WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Tuesday that “prudent contingency planning” is underway to evacuate Americans from the Middle East in case the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;spreads into a broad regional conflict.

(click below to watch White House spokesman John Kirby's statement)

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stressed there are currently no “active efforts” to evacuate Americans from the region beyond charter flights the U.S government began operating earlier this month out of Israel.

“It would be imprudent and irresponsible if we didn’t have folks thinking through a broad range of contingencies and possibilities,” Kirby said. “And certainly evacuations are one of those things.”

The White House addressed the contingency plans amid growing concerns that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-palestinians-live-updates-9a0ddf745bde0ffc46921b99ed34fb65">18-day-old Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;could further escalate. The U.S. has advised Israel that postponing a possible ground invasion of Gaza could be helpful as the U.S. and other partners in the region try to secure the release of more than 200 hostages who were captured in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel soil. The contingency planning was first reported by The Washington Post.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke by phone on Tuesday about the deteriorating situation. It was the two leaders' first interaction since before the Hamas attack on Israel.

Biden and the crown prince spoke about “efforts to deter state and non-state actors from widening the conflict between Israel and Hamas,” according to the White House. Biden administration officials have repeatedly warned Iran not to become involved in the conflict. U.S. forces in the region over the last few days have come under repeated attacks that the Pentagon has said were likely endorsed by Iran, which is the chief sponsor of Hamas, the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, as well as militant groups in Iraq and Yemen.

“The two leaders agreed on pursuing broader diplomatic efforts to maintain stability across the region and prevent the conflict from expanding,” the White House added.

At the Pentagon, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the U.S. is preparing for an increase in violence, noting that there have already been at least 13 attacks against troops and installations in Iraq and Syria.

“What we are seeing is the prospect for more significant escalation against U.S. forces and personnel across the region in the very near term coming from Iranian proxy forces and ultimately from Iran,” said Ryder, the Pentagon's press secretary.

He added that the U.S. won’t hesitate to take action if needed to protect its forces and interests in the region.

Biden said last week he believed that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Hamas was motivated to attack Israel</a>&nbsp;in part by a desire to stop that country from normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia.

“One of the reasons ... why Hamas moved on Israel, is because they knew I was about to sit down with the Saudis,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-saudi-arabia-war-1c376cf1497acd0df05a98721bf88fae">Biden said at a campaign fundraiser.</a>&nbsp;The U.S. president said he thinks Hamas militants launched their deadly assault on Oct. 7 because “guess what? The Saudis wanted to recognize Israel” and were near being able to formally do so.

An agreement, which the White House says it continues to pursue, would be a feat of diplomacy that could have enabled broader recognition of Israel by other Arab and Muslim-majority nations that have largely opposed Israel since its creation 75 years ago in a territory where Palestinians have long resided.

But talks were interrupted after Hamas militants stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip where Palestinians live into nearby Israeli towns.

Israel sealed off Gaza in response, and Biden told reporters in Washington on Tuesday that humanitarian aid into the territory wasn't arriving fast enough.

Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been running out of food, water, fuel and medicine. The aid convoys allowed into Gaza so far have carried a fraction of what’s needed.

The president made his comments to reporters about the speed of aid flowing into Gaza after presenting science and technology awards to several Americans for exemplary achievements that have had a positive impact on the United States.

One of the recipients, Sheldon Weinbaum of the City College of New York, wore a “Stop War” button on his suit coat lapel as he received his medal from Biden.

Biden suggested the ceremony was a welcome break from the grim news coming out of the Middle East.

“This is a happy occasion," Biden said at the start of the White House ceremony. "We need some more happy occasions.”

The war is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Health Ministry said at least 5,791 Palestinians have been killed and 16,297 wounded. In the occupied West Bank, 96 Palestinians have been killed and 1,650 wounded in violence and Israeli raids since Oct. 7.

“This is war. It is combat. It is bloody, it is ugly, and it’s going to be messy,” Kirby said. “I wish I could tell you something different. I wish that that wasn’t going to happen.”

Ryder said several new force protection measures are now underway, including the deployment of air defense systems. He said a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and additional Patriot missile battalions have begun to move to undisclosed locations in the Middle East.

The THAAD is being sent from Fort Bliss, Texas, and the Patriot battalions are from Fort Liberty in North Carolina and Fort Sill in Oklahoma.

