far as I know, this Court has never reviewed the decision of a court of appeals to enter — or not enter — an administrative stay. I would not get into the business. When entered, an administrative stay is supposed to be a short-lived prelude to the main event: a ruling on the motion for a stay pending appeal,” she wrote.The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals could potentially block the measure again, and either side can return to the Supreme Court once the 5th Circuit acts.Texas Gov Greg Abbott said the ruling allows Texas to begin enforcing the law, calling the decision a “positive development” while noting that an appeals court is still weighing whether the law is constitutional. He has previously said Texas has a right to take action on the border crisis.The Texas Department of Criminal Justice is “prepared to handle any influx in population” spokeswoman Amanda Hernandez said in a statement.Other Texas officials sounded a cautious note.“A lot of the local police chiefs here, we don’t believe it will survive a constitutional challenge. It doesn’t look like it’s going to, because a Texas peace officer is not trained. We have no training whatsoever to determine whether an individual is here in this country, legally,” said Sheriff Eddie Guerra of Hidalgo County.Guerra is also the president of the Southwestern Border Sheriffs’ Coalition representing 31 border counties from Texas to California.The battle over the Texas immigration law is one of multiple legal disputes between Texas officials and the Biden administration over how far the state can go to patrol the Texas-Mexico border and prevent illegal border crossings.Several Republican governors have backed Gov. Greg Abbott’s efforts, saying the federal government is not doing enough to enforce existing immigration laws.The Supreme Court in 2012 struck down key parts of an Arizona law that would have allowed police to arrest people for federal immigration violations, often referred to by opponents as the “show me your papers” bill. The divided high court found then that the impasse in Washington over immigration reform did not justify state intrusion.

Supreme Court will now allow police in Texas to arrest illegal migrants

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will begin airdropping emergency humanitarian assistance into Gaza, President Joe Biden said Friday, a day after more than 100 Palestinians were killed during a chaotic encounter with Israeli troops.

The president&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;sourceType=allSources&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=10&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20Gaza&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0">announced the move</a>&nbsp;after at least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others were injured, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, on Thursday when witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire as huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy.

Biden said the airdrops&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;sourceType=allSources&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=10&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20Gaza&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0">would begin soon</a>&nbsp;and that the United States was looking into additional ways to facilitate getting badly needed aid into&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;sourceType=allSources&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=10&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20Gaza&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0">the war-battered territory</a>&nbsp;to ease the suffering of Palestinians.

“In the coming days we’re going to join with our friends in Jordan and others who are providing airdrops of additional food and supplies” and will "seek to open up other avenues in, including possibly a marine corridor,” Biden said.

The president twice referred to airdrops to help Ukraine, but White House officials clarified that he was referring to Gaza.

Israel said many of the dead were trampled in a stampede linked to the chaos and that its troops fired at some in the crowd who they believed moved toward them in a threatening way. The Israeli government has said it is investigating the matter.

The head of a Gaza City hospital that treated some of those wounded said Friday that&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;sourceType=allSources&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=10&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20Gaza&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0">more than 80% had been struck by gunfire.</a>

Biden made his announcement while hosting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White house.

“Aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough," Biden said. "Now, it’s nowhere nearly enough. Innocent lives are on the line and children’s lives are on the line. We won’t stand by until we get more aid in there. We should be getting hundreds of trucks in, not just several.”

The White House, State Department and Pentagon had been weighing the merits of U.S. military airdrops of assistance for several months, but had held off due to concerns that the method is inefficient, has no way of ensuring the aid gets to civilians in need and cannot make up for overland aid deliveries.

Administration officials said their preference was to further increase overland aid deliveries through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom border points and to try to get Israel to open the Erez Crossing into northern Gaza.

The incident on Thursday appeared to tip the balance and push Biden to approve airdrops. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said that airdrops are difficult operations, but the acute need for aid in Gaza informed the president's decision.

He stressed that ground routes will be continued to be used to get aid into Gaza, and that the airdrops are a supplemental effort.

“It’s not the kind of thing you want to do in a heartbeat. you want to think it through carefully," Kirby said. He added, “There’s few military operations that are more complicated than humanitarian assistance airdrops”

Pressure has been mounting for Biden to move more aggressively to ease Palestinian suffering, including from lawmakers of Biden’s Democratic Party. Even before Thursday’s deaths, Sen. Jack Reed, chairman of the Senate’s Armed Services Committee, wrote Biden this week to urge that the administration deploy a military hospital ship and support units to help treat Gaza’s wounded and open a sea route to Gaza for delivery of humanitarian aid.

“Yesterday’s event, I think, underscores the need to find more creative ways of getting assistance in faster and at greater scale,” Kirby said.

Egypt, France, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates have already used airdrops to get aid into Gaza since the conflict started in October.

Biden in his visit with Meloni at the White House also sought to assure European leaders that the U.S. remains behind Ukraine even as he's been unable to win passage of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-senate-china-d7b4846de76a1dfe5d2207b7eb6eeead">supplemental foreign aid package</a>&nbsp;that includes $60 billion for Ukraine in addition to $35 billion for Israel and Taiwan. The legislation has passed the Senate, but Republican Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to put it up for a vote in the House.

