NEW YORK (AP) — The longtime head of the National Rifle Association said Friday he is resigning, just days before the start of a civil trial over allegations he diverted millions of dollars from the powerful gun rights organization to pay for personal travel and other lavish perks.

Wayne LaPierre, the executive vice president and chief executive officer, said his departure is effective Jan. 31. The trial in New York Attorney General Letitia James' lawsuit against him, the NRA and others who have served as organization executives is scheduled to start on Monday. LaPierre and ex-NRA President Oliver North are among the witnesses expected to testify.

LaPierre, 74, has led&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/national-rifle-association">the NRA</a>&nbsp;’s day-to-day operations since 1991, acting as the face and vehement voice of its gun rights agenda. He once warned of “jack-booted government thugs” seizing guns, called for armed guards in every school after a spate of shootings, and condemned foes backing gun control measures as “opportunists” who “exploit tragedy for gain.”

In recent years though, the NRA has been beset by dwindling membership and financial troubles, along with lingering questions about LaPierre's leadership and spending. One of LaPierre’s top lieutenants, Andrew Arulanandam, will assume his roles on an interim basis, the organization said.

Phillip Journey, a former NRA board member who is set to testify at the upcoming trial in New York, said LaPierre’s resignation doesn’t resolve the open questions before the court nor remedy what he sees as persistent rot within the gun lobbying group. “Honestly, the grifters are a snake with many heads and this is just one,” said Journey, a Kansas judge who’s running to retake a seat on the NRA’s board.

Journey also testified at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nra-bankruptcy-dismissed-a281b888b64d391374f24539a820d60f">NRA’s bankruptcy trial in Texas</a>&nbsp;and said he anticipates there is enough evidence for the New York attorney general to prove her case. “It’s a tragic end to a career that had many high points,” Journey said of LaPierre stepping down. “It’s one of his own making.”

“With pride in all that we have accomplished, I am announcing my resignation from the NRA,” LaPierre said in a statement released by the organization. “I’ve been a card-carrying member of this organization for most of my adult life, and I will never stop supporting the NRA and its fight to defend Second Amendment freedom. My passion for our cause burns as deeply as ever.”

James, a Democrat, accuses LaPierre and other executives of illegally diverting tens of millions of dollars from the NRA and spending organization funds on personal trips, no-show contracts and other questionable expenditures. LaPierre is accused in the lawsuit of spending millions on private jet flights and personal security and accepting expensive gifts — such as African safaris and use of a 107-foot (32-meter) yacht — from vendors.

He is also accused of setting himself up with a $17 million contract with the NRA if he were to exit the organization, spending NRA money on travel consultants, luxury car services, and private jet flights for himself and his family — including more than $500,000 on eight trips to the Bahamas over a three-year span.

James is seeking to ban LaPierre and the other executives from serving in leadership positions of any not-for-profit or charitable organization conducting business in New York, which would effectively remove them from any involvement with the NRA.

Some of the NRA’s excess spending was kept secret, the lawsuit said, under an arrangement with the organization’s former advertising agency, Ackerman McQueen. The advertising firm would pick up the tab for expenses for LaPierre and other NRA executives and then send a lump sum bill to the organization for “out-of-pocket expenses,” the lawsuit said.

LaPierre has defended himself, saying in previous testimony that cruising&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-dallas-parkland-florida-school-shooting-gun-politics-school-shootings-727d30a8cfa50c937012e9de29aa5127">the Bahamas on a yacht was a “security retreat”</a>&nbsp;because he was facing threats after mass shootings. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-dallas-trials-bahamas-gun-politics-6961ee94222eb28e788030d4f9461f61">conceded not reporting the trips</a>&nbsp;on conflict-of-interest forms, testifying: “It’s one of the mistakes I’ve made.”

“He’s been the leading political force of the NRA for over 30 years,” said Robert Spitzer, a political science professor at the State University of New York-Cortland and author several books on gun politics. “He has been the leading edge of the very sharp political voice of the organization.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704484548498.png" alt="Wayne LaPierre during his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in March-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Wayne LaPierre during his speech at the Conservative Political Action Conference in March-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — The longtime head of the National Rifle Association said Friday he is resigning, just days before the start of a civil trial over allegations he diverted millions of dollars from the powerful gun rights organization to pay for personal travel and other lavish perks.Wayne LaPierre, the executive vice president and chief executive officer, said his departure is effective Jan. 31. The trial in New York Attorney General Letitia James' lawsuit against him, the NRA and others who have served as organization executives is scheduled to start on Monday. LaPierre and ex-NRA President Oliver North are among the witnesses expected to testify.LaPierre, 74, has led&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/national-rifle-association">the NRA</a>&nbsp;’s day-to-day operations since 1991, acting as the face and vehement voice of its gun rights agenda. He once warned of “jack-booted government thugs” seizing guns, called for armed guards in every school after a spate of shootings, and condemned foes backing gun control measures as “opportunists” who “exploit tragedy for gain.”In recent years though, the NRA has been beset by dwindling membership and financial troubles, along with lingering questions about LaPierre's leadership and spending. One of LaPierre’s top lieutenants, Andrew Arulanandam, will assume his roles on an interim basis, the organization said.Phillip Journey, a former NRA board member who is set to testify at the upcoming trial in New York, said LaPierre’s resignation doesn’t resolve the open questions before the court nor remedy what he sees as persistent rot within the gun lobbying group. “Honestly, the grifters are a snake with many heads and this is just one,” said Journey, a Kansas judge who’s running to retake a seat on the NRA’s board.Journey also testified at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nra-bankruptcy-dismissed-a281b888b64d391374f24539a820d60f">NRA’s bankruptcy trial in Texas</a>&nbsp;and said he anticipates there is enough evidence for the New York attorney general to prove her case. “It’s a tragic end to a career that had many high points,” Journey said of LaPierre stepping down. “It’s one of his own making.”“With pride in all that we have accomplished, I am announcing my resignation from the NRA,” LaPierre said in a statement released by the organization. “I’ve been a card-carrying member of this organization for most of my adult life, and I will never stop supporting the NRA and its fight to defend Second Amendment freedom. My passion for our cause burns as deeply as ever.”James, a Democrat, accuses LaPierre and other executives of illegally diverting tens of millions of dollars from the NRA and spending organization funds on personal trips, no-show contracts and other questionable expenditures. LaPierre is accused in the lawsuit of spending millions on private jet flights and personal security and accepting expensive gifts — such as African safaris and use of a 107-foot (32-meter) yacht — from vendors.He is also accused of setting himself up with a $17 million contract with the NRA if he were to exit the organization, spending NRA money on travel consultants, luxury car services, and private jet flights for himself and his family — including more than $500,000 on eight trips to the Bahamas over a three-year span.James is seeking to ban LaPierre and the other executives from serving in leadership positions of any not-for-profit or charitable organization conducting business in New York, which would effectively remove them from any involvement with the NRA.Some of the NRA’s excess spending was kept secret, the lawsuit said, under an arrangement with the organization’s former advertising agency, Ackerman McQueen. The advertising firm would pick up the tab for expenses for LaPierre and other NRA executives and then send a lump sum bill to the organization for “out-of-pocket expenses,” the lawsuit said.LaPierre has defended himself, saying in previous testimony that cruising&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-dallas-parkland-florida-school-shooting-gun-politics-school-shootings-727d30a8cfa50c937012e9de29aa5127">the Bahamas on a yacht was a “security retreat”</a>&nbsp;because he was facing threats after mass shootings. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-dallas-trials-bahamas-gun-politics-6961ee94222eb28e788030d4f9461f61">conceded not reporting the trips</a>&nbsp;on conflict-of-interest forms, testifying: “It’s one of the mistakes I’ve made.”“He’s been the leading political force of the NRA for over 30 years,” said Robert Spitzer, a political science professor at the State University of New York-Cortland and author several books on gun politics. “He has been the leading edge of the very sharp political voice of the organization.”

NRA chief resigning days before trial scrutinizing his leadership, spending

LONDON (AP) — Actor-singer David Soul, a 1970s heartthrob who co-starred as the blond half of the crime-fighting duo “Starsky &amp; Hutch” and topped the music charts with the ballad “Don't Give Up on Us," has died at the age of 80.

His wife, Helen Snell, said Friday that “David Soul – beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother – died yesterday after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family."

“He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor, singer, storyteller, creative artist and dear friend," Snell said in a statement. “His smile, laughter and passion for life will be remembered by the many whose lives he has touched.”

Born David Solberg, Soul was a Chicago native whose acting career dated back to the 1960s, when he joined the avant-garde Firehouse Theater in Minnesota. He continued to appear on stage and screen well into the 20th century, but he was best known for his work in the 1970s.

Soul portrayed detective Ken “Hutch” Hutchinson alongside dark-haired Paul Michael Glaser as detective David Starsky in “Starsky &amp; Hutch, which ran on ABC from 1975 to 1979 and grew so popular it spawned a line of children's toys.

He also had success as a singer, starting in 1976 with “Don’t Give Up on Us" and following with such hits as “Going in With My Eyes Open” and “Silver Lady.”

Soul first gained national fame in the 1960s appearing on "The Merv Griffin Show” as “The Covered Man,” a singer disguised in a stocking cap who shouted out lyrics such as “That is why I hide my face, because a man has to be free.”

His other TV credits included early appearances on “Star Trek,” “All in the Family” and “”I Dream of Jeannie," the miniseries “Salem's Lot” and a short-lived version of the film classic “Casablanca,” in which Soul took on Humphrey Bogart's role as nightclub owner Rock Blaine.

Soul's movies included “Magnum Force,” “The Hanoi Hilton” and a cameo with Glaser in the 2004 big-screen remake of “Starsky &amp; Hutch,” starring Ben Stiller as Starsky and Owen Wilson as Hutch.