Ryder also said that additional forces have moved into the Middle East. He said the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 119 Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, with its F-16 fighter jets, arrived on Tuesday, but officials would not say where exactly it went.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House said Tuesday that “prudent contingency planning” is underway to evacuate Americans from the Middle East in case the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;spreads into a broad regional conflict.(click below to watch White House spokesman John Kirby's statement)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F310166491774001%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=422" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby stressed there are currently no “active efforts” to evacuate Americans from the region beyond charter flights the U.S government began operating earlier this month out of Israel.“It would be imprudent and irresponsible if we didn’t have folks thinking through a broad range of contingencies and possibilities,” Kirby said. “And certainly evacuations are one of those things.”The White House addressed the contingency plans amid growing concerns that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-palestinians-live-updates-9a0ddf745bde0ffc46921b99ed34fb65">18-day-old Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;could further escalate. The U.S. has advised Israel that postponing a possible ground invasion of Gaza could be helpful as the U.S. and other partners in the region try to secure the release of more than 200 hostages who were captured in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel soil. The contingency planning was first reported by The Washington Post.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke by phone on Tuesday about the deteriorating situation. It was the two leaders' first interaction since before the Hamas attack on Israel.Biden and the crown prince spoke about “efforts to deter state and non-state actors from widening the conflict between Israel and Hamas,” according to the White House. Biden administration officials have repeatedly warned Iran not to become involved in the conflict. U.S. forces in the region over the last few days have come under repeated attacks that the Pentagon has said were likely endorsed by Iran, which is the chief sponsor of Hamas, the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon, as well as militant groups in Iraq and Yemen.“The two leaders agreed on pursuing broader diplomatic efforts to maintain stability across the region and prevent the conflict from expanding,” the White House added.At the Pentagon, Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said the U.S. is preparing for an increase in violence, noting that there have already been at least 13 attacks against troops and installations in Iraq and Syria.“What we are seeing is the prospect for more significant escalation against U.S. forces and personnel across the region in the very near term coming from Iranian proxy forces and ultimately from Iran,” said Ryder, the Pentagon's press secretary.He added that the U.S. won’t hesitate to take action if needed to protect its forces and interests in the region.Biden said last week he believed that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Hamas was motivated to attack Israel</a>&nbsp;in part by a desire to stop that country from normalizing relations with Saudi Arabia.“One of the reasons ... why Hamas moved on Israel, is because they knew I was about to sit down with the Saudis,”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-saudi-arabia-war-1c376cf1497acd0df05a98721bf88fae">Biden said at a campaign fundraiser.</a>&nbsp;The U.S. president said he thinks Hamas militants launched their deadly assault on Oct. 7 because “guess what? The Saudis wanted to recognize Israel” and were near being able to formally do so.An agreement, which the White House says it continues to pursue, would be a feat of diplomacy that could have enabled broader recognition of Israel by other Arab and Muslim-majority nations that have largely opposed Israel since its creation 75 years ago in a territory where Palestinians have long resided.But talks were interrupted after Hamas militants stormed from the blockaded Gaza Strip where Palestinians live into nearby Israeli towns.Israel sealed off Gaza in response, and Biden told reporters in Washington on Tuesday that humanitarian aid into the territory wasn't arriving fast enough.Gaza’s 2.3 million people have been running out of food, water, fuel and medicine. The aid convoys allowed into Gaza so far have carried a fraction of what’s needed.The president made his comments to reporters about the speed of aid flowing into Gaza after presenting science and technology awards to several Americans for exemplary achievements that have had a positive impact on the United States.One of the recipients, Sheldon Weinbaum of the City College of New York, wore a “Stop War” button on his suit coat lapel as he received his medal from Biden.Biden suggested the ceremony was a welcome break from the grim news coming out of the Middle East.“This is a happy occasion," Biden said at the start of the White House ceremony. "We need some more happy occasions.”The war is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Health Ministry said at least 5,791 Palestinians have been killed and 16,297 wounded. In the occupied West Bank, 96 Palestinians have been killed and 1,650 wounded in violence and Israeli raids since Oct. 7.“This is war. It is combat. It is bloody, it is ugly, and it’s going to be messy,” Kirby said. “I wish I could tell you something different. I wish that that wasn’t going to happen.”Ryder said several new force protection measures are now underway, including the deployment of air defense systems. He said a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) battery and additional Patriot missile battalions have begun to move to undisclosed locations in the Middle East.The THAAD is being sent from Fort Bliss, Texas, and the Patriot battalions are from Fort Liberty in North Carolina and Fort Sill in Oklahoma.Ryder also said that additional forces have moved into the Middle East. He said the New Jersey Air National Guard’s 119 Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, with its F-16 fighter jets, arrived on Tuesday, but officials would not say where exactly it went.___

🎥U.S. readies plans for mass evacuations from the Middle East

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Richard Roundtree, the trailblazing actor who starred as the ultra-smooth private detective in several “Shaft” films beginning in the early 1970s, has died. He was 81.

Roundtree’s longtime manager, Patrick McMinn, said the actor had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday. He was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and underwent a double mastectomy.

“Richard’s work and career served as a turning point for African American leading men,” McMinn said. “The impact he had on the industry cannot be overstated.”

Roundtree, who was born in New Rochelle, New York, was considered as the first Black action hero and became one of the leading actors in the blaxploitation genre through his New York street smart John Shaft character in the Gordon Parks-directed film in 1971. At age 28, it was Roundtree’s first feature film appearance after starting his career as a model.

Roundtree’s “Shaft” was part of a change in how Black movies were viewed in Hollywood, which failed to consider Black actors – especially for leading roles — in projects at the time. The blaxploitation films were primarily aimed at the African American audiences.

In the film, his character navigated the world of thugs. He regularly whipped out popular one-liners like “It’s my duty to please that booty.”

“What we were doing was a good, old Saturday afternoon shoot ’em up," Roundtree said in a 2000 interview with The Associated Press.

Isaac Hayes’ “Shaft” theme song — which included the line “You a bad mother— (Shut your mouth)” — helped insinuate the original movie into the pop-cult consciousness. The singer, who died in 2008, said the song was “like the ‘shot heard round the world." His single won an Academy Award for best song in 1971 and two Grammys the following year.

After the film’s success, Roundtree returned in sequels “Shaft’s Big Score” in 1972 and “Shaft in Africa” in 1973. That same year, he played the savvy detective once again on the CBS television series “Shaft,” which lasted only seven episodes.

Roundtree reprised his role in the 2000 “Shaft” film, a revival that starred Samuel L. Jackson. He appeared as Jackson’s uncle in the big-budget film that was aimed at the general audience. Both appeared again in the same roles in the 2019 film starring Jessie T. Usher.

Jackson called Roundtree the “prototype” and the “best to ever do it" in a social media post.

“SHAFT, as we know it is &amp; will always be his Creation," he said of Roundtree. "His passing leaves a deep hole not only in my heart, but I’m sure a lotta y’all’s, too.”

Through his 50-plus year career, Roundtree appeared in a number other notable films including “Earthquake,” “Man Friday” with Peter O’Toole, “Roots,” “Maniac Cop” “Se7en” and “What Men Want” starring Taraji P. Henson. He also made his mark with television roles on “Magnum P.I.,” “The Love Boat,” “Being Mary Jane” and “The Love Boat.”