Ahead of Meloni's visit, White House officials said they don't have good answers for allies about finding an end to the impasse with House Republicans and reopening the American spigot of aid to Kyiv that's badly needed as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine tries to fend off Russia's</a>&nbsp;invasion.

Biden, along with top Democrats and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, strongly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-johnson-israel-ukraine-shutdown-government-dc6d39b2a652130c6e3021394c1a3ee3">urged</a>&nbsp;Johnson during a White House meeting this week to take up the foreign aid package, but Johnson responded by saying that Congress “must take care of America’s needs first.”

The leaders also discussed efforts by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar to broker an extended cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, Italy's priorities for a G7 presidency, migrant flows into Italy from North Africa, and their countries' China policies.

Biden said earlier this week that a cease-fire deal could be reached by Monday, before tempering his optimism after Thursday's incident. But on Friday, Biden said he still held hope that a deal can be struck, possibly before Muslims around the globe begin observing the holy month of Ramadan that is expected to begin on March 10.

“I'm still hoping so,” Biden told reporters on Friday evening before departing the White House for the presidential retreat at Camp David, Md. "We’re still working real hard at it. We’re not there yet.”

Meloni said solving the humanitarian crisis in Gaza was Italy's top priority.

“We need to coordinate our actions to avoid an escalation, and this regard we fully support the U.S. mediation efforts,” she said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will begin airdropping emergency humanitarian assistance into Gaza, President Joe Biden said Friday, a day after more than 100 Palestinians were killed during a chaotic encounter with Israeli troops.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden: &quot;We&#39;re trying to work out a deal between Israel and Hamas the hostages being returned and immediate ceasefire in Gaza for at least the next six weeks.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/caW7nQFKov">pic.twitter.com/caW7nQFKov</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1763659658089083168?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The president&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;sourceType=allSources&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=10&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20Gaza&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0">announced the move</a>&nbsp;after at least 115 Palestinians were killed and more than 750 others were injured, according to Gaza’s Hamas-run health ministry, on Thursday when witnesses said Israeli troops opened fire as huge crowds raced to pull goods off an aid convoy.Biden said the airdrops&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;sourceType=allSources&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=10&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20Gaza&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0">would begin soon</a>&nbsp;and that the United States was looking into additional ways to facilitate getting badly needed aid into&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;sourceType=allSources&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=10&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20Gaza&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0">the war-battered territory</a>&nbsp;to ease the suffering of Palestinians.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In the coming days, the United States will carry out airdrops of aid to Gaza, redouble our efforts to open a maritime corridor, and expand deliveries by land. The aid flowing into Gaza is nowhere near enough. We all need to do more. And the United States will do more.&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1763702007469085066?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 1, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“In the coming days we’re going to join with our friends in Jordan and others who are providing airdrops of additional food and supplies” and will "seek to open up other avenues in, including possibly a marine corridor,” Biden said.The president twice referred to airdrops to help Ukraine, but White House officials clarified that he was referring to Gaza.Israel said many of the dead were trampled in a stampede linked to the chaos and that its troops fired at some in the crowd who they believed moved toward them in a threatening way. The Israeli government has said it is investigating the matter.The head of a Gaza City hospital that treated some of those wounded said Friday that&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;sourceType=allSources&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;pagesize=10&amp;viewType=conversation&amp;keyword=wire:dsa%20AND%20Gaza&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0">more than 80% had been struck by gunfire.</a>Biden made his announcement while hosting Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni at the White house.“Aid flowing to Gaza is nowhere nearly enough," Biden said. "Now, it’s nowhere nearly enough. Innocent lives are on the line and children’s lives are on the line. We won’t stand by until we get more aid in there. We should be getting hundreds of trucks in, not just several.”The White House, State Department and Pentagon had been weighing the merits of U.S. military airdrops of assistance for several months, but had held off due to concerns that the method is inefficient, has no way of ensuring the aid gets to civilians in need and cannot make up for overland aid deliveries.Administration officials said their preference was to further increase overland aid deliveries through the Rafah and Kerem Shalom border points and to try to get Israel to open the Erez Crossing into northern Gaza.The incident on Thursday appeared to tip the balance and push Biden to approve airdrops. White House national security spokesman John Kirby said that airdrops are difficult operations, but the acute need for aid in Gaza informed the president's decision.He stressed that ground routes will be continued to be used to get aid into Gaza, and that the airdrops are a supplemental effort.“It’s not the kind of thing you want to do in a heartbeat. you want to think it through carefully," Kirby said. He added, “There’s few military operations that are more complicated than humanitarian assistance airdrops”Pressure has been mounting for Biden to move more aggressively to ease Palestinian suffering, including from lawmakers of Biden’s Democratic Party. Even before Thursday’s deaths, Sen. Jack Reed, chairman of the Senate’s Armed Services Committee, wrote Biden this week to urge that the administration deploy a military hospital ship and support units to help treat Gaza’s wounded and open a sea route to Gaza for delivery of humanitarian aid.“Yesterday’s event, I think, underscores the need to find more creative ways of getting assistance in faster and at greater scale,” Kirby said.Egypt, France, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates have already used airdrops to get aid into Gaza since the conflict started in October.Biden in his visit with Meloni at the White House also sought to assure European leaders that the U.S. remains behind Ukraine even as he's been unable to win passage of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-aid-congress-senate-china-d7b4846de76a1dfe5d2207b7eb6eeead">supplemental foreign aid package</a>&nbsp;that includes $60 billion for Ukraine in addition to $35 billion for Israel and Taiwan. The legislation has passed the Senate, but Republican Speaker Mike Johnson has refused to put it up for a vote in the House.Ahead of Meloni's visit, White House officials said they don't have good answers for allies about finding an end to the impasse with House Republicans and reopening the American spigot of aid to Kyiv that's badly needed as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine tries to fend off Russia's</a>&nbsp;invasion.Biden, along with top Democrats and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, strongly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-johnson-israel-ukraine-shutdown-government-dc6d39b2a652130c6e3021394c1a3ee3">urged</a>&nbsp;Johnson during a White House meeting this week to take up the foreign aid package, but Johnson responded by saying that Congress “must take care of America’s needs first.”The leaders also discussed efforts by the U.S., Egypt and Qatar to broker an extended cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, Italy's priorities for a G7 presidency, migrant flows into Italy from North Africa, and their countries' China policies.Biden said earlier this week that a cease-fire deal could be reached by Monday, before tempering his optimism after Thursday's incident. But on Friday, Biden said he still held hope that a deal can be struck, possibly before Muslims around the globe begin observing the holy month of Ramadan that is expected to begin on March 10.“I'm still hoping so,” Biden told reporters on Friday evening before departing the White House for the presidential retreat at Camp David, Md. "We’re still working real hard at it. We’re not there yet.”Meloni said solving the humanitarian crisis in Gaza was Italy's top priority.“We need to coordinate our actions to avoid an escalation, and this regard we fully support the U.S. mediation efforts,” she said.___