By the 1990s, Soul had moved to Britain, where he performed several stage roles. In 2001, he won a libel case against a journalist who called “The Dead Monkey,” a play that Soul was in, the worst production he had ever seen - without having seen it. He also played the titular talk-show host in “Jerry Springer - The Opera" in London's West End.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704472879249.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — Actor-singer David Soul, a 1970s heartthrob who co-starred as the blond half of the crime-fighting duo “Starsky &amp; Hutch” and topped the music charts with the ballad “Don't Give Up on Us," has died at the age of 80.His wife, Helen Snell, said Friday that “David Soul – beloved husband, father, grandfather and brother – died yesterday after a valiant battle for life in the loving company of family."“He shared many extraordinary gifts in the world as actor, singer, storyteller, creative artist and dear friend," Snell said in a statement. “His smile, laughter and passion for life will be remembered by the many whose lives he has touched.”Born David Solberg, Soul was a Chicago native whose acting career dated back to the 1960s, when he joined the avant-garde Firehouse Theater in Minnesota. He continued to appear on stage and screen well into the 20th century, but he was best known for his work in the 1970s.Soul portrayed detective Ken “Hutch” Hutchinson alongside dark-haired Paul Michael Glaser as detective David Starsky in “Starsky &amp; Hutch, which ran on ABC from 1975 to 1979 and grew so popular it spawned a line of children's toys.He also had success as a singer, starting in 1976 with “Don’t Give Up on Us" and following with such hits as “Going in With My Eyes Open” and “Silver Lady.”Soul first gained national fame in the 1960s appearing on "The Merv Griffin Show” as “The Covered Man,” a singer disguised in a stocking cap who shouted out lyrics such as “That is why I hide my face, because a man has to be free.”His other TV credits included early appearances on “Star Trek,” “All in the Family” and “”I Dream of Jeannie," the miniseries “Salem's Lot” and a short-lived version of the film classic “Casablanca,” in which Soul took on Humphrey Bogart's role as nightclub owner Rock Blaine.Soul's movies included “Magnum Force,” “The Hanoi Hilton” and a cameo with Glaser in the 2004 big-screen remake of “Starsky &amp; Hutch,” starring Ben Stiller as Starsky and Owen Wilson as Hutch.By the 1990s, Soul had moved to Britain, where he performed several stage roles. In 2001, he won a libel case against a journalist who called “The Dead Monkey,” a play that Soul was in, the worst production he had ever seen - without having seen it. He also played the titular talk-show host in “Jerry Springer - The Opera" in London's West End.

David Soul: Singer, Starsky and Hutch actor dies at 80

PERRY, Iowa (AP) — A teen armed with a shotgun and a handgun unleashed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/perry-high-school-shooting-iowa-1defc6260e074362240a31a7f30cf1b9">terror at an Iowa high school</a>&nbsp;on the first day of classes in the new year, authorities said, killing a sixth grader and wounding five others as people hunkered down in classrooms, barricaded offices and fled the barrage of bullets.

The suspect, a 17-year-old student at the school in Perry, died of what investigators believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound, an Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation official said. An administrator, later identified by his alma mater as Perry High School Principal Dan Marburger, was among those wounded Thursday as students returned from winter break.

Authorities identified the shooter as Dylan Butler but provided no information about a possible motive. Two friends and their mother who spoke with The Associated Press said Butler was a quiet person who had been bullied for years.

Authorities said Butler had a pump-action shotgun and a small-caliber handgun. Mitch Mortvedt, the state investigation division's assistant director, said during a news conference that authorities also found a “pretty rudimentary” improvised explosive device and rendered it safe.

A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation said federal and state investigators were interviewing Butler’s friends and analyzing Butler’s social media profiles, including posts on TikTok and Reddit.

Shortly before Thursday’s shooting, Butler posted a photo on TikTok inside the bathroom of Perry High School, the official said. The photo was captioned “now we wait” and the song “Stray Bullet” by the German band KMFDM accompanied it. Investigators have also found other photos Butler posted posing with firearms, according to the official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.

Sisters Yesenia Roeder and Khamya Hall, both 17, said alongside their mother, Alita, that Butler was bullied relentlessly since elementary school, but it escalated recently when his younger sister started getting picked on, too.

“He was hurting. He got tired. He got tired of the bullying. He got tired of the harassment," Yesenia Roeder Hall said. "Was it a smart idea to shoot up the school? No. God, no.”

Calls to Perry Community Schools' Superintendent Clark Wicks, as well as school board members, were unanswered Thursday, and an emailed request for comment was not immediately returned.

Police arrived within minutes after an active shooter was reported at 7:37 a.m. Thursday, authorities said.

Perry High School senior Ava Augustus was awaiting a counselor in a school office when she heard three shots. Unable to flee through a small window, she and others barricaded the door and were ready to throw things if necessary.

“And then we hear ‘He’s down. You can go out,’” Augustus said through tears. ”And I run and you can just see glass everywhere, blood on the floor. I get to my car and they’re taking a girl out of the auditorium who had been shot in her leg.”

Three gunshot victims were treated at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, a spokesperson said. Others were taken to a second hospital, a spokesperson for MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center confirmed.

Mortvedt said one person was in critical condition but the injuries didn't appear to be life-threatening, and the others were stable.

In a Facebook post, Marburger's daughter said he was in “surgery all day, and is currently stable.”

Claire Marburger called her father a “gentle giant” who would want more attention on the other victims and their families, and less on himself.

On Thursday night, hundreds of people gathered for a candlelight prayer vigil at a park where hours earlier, students had been brought to reunite with their families after the shooting. Bundled up against freezing temperatures, they listened to clergy from many faiths and heard a message of hope in both English and Spanish.

A post on the high school's Facebook page said it would be closed Friday and counseling services would be available for students, faculty and others in the community.

“This senseless tragedy has shaken our entire state to its core,” Gov. Kim Reynolds said.

In Washington, President Joe Biden and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland were briefed on the shooting.

Mass shootings across the U.S. have long brought calls for stricter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gun-politics">gun laws</a>&nbsp;from gun safety advocates, and Thursday's did within hours. But the idea has been a non-starter for many Republicans, particularly in rural, GOP-leaning states like Iowa, which will hold its first-in-the-nation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-iowa-caucus-works-2024-democrats-republicans-592ab40b9b9b948c0540f2cf132bab5c">presidential caucuses</a>&nbsp;Jan. 15.

As of July 2021, Iowa&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ia-state-wire-iowa-gun-politics-business-laws-656a5ba4382a64f2d93790f56050ce3c">does not require a permit</a>&nbsp;to purchase a handgun or carry a firearm in public, but it does mandate a background check for anyone buying a handgun without a permit.

Perry has about 8,000 residents and is about 40 miles (65 kilometers) northwest of Des Moines, on the edge of the state capital’s metropolitan area. It is home to a large pork-processing plant and low-slung, single-story homes spread among trees now shorn of their leaves by winter. The high school and middle school are connected, sitting on the east edge of town.

The high school is part of the 1,785-student Perry Community School District. Perry is more diverse than Iowa as a whole. Census figures show 31% of its residents are Hispanic, compared with less than 7% statewide. Those figures also show nearly 19% of the town’s residents were born outside the U.S.

Zander Shelley, 15, was in a hallway when he heard shots and dashed into a classroom, according to his father, Kevin Shelley. Zander was grazed twice and hid in the classroom before texting his father.

Kevin Shelley, who drives a garbage truck, told his boss he had to run. “It was the most scared I’ve been in my entire life,” he said.

He later posted a photo on Facebook of his son being treated at the Methodist Medical Center and said the boy was feeling fine.

“I am still shaking,” he added, “and tho I dont show it I’m not OK.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704470490447.png" alt="&nbsp;hundreds of people gathered for a candlelight prayer vigil at a park where hours earlier, students had been brought to reunite with their families-photo courtesy KCCI TF" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;hundreds of people gathered for a candlelight prayer vigil at a park where hours earlier, students had been brought to reunite with their families-photo courtesy KCCI TF</figcaption>
 </figure>PERRY, Iowa (AP) — A teen armed with a shotgun and a handgun unleashed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/perry-high-school-shooting-iowa-1defc6260e074362240a31a7f30cf1b9">terror at an Iowa high school</a>&nbsp;on the first day of classes in the new year, authorities said, killing a sixth grader and wounding five others as people hunkered down in classrooms, barricaded offices and fled the barrage of bullets.The suspect, a 17-year-old student at the school in Perry, died of what investigators believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound, an Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation official said. An administrator, later identified by his alma mater as Perry High School Principal Dan Marburger, was among those wounded Thursday as students returned from winter break.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704402515704.png" alt="First responders at the high school Thursday -photo courtesy KCCI TV" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the high school Thursday -photo courtesy KCCI TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Authorities identified the shooter as Dylan Butler but provided no information about a possible motive. Two friends and their mother who spoke with The Associated Press said Butler was a quiet person who had been bullied for years.Authorities said Butler had a pump-action shotgun and a small-caliber handgun. Mitch Mortvedt, the state investigation division's assistant director, said during a news conference that authorities also found a “pretty rudimentary” improvised explosive device and rendered it safe.A law enforcement official briefed on the investigation said federal and state investigators were interviewing Butler’s friends and analyzing Butler’s social media profiles, including posts on TikTok and Reddit.Shortly before Thursday’s shooting, Butler posted a photo on TikTok inside the bathroom of Perry High School, the official said. The photo was captioned “now we wait” and the song “Stray Bullet” by the German band KMFDM accompanied it. Investigators have also found other photos Butler posted posing with firearms, according to the official, who was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to AP on condition of anonymity.Sisters Yesenia Roeder and Khamya Hall, both 17, said alongside their mother, Alita, that Butler was bullied relentlessly since elementary school, but it escalated recently when his younger sister started getting picked on, too.“He was hurting. He got tired. He got tired of the bullying. He got tired of the harassment," Yesenia Roeder Hall said. "Was it a smart idea to shoot up the school? No. God, no.”Calls to Perry Community Schools' Superintendent Clark Wicks, as well as school board members, were unanswered Thursday, and an emailed request for comment was not immediately returned.Police arrived within minutes after an active shooter was reported at 7:37 a.m. Thursday, authorities said.Perry High School senior Ava Augustus was awaiting a counselor in a school office when she heard three shots. Unable to flee through a small window, she and others barricaded the door and were ready to throw things if necessary.“And then we hear ‘He’s down. You can go out,’” Augustus said through tears. ”And I run and you can just see glass everywhere, blood on the floor. I get to my car and they’re taking a girl out of the auditorium who had been shot in her leg.”Three gunshot victims were treated at Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, a spokesperson said. Others were taken to a second hospital, a spokesperson for MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center confirmed.Mortvedt said one person was in critical condition but the injuries didn't appear to be life-threatening, and the others were stable.In a Facebook post, Marburger's daughter said he was in “surgery all day, and is currently stable.”Claire Marburger called her father a “gentle giant” who would want more attention on the other victims and their families, and less on himself.On Thursday night, hundreds of people gathered for a candlelight prayer vigil at a park where hours earlier, students had been brought to reunite with their families after the shooting. Bundled up against freezing temperatures, they listened to clergy from many faiths and heard a message of hope in both English and Spanish.A post on the high school's Facebook page said it would be closed Friday and counseling services would be available for students, faculty and others in the community.“This senseless tragedy has shaken our entire state to its core,” Gov. Kim Reynolds said.In Washington, President Joe Biden and U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland were briefed on the shooting.Mass shootings across the U.S. have long brought calls for stricter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gun-politics">gun laws</a>&nbsp;from gun safety advocates, and Thursday's did within hours. But the idea has been a non-starter for many Republicans, particularly in rural, GOP-leaning states like Iowa, which will hold its first-in-the-nation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-iowa-caucus-works-2024-democrats-republicans-592ab40b9b9b948c0540f2cf132bab5c">presidential caucuses</a>&nbsp;Jan. 15.As of July 2021, Iowa&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ia-state-wire-iowa-gun-politics-business-laws-656a5ba4382a64f2d93790f56050ce3c">does not require a permit</a>&nbsp;to purchase a handgun or carry a firearm in public, but it does mandate a background check for anyone buying a handgun without a permit.Perry has about 8,000 residents and is about 40 miles (65 kilometers) northwest of Des Moines, on the edge of the state capital’s metropolitan area. It is home to a large pork-processing plant and low-slung, single-story homes spread among trees now shorn of their leaves by winter. The high school and middle school are connected, sitting on the east edge of town.The high school is part of the 1,785-student Perry Community School District. Perry is more diverse than Iowa as a whole. Census figures show 31% of its residents are Hispanic, compared with less than 7% statewide. Those figures also show nearly 19% of the town’s residents were born outside the U.S.Zander Shelley, 15, was in a hallway when he heard shots and dashed into a classroom, according to his father, Kevin Shelley. Zander was grazed twice and hid in the classroom before texting his father.Kevin Shelley, who drives a garbage truck, told his boss he had to run. “It was the most scared I’ve been in my entire life,” he said.He later posted a photo on Facebook of his son being treated at the Methodist Medical Center and said the boy was feeling fine.“I am still shaking,” he added, “and tho I dont show it I’m not OK.”

