WASHINGTON (AP) — A Pennsylvania woman linked to a far-right extremist movement was sentenced on Thursday to three years in prison for storming the U.S. Capitol, where she invaded then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office with other rioters.

Riley June Williams, 23, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was charged but not convicted of helping steal a laptop from Pelosi’s office suite during the riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-pennsylvania-riots-donald-trump-nancy-pelosi-34be1139127837ec787ea841a01c784e">A federal jury convicted Williams in November</a>&nbsp;of six charges, including a felony count of civil disorder, after a two-week trial. But it deadlocked on two other counts, including “aiding and abetting" the laptop's theft.

Jurors also deadlocked on a charge of obstructing an official proceeding, the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress for certifying President Joe Biden's 2020 electoral victory. Then-Vice President Mike Pence and members of Congress evacuated the House and Senate chambers when rioters attacked the Capitol.

Prosecutors had asked U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to sentence Williams to seven years and three months in prison.

“Everywhere she went, Williams acted as an accelerant, exacerbating the mayhem. Where others turned back, she pushed forward,”&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.236292/gov.uscourts.dcd.236292.139.0.pdf">prosecutors wrote in a court filing.</a>

Defense lawyers requested a term of imprisonment of one year and one day for Williams, who was 22 in January 2021.

“In some respects, she is starkly different from the average January 6th defendant – particularly given her youth and that she is a female,”&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.236291/gov.uscourts.dcd.236291.137.0.pdf">they wrote</a>. “In other ways she is similar to many of other January 6th defendants with no prior criminal record, that were caught up with the mob that day, acting on impulse and without thought to the consequences of their actions.”

Jackson also sentenced Williams to three years of supervised release after her prison term and ordered her to pay $2,000 in restitution, according to the U.S. attorney's office for the District of Columbia.

Williams was an ardent supporter of the white nationalist “Groyper” movement led by internet personality Nick Fuentes, according to prosecutors. They said Williams was “obsessed" with Fuentes and fixated on baseless claims — amplified by Fuentes — that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump.

Williams' attorneys argued that her political beliefs shouldn't be a factor in her sentencing. They said the First Amendment protects her interest in Fuentes and his “Groyper Army” of followers.

Fuentes has used his online platform to spew antisemitic and white supremacist rhetoric. In November, former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-kanye-west-entertainment-donald-trump-21ea30fc30a9a97074581015b25e18bf">Trump dined at his Mar-a-Lago club with Fuentes</a>&nbsp;and the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, who is now known as Ye.

Other Fuentes followers have been charged with Jan. 6-related crimes, including former UCLA student Christian Secor, who waved a flag associated with Fuentes’ movement when he entered the Capitol. Secor was sentenced last year to three years and six months in prison.

Williams wore a green “I’m with Groyper” T-shirt when she traveled to Washington, D.C., with her father and his friends on Jan. 6. They attended Trump's “Stop the Steal” rally before heading to the Capitol. Williams entered the building through the Senate Wing Door two minutes after other rioters breached the entrance.

Williams used men wearing helmets and body armor like a “human battering ram,” pushing them forward to break through police lines inside the Capitol, prosecutors said. Entering Pelosi's main conference room, she stole a gavel and encouraged another rioter to take a laptop from atop a table, according to prosecutors.

“As the other rioter later manipulated the laptop and its cords, Williams filmed the theft that she had just commanded and encouraged, and further instructed the rioter, 'Dude, put on gloves!'” prosecutors wrote.

Williams then went to the Rotunda, where she shouted insults at police and urged other rioters to join her in pushing against officers.

Williams spent roughly 90 minutes in the Capitol. After leaving, she climbed on the roof of a parked police car.

Williams destroyed evidence before her arrest, deleting her social media accounts, resetting her iPhone and using software to wipe her computer, according to prosecutors.

Williams bragged online that she stole Pelosi’s gavel, laptop and hard drives and that she “gave the electronic devices, or attempted to give them, to unspecified Russian individuals,” prosecutors said in a June 2022 court filing.

“To date, neither the laptop nor the gavel has been recovered,” they added.

A witness described as a former romantic partner of Williams told the FBI that she intended to send the stolen laptop or hard drive to a friend in Russia who planned to sell it to Russia’s foreign intelligence service. But the witness said Williams kept the device or destroyed it when the transfer fell through, according to the FBI.

When the FBI questioned her, Williams denied stealing the laptop. She accused an ex-boyfriend of fabricating the allegation.

Williams was taken into custody after the jury convicted her on Nov. 21.

<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/jan-6-prosecutions/">Approximately 1,000 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot.</a>&nbsp;More than 400 have been sentenced, with over half of them receiving terms of imprisonment ranging from seven days to 10 years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679667473441.png" alt="Williams-photo&nbsp;(Dauphin County&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Williams-photo&nbsp;(Dauphin County&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A Pennsylvania woman linked to a far-right extremist movement was sentenced on Thursday to three years in prison for storming the U.S. Capitol, where she invaded then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office with other rioters.Riley June Williams, 23, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was charged but not convicted of helping steal a laptop from Pelosi’s office suite during the riot on Jan. 6, 2021.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-pennsylvania-riots-donald-trump-nancy-pelosi-34be1139127837ec787ea841a01c784e">A federal jury convicted Williams in November</a>&nbsp;of six charges, including a felony count of civil disorder, after a two-week trial. But it deadlocked on two other counts, including “aiding and abetting" the laptop's theft.Jurors also deadlocked on a charge of obstructing an official proceeding, the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress for certifying President Joe Biden's 2020 electoral victory. Then-Vice President Mike Pence and members of Congress evacuated the House and Senate chambers when rioters attacked the Capitol.Prosecutors had asked U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to sentence Williams to seven years and three months in prison.“Everywhere she went, Williams acted as an accelerant, exacerbating the mayhem. Where others turned back, she pushed forward,”&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.236292/gov.uscourts.dcd.236292.139.0.pdf">prosecutors wrote in a court filing.</a>Defense lawyers requested a term of imprisonment of one year and one day for Williams, who was 22 in January 2021.“In some respects, she is starkly different from the average January 6th defendant – particularly given her youth and that she is a female,”&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.236291/gov.uscourts.dcd.236291.137.0.pdf">they wrote</a>. “In other ways she is similar to many of other January 6th defendants with no prior criminal record, that were caught up with the mob that day, acting on impulse and without thought to the consequences of their actions.”Jackson also sentenced Williams to three years of supervised release after her prison term and ordered her to pay $2,000 in restitution, according to the U.S. attorney's office for the District of Columbia.Williams was an ardent supporter of the white nationalist “Groyper” movement led by internet personality Nick Fuentes, according to prosecutors. They said Williams was “obsessed" with Fuentes and fixated on baseless claims — amplified by Fuentes — that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump.Williams' attorneys argued that her political beliefs shouldn't be a factor in her sentencing. They said the First Amendment protects her interest in Fuentes and his “Groyper Army” of followers.Fuentes has used his online platform to spew antisemitic and white supremacist rhetoric. In November, former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-kanye-west-entertainment-donald-trump-21ea30fc30a9a97074581015b25e18bf">Trump dined at his Mar-a-Lago club with Fuentes</a>&nbsp;and the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, who is now known as Ye.Other Fuentes followers have been charged with Jan. 6-related crimes, including former UCLA student Christian Secor, who waved a flag associated with Fuentes’ movement when he entered the Capitol. Secor was sentenced last year to three years and six months in prison.Williams wore a green “I’m with Groyper” T-shirt when she traveled to Washington, D.C., with her father and his friends on Jan. 6. They attended Trump's “Stop the Steal” rally before heading to the Capitol. Williams entered the building through the Senate Wing Door two minutes after other rioters breached the entrance.Williams used men wearing helmets and body armor like a “human battering ram,” pushing them forward to break through police lines inside the Capitol, prosecutors said. Entering Pelosi's main conference room, she stole a gavel and encouraged another rioter to take a laptop from atop a table, according to prosecutors.“As the other rioter later manipulated the laptop and its cords, Williams filmed the theft that she had just commanded and encouraged, and further instructed the rioter, 'Dude, put on gloves!'” prosecutors wrote.Williams then went to the Rotunda, where she shouted insults at police and urged other rioters to join her in pushing against officers.Williams spent roughly 90 minutes in the Capitol. After leaving, she climbed on the roof of a parked police car.Williams destroyed evidence before her arrest, deleting her social media accounts, resetting her iPhone and using software to wipe her computer, according to prosecutors.Williams bragged online that she stole Pelosi’s gavel, laptop and hard drives and that she “gave the electronic devices, or attempted to give them, to unspecified Russian individuals,” prosecutors said in a June 2022 court filing.“To date, neither the laptop nor the gavel has been recovered,” they added.A witness described as a former romantic partner of Williams told the FBI that she intended to send the stolen laptop or hard drive to a friend in Russia who planned to sell it to Russia’s foreign intelligence service. But the witness said Williams kept the device or destroyed it when the transfer fell through, according to the FBI.When the FBI questioned her, Williams denied stealing the laptop. She accused an ex-boyfriend of fabricating the allegation.Williams was taken into custody after the jury convicted her on Nov. 21.<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/jan-6-prosecutions/">Approximately 1,000 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot.</a>&nbsp;More than 400 have been sentenced, with over half of them receiving terms of imprisonment ranging from seven days to 10 years.