In 1995, Roundtree received a lifetime achievement award at the MTV Movie &amp; TV awards.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698227923055.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Richard Roundtree, the trailblazing actor who starred as the ultra-smooth private detective in several “Shaft” films beginning in the early 1970s, has died. He was 81.Roundtree’s longtime manager, Patrick McMinn, said the actor had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and died at his home in Los Angeles on Tuesday. He was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1993 and underwent a double mastectomy.“Richard’s work and career served as a turning point for African American leading men,” McMinn said. “The impact he had on the industry cannot be overstated.”Roundtree, who was born in New Rochelle, New York, was considered as the first Black action hero and became one of the leading actors in the blaxploitation genre through his New York street smart John Shaft character in the Gordon Parks-directed film in 1971. At age 28, it was Roundtree’s first feature film appearance after starting his career as a model.Roundtree’s “Shaft” was part of a change in how Black movies were viewed in Hollywood, which failed to consider Black actors – especially for leading roles — in projects at the time. The blaxploitation films were primarily aimed at the African American audiences.In the film, his character navigated the world of thugs. He regularly whipped out popular one-liners like “It’s my duty to please that booty.”“What we were doing was a good, old Saturday afternoon shoot ’em up," Roundtree said in a 2000 interview with The Associated Press.Isaac Hayes’ “Shaft” theme song — which included the line “You a bad mother— (Shut your mouth)” — helped insinuate the original movie into the pop-cult consciousness. The singer, who died in 2008, said the song was “like the ‘shot heard round the world." His single won an Academy Award for best song in 1971 and two Grammys the following year.After the film’s success, Roundtree returned in sequels “Shaft’s Big Score” in 1972 and “Shaft in Africa” in 1973. That same year, he played the savvy detective once again on the CBS television series “Shaft,” which lasted only seven episodes.Roundtree reprised his role in the 2000 “Shaft” film, a revival that starred Samuel L. Jackson. He appeared as Jackson’s uncle in the big-budget film that was aimed at the general audience. Both appeared again in the same roles in the 2019 film starring Jessie T. Usher.Jackson called Roundtree the “prototype” and the “best to ever do it" in a social media post.“SHAFT, as we know it is &amp; will always be his Creation," he said of Roundtree. "His passing leaves a deep hole not only in my heart, but I’m sure a lotta y’all’s, too.”Through his 50-plus year career, Roundtree appeared in a number other notable films including “Earthquake,” “Man Friday” with Peter O’Toole, “Roots,” “Maniac Cop” “Se7en” and “What Men Want” starring Taraji P. Henson. He also made his mark with television roles on “Magnum P.I.,” “The Love Boat,” “Being Mary Jane” and “The Love Boat.”In 1995, Roundtree received a lifetime achievement award at the MTV Movie &amp; TV awards.

'Shaft' star Richard Roundtree, first Black action movie hero, has died 

NEW YORK (AP) —Dozens of U.S. states, including Kansas, Missouri, California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms.

<a href="https://coag.gov/app/uploads/2023/10/23.10.24-Doc.-1-Complaint-People-v.-Meta-23cv05448.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the lawsuit

The<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24080215-meta-lawsuit">&nbsp;lawsuit</a>&nbsp;filed by 33 states in federal court in California, claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law. In addition, nine attorneys general are filing lawsuits in their respective states, bringing the total number of states taking action to 41 and Washington, D.C.

“Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens. Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its social media platforms,” the complaint says. “It has concealed the ways in which these platforms exploit and manipulate its most vulnerable consumers: teenagers and children.”

The suits seek financial damages and restitution and an end to Meta’s practices that are in violation of the law.

“Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement. “Meta has profited from children’s pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem.”

In a statement, Meta said it shares “the attorneys general’s commitment to providing teens with safe, positive experiences online, and have already introduced over 30 tools to support teens and their families.”

“We’re disappointed that instead of working productively with companies across the industry to create clear, age-appropriate standards for the many apps teens use, the attorneys general have chosen this path,” the company added.

The broad-ranging federal suit is the result of an investigation led by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Vermont. It follows damning newspaper reports, first by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-facebook-files-11631713039">The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;in the fall of 2021, based on the Meta’s own research that found that the company knew about the harms Instagram can cause teenagers — especially teen girls — when it comes to mental health and body image issues. One internal study cited 13.5% of teen girls saying Instagram makes thoughts of suicide worse and 17% of teen girls saying it makes eating disorders worse.

Following the first reports, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/the-facebook-papers">consortium of news organizations</a>, including The Associated Press, published their own findings based on leaked documents from whistleblower Frances Haugen, who has testified before Congress and a British parliamentary committee about what she found.

“Meta has been harming our children and teens, cultivating addiction to boost corporate profits,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “With today’s lawsuit, we are drawing the line.”

The use of social media among teens is nearly universal in the U.S. and many other parts of the world.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/">Almost all teens</a>&nbsp;ages 13 to 17 in the U.S. report using a social media platform, with about a third saying they use social media “almost constantly,” according to the Pew Research Center.

To comply with federal regulation, social media companies ban kids under 13 from signing up to their platforms — but children have been shown to easily get around the bans, both with and without their parents’ consent, and many younger kids have social media accounts. The states’ complaint says Meta knowingly violated this law, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, by collecting data on children without informing and getting permission from their parents.

Other measures social platforms have taken to address concerns about children’s mental health are also easily circumvented. For instance, TikTok recently introduced a default&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-minors-social-media-china-time-limit-f735bd496ea3513abfc6480e5637abd8">60-minute time limit</a>&nbsp;for users under 18. But once the limit is reached, minors can simply enter a passcode to keep watching. TikTok, Snapchat and other social platforms that have also been blamed for contributing to the youth mental health crisis are not part of Tuesday’s lawsuit.

Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb wouldn’t comment on whether they’re also looking at TikTok or Snapchat. For now they’re focusing on the Meta empire of Facebook and Instagram, he said.

“They’re the worst of the worst when it comes to using technology to addict teenagers to social media, all in the furtherance of putting profits over people.”

In May, U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/surgeon-general-kids-social-media-teens-tiktok-instagram-443530d9baa3f91386bf9fbfb313bbaf">Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy</a>&nbsp;called on tech companies, parents and caregivers to take “immediate action to protect kids now” from the harms of social media.