Candlelight prayer vigil held for victims in Iowa school shooting

By&nbsp;C. Todd Lopez, Department of Defense&nbsp;&nbsp;

U.S. forces in Iraq Thursday conducted a self-defense strike which killed Mushtaq Jawad Kazim al-Jawari, a leader of the Iran-backed Harakat al-Nujaba terrorist group that is operating both in Iraq and Syria, said the Pentagon press secretary.

<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3631953/pentagon-press-secretary-maj-gen-pat-ryder-holds-a-press-briefing/">Click here to read </a>a transcript of the briefing

Al-Jawari, also known as Abu Taqwa, was actively involved in planning and carrying out attacks against American personnel. Abu Taqwa, along with another member of Harakat al-Nujaba, were both killed in a strike that took place around noon, Jan. 4, in Iraq, said Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder during a briefing today.&nbsp;

"It is important to note that the strike was taken in self-defense, that no civilians were harmed, and that no infrastructure or facilities were struck," Ryder said.&nbsp;

The U.S. currently has a military presence in Iraq as part of Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve. The CJTF-OIR mission is to advise, assist and enable partnered forces in the defeat of ISIS within designated areas of Iraq and Syria. Inside Iraq, the U.S. works in partnership with both the Iraqi Security Forces and the Kurdish Security Forces to carry out that mission.&nbsp;

"U.S. forces are in Iraq at the invitation of the government of Iraq," Ryder said. "They're there for one reason, which is to support the defeat-ISIS mission. We'll continue to work very closely with our Iraqi partners when it comes to the safety and security of our forces. When those forces are threatened, just like we would anywhere else in the world, we will maintain the inherent right of self-defense to protect our forces."

The mission to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria has been ongoing for nearly a decade, and Ryder said the successes of CJTF-OIR are worth maintaining.&nbsp;

"It was 10 years ago this coming summer that ISIS was approximately 24 kilometers outside of Baghdad, when we kicked off the counter-ISIS mission after they had subsumed large swaths of Syria and Iraq," Ryder said. "No one wants to see a return of ISIS ... our focus is going to continue to remain on the defeat-ISIS mission. But again, we're not going to hesitate to protect our forces if they're threatened."&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Friday condemned the United States' strike in central Baghdad that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-iran-militia-pmf-airstrike-baghdad-e6cd1c3c7ad16c953495e1d625a1154a">killed a high-ranking militia commander</a>&nbsp;as a violation of Iraqi sovereignty. He reiterated recent calls for withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country.

A U.S. defense official confirmed Thursday that U.S. forces carried out the strike, saying that Abu Taqwa was targeted because he was actively involved in attacks on U.S. personnel. Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, a group of Iranian-backed militias calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has carried out more than 100 attacks on bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria. The group has said the attacks are in retaliation for Washington’s support of Israel and that they aim to push U.S. forces out of Iraq.

Sudani said Friday that the U.S. had bypassed the Iraqi government, which is “the body authorized to impose the law.” He added that the Popular Mobilization Force “represent an official presence affiliated with the state … and an integral part of our armed forces” and that “attacks targeting our security forces go beyond the spirit and letter of the mandate that created the international coalition,” referring to a U.S.-led coalition that assisted in the fight against the Islamic State militant group and maintains forces in Iraq.

He said his government is following up on procedures that would end in the coalition’s withdrawal from Iraq.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704418635503.png" alt="Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder answers questions during a briefing Thursday" />
 <figcaption>Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder answers questions during a briefing Thursday</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;C. Todd Lopez, Department of Defense&nbsp;&nbsp;U.S. forces in Iraq Thursday conducted a self-defense strike which killed Mushtaq Jawad Kazim al-Jawari, a leader of the Iran-backed Harakat al-Nujaba terrorist group that is operating both in Iraq and Syria, said the Pentagon press secretary.<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Transcripts/Transcript/Article/3631953/pentagon-press-secretary-maj-gen-pat-ryder-holds-a-press-briefing/">Click here to read </a>a transcript of the briefingAl-Jawari, also known as Abu Taqwa, was actively involved in planning and carrying out attacks against American personnel. Abu Taqwa, along with another member of Harakat al-Nujaba, were both killed in a strike that took place around noon, Jan. 4, in Iraq, said Air Force Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder during a briefing today.&nbsp;"It is important to note that the strike was taken in self-defense, that no civilians were harmed, and that no infrastructure or facilities were struck," Ryder said.&nbsp;The U.S. currently has a military presence in Iraq as part of Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve. The CJTF-OIR mission is to advise, assist and enable partnered forces in the defeat of ISIS within designated areas of Iraq and Syria. Inside Iraq, the U.S. works in partnership with both the Iraqi Security Forces and the Kurdish Security Forces to carry out that mission.&nbsp;"U.S. forces are in Iraq at the invitation of the government of Iraq," Ryder said. "They're there for one reason, which is to support the defeat-ISIS mission. We'll continue to work very closely with our Iraqi partners when it comes to the safety and security of our forces. When those forces are threatened, just like we would anywhere else in the world, we will maintain the inherent right of self-defense to protect our forces."The mission to defeat ISIS in Iraq and Syria has been ongoing for nearly a decade, and Ryder said the successes of CJTF-OIR are worth maintaining.&nbsp;"It was 10 years ago this coming summer that ISIS was approximately 24 kilometers outside of Baghdad, when we kicked off the counter-ISIS mission after they had subsumed large swaths of Syria and Iraq," Ryder said. "No one wants to see a return of ISIS ... our focus is going to continue to remain on the defeat-ISIS mission. But again, we're not going to hesitate to protect our forces if they're threatened."&nbsp;Meanwhile, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani on Friday condemned the United States' strike in central Baghdad that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iraq-iran-militia-pmf-airstrike-baghdad-e6cd1c3c7ad16c953495e1d625a1154a">killed a high-ranking militia commander</a>&nbsp;as a violation of Iraqi sovereignty. He reiterated recent calls for withdrawal of U.S. troops from the country.A U.S. defense official confirmed Thursday that U.S. forces carried out the strike, saying that Abu Taqwa was targeted because he was actively involved in attacks on U.S. personnel. Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, a group of Iranian-backed militias calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has carried out more than 100 attacks on bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria. The group has said the attacks are in retaliation for Washington’s support of Israel and that they aim to push U.S. forces out of Iraq.Sudani said Friday that the U.S. had bypassed the Iraqi government, which is “the body authorized to impose the law.” He added that the Popular Mobilization Force “represent an official presence affiliated with the state … and an integral part of our armed forces” and that “attacks targeting our security forces go beyond the spirit and letter of the mandate that created the international coalition,” referring to a U.S.-led coalition that assisted in the fight against the Islamic State militant group and maintains forces in Iraq.He said his government is following up on procedures that would end in the coalition’s withdrawal from Iraq.

Pentagon reveals more details on strike that killed terrorist leader

NEW YORK (AP) — A new batch of unsealed documents pertaining to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-court-records-587fa5a6bedf93bc958bdc3a933006bc">Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse</a>&nbsp;of teenage girls was released Thursday, adding several hundred pages to the fountain of information detailing how the financier leveraged connections to the rich, powerful and famous to recruit his victims and cover up his crimes.

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24253996-1424-epstein-documents-combined">Click here to read</a> the documents released 1/4/24 (caution Adult content)

The 19 documents, or about 300 pages, were half as many as the over 40&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-virginia-giuffre-3af500d4788ad45301be426628846d71">released Wednesday</a>. The documents so far — with more to come — were sprinkled with names of celebrities and politicians who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">socialized with Epstein</a>&nbsp;or worked with him in the years before he was publicly accused nearly two decades ago of paying underage girls for sex.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-prince-andrew-bill-clinton-donald-trump-385ccf8d49d337ae4866022877aa9a90">Most of those names were familiar</a>&nbsp;to anyone who has followed the scandal closely, including the criminal trial of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ghislaine-maxwell">Ghislaine Maxwell</a>, who was Epstein's former girlfriend, household manager and chief recruiter of young, vulnerable females.

It was during Maxwell's criminal trial two years ago that Epstein's victims, some of whom aspired to be models or artists, described how he dropped the names of his famous and influential friends to suggest that he was the victims' ticket to reaching their dreams. Maxwell, 62, was convicted of sex-trafficking charges and is serving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-sentencing-aeac127f9cc3811d975ce8e10d171260">a 20-year prison sentence</a>.

The roughly 250 documents being unsealed, starting this week, in one of the lawsuits against Maxwell mostly rehash what has long been known about a man who traveled in elite circles until his July 2019 sex-trafficking arrest left him so cornered that he took his own life in jail.

But they have included a few fresh details about a pyramid of abuse that grew over three decades and damaged dozens of teenage girls and young women.

Among the famous people in Epstein's orbit before he was exposed as a sexual predator were former Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, singer Michael Jackson and magician David Copperfield, according to the accounts of his victims and other witnesses quoted in newly released documents. None of those men were accused of wrongdoing.

There were also repetitions of well-known stories about Britain’s Prince Andrew. He was sued by one of Epstein's victims,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-entertainment-lifestyle-virginia-prince-andrew-60348f70fd605c26c26615ffc5ed5f14">Virginia Giuffre</a>, who said she had sexual encounters with the royal when she was 17. The prince, who denied the allegations,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prince-andrew-virginia-giuffre-lawsuit-settlement-8b04c775aa46f761d81c05ef12e3a94f">settled the lawsuit</a>&nbsp;in 2022.

The court documents being released now are related to a 2015 lawsuit that Giuffre brought against Maxwell. Thousands of pages of documents in that lawsuit had been made public previously, but some sections had been blacked out because of privacy concerns.

U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska ordered last month that those redactions be lifted, mostly because names in the documents had already been made public through news coverage or through other court proceedings.

