BROWN COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just after 5:30p.m. Wednesday in Brown County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Ford F150 driven by Efrain  Perez-Ordonez, 58, Hood, Texas, was stopped at the stop sign on Eastbound 260th Road at U.S. 75 one half mile east of Sabetha.

The driver failed to yield right of way and entered the intersection. A southbound 2011 Nissan Rogue driven by&nbsp; Rodney G. Sanner, 61, Sabetha, struck the drivers side of the pickup. Both vehicles came to rest in a ditch at the southeast corner of the intersection.

Sanner and a passenger in the Nissan Robin G. Sanner, 53, Sabetha, were pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;&nbsp;Perez-Ordonez was not injured. The KHP had incomplete seat belt usage information.

BROWN COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just after 5:30p.m. Wednesday in Brown County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Ford F150 driven by Efrain Perez-Ordonez, 58, Hood, Texas, was stopped at the stop sign on Eastbound 260th Road at U.S. 75 one half mile east of Sabetha.The driver failed to yield right of way and entered the intersection. A southbound 2011 Nissan Rogue driven by&nbsp; Rodney G. Sanner, 61, Sabetha, struck the drivers side of the pickup. Both vehicles came to rest in a ditch at the southeast corner of the intersection.Sanner and a passenger in the Nissan Robin G. Sanner, 53, Sabetha, were pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;&nbsp;Perez-Ordonez was not injured. The KHP had incomplete seat belt usage information.

Kansas couple killed after SUV, pickup crash

VATICAN CITY (AP) — With bells tolling, tens of thousands of faithful, political leaders and the pope himself&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-benedict-xvi">mourned Benedict XVI</a>, the German theologian who made history by resigning the papacy, at a rare requiem Mass Thursday for a dead pontiff presided over by a living one.

The crowd applauded as pallbearers carried Benedict's cypress coffin out of the fog-shrouded St. Peter's Basilica and rested it before the altar in the vast square outside. Pope Francis, wearing the crimson vestments typical of papal funerals, opened the service with a prayer and closed it an hour later by solemnly blessing the simple casket — decorated only with the former pope’s coat of arms.

Heads of state and royalty, clergy from around the world and regular people flocked to the ceremony, despite Benedict’s requests for simplicity and official efforts to keep the first funeral for an pope emeritus in modern times low-key.

The event was also significant for what it lacked: the feeling of uncertainty that would normally accompany the passing of a pope before a new one is elected. With Francis very much in charge, Benedict’s death marked the end of an unusual decade in which a reigning pope lived alongside a retired one.

“Benedict has been the bridge between (St. John Paul II) and Francis,” said Alessandra Aprea, a 56-year-old from Meta di Sorrento near Naples. “We could not have Francis without him."

Ignoring exhortations for decorum at the end, some in the crowd held banners or shouted “Santo Subito!” — “Sainthood Now!” — echoing the spontaneous chants that erupted during John Paul's 2005 funeral.

The former Joseph Ratzinger,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-dead-9d486fd9b12eab1177b9eb8ab7be22f4">who died Dec. 31 at age 95</a>, is considered one of the 20th century’s greatest theologians and spent his lifetime upholding church doctrine. But he will go down in history for a singular, revolutionary act that changed the future of the papacy:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">He retired</a>, the first pope in six centuries to do so.

Francis has praised Benedict’s courage to step aside, saying it “opened the door” to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-rome-vatican-city-italy-795f46ba0456fb63543b90d44290ba2d">other popes to do the same</a>.

The Vatican said some 50,000 people attended the Mass, after some 200,000 paid their respects during the three days of public viewing.

Only Italy and Germany were invited to send official delegations, but other leaders took the Vatican up on its offer and come in their “private capacity.” They included several heads of state, at least four prime ministers and two delegations of royal representatives. In addition, a host of patriarchs joined 125 cardinals in the seats to the side of the altar, and the Russian Orthodox Church sent its foreign envoy.

Many mourners hailed from Benedict’s native Bavaria and donned traditional dress, including boiled wool coats to guard against the morning chill.

“We came to pay homage to Benedict and wanted to be here today to say goodbye,” said Raymond Mainar, who traveled from a small village east of Munich for the funeral. “He was a very good pope.”

Among those attending was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-vatican-city-china-religion-government-9e90d5ddd42fd781571088e677cb446c">Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen</a>, who was given special court permission to attend the funeral. Zen was detained in May on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces under a China's national security law after he fell afoul of authorities over his participation in a now-silenced democracy movement. His&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-hong-kong-religion-vatican-city-1935fe912dd0747b028a4753aac65bf0">passport was revoked</a>&nbsp;when he was detained.

Benedict’s close confidants were also in attendance, and the former pope’s longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, bent down and kissed a book of the Gospels that was left open on the coffin before the ceremony began.

Matteo Colonna, a 20-year-old seminarian from Teramo, Italy, said he came in part because of the historic nature of the funeral — but also because it had personal resonance for him.

“The first spark of my vocation started under the pontificate of Benedict, but then it became even stronger under Pope Francis,” Colonna said, while sitting in prayer in St. Peter’s Square at dawn. “I see a continuity between these two popes and the fact that today Francis is celebrating the funeral in Benedict’s memory is an historical event."

Early Thursday the Vatican released the official history of Benedict's life, a short document in Latin that was placed in a metal cylinder in his coffin before it was sealed, along with the coins and medallions minted during his papacy and his pallium stoles.

The document gave ample attention to Benedict's historic resignation and referred to him as “pope emeritus,” citing verbatim the Latin words he uttered on Feb. 11, 2013, when he announced he would retire.

The document, known as a “rogito” or deed, also cited his theological and papal legacy, including his outreach to Anglicans and Jews and his efforts to combat clergy sexual abuse “continually calling the church to conversion, prayer, penance and purification.”

Francis didn’t mention Benedict’s specific legacy in his homily and only uttered his name once, in the final line, delivering instead a meditation on Jesus’ willingness to entrust himself to God’s will.

“Holding fast to the Lord’s last words and to the witness of his entire life, we too, as an ecclesial community, want to follow in his steps and to commend our brother into the hands of the Father,” Francis said at the end.

During St. John Paul II’s quarter-century as pope, Ratzinger spearheaded a crackdown on dissent as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, taking action against the left-leaning liberation theology that spread in Latin America in the 1970s and against dissenting theologians and nuns who didn’t toe the Vatican’s hard line on matters like sexual morals.

His legacy was marred by the clergy sexual abuse scandal, even though he recognized earlier than most the “filth” of priests who raped children, and actually laid the groundwork for the Holy See to punish them.

As cardinal and pope, he passed sweeping church legislation that resulted in 848 priests being defrocked from 2004 to 2014, roughly his pontificate with a year on either end. But abuse survivors still held him responsible for the crisis, for failing to sanction any bishop who moved abusers around, refusing to mandate the reporting of sex crimes to police and identifying him as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-vatican-city-sexual-abuse-fbd12ab979717ec2dec0781c017b79e0">embodying the clerical system</a>&nbsp;that long protected the institution over victims.

A group representing German clergy abuse survivors called on German officials attending Benedict’s funeral to demand more action from the Vatican on sexual abuse. Eckiger Tisch asked German leaders to demand that Francis issue a “universal church law” stipulating zero tolerance in dealing with abuse by clergy.

“Any celebration that marks the life of abuse enablers like Benedict must end,” added the main U.S. abuse survivor group SNAP.

The funeral&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-f3379c1258ff558b156c45ec9be16050">ritual itself is modeled on the code</a>&nbsp;used for dead popes but with some modifications given Benedict was not a reigning pontiff when he died.

After the Mass, Benedict’s cypress coffin was being placed inside a zinc one, then an outer oak casket before being entombed in the crypt in the grottoes underneath St. Peter’s Basilica that once held the tomb of St. John Paul II before it was moved upstairs.