🎥Biden: US military to airdrop food and supplies into Gaza

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The moon’s newest arrival was said to be “alive and well” a day after making the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moon-landing-private-company-intuitive-machines-9c896bfca61582773d381f4045fd35d7">first U.S. landing</a>&nbsp;in half a century, but flight controllers were still trying to get a better handle on its bearings.

Intuitive Machines reported Friday that it’s communicating with its lander, Odysseus, and sending commands to acquire science data. But it noted: “We continue to learn more about the vehicle’s specific information” regarding location, overall health and positioning.

(click below to watch a replay of the landing)

The Houston company was shooting for the south polar region, near the Malapert A crater, closer to the pole than anyone else so NASA could scout out the area before astronauts show up later this decade.

With Thursday’s touchdown, Intuitive Machines became the first private business to pull off a moon landing, a feat previously achieved by only five countries. The mission was sponsored in large part by NASA, whose experiments were on board. NASA paid $118 million for the delivery under a program meant to jump-start the lunar economy.

One of the NASA experiments was pressed into service when the lander's navigation system failed in the final few hours before touchdown. The lander took an extra lap around the moon to allow time for the last-minute switch to NASA's laser system.

“Odie is a scrapper,” mission director Tim Crain said late Thursday via X, formerly Twitter.

Another experiment didn't go so well. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's EagleCam — a set of six cameras — was supposed to eject 30 seconds before touchdown so it could capture pictures from afar of Odysseus' touchdown. EagleCam landed, instead, still attached to the lander.

The original plan had to be modified during the last orbit due to “unexpected events,” a university spokeswoman explained.

Intuitive Machines was the second company to aim for the moon under NASA's commercial lunar services program. Last month, Pittsburgh's Astrobotic Technology gave it a shot, but a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moon-landing-spacecraft-reenter-burned-e7abeeac01711633eaa807b050704084">fuel leak on the lander</a>&nbsp;cut the mission short and the craft ended up crashing back to Earth.