The documents released Thursday largely focused on legal squabbles over Giuffre’s lawsuit and her connection to a British tabloid reporter whom Maxwell’s lawyers accused of compelling her to fabricate some of her allegations. They didn’t offer much new insight into individuals in Epstein and Maxwell’s world or the sexual abuse they were alleged to have perpetrated.

Among the more interesting documents released Wednesday was the May 2016 deposition of Johanna Sjoberg, who worked as a masseuse in Epstein's household. Sjoberg said she once met Michael Jackson at Epstein’s Palm Beach, Florida, home, but that nothing untoward happened with the late pop icon. Epstein also had homes in Manhattan, New Mexico and the Virgin Islands.

She also described an April 2001 trip to New York in which she said Prince Andrew touched her breast while they posed for a photo at Epstein’s Manhattan town house.

Clinton previously said through a spokesperson that although he traveled on Epstein’s jet several times, he never visited his homes, had no knowledge of his crimes, and hadn’t spoken to him since his conviction. Trump has also said he once thought Epstein was a “terrific guy,” but that they later had a falling-out.

Sjoberg also testified that she once went to a dinner at one of Epstein’s homes that was also attended by magician David Copperfield.

She said Copperfield did magic tricks before asking if she was aware “that girls were getting paid to find other girls.” One allegation against Epstein and Maxwell was that some girls he paid for sexual acts later recruited other victims. Sjoberg said Copperfield didn’t get more specific about what he meant. A Copperfield publicist didn't respond to an email seeking comment.

The newly released records also include many references to Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent who was close to Epstein and who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-arts-and-entertainment-paris-jeffrey-epstein-edfbdb84c6cdd5f736ac7e1c2bac657b">killed himself in a Paris jail</a>&nbsp;in 2022 while awaiting trial on charges that he raped underage girls. Giuffre was among the women who accused Brunel of sexual abuse.

Separately, Brunel’s estate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24253769-lawsuit-against-estate-of-jean-luc-brunel?responsive=1&amp;title=1">was sued this week</a>&nbsp;by a woman who alleges that he and others sexually assaulted her while she was working as a model in New York. She says that on one occasion, she was driven to a home in Canada and kept there for several days while men abused her. The lawsuit, filed in state court in California, does not mention Epstein or Maxwell.

More documents were expected to be released on Friday and Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704416234390.png" alt="FILE — Audrey Strauss, acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, points to a photo of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell during a news conference, July 2, 2020, in New York. Social media is abuzz with news that a judge is about to release a list of “clients,” or “associates” or maybe “co-conspirators,” of Jeffrey Epstein, the jet-setting financier who killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. While some previously sealed court records are indeed being made public, the great majority of the people whose names appear in those documents are not accused of any wrongdoing. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE — Audrey Strauss, acting United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, points to a photo of Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell during a news conference, July 2, 2020, in New York. Social media is abuzz with news that a judge is about to release a list of “clients,” or “associates” or maybe “co-conspirators,” of Jeffrey Epstein, the jet-setting financier who killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges. While some previously sealed court records are indeed being made public, the great majority of the people whose names appear in those documents are not accused of any wrongdoing. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — A new batch of unsealed documents pertaining to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-court-records-587fa5a6bedf93bc958bdc3a933006bc">Jeffrey Epstein’s sexual abuse</a>&nbsp;of teenage girls was released Thursday, adding several hundred pages to the fountain of information detailing how the financier leveraged connections to the rich, powerful and famous to recruit his victims and cover up his crimes.<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24253996-1424-epstein-documents-combined">Click here to read</a> the documents released 1/4/24 (caution Adult content)The 19 documents, or about 300 pages, were half as many as the over 40&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-virginia-giuffre-3af500d4788ad45301be426628846d71">released Wednesday</a>. The documents so far — with more to come — were sprinkled with names of celebrities and politicians who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">socialized with Epstein</a>&nbsp;or worked with him in the years before he was publicly accused nearly two decades ago of paying underage girls for sex.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-prince-andrew-bill-clinton-donald-trump-385ccf8d49d337ae4866022877aa9a90">Most of those names were familiar</a>&nbsp;to anyone who has followed the scandal closely, including the criminal trial of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ghislaine-maxwell">Ghislaine Maxwell</a>, who was Epstein's former girlfriend, household manager and chief recruiter of young, vulnerable females.It was during Maxwell's criminal trial two years ago that Epstein's victims, some of whom aspired to be models or artists, described how he dropped the names of his famous and influential friends to suggest that he was the victims' ticket to reaching their dreams. Maxwell, 62, was convicted of sex-trafficking charges and is serving&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-sentencing-aeac127f9cc3811d975ce8e10d171260">a 20-year prison sentence</a>.The roughly 250 documents being unsealed, starting this week, in one of the lawsuits against Maxwell mostly rehash what has long been known about a man who traveled in elite circles until his July 2019 sex-trafficking arrest left him so cornered that he took his own life in jail.But they have included a few fresh details about a pyramid of abuse that grew over three decades and damaged dozens of teenage girls and young women.Among the famous people in Epstein's orbit before he was exposed as a sexual predator were former Presidents Donald Trump and Bill Clinton, singer Michael Jackson and magician David Copperfield, according to the accounts of his victims and other witnesses quoted in newly released documents. None of those men were accused of wrongdoing.There were also repetitions of well-known stories about Britain’s Prince Andrew. He was sued by one of Epstein's victims,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-entertainment-lifestyle-virginia-prince-andrew-60348f70fd605c26c26615ffc5ed5f14">Virginia Giuffre</a>, who said she had sexual encounters with the royal when she was 17. The prince, who denied the allegations,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prince-andrew-virginia-giuffre-lawsuit-settlement-8b04c775aa46f761d81c05ef12e3a94f">settled the lawsuit</a>&nbsp;in 2022.The court documents being released now are related to a 2015 lawsuit that Giuffre brought against Maxwell. Thousands of pages of documents in that lawsuit had been made public previously, but some sections had been blacked out because of privacy concerns.U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska ordered last month that those redactions be lifted, mostly because names in the documents had already been made public through news coverage or through other court proceedings.The documents released Thursday largely focused on legal squabbles over Giuffre’s lawsuit and her connection to a British tabloid reporter whom Maxwell’s lawyers accused of compelling her to fabricate some of her allegations. They didn’t offer much new insight into individuals in Epstein and Maxwell’s world or the sexual abuse they were alleged to have perpetrated.Among the more interesting documents released Wednesday was the May 2016 deposition of Johanna Sjoberg, who worked as a masseuse in Epstein's household. Sjoberg said she once met Michael Jackson at Epstein’s Palm Beach, Florida, home, but that nothing untoward happened with the late pop icon. Epstein also had homes in Manhattan, New Mexico and the Virgin Islands.She also described an April 2001 trip to New York in which she said Prince Andrew touched her breast while they posed for a photo at Epstein’s Manhattan town house.Clinton previously said through a spokesperson that although he traveled on Epstein’s jet several times, he never visited his homes, had no knowledge of his crimes, and hadn’t spoken to him since his conviction. Trump has also said he once thought Epstein was a “terrific guy,” but that they later had a falling-out.Sjoberg also testified that she once went to a dinner at one of Epstein’s homes that was also attended by magician David Copperfield.She said Copperfield did magic tricks before asking if she was aware “that girls were getting paid to find other girls.” One allegation against Epstein and Maxwell was that some girls he paid for sexual acts later recruited other victims. Sjoberg said Copperfield didn’t get more specific about what he meant. A Copperfield publicist didn't respond to an email seeking comment.The newly released records also include many references to Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent who was close to Epstein and who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-arts-and-entertainment-paris-jeffrey-epstein-edfbdb84c6cdd5f736ac7e1c2bac657b">killed himself in a Paris jail</a>&nbsp;in 2022 while awaiting trial on charges that he raped underage girls. Giuffre was among the women who accused Brunel of sexual abuse.Separately, Brunel’s estate&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24253769-lawsuit-against-estate-of-jean-luc-brunel?responsive=1&amp;title=1">was sued this week</a>&nbsp;by a woman who alleges that he and others sexually assaulted her while she was working as a model in New York. She says that on one occasion, she was driven to a home in Canada and kept there for several days while men abused her. The lawsuit, filed in state court in California, does not mention Epstein or Maxwell.More documents were expected to be released on Friday and Monday.___

Read 2nd batch of Epstein documents released Thursday

WASHINGTON (AP) — An armed unmanned surface vessel launched from Houthi-controlled Yemen got within a “couple of miles” of U.S. Navy and commercial vessels in the Red Sea before detonating on Thursday, just hours after the White House and a host of partner nations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-israel-hamas-houthis-red-sea-fef8d446852b6eae33d38ffd8f6b2d64">issued a “final warning”</a>&nbsp;to the Iran-backed militia group to cease the attacks or face potential military action.

Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Navy operations in the Middle East, said it was the first time the Houthis had used an unmanned surface vessel, or USV, since their harassment of commercial ships in the Red Sea began after the outbreak of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>. They have, however, used them in years past.

Fabian Hinz, a missile expert and research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said the USV’s are a key part of the Houthi maritime arsenal and were used during previous battles against the Saudi coalition forces that intervened in Yemen's war. They have regularly been used as suicide drone boats that explode upon impact.

Most of the Houthis’ USVs are likely assembled in Yemen but often fitted with components made in Iran, such as computerized guidance systems, Hinz said.

At the United Nations, U.S. deputy ambassador Christopher Lu said at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-un-yemen-houthis-shipping-red-sea-08d42a18873ce55979c755ea1a9cc1b5">emergency Security Council meeting</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday that Iran has supplied the Houthis with money and advanced weapons systems, including drones, land attack cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. He said Iran also has been deeply involved in planning the Houthis' attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.

He said the United States isn’t seeking a confrontation with Iran, but Tehran has a choice.

“It can continue its current course,” Lu said, “or it can withhold its support without which the Houthis would struggle to effectively track and strike commercial vessels navigating shipping lanes through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.”

This raises questions as to whether any action against the Houthis would also address Iran's role in any way, which could risk widening the conflict.

A statement Wednesday signed by the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom gave the Houthis what a senior Biden administration official described as a final warning.

“Let our message now be clear: we call for the immediate end of these illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews,” the countries said in the statement. “The Houthis will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and free flow of commerce in the region’s critical waterways.”

Since late October, the Houthis have launched scores of one-way attack drones and missiles at commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea. U.S. Navy warships have also intercepted ballistic missiles the Pentagon says were headed toward Israel. Cooper said a total of 61 missiles and drones have been shot down by U.S. warships.

In response to the Houthi attacks, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in December announced Operation Prosperity Guardian, with the United States and other countries sending additional ships to the southern Red Sea to provide protection for commercial vessels passing through the critical Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Cooper said 1,500 commercial ships have been able to transit safely since the operation was launched on Dec. 18.

However, the Houthis have continued to launch missiles and attack drones, prompting the White House and 12 allies to issue what amounted to a final warning Wednesday to cease their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-shipping-houthi-attacks-drones-missiles-1acc4ca5ebcaf6fee932a2061d451f59">attacks on vessels in the Red Sea</a>&nbsp;or face potential targeted military action.