While Thursday's Mass was unusual, it does have some precedent: In 1802, Pope Pius VII presided over the funeral in St. Peter’s of his predecessor, Pius VI, who had died in exile in France in 1799 as a prisoner of Napoleon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672917652715.jpeg" alt="Heads of state and royalty, clergy from around the world and regular people flocked to the ceremony, despite Benedict’s requests for simplicity and official efforts to keep the first funeral for an pope emeritus in modern times low-key-photo Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Heads of state and royalty, clergy from around the world and regular people flocked to the ceremony, despite Benedict’s requests for simplicity and official efforts to keep the first funeral for an pope emeritus in modern times low-key-photo Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) — With bells tolling, tens of thousands of faithful, political leaders and the pope himself&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-benedict-xvi">mourned Benedict XVI</a>, the German theologian who made history by resigning the papacy, at a rare requiem Mass Thursday for a dead pontiff presided over by a living one.The crowd applauded as pallbearers carried Benedict's cypress coffin out of the fog-shrouded St. Peter's Basilica and rested it before the altar in the vast square outside. Pope Francis, wearing the crimson vestments typical of papal funerals, opened the service with a prayer and closed it an hour later by solemnly blessing the simple casket — decorated only with the former pope’s coat of arms.Heads of state and royalty, clergy from around the world and regular people flocked to the ceremony, despite Benedict’s requests for simplicity and official efforts to keep the first funeral for an pope emeritus in modern times low-key.The event was also significant for what it lacked: the feeling of uncertainty that would normally accompany the passing of a pope before a new one is elected. With Francis very much in charge, Benedict’s death marked the end of an unusual decade in which a reigning pope lived alongside a retired one.“Benedict has been the bridge between (St. John Paul II) and Francis,” said Alessandra Aprea, a 56-year-old from Meta di Sorrento near Naples. “We could not have Francis without him."Ignoring exhortations for decorum at the end, some in the crowd held banners or shouted “Santo Subito!” — “Sainthood Now!” — echoing the spontaneous chants that erupted during John Paul's 2005 funeral.The former Joseph Ratzinger,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-dead-9d486fd9b12eab1177b9eb8ab7be22f4">who died Dec. 31 at age 95</a>, is considered one of the 20th century’s greatest theologians and spent his lifetime upholding church doctrine. But he will go down in history for a singular, revolutionary act that changed the future of the papacy:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/99d97bf69b8d1b3b16e919183d0a551c">He retired</a>, the first pope in six centuries to do so.Francis has praised Benedict’s courage to step aside, saying it “opened the door” to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-rome-vatican-city-italy-795f46ba0456fb63543b90d44290ba2d">other popes to do the same</a>.The Vatican said some 50,000 people attended the Mass, after some 200,000 paid their respects during the three days of public viewing.Only Italy and Germany were invited to send official delegations, but other leaders took the Vatican up on its offer and come in their “private capacity.” They included several heads of state, at least four prime ministers and two delegations of royal representatives. In addition, a host of patriarchs joined 125 cardinals in the seats to the side of the altar, and the Russian Orthodox Church sent its foreign envoy.Many mourners hailed from Benedict’s native Bavaria and donned traditional dress, including boiled wool coats to guard against the morning chill.“We came to pay homage to Benedict and wanted to be here today to say goodbye,” said Raymond Mainar, who traveled from a small village east of Munich for the funeral. “He was a very good pope.”Among those attending was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taiwan-vatican-city-china-religion-government-9e90d5ddd42fd781571088e677cb446c">Hong Kong Cardinal Joseph Zen</a>, who was given special court permission to attend the funeral. Zen was detained in May on suspicion of colluding with foreign forces under a China's national security law after he fell afoul of authorities over his participation in a now-silenced democracy movement. His&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-hong-kong-religion-vatican-city-1935fe912dd0747b028a4753aac65bf0">passport was revoked</a>&nbsp;when he was detained.Benedict’s close confidants were also in attendance, and the former pope’s longtime secretary, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein, bent down and kissed a book of the Gospels that was left open on the coffin before the ceremony began.Matteo Colonna, a 20-year-old seminarian from Teramo, Italy, said he came in part because of the historic nature of the funeral — but also because it had personal resonance for him.“The first spark of my vocation started under the pontificate of Benedict, but then it became even stronger under Pope Francis,” Colonna said, while sitting in prayer in St. Peter’s Square at dawn. “I see a continuity between these two popes and the fact that today Francis is celebrating the funeral in Benedict’s memory is an historical event."Early Thursday the Vatican released the official history of Benedict's life, a short document in Latin that was placed in a metal cylinder in his coffin before it was sealed, along with the coins and medallions minted during his papacy and his pallium stoles.The document gave ample attention to Benedict's historic resignation and referred to him as “pope emeritus,” citing verbatim the Latin words he uttered on Feb. 11, 2013, when he announced he would retire.The document, known as a “rogito” or deed, also cited his theological and papal legacy, including his outreach to Anglicans and Jews and his efforts to combat clergy sexual abuse “continually calling the church to conversion, prayer, penance and purification.”Francis didn’t mention Benedict’s specific legacy in his homily and only uttered his name once, in the final line, delivering instead a meditation on Jesus’ willingness to entrust himself to God’s will.“Holding fast to the Lord’s last words and to the witness of his entire life, we too, as an ecclesial community, want to follow in his steps and to commend our brother into the hands of the Father,” Francis said at the end.During St. John Paul II’s quarter-century as pope, Ratzinger spearheaded a crackdown on dissent as prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, taking action against the left-leaning liberation theology that spread in Latin America in the 1970s and against dissenting theologians and nuns who didn’t toe the Vatican’s hard line on matters like sexual morals.His legacy was marred by the clergy sexual abuse scandal, even though he recognized earlier than most the “filth” of priests who raped children, and actually laid the groundwork for the Holy See to punish them.As cardinal and pope, he passed sweeping church legislation that resulted in 848 priests being defrocked from 2004 to 2014, roughly his pontificate with a year on either end. But abuse survivors still held him responsible for the crisis, for failing to sanction any bishop who moved abusers around, refusing to mandate the reporting of sex crimes to police and identifying him as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-vatican-city-sexual-abuse-fbd12ab979717ec2dec0781c017b79e0">embodying the clerical system</a>&nbsp;that long protected the institution over victims.A group representing German clergy abuse survivors called on German officials attending Benedict’s funeral to demand more action from the Vatican on sexual abuse. Eckiger Tisch asked German leaders to demand that Francis issue a “universal church law” stipulating zero tolerance in dealing with abuse by clergy.“Any celebration that marks the life of abuse enablers like Benedict must end,” added the main U.S. abuse survivor group SNAP.The funeral&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-vatican-city-f3379c1258ff558b156c45ec9be16050">ritual itself is modeled on the code</a>&nbsp;used for dead popes but with some modifications given Benedict was not a reigning pontiff when he died.After the Mass, Benedict’s cypress coffin was being placed inside a zinc one, then an outer oak casket before being entombed in the crypt in the grottoes underneath St. Peter’s Basilica that once held the tomb of St. John Paul II before it was moved upstairs.While Thursday's Mass was unusual, it does have some precedent: In 1802, Pope Pius VII presided over the funeral in St. Peter’s of his predecessor, Pius VI, who had died in exile in France in 1799 as a prisoner of Napoleon.___

Faithful mourn Benedict XVI at funeral presided over by pope

By ALI SWENSON, DAVID KLEPPER and SOPHIA TULP

WASHINGTON (AP) — Unfounded claims about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines proliferated in the hours and days after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed during Monday's game, revealing how pervasive vaccine misinformation remains three years after the pandemic began.

Even before Hamlin was carried off the field in Cincinnati, posts amassing thousands of shares and millions of views began circulating online claiming without evidence that complications from COVID-19 vaccines caused his health emergency.

While cardiac specialists say it's too soon to know what caused Hamlin's heart to stop, they've offered a rare type of trauma called commotio cordis as among the possible culprits. Physicians interviewed by The Associated Press say there's no indication Hamlin's vaccine status played a role, and said there's no evidence to support claims that a number of young athletes have died as a result of COVID vaccinations.

Peter McCullough, a Dallas cardiologist and outspoken vaccine critic, amplified the theories on a Fox News segment hosted by Tucker Carlson on Tuesday, speculating that "vaccine-induced myocarditis," may have caused Hamlin's episode. While the Bills have not said whether Hamlin was vaccinated, about 95% of NFL players have received a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the league.

In his Tuesday segment, Carlson claimed McCullough and another researcher found that "more than 1,500 total cardiac arrests" have occurred among European athletes "since the vax campaign began."

But Carlson was citing a letter in which the authors' evidence was a dubious blog that lists news reports of people all over the world, of all ages, dying or experiencing medical emergencies. The blog proves no relationship between the incidents and COVID-19 vaccines; it also includes in its count reported deaths from cancer and emergencies of unknown causes.

"It's not real research, but he quotes it as if it's real research," said Dr. Matthew Martinez, director of sports cardiology at Atlantic Health System in Morristown Medical Center. "Anybody can write a letter to the editor and then quote an article that has no academic rigor."

Many social media users have also shared deceptive videos that purport to show athletes collapsing on-field because of COVID-19 vaccines. However, several of the cases shown have been proven to be from other causes.

Though anti-vaccine influencers have insisted that sudden cardiac arrests during sports games are unprecedented, cardiologists say they've observed these traumatic events throughout their careers, and long before the COVID-19 pandemic.

"There have always been cases of athletes having sudden cardiac death or cardiac arrest," said Dr. Lawrence Phillips, sports health expert and cardiologist at NYU Langone Health. "I have not seen a change in the prevalence of them over the last couple of years versus earlier in my career."

In fact, Phillips said, these rare medical emergencies are the main reason that doctors and activists have spent years campaigning for defibrillators to be on standby at sporting events.

That push, and the implementation of emergency action plans, has improved outcomes after cardiac events on the playing field, even as the number of such events has remained "remarkably stable," Martinez said.

Martinez, who has worked for the National Football League, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and Major League Soccer, said he has investigated but not seen any signal that COVID-19 or vaccines are causing an increased incidence of cardiac events among athletes.

His research shows that among professional athletes who have had COVID-19, rates of inflammatory heart disease were about 0.6% — showing no increased risk compared to other viruses.

Online posts mentioning Hamlin and vaccines soared into the thousands within one hour of Hamlin's collapse, according to an analysis conducted for the AP by Zignal Labs, a San Francisco-based media intelligence company.

It's not surprising that misleading claims about COVID-19 vaccines surged following Hamlin's cardiac arrest, given how much vaccine misinformation has spread since the pandemic began, said Jeanine Guidry, a Virginia Commonwealth University professor who researches health misinformation and vaccine hesitancy.

High-profile public events like Hamlin's collapse often create new waves of misinformation as people grasp for explanations. For people concerned about vaccine safety, Hamlin's sudden collapse served to affirm and justify their beliefs, Guidry said.

"This happened to a person in the prime of their life, on primetime television, and the people watching didn't immediately know why," she said. "We like to have clear answers that make us feel safer. Especially after the last three years, I think this is coming from fear and uncertainty."