Jan. 6 rioter charged in theft of Nancy Pelosi's laptop sentenced 

SUMNER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting.

On Friday afternoon, the Kansas Turnpike Authorities notified the Oklahoma Highway Patrol that a bank robbery suspect was southbound on Interstate 35, according to a statement from the Patrol.

A Port of Entry officer saw a vehicle enter Oklahoma that matched the description of the robbery suspect’s vehicle.

 A trooper located the vehicle and a short pursuit ensued. During that pursuit, the suspect fired at troopers, who also fired back. The suspect fled on foot in the area of Interstate 35 and Highway 412. 

There was another exchange of gunfire. The suspect is deceased. No troopers were harmed. Authorities have not released the name of the suspect or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679693670963.png" alt="No troopers were injured -photo Oklahoma Highway Patrol" />
 <figcaption>No troopers were injured -photo Oklahoma Highway Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>SUMNER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting.On Friday afternoon, the Kansas Turnpike Authorities notified the Oklahoma Highway Patrol that a bank robbery suspect was southbound on Interstate 35, according to a statement from the Patrol.A Port of Entry officer saw a vehicle enter Oklahoma that matched the description of the robbery suspect’s vehicle. A trooper located the vehicle and a short pursuit ensued. During that pursuit, the suspect fired at troopers, who also fired back. The suspect fled on foot in the area of Interstate 35 and Highway 412. There was another exchange of gunfire. The suspect is deceased. No troopers were harmed. Authorities have not released the name of the suspect or additional details.

Kan. bank robbery suspect killed in gunfight on turnpike

BARTON COUNTY—Authorities investigating the home explosion in Great Bend have confirmed the identity of the man who died as&nbsp;48-year-old Ryan Neil Kleweno, according to Police Lt. Heather Smith.&nbsp; "He lived in the home."

The explosion at the home in the 700 Block of 10th Street just after 3a.m. Wednesday&nbsp;was caused by a gas leak, according to a statement from Deputy Fire Chief Brent Smith.

&nbsp;Kleweno was transported to a local hospital for treatment and later to the burn unit in a Wichita hospital where he died.

 Crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire and secure the scene. Tenth street was closed for approximately an hour while debris was removed from the roadway.

Testing showed that the gas line from the main to the structure was intact and was not leaking, according to Smith.

 There was significant damage to neighboring structures and vehicles. The cause of the explosion was investigated by the Great Bend Fire Department and the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679599027514.png" alt="The cause of the explosion was investigated by the Great Bend Fire Department and the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal. Photo courtesy Great Bend Fire and EMS" />
 <figcaption>The cause of the explosion was investigated by the Great Bend Fire Department and the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal. Photo courtesy Great Bend Fire and EMS</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—Authorities investigating the home explosion in Great Bend have confirmed the identity of the man who died as&nbsp;48-year-old Ryan Neil Kleweno, according to Police Lt. Heather Smith.&nbsp; "He lived in the home."The explosion at the home in the 700 Block of 10th Street just after 3a.m. Wednesday&nbsp;was caused by a gas leak, according to a statement from Deputy Fire Chief Brent Smith.&nbsp;Kleweno was transported to a local hospital for treatment and later to the burn unit in a Wichita hospital where he died. Crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire and secure the scene. Tenth street was closed for approximately an hour while debris was removed from the roadway.Testing showed that the gas line from the main to the structure was intact and was not leaking, according to Smith. There was significant damage to neighboring structures and vehicles. The cause of the explosion was investigated by the Great Bend Fire Department and the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal.&nbsp;

Police confirm ID of man who died in Kansas home explosion

BEIRUT (AP) — A strike Thursday by a suspected Iranian-made drone killed a U.S. contractor and wounded six other Americans in northeast Syria, and U.S. forces retaliated with airstrikes on sites in Syria used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, the Pentagon said. Activists said the U.S. bombing killed at least four people.

On Friday night, two Syrian opposition activist groups reported a new wave of airstrikes on eastern Syria that hit positions of Iran-backed militias after rockets were fired at a Conoco gas plant that has a base housing American troops. It was not immediately clear if U.S. warplanes carried out the attack.

While it’s not the first time the U.S. and Iran have traded strikes in Syria, the attack and the U.S. response threaten to upend recent efforts to deescalate tensions across the wider Middle East, whose rival powers have made steps toward détente in recent days after years of turmoil.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the American intelligence community had determined the drone was of Iranian origin, but offered no other immediate evidence to support the claim. The drone hit a coalition base in the northeast Syrian city of Hasaka. The wounded included five American service members and a U.S. contractor.

Austin said the strikes were a response to the drone attack “as well as a series of recent attacks against coalition forces in Syria” by groups affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard.

Iran relies on a network of proxy forces through the Mideast to counter the U.S. and Israel, its arch regional enemy. The U.S. has had forces in northeast Syria since 2015, when they deployed as part of the fight against the Islamic State group, and maintains some 900 troops there, working with Kurdish-led forces that control around a third of Syria.

The U.S. airstrikes hit targets in three towns in eastern Syria, activists said. Overnight, videos on social media purported to show explosions in Deir el-Zour, a strategic province that borders Iraq and contains oil fields. Iranian-backed militia groups and Syrian forces control the area, which also has seen suspected airstrikes by Israel in recent months allegedly targeting Iranian supply routes.

According to a defense official, the U.S. counter strikes were conducted by F-15 fighter jets flying out of al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

According to a U.S. official, the U.S. F-15s struck three locations, all in the vicinity of Deir el-Zour.

The activist group Deir Ezzor 24, which covers news in the province, said the American strikes killed four people and wounded a number of others, including Iraqis.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, put the death toll from U.S. strikes at 11 Iranian-backed fighters — including six at an arms depot in the Harabesh neighborhood in the city of Deir el-Zour and five others at military posts near the towns of Mayadeen and Boukamal.

Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Observatory said three rockets were fired earlier Friday at al-Omar oil field in Deir el-Zour that houses U.S. troops, an apparent retaliation to the American strikes.

An official with an Iran-backed group in Iraq said the strikes on eastern Syria early Friday killed seven Iranians. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

Deir Ezzor 24 and the Observatory had no details on whether the new wave of airstrikes Friday night on the city of Deir el-Zour inflicted any casualties.

The Associated Press could not immediately independently confirm the activist reports. Iran and Syria did not immediately acknowledge the strikes, nor did their officials at the United Nations in New York respond to requests for comment from the AP.

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been suspected of carrying out attacks with bomb-carrying drones across the wider Middle East.

The exchange of strikes came as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-iran-diplomatic-relations-middle-east-d78f3ceac0561f4fb20301e4f32eef88">Saudi Arabia and Iran</a>&nbsp;have been working toward reopening embassies in each other’s countries. The kingdom also acknowledged efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-syria-restore-relations-192c4b2086b34288bdd530e06fc4a32a">reopen a Saudi embassy in Syria</a>, whose embattled President Bashar Assad has been backed by Iran in his country’s long war.

U.S. Army Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, the head of the American military’s Central Command, warned that its forces could carry out additional strikes if needed. “We are postured for scalable options in the face of any additional Iranian attacks,” Kurilla said in a statement.

Addressing the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Kurilla warned lawmakers that the “Iran of today is exponentially more militarily capable than it was even five years ago.” He pointed to Iran’s arsenal of ballistic missiles and bomb-carrying drones.

“What Iran does to hide its hand is they use Iranian proxies,” Kurilla said.

According to officials, Iran has launched 80 attacks against U.S. forces and locations in Iraq and Syria since January 2021. The vast majority of those have been in Syria.

Diplomacy to deescalate the exchange appeared to begin immediately. The foreign minister of Qatar spoke by phone with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan as well as Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the Qatari state news agency report. Doha has been an interlocutor between Iran and the U.S. recently amid tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Austin said he authorized the retaliatory strikes at the direction of President Joe Biden.

“As President Biden has made clear, we will take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing,” Austin said. “No group will strike our troops with impunity.”

The U.S. under Biden has struck Syria previously over tensions with Iran — in February and June of 2021, as well as August 2022.

Dareen Khalifa, a senior Syria analyst with the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, said that while Thursday’s exchange of strikes comes at a sensitive political moment due to the “overall deterioration of U.S.-Iran relations and the stalling of the nuclear talks,” she does not expect a significant escalation.

“These tit-for-tat strikes have been ongoing for a long time,” Khalifa said, although she noted that they usually do not result in casualties.