Cooper said Operation Prosperity Guardian was solely defensive in nature and separate from any military action the U.S. might take if the Houthi attacks continue.

The U.S., United Kingdom and France are providing most of the warships now, and Greece and Denmark will also be providing vessels, he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699124273212.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — An armed unmanned surface vessel launched from Houthi-controlled Yemen got within a “couple of miles” of U.S. Navy and commercial vessels in the Red Sea before detonating on Thursday, just hours after the White House and a host of partner nations&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-israel-hamas-houthis-red-sea-fef8d446852b6eae33d38ffd8f6b2d64">issued a “final warning”</a>&nbsp;to the Iran-backed militia group to cease the attacks or face potential military action.Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, the head of U.S. Navy operations in the Middle East, said it was the first time the Houthis had used an unmanned surface vessel, or USV, since their harassment of commercial ships in the Red Sea began after the outbreak of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>. They have, however, used them in years past.Fabian Hinz, a missile expert and research fellow at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said the USV’s are a key part of the Houthi maritime arsenal and were used during previous battles against the Saudi coalition forces that intervened in Yemen's war. They have regularly been used as suicide drone boats that explode upon impact.Most of the Houthis’ USVs are likely assembled in Yemen but often fitted with components made in Iran, such as computerized guidance systems, Hinz said.At the United Nations, U.S. deputy ambassador Christopher Lu said at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-un-yemen-houthis-shipping-red-sea-08d42a18873ce55979c755ea1a9cc1b5">emergency Security Council meeting</a>&nbsp;on Wednesday that Iran has supplied the Houthis with money and advanced weapons systems, including drones, land attack cruise missiles and ballistic missiles. He said Iran also has been deeply involved in planning the Houthis' attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea.He said the United States isn’t seeking a confrontation with Iran, but Tehran has a choice.“It can continue its current course,” Lu said, “or it can withhold its support without which the Houthis would struggle to effectively track and strike commercial vessels navigating shipping lanes through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.”This raises questions as to whether any action against the Houthis would also address Iran's role in any way, which could risk widening the conflict.A statement Wednesday signed by the United States, Australia, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore and the United Kingdom gave the Houthis what a senior Biden administration official described as a final warning.“Let our message now be clear: we call for the immediate end of these illegal attacks and release of unlawfully detained vessels and crews,” the countries said in the statement. “The Houthis will bear the responsibility of the consequences should they continue to threaten lives, the global economy, and free flow of commerce in the region’s critical waterways.”Since late October, the Houthis have launched scores of one-way attack drones and missiles at commercial vessels transiting the Red Sea. U.S. Navy warships have also intercepted ballistic missiles the Pentagon says were headed toward Israel. Cooper said a total of 61 missiles and drones have been shot down by U.S. warships.In response to the Houthi attacks, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin in December announced Operation Prosperity Guardian, with the United States and other countries sending additional ships to the southern Red Sea to provide protection for commercial vessels passing through the critical Bab el-Mandeb Strait.Cooper said 1,500 commercial ships have been able to transit safely since the operation was launched on Dec. 18.However, the Houthis have continued to launch missiles and attack drones, prompting the White House and 12 allies to issue what amounted to a final warning Wednesday to cease their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-shipping-houthi-attacks-drones-missiles-1acc4ca5ebcaf6fee932a2061d451f59">attacks on vessels in the Red Sea</a>&nbsp;or face potential targeted military action.Cooper said Operation Prosperity Guardian was solely defensive in nature and separate from any military action the U.S. might take if the Houthi attacks continue.The U.S., United Kingdom and France are providing most of the warships now, and Greece and Denmark will also be providing vessels, he said.

Terrorists attack ships in Red Sea hours after US issues 'final warning'

PERRY, Iowa (AP) — A sixth grader was killed and five other people were wounded by a 17-year-old suspect in a shooting Thursday at a small-town Iowa high school, authorities in Perry, Iowa, said.

The suspect died of what investigators believe is a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and at least one of the victims is a school administrator, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity.

Perry has about 8,000 residents and is about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of Des Moines, on the edge of the state capital's metropolitan area. It is home to a large pork-processing plant, and low-slung, single story homes spread among trees now shorn of their leaves by winter. The high school and middle school are connected, sitting on the east edge of town.

High school senior Ava Augustus said she was in a counselor’s office, waiting for hers to arrive, when she heard three shots. She and other people barricaded the door, preparing to throw things if necessary, with a window being too small for an escape.

Three gunshot victims were taken by ambulance to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, a spokesperson for its health system said. Some other patients were transported to a second hospital in Des Moines, a spokesperson for MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center confirmed, declining to comment on the number of patients or their statuses.

Vigils were planned Thursday evening at a park and a local church. A post on the high school's Facebook page said it would be closed Friday, with counseling services planned at the public library Friday and Saturday.

In Washington, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland was briefed on the shooting. FBI agents from the Omaha-Des Moines office are assisting with the investigation led by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.

The shooting occurred in the backdrop of Iowa's first-in-the-nation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-iowa-caucus-works-2024-democrats-republicans-592ab40b9b9b948c0540f2cf132bab5c">presidential caucuses</a>. GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy had a campaign event scheduled in Perry at 9 a.m. about 1 1/2 miles (2.4 kilometers) from the high school but canceled it to have a prayer and intimate discussion with area residents.

Mass shootings across the U.S. have long brought calls for stricter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gun-politics">gun laws</a>&nbsp;from gun safety advocates, and Thursday's did within hours. But that idea has been a non-starter for many Republicans, particularly in rural, GOP-leaning states like Iowa.

As of July 2021, Iowa&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ia-state-wire-iowa-gun-politics-business-laws-656a5ba4382a64f2d93790f56050ce3c">does not require a permit</a>&nbsp;to purchase a handgun or carry a firearm in public, though it mandates a background check for a person buying a handgun without a permit.

Ramaswamy said the shooting is a sign of a “psychological sickness” in the country. In Des Moines, GOP rival and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said that gun violence "is more of a local and state issue" in an interview with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2024/01/04/after-iowa-school-shooting-ron-desantis-pitches-no-new-gun-restrictions/72107293007/">the Des Moines Register and NBC News</a>.

The high school in Perry is part of the 1,785-student Perry Community School District. The town is more diverse than Iowa as a whole, with census figures showing that 31% of the residents are Hispanic, compared to less than 7% for the state. Those figures also show that nearly 19% of the town’s residents were born outside the U.S.

An active shooter was reported at 7:37 a.m. Thursday and officers arrived seven minutes later, Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante said. Emergency vehicles surrounded the middle and high school.

Zander Shelley, 15, was in a hallway when he heard gunshots and dashed into a classroom, according to his father, Kevin Shelley. Zander was grazed twice and hid in the classroom before texting his father at 7:36 a.m.

Rachael Kares, an 18-year-old senior, was wrapping up jazz band practice when she and her bandmates heard what she described as four gunshots, spaced apart.

“We all just jumped,” Kares said. “My band teacher looked at us and yelled, ‘Run!’ So we ran.”

Kares and many others from the school ran out past the football field, as she heard people yelling, “Get out! Get out!” She said she heard additional shots as she ran, but didn’t know how many. She was more concerned about getting home to her 3-year-old son.

“At that moment I didn’t care about anything except getting out because I had to get home with my son,” she said.

Erica Jolliff said that her daughter, a ninth grader, reported getting rushed from the school grounds at 7:45 am. Distraught, Jolliff was still looking for her son Amir, a sixth grader, one hour later.

“I just want to know that he’s safe and OK,” Jolliff said. “They won’t tell me nothing.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704382308240.jpeg" alt="Police respond to Perry High School in Perry, Iowa., Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024. Police say there has been a shooting at the city's high school.(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)" />
 <figcaption>Police respond to Perry High School in Perry, Iowa., Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024. Police say there has been a shooting at the city's high school.(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)</figcaption>
 </figure>PERRY, Iowa (AP) — A sixth grader was killed and five other people were wounded by a 17-year-old suspect in a shooting Thursday at a small-town Iowa high school, authorities in Perry, Iowa, said.The suspect died of what investigators believe is a self-inflicted gunshot wound, and at least one of the victims is a school administrator, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity.Perry has about 8,000 residents and is about 40 miles (64 kilometers) northwest of Des Moines, on the edge of the state capital's metropolitan area. It is home to a large pork-processing plant, and low-slung, single story homes spread among trees now shorn of their leaves by winter. The high school and middle school are connected, sitting on the east edge of town.High school senior Ava Augustus said she was in a counselor’s office, waiting for hers to arrive, when she heard three shots. She and other people barricaded the door, preparing to throw things if necessary, with a window being too small for an escape.“And then we hear ‘He’s down. You can go out,’” Augustus said through tears. ”And I run and you can just see glass everywhere, blood on the floor. I get to my car and they’re taking a girl out of the auditorium who had been shot in her leg.”Three gunshot victims were taken by ambulance to Iowa Methodist Medical Center in Des Moines, a spokesperson for its health system said. Some other patients were transported to a second hospital in Des Moines, a spokesperson for MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center confirmed, declining to comment on the number of patients or their statuses.Vigils were planned Thursday evening at a park and a local church. A post on the high school's Facebook page said it would be closed Friday, with counseling services planned at the public library Friday and Saturday.In Washington, U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland was briefed on the shooting. FBI agents from the Omaha-Des Moines office are assisting with the investigation led by the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation.The shooting occurred in the backdrop of Iowa's first-in-the-nation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-iowa-caucus-works-2024-democrats-republicans-592ab40b9b9b948c0540f2cf132bab5c">presidential caucuses</a>. GOP candidate Vivek Ramaswamy had a campaign event scheduled in Perry at 9 a.m. about 1 1/2 miles (2.4 kilometers) from the high school but canceled it to have a prayer and intimate discussion with area residents.Mass shootings across the U.S. have long brought calls for stricter&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/gun-politics">gun laws</a>&nbsp;from gun safety advocates, and Thursday's did within hours. But that idea has been a non-starter for many Republicans, particularly in rural, GOP-leaning states like Iowa.As of July 2021, Iowa&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ia-state-wire-iowa-gun-politics-business-laws-656a5ba4382a64f2d93790f56050ce3c">does not require a permit</a>&nbsp;to purchase a handgun or carry a firearm in public, though it mandates a background check for a person buying a handgun without a permit.Ramaswamy said the shooting is a sign of a “psychological sickness” in the country. In Des Moines, GOP rival and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said that gun violence "is more of a local and state issue" in an interview with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/news/elections/presidential/caucus/2024/01/04/after-iowa-school-shooting-ron-desantis-pitches-no-new-gun-restrictions/72107293007/">the Des Moines Register and NBC News</a>.The high school in Perry is part of the 1,785-student Perry Community School District. The town is more diverse than Iowa as a whole, with census figures showing that 31% of the residents are Hispanic, compared to less than 7% for the state. Those figures also show that nearly 19% of the town’s residents were born outside the U.S.An active shooter was reported at 7:37 a.m. Thursday and officers arrived seven minutes later, Dallas County Sheriff Adam Infante said. Emergency vehicles surrounded the middle and high school.Zander Shelley, 15, was in a hallway when he heard gunshots and dashed into a classroom, according to his father, Kevin Shelley. Zander was grazed twice and hid in the classroom before texting his father at 7:36 a.m.Kevin Shelley, who drives a garbage truck, told his boss he had to run. “It was the most scared I’ve been in my entire life,” he said.Rachael Kares, an 18-year-old senior, was wrapping up jazz band practice when she and her bandmates heard what she described as four gunshots, spaced apart.“We all just jumped,” Kares said. “My band teacher looked at us and yelled, ‘Run!’ So we ran.”Kares and many others from the school ran out past the football field, as she heard people yelling, “Get out! Get out!” She said she heard additional shots as she ran, but didn’t know how many. She was more concerned about getting home to her 3-year-old son.“At that moment I didn’t care about anything except getting out because I had to get home with my son,” she said.Erica Jolliff said that her daughter, a ninth grader, reported getting rushed from the school grounds at 7:45 am. Distraught, Jolliff was still looking for her son Amir, a sixth grader, one hour later.“I just want to know that he’s safe and OK,” Jolliff said. “They won’t tell me nothing.”