Similarly unfounded claims about vaccine injuries surged last month following the death of sports journalist Grant Wahl, who died of a ruptured blood vessel in his heart while covering the World Cup in Qatar. His death was not related to vaccines.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672714269393.png" alt="Damar Hamlin. Photo courtesy Buffalo Bills" />
 <figcaption>Damar Hamlin. Photo courtesy Buffalo Bills</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALI SWENSON, DAVID KLEPPER and SOPHIA TULP WASHINGTON (AP) — Unfounded claims about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines proliferated in the hours and days after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin collapsed during Monday's game, revealing how pervasive vaccine misinformation remains three years after the pandemic began.Even before Hamlin was carried off the field in Cincinnati, posts amassing thousands of shares and millions of views began circulating online claiming without evidence that complications from COVID-19 vaccines caused his health emergency.While cardiac specialists say it's too soon to know what caused Hamlin's heart to stop, they've offered a rare type of trauma called commotio cordis as among the possible culprits. Physicians interviewed by The Associated Press say there's no indication Hamlin's vaccine status played a role, and said there's no evidence to support claims that a number of young athletes have died as a result of COVID vaccinations.Peter McCullough, a Dallas cardiologist and outspoken vaccine critic, amplified the theories on a Fox News segment hosted by Tucker Carlson on Tuesday, speculating that "vaccine-induced myocarditis," may have caused Hamlin's episode. While the Bills have not said whether Hamlin was vaccinated, about 95% of NFL players have received a COVID-19 vaccine, according to the league.In his Tuesday segment, Carlson claimed McCullough and another researcher found that "more than 1,500 total cardiac arrests" have occurred among European athletes "since the vax campaign began."But Carlson was citing a letter in which the authors' evidence was a dubious blog that lists news reports of people all over the world, of all ages, dying or experiencing medical emergencies. The blog proves no relationship between the incidents and COVID-19 vaccines; it also includes in its count reported deaths from cancer and emergencies of unknown causes."It's not real research, but he quotes it as if it's real research," said Dr. Matthew Martinez, director of sports cardiology at Atlantic Health System in Morristown Medical Center. "Anybody can write a letter to the editor and then quote an article that has no academic rigor."Many social media users have also shared deceptive videos that purport to show athletes collapsing on-field because of COVID-19 vaccines. However, several of the cases shown have been proven to be from other causes.Though anti-vaccine influencers have insisted that sudden cardiac arrests during sports games are unprecedented, cardiologists say they've observed these traumatic events throughout their careers, and long before the COVID-19 pandemic."There have always been cases of athletes having sudden cardiac death or cardiac arrest," said Dr. Lawrence Phillips, sports health expert and cardiologist at NYU Langone Health. "I have not seen a change in the prevalence of them over the last couple of years versus earlier in my career."In fact, Phillips said, these rare medical emergencies are the main reason that doctors and activists have spent years campaigning for defibrillators to be on standby at sporting events.That push, and the implementation of emergency action plans, has improved outcomes after cardiac events on the playing field, even as the number of such events has remained "remarkably stable," Martinez said.Martinez, who has worked for the National Football League, National Basketball Association, National Hockey League and Major League Soccer, said he has investigated but not seen any signal that COVID-19 or vaccines are causing an increased incidence of cardiac events among athletes.His research shows that among professional athletes who have had COVID-19, rates of inflammatory heart disease were about 0.6% — showing no increased risk compared to other viruses.Online posts mentioning Hamlin and vaccines soared into the thousands within one hour of Hamlin's collapse, according to an analysis conducted for the AP by Zignal Labs, a San Francisco-based media intelligence company.It's not surprising that misleading claims about COVID-19 vaccines surged following Hamlin's cardiac arrest, given how much vaccine misinformation has spread since the pandemic began, said Jeanine Guidry, a Virginia Commonwealth University professor who researches health misinformation and vaccine hesitancy.High-profile public events like Hamlin's collapse often create new waves of misinformation as people grasp for explanations. For people concerned about vaccine safety, Hamlin's sudden collapse served to affirm and justify their beliefs, Guidry said."This happened to a person in the prime of their life, on primetime television, and the people watching didn't immediately know why," she said. "We like to have clear answers that make us feel safer. Especially after the last three years, I think this is coming from fear and uncertainty."Similarly unfounded claims about vaccine injuries surged last month following the death of sports journalist Grant Wahl, who died of a ruptured blood vessel in his heart while covering the World Cup in Qatar. His death was not related to vaccines.

Hamlin's collapse spurs new wave of vaccine misinformation

HEBRON, Ky. (AP) — President Joe Biden intends to visit the U.S.-Mexico border — his first trip there since taking office — in connection with his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-covid-andres-manuel-lopez-obrador-89e4dba4bd8c3be25eb1041e97d25bdf">meeting next week</a>&nbsp;in Mexico City with the leaders of Mexico and Canada.

“That’s my intention, we’re working out the details now,” Biden told reporters Wednesday during a trip to Kentucky.

Biden said upon his return to the White House that he hoped to see “what’s going on” at the border and also planned to make remarks about border security on Thursday.

There have been large increases in the number of migrants at the border even as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-42-immigration-limits-supreme-court-updates-0494c30834fad66ce9c6057ea1605d89">U.S. public health law remains in place</a>&nbsp;that allows American authorities to turn away many people seeking asylum in the United States.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-immigration-covid-93d735b9b55c15121c8fc7763fba7e78">Republican leaders have criticized the president</a>&nbsp;for policies that they say are ineffective on border security and they have questioned why he has not made a trip there yet.

The increased focus from Biden on the border also comes as the president prepares for a 2024 reelection bid. His sole declared potential rival, Donald Trump, rose to the top of the GOP ranks by animating the party’s base voters with his hardline stances on immigration.

But there was some praise Wednesday after the news.

“I’m pleased President Biden will finally visit our southern border - which has been completely surrendered to the cartels, smugglers, and human traffickers,” tweeted Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who has been a critic of administration policies.

Among the complaints&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-opioids-synthetic-government-and-politics-8f64b776b82d6e8bc2e324b732e4b6e2">on border security by Republicans</a>&nbsp;is the amount of fentanyl coming into the U.S. via Mexico. A 2022 report from a bipartisan federal commission found that fentanyl and similar drugs are being made mostly in labs in Mexico from chemicals shipped primarily from China.

And fentanyl and other lab-produced synthetic opioids now are driving an overdose crisis deadlier than any the U.S. has ever seen. But drug control advocates and experts say an anti-drug policy that relies on tighter border security is dangerous and likely futile. The drugs are too easy to move in small, hard-to-detect quantities.

Drug trafficking and immigration are expected to be among the top talking points at the summit Monday and Tuesday when Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are hosted by Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.

Early in his presidency, Biden put&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-lead-migrant-crisis-response-joe-biden-3400f56255e000547d1ca3ce1aa6b8e9">Vice President Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;in charge of the White House effort to tackle the migration challenge by working with Central American nations to address central causes of the problem.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-immigration-2c5747617f9c60b2b3be4ce99895a0b8">She visited El Paso, Texas, in June 2021</a>&nbsp;and was criticized for choosing a location too far from the epicenter of border crossings that are straining federal resources. The number of migrants crossing the border has only risen.

For now, the Supreme Court has kept in place Trump-era restrictions, often known as Title 42 in reference to a 1944 public health law, after Biden acted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-covid-health-mexico-united-states-e9c70f098e0ec0ed7d2403f7cce4a30f">to end them and Republicans sued in response.</a>&nbsp;Title 42 was invoked to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but there has always been criticism that the restrictions were used as a pretext by Trump to seal off the border.

Biden has yet to lay out any systemic changes to manage an expected increase of migrants should the health restrictions end. And the president is limited in what he can do without immigration law changes. But in Congress, a bipartisan immigration bill was buried shortly before Republicans assumed control of the House.

Biden made his comment about the upcoming border visit during a stop in Kentucky at a highway bridge that is to receive federal dollars under the bipartisan infrastructure law.

Trump visited the U.S. side of the border as president several times, including one trip to McAllen, Texas, where he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-north-america-donald-trump-global-trade-mexico-de7391226f50445dbbc235f6fff5b08b">claimed Mexico would pay for the border wall</a>.