NEW YORK (AP) —Dozens of U.S. states, including Kansas, Missouri, California and New York, are suing Meta Platforms Inc. for harming young people and contributing to the youth mental health crisis by knowingly and deliberately designing features on Instagram and Facebook that addict children to its platforms.<a href="https://coag.gov/app/uploads/2023/10/23.10.24-Doc.-1-Complaint-People-v.-Meta-23cv05448.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the lawsuitThe<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24080215-meta-lawsuit">&nbsp;lawsuit</a>&nbsp;filed by 33 states in federal court in California, claims that Meta routinely collects data on children under 13 without their parents’ consent, in violation of federal law. In addition, nine attorneys general are filing lawsuits in their respective states, bringing the total number of states taking action to 41 and Washington, D.C.“Meta has harnessed powerful and unprecedented technologies to entice, engage, and ultimately ensnare youth and teens. Its motive is profit, and in seeking to maximize its financial gains, Meta has repeatedly misled the public about the substantial dangers of its social media platforms,” the complaint says. “It has concealed the ways in which these platforms exploit and manipulate its most vulnerable consumers: teenagers and children.”The suits seek financial damages and restitution and an end to Meta’s practices that are in violation of the law.“Kids and teenagers are suffering from record levels of poor mental health and social media companies like Meta are to blame,” said New York Attorney General Letitia James in a statement. “Meta has profited from children’s pain by intentionally designing its platforms with manipulative features that make children addicted to their platforms while lowering their self-esteem.”In a statement, Meta said it shares “the attorneys general’s commitment to providing teens with safe, positive experiences online, and have already introduced over 30 tools to support teens and their families.”“We’re disappointed that instead of working productively with companies across the industry to create clear, age-appropriate standards for the many apps teens use, the attorneys general have chosen this path,” the company added.The broad-ranging federal suit is the result of an investigation led by a bipartisan coalition of attorneys general from California, Florida, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Nebraska, New Jersey, Tennessee, and Vermont. It follows damning newspaper reports, first by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-facebook-files-11631713039">The Wall Street Journal</a>&nbsp;in the fall of 2021, based on the Meta’s own research that found that the company knew about the harms Instagram can cause teenagers — especially teen girls — when it comes to mental health and body image issues. One internal study cited 13.5% of teen girls saying Instagram makes thoughts of suicide worse and 17% of teen girls saying it makes eating disorders worse.Following the first reports, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/the-facebook-papers">consortium of news organizations</a>, including The Associated Press, published their own findings based on leaked documents from whistleblower Frances Haugen, who has testified before Congress and a British parliamentary committee about what she found.“Meta has been harming our children and teens, cultivating addiction to boost corporate profits,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta. “With today’s lawsuit, we are drawing the line.”The use of social media among teens is nearly universal in the U.S. and many other parts of the world.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2022/08/10/teens-social-media-and-technology-2022/">Almost all teens</a>&nbsp;ages 13 to 17 in the U.S. report using a social media platform, with about a third saying they use social media “almost constantly,” according to the Pew Research Center.To comply with federal regulation, social media companies ban kids under 13 from signing up to their platforms — but children have been shown to easily get around the bans, both with and without their parents’ consent, and many younger kids have social media accounts. The states’ complaint says Meta knowingly violated this law, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, by collecting data on children without informing and getting permission from their parents.Other measures social platforms have taken to address concerns about children’s mental health are also easily circumvented. For instance, TikTok recently introduced a default&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-minors-social-media-china-time-limit-f735bd496ea3513abfc6480e5637abd8">60-minute time limit</a>&nbsp;for users under 18. But once the limit is reached, minors can simply enter a passcode to keep watching. TikTok, Snapchat and other social platforms that have also been blamed for contributing to the youth mental health crisis are not part of Tuesday’s lawsuit.Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb wouldn’t comment on whether they’re also looking at TikTok or Snapchat. For now they’re focusing on the Meta empire of Facebook and Instagram, he said.“They’re the worst of the worst when it comes to using technology to addict teenagers to social media, all in the furtherance of putting profits over people.”In May, U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/surgeon-general-kids-social-media-teens-tiktok-instagram-443530d9baa3f91386bf9fbfb313bbaf">Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy</a>&nbsp;called on tech companies, parents and caregivers to take “immediate action to protect kids now” from the harms of social media.__

Read lawsuit filed by Neb. claiming Facebook, Instagram harm children's mental health

JERUSALEM — The U.S. is issuing a new warning to ships traveling through the Red Sea after a drone and missile attack launched from Yemen during the Israel-Hamas war.

The U.S. Maritime Administration warning on Tuesday urged vessels to “exercise caution when transiting this region.”

The U.S. Navy says it shot down missiles and drones believed to have been launched by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in recent days amid wider tensions across the Middle East over the war.

In addition, the U.S. Central Command reported the 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Tuesday to bolster U.S. posture to deter further aggression.&nbsp;On Monday, the U.S. military destroyed two one-way attack drones near U.S. and Coalition forces in southwest Syria before they reached their intended targets, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697765298614.png" alt="The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney transits the Suez Canal, Oct. 18. Carney is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to help ensure maritime security and stability in the Middle East region. Photo By:Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Aaron Lau" />
 <figcaption>The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Carney transits the Suez Canal, Oct. 18. Carney is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations to help ensure maritime security and stability in the Middle East region. Photo By:Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Aaron Lau</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM — The U.S. is issuing a new warning to ships traveling through the Red Sea after a drone and missile attack launched from Yemen during the Israel-Hamas war.The U.S. Maritime Administration warning on Tuesday urged vessels to “exercise caution when transiting this region.”The U.S. Navy says it shot down missiles and drones believed to have been launched by Yemen’s Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in recent days amid wider tensions across the Middle East over the war.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698161439211.png" alt="Photo U.S. Department of Defense" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Department of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>In addition, the U.S. Central Command reported the 119th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft arrived in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility Tuesday to bolster U.S. posture to deter further aggression.&nbsp;On Monday, the U.S. military destroyed two one-way attack drones near U.S. and Coalition forces in southwest Syria before they reached their intended targets, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.&nbsp;

U.S. issues warning to ships in the Red Sea 

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jacob-fischler/">JACOB FISCHLER</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/samantha-dietel/">SAMANTHA DIETEL</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

WASHINGTON — The eight Republican candidates to be speaker of the U.S. House made their cases to their colleagues Monday evening, as the House Republican Conference restarted its process to choose a candidate.