While “the risk of an escalatory cycle is there,” she said, “I think the Biden administration won’t be eager to escalate in Syria now and will instead have a relatively measured response.”

Since the U.S. drone strike that killed Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020, Iran has sought “to make life difficult for U.S. forces stationed east of the Euphrates,” said Hamidreza Azizi, an expert with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.

“Iran increased its support for local proxies in Deir el-Zour while trying to ally with the tribal forces in the area,” Azizi wrote in a recent analysis. “Due to the geographical proximity, Iraqi groups also intensified their activities in the border strip with Syria and in the Deir el-Zour province.”

The strikes come during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Syria’s war began with the 2011 Arab Spring protests that roiled the wider Middle East and toppled governments in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen. It later morphed into a regional proxy conflict that has seen Russia and Iran back Assad. The United Nations estimates over 300,000 civilians have been killed in the war. Those figures do not include soldiers and insurgents killed in the conflict; their numbers are believed to be in the tens of thousands.

BEIRUT (AP) — A strike Thursday by a suspected Iranian-made drone killed a U.S. contractor and wounded five American troops and another contractor in northeast Syria, the Pentagon said. American forces said they retaliated soon after with "precision airstrikes" in Syria targeting facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard, with activist groups saying they killed at least four people.

The attack and the U.S. response threaten to upend recent efforts to deescalate tensions across the wider Middle East, whose rival powers have made steps toward détente in recent days after years of turmoil.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the American intelligence community had determined the drone was of Iranian origin, but offered no other immediate evidence to support the claim.

"The airstrikes were conducted in response to today's attack as well as a series of recent attacks against coalition forces in Syria" by groups affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard, Austin said.

Iran relies on a network of proxy forces through the Mideast to counter the U.S. and Israel, its arch regional enemy.

The Pentagon said two of the wounded service members were treated on-site, while three others and the injured contractor were transported to medical facilities in Iraq.

Overnight, videos on social media purported to show explosions in Syria's Deir el-Zour, a strategic province that borders Iraq and contains oil fields. Iran-backed militia groups and Syrian forces control the area, which also has seen suspected airstrikes by Israel in recent months allegedly targeting Iranian supply routes.

Iran and Syria did not immediately acknowledge the strikes, nor did their officials at the United Nations in New York respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

The activist group Deir Ezzor 24 put the death toll from the American strikes at four people. Deir Ezzor 24, which covers news in Deir el-Zour province, said the strikes hit the city of Deir el-Zour as well as militiamen posts near Mayadeen and Boukamal. It said the strikes also wounded people, including Iraqis.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, reported that the American strikes killed six Iranian-backed fighters at an arms depot in the Harabesh neighborhood in the city of Deir el-Zour. The Observatory, which relies on a network of local contacts in Syria, said U.S. bombing at a post near the town of Mayadeen killed two fighters.

A separate American strike hit a military post near the town of Boukamal along the border with Iraq, killing another three fighters, the Observatory said.

The AP could not immediately independently confirm the activist reports.

Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been suspected of carrying out attacks with bomb-carrying drones across the wider Middle East.

In recent months, Russia has begun using Iranian drones in its attacks on sites across Ukraine as part of its war on Kyiv. Iran has issued a series of conflicting denials about its drones being used in the war, though Western nations and experts have tied components in the drones back to Tehran.

The exchange of strikes came as Saudi Arabia and Iran have been working toward reopening embassies in each other's countries. The kingdom also acknowledged efforts to reopen a Saudi embassy in Syria, whose embattled President Bashar Assad has been backed by Iran in his country's long war.

U.S. Army Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla, the head of the American military's Central Command, warned that American forces could carry out additional strikes if needed. "We are postured for scalable options in the face of any additional Iranian attacks," Kurilla said in a statement.

Addressing the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Kurilla warned lawmakers that the "Iran of today is exponentially more militarily capable than it was even five years ago." He pointed to Iran's arsenal of ballistic missiles and bomb-carrying drones.

Kurilla also alleged that Iran had launched some 78 attacks on U.S. positions in Syria since January 2021.

"What Iran does to hide its hand is they use Iranian proxies," Kurilla said.

Diplomacy to deescalate the crisis appeared to begin immediately around the strikes. Qatar's state-run news agency reported a call between its foreign minister and Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security adviser. Doha has been an interlocutor between Iran and the U.S. recently amid tensions over Tehran's nuclear program.

Qatar's foreign minister also spoke around the same time with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.

"As President Biden has made clear, we will take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing," Austin said. "No group will strike our troops with impunity."

The U.S. under Biden has struck Syria previously over tensions with Iran. In February and June of 2021, as well as August 2022, Biden launched attacks there.

U.S. forces entered Syria in 2015, backing allied forces in their fight against the Islamic State group. The U.S. still maintains the base near Hasakah in northeast Syria where Thursday's drone strike happened. There are roughly 900 U.S. troops, and even more contractors, in Syria, including in the north and farther south and east.

Since the U.S. drone strike that killed Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020, Iran has sought "to make life difficult for U.S. forces stationed east of the Euphrates," said Hamidreza Azizi, an expert with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.

"Iran increased its support for local proxies in Deir el-Zour while trying to ally with the tribal forces in the area," Azizi wrote in a recent analysis. "Due to the geographical proximity, Iraqi groups also intensified their activities in the border strip with Syria and in the Deir el-Zour province."

Syria's war began with the 2011 Arab Spring protests that roiled the wider Middle East and toppled governments in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen. It later morphed into a regional proxy conflict that has seen Russia and Iran back Assad. The United Nations estimates over 300,000 civilians have been killed in the war. Those figures do not include soldiers and insurgents killed in the conflict; their numbers are believed to be in the tens of thousands.

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Kesten reported from Washington.