Police: 17-year-old killed a sixth grader and wounded five in Iowa school shooting

NEW YORK (AP) — Glynis Johns, a Tony Award-winning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/theater">stage</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/movies">screen</a>&nbsp;star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie “Mary Poppins” and introduced the world to the bittersweet standard-to-be “Send in the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim, has died. She was 100.

Mitch Clem, her manager, said she died Thursday at an assisted living home in Los Angeles of natural causes. “Today’s a sad day for Hollywood,” Clem said. “She is the last of the last of old Hollywood.”

Johns was known to be a perfectionist about her profession — precise, analytical and opinionated. The roles she took had to be multi-faceted. Anything less was giving less than her all.

“As far as I’m concerned, I’m not interested in playing the role on only one level,” she told The Associated Press in 1990. “The whole point of first-class acting is to make a reality of it. To be real. And I have to make sense of it in my own mind in order to be real."

Johns’ greatest triumph was playing Desiree Armfeldt in “A Little Night Music,” for which she won a Tony in 1973. Sondheim wrote the show’s hit song “Send in the Clowns” to suit her distinctive husky voice, but she lost the part in the 1977 film version to Elizabeth Taylor.

“I’ve had other songs written for me, but nothing like that,” Johns told the AP in 1990. “It’s the greatest gift I’ve ever been given in the theater.”

Others who followed Johns in singing Sondheim’s most popular song include Frank Sinatra, Judy Collins, Barbra Streisand, Sarah Vaughan and Olivia Newton-John. It also appeared in season two of “Yellowjackets” in 2023, sung by Elijah Wood.

Back when it was being conceived, “A Little Night Music” had gone into rehearsal with some of the book and score unfinished, including a solo song for Johns. Director Hal Prince suggested she and co-star Len Cariou improvise a scene or two to give book writer Hugh Wheeler some ideas.

“Hal said ‘Why don’t you just say what you feel,”’ she recalled to the AP. “When Len and I did that, Hal got on the phone to Steve Sondheim and said, ‘I think you’d better get in a cab and get round here and watch what they’re doing because you are going to get the idea for Glynis’ solo.”’

Johns was the fourth generation of an English theatrical family. Her father, Mervyn Johns, had a long career as a character actor and her mother was a pianist. She was born in Pretoria, South Africa, because her parents were visiting the area on tour at the time of her birth.

Johns was a dancer at 12 and an actor at 14 in London’s West End. Her breakthrough role was as the amorous mermaid in the title of the 1948 hit comedy “Miranda.”

“I was quite an athlete, my muscles were strong from dancing, so the tail was just fine; I swam like a porpoise,” she told Newsday in 1998. In 1960’s “The Sundowners,” with Deborah Kerr and Robert Mitchum, she was nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar. (She lost out to Shirley Jones in “Elmer Gantry.”)

Other highlights include playing the mother in “Mary Poppins,” the movie that introduced Julie Andrews and where she sang the rousing tune “Sister Suffragette.” She also starred in the 1989 Broadway revival of “The Circle,” W. Somerset Maugham’s romantic comedy about love, marriage and fidelity, opposite Rex Harrison and Stewart Granger.

“I’ve retired many times. My personal life has come before my work. The theater is just part of my life. It probably uses my highest sense of intelligence, so therefore I have to come back to it, to realize that I’ve got the talent. I’m not as good doing anything else,” she told the AP.

To prepare for “A Coffin in Egypt,” Horton Foote’s 1998 play about a grand dame reminiscing about her life on and off a ranch on the Texas prairie, she asked the Texas-born Foote to record a short tape of himself reading some lines and used it as her coach.

In a 1991 revival of “A Little Night Music” in Los Angeles, she played Madame Armfeldt, the mother of Desiree, the part she had created. In 1963, she starred in her own TV sitcom “Glynis.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Glynis Johns, a Tony Award-winning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/theater">stage</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/movies">screen</a>&nbsp;star who played the mother opposite Julie Andrews in the classic movie “Mary Poppins” and introduced the world to the bittersweet standard-to-be “Send in the Clowns” by Stephen Sondheim, has died. She was 100.Mitch Clem, her manager, said she died Thursday at an assisted living home in Los Angeles of natural causes. “Today’s a sad day for Hollywood,” Clem said. “She is the last of the last of old Hollywood.”Johns was known to be a perfectionist about her profession — precise, analytical and opinionated. The roles she took had to be multi-faceted. Anything less was giving less than her all.“As far as I’m concerned, I’m not interested in playing the role on only one level,” she told The Associated Press in 1990. “The whole point of first-class acting is to make a reality of it. To be real. And I have to make sense of it in my own mind in order to be real."Johns’ greatest triumph was playing Desiree Armfeldt in “A Little Night Music,” for which she won a Tony in 1973. Sondheim wrote the show’s hit song “Send in the Clowns” to suit her distinctive husky voice, but she lost the part in the 1977 film version to Elizabeth Taylor.“I’ve had other songs written for me, but nothing like that,” Johns told the AP in 1990. “It’s the greatest gift I’ve ever been given in the theater.”Others who followed Johns in singing Sondheim’s most popular song include Frank Sinatra, Judy Collins, Barbra Streisand, Sarah Vaughan and Olivia Newton-John. It also appeared in season two of “Yellowjackets” in 2023, sung by Elijah Wood.Back when it was being conceived, “A Little Night Music” had gone into rehearsal with some of the book and score unfinished, including a solo song for Johns. Director Hal Prince suggested she and co-star Len Cariou improvise a scene or two to give book writer Hugh Wheeler some ideas.“Hal said ‘Why don’t you just say what you feel,”’ she recalled to the AP. “When Len and I did that, Hal got on the phone to Steve Sondheim and said, ‘I think you’d better get in a cab and get round here and watch what they’re doing because you are going to get the idea for Glynis’ solo.”’Johns was the fourth generation of an English theatrical family. Her father, Mervyn Johns, had a long career as a character actor and her mother was a pianist. She was born in Pretoria, South Africa, because her parents were visiting the area on tour at the time of her birth.Johns was a dancer at 12 and an actor at 14 in London’s West End. Her breakthrough role was as the amorous mermaid in the title of the 1948 hit comedy “Miranda.”“I was quite an athlete, my muscles were strong from dancing, so the tail was just fine; I swam like a porpoise,” she told Newsday in 1998. In 1960’s “The Sundowners,” with Deborah Kerr and Robert Mitchum, she was nominated for a best supporting actress Oscar. (She lost out to Shirley Jones in “Elmer Gantry.”)Other highlights include playing the mother in “Mary Poppins,” the movie that introduced Julie Andrews and where she sang the rousing tune “Sister Suffragette.” She also starred in the 1989 Broadway revival of “The Circle,” W. Somerset Maugham’s romantic comedy about love, marriage and fidelity, opposite Rex Harrison and Stewart Granger.“I’ve retired many times. My personal life has come before my work. The theater is just part of my life. It probably uses my highest sense of intelligence, so therefore I have to come back to it, to realize that I’ve got the talent. I’m not as good doing anything else,” she told the AP.To prepare for “A Coffin in Egypt,” Horton Foote’s 1998 play about a grand dame reminiscing about her life on and off a ranch on the Texas prairie, she asked the Texas-born Foote to record a short tape of himself reading some lines and used it as her coach.In a 1991 revival of “A Little Night Music” in Los Angeles, she played Madame Armfeldt, the mother of Desiree, the part she had created. In 1963, she starred in her own TV sitcom “Glynis.”

'Mary Poppins' star who first sang 'Send in the Clowns,' dies at 100

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-citizens-permanent-legal-residents-trapped-gaza-3d1dda48bed40c8b3e0dc2efa11caf9a">mother and American uncle</a>&nbsp;of a U.S. service member were safe outside of Gaza after being rescued from the fighting in a secret operation coordinated by the U.S., Israel, Egypt and others, a U.S. official told The Associated Press on Wednesday.

It is the only known operation of its kind to extract American citizens and their close family members during the months of devastating ground fighting and Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. The vast majority of people who have made it out of northern and central Gaza through the Rafah crossing into Egypt fled south in the initial weeks of the war. An escape from the heart of the Palestinian territory through intense combat has become far more perilous and difficult since.

Zahra Sckak, 44, made it out of Gaza on New Year's Eve, along with her brother-in-law, Farid Sukaik, an American citizen, a U.S. official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to confirm the rescue, which had been kept quiet for security reasons.

Sckak’s husband, Abedalla Sckak, was shot earlier in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-03-2024-fc2394531bef8238e86879dd98ea435b">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;as the family fled from a building hit by an airstrike. He died days later. One of her three American sons, Spec. Ragi A. Sckak, 24, serves as an infantryman in the U.S. military.

The extraction involved the Israeli military and local Israeli officials who oversee Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the U.S. official said. There was no indication that American officials were on the ground in Gaza.

“The United States played solely a liaison and coordinating role between the Sckak family and the governments of Israel and Egypt,” the official said.

A family member and U.S.-based lawyers and advocates working on the family's behalf had described Sckak and Sukaik as pinned down in a building surrounded by combatants, with little or no food and with only water from sewers to drink.

There were few immediate details of the on-the-ground operation. It took place after extended appeals from Sckak's family and U.S.-based citizens groups for help from Congress members and the Biden administration.

The State Department has said some 300 American citizens, legal permanent residents and their immediate family members remain in Gaza, at risk from ground fighting, airstrikes and widening starvation and thirst in the besieged territory.