American taxpayers ended up covering the costs. Mexican leaders had flatly rejected the idea when Trump pressed them early on. “NO,” Enrique Peña Nieto, then Mexico’s president, tweeted in May 2018. “Mexico will NEVER pay for a wall. Not now, not ever. Sincerely, Mexico (all of us).”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672919198939.png" alt="President Biden said that he hoped to see “what’s going on” at the border and also planned to make remarks about border security.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden said that he hoped to see “what’s going on” at the border and also planned to make remarks about border security.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>HEBRON, Ky. (AP) — President Joe Biden intends to visit the U.S.-Mexico border — his first trip there since taking office — in connection with his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-covid-andres-manuel-lopez-obrador-89e4dba4bd8c3be25eb1041e97d25bdf">meeting next week</a>&nbsp;in Mexico City with the leaders of Mexico and Canada.“That’s my intention, we’re working out the details now,” Biden told reporters Wednesday during a trip to Kentucky.Biden said upon his return to the White House that he hoped to see “what’s going on” at the border and also planned to make remarks about border security on Thursday.There have been large increases in the number of migrants at the border even as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-42-immigration-limits-supreme-court-updates-0494c30834fad66ce9c6057ea1605d89">U.S. public health law remains in place</a>&nbsp;that allows American authorities to turn away many people seeking asylum in the United States.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-mexico-immigration-covid-93d735b9b55c15121c8fc7763fba7e78">Republican leaders have criticized the president</a>&nbsp;for policies that they say are ineffective on border security and they have questioned why he has not made a trip there yet.The increased focus from Biden on the border also comes as the president prepares for a 2024 reelection bid. His sole declared potential rival, Donald Trump, rose to the top of the GOP ranks by animating the party’s base voters with his hardline stances on immigration.But there was some praise Wednesday after the news.“I’m pleased President Biden will finally visit our southern border - which has been completely surrendered to the cartels, smugglers, and human traffickers,” tweeted Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who has been a critic of administration policies.Among the complaints&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-opioids-synthetic-government-and-politics-8f64b776b82d6e8bc2e324b732e4b6e2">on border security by Republicans</a>&nbsp;is the amount of fentanyl coming into the U.S. via Mexico. A 2022 report from a bipartisan federal commission found that fentanyl and similar drugs are being made mostly in labs in Mexico from chemicals shipped primarily from China.And fentanyl and other lab-produced synthetic opioids now are driving an overdose crisis deadlier than any the U.S. has ever seen. But drug control advocates and experts say an anti-drug policy that relies on tighter border security is dangerous and likely futile. The drugs are too easy to move in small, hard-to-detect quantities.Drug trafficking and immigration are expected to be among the top talking points at the summit Monday and Tuesday when Biden and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are hosted by Mexico President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador.Early in his presidency, Biden put&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-lead-migrant-crisis-response-joe-biden-3400f56255e000547d1ca3ce1aa6b8e9">Vice President Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;in charge of the White House effort to tackle the migration challenge by working with Central American nations to address central causes of the problem.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-immigration-2c5747617f9c60b2b3be4ce99895a0b8">She visited El Paso, Texas, in June 2021</a>&nbsp;and was criticized for choosing a location too far from the epicenter of border crossings that are straining federal resources. The number of migrants crossing the border has only risen.For now, the Supreme Court has kept in place Trump-era restrictions, often known as Title 42 in reference to a 1944 public health law, after Biden acted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-covid-health-mexico-united-states-e9c70f098e0ec0ed7d2403f7cce4a30f">to end them and Republicans sued in response.</a>&nbsp;Title 42 was invoked to prevent the spread of COVID-19, but there has always been criticism that the restrictions were used as a pretext by Trump to seal off the border.Biden has yet to lay out any systemic changes to manage an expected increase of migrants should the health restrictions end. And the president is limited in what he can do without immigration law changes. But in Congress, a bipartisan immigration bill was buried shortly before Republicans assumed control of the House.Biden made his comment about the upcoming border visit during a stop in Kentucky at a highway bridge that is to receive federal dollars under the bipartisan infrastructure law.Trump visited the U.S. side of the border as president several times, including one trip to McAllen, Texas, where he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-north-america-donald-trump-global-trade-mexico-de7391226f50445dbbc235f6fff5b08b">claimed Mexico would pay for the border wall</a>.American taxpayers ended up covering the costs. Mexican leaders had flatly rejected the idea when Trump pressed them early on. “NO,” Enrique Peña Nieto, then Mexico’s president, tweeted in May 2018. “Mexico will NEVER pay for a wall. Not now, not ever. Sincerely, Mexico (all of us).”

Biden will visit US-Mexico border to see “what’s going on” 

JACKSON COUNTY–Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Just after 3p.m. Monday, a sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Hyundai Accent for a traffic infraction near 150th and U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

&nbsp;A Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics inside the vehicle.  Deputies seized methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia during the search and arrested the driver, Gina Kay Harrison, 50, of Fort Myer’s Florida.

  Harrison was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672831196240.png" alt="Harrison-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Harrison-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY–Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just after 3p.m. Monday, a sheriff’s deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Hyundai Accent for a traffic infraction near 150th and U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp;A Jackson County Sheriff’s K-9 alerted to the presence of narcotics inside the vehicle. Deputies seized methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia during the search and arrested the driver, Gina Kay Harrison, 50, of Fort Myer’s Florida. Harrison was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Florida woman caught transporting meth in Kansas

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man accused in a violent, fatal crime spree made his first court appearance on Tuesday.

Kenneth Jackson, 39 of Wichita, is charged with 2nd&nbsp;degree murder, attempted 1st&nbsp;degree murder, and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Just before 10p.m. Dec. 23, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 900 block of South Mission in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo

At the scene, police located two victims,&nbsp;a 22-year-0ld man and a 42-year-old man, with multiple gunshot wounds. EMS transported them to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.&nbsp;

During the initial contact, officers learned that two additional victims were inside an apartment near where the two men had been shot. Officers entered the apartment and located a man and woman later identified as&nbsp;39-year-old Jose Alvarez and 22-year-old Neosha Allen unconscious and not breathing. They were pronounced deceased on the scene.

Due to the lack of cooperation from some of the victims and witnesses, investigators were not initially able to fully determine the circumstances leading up to the shooting.&nbsp;

Police reported Jackson's arrest on Dec. 28.&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=90813">Jackson is being held&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;on a bond of one-million-500-thousand dollars and is due back in court January 23, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671918579268.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man accused in a violent, fatal crime spree made his first court appearance on Tuesday.Kenneth Jackson, 39 of Wichita, is charged with 2nd&nbsp;degree murder, attempted 1st&nbsp;degree murder, and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just before 10p.m. Dec. 23, police were dispatched to a shooting in the 900 block of South Mission in Wichita, according to Officer Juan RebolledoAt the scene, police located two victims,&nbsp;a 22-year-0ld man and a 42-year-old man, with multiple gunshot wounds. EMS transported them to an area hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1672319423009.png" alt="In June, police arrested Jackson on requested charges for flee or attempt to elude, driving without a valid license, reckless driving and for drugs, according to Sedgwick Co. booking records." />
 <figcaption>In June, police arrested Jackson on requested charges for flee or attempt to elude, driving without a valid license, reckless driving and for drugs, according to Sedgwick Co. booking records.</figcaption>
 </figure>During the initial contact, officers learned that two additional victims were inside an apartment near where the two men had been shot. Officers entered the apartment and located a man and woman later identified as&nbsp;39-year-old Jose Alvarez and 22-year-old Neosha Allen unconscious and not breathing. They were pronounced deceased on the scene.Due to the lack of cooperation from some of the victims and witnesses, investigators were not initially able to fully determine the circumstances leading up to the shooting.&nbsp;Police reported Jackson's arrest on Dec. 28.&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=90813">Jackson is being held&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;on a bond of one-million-500-thousand dollars and is due back in court January 23, according to the district attorney's office.

Kansas man charged in Christmas week double-murder

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal&nbsp; crash have made an arrest.

Just after 2a.m Monday, an&nbsp;officer on patrol observed a 2002 Mini Cooper driven recklessly by 22-year-old Brandon Mann of Atchison at 6th and U.S.59 Highway, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

 The officer attempted to stop the vehicle and it fled north on 4th Street. The officer lost sight of the vehicle but subsequently located the vehicle which had left the road and landed on its top in a residential yard in 900 block North 4th Street.

One passenger identified as&nbsp; Jacey Paris, 20, Atchison, died in the accident, according to Wilson.&nbsp; EMS transported Mann and and two passengers, age 15 and 16, to an area hospital for treatment.

Just before 12:30p.m. Wednesday, Mann&nbsp;turned himself in at the Atchison Police Department to investigators with Kansas Highway Patrol and police.

He was booked on a&nbsp;District Court warrant charging him with murder in the first degree, aggravated battery, aggravated endangerment of a child (2 counts), fleeing and attempting to elude, and reckless driving. He is being held on a bond of $750,000, according to Wilson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672860183672.png" alt="Mann-photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Mann-photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal&nbsp; crash have made an arrest.Just after 2a.m Monday, an&nbsp;officer on patrol observed a 2002 Mini Cooper driven recklessly by 22-year-old Brandon Mann of Atchison at 6th and U.S.59 Highway, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. The officer attempted to stop the vehicle and it fled north on 4th Street. The officer lost sight of the vehicle but subsequently located the vehicle which had left the road and landed on its top in a residential yard in 900 block North 4th Street.One passenger identified as&nbsp; Jacey Paris, 20, Atchison, died in the accident, according to Wilson.&nbsp; EMS transported Mann and and two passengers, age 15 and 16, to an area hospital for treatment.Just before 12:30p.m. Wednesday, Mann&nbsp;turned himself in at the Atchison Police Department to investigators with Kansas Highway Patrol and police.He was booked on a&nbsp;District Court warrant charging him with murder in the first degree, aggravated battery, aggravated endangerment of a child (2 counts), fleeing and attempting to elude, and reckless driving. He is being held on a bond of $750,000, according to Wilson.

Driver in fatal crash turns himself in to KHP investigators

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans flailed through a long second day of fruitless balloting Wednesday, unable to either elect their leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;as House speaker or come up with a new strategy to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-house-of-representatives-us-republican-party-billy-long-5dc5377382e010d1071c7afbfb694f3b">the political chaos</a>&nbsp;that has tarnished the start of their new majority.

Yet McCarthy wasn’t giving up, even after the fourth, fifth and sixth votes produced no better outcome and he was left trying to call off a nighttime session. Even that was controversial, as the House voted 216-214 — amid shouting and crowding — to adjourn for the night.

“No deal yet,” McCarthy said shortly before that as he left a lengthy closed-door dinnertime meeting with key holdouts and his own allies. “But a lot of progress.”

No progress at all was evident though the day of vote after vote after vote as Republicans tried to elevate McCarthy into the top job. The ballots produced almost the same outcome, 20&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-united-states-government-house-of-representatives-us-republican-party-5edc1d9468e606a3f1230e98702d9a23">conservative holdouts</a>&nbsp;still refusing to support him and leaving him far short of the 218 typically needed to win the gavel.

In fact, McCarthy saw his support slip to 201, as one fellow Republican switched to vote simply present.

Seeing no quick way out of the political standoff, Republicans voted abruptly late in the day to adjourn for a few hours as they desperately searched for an endgame to the chaos of their own making. They were due back in the evening, but McCarthy wanted to take a break until Thursday.

“I think people need to work a little more,” McCarthy said. "I don’t think a vote tonight would make any difference. But a vote in the future could.”