BEIRUT (AP) — A strike Thursday by a suspected Iranian-made drone killed a U.S. contractor and wounded six other Americans in northeast Syria, and U.S. forces retaliated with airstrikes on sites in Syria used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, the Pentagon said. Activists said the U.S. bombing killed at least four people.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PentagonPresSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PentagonPresSec</a> on U.S. retaliatory air strikes in Syria: &quot;These precision strikes were intended to protect and defend U.S. personnel and the U.S. took proportionate and deliberate action intended to limit the risk of escalation and minimize casualties.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/1KyclVOhWi">pic.twitter.com/1KyclVOhWi</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1639335261984129046?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Friday night, two Syrian opposition activist groups reported a new wave of airstrikes on eastern Syria that hit positions of Iran-backed militias after rockets were fired at a Conoco gas plant that has a base housing American troops. It was not immediately clear if U.S. warplanes carried out the attack.While it’s not the first time the U.S. and Iran have traded strikes in Syria, the attack and the U.S. response threaten to upend recent efforts to deescalate tensions across the wider Middle East, whose rival powers have made steps toward détente in recent days after years of turmoil.U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the American intelligence community had determined the drone was of Iranian origin, but offered no other immediate evidence to support the claim. The drone hit a coalition base in the northeast Syrian city of Hasaka. The wounded included five American service members and a U.S. contractor.Austin said the strikes were a response to the drone attack “as well as a series of recent attacks against coalition forces in Syria” by groups affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard.Iran relies on a network of proxy forces through the Mideast to counter the U.S. and Israel, its arch regional enemy. The U.S. has had forces in northeast Syria since 2015, when they deployed as part of the fight against the Islamic State group, and maintains some 900 troops there, working with Kurdish-led forces that control around a third of Syria.The U.S. airstrikes hit targets in three towns in eastern Syria, activists said. Overnight, videos on social media purported to show explosions in Deir el-Zour, a strategic province that borders Iraq and contains oil fields. Iranian-backed militia groups and Syrian forces control the area, which also has seen suspected airstrikes by Israel in recent months allegedly targeting Iranian supply routes.According to a defense official, the U.S. counter strikes were conducted by F-15 fighter jets flying out of al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.According to a U.S. official, the U.S. F-15s struck three locations, all in the vicinity of Deir el-Zour.The activist group Deir Ezzor 24, which covers news in the province, said the American strikes killed four people and wounded a number of others, including Iraqis.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, put the death toll from U.S. strikes at 11 Iranian-backed fighters — including six at an arms depot in the Harabesh neighborhood in the city of Deir el-Zour and five others at military posts near the towns of Mayadeen and Boukamal.Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Observatory said three rockets were fired earlier Friday at al-Omar oil field in Deir el-Zour that houses U.S. troops, an apparent retaliation to the American strikes.An official with an Iran-backed group in Iraq said the strikes on eastern Syria early Friday killed seven Iranians. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.Deir Ezzor 24 and the Observatory had no details on whether the new wave of airstrikes Friday night on the city of Deir el-Zour inflicted any casualties.The Associated Press could not immediately independently confirm the activist reports. Iran and Syria did not immediately acknowledge the strikes, nor did their officials at the United Nations in New York respond to requests for comment from the AP.Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been suspected of carrying out attacks with bomb-carrying drones across the wider Middle East.The exchange of strikes came as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-iran-diplomatic-relations-middle-east-d78f3ceac0561f4fb20301e4f32eef88">Saudi Arabia and Iran</a>&nbsp;have been working toward reopening embassies in each other’s countries. The kingdom also acknowledged efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-syria-restore-relations-192c4b2086b34288bdd530e06fc4a32a">reopen a Saudi embassy in Syria</a>, whose embattled President Bashar Assad has been backed by Iran in his country’s long war.U.S. Army Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, the head of the American military’s Central Command, warned that its forces could carry out additional strikes if needed. “We are postured for scalable options in the face of any additional Iranian attacks,” Kurilla said in a statement.Addressing the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Kurilla warned lawmakers that the “Iran of today is exponentially more militarily capable than it was even five years ago.” He pointed to Iran’s arsenal of ballistic missiles and bomb-carrying drones.“What Iran does to hide its hand is they use Iranian proxies,” Kurilla said.According to officials, Iran has launched 80 attacks against U.S. forces and locations in Iraq and Syria since January 2021. The vast majority of those have been in Syria.Diplomacy to deescalate the exchange appeared to begin immediately. The foreign minister of Qatar spoke by phone with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan as well as Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the Qatari state news agency report. Doha has been an interlocutor between Iran and the U.S. recently amid tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program.Austin said he authorized the retaliatory strikes at the direction of President Joe Biden.“As President Biden has made clear, we will take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing,” Austin said. “No group will strike our troops with impunity.”The U.S. under Biden has struck Syria previously over tensions with Iran — in February and June of 2021, as well as August 2022.Dareen Khalifa, a senior Syria analyst with the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, said that while Thursday’s exchange of strikes comes at a sensitive political moment due to the “overall deterioration of U.S.-Iran relations and the stalling of the nuclear talks,” she does not expect a significant escalation.“These tit-for-tat strikes have been ongoing for a long time,” Khalifa said, although she noted that they usually do not result in casualties.While “the risk of an escalatory cycle is there,” she said, “I think the Biden administration won’t be eager to escalate in Syria now and will instead have a relatively measured response.”Since the U.S. drone strike that killed Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020, Iran has sought “to make life difficult for U.S. forces stationed east of the Euphrates,” said Hamidreza Azizi, an expert with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.“Iran increased its support for local proxies in Deir el-Zour while trying to ally with the tribal forces in the area,” Azizi wrote in a recent analysis. “Due to the geographical proximity, Iraqi groups also intensified their activities in the border strip with Syria and in the Deir el-Zour province.”The strikes come during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.Syria’s war began with the 2011 Arab Spring protests that roiled the wider Middle East and toppled governments in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen. It later morphed into a regional proxy conflict that has seen Russia and Iran back Assad. The United Nations estimates over 300,000 civilians have been killed in the war. Those figures do not include soldiers and insurgents killed in the conflict; their numbers are believed to be in the tens of thousands.--------------BEIRUT (AP) — A strike Thursday by a suspected Iranian-made drone killed a U.S. contractor and wounded five American troops and another contractor in northeast Syria, the Pentagon said. American forces said they retaliated soon after with "precision airstrikes" in Syria targeting facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard, with activist groups saying they killed at least four people.The attack and the U.S. response threaten to upend recent efforts to deescalate tensions across the wider Middle East, whose rival powers have made steps toward détente in recent days after years of turmoil.U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the American intelligence community had determined the drone was of Iranian origin, but offered no other immediate evidence to support the claim."The airstrikes were conducted in response to today's attack as well as a series of recent attacks against coalition forces in Syria" by groups affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard, Austin said.Iran relies on a network of proxy forces through the Mideast to counter the U.S. and Israel, its arch regional enemy.The Pentagon said two of the wounded service members were treated on-site, while three others and the injured contractor were transported to medical facilities in Iraq.Overnight, videos on social media purported to show explosions in Syria's Deir el-Zour, a strategic province that borders Iraq and contains oil fields. Iran-backed militia groups and Syrian forces control the area, which also has seen suspected airstrikes by Israel in recent months allegedly targeting Iranian supply routes.Iran and Syria did not immediately acknowledge the strikes, nor did their officials at the United Nations in New York respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.The activist group Deir Ezzor 24 put the death toll from the American strikes at four people. Deir Ezzor 24, which covers news in Deir el-Zour province, said the strikes hit the city of Deir el-Zour as well as militiamen posts near Mayadeen and Boukamal. It said the strikes also wounded people, including Iraqis.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, reported that the American strikes killed six Iranian-backed fighters at an arms depot in the Harabesh neighborhood in the city of Deir el-Zour. The Observatory, which relies on a network of local contacts in Syria, said U.S. bombing at a post near the town of Mayadeen killed two fighters.A separate American strike hit a military post near the town of Boukamal along the border with Iraq, killing another three fighters, the Observatory said.The AP could not immediately independently confirm the activist reports.Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been suspected of carrying out attacks with bomb-carrying drones across the wider Middle East.In recent months, Russia has begun using Iranian drones in its attacks on sites across Ukraine as part of its war on Kyiv. Iran has issued a series of conflicting denials about its drones being used in the war, though Western nations and experts have tied components in the drones back to Tehran.The exchange of strikes came as Saudi Arabia and Iran have been working toward reopening embassies in each other's countries. The kingdom also acknowledged efforts to reopen a Saudi embassy in Syria, whose embattled President Bashar Assad has been backed by Iran in his country's long war.U.S. Army Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla, the head of the American military's Central Command, warned that American forces could carry out additional strikes if needed. "We are postured for scalable options in the face of any additional Iranian attacks," Kurilla said in a statement.Addressing the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Kurilla warned lawmakers that the "Iran of today is exponentially more militarily capable than it was even five years ago." He pointed to Iran's arsenal of ballistic missiles and bomb-carrying drones.Kurilla also alleged that Iran had launched some 78 attacks on U.S. positions in Syria since January 2021."What Iran does to hide its hand is they use Iranian proxies," Kurilla said.Diplomacy to deescalate the crisis appeared to begin immediately around the strikes. Qatar's state-run news agency reported a call between its foreign minister and Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security adviser. Doha has been an interlocutor between Iran and the U.S. recently amid tensions over Tehran's nuclear program.Qatar's foreign minister also spoke around the same time with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.Austin said he authorized the retaliatory strikes at the direction of President Joe Biden."As President Biden has made clear, we will take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing," Austin said. "No group will strike our troops with impunity."The U.S. under Biden has struck Syria previously over tensions with Iran. In February and June of 2021, as well as August 2022, Biden launched attacks there.U.S. forces entered Syria in 2015, backing allied forces in their fight against the Islamic State group. The U.S. still maintains the base near Hasakah in northeast Syria where Thursday's drone strike happened. There are roughly 900 U.S. troops, and even more contractors, in Syria, including in the north and farther south and east.Since the U.S. drone strike that killed Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020, Iran has sought "to make life difficult for U.S. forces stationed east of the Euphrates," said Hamidreza Azizi, an expert with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs."Iran increased its support for local proxies in Deir el-Zour while trying to ally with the tribal forces in the area," Azizi wrote in a recent analysis. "Due to the geographical proximity, Iraqi groups also intensified their activities in the border strip with Syria and in the Deir el-Zour province."The strikes come during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.Syria's war began with the 2011 Arab Spring protests that roiled the wider Middle East and toppled governments in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen. It later morphed into a regional proxy conflict that has seen Russia and Iran back Assad. The United Nations estimates over 300,000 civilians have been killed in the war. Those figures do not include soldiers and insurgents killed in the conflict; their numbers are believed to be in the tens of thousands.__Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Kesten reported from Washington.

🎥US airstrikes on Iran facilities in Syria after drone kills US worker

WASHINGTON&nbsp;–&nbsp;U.S. Senator Jerry Moran– member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Committee on Commerce – joined U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) to introduce the&nbsp;Restricting theEmergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology (RESTRICT) Act. This legislation will comprehensively address the ongoing threat posed by technology from foreign adversaries by further empowering the Department of Commerce to review, prevent and mitigate information communications and technology transactions that pose undue risk to America’s national security.