With no known official U.S. presence on the ground, those still left in the territory face a dangerous and sometimes impossible trip to Egypt's border crossing out of Gaza, and a bureaucratic struggle for U.S., Egyptian and Israeli approval to get themselves, their parents and young children out of Gaza.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701204582165.png" alt="Israeli soldiers look at photos of people killed and taken captive by Hamas militants during their violent rampage through the Nova music festival in southern Israel, which are displayed at the site of the event, as Israeli DJs spun music, to commemorate the October 7, massacre, near Kibbutz Re'im, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)" />
 <figcaption>Israeli soldiers look at photos of people killed and taken captive by Hamas militants during their violent rampage through the Nova music festival in southern Israel, which are displayed at the site of the event, as Israeli DJs spun music, to commemorate the October 7, massacre, near Kibbutz Re'im, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-citizens-permanent-legal-residents-trapped-gaza-3d1dda48bed40c8b3e0dc2efa11caf9a">mother and American uncle</a>&nbsp;of a U.S. service member were safe outside of Gaza after being rescued from the fighting in a secret operation coordinated by the U.S., Israel, Egypt and others, a U.S. official told The Associated Press on Wednesday.It is the only known operation of its kind to extract American citizens and their close family members during the months of devastating ground fighting and Israeli airstrikes in Gaza. The vast majority of people who have made it out of northern and central Gaza through the Rafah crossing into Egypt fled south in the initial weeks of the war. An escape from the heart of the Palestinian territory through intense combat has become far more perilous and difficult since.Zahra Sckak, 44, made it out of Gaza on New Year's Eve, along with her brother-in-law, Farid Sukaik, an American citizen, a U.S. official told The Associated Press. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to confirm the rescue, which had been kept quiet for security reasons.Sckak’s husband, Abedalla Sckak, was shot earlier in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-03-2024-fc2394531bef8238e86879dd98ea435b">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;as the family fled from a building hit by an airstrike. He died days later. One of her three American sons, Spec. Ragi A. Sckak, 24, serves as an infantryman in the U.S. military.The extraction involved the Israeli military and local Israeli officials who oversee Gaza and the Israeli-occupied West Bank, the U.S. official said. There was no indication that American officials were on the ground in Gaza.“The United States played solely a liaison and coordinating role between the Sckak family and the governments of Israel and Egypt,” the official said.A family member and U.S.-based lawyers and advocates working on the family's behalf had described Sckak and Sukaik as pinned down in a building surrounded by combatants, with little or no food and with only water from sewers to drink.There were few immediate details of the on-the-ground operation. It took place after extended appeals from Sckak's family and U.S.-based citizens groups for help from Congress members and the Biden administration.The State Department has said some 300 American citizens, legal permanent residents and their immediate family members remain in Gaza, at risk from ground fighting, airstrikes and widening starvation and thirst in the besieged territory.With no known official U.S. presence on the ground, those still left in the territory face a dangerous and sometimes impossible trip to Egypt's border crossing out of Gaza, and a bureaucratic struggle for U.S., Egyptian and Israeli approval to get themselves, their parents and young children out of Gaza.

Secret operation: Mother and uncle of a US serviceman rescued from Gaza 

PERRY, Iowa (AP) — Police in Perry, Iowa, say there was a shooting Thursday at the city's high school.

A woman who answered the Perry Police Department phone confirmed the shooting at Perry High School but did not provide any further information.

An enormous number of emergency vehicles surrounded the building that houses the town's middle school and high school.

The high school is part of the 1,785-student Perry Community School District. Thursday was the first day back in school for students following the holiday break.

The shooting occurred in the backdrop of the Iowa caucuses and not far from where Republican candidates were campaigning.

Phone messages left with the Perry School Board’s president and vice president, and an email message left with Superintendent Clark Wicks, were not immediately returned.

Dallas County’s Emergency Management Agency said a new conference would be held later in the morning.

Perry is about 40 miles (64.37 kilometers) miles northwest of Des Moines.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704382308240.jpeg" alt="Police respond to Perry High School in Perry, Iowa., Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024. Police say there has been a shooting at the city's high school.(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)" />
 <figcaption>Police respond to Perry High School in Perry, Iowa., Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024. Police say there has been a shooting at the city's high school.(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)</figcaption>
 </figure>PERRY, Iowa (AP) — Police in Perry, Iowa, say there was a shooting Thursday at the city's high school.A woman who answered the Perry Police Department phone confirmed the shooting at Perry High School but did not provide any further information.An enormous number of emergency vehicles surrounded the building that houses the town's middle school and high school.Erica Jolliff said that her daughter, a ninth grader, reported getting rushed from the school grounds at 7:45 am. Distraught, Jolliff was still looking for her son Amir, a sixth grader, one hour later.“I just want to know that he’s safe and OK,” Jolliff said. “They won’t tell me nothing.”The high school is part of the 1,785-student Perry Community School District. Thursday was the first day back in school for students following the holiday break.The shooting occurred in the backdrop of the Iowa caucuses and not far from where Republican candidates were campaigning.Phone messages left with the Perry School Board’s president and vice president, and an email message left with Superintendent Clark Wicks, were not immediately returned.Dallas County’s Emergency Management Agency said a new conference would be held later in the morning.Perry is about 40 miles (64.37 kilometers) miles northwest of Des Moines.

Police say there has been a shooting at a high school in Perry, Iowa; extent of injuries unclear

BAGHDAD (AP) — A U.S. airstrike on the headquarters of an Iran-backed militia in central Baghdad on Thursday killed a high-ranking militia commander, militia officials said.

Thursday’s strike comes amid mounting regional tensions fueled by the Israel-Hamas war and fears that it could spill over into surrounding countries. It also coincides with a push by Iraqi officials for US-led coalition forces to leave the country.

The Popular Mobilization Force, or PMF, a coalition of militias that is nominally under the control of the Iraqi military, announced in a statement that its deputy head of operations in Baghdad, Mushtaq Taleb al-Saidi, or “Abu Taqwa,” had been killed “as a result of brutal American aggression.”

A U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide information that has not yet been publicly released confirmed that U.S. forces conducted a strike on a vehicle in Baghdad on Monday against the group Harakat al-Nujaba. The group, one of the militias within PMF, was designated a terrorist organization by Washington in 2019.

Iraqi military spokesman Yehia Rasool said in a statement that the Iraqi army blames the U.S.-led International Coalition Forces for the “unprovoked attack on an Iraqi security body operating in accordance with the powers granted to it by” the Iraqi military.

The primary mission of the U.S.-led coalition is to fight the Islamic State, the Sunni extremist militant group that continues to carry out periodic attacks in Iraq despite having lost its hold on the territory it once controlled in 2017. Since then, the coalition has transitioned from a combat role to an advisory and training mission.

The PMF, a group of Iranian-backed, primarily Shiite militias, were also key in the fight against Islamic State after it overran much of Iraq in 2014. The PMF is officially under the command of the Iraqi army, but in practice the militias operate independently.

Thursday’s strike killed two people and wounded five, according to two militia officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.

One of the officials said al-Saidi was driving into the garage of the headquarters affiliated with the Harakat al-Nujaba militia, along with another militia official, when the car was hit, killing both.

Heavy security was deployed around the location of the strike on Baghdad’s Palestine Street, and Iraqi war planes could be seen flying overhead. An Associated Press photographer was eventually allowed access to the scene of the strike, where he saw the remains of the charred car.

Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, a group of Iranian-backed militias calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has carried out more than 100 attacks on bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria.

The group has said the attacks are in retaliation for Washington’s support of Israel in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war" target="_blank">war against Hamas</a>&nbsp;that has killed more than 20,000 people in Gaza, and that they aim to push U.S. forces out of Iraq.

Thursday’s strike is likely to increase calls for a U.S. departure.

Last week, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani — who came to power with the backing of Iran-linked political factions but has also attempted to maintain good relations with the U.S. — said that his government is “is proceeding to end the presence of the international coalition forces.”

The strike also comes two days after a suspected&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-03-2024-fc2394531bef8238e86879dd98ea435b" target="_blank">Israeli drone strike</a>&nbsp;in the suburbs of Beirut killed Hamas deputy leader Saleh Arouri.

Asked whether Israel had involvement in Thursday’s strike in Baghdad, an Israeli military spokesperson declined to comment.

BAGHDAD (AP) — A U.S. airstrike on the headquarters of an Iran-backed militia in central Baghdad on Thursday killed a high-ranking militia commander, militia officials said.Thursday’s strike comes amid mounting regional tensions fueled by the Israel-Hamas war and fears that it could spill over into surrounding countries. It also coincides with a push by Iraqi officials for US-led coalition forces to leave the country.The Popular Mobilization Force, or PMF, a coalition of militias that is nominally under the control of the Iraqi military, announced in a statement that its deputy head of operations in Baghdad, Mushtaq Taleb al-Saidi, or “Abu Taqwa,” had been killed “as a result of brutal American aggression.”A U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to provide information that has not yet been publicly released confirmed that U.S. forces conducted a strike on a vehicle in Baghdad on Monday against the group Harakat al-Nujaba. The group, one of the militias within PMF, was designated a terrorist organization by Washington in 2019.Iraqi military spokesman Yehia Rasool said in a statement that the Iraqi army blames the U.S.-led International Coalition Forces for the “unprovoked attack on an Iraqi security body operating in accordance with the powers granted to it by” the Iraqi military.The primary mission of the U.S.-led coalition is to fight the Islamic State, the Sunni extremist militant group that continues to carry out periodic attacks in Iraq despite having lost its hold on the territory it once controlled in 2017. Since then, the coalition has transitioned from a combat role to an advisory and training mission.The PMF, a group of Iranian-backed, primarily Shiite militias, were also key in the fight against Islamic State after it overran much of Iraq in 2014. The PMF is officially under the command of the Iraqi army, but in practice the militias operate independently.Thursday’s strike killed two people and wounded five, according to two militia officials who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly.One of the officials said al-Saidi was driving into the garage of the headquarters affiliated with the Harakat al-Nujaba militia, along with another militia official, when the car was hit, killing both.Heavy security was deployed around the location of the strike on Baghdad’s Palestine Street, and Iraqi war planes could be seen flying overhead. An Associated Press photographer was eventually allowed access to the scene of the strike, where he saw the remains of the charred car.Since the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, a group of Iranian-backed militias calling itself the Islamic Resistance in Iraq has carried out more than 100 attacks on bases housing U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria.The group has said the attacks are in retaliation for Washington’s support of Israel in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war" target="_blank">war against Hamas</a>&nbsp;that has killed more than 20,000 people in Gaza, and that they aim to push U.S. forces out of Iraq.Thursday’s strike is likely to increase calls for a U.S. departure.Last week, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani — who came to power with the backing of Iran-linked political factions but has also attempted to maintain good relations with the U.S. — said that his government is “is proceeding to end the presence of the international coalition forces.”The strike also comes two days after a suspected&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-03-2024-fc2394531bef8238e86879dd98ea435b" target="_blank">Israeli drone strike</a>&nbsp;in the suburbs of Beirut killed Hamas deputy leader Saleh Arouri.Asked whether Israel had involvement in Thursday’s strike in Baghdad, an Israeli military spokesperson declined to comment.————

U.S. airstrike kills militia leader blamed for Iraq attacks 

NEW YORK (AP) — Amid great hype, a court began to release a new batch of previously secret court documents late Wednesday related to Jeffrey Epstein, the jet-setting financier who killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24253239-1324-epstein-documents-943-pages">Click here to read</a> the documents (caution: adult content)

Social media has been rife in recent weeks with posts speculating that the documents would include a list of rich and powerful men who were Epstein’s “clients” or “co-conspirators.”