Until Thursday, the U.S. had not landed on the moon since Apollo 17's Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt closed out NASA's famed moon-landing program in December 1972. NASA's new effort to return astronauts to the moon is named Artemis after Apollo's mythological twin sister. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-moon-landings-artemis-delay-23e425d490c0c9e65ae774ec2e00f090">first Artemis crew landing</a>&nbsp;is planned for 2026 at the earliest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708707904055.png" alt="Image from a simulation video provided by Intuitive Machines&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Image from a simulation video provided by Intuitive Machines&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — The moon’s newest arrival was said to be “alive and well” a day after making the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moon-landing-private-company-intuitive-machines-9c896bfca61582773d381f4045fd35d7">first U.S. landing</a>&nbsp;in half a century, but flight controllers were still trying to get a better handle on its bearings.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Lunar Surface Day One Update (23FEB2024 0818 CST) Odysseus is alive and well. Flight controllers are communicating and commanding the vehicle to download science data. The lander has good telemetry and solar charging. We continue to learn more about the vehicle’s specific…&mdash; Intuitive Machines (@Int_Machines) <a href="https://twitter.com/Int_Machines/status/1761032731729739804?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Intuitive Machines reported Friday that it’s communicating with its lander, Odysseus, and sending commands to acquire science data. But it noted: “We continue to learn more about the vehicle’s specific information” regarding location, overall health and positioning.(click below to watch a replay of the landing)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Dg2ffigGcYM?si=faNrnj88EqV5Ek9W" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The Houston company was shooting for the south polar region, near the Malapert A crater, closer to the pole than anyone else so NASA could scout out the area before astronauts show up later this decade.With Thursday’s touchdown, Intuitive Machines became the first private business to pull off a moon landing, a feat previously achieved by only five countries. The mission was sponsored in large part by NASA, whose experiments were on board. NASA paid $118 million for the delivery under a program meant to jump-start the lunar economy.One of the NASA experiments was pressed into service when the lander's navigation system failed in the final few hours before touchdown. The lander took an extra lap around the moon to allow time for the last-minute switch to NASA's laser system.“Odie is a scrapper,” mission director Tim Crain said late Thursday via X, formerly Twitter.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708646787215.png" alt="-Members of the Intuitive Machines team celebrate the success Thursday evening" />
 <figcaption>-Members of the Intuitive Machines team celebrate the success Thursday evening</figcaption>
 </figure>Another experiment didn't go so well. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University's EagleCam — a set of six cameras — was supposed to eject 30 seconds before touchdown so it could capture pictures from afar of Odysseus' touchdown. EagleCam landed, instead, still attached to the lander.The original plan had to be modified during the last orbit due to “unexpected events,” a university spokeswoman explained.Intuitive Machines was the second company to aim for the moon under NASA's commercial lunar services program. Last month, Pittsburgh's Astrobotic Technology gave it a shot, but a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/moon-landing-spacecraft-reenter-burned-e7abeeac01711633eaa807b050704084">fuel leak on the lander</a>&nbsp;cut the mission short and the craft ended up crashing back to Earth.Until Thursday, the U.S. had not landed on the moon since Apollo 17's Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt closed out NASA's famed moon-landing program in December 1972. NASA's new effort to return astronauts to the moon is named Artemis after Apollo's mythological twin sister. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-moon-landings-artemis-delay-23e425d490c0c9e65ae774ec2e00f090">first Artemis crew landing</a>&nbsp;is planned for 2026 at the earliest.

Lander 'alive and well' after first US moon landing in a half century

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Several elected leaders in Oregon declared a state of emergency last week for downtown Portland over the public health and public safety crisis fueled by fentanyl.

This comes as&nbsp;Democratic lawmakers in Oregon last month unveiled a sweeping new bill that would undo a key part of the state’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law, a recognition that public opinion has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-drugs-decriminalization-pushback-bb209e6ba9835c69f95b093c8ee00279">soured on the measure</a>&nbsp;amid rampant public drug use during the fentanyl crisis.

Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson made the emergency declaration for a 90-day period during which collaboration and response will come from a command center downtown. The three governments are directing their agencies to work with first responders in connecting people addicted to the synthetic opioid with resources including drug treatment programs and to crack down on drug sales.

“Our country and our state have never seen a drug this deadly addictive, and all are grappling with how to respond,” Kotek said in a statement.

The declaration is a recommendation from a governor-established task force that met for several months last year to determine ways to rejuvenate downtown Portland.

People addicted to fentanyl who interact with first responders in Portland’s downtown in the next 90 days will be triaged by this new command center. Staff can connect people with various resources from a bed in a drug treatment center to meeting with a behavioral health clinician to help with registering for food stamps.

“We cannot underestimate the tremendous value of bringing leaders from different disciplines in a room on a daily basis who all account for a different part of the solution,” Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said in a statement.

Mike Myers, the director of Portland’s Community Safety Division, will head the city’s command team. Nathan Reynolds, deputy policy chief at the state’s Office of Resilience and Emergency Management, will be the state’s incident commander.

The effort also extends the Portland Police Bureau’s partnership with Oregon State Police to jointly patrol downtown streets for fentanyl sales. It additionally kicks off information campaigns centered on drug use prevention and recovery programs across the region. The county will expand outreach and training on how to administer Narcan, an overdose-reversal drug.

The program doesn’t establish any goals to measure success. Kotek said the next 90 days will provide a road map for the next steps.

The synthetic opioid addiction and overdose crisis that has gripped the U.S. for over two decades has left governments at the federal, state and local levels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fentanyl-opioids-oregon-washington-legislature-2db8e01e0cdc26fb72f119fe99cdb73a" target="_blank">scrambling for solutions</a>.

At the state level, Oregon lawmakers have introduced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-drug-decriminalization-law-3f851183d45e9c29609360b09e996d04" target="_blank">new bill</a>&nbsp;that would undo a key part of the state’s drug decriminalization law.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-drugs-decriminalization-pushback-bb209e6ba9835c69f95b093c8ee00279" target="_blank">Public opinion has soured</a>&nbsp;on it as public drug use has become more visible because of growing homelessness.

And President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced last fall that China was telling its chemical companies to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-xi-fentanyl-agreement-mexico-china-opioids-1fa57facd0dbdac714b616d705952d92" target="_blank">restrict shipments to Latin America and elsewhere of the materials used to produce fentanyl</a>, which is largely finished in Mexico and then smuggled into the U.S.