“Foreign adversaries are increasingly using products and services to collect information on American citizens, posing a threat to our national security,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“This legislation would give the Department of Commerce the authority to help prevent adversarial governments from controlling harmful products and services in the U.S., providing us the long-term tools necessary to combat the infiltration of our information and communications systems. The government needs to be vigilant against these threats, but a comprehensive data privacy law is needed to ensure Americans are able to control who accesses their data and for what purpose.” The&nbsp;RESTRICT Act&nbsp;establishes a risk-based process, tailored to the rapidly changing technology and threat environment, by directing the Department of Commerce to identify and mitigate foreign threats to information and communications technology products and services. This legislation is also cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679687962394.png" alt="The&nbsp;RESTRICT Act&nbsp;establishes a risk-based process, tailored to the rapidly changing technology and threat environment, by directing the Department of Commerce to identify and mitigate foreign threats to information and communications technology products and services.-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The&nbsp;RESTRICT Act&nbsp;establishes a risk-based process, tailored to the rapidly changing technology and threat environment, by directing the Department of Commerce to identify and mitigate foreign threats to information and communications technology products and services.-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp;–&nbsp;U.S. Senator Jerry Moran– member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Committee on Commerce – joined U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) to introduce the&nbsp;Restricting theEmergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology (RESTRICT) Act. This legislation will comprehensively address the ongoing threat posed by technology from foreign adversaries by further empowering the Department of Commerce to review, prevent and mitigate information communications and technology transactions that pose undue risk to America’s national security.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MvzraSkXlhI?start=2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> “Foreign adversaries are increasingly using products and services to collect information on American citizens, posing a threat to our national security,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“This legislation would give the Department of Commerce the authority to help prevent adversarial governments from controlling harmful products and services in the U.S., providing us the long-term tools necessary to combat the infiltration of our information and communications systems. The government needs to be vigilant against these threats, but a comprehensive data privacy law is needed to ensure Americans are able to control who accesses their data and for what purpose.” The&nbsp;RESTRICT Act&nbsp;establishes a risk-based process, tailored to the rapidly changing technology and threat environment, by directing the Department of Commerce to identify and mitigate foreign threats to information and communications technology products and services. This legislation is also cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah).

🎥 Moran introduces bill to tackle security threats from foreign tech

BARTON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 3p.m. Thursday in Barton County.&nbsp;

According to Sheriff Brian Bellendir, a 1993 Ford Ranger driven by 84-year-old Ronald Kelly of Ellinwood was eastbound&nbsp; in the 900 block of E. Barton County Road&nbsp;just east of the junction of U.S. 56.

The pickup left the roadway, struck a farm driveway, became airborne, vaulted over the drive, landed in the field on the other side and overturned. 

Kelly was trapped in the vehicle. Personnel from the Ellinwood Fire Department and EMS Service extracted him from the vehicle and transported him to Ellinwood District Hospital. He was then flown to a Wichita area hospital where he died, according to Bellendir.

Kelly was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the possibility the driver had a medical incident prior to the collision.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679676127333.jpeg" alt="Photo Barton Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Barton Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 3p.m. Thursday in Barton County.&nbsp;According to Sheriff Brian Bellendir, a 1993 Ford Ranger driven by 84-year-old Ronald Kelly of Ellinwood was eastbound&nbsp; in the 900 block of E. Barton County Road&nbsp;just east of the junction of U.S. 56.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679677978849.jpeg" alt="Photo Barton Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Barton Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>The pickup left the roadway, struck a farm driveway, became airborne, vaulted over the drive, landed in the field on the other side and overturned. Kelly was trapped in the vehicle. Personnel from the Ellinwood Fire Department and EMS Service extracted him from the vehicle and transported him to Ellinwood District Hospital. He was then flown to a Wichita area hospital where he died, according to Bellendir.Kelly was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the possibility the driver had a medical incident prior to the collision.

Sheriff: Kansas man dies after violent rollover crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans on Friday narrowly passed legislation that would fulfill a campaign promise to give parents a role in what's taught in public schools. It has little chance in the Democrat-run Senate and critics said it would propel a far-right movement that has led to book bans, restrictions aimed at transgender students and raucous school board meetings across the country.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. who made the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/parents-rights-schools-woke-mccarthy-congress-f4643fa74dc4d82067c339fe950c3080">Parents’ Bill of Rights Act</a>&nbsp;a priority during the early weeks of his tenure, said Republicans were "keeping our promise, our commitment to America, that parents will have a say in their kids’ education.” The bill passed 213-208, with five Republicans — mostly members of the House Freedom Caucus — voting against it.

It would require schools to publish course studies and a list of books kept in libraries, as well as affirm parents' ability to meet with educators, speak at school board meetings and examine school budgets.

In the Senate, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., promised that the legislation would face a “dead end.” He said it was further evidence that the House GOP had been overtaken by “hard right MAGA ideologues” — referencing former President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan.

The bill was an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-republican-party-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-b9fcfd11427a695fe2eb49e36988f1a0">early test of unity</a>&nbsp;for the 222 House Republicans and their thin majority. The measure showed how the adoption of an open amendment process in the House —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-kevin-mccarthy-house-of-representatives-4922d22689eb79d5d05c1b49ca733123">a concession McCarthy</a>&nbsp;made to win hard-line conservatives’ support for his speakership — holds the potential to send legislation down unpredictable twists and turns.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., successfully added amendments that would require schools to report when transgender girls join girls' athletics teams and if trans girls are allowed to use girls’ school restrooms or locker rooms. The bill would also require elementary and middle schools get parents' consent to change a child’s gender designation, pronouns or name.

Advocates for LGBTQ people said the proposal poses a threat to LGBTQ students by potentially forcing them to come out to their families, which can sometimes lead to abuse or abandonment.

“It’s part of a pattern of attempts we’re seeing where the right wing of the Republican Party is really trying to marginalize LGBTQ people,” said David Stacy, the government affairs director for Human Rights Campaign.

House Freedom Caucus members unsuccessfully tried to add provisions that called for abolishing Department of Education programs in schools and endorsed vouchers that would send public funds to private schools.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R—Kentucky, pointed to the 100-plus Republicans who supported his amendment to terminate the department's authority and said “it adds a lot of momentum.”

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and racial justice protests, conservatives’ intense focus on parental control over public school classrooms has migrated from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-school-boards-e41350b7d9e3662d279c2dad287f7009">local school board fights</a>&nbsp;to Republican-held statehouses and now to the floor of the U.S. House.

“Parents want schools focused on reading, writing and math, not woke politics,” Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., said during earlier debate.

Public school education in the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-education-gender-identity-0e2ca2cf0ef7d7bc6ef5b125f1ee0969">has long invited concern</a>&nbsp;among some parents — usually conservative — over what children are taught. Historically, the term “parents' rights” has been used in schoolhouse debates over homeschooling, sex education and even the teaching of languages other than English.

Recently, Republicans have tapped into frustrations over remote learning and mask mandates in schools, as well as social conservatives' opposition to certain teachings on race that are broadly labeled as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-critical-race-theory-08f5d0a0489c7d6eab7d9a238365d2c1">critical race theory</a>, a way of thinking about America’s history through the lens of racism.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-school-boards-1e1f556e51de3f25c6f6eedb6f7a0ebe">Republican Glenn Youngkin</a>&nbsp;was elected as Virginia's governor in 2021 on the slogan “Parents matter" and political action committees have poured millions of dollars into school board races nationwide.

McCarthy made the bill a big part of his 2022 election pitch to voters to give Republicans a House majority. But the GOP's expectation of a sweeping victory never materialized, and even in school board races, conservative groups' goal of electing hundreds of “parents’ rights” activists&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-education-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-school-boards-bed36a1460957cb6be4df9d18583a765">largely fell short</a>.

But McCarthy pressed ahead with the bill, making&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/parents-rights-schools-woke-mccarthy-congress-f4643fa74dc4d82067c339fe950c3080">a public appeal</a>&nbsp;earlier this month at an event that featured a chalkboard, schoolchildren and parents who have been on the frontlines of the cause.

When asked about the five Republican votes against the bill, McCarthy contended that “Democrats are too extreme to believe that parents should have a say” in their children's education.

Democrats said they want to foster parental involvement, but said the bill caters to a vocal minority set on controlling and politicizing classrooms. They derided it as the “Politics over Parents Act."

Attempted book bans and restrictions at school and public libraries surged to their highest number in 2022 since the American Library Association began keeping data 20 years ago,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/book-bans-american-library-association-f84ac6fe3f8e3238fc54931bc1a5e054">according to a new report</a>&nbsp;the organization released this week.

“We’ll fight against this legislation. We’ll fight against the banning of books, fight against the bullying of children from any community, and certainly from the LGBTQ+ community,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said.

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore. offered alternative legislation that she argued would foster parental involvement, encourage collaboration with educators and make schools welcoming places to families, including those with LGBTQ students.