McCarthy, the California Republican, vowed to fight to the finish for the speaker's job despite the grueling spectacle, unlike any in modern times, that threw the new majority into tumult for the first days of the new Congress. Animated private discussions broke out on the chamber floor and in huddled meetings throughout the Capitol between McCarthy supporters and detractors.

“Well, it’s Groundhog Day,” said Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., in nominating McCarthy on the sixth ballot.

She said, “To all Americans watching right now, We hear you. And we will get through this — no matter how messy.”

But the right-flank conservatives, led by the Freedom Caucus and aligned with Donald Trump, appeared emboldened by the standoff — though Trump publicly backed McCarthy,

“This is actually an invigorating day for America,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-florida-byron-donalds-us-republican-party-kevin-mccarthy-4df9a1bfc27bea5fb6081275af465dee">Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla.</a>, who was nominated three times by his conservative colleagues as an alternative. “There’s a lot of members in the chamber who want to have serious conversations about how we can bring this all to a close and elect a speaker.”

No other work could be done — swearing in new House members, forming committees, tackling legislation, investigating the Biden administration — until the speaker was elected.

As the hours churned, the dynamic proved no different from Day One, as Democrats re-upped their leader, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, for speaker, and Donalds offered his challenge to McCarthy in another history-making moment. Both Jeffries and Donalds are Black.

“This country needs leadership,” said Rep. Chip Roy, a Texas Republican noting the first time in history two African Americans were nominated for the high office. Lawmakers from both parties rose to applaud.

It was the first time in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kentucky-kevin-mccarthy-e177c4405ef9b8a7b38641a15855764c">100 years</a>&nbsp;that no nominee for House speaker could take the gavel on the first vote.

The disorganized start to the new Congress pointed to difficulties ahead with Republicans now in control of the House, much the way that some past Republican speakers, including John Boehner, had trouble leading a rebellious right flank and ended up with government shutdowns, standoffs and early retirement.

Democratic President Joe Biden, departing the White House for a bipartisan event in Kentucky with Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, said “the rest of the world is looking” at the scene on the House floor.

“I just think it’s really embarrassing it’s taking so long," Biden said. “I have no idea” who will prevail.

Tensions flared among the new House majority as their campaign promises of competent leadership stalled out. Not since 1923 had a speaker's election gone to multiple ballots. The longest and most grueling fight for the gavel started in late 1855 and dragged on for two months, with 133 ballots, during debates over slavery in the run-up to the Civil War.

A new generation of conservative Republicans, many aligned with Trump’s Make America Great Again agenda, want to upend business as usual in Washington, and were committed to stopping McCarthy’s rise without concessions to their priorities.

But even Trump's strongest supporters disagreed on this issue. Rep. Lauren Boebert, a firm Colorado conservative who nominated Donalds the second time, called on the former president to tell McCarthy, “Sir, you do not have the votes and it’s time to withdraw.'”

Earlier Wednesday, Trump had done the opposite, urging Republicans to vote for McCarthy. “Close the deal, take the victory," he wrote on his social media site, using all capital letters. “Do not turn a great triumph into a giant &amp; embarrassing defeat.”

As the spectacle dragged on, McCarthy's backers implored the holdouts to fall in line for the California Republican.

“I do think members on both sides of this are getting a lot of pressure now,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla. “So I think the message from home is, ‘Hey, sort this stuff out.'”

The standoff over McCarthy has been building since Republicans won the House majority in the midterm elections, eager to end the past two years of Democratic control of Washington. The conservative Freedom Caucus led the opposition to McCarthy, believing he’s neither conservative enough nor tough enough to battle Democrats.

To win support, McCarthy has already agreed to many of the demands of Freedom Caucus members, who have been agitating for rules changes and other concessions that give rank-and-file members more influence.

And a McCarthy-aligned campaign group, the Conservative Leadership Fund, offered another concession, saying it would no longer spend money on elections “in any open-seat primaries in safe Republican districts." The far-right lawmakers complained their preferred candidates for the House were being treated unfairly as the campaign fund put its resources elsewhere.

But those opposing McCarthy do not all have the same complaints, and he may never be able to win some over.

“I'm ready to vote all night, all week, all month and never for that person,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.

Such staunch opposition carried echoes of McCarthy's earlier bid for the job, when he dropped out of the speaker’s race in 2015 because he could not win over conservatives.

Democrats enthusiastically nominated and renominated their House leader, Jeffries, on all six ballots for speaker over the two days. He repeatedly won the most votes overall, 212.

If McCarthy could win 213 votes, and then persuade the remaining naysayers to simply vote present, he would be able to lower the threshold required under the rules to have the majority.

It's a strategy former House speakers, including outgoing Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Boehner, had used when they confronted opposition, winning with fewer than 218 votes.

One Republican, Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, voted present on Wednesday's rounds, but it only ended up lowering McCarthy's total.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans flailed through a second day of multiple balloting Wednesday, unable to elect their leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;as House speaker or come up with a new strategy to end the political chaos that has tarnished the start of their new majority.

For a fourth, fifth and sixth time, Republicans tried to vote McCarthy into the top job as the House plunged deeper into disarray. But the votes were producing almost the same outcome, 20&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-united-states-government-house-of-representatives-us-republican-party-5edc1d9468e606a3f1230e98702d9a23">conservative holdouts</a>&nbsp;still refusing to support him, and leaving him far short of the 218 typically needed to win the gavel.

In fact, McCarthy saw his tally slip to 201, as one fellow Republican switched to vote simply present.

Three members of the Kansas delegation, Tracy Mann, Ron Estes and Jake LaTurner voted for McCarthy in each round again Wednesday. Kansas Democrat Rep. Sharice Davids voted for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Members of the Missouri delegation also continued to vote along party lines for McCarthy and Jeffries.

“Well, it's Groundhog Day,” said Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., in nominating McCarthy on the sixth ballot.

“This is actually an invigorating day for America,” said Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., who was nominated three times by his conservative colleagues as an alternative. “There’s a lot of members in the chamber who want to have serious conversations about how we can bring this all to a close and elect a speaker.”

McCarthy, the California Republican vowed to keep fighting despite the grueling spectacle, unlike any in modern times, that threw the new majority into tumult a day earlier. Animated private discussions broke out on the chamber floor between McCarthy supporters and detractors searching for an endgame.

The House gaveled in at noon, but no other work could be done — swearing in new members, forming committees, tackling legislation, investigating the Biden administration — until the speaker was elected.

“I still have the most votes,” McCarthy said at the start of the session. “At the end of the day, we’ll be able to get there.”

But the dynamic proved no different from Day One, as Democrats re-upped their leader, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, for speaker, and Donalds offered his challenge to McCarthy in another history making moment. Both Jeffries and Donalds are Black.

“This country needs leadership,” said Rep. Chip Roy, the Texas Republican noting the first time in history two Black Americans were nominated for the high office, and lawmakers from both parties rose to applaud.

It was the first time in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kentucky-kevin-mccarthy-e177c4405ef9b8a7b38641a15855764c">100 years</a>&nbsp;that a nominee for House speaker could not take the gavel on the first vote, but McCarthy appeared undeterred. Instead, he vowed to fight to the finish.

The disorganized start to the new Congress pointed to difficulties ahead with Republicans now in control of the House.

President Joe Biden, departing the White House for a bipartisan event in Kentucky with Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, said “the rest of the world is looking” at the scene on the House floor.

Tensions flared among the new House majority as their campaign promises stalled out. Not since 1923 has a speaker's election gone to multiple ballots, and the longest and most grueling fight for the gavel started in late 1855 and dragged out for two months, with 133 ballots, during debates over slavery in the run-up to the Civil War.

But even Trump's strongest supporters disagreed on this issue. Rep. Lauren Boebert, a firm Colorado conservative who nominated Donalds the second time, called on the former president to tell McCarthy, “`Sir, you do not have the votes and it’s time to withdraw.”

As the spectacle of voting dragged on, McCarthy's backers implored the holdouts to fall in line for the California Republican.

“I do think members on both sides of this are getting a lot of pressure now,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla. “So I think the message from home is, ‘Hey, sort this stuff out, we don’t have time for the small stuff and the egos.’”

The standoff over McCarthy has been building since Republicans won the House majority in the midterm elections. While the Senate remains in Democratic hands, barely, House Republicans are eager to confront Biden after two years of the Democrats controlling both houses of Congress. The conservative Freedom Caucus led the opposition to McCarthy, believing he’s neither conservative enough nor tough enough to battle Democrats.

To win support, McCarthy has already agreed to many of the demands of the Freedom Caucus, who have been agitating for rules changes and other concessions that give rank-and-file members more influence in the legislative process. He has been here before, having bowed out of the speakers race in 2015 when he failed to win over conservatives.

"Everything’s on the table," said ally Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C. — except, he said, having McCarthy step aside. “Not at all. That is not on the table.”

Democrats enthusiastically nominated Jeffries, who is taking over as party leader, as their choice for speaker. He won the most votes overall, 212.

It's a strategy former House speakers, including outgoing Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Speaker John Boehner had used when they confronted opposition, winning the gavel with fewer than 218 votes.