Nine had filed on Sunday to run for speaker but on Monday night Pennsylvania Rep. Dan Meuser dropped out, after announcing just the day before he would make a bid for the post. Meuser cited his promise to run former President Donald Trump’s campaign in Pennsylvania as one of the reasons he exited the race.

The chamber has been in turmoil since eight Republicans voted with all House Democrats to remove Speaker Kevin McCarthy from the post last month. The conference has been unable to unite behind a single candidate.

After Monday night’s speeches, the conference was expected to hold a vote or likely multiple votes behind closed doors Tuesday to try to settle on a nominee, then bring that nominee to the floor.

With the exception of Minnesota’s Tom Emmer, the House majority whip, the group is not particularly well known outside of their districts.

Six of the eight voted to object to certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election, in line with Trump’s position.

With Republicans holding only a 221-212 majority, any would-be speaker will need near-unanimous support from Republicans —&nbsp;a tall order for a deeply divided conference largely still loyal to the former president, but with some members in vulnerable seats.

“It’s a nearly impossible task,” Peter Loge, a professor at the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University, told States Newsroom. “Because you have to be as conservative and angry and election-denying as Matt Gaetz, but as reasonable and a believer in compromise and democratic institutions as the New York moderates. And you can’t be both at the same time.”

In hopes that Republicans will rally around whoever the party nominates this time, Rep. Mike Flood of Nebraska introduced a “<a target="_blank" href="https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-launches-unity-pledge-speakers-race">unity pledge</a>” for members to sign. As of Monday afternoon, eight of the nine original candidates — all but Gary Palmer of Alabama — have signed the pledge, according to Flood’s office.

“Everyone running for Speaker should sign this,” Michigan Republican Jack Bergman, one of the contenders,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/RepJackBergman/status/1715529170271309938">wrote on X</a>.

Loge said the field can be divided into long-term members with institutionalist tendencies —&nbsp;Emmer and Texas’ Pete Sessions, for example — and newer members such as Florida’s Byron Donalds, who are more in line with the conference’s anti-establishment wing.

The next speaker will immediately face a challenge in passing spending bills or a short-term funding measure to keep the government open past a Nov. 17 deadline, as well as an aid package to Israel and Ukraine amid ongoing wars and a farm bill reauthorization.

States Newsroom put together the guide below to help readers get to know the candidates.

First elected in 2016, Bergman is a retired U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant general. He sits on the Armed Services, Veterans’ Affairs and Budget committees.

He’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2023/10/21/rep-bergman-says-his-hat-is-in-the-ring-for-u-s-house-speaker/">said</a>&nbsp;his priorities as speaker would include funding the government, especially the military, homeland security and aid to foreign allies.

In&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://bergman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1131">announcing his candidacy</a>, Bergman suggested he would stay in the position only through the end of the current Congress,

“We need a leader who shuns permanent power and recognizes the current crisis of leadership,” he said.

Who’s supporting him: Other members of Michigan’s House GOP delegation. They are John James, John Moolenaar, Tim Walberg and Lisa McClain.

A member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, Donalds is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/10/20/floridas-byron-donalds-is-now-a-candidate-for-u-s-house-speaker/">a favorite of the Trump wing</a>&nbsp;of the party. He voted against certifying the 2020 election and has said as recently&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/07/ron-desantis-florida-successor-freedom-caucus-byron-donalds">as July</a>&nbsp;that President Joe Biden is not legitimate.

First elected in 2020, Donalds, 44, is the youngest to join the field and has been in the House for the shortest time.

He has said his priorities would be to improve border security and “responsibly” pass funding bills.

He sits on the Financial Services Committee. Before coming to Congress, he worked in the finance industry.

The only non-white Republican candidate for speaker, Donalds would be the first Black speaker.

Who’s supporting him: fellow Florida Republicans Carlos Gimenez, Mario Diaz-Balart and Mike Waltz.

Currently the No. 3 House Republican, Emmer is considered by some the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/10/23/handicapping-u-s-rep-tom-emmers-chances-to-become-the-next-speaker/">frontrunner</a>&nbsp;for the top spot and has McCarthy’s endorsement.

In an appearance on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday, McCarthy praised Emmer’s experience as part of his leadership team.

“He sets himself, head and shoulders, above all those others who want to run,” McCarthy said.

Emmer also developed relationships across the conference when he chaired the House Republican campaign operation in the 2020 and 2022 cycles.

Emmer is one of only two candidates for speaker who voted consistently to certify the 2020 election results. That could make his path harder with the most fervent Trump supporters in the House GOP.

Emmer&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/GOPMajorityWhip/status/1716536001819017487?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">posted a video</a>&nbsp;of Trump on Monday saying that he had “always gotten along” with Emmer and saying he would stay out of the speaker race. Emmer wrote that as speaker he would continue their “strong working relationship.”

He won his House seat in 2014 following an unsuccessful run for Minnesota governor.

In his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/GOPMajorityWhip/status/1715744128166760891/photo/1">letter to colleagues</a>&nbsp;announcing his candidacy, Emmer highlighted national debt and spending, national security and border security as major issues.

The chair of the conservative House Republican Study Committee, Hern could seek support from budget hawks.

The Institute for Legislative Analysis, a limited-government group, gave Hern the highest marks of any candidate for fiscal and tax issues.

Hern has not been shy about his leadership aspirations. He publicly weighed a run for speaker shortly after McCarthy stepped down, but opted not to join that race. He&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/repkevinhern/status/1631785840316674050">has said</a>&nbsp;he at one time dreamed of being an astronaut.

In a letter to colleagues, Hern said Congress has not run well for decades, citing the number of unauthorized programs and a lack of regular order for spending bills. He also listed illegal immigration and drug overdose deaths as problems that Congress should address.

Hern won a special election for his House seat in 2018. Hern owns several McDonald’s franchises in Oklahoma.

As the vice chairman of the House Republican Conference, Johnson is something of an establishment candidate. He’s also a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, which Rep. Jim Jordan, the conference’s previous nominee, chairs.

But Johnson also has conservative bonafides, having previously chaired the House Republican Study Committee.

In&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/RepMikeJohnson/status/1715753985540239776/photo/1">his letter</a>&nbsp;to colleagues asking for support, Johnson highlighted the national debt, border security, crime and inflation as major issues.