“We want parents to be involved — peacefully,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679679549976.png" alt="House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, made the "parents' bill of rights” a plank in his midterm election pitch to voters to give Republicans a House majority-photo courtesy House Speaker's office" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, made the "parents' bill of rights” a plank in his midterm election pitch to voters to give Republicans a House majority-photo courtesy House Speaker's office</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans on Friday narrowly passed legislation that would fulfill a campaign promise to give parents a role in what's taught in public schools. It has little chance in the Democrat-run Senate and critics said it would propel a far-right movement that has led to book bans, restrictions aimed at transgender students and raucous school board meetings across the country.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">American schools 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 be accountable to American parents. RT if you agree. <a href="https://t.co/r1eyWbNF2G">pic.twitter.com/r1eyWbNF2G</a>&mdash; House Rules Committee (@RulesReps) <a href="https://twitter.com/RulesReps/status/1639258996967186439?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. who made the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/parents-rights-schools-woke-mccarthy-congress-f4643fa74dc4d82067c339fe950c3080">Parents’ Bill of Rights Act</a>&nbsp;a priority during the early weeks of his tenure, said Republicans were "keeping our promise, our commitment to America, that parents will have a say in their kids’ education.” The bill passed 213-208, with five Republicans — mostly members of the House Freedom Caucus — voting against it.It would require schools to publish course studies and a list of books kept in libraries, as well as affirm parents' ability to meet with educators, speak at school board meetings and examine school budgets.In the Senate, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., promised that the legislation would face a “dead end.” He said it was further evidence that the House GOP had been overtaken by “hard right MAGA ideologues” — referencing former President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan.The bill was an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-republican-party-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-b9fcfd11427a695fe2eb49e36988f1a0">early test of unity</a>&nbsp;for the 222 House Republicans and their thin majority. The measure showed how the adoption of an open amendment process in the House —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-kevin-mccarthy-house-of-representatives-4922d22689eb79d5d05c1b49ca733123">a concession McCarthy</a>&nbsp;made to win hard-line conservatives’ support for his speakership — holds the potential to send legislation down unpredictable twists and turns.Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., successfully added amendments that would require schools to report when transgender girls join girls' athletics teams and if trans girls are allowed to use girls’ school restrooms or locker rooms. The bill would also require elementary and middle schools get parents' consent to change a child’s gender designation, pronouns or name.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The House has passed H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act.<a href="https://twitter.com/HouseGOP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HouseGOP</a> is working to ensure better educational outcomes for our kids by embracing American parents, not casting them aside. <a href="https://t.co/Zfdu9kGj13">pic.twitter.com/Zfdu9kGj13</a>&mdash; House Rules Committee (@RulesReps) <a href="https://twitter.com/RulesReps/status/1639284734172831744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Advocates for LGBTQ people said the proposal poses a threat to LGBTQ students by potentially forcing them to come out to their families, which can sometimes lead to abuse or abandonment.“It’s part of a pattern of attempts we’re seeing where the right wing of the Republican Party is really trying to marginalize LGBTQ people,” said David Stacy, the government affairs director for Human Rights Campaign.House Freedom Caucus members unsuccessfully tried to add provisions that called for abolishing Department of Education programs in schools and endorsed vouchers that would send public funds to private schools.Rep. Thomas Massie, R—Kentucky, pointed to the 100-plus Republicans who supported his amendment to terminate the department's authority and said “it adds a lot of momentum.”In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and racial justice protests, conservatives’ intense focus on parental control over public school classrooms has migrated from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-school-boards-e41350b7d9e3662d279c2dad287f7009">local school board fights</a>&nbsp;to Republican-held statehouses and now to the floor of the U.S. House.“Parents want schools focused on reading, writing and math, not woke politics,” Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., said during earlier debate.Public school education in the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-education-gender-identity-0e2ca2cf0ef7d7bc6ef5b125f1ee0969">has long invited concern</a>&nbsp;among some parents — usually conservative — over what children are taught. Historically, the term “parents' rights” has been used in schoolhouse debates over homeschooling, sex education and even the teaching of languages other than English.Recently, Republicans have tapped into frustrations over remote learning and mask mandates in schools, as well as social conservatives' opposition to certain teachings on race that are broadly labeled as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-critical-race-theory-08f5d0a0489c7d6eab7d9a238365d2c1">critical race theory</a>, a way of thinking about America’s history through the lens of racism.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-school-boards-1e1f556e51de3f25c6f6eedb6f7a0ebe">Republican Glenn Youngkin</a>&nbsp;was elected as Virginia's governor in 2021 on the slogan “Parents matter" and political action committees have poured millions of dollars into school board races nationwide.McCarthy made the bill a big part of his 2022 election pitch to voters to give Republicans a House majority. But the GOP's expectation of a sweeping victory never materialized, and even in school board races, conservative groups' goal of electing hundreds of “parents’ rights” activists&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-education-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-school-boards-bed36a1460957cb6be4df9d18583a765">largely fell short</a>.But McCarthy pressed ahead with the bill, making&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/parents-rights-schools-woke-mccarthy-congress-f4643fa74dc4d82067c339fe950c3080">a public appeal</a>&nbsp;earlier this month at an event that featured a chalkboard, schoolchildren and parents who have been on the frontlines of the cause.When asked about the five Republican votes against the bill, McCarthy contended that “Democrats are too extreme to believe that parents should have a say” in their children's education.Democrats said they want to foster parental involvement, but said the bill caters to a vocal minority set on controlling and politicizing classrooms. They derided it as the “Politics over Parents Act."Attempted book bans and restrictions at school and public libraries surged to their highest number in 2022 since the American Library Association began keeping data 20 years ago,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/book-bans-american-library-association-f84ac6fe3f8e3238fc54931bc1a5e054">according to a new report</a>&nbsp;the organization released this week.“We’ll fight against this legislation. We’ll fight against the banning of books, fight against the bullying of children from any community, and certainly from the LGBTQ+ community,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said.Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore. offered alternative legislation that she argued would foster parental involvement, encourage collaboration with educators and make schools welcoming places to families, including those with LGBTQ students.“We want parents to be involved — peacefully,” she said.

House passes parents' rights bill in clash over schools

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A motorist fleeing from police in a suspected stolen vehicle has struck and killed two people riding on a motorcycle, authorities say.

The pursuit started Wednesday night when officers spotted the suspicious Jeep Cherokee, Sgt. John Syme, an Independence police spokesman, said Thursday.

The driver is accused of swerving at oncoming vehicles, including a police cruiser, before striking the motorcycle, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article273513570.html">reports</a>. The two victims were not immediately identified.

Instead of stopping, the motorist drove the wrong way on several roadways, including Interstate 70, Syme said. He said an officer eventually used his police vehicle to stop the SUV and arrest the driver, who had minor injuries.

The crash occurred in an area near the Kansas City and Independence city limits, where several other bystanders have been killed or hurt by fleeing motorists in recent years. Some police departments only allow police chases in cases involving violent felonies to reduce the risk of that happening. But Independence has no such restrictions.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A motorist fleeing from police in a suspected stolen vehicle has struck and killed two people riding on a motorcycle, authorities say.The pursuit started Wednesday night when officers spotted the suspicious Jeep Cherokee, Sgt. John Syme, an Independence police spokesman, said Thursday.The driver is accused of swerving at oncoming vehicles, including a police cruiser, before striking the motorcycle, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/crime/article273513570.html">reports</a>. The two victims were not immediately identified.Instead of stopping, the motorist drove the wrong way on several roadways, including Interstate 70, Syme said. He said an officer eventually used his police vehicle to stop the SUV and arrest the driver, who had minor injuries.The crash occurred in an area near the Kansas City and Independence city limits, where several other bystanders have been killed or hurt by fleeing motorists in recent years. Some police departments only allow police chases in cases involving violent felonies to reduce the risk of that happening. But Independence has no such restrictions.

Fleeing driver hits, kills 2 on a motorcycle near Kansas City

DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai and Kia are telling the owners of more than 571,000 SUVs and minivans in the U.S. to park them outdoors because the tow hitch harnesses can catch fire while they are parked or being driven.

The affiliated Korean automakers&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCAK-23V181-8117.pdf">are recalling the vehicles</a>&nbsp;and warning people to park them away from structures until repairs are made.

Affected Hyundai vehicles include the 2019 to 2023 Santa Fe, the 2021 to 2023 Santa Fe Hybrid, the 2022 and 2023 Santa Fe Plug-in hybrid and the 2022 and 2023 Santa Cruz. The only Kia affected is the Carnival minivan from 2022 and 2023. All have Hyundai or Kia tow hitch harnesses that came as original equipment or were installed by dealers.

The Korean automakers say in documents posted Thursday by U.S. safety regulators that water can get into a circuit board on the hitches and cause a short circuit even if the ignitions are off.

Hyundai has reports of one fire and five heat damage incidents with no injuries. Kia has no reports of fires or injuries.

Dealers at first will remove the fuse and tow hitch computer module until a fix is available. Later they will install a new fuse and wire extension with an improved connector that's waterproof. Owners will be notified starting May 16.

Last year Hyundai recalled more than 245,000&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fires-1f1b54544b128bf1757a81b584ec530d">2020 through 2022 Palisade SUVs</a>&nbsp;for a similar problem.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday that the latest recall is a direct result of the agency monitoring the Palisade recall from last year.

DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai and Kia are telling the owners of more than 571,000 SUVs and minivans in the U.S. to park them outdoors because the tow hitch harnesses can catch fire while they are parked or being driven.The affiliated Korean automakers&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCAK-23V181-8117.pdf">are recalling the vehicles</a>&nbsp;and warning people to park them away from structures until repairs are made.Affected Hyundai vehicles include the 2019 to 2023 Santa Fe, the 2021 to 2023 Santa Fe Hybrid, the 2022 and 2023 Santa Fe Plug-in hybrid and the 2022 and 2023 Santa Cruz. The only Kia affected is the Carnival minivan from 2022 and 2023. All have Hyundai or Kia tow hitch harnesses that came as original equipment or were installed by dealers.The Korean automakers say in documents posted Thursday by U.S. safety regulators that water can get into a circuit board on the hitches and cause a short circuit even if the ignitions are off.Hyundai has reports of one fire and five heat damage incidents with no injuries. Kia has no reports of fires or injuries.Dealers at first will remove the fuse and tow hitch computer module until a fix is available. Later they will install a new fuse and wire extension with an improved connector that's waterproof. Owners will be notified starting May 16.Last year Hyundai recalled more than 245,000&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fires-1f1b54544b128bf1757a81b584ec530d">2020 through 2022 Palisade SUVs</a>&nbsp;for a similar problem.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said Thursday that the latest recall is a direct result of the agency monitoring the Palisade recall from last year.

Hyundai, Kia recall vehicles due to fire risk

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a death at the city’s homeless camp site have identified the woman who died as 36-year-old&nbsp;Ashley Sawyer of Lawrence.

Just after 8 pm Tuesday, the Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical. First responders found Sawyer unresponsive inside a tent, beyond life-saving measures, according to police spokesperson Laura McCabe.

Investigators have not reported any indications that a crime occurred or additional details.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a death at the city’s homeless camp site have identified the woman who died as 36-year-old&nbsp;Ashley Sawyer of Lawrence.Just after 8 pm Tuesday, the Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical. First responders found Sawyer unresponsive inside a tent, beyond life-saving measures, according to police spokesperson Laura McCabe.Investigators have not reported any indications that a crime occurred or additional details.

Police ID 36-year-old Kan. woman who died at homeless camp

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — President Joe Biden’s order that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-lawsuits-1054028d7cbf0ef46f7ddadbdc4ae167">federal employees</a>&nbsp;get vaccinated against COVID-19 has been blocked by a federal appeals court.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, in a decision Thursday, rejected arguments that Biden, as the nation’s chief executive, has the same authority as the CEO of a private corporation to require that employees be vaccinated.

The ruling from the full appeals court, 16 full-time judges at the time the case was argued, reversed an earlier ruling by a three-judge 5th Circuit panel that had upheld the vaccination requirement. Judge Andrew Oldham, nominated to the court by then-President Donald Trump, wrote the opinion for a 10-member majority.

The ruling maintains the status quo for federal employee vaccines. It upholds a preliminary injunction blocking the mandate issued by a federal judge in January 2022. At that point, the administration said nearly 98% of covered employees had been vaccinated.

And, Oldham noted, with the preliminary injunction arguments done, the case will return to that court for further arguments, when “both sides will have to grapple with the White House’s announcement that the COVID emergency will finally end on May 11, 2023.”

The White House defended the order, citing the high compliance rate among the federal workforce and saying in a statement Friday that “vaccination remains one of the most important tools to protect people from serious illness and hospitalizations” against COVID.

Opponents of the policy said it was an encroachment on federal workers’ lives that neither the Constitution nor federal statutes authorize.

Biden issued an executive order in September 2021 requiring vaccinations for all executive branch agency employees, with exceptions for medical and religious reasons. The requirement kicked in the following November. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown, who was appointed to the District Court for the Southern District of Texas by Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-health-jeffrey-brown-0ecd0b695f4f0fb7504670be12502da5">issued a nationwide injunction against the requirement</a>&nbsp;the following January.

One panel of three 5th Circuit judges&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-donald-trump-new-orleans-5dfec69e95363b4bc4e94228c2de5729">refused to immediately block the law.</a>

But a different panel, after hearing arguments, upheld Biden’s position. Judges Carl Stewart and James Dennis, both nominated to the court by President Bill Clinton, were in the majority. Judge Rhesa Barksdale, nominated by President George H.W. Bush, dissented, saying the relief the challengers sought does not fall under the Civil Service Reform Act cited by the administration.

The broader court majority agreed, saying federal law does not preclude court jurisdiction over cases involving "private, irreversible medical decisions made in consultation with private medical professionals outside the federal workplace."

A majority of the full court voted to vacate that ruling and reconsider the case. The 16 active judges heard the case on Sept. 13, joined by Barksdale, who is now a senior judge with lighter duties than the full-time members of the court.

Judge Stephen Higginson, a nominee of President Barack Obama, wrote the main dissenting opinion. "For the wrong reasons, our court correctly concludes that we do have jurisdiction," Higginson wrote. "But contrary to a dozen federal courts — and having left a government motion to stay the district court’s injunction pending for more than a year — our court still refuses to say why the President does not have the power to regulate workplace safety for his employees."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1666730504896.png" alt="The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans rejected arguments that Biden, as the nation’s chief executive, has the same authority as the CEO of a private corporation to require that employees be vaccinated.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans rejected arguments that Biden, as the nation’s chief executive, has the same authority as the CEO of a private corporation to require that employees be vaccinated.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — President Joe Biden’s order that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-lawsuits-1054028d7cbf0ef46f7ddadbdc4ae167">federal employees</a>&nbsp;get vaccinated against COVID-19 has been blocked by a federal appeals court.The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, in a decision Thursday, rejected arguments that Biden, as the nation’s chief executive, has the same authority as the CEO of a private corporation to require that employees be vaccinated.The ruling from the full appeals court, 16 full-time judges at the time the case was argued, reversed an earlier ruling by a three-judge 5th Circuit panel that had upheld the vaccination requirement. Judge Andrew Oldham, nominated to the court by then-President Donald Trump, wrote the opinion for a 10-member majority.The ruling maintains the status quo for federal employee vaccines. It upholds a preliminary injunction blocking the mandate issued by a federal judge in January 2022. At that point, the administration said nearly 98% of covered employees had been vaccinated.And, Oldham noted, with the preliminary injunction arguments done, the case will return to that court for further arguments, when “both sides will have to grapple with the White House’s announcement that the COVID emergency will finally end on May 11, 2023.”The White House defended the order, citing the high compliance rate among the federal workforce and saying in a statement Friday that “vaccination remains one of the most important tools to protect people from serious illness and hospitalizations” against COVID.Opponents of the policy said it was an encroachment on federal workers’ lives that neither the Constitution nor federal statutes authorize.Biden issued an executive order in September 2021 requiring vaccinations for all executive branch agency employees, with exceptions for medical and religious reasons. The requirement kicked in the following November. U.S. District Judge Jeffrey Brown, who was appointed to the District Court for the Southern District of Texas by Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-health-jeffrey-brown-0ecd0b695f4f0fb7504670be12502da5">issued a nationwide injunction against the requirement</a>&nbsp;the following January.The case then went to the 5th Circuit.One panel of three 5th Circuit judges&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-donald-trump-new-orleans-5dfec69e95363b4bc4e94228c2de5729">refused to immediately block the law.</a>But a different panel, after hearing arguments, upheld Biden’s position. Judges Carl Stewart and James Dennis, both nominated to the court by President Bill Clinton, were in the majority. Judge Rhesa Barksdale, nominated by President George H.W. Bush, dissented, saying the relief the challengers sought does not fall under the Civil Service Reform Act cited by the administration.The broader court majority agreed, saying federal law does not preclude court jurisdiction over cases involving "private, irreversible medical decisions made in consultation with private medical professionals outside the federal workplace."A majority of the full court voted to vacate that ruling and reconsider the case. The 16 active judges heard the case on Sept. 13, joined by Barksdale, who is now a senior judge with lighter duties than the full-time members of the court.Judge Stephen Higginson, a nominee of President Barack Obama, wrote the main dissenting opinion. "For the wrong reasons, our court correctly concludes that we do have jurisdiction," Higginson wrote. "But contrary to a dozen federal courts — and having left a government motion to stay the district court’s injunction pending for more than a year — our court still refuses to say why the President does not have the power to regulate workplace safety for his employees."___

Appeals court blocks COVID vaccine mandate for US gov't workers

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) —Utah became the first state to enact laws limiting how children can use social media after Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed a pair of measures Thursday that require parental consent before kids can sign up for sites like TikTok and Instagram.

The two bills Cox signed into law also prohibit kids under 18 from using social media between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m., require age verification for anyone who wants to use social media in the state and seek to prevent tech companies from luring kids to their apps using addictive features.

The laws passed through Utah's Republican-supermajority Legislature are the latest reflection of how politicians’ perceptions of technology companies are changing — and that includes pro-business Republicans.