One Republican, Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, voted present in the fourth and fifth rounds, but it made no difference in the immediate outcome.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672856507291.png" alt="Kansas 4th District Congressman Ron Estes on the House floor ahead of the fifth vote for Speaker on Wednesday afternoon -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Kansas 4th District Congressman Ron Estes on the House floor ahead of the fifth vote for Speaker on Wednesday afternoon -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans flailed through a long second day of fruitless balloting Wednesday, unable to either elect their leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;as House speaker or come up with a new strategy to end&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-house-of-representatives-us-republican-party-billy-long-5dc5377382e010d1071c7afbfb694f3b">the political chaos</a>&nbsp;that has tarnished the start of their new majority.Yet McCarthy wasn’t giving up, even after the fourth, fifth and sixth votes produced no better outcome and he was left trying to call off a nighttime session. Even that was controversial, as the House voted 216-214 — amid shouting and crowding — to adjourn for the night.“No deal yet,” McCarthy said shortly before that as he left a lengthy closed-door dinnertime meeting with key holdouts and his own allies. “But a lot of progress.”No progress at all was evident though the day of vote after vote after vote as Republicans tried to elevate McCarthy into the top job. The ballots produced almost the same outcome, 20&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-united-states-government-house-of-representatives-us-republican-party-5edc1d9468e606a3f1230e98702d9a23">conservative holdouts</a>&nbsp;still refusing to support him and leaving him far short of the 218 typically needed to win the gavel.In fact, McCarthy saw his support slip to 201, as one fellow Republican switched to vote simply present.Seeing no quick way out of the political standoff, Republicans voted abruptly late in the day to adjourn for a few hours as they desperately searched for an endgame to the chaos of their own making. They were due back in the evening, but McCarthy wanted to take a break until Thursday.“I think people need to work a little more,” McCarthy said. "I don’t think a vote tonight would make any difference. But a vote in the future could.”McCarthy, the California Republican, vowed to fight to the finish for the speaker's job despite the grueling spectacle, unlike any in modern times, that threw the new majority into tumult for the first days of the new Congress. Animated private discussions broke out on the chamber floor and in huddled meetings throughout the Capitol between McCarthy supporters and detractors.“Well, it’s Groundhog Day,” said Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., in nominating McCarthy on the sixth ballot.She said, “To all Americans watching right now, We hear you. And we will get through this — no matter how messy.”But the right-flank conservatives, led by the Freedom Caucus and aligned with Donald Trump, appeared emboldened by the standoff — though Trump publicly backed McCarthy,“This is actually an invigorating day for America,” said&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-florida-byron-donalds-us-republican-party-kevin-mccarthy-4df9a1bfc27bea5fb6081275af465dee">Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla.</a>, who was nominated three times by his conservative colleagues as an alternative. “There’s a lot of members in the chamber who want to have serious conversations about how we can bring this all to a close and elect a speaker.”No other work could be done — swearing in new House members, forming committees, tackling legislation, investigating the Biden administration — until the speaker was elected.As the hours churned, the dynamic proved no different from Day One, as Democrats re-upped their leader, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, for speaker, and Donalds offered his challenge to McCarthy in another history-making moment. Both Jeffries and Donalds are Black.“This country needs leadership,” said Rep. Chip Roy, a Texas Republican noting the first time in history two African Americans were nominated for the high office. Lawmakers from both parties rose to applaud.It was the first time in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kentucky-kevin-mccarthy-e177c4405ef9b8a7b38641a15855764c">100 years</a>&nbsp;that no nominee for House speaker could take the gavel on the first vote.The disorganized start to the new Congress pointed to difficulties ahead with Republicans now in control of the House, much the way that some past Republican speakers, including John Boehner, had trouble leading a rebellious right flank and ended up with government shutdowns, standoffs and early retirement.Democratic President Joe Biden, departing the White House for a bipartisan event in Kentucky with Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, said “the rest of the world is looking” at the scene on the House floor.“I just think it’s really embarrassing it’s taking so long," Biden said. “I have no idea” who will prevail.Tensions flared among the new House majority as their campaign promises of competent leadership stalled out. Not since 1923 had a speaker's election gone to multiple ballots. The longest and most grueling fight for the gavel started in late 1855 and dragged on for two months, with 133 ballots, during debates over slavery in the run-up to the Civil War.A new generation of conservative Republicans, many aligned with Trump’s Make America Great Again agenda, want to upend business as usual in Washington, and were committed to stopping McCarthy’s rise without concessions to their priorities.But even Trump's strongest supporters disagreed on this issue. Rep. Lauren Boebert, a firm Colorado conservative who nominated Donalds the second time, called on the former president to tell McCarthy, “Sir, you do not have the votes and it’s time to withdraw.'”Earlier Wednesday, Trump had done the opposite, urging Republicans to vote for McCarthy. “Close the deal, take the victory," he wrote on his social media site, using all capital letters. “Do not turn a great triumph into a giant &amp; embarrassing defeat.”As the spectacle dragged on, McCarthy's backers implored the holdouts to fall in line for the California Republican.“I do think members on both sides of this are getting a lot of pressure now,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla. “So I think the message from home is, ‘Hey, sort this stuff out.'”The standoff over McCarthy has been building since Republicans won the House majority in the midterm elections, eager to end the past two years of Democratic control of Washington. The conservative Freedom Caucus led the opposition to McCarthy, believing he’s neither conservative enough nor tough enough to battle Democrats.To win support, McCarthy has already agreed to many of the demands of Freedom Caucus members, who have been agitating for rules changes and other concessions that give rank-and-file members more influence.And a McCarthy-aligned campaign group, the Conservative Leadership Fund, offered another concession, saying it would no longer spend money on elections “in any open-seat primaries in safe Republican districts." The far-right lawmakers complained their preferred candidates for the House were being treated unfairly as the campaign fund put its resources elsewhere.But those opposing McCarthy do not all have the same complaints, and he may never be able to win some over.“I'm ready to vote all night, all week, all month and never for that person,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.Such staunch opposition carried echoes of McCarthy's earlier bid for the job, when he dropped out of the speaker’s race in 2015 because he could not win over conservatives.Democrats enthusiastically nominated and renominated their House leader, Jeffries, on all six ballots for speaker over the two days. He repeatedly won the most votes overall, 212.If McCarthy could win 213 votes, and then persuade the remaining naysayers to simply vote present, he would be able to lower the threshold required under the rules to have the majority.It's a strategy former House speakers, including outgoing Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Boehner, had used when they confronted opposition, winning with fewer than 218 votes.One Republican, Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, voted present on Wednesday's rounds, but it only ended up lowering McCarthy's total.----------WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans flailed through a second day of multiple balloting Wednesday, unable to elect their leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;as House speaker or come up with a new strategy to end the political chaos that has tarnished the start of their new majority.For a fourth, fifth and sixth time, Republicans tried to vote McCarthy into the top job as the House plunged deeper into disarray. But the votes were producing almost the same outcome, 20&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-politics-united-states-government-house-of-representatives-us-republican-party-5edc1d9468e606a3f1230e98702d9a23">conservative holdouts</a>&nbsp;still refusing to support him, and leaving him far short of the 218 typically needed to win the gavel.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672853567919.png" alt="Kevin McCarthy, the California Republican vowed to keep fighting despite the grueling spectacle-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Kevin McCarthy, the California Republican vowed to keep fighting despite the grueling spectacle-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>In fact, McCarthy saw his tally slip to 201, as one fellow Republican switched to vote simply present.Three members of the Kansas delegation, Tracy Mann, Ron Estes and Jake LaTurner voted for McCarthy in each round again Wednesday. Kansas Democrat Rep. Sharice Davids voted for Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York. Members of the Missouri delegation also continued to vote along party lines for McCarthy and Jeffries.“Well, it's Groundhog Day,” said Rep. Kat Cammack, R-Fla., in nominating McCarthy on the sixth ballot.She said, “To all Americans watching right now, We hear you. And we will get through this — no matter how messy.”But the right-flank conservatives, led by the Freedom Caucus and aligned with Donald Trump, appeared emboldened by the standoff — though Trump publicly backed McCarthy,“This is actually an invigorating day for America,” said Rep. Byron Donalds, R-Fla., who was nominated three times by his conservative colleagues as an alternative. “There’s a lot of members in the chamber who want to have serious conversations about how we can bring this all to a close and elect a speaker.”McCarthy, the California Republican vowed to keep fighting despite the grueling spectacle, unlike any in modern times, that threw the new majority into tumult a day earlier. Animated private discussions broke out on the chamber floor between McCarthy supporters and detractors searching for an endgame.The House gaveled in at noon, but no other work could be done — swearing in new members, forming committees, tackling legislation, investigating the Biden administration — until the speaker was elected.“I still have the most votes,” McCarthy said at the start of the session. “At the end of the day, we’ll be able to get there.”But the dynamic proved no different from Day One, as Democrats re-upped their leader, Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, for speaker, and Donalds offered his challenge to McCarthy in another history making moment. Both Jeffries and Donalds are Black.“This country needs leadership,” said Rep. Chip Roy, the Texas Republican noting the first time in history two Black Americans were nominated for the high office, and lawmakers from both parties rose to applaud.It was the first time in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kentucky-kevin-mccarthy-e177c4405ef9b8a7b38641a15855764c">100 years</a>&nbsp;that a nominee for House speaker could not take the gavel on the first vote, but McCarthy appeared undeterred. Instead, he vowed to fight to the finish.The disorganized start to the new Congress pointed to difficulties ahead with Republicans now in control of the House.President Joe Biden, departing the White House for a bipartisan event in Kentucky with Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell, said “the rest of the world is looking” at the scene on the House floor.“I just think it’s really embarrassing it’s taking so long," Biden said. “I have no idea” who will prevail.Tensions flared among the new House majority as their campaign promises stalled out. Not since 1923 has a speaker's election gone to multiple ballots, and the longest and most grueling fight for the gavel started in late 1855 and dragged out for two months, with 133 ballots, during debates over slavery in the run-up to the Civil War.A new generation of conservative Republicans, many aligned with Trump’s Make America Great Again agenda, want to upend business as usual in Washington, and were committed to stopping McCarthy’s rise without concessions to their priorities.But even Trump's strongest supporters disagreed on this issue. Rep. Lauren Boebert, a firm Colorado conservative who nominated Donalds the second time, called on the former president to tell McCarthy, “`Sir, you do not have the votes and it’s time to withdraw.”Earlier Wednesday, Trump had done the opposite, urging Republicans to vote for McCarthy. “Close the deal, take the victory," he wrote on his social media site, using all capital letters. “Do not turn a great triumph into a giant &amp; embarrassing defeat.”As the spectacle of voting dragged on, McCarthy's backers implored the holdouts to fall in line for the California Republican.“I do think members on both sides of this are getting a lot of pressure now,” said Rep. Tom Cole, R-Okla. “So I think the message from home is, ‘Hey, sort this stuff out, we don’t have time for the small stuff and the egos.’”The standoff over McCarthy has been building since Republicans won the House majority in the midterm elections. While the Senate remains in Democratic hands, barely, House Republicans are eager to confront Biden after two years of the Democrats controlling both houses of Congress. The conservative Freedom Caucus led the opposition to McCarthy, believing he’s neither conservative enough nor tough enough to battle Democrats.To win support, McCarthy has already agreed to many of the demands of the Freedom Caucus, who have been agitating for rules changes and other concessions that give rank-and-file members more influence in the legislative process. He has been here before, having bowed out of the speakers race in 2015 when he failed to win over conservatives."Everything’s on the table," said ally Rep. Patrick McHenry, R-N.C. — except, he said, having McCarthy step aside. “Not at all. That is not on the table.”Democrats enthusiastically nominated Jeffries, who is taking over as party leader, as their choice for speaker. He won the most votes overall, 212.If McCarthy could win 213 votes, and then persuade the remaining naysayers to simply vote present, he would be able to lower the threshold required under the rules to have the majority.It's a strategy former House speakers, including outgoing Democratic Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Republican Speaker John Boehner had used when they confronted opposition, winning the gavel with fewer than 218 votes.One Republican, Rep. Victoria Spartz of Indiana, voted present in the fourth and fifth rounds, but it made no difference in the immediate outcome.