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Several elected leaders in Oregon declared a state of emergency last week for downtown Portland over the public health and public safety crisis fueled by fentanyl.This comes as&nbsp;Democratic lawmakers in Oregon last month unveiled a sweeping new bill that would undo a key part of the state’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law, a recognition that public opinion has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-drugs-decriminalization-pushback-bb209e6ba9835c69f95b093c8ee00279">soured on the measure</a>&nbsp;amid rampant public drug use during the fentanyl crisis.Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler and Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson made the emergency declaration for a 90-day period during which collaboration and response will come from a command center downtown. The three governments are directing their agencies to work with first responders in connecting people addicted to the synthetic opioid with resources including drug treatment programs and to crack down on drug sales.“Our country and our state have never seen a drug this deadly addictive, and all are grappling with how to respond,” Kotek said in a statement.The declaration is a recommendation from a governor-established task force that met for several months last year to determine ways to rejuvenate downtown Portland.People addicted to fentanyl who interact with first responders in Portland’s downtown in the next 90 days will be triaged by this new command center. Staff can connect people with various resources from a bed in a drug treatment center to meeting with a behavioral health clinician to help with registering for food stamps.“We cannot underestimate the tremendous value of bringing leaders from different disciplines in a room on a daily basis who all account for a different part of the solution,” Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said in a statement.Mike Myers, the director of Portland’s Community Safety Division, will head the city’s command team. Nathan Reynolds, deputy policy chief at the state’s Office of Resilience and Emergency Management, will be the state’s incident commander.The effort also extends the Portland Police Bureau’s partnership with Oregon State Police to jointly patrol downtown streets for fentanyl sales. It additionally kicks off information campaigns centered on drug use prevention and recovery programs across the region. The county will expand outreach and training on how to administer Narcan, an overdose-reversal drug.The program doesn’t establish any goals to measure success. Kotek said the next 90 days will provide a road map for the next steps.The synthetic opioid addiction and overdose crisis that has gripped the U.S. for over two decades has left governments at the federal, state and local levels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fentanyl-opioids-oregon-washington-legislature-2db8e01e0cdc26fb72f119fe99cdb73a" target="_blank">scrambling for solutions</a>.At the state level, Oregon lawmakers have introduced a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-drug-decriminalization-law-3f851183d45e9c29609360b09e996d04" target="_blank">new bill</a>&nbsp;that would undo a key part of the state’s drug decriminalization law.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-drugs-decriminalization-pushback-bb209e6ba9835c69f95b093c8ee00279" target="_blank">Public opinion has soured</a>&nbsp;on it as public drug use has become more visible because of growing homelessness.And President Joe Biden and Chinese President Xi Jinping announced last fall that China was telling its chemical companies to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-xi-fentanyl-agreement-mexico-china-opioids-1fa57facd0dbdac714b616d705952d92" target="_blank">restrict shipments to Latin America and elsewhere of the materials used to produce fentanyl</a>, which is largely finished in Mexico and then smuggled into the U.S.

State’s first-in-the-nation drug decriminalization law in jeopardy

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/chase-woodruff/">CHASE WOODRUFF</a>&nbsp;

The plaintiffs who persuaded a majority of the Colorado Supreme Court to block former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot under a Civil War-era insurrection clause urged the U.S. Supreme Court to promptly weigh in on the case in a new filing.

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUVD3sX8LwthbWVYhf8fe1OUYtlLMzDkszA-2BIqPpCFEPX7YCUG8Pq20fh1jCrcK0FMwMtiiSlW6JQMCQvarwWIGrDTRdIv5xfY3DE22lyG5ulldSP6FWTLWffha68j6jtpKh07EnNePaihJKUh6axmVw-3DLy9n_Jm5goVoRUsnLGAkeCf3KzuTJy56ex9G-2FU4MIWWg7cd-2FpMzbu10h-2FsHfvAs75q7ILXjf9EAPVZZvvlv1-2BavrUdAOq0b3G4YMbFM7gQYgCqBxATSW-2BKI-2FBJx6DY7HiRke9uu7aTaCfc1Ls-2F2yYSGE09A02XoxCPVO-2BRclNnFm03K0lRoK9aAZH3Q52EzPA0IWYDO026F0p17dGTarUzclQsksrMr7lURpITe3jSiN-2FsToB-2BXDBnxxQicIL4z-2BZNsYmV2R97xTMCSRVum6USJ98SZoU0cTBffWDAugr7upRD5ypLKAma-2FH7WlPE5TfSbf-2B-2BPjKMrfT5elt3er00jfG-2FYMdKb7kWosvDKMYOA-2Bu-2BxBU-3D">33-page brief</a>&nbsp;from the attorneys representing six Colorado Republican and unaffiliated voters was filed with the nation’s highest court on Tuesday. It followed the Colorado Republican Party’s petition last week for a so-called writ of certiorari, a formal order the Supreme Court issues when it agrees to review a case.

Attorneys for the plaintiffs, who are backed by the nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, wrote that with primary election deadlines looming, the court should take up the case on an “expedited timetable.”

“Although the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision was correct and implicates no split of authority, this Court should nevertheless grant certiorari,” the brief said. “This case is of utmost national importance. And given the upcoming presidential primary schedule, there is no time to wait for the issues to percolate further.”