An attorney, Johnson was on Trump’s defense team for the former president’s Senate impeachment trials in 2019 and 2020.

Palmer called for GOP unity in his speaker candidacy&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://alabamareflector.com/2023/10/23/alabama-congressman-gary-palmer-to-run-for-u-s-house-speaker/">announcement</a>.

“There is a distinct difference between our vision for a prosperous and strong America and the vision of the Democrats that has done so much harm,” Palmer said in his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/USRepGaryPalmer/status/1716219033798717549">statement on X</a>.

Palmer said he “decided to step forward” as a candidate “to do what I can to put our differences behind us and unite Republicans behind a clear path forward, so we can do our job for the benefit of the American people.”

His statement also cited the concerns American families have about the cost of living, child safety, crime in urban areas, fentanyl, federal bankruptcy and national security.

Palmer was first elected to the House in 2014.

Palmer&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://palmer.house.gov/about/committees-and-caucuses">serves</a>&nbsp;as the chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee. He also sits on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, as well as the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.

He&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://palmer.house.gov/about/full-biography">led</a>&nbsp;the Alabama Policy Institute for 24 years before joining Congress. The Alabama Policy Institute is a conservative think tank with core values surrounding free markets, limited government and “strong families,” according to the organization’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://alabamapolicy.org/about/">website</a>.

Scott received&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/ohios-jordan-latest-us-house-gop-nominee-speaker-after-days-turmoil">81</a>&nbsp;votes when he&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2023/10/13/ohios-jordan-the-latest-u-s-house-gop-nominee-for-speaker-after-days-of-turmoil/">ran</a>&nbsp;for speaker earlier this month against Jordan, an Ohio Republican.

“If we are going to be the majority we need to act like the majority, and that means we have to do the right things the right way,” Scott said in his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/AustinScottGA08/status/1715441064096436424">announcement</a>&nbsp;Friday that he will run again for speaker of the House following Jordan’s withdrawal.

He is one of only two members to vote consistently to certify the 2020 presidential election.

Scott has been a House member since 2011.

Scott sits on the House Armed Services Committee and the Agriculture Committee. He chairs the House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management and Credit.

Sessions has been in Congress the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/who-pete-sessions-and-why-he-running-house-speaker">longest of any of the candidates</a>.

Sessions was initially elected to represent the eastern Dallas district in 1999 and continued to serve until he lost to Rep. Colin Allred in 2018. Sessions was then reelected in 2020, this time to represent the district surrounding Waco.

He&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sessions.house.gov/about">chaired</a>&nbsp;the National Republican Congressional Committee from 2009 to 2012. Republicans regained control of the House in 2010. He also chaired the House Rules Committee from 2013 to 2019.

Sessions voted against the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act last year, as well as the codification of same-sex marriage.