There was no such list. The initial collection of around 40 documents made public largely contained material that had been released previously, or exhaustively been covered in nearly two decades’ worth of newspaper stories, TV documentaries, interviews, books about the Epstein scandal.

Still, the records — which included transcripts of interviews with some of Epstein’s victims — included reminders that Epstein surrounded himself with famous and powerful figures, including a few who have also been accused of misconduct.

They included mentions of Epstein’s past friendship with Bill Clinton — who is not accused of any wrongdoing — and of Britain’s Prince Andrew, who previously settled a lawsuit accusing him of having sex with a 17-year-old girl who traveled with Epstein.

The documents being unsealed are related to a lawsuit filed in 2015 by one of Epstein’s victims,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-entertainment-lifestyle-virginia-prince-andrew-60348f70fd605c26c26615ffc5ed5f14">Virginia Giuffre</a>. She is one of the dozens of women who sued Epstein saying he had abused them at his homes in Florida, New York, the U.S. Virgin Islands and New Mexico. This particular suit was against Epstein’s former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 of helping recruit Epstein’s victims and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-sentencing-aeac127f9cc3811d975ce8e10d171260">serving a 20-year prison term</a>.

Epstein, a millionaire known for associating with celebrities, politicians, billionaires and academic stars, killed himself in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on a sex trafficking charge.

Giuffre’s lawsuit against Maxwell was settled in 2017, but the court had kept some court documents blacked-out or sealed because of concerns about the privacy rights of Epstein’s victims and other people whose names had come up during the legal battle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704330351229.png" alt="Jeffrey Epstein New York Sex Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Jeffrey Epstein New York Sex Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Amid great hype, a court began to release a new batch of previously secret court documents late Wednesday related to Jeffrey Epstein, the jet-setting financier who killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24253239-1324-epstein-documents-943-pages">Click here to read</a> the documents (caution: adult content)Social media has been rife in recent weeks with posts speculating that the documents would include a list of rich and powerful men who were Epstein’s “clients” or “co-conspirators.”There was no such list. The initial collection of around 40 documents made public largely contained material that had been released previously, or exhaustively been covered in nearly two decades’ worth of newspaper stories, TV documentaries, interviews, books about the Epstein scandal.Still, the records — which included transcripts of interviews with some of Epstein’s victims — included reminders that Epstein surrounded himself with famous and powerful figures, including a few who have also been accused of misconduct.They included mentions of Epstein’s past friendship with Bill Clinton — who is not accused of any wrongdoing — and of Britain’s Prince Andrew, who previously settled a lawsuit accusing him of having sex with a 17-year-old girl who traveled with Epstein.The documents being unsealed are related to a lawsuit filed in 2015 by one of Epstein’s victims,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-entertainment-lifestyle-virginia-prince-andrew-60348f70fd605c26c26615ffc5ed5f14">Virginia Giuffre</a>. She is one of the dozens of women who sued Epstein saying he had abused them at his homes in Florida, New York, the U.S. Virgin Islands and New Mexico. This particular suit was against Epstein’s former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, who was convicted in 2021 of helping recruit Epstein’s victims and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-sentencing-aeac127f9cc3811d975ce8e10d171260">serving a 20-year prison term</a>.Epstein, a millionaire known for associating with celebrities, politicians, billionaires and academic stars, killed himself in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on a sex trafficking charge.Giuffre’s lawsuit against Maxwell was settled in 2017, but the court had kept some court documents blacked-out or sealed because of concerns about the privacy rights of Epstein’s victims and other people whose names had come up during the legal battle.Only around 40 of those documents were made public Wednesday. More will be released in the coming days.The records included the depositions of several of Epstein's victims, many of whom have told their stories publicly previously.Giuffre said the summer she turned 17, she was lured away from a job as a spa attendant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club to become a “masseuse” for Epstein — a job that involved performing sexual acts.She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prince-andrew-virginia-giuffre-lawsuit-settlement-8b04c775aa46f761d81c05ef12e3a94f">settled a lawsuit against Prince Andrew</a>&nbsp;in 2022 in which she claimed he had sexually abused her during a trip to London. That same year, Giuffre withdrew an accusation she had made against Epstein’s former attorney, the law professor Alan Dershowitz, saying she “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-new-york-lawsuits-prince-andrew-jeffrey-epstein-2a7202e552c38ed03c5fe39d6a29721b">may have made a mistake</a>” in identifying him as an abuser.The <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24253239-1324-epstein-documents-943-pages">records released Wednesday</a> included many references to Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent close to Epstein who was awaiting trial on charges that he raped underage girls when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-arts-and-entertainment-paris-jeffrey-epstein-edfbdb84c6cdd5f736ac7e1c2bac657b">killed himself in a Paris jail</a>&nbsp;in 2022. Giuffre was among the women who had accused Brunel of sexual abuse.Clinton's name came up because Guiffre was questioned by Maxwell’s lawyers about inaccuracies in newspaper stories about her time with Epstein, including a story quoting her as saying she had ridden in a helicopter with Clinton and flirted with Donald Trump. Giuffre said neither of those things actually happened.The judge said a handful of names should remain blacked out in the documents because they would identify people who were sexually abused. The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they decide to tell their stories publicly, as Giuffre has done.Even before the documents were released, misinformation about what was in them abounded.&nbsp;The judge hasn’t set a target for when all of the documents should be made public, but more documents are expected to come in the next few days.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704331774729.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Here’s what we know about the documents:WHO IS JEFFREY EPSTEIN?A millionaire known for associating with celebrities, politicians, billionaires and academic stars, Epstein was initially arrested in Palm Beach, Florida, in 2005 after he was accused of paying a 14-year-old girl for sex.Dozens of other underage girls described similar sexual abuse, but prosecutors ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-florida-e2a4431f7319afd037023d9a586aa291">allowed the financier to plead guilty</a>&nbsp;in 2008 to a charge involving a single victim. He served 13 months in a jail work-release program.Some famous acquaintances abandoned Epstein after his conviction, including former presidents Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, but many did not. Epstein continued to mingle with the rich and famous for another decade, often through philanthropic work.Reporting by the Miami Herald renewed interest in the scandal, and federal prosecutors in New York charged Epstein in 2019 with sex trafficking. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-suicide-department-of-justice-investigation-50c229b7953096f0301bfa1e7f0b7703">killed himself in jail</a>&nbsp;while awaiting trial.The U.S. attorney in Manhattan then prosecuted Epstein’s former girlfriend, Ghislaine Maxwell, for helping recruit his underage victims. She was convicted in 2021 and is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-jeffrey-epstein-sentencing-aeac127f9cc3811d975ce8e10d171260">serving a 20-year prison term</a>.WHAT ARE THESE RECORDS ABOUT?The documents being unsealed are part of a lawsuit filed against Maxwell in 2015 by one of Epstein’s victims,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-entertainment-lifestyle-virginia-prince-andrew-60348f70fd605c26c26615ffc5ed5f14">Virginia Giuffre</a>. She is one of the dozens of women who sued Epstein saying he had abused them at his homes in Florida, New York, the U.S. Virgin Islands and New Mexico.Giuffre said the summer she turned 17, she was lured away from a job as a spa attendant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club to become a “masseuse” for Epstein — a job that involved performing sexual acts.Giuffre also claimed she was pressured into having sex with men in Epstein's social orbit, most famously with Britain's Prince Andrew. All of those men said her accounts were fabricated. She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prince-andrew-virginia-giuffre-lawsuit-settlement-8b04c775aa46f761d81c05ef12e3a94f">settled a lawsuit against Prince Andrew</a>&nbsp;in 2022. That same year, Giuffre withdrew an accusation she had made against Epstein's former attorney, the law professor Alan Dershowitz, saying she “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ghislaine-maxwell-new-york-lawsuits-prince-andrew-jeffrey-epstein-2a7202e552c38ed03c5fe39d6a29721b">may have made a mistake</a>&nbsp;” in identifying him as an abuser.Giuffre’s lawsuit against Maxwell was settled in 2017, but the Miami Herald went to court to access court papers initially filed under seal, including transcripts of interviews the lawyers did with potential witnesses.About 2,000 pages were unsealed by a court in 2019. Additional documents were released in 2020, 2021 and 2022.This next batch of around 250 records had sections that were blacked out or were sealed entirely because of concerns about the privacy rights of Epstein’s victims and other people whose names had come up during the legal battle but weren’t complicit in his crimes.WHAT CAN WE EXPECT TO SEE?U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska, who evaluated the documents to decide what should be unsealed, said in her December order that she was ordering the records released because much of the information within them is already public.Some records have been released, either in part or in full, in other court cases. Much of the rest involve topics and people who have been exhaustively covered in nearly two decades' worth of newspaper stories, TV documentaries, interviews, books and testimony at Maxwell’s criminal trial.The people named in the records include many of Epstein's accusers, members of his staff who told their stories to tabloid newspapers, people who served as witnesses at Maxwell's trial, people who were mentioned in passing during depositions but aren't accused of anything salacious, and people who investigated Epstein, including prosecutors, a journalist and a detective.There are also boldface names of public figures known to have associated with Epstein over the years, but whose relationships with him have already been well documented elsewhere, the judge said.One of them is Jean-Luc Brunel, a French modeling agent close to Epstein who was awaiting trial on charges that he raped underage girls when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-arts-and-entertainment-paris-jeffrey-epstein-edfbdb84c6cdd5f736ac7e1c2bac657b">killed himself in a Paris jail</a>&nbsp;in 2022. Giuffre was among the women who had accused Brunel of sexual abuse.Clinton and Trump both factor in the court file, partly because Giuffre was questioned by Maxwell's lawyers about inaccuracies in newspaper stories about her time with Epstein. One story quoted her as saying she had ridden in a helicopter with Clinton and flirted with Trump. Giuffre said neither of those things actually happened. She hasn't accused either former president of wrongdoing.The judge said a handful of names should remain blacked out in the documents because they would identify people who were sexually abused. The Associated Press does not typically identify people who say they are victims of sexual assault unless they decide to tell their stories publicly, as Giuffre has done.WHEN WILL THE DOCUMENTS BE MADE PUBLIC?On Dec. 18, the judge gave the people whose names appear in the records 14 days to appeal, then directed the lawyers to confer, prepare the documents for unsealing and post them on the docket.Two people whose name appears in the records have been given additional time to make arguments to the court as to why their names should stay redacted.A small batch of documents was made available publicly on Wednesday.