A U.S. Supreme Court review has been widely expected in the wake of the Colorado Supreme Court’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://coloradonewsline.com/2023/12/19/colorado-supreme-court-trump-2024-ballot-ruling/">seismic Dec. 19 ruling</a>, which held that Trump’s actions in relation to the Jan. 6 insurrection disqualify him from office under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Section 3 of the amendment prohibits a person who took an oath to support the Constitution and then “engaged in insurrection” from holding office again.

The court stayed its decision pending a likely U.S. Supreme Court appeal, meaning that Trump’s name will still appear on GOP primary ballots if the court agrees to review the case before the Jan. 5 ballot certification deadline, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold has said.

Following the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mainemorningstar.com/2023/12/28/secretary-of-state-finds-trump-ineligible-for-maines-primary-ballot/">Maine became the second state</a>&nbsp;to disqualify Trump from the ballot under Section 3 when Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows issued a ruling to that effect on Dec. 28.

The Colorado Republican Party appealed the Colorado case to the U.S. Supreme Court the same day, writing in a petition that “voters have been denied the ability to choose their Chief Executive through the electoral process.” A separate appeal from attorneys representing Trump is expected soon.

The plaintiffs’ Tuesday filing calls the Colorado lawsuit an “ideal vehicle” for the court to settle questions about Trump’s constitutional eligibility under Section 3.

“Today’s brief underscores that Section 3 applies to former presidents, that our clients had the right to bring this challenge under Colorado state law and that the First Amendment does not allow a state party to list disqualified candidates on the ballot,” CREW president Noah Bookbinder said in a statement. “It is crucial that the Supreme Court take up and review this case quickly so that Coloradans and the American public have complete clarity on Donald Trump’s eligibility before casting their ballots.”

The brief asks the court to grant review of the case by Friday and to issue a ruling by Feb. 11. The presidential primary election in Colorado will occur March 5.

<a target="_blank" href="https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/supreme-court-block-trump-colorado-ballot/">This story</a>&nbsp;was produced by Colorado Newsline, a States Newsroom affiliate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703030684419.png" alt="Following the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mainemorningstar.com/2023/12/28/secretary-of-state-finds-trump-ineligible-for-maines-primary-ballot/">Maine became the second state</a>&nbsp;to disqualify Trump from the ballot under Section 3 when Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows issued a ruling to that effect on Dec. 28.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Following the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mainemorningstar.com/2023/12/28/secretary-of-state-finds-trump-ineligible-for-maines-primary-ballot/">Maine became the second state</a>&nbsp;to disqualify Trump from the ballot under Section 3 when Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows issued a ruling to that effect on Dec. 28.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/chase-woodruff/">CHASE WOODRUFF</a>&nbsp;The plaintiffs who persuaded a majority of the Colorado Supreme Court to block former President Donald Trump from the state’s 2024 ballot under a Civil War-era insurrection clause urged the U.S. Supreme Court to promptly weigh in on the case in a new filing.The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=4tNED-2FM8iDZJQyQ53jATUVD3sX8LwthbWVYhf8fe1OUYtlLMzDkszA-2BIqPpCFEPX7YCUG8Pq20fh1jCrcK0FMwMtiiSlW6JQMCQvarwWIGrDTRdIv5xfY3DE22lyG5ulldSP6FWTLWffha68j6jtpKh07EnNePaihJKUh6axmVw-3DLy9n_Jm5goVoRUsnLGAkeCf3KzuTJy56ex9G-2FU4MIWWg7cd-2FpMzbu10h-2FsHfvAs75q7ILXjf9EAPVZZvvlv1-2BavrUdAOq0b3G4YMbFM7gQYgCqBxATSW-2BKI-2FBJx6DY7HiRke9uu7aTaCfc1Ls-2F2yYSGE09A02XoxCPVO-2BRclNnFm03K0lRoK9aAZH3Q52EzPA0IWYDO026F0p17dGTarUzclQsksrMr7lURpITe3jSiN-2FsToB-2BXDBnxxQicIL4z-2BZNsYmV2R97xTMCSRVum6USJ98SZoU0cTBffWDAugr7upRD5ypLKAma-2FH7WlPE5TfSbf-2B-2BPjKMrfT5elt3er00jfG-2FYMdKb7kWosvDKMYOA-2Bu-2BxBU-3D">33-page brief</a>&nbsp;from the attorneys representing six Colorado Republican and unaffiliated voters was filed with the nation’s highest court on Tuesday. It followed the Colorado Republican Party’s petition last week for a so-called writ of certiorari, a formal order the Supreme Court issues when it agrees to review a case.Attorneys for the plaintiffs, who are backed by the nonprofit Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, wrote that with primary election deadlines looming, the court should take up the case on an “expedited timetable.”“Although the Colorado Supreme Court’s decision was correct and implicates no split of authority, this Court should nevertheless grant certiorari,” the brief said. “This case is of utmost national importance. And given the upcoming presidential primary schedule, there is no time to wait for the issues to percolate further.”A U.S. Supreme Court review has been widely expected in the wake of the Colorado Supreme Court’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://coloradonewsline.com/2023/12/19/colorado-supreme-court-trump-2024-ballot-ruling/">seismic Dec. 19 ruling</a>, which held that Trump’s actions in relation to the Jan. 6 insurrection disqualify him from office under the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Section 3 of the amendment prohibits a person who took an oath to support the Constitution and then “engaged in insurrection” from holding office again.The court stayed its decision pending a likely U.S. Supreme Court appeal, meaning that Trump’s name will still appear on GOP primary ballots if the court agrees to review the case before the Jan. 5 ballot certification deadline, Colorado Secretary of State Jena Griswold has said.Following the Colorado Supreme Court’s ruling,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://mainemorningstar.com/2023/12/28/secretary-of-state-finds-trump-ineligible-for-maines-primary-ballot/">Maine became the second state</a>&nbsp;to disqualify Trump from the ballot under Section 3 when Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows issued a ruling to that effect on Dec. 28.The Colorado Republican Party appealed the Colorado case to the U.S. Supreme Court the same day, writing in a petition that “voters have been denied the ability to choose their Chief Executive through the electoral process.” A separate appeal from attorneys representing Trump is expected soon.The plaintiffs’ Tuesday filing calls the Colorado lawsuit an “ideal vehicle” for the court to settle questions about Trump’s constitutional eligibility under Section 3.“Today’s brief underscores that Section 3 applies to former presidents, that our clients had the right to bring this challenge under Colorado state law and that the First Amendment does not allow a state party to list disqualified candidates on the ballot,” CREW president Noah Bookbinder said in a statement. “It is crucial that the Supreme Court take up and review this case quickly so that Coloradans and the American public have complete clarity on Donald Trump’s eligibility before casting their ballots.”The brief asks the court to grant review of the case by Friday and to issue a ruling by Feb. 11. The presidential primary election in Colorado will occur March 5.<a target="_blank" href="https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/supreme-court-block-trump-colorado-ballot/">This story</a>&nbsp;was produced by Colorado Newsline, a States Newsroom affiliate.