In 2019, Sessions was caught in a scandal when he was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.texastribune.org/2019/10/10/pete-sessions-congressman-1-guliani-associates-indictment/">referred to in an indictment</a>&nbsp;of two men charged with violating campaign finance rules.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/jacob-fischler/">JACOB FISCHLER</a>&nbsp;AND&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/samantha-dietel/">SAMANTHA DIETEL</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>WASHINGTON — The eight Republican candidates to be speaker of the U.S. House made their cases to their colleagues Monday evening, as the House Republican Conference restarted its process to choose a candidate.Nine had filed on Sunday to run for speaker but on Monday night Pennsylvania Rep. Dan Meuser dropped out, after announcing just the day before he would make a bid for the post. Meuser cited his promise to run former President Donald Trump’s campaign in Pennsylvania as one of the reasons he exited the race.The chamber has been in turmoil since eight Republicans voted with all House Democrats to remove Speaker Kevin McCarthy from the post last month. The conference has been unable to unite behind a single candidate.After Monday night’s speeches, the conference was expected to hold a vote or likely multiple votes behind closed doors Tuesday to try to settle on a nominee, then bring that nominee to the floor.With the exception of Minnesota’s Tom Emmer, the House majority whip, the group is not particularly well known outside of their districts.Six of the eight voted to object to certifying the results of the 2020 presidential election, in line with Trump’s position.With Republicans holding only a 221-212 majority, any would-be speaker will need near-unanimous support from Republicans —&nbsp;a tall order for a deeply divided conference largely still loyal to the former president, but with some members in vulnerable seats.“It’s a nearly impossible task,” Peter Loge, a professor at the School of Media and Public Affairs at George Washington University, told States Newsroom. “Because you have to be as conservative and angry and election-denying as Matt Gaetz, but as reasonable and a believer in compromise and democratic institutions as the New York moderates. And you can’t be both at the same time.”In hopes that Republicans will rally around whoever the party nominates this time, Rep. Mike Flood of Nebraska introduced a “<a target="_blank" href="https://flood.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-flood-launches-unity-pledge-speakers-race">unity pledge</a>” for members to sign. As of Monday afternoon, eight of the nine original candidates — all but Gary Palmer of Alabama — have signed the pledge, according to Flood’s office.“Everyone running for Speaker should sign this,” Michigan Republican Jack Bergman, one of the contenders,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/RepJackBergman/status/1715529170271309938">wrote on X</a>.Loge said the field can be divided into long-term members with institutionalist tendencies —&nbsp;Emmer and Texas’ Pete Sessions, for example — and newer members such as Florida’s Byron Donalds, who are more in line with the conference’s anti-establishment wing.The next speaker will immediately face a challenge in passing spending bills or a short-term funding measure to keep the government open past a Nov. 17 deadline, as well as an aid package to Israel and Ukraine amid ongoing wars and a farm bill reauthorization.States Newsroom put together the guide below to help readers get to know the candidates.<h2>Jack Bergman of Michigan</h2>First elected in 2016, Bergman is a retired U.S. Marine Corps lieutenant general. He sits on the Armed Services, Veterans’ Affairs and Budget committees.He’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://michiganadvance.com/2023/10/21/rep-bergman-says-his-hat-is-in-the-ring-for-u-s-house-speaker/">said</a>&nbsp;his priorities as speaker would include funding the government, especially the military, homeland security and aid to foreign allies.In&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://bergman.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1131">announcing his candidacy</a>, Bergman suggested he would stay in the position only through the end of the current Congress,“We need a leader who shuns permanent power and recognizes the current crisis of leadership,” he said.How he’s voted:<ul>
 <li>Certifying the 2020 election: No</li><li>Sept. 30 continuing resolution to keep government open: Yes</li><li>Sept. 28 Ukraine aid bill: Yes</li>
 </ul>Who’s supporting him: Other members of Michigan’s House GOP delegation. They are John James, John Moolenaar, Tim Walberg and Lisa McClain.<h2>Byron Donalds of Florida</h2>A member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, Donalds is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://floridaphoenix.com/2023/10/20/floridas-byron-donalds-is-now-a-candidate-for-u-s-house-speaker/">a favorite of the Trump wing</a>&nbsp;of the party. He voted against certifying the 2020 election and has said as recently&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2023/07/ron-desantis-florida-successor-freedom-caucus-byron-donalds">as July</a>&nbsp;that President Joe Biden is not legitimate.First elected in 2020, Donalds, 44, is the youngest to join the field and has been in the House for the shortest time.He has said his priorities would be to improve border security and “responsibly” pass funding bills.He sits on the Financial Services Committee. Before coming to Congress, he worked in the finance industry.The only non-white Republican candidate for speaker, Donalds would be the first Black speaker.How he’s voted:<ul>
 <li>Certifying the 2020 election: No</li><li>Sept. 30 continuing resolution to keep government open: Did not vote</li><li>Sept. 28 Ukraine aid bill: No</li>
 </ul>Who’s supporting him: fellow Florida Republicans Carlos Gimenez, Mario Diaz-Balart and Mike Waltz.<h2>Tom Emmer of Minnesota</h2>Currently the No. 3 House Republican, Emmer is considered by some the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://minnesotareformer.com/2023/10/23/handicapping-u-s-rep-tom-emmers-chances-to-become-the-next-speaker/">frontrunner</a>&nbsp;for the top spot and has McCarthy’s endorsement.In an appearance on NBC News’ “Meet the Press” on Sunday, McCarthy praised Emmer’s experience as part of his leadership team.“He sets himself, head and shoulders, above all those others who want to run,” McCarthy said.Emmer also developed relationships across the conference when he chaired the House Republican campaign operation in the 2020 and 2022 cycles.Emmer is one of only two candidates for speaker who voted consistently to certify the 2020 election results. That could make his path harder with the most fervent Trump supporters in the House GOP.Emmer&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/GOPMajorityWhip/status/1716536001819017487?ref_src=twsrc%5Egoogle%7Ctwcamp%5Eserp%7Ctwgr%5Etweet">posted a video</a>&nbsp;of Trump on Monday saying that he had “always gotten along” with Emmer and saying he would stay out of the speaker race. Emmer wrote that as speaker he would continue their “strong working relationship.”He won his House seat in 2014 following an unsuccessful run for Minnesota governor.In his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/GOPMajorityWhip/status/1715744128166760891/photo/1">letter to colleagues</a>&nbsp;announcing his candidacy, Emmer highlighted national debt and spending, national security and border security as major issues.How he’s voted:<ul>
 <li>Certifying the 2020 election: Yes</li><li>Sept. 30 continuing resolution to keep government open: Yes</li><li>Sept. 28 Ukraine aid bill: Yes</li>
 </ul>Who’s supporting him: McCarthy.<h2>Kevin Hern of Oklahoma</h2>The chair of the conservative House Republican Study Committee, Hern could seek support from budget hawks.The Institute for Legislative Analysis, a limited-government group, gave Hern the highest marks of any candidate for fiscal and tax issues.Hern has not been shy about his leadership aspirations. He publicly weighed a run for speaker shortly after McCarthy stepped down, but opted not to join that race. He&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/repkevinhern/status/1631785840316674050">has said</a>&nbsp;he at one time dreamed of being an astronaut.In a letter to colleagues, Hern said Congress has not run well for decades, citing the number of unauthorized programs and a lack of regular order for spending bills. He also listed illegal immigration and drug overdose deaths as problems that Congress should address.Hern won a special election for his House seat in 2018. Hern owns several McDonald’s franchises in Oklahoma.How he’s voted:<ul>
 <li>Certifying the 2020 election: No</li><li>Sept. 30 continuing resolution to keep government open: No</li><li>Sept. 28 Ukraine aid bill: No</li>
 </ul><h2>Mike Johnson of Louisiana</h2>As the vice chairman of the House Republican Conference, Johnson is something of an establishment candidate. He’s also a senior member of the House Judiciary Committee, which Rep. Jim Jordan, the conference’s previous nominee, chairs.But Johnson also has conservative bonafides, having previously chaired the House Republican Study Committee.In&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/RepMikeJohnson/status/1715753985540239776/photo/1">his letter</a>&nbsp;to colleagues asking for support, Johnson highlighted the national debt, border security, crime and inflation as major issues.An attorney, Johnson was on Trump’s defense team for the former president’s Senate impeachment trials in 2019 and 2020.How he’s voted:<ul>
 <li>Certifying the 2020 election: No</li><li>Sept. 30 continuing resolution to keep government open: No</li><li>Sept. 28 Ukraine aid bill: No</li>
 </ul><h2>Gary Palmer of Alabama</h2>Palmer called for GOP unity in his speaker candidacy&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://alabamareflector.com/2023/10/23/alabama-congressman-gary-palmer-to-run-for-u-s-house-speaker/">announcement</a>.“There is a distinct difference between our vision for a prosperous and strong America and the vision of the Democrats that has done so much harm,” Palmer said in his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/USRepGaryPalmer/status/1716219033798717549">statement on X</a>.Palmer said he “decided to step forward” as a candidate “to do what I can to put our differences behind us and unite Republicans behind a clear path forward, so we can do our job for the benefit of the American people.”His statement also cited the concerns American families have about the cost of living, child safety, crime in urban areas, fentanyl, federal bankruptcy and national security.Palmer was first elected to the House in 2014.Palmer&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://palmer.house.gov/about/committees-and-caucuses">serves</a>&nbsp;as the chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee. He also sits on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, as well as the House Committee on Oversight and Accountability.He&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://palmer.house.gov/about/full-biography">led</a>&nbsp;the Alabama Policy Institute for 24 years before joining Congress. The Alabama Policy Institute is a conservative think tank with core values surrounding free markets, limited government and “strong families,” according to the organization’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://alabamapolicy.org/about/">website</a>.How he’s voted:<ul>
 <li>Certifying the 2020 election: No</li><li>Sept. 30 continuing resolution to keep government open: No</li><li>Sept. 28 Ukraine aid bill: No</li>
 </ul><h2>Austin Scott of Georgia</h2>Scott received&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/ohios-jordan-latest-us-house-gop-nominee-speaker-after-days-turmoil">81</a>&nbsp;votes when he&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2023/10/13/ohios-jordan-the-latest-u-s-house-gop-nominee-for-speaker-after-days-of-turmoil/">ran</a>&nbsp;for speaker earlier this month against Jordan, an Ohio Republican.“If we are going to be the majority we need to act like the majority, and that means we have to do the right things the right way,” Scott said in his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/AustinScottGA08/status/1715441064096436424">announcement</a>&nbsp;Friday that he will run again for speaker of the House following Jordan’s withdrawal.He is one of only two members to vote consistently to certify the 2020 presidential election.Scott has been a House member since 2011.Scott sits on the House Armed Services Committee and the Agriculture Committee. He chairs the House Agriculture Subcommittee on General Farm Commodities, Risk Management and Credit.How he’s voted:<ul>
 <li>Certifying the 2020 election: Yes</li><li>Sept. 30 continuing resolution to keep government open: Yes</li><li>Sept. 28 Ukraine aid bill: Yes</li>
 </ul><h2>Pete Sessions of Texas</h2>Sessions has been in Congress the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/who-pete-sessions-and-why-he-running-house-speaker">longest of any of the candidates</a>.Sessions was initially elected to represent the eastern Dallas district in 1999 and continued to serve until he lost to Rep. Colin Allred in 2018. Sessions was then reelected in 2020, this time to represent the district surrounding Waco.He&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://sessions.house.gov/about">chaired</a>&nbsp;the National Republican Congressional Committee from 2009 to 2012. Republicans regained control of the House in 2010. He also chaired the House Rules Committee from 2013 to 2019.Sessions voted against the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act last year, as well as the codification of same-sex marriage.In 2019, Sessions was caught in a scandal when he was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.texastribune.org/2019/10/10/pete-sessions-congressman-1-guliani-associates-indictment/">referred to in an indictment</a>&nbsp;of two men charged with violating campaign finance rules.How he’s voted:<ul>
 <li>Certifying the 2020 election: No</li><li>Sept. 30 continuing resolution to keep government open: Yes</li><li>Sept. 28 Ukraine aid bill: Yes</li>
 </ul>