GOP in disarray: Historic standoff over speaker of the House

BEIJING (AP) — The Chinese government sharply criticized COVID-19 testing requirements imposed on visitors from China and threatened countermeasures against countries involved, which include the U.S. and several European nations.

“We believe that the entry restrictions adopted by some countries targeting China lack scientific basis, and some excessive practices are even more unacceptable,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily briefing Tuesday.

“We are firmly opposed to attempts to manipulate the COVID measures for political purposes and will take countermeasures based on the principle of reciprocity,” she said. Mao did not specify what steps China might take.

The comments were China's sharpest to date on the issue. Australia and Canada this week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-health-covid-19-pandemic-china-disease-outbreaks-b737daff7bc8da5a79c8b306395d1995?ref=biztoc.com">joined a growing list of countries</a>&nbsp;requiring travelers from China to take a COVID-19 test prior to boarding their flight, as China battles a nationwide outbreak of the coronavirus after abruptly easing restrictions that were in place for much of the pandemic.

Other countries including the U.S., U.K., India, Japan and several European nations have announced tougher COVID-19 measures on travelers from China amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-china-disease-outbreaks-covid-19-pandemic-guangzhou-01318eb4fc58a0515d8e8bd1577e385d">concerns over a lack of data</a>&nbsp;on infections in China and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-china-covid-306b688d84e31a9462f82d0ead1f4584">fears of the possibility that new variants</a>&nbsp;may emerge.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said “there’s no cause for retaliation” by Beijing for countries “taking prudent health measures to protect their citizens” with COVID-related restrictions on travelers coming from China. She added that restrictions were “based on public health and science.”

“This is something that all of us, (and) other countries are doing to make sure that we are protecting our citizens here,” Jean-Pierre said.

French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne defended the tests. Starting Wednesday, anyone flying from China to France will have to present a negative virus test taken within the previous 48 hours and be subject to random testing on arrival.

“We are in our role, my government is in its role, protecting the French,” Borne said Tuesday on France-Info radio.

The U.K. will require that passengers from China take a COVID test before boarding the plane from Thursday. Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the requirement is for “collecting information” because Beijing isn't sharing coronavirus data.

Health officials will test a sample of passengers when they arrive in the U.K., but no quarantine is required for those who test positive, he said.

“The policy for arrivals from China is primarily about collecting information that the Chinese government is not sharing with the international community,” Harper told the LBC radio station on Tuesday.

Sweden’s Public Health Agency said Tuesday that it had urged the government to require travelers from China to present a recent negative COVID-19 test.

The statement from the agency comes as Sweden, which has taken over EU’s rotating presidency, has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-health-china-europe-european-union-efc7a23f79beea4ac2dc313b18df45f2">called a meeting of the EU’s crisis management mechanism</a>&nbsp;for Wednesday to try to agree on a common European line.

The Swedish government “is preparing to be able to introduce travel restrictions. At the same time, we are conducting a dialogue with our European colleagues to get the same rules as possible in the EU,” Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer said in a statement.

Austria, too, plans to test the wastewater of all planes arriving from China for new variants of the coronavirus, the Austria Press Agency reported Tuesday, following a similar announcement by Belgium a day earlier.

Chinese health officials said last week that they had submitted data to GISAID, a global platform for sharing coronavirus data.

The versions of the virus fueling infections in China “closely resemble” those that have been seen in different parts of the world between July and December, GISAID said Monday.

Dr. Gagandeep Kang, who studies viruses in the Christian Medical College of Vellore in India, said that the information from China, albeit limited, seemed to suggest that “the pattern was holding” and that there wasn’t any sign of a worrisome variant emerging.

Mao, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said that health authorities had recently held a video conference with the WHO to exchange views on the current COVID situation, medical treatment, vaccination and other technical issues, and agreed to continue technical exchanges to help end the pandemic as soon as possible.

A senior Hong Kong official also criticized the steps taken by some other countries. Some countries have applied the requirements to passengers from Hong Kong and Macao, both semiautonomous Chinese territories, as well as mainland China.

Hong Kong Chief Secretary Eric Chan said in a Facebook post that the government had written to various consulates on Monday to express its concerns over the “unnecessary and inappropriate” rules.

Some Canadian experts have questioned the effectiveness of the testing. Kerry Bowman, assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, said that people can test positive long after entering the country.

The requirement is “not based on science at this point,” he said after Canada announced measures last weekend.

China, which for most of the pandemic adopted a “zero-COVID” strategy that imposed harsh restrictions aimed at stamping out the virus,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-business-china-covid-economy-e5559f6062cf052a71ad6ba1ceece693">abruptly eased those measures</a>&nbsp;in December.

Chinese authorities previously said that from Jan. 8, overseas travelers would no longer need to quarantine upon arriving in China, paving the way for Chinese residents to travel.

BEIJING (AP) — Beijing blasted COVID-19 testing requirements imposed on passengers from China and threatened countermeasures against countries involved, which include the U.S. and several European nations.

“We believe that the entry restrictions adopted by some countries targeting China lack scientific basis, and some excessive practices are even more unacceptable," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily briefing Tuesday.

“We are firmly opposed to attempts to manipulate the COVID measures for political purposes and will take countermeasures based on the principle of reciprocity," she said.

Australia and Canada this week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-health-covid-19-pandemic-china-disease-outbreaks-b737daff7bc8da5a79c8b306395d1995?ref=biztoc.com">joined a growing list of countries</a>&nbsp;requiring travelers from China to take a COVID-19 test prior to boarding their flight, as China battles a nationwide outbreak of the coronavirus after abruptly easing restrictions that were in place for much of the pandemic.