U.S. Supreme Court reviews Trump ballot ban in Colorado

2023 Fall Auction Sale Bill

KANSAS CITY (AP) — It's been a big year for labor organizing in the U.S. And from auto production lines in Kansas City to Hollywood,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/strikes">all eyes are on strikes</a>&nbsp;taking the world of work by storm.

The boiling point we’re seeing today comes amid soaring costs of living and rising inequality, including growing pay gaps between workers and top executives. Now, thousands of workers who were asked to make sacrifices during the pandemic even as corporate profits soared are asking for better pay and protections — and walking off the job if progress isn't made in heated contract negotiations.

At least 453,000 workers have participated in 312 strikes in the U.S. this year, according to Johnnie Kallas, a Ph.D. candidate and the project director of Cornell University’s Labor Action Tracker. This year’s work stoppages have spread across multiple industries — including transportation, entertainment and hospitality.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695067603080.png" alt="Autoworkers on strike in Missouri photo UAW" />
 <figcaption>Autoworkers on strike in Missouri photo UAW</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — It's been a big year for labor organizing in the U.S. And from auto production lines in Kansas City to Hollywood,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/strikes">all eyes are on strikes</a>&nbsp;taking the world of work by storm.The boiling point we’re seeing today comes amid soaring costs of living and rising inequality, including growing pay gaps between workers and top executives. Now, thousands of workers who were asked to make sacrifices during the pandemic even as corporate profits soared are asking for better pay and protections — and walking off the job if progress isn't made in heated contract negotiations.At least 453,000 workers have participated in 312 strikes in the U.S. this year, according to Johnnie Kallas, a Ph.D. candidate and the project director of Cornell University’s Labor Action Tracker. This year’s work stoppages have spread across multiple industries — including transportation, entertainment and hospitality.Here's a rundown of some of the largest strikes taking place in the U.S. today.75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers walk off the jobIn the health care sector, a major strike kicked off this week — with some 75,000 Kaiser Permanente workers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kaiser-health-care-workers-strike-b8b40ce8c082c0b8c4f1c0fb7ec38741">walking off the job</a>&nbsp;Wednesday in multiple states. Strikers include licensed vocational nurses, home health aides and ultrasound sonographers, as well as technicians in the radiology, X-ray, surgical, pharmacy and emergency departments.The Coalition of Kaiser Permanente Unions, which represents about 85,000 of the health system’s employees nationally, approved a strike for three days in California, Colorado, Oregon and Washington, and for one day in Virginia and Washington, D.C.Back in August, unions representing Kaiser workers asked for a $25 hourly minimum wage, as well as increases of 7% each year in the first two years and 6.25% each year in the two years afterward. Union members say understaffing is boosting the hospital system’s profits but hurting patients, and executives have been bargaining in bad faith during negotiations.Company executive Michelle Gaskill-Hames defended Kaiser — saying its practices, compensation and retention are better than its competitors. Kaiser has proposed minimum hourly wages of between $21 and $23 next year depending on the location.Kaiser is one of the country’s larger insurers and health care system operators, serving nearly 13 million people. The Oakland, California-based nonprofit said its 39 hospitals, including emergency rooms, will remain open during the picketing, though appointments and non-urgent procedures could be delayed. Doctors are also not participating in the strike, and Kaiser said it was bringing in thousands of temporary workers.UAW strike nears 3-week mark, with 25,000 on the picket linesIn an unprecedented labor campaign against three major car companies,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/autoworkers-detroit-general-motors-stellantis-ford-e2c78274333bea20856b90126a6b831c">some 25,000 auto workers</a>&nbsp;have joined picket lines in recent weeksThe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-auto-workers">United Auto Workers</a>&nbsp;' targeted strikes against General Motors, Stellantis and Ford began at select factories after the union’s contract with the companies expired in mid-September — and have grown to a total of five vehicle assembly plants and 38 parts warehouses since.UAW President Shawn Fain has announced strike expansions on each of the past two Fridays, citing a lack of what the union says is meaningful progress, but it's unclear how much that will continue as the strike nears its 3-week mark.A person with direct knowledge of the talks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strike-negotiations-progress-gm-stellantis-ford-4dc51e9f463022bc3794e9615d8a705b">told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;Wednesday