Tech giants like Facebook and Google have enjoyed unbridled growth for over a decade, but amid concerns over user privacy, hate speech, misinformation and harmful effects on teens’ mental health, lawmakers have begun trying to rein them in. Utah’s law was signed on the same day&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">TikTok’s CEO testified before Congress</a>&nbsp;about, among other things, TikTok’s effects on teenagers’ mental health.

But legislation has stalled on the federal level, pushing states to step in.

Other red states, such as Arkansas, Texas, Ohio and Louisiana have similar proposals in the works, along with New Jersey. California, meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-health-gavin-newsom-data-privacy-government-and-politics-b4767350cfe67fe45b44b03b713f0c22">enacted a law</a>&nbsp;last year requiring tech companies to put kids’ safety first by barring them from profiling children or using personal information in ways that could harm children physically or mentally.

In addition to the parental consent provisions, social media companies would likely have to design new features to comply with parts of the law to prohibit promoting ads to minors and showing them in search results. Tech companies like TikTok, Snapchat and Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, make most of their money by targeting advertising to their users.

What’s not clear from the Utah bill and others is how the states plan to enforce the new regulations. Companies are already prohibited from collecting data on children under 13 without parental consent under the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. For this reason, social media companies already ban kids under 13 from signing up to their platforms — but children can easily get around it, both with and without their parents’ consent.

Cox said studies have shown that time spent on social media leads to “poor mental health outcomes” for children.

“We remain very optimistic that we will be able to pass not just here in the state of Utah but across the country legislation that significantly changes the relationship of our children with these very destructive social media apps,” he said.

Children's advocacy groups generally welcomed the law, with some caveats. Common Sense Media, a nonprofit focusing on kids and technology, hailed the law aimed at reining in social media's addictive features. It "adds momentum for other states to hold social media companies accountable to ensure kids across the country are protected online,” said Jim Steyer, the CEO and founder of Common Sense.

He pointed to similar legislation in the works in California and New Jersey — and said the safety and mental well-being of kids and teens depend on legislation like this to hold big tech accountable for creating safer and healthier experiences online.

But Steyer said the other bill Cox signed giving parents access to children’s social media posts would “deprive kids of the online privacy protections we advocate for. The law also requires age verification and parental consent for minors to create a social media account, which doesn’t get to the root of the problem – kids and teens will still be exposed to companies’ harmful data collection and design practices once they are on the platform.”

The laws are the latest effort from Utah lawmakers focused on children and the information they can access online. Two years ago, Cox signed legislation that called on tech companies to automatically block porn on cell phones and tablets sold, citing the dangers it posed to children. Amid concerns about enforcement, lawmakers in the deeply religious state revised the bill to prevent it from taking effect unless five other states passed similar laws.

The social media regulations come as parents and lawmakers are growing increasingly concerned about kids and teenagers’ use and how platforms like TikTok, Instagram and others are affecting young people’s mental health.

It is set to take effect in March 2024, and Cox has previously said he anticipates social media companies will challenge it in court.

Tech industry lobbyists quickly decried the laws as unconstitutional, saying they infringe on people's right to exercise the First Amendment online.

“Utah will soon require online services to collect sensitive information about teens and families, not only to verify ages, but to verify parental relationships, like government-issued IDs and birth certificates, putting their private data at risk of breach,” said Nicole Saad Bembridge, an associate director at NetChoice, a tech lobby group.

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) —Utah became the first state to enact laws limiting how children can use social media after Republican Gov. Spencer Cox signed a pair of measures Thursday that require parental consent before kids can sign up for sites like TikTok and Instagram.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We’re no longer willing to let social media companies continue to harm the mental health of our youth. Today we signed two key bills in our fight against social media companies into law: ➡️ SB152 requires social media companies to verify that users in <a href="https://t.co/GVAcSi9zHx">https://t.co/GVAcSi9zHx</a>… <a href="https://t.co/M1Kbya1xQi">pic.twitter.com/M1Kbya1xQi</a>&mdash; Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox (@GovCox) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovCox/status/1639015949964840960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 23, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The two bills Cox signed into law also prohibit kids under 18 from using social media between the hours of 10:30 p.m. and 6:30 a.m., require age verification for anyone who wants to use social media in the state and seek to prevent tech companies from luring kids to their apps using addictive features.The laws passed through Utah's Republican-supermajority Legislature are the latest reflection of how politicians’ perceptions of technology companies are changing — and that includes pro-business Republicans.Tech giants like Facebook and Google have enjoyed unbridled growth for over a decade, but amid concerns over user privacy, hate speech, misinformation and harmful effects on teens’ mental health, lawmakers have begun trying to rein them in. Utah’s law was signed on the same day&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">TikTok’s CEO testified before Congress</a>&nbsp;about, among other things, TikTok’s effects on teenagers’ mental health.But legislation has stalled on the federal level, pushing states to step in.Other red states, such as Arkansas, Texas, Ohio and Louisiana have similar proposals in the works, along with New Jersey. California, meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-health-gavin-newsom-data-privacy-government-and-politics-b4767350cfe67fe45b44b03b713f0c22">enacted a law</a>&nbsp;last year requiring tech companies to put kids’ safety first by barring them from profiling children or using personal information in ways that could harm children physically or mentally.In addition to the parental consent provisions, social media companies would likely have to design new features to comply with parts of the law to prohibit promoting ads to minors and showing them in search results. Tech companies like TikTok, Snapchat and Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, make most of their money by targeting advertising to their users.What’s not clear from the Utah bill and others is how the states plan to enforce the new regulations. Companies are already prohibited from collecting data on children under 13 without parental consent under the federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act. For this reason, social media companies already ban kids under 13 from signing up to their platforms — but children can easily get around it, both with and without their parents’ consent.Cox said studies have shown that time spent on social media leads to “poor mental health outcomes” for children.“We remain very optimistic that we will be able to pass not just here in the state of Utah but across the country legislation that significantly changes the relationship of our children with these very destructive social media apps,” he said.Children's advocacy groups generally welcomed the law, with some caveats. Common Sense Media, a nonprofit focusing on kids and technology, hailed the law aimed at reining in social media's addictive features. It "adds momentum for other states to hold social media companies accountable to ensure kids across the country are protected online,” said Jim Steyer, the CEO and founder of Common Sense.He pointed to similar legislation in the works in California and New Jersey — and said the safety and mental well-being of kids and teens depend on legislation like this to hold big tech accountable for creating safer and healthier experiences online.But Steyer said the other bill Cox signed giving parents access to children’s social media posts would “deprive kids of the online privacy protections we advocate for. The law also requires age verification and parental consent for minors to create a social media account, which doesn’t get to the root of the problem – kids and teens will still be exposed to companies’ harmful data collection and design practices once they are on the platform.”The laws are the latest effort from Utah lawmakers focused on children and the information they can access online. Two years ago, Cox signed legislation that called on tech companies to automatically block porn on cell phones and tablets sold, citing the dangers it posed to children. Amid concerns about enforcement, lawmakers in the deeply religious state revised the bill to prevent it from taking effect unless five other states passed similar laws.The social media regulations come as parents and lawmakers are growing increasingly concerned about kids and teenagers’ use and how platforms like TikTok, Instagram and others are affecting young people’s mental health.It is set to take effect in March 2024, and Cox has previously said he anticipates social media companies will challenge it in court.Tech industry lobbyists quickly decried the laws as unconstitutional, saying they infringe on people's right to exercise the First Amendment online.“Utah will soon require online services to collect sensitive information about teens and families, not only to verify ages, but to verify parental relationships, like government-issued IDs and birth certificates, putting their private data at risk of breach,” said Nicole Saad Bembridge, an associate director at NetChoice, a tech lobby group.

First state to require parental consent for social media use

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a trailer theft in southwest Kansas and on Thursday released security camera images of the vehicle and trailer.

The theft occurred just after8p.m. on March 9 in the 200 block of Leawood Avenue in Garden City near a new construction site, according to a media release from police.

 The trailer is an enclosed all-black 16-foot trailer with no special markings. Officers are attempting to identify the suspect and vehicle involved in the theft. 

If you witnessed this incident, or have information related to this incident, please contact us at (620) 276-1300. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at (620) 275-7807, or text your tip to Garden City PD, text GCTIP and your tip to Tip411 (847411).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679654287848.png" alt="image Garden City Police" />
 <figcaption>image Garden City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a trailer theft in southwest Kansas and on Thursday released security camera images of the vehicle and trailer.The theft occurred just after8p.m. on March 9 in the 200 block of Leawood Avenue in Garden City near a new construction site, according to a media release from police. The trailer is an enclosed all-black 16-foot trailer with no special markings. Officers are attempting to identify the suspect and vehicle involved in the theft. If you witnessed this incident, or have information related to this incident, please contact us at (620) 276-1300. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can call Crime Stoppers at (620) 275-7807, or text your tip to Garden City PD, text GCTIP and your tip to Tip411 (847411).