Other countries including the U.S., U.K., India, Japan and several European nations have announced tougher COVID-19 measures on Chinese travelers amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-china-disease-outbreaks-covid-19-pandemic-guangzhou-01318eb4fc58a0515d8e8bd1577e385d">concerns over a lack of data</a>&nbsp;on infections in China and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-china-covid-306b688d84e31a9462f82d0ead1f4584">fears of the possibility that new variants</a>&nbsp;may spread.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672859603246.png" alt="White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said “there’s no cause for retaliation” by Beijing for countries “taking prudent health measures to protect their citizens”" />
 <figcaption>White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said “there’s no cause for retaliation” by Beijing for countries “taking prudent health measures to protect their citizens”</figcaption>
 </figure>BEIJING (AP) — The Chinese government sharply criticized COVID-19 testing requirements imposed on visitors from China and threatened countermeasures against countries involved, which include the U.S. and several European nations.“We believe that the entry restrictions adopted by some countries targeting China lack scientific basis, and some excessive practices are even more unacceptable,” Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily briefing Tuesday.“We are firmly opposed to attempts to manipulate the COVID measures for political purposes and will take countermeasures based on the principle of reciprocity,” she said. Mao did not specify what steps China might take.The comments were China's sharpest to date on the issue. Australia and Canada this week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-health-covid-19-pandemic-china-disease-outbreaks-b737daff7bc8da5a79c8b306395d1995?ref=biztoc.com">joined a growing list of countries</a>&nbsp;requiring travelers from China to take a COVID-19 test prior to boarding their flight, as China battles a nationwide outbreak of the coronavirus after abruptly easing restrictions that were in place for much of the pandemic.Other countries including the U.S., U.K., India, Japan and several European nations have announced tougher COVID-19 measures on travelers from China amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-china-disease-outbreaks-covid-19-pandemic-guangzhou-01318eb4fc58a0515d8e8bd1577e385d">concerns over a lack of data</a>&nbsp;on infections in China and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-china-covid-306b688d84e31a9462f82d0ead1f4584">fears of the possibility that new variants</a>&nbsp;may emerge.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said “there’s no cause for retaliation” by Beijing for countries “taking prudent health measures to protect their citizens” with COVID-related restrictions on travelers coming from China. She added that restrictions were “based on public health and science.”“This is something that all of us, (and) other countries are doing to make sure that we are protecting our citizens here,” Jean-Pierre said.French Prime Minister Elisabeth Borne defended the tests. Starting Wednesday, anyone flying from China to France will have to present a negative virus test taken within the previous 48 hours and be subject to random testing on arrival.“We are in our role, my government is in its role, protecting the French,” Borne said Tuesday on France-Info radio.The U.K. will require that passengers from China take a COVID test before boarding the plane from Thursday. Transport Secretary Mark Harper said the requirement is for “collecting information” because Beijing isn't sharing coronavirus data.Health officials will test a sample of passengers when they arrive in the U.K., but no quarantine is required for those who test positive, he said.“The policy for arrivals from China is primarily about collecting information that the Chinese government is not sharing with the international community,” Harper told the LBC radio station on Tuesday.Sweden’s Public Health Agency said Tuesday that it had urged the government to require travelers from China to present a recent negative COVID-19 test.The statement from the agency comes as Sweden, which has taken over EU’s rotating presidency, has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-health-china-europe-european-union-efc7a23f79beea4ac2dc313b18df45f2">called a meeting of the EU’s crisis management mechanism</a>&nbsp;for Wednesday to try to agree on a common European line.The Swedish government “is preparing to be able to introduce travel restrictions. At the same time, we are conducting a dialogue with our European colleagues to get the same rules as possible in the EU,” Justice Minister Gunnar Strömmer said in a statement.Austria, too, plans to test the wastewater of all planes arriving from China for new variants of the coronavirus, the Austria Press Agency reported Tuesday, following a similar announcement by Belgium a day earlier.Chinese health officials said last week that they had submitted data to GISAID, a global platform for sharing coronavirus data.The versions of the virus fueling infections in China “closely resemble” those that have been seen in different parts of the world between July and December, GISAID said Monday.Dr. Gagandeep Kang, who studies viruses in the Christian Medical College of Vellore in India, said that the information from China, albeit limited, seemed to suggest that “the pattern was holding” and that there wasn’t any sign of a worrisome variant emerging.Mao, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, said that health authorities had recently held a video conference with the WHO to exchange views on the current COVID situation, medical treatment, vaccination and other technical issues, and agreed to continue technical exchanges to help end the pandemic as soon as possible.A senior Hong Kong official also criticized the steps taken by some other countries. Some countries have applied the requirements to passengers from Hong Kong and Macao, both semiautonomous Chinese territories, as well as mainland China.Hong Kong Chief Secretary Eric Chan said in a Facebook post that the government had written to various consulates on Monday to express its concerns over the “unnecessary and inappropriate” rules.Some Canadian experts have questioned the effectiveness of the testing. Kerry Bowman, assistant professor at the University of Toronto’s Temerty Faculty of Medicine, said that people can test positive long after entering the country.The requirement is “not based on science at this point,” he said after Canada announced measures last weekend.China, which for most of the pandemic adopted a “zero-COVID” strategy that imposed harsh restrictions aimed at stamping out the virus,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-business-china-covid-economy-e5559f6062cf052a71ad6ba1ceece693">abruptly eased those measures</a>&nbsp;in December.Chinese authorities previously said that from Jan. 8, overseas travelers would no longer need to quarantine upon arriving in China, paving the way for Chinese residents to travel.___BEIJING (AP) — Beijing blasted COVID-19 testing requirements imposed on passengers from China and threatened countermeasures against countries involved, which include the U.S. and several European nations.“We believe that the entry restrictions adopted by some countries targeting China lack scientific basis, and some excessive practices are even more unacceptable," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning said at a daily briefing Tuesday.“We are firmly opposed to attempts to manipulate the COVID measures for political purposes and will take countermeasures based on the principle of reciprocity," she said.Australia and Canada this week&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-health-covid-19-pandemic-china-disease-outbreaks-b737daff7bc8da5a79c8b306395d1995?ref=biztoc.com">joined a growing list of countries</a>&nbsp;requiring travelers from China to take a COVID-19 test prior to boarding their flight, as China battles a nationwide outbreak of the coronavirus after abruptly easing restrictions that were in place for much of the pandemic.Other countries including the U.S., U.K., India, Japan and several European nations have announced tougher COVID-19 measures on Chinese travelers amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-china-disease-outbreaks-covid-19-pandemic-guangzhou-01318eb4fc58a0515d8e8bd1577e385d">concerns over a lack of data</a>&nbsp;on infections in China and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-china-covid-306b688d84e31a9462f82d0ead1f4584">fears of the possibility that new variants</a>&nbsp;may spread.China, which for most of the pandemic adopted a “zero-COVID” strategy that imposed harsh restrictions aimed at stamping out the virus,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-business-china-covid-economy-e5559f6062cf052a71ad6ba1ceece693">abruptly eased those measures</a>&nbsp;in December.Chinese authorities previously said that from Jan. 8, overseas travelers would no longer need to quarantine upon arriving in China, paving the way for Chinese residents to travel.

White House defends COVID restrictions after threats from China 

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly Wednesday announced that&nbsp;a&nbsp;new&nbsp;veterans&nbsp;home&nbsp;serving Northeast Kansas will be built&nbsp;in&nbsp;Topeka&nbsp;adjacent to the&nbsp;Colmery-O’Neill&nbsp;United States Department of&nbsp;Veterans&nbsp;Affairs (VA)&nbsp;Medical Center.&nbsp;

“As the daughter of a&nbsp;Purple Heart recipient, I&nbsp;am&nbsp;committed to honoring the service of Kansas’ veterans and their families,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“Kansas increased our investment&nbsp;in&nbsp;and relentlessly pursued federal funding for this project, and we&nbsp;are&nbsp;now one&nbsp;step closer to ensuring&nbsp;service members across the region&nbsp;have&nbsp;the&nbsp;support and care they&nbsp;deserve.”&nbsp;

This&nbsp;home will include 72 private rooms, divided into “households” and “neighborhoods” to&nbsp;increase community and&nbsp;to&nbsp;provide essential resources and amenities, including therapy,&nbsp;medical care, and a chapel and meditation room.&nbsp;One of the households, consisting of 18 beds,&nbsp;will be a dedicated unit for memory care.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Construction of the home is dependent on funding from the federal VA.&nbsp;It is anticipated that the VA will announce the priority list of the projects to be funded through the grant program for the next fiscal year in Spring 2023, at which time Kansas will learn if its project has been selected for a construction grant in fiscal year 2024.&nbsp;

The Topeka location was chosen among six properties submitted for consideration.&nbsp;The decision was made after a stakeholder engagement process, including representatives from Veterans Service Organizations. Feedback was reviewed and potential properties&nbsp;were&nbsp;then scored for a final selection.&nbsp;

“After much deliberation, our panel chose Topeka foremost because of its centralized location to better support our Veteran population in NE Kansas, but also because of its proximity to VA services, medical care, and local amenities that will help Kansas veterans feel at home,”&nbsp;said&nbsp;Director Brigadier General&nbsp;(Retired)&nbsp;Turner.&nbsp;“We’re looking forward to continuing to move these plans forward and see this project come to fruition.”&nbsp;

The&nbsp;veterans&nbsp;home&nbsp;is estimated to cost $49 million, with bipartisan state leaders already securing the $17.2 million in matching funds required by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1672861940956.png" alt="Construction of the home is dependent on funding from the federal VA.-google image" />
 <figcaption>Construction of the home is dependent on funding from the federal VA.-google image</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly Wednesday announced that&nbsp;a&nbsp;new&nbsp;veterans&nbsp;home&nbsp;serving Northeast Kansas will be built&nbsp;in&nbsp;Topeka&nbsp;adjacent to the&nbsp;Colmery-O’Neill&nbsp;United States Department of&nbsp;Veterans&nbsp;Affairs (VA)&nbsp;Medical Center.&nbsp;“As the daughter of a&nbsp;Purple Heart recipient, I&nbsp;am&nbsp;committed to honoring the service of Kansas’ veterans and their families,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“Kansas increased our investment&nbsp;in&nbsp;and relentlessly pursued federal funding for this project, and we&nbsp;are&nbsp;now one&nbsp;step closer to ensuring&nbsp;service members across the region&nbsp;have&nbsp;the&nbsp;support and care they&nbsp;deserve.”&nbsp;This&nbsp;home will include 72 private rooms, divided into “households” and “neighborhoods” to&nbsp;increase community and&nbsp;to&nbsp;provide essential resources and amenities, including therapy,&nbsp;medical care, and a chapel and meditation room.&nbsp;One of the households, consisting of 18 beds,&nbsp;will be a dedicated unit for memory care.&nbsp;&nbsp;Construction of the home is dependent on funding from the federal VA.&nbsp;It is anticipated that the VA will announce the priority list of the projects to be funded through the grant program for the next fiscal year in Spring 2023, at which time Kansas will learn if its project has been selected for a construction grant in fiscal year 2024.&nbsp;The Topeka location was chosen among six properties submitted for consideration.&nbsp;The decision was made after a stakeholder engagement process, including representatives from Veterans Service Organizations. Feedback was reviewed and potential properties&nbsp;were&nbsp;then scored for a final selection.&nbsp;“After much deliberation, our panel chose Topeka foremost because of its centralized location to better support our Veteran population in NE Kansas, but also because of its proximity to VA services, medical care, and local amenities that will help Kansas veterans feel at home,”&nbsp;said&nbsp;Director Brigadier General&nbsp;(Retired)&nbsp;Turner.&nbsp;“We’re looking forward to continuing to move these plans forward and see this project come to fruition.”&nbsp;The&nbsp;veterans&nbsp;home&nbsp;is estimated to cost $49 million, with bipartisan state leaders already securing the $17.2 million in matching funds required by the United States Department of Veterans Affairs.&nbsp;&nbsp;