that progress was reported at all three companies, with some offers being exchanged. Another said there was more movement in talks with Jeep maker Stellantis and less at Ford and General Motors. Neither wanted to be identified because they aren’t authorized to speak publicly about the bargaining.Fain will update members on the negotiations again Friday. The union is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-strike-ford-gm-stellantis-contract-offers-5dd4dee2056b7efe06d2a55433d8d13a">seeking</a>&nbsp;36% general wage increases over four years, as well as a 32-hour week with 40 hours of pay, the restoration of traditional defined-benefit pensions for new hires and a return of cost-of-living pay raises, among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-strike-ford-stellantis-general-motors-union-58cfc129b91b257b25c0a9254b2c44ec">other benefits</a>.The companies, however, fear that raising their labor costs could make their vehicles more expensive than those manufactured by Tesla or foreign automakers with U.S. factories where workers are paid less. Tensions have also risen amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/strike-auto-workers-ford-gm-stellantis-dce8eb39a1e36f2cc54a5c1e4210e1f3">layoffs</a>&nbsp;impacting thousands of workers, with the auto makers saying some factories are running short on parts because of the strike.Striking Hollywood actors resume talks with studiosHollywood was taken by storm this summer with a historic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hollywood-strikes/">dual strike</a>&nbsp;from the unions representing writers and actors — bringing much of production to a halt.After five months on the picket lines, the writers strike was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-deal-hollywood-vote-actors-d3119d670a4fd3449773bf8f4026fb2b">declared over</a>&nbsp;after their union approved a contract agreement with studios last week. Meanwhile, actors are still on strike — but a shot at cutting their own deal is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-late-night-shows-return-negotiations-1ddcaa8c4684375f8e56d2cd2abd62ea">finally on the horizon</a>.The Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-ends-actors-hollywood-28316c5104765576b7259b180e15c05b">began</a>&nbsp;negotiations Monday with the same group of major studios and streaming services, the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, for the first time since they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-explained-2607dd29da6c16c0a406359a7e86d7fb">joined writers</a>&nbsp;on the picket lines on July 14. The two sides resumed talks Wednesday.With similar sticking points to the writers, actors and their employers have been divided on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-explained-2607dd29da6c16c0a406359a7e86d7fb">issues of pay</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-hollywood-strikes-explained-writers-actors-e872bd63ab52c3ea9f7d6e825240a202">use of artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;and self-taped auditions. SAG-AFTRA leaders said they would look closely at the gains and compromises of the writers' deal, but emphasized that their demands would remain the same as they were when the strike began.The two sides said in a joint statement that “several executives” from studios would be in on the talks, without providing names.Southern California hotel workers' rolling strikesThousands of hotel workers in Southern California have staged&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/los-angeles-city-workers-strike-689eaa21d729694d8fa91080ddaa01df">staggered walkouts</a>&nbsp;over recent months. Union leaders are calling for better wages, improved health care, higher pension contributions, better safety protections and less strenuous workloads, among other benefits.Members of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.unitehere11.org/">Unite Here Local 11</a>&nbsp;overwhelmingly voted in favor of authorizing a strike back in June. After contracts expired at more than 60 hotels — including properties owned by major chains such as Marriott and Hilton — cooks, room attendants, dishwashers, servers, bellmen and front desk agents began picketing outside major hotels in Los Angeles and Orange counties&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-hotel-workers-strike-unite-here-0858937937766b75a1bfd10e9e41525f">at the start of July.</a>During the staggered strikes, workers have also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-los-angeles-hotel-strike-ff26bbef8cbf37c82469a446ff29f919">called for solidarity</a>&nbsp;and a boycott of hotels in the Los Angeles area. According to United Here Local 11's website, the rolling walkouts surpassed the 100th strike mark last month.While walkouts continue at dozens of hotels, two companies have made agreements with the union to date. On Friday, United Here Local 11 said that Biltmore Los Angeles had reached a tentative contract agreement — joining Westin Bonaventure Hotel &amp; Suites, which averted walkouts with a June deal promising higher pay and increased staffing levels.

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