Your guide to the 8 Republicans running for U.S. House speaker

SYRIA – On Monday, the U.S. military destroyed two one-way attack drones near U.S. and Coalition forces in southwest Syria before they reached their intended targets, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command

"In this moment of heightened alert, we are vigilantly monitoring the situation in the region and will take necessary and proportionate action to defend U.S. and Coalition forces."

SYRIA – On Monday, the U.S. military destroyed two one-way attack drones near U.S. and Coalition forces in southwest Syria before they reached their intended targets, according to a statement from the U.S. Central CommandThere are no casualties or damage."In this moment of heightened alert, we are vigilantly monitoring the situation in the region and will take necessary and proportionate action to defend U.S. and Coalition forces."

Officials: US troops in Syria targeted by drones

RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas released two elderly Israeli women held hostage in Gaza on Monday, as the United States expressed increasing concern that the escalating Israel-Hamas war will spark a wider conflict in the region, including attacks on American troops.

The death toll in Gaza rose rapidly as Israel ramped up airstrikes, flattening residential buildings in what it says was preparation for an eventual ground assault. The United States advised Israel to delay an expected ground invasion to allow time to negotiate the release of more hostages taken by Hamas during its brutal incursion two weeks ago.

A third small aid convoy from Egypt entered Gaza, where the population of 2.3 million has been running out of food, water and medicine under Israel’s two-week seal. With Israel still barring entry of fuel, the U.N. said its distribution of aid would grind to a halt within days when it can no longer fuel its trucks. Gaza hospitals flooded by a constant stream of wounded are struggling to keep generators running to power life-saving medical equipment and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-babies-crisis-9ec2e404e16a132821dac644af110ef6">incubators for premature babies</a>.

The two freed hostages, 85-year-old Yocheved Lifshitz and 79-year-old Nurit Cooper, were taken out of Gaza at the Rafah crossing into Egypt, where they were put into ambulances, according to footage shown on Egyptian TV. The two women, along with their husbands, were snatched from their homes in the kibbutz of Nir Oz near the Gaza border during Hamas’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">Oct. 7 rampage</a>&nbsp;into southern Israeli communities. Their husbands were not released.

Hamas said it had released them for humanitarian reasons, days after freeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-ed6875f15ea0d2bc196e4033b54b7194">an American woman and her teenage daughter</a>. Hamas and other militants in Gaza are believed to have taken roughly 220 people, including an unconfirmed number of foreigners and dual nationals.

Israel is widely expected to launch&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-military-urban-battle-89e45b149f3b88cd647cf6376dbfe0ac">a ground offensive in Gaza</a>, vowing to destroy Hamas.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-marines-bombing-beirut-1983-hezbollah-israel-hamas-iran-34f61ac47909c52de800dd35b375e782">Iranian-backed fighters around the region are warning of possible escalation</a>&nbsp;if that happens, including targeting U.S. forces deployed in the Mideast.

The U.S. has told Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and other groups not to join the fight.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-clashes-cadccde8c6ce5400ee36fd12d3bfea52">Israel and Hezbollah have traded fire almost daily across the Israel-Lebanon border</a>, and Israeli warplanes have struck targets in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-west-bank-gaza-militants-25b93d7eda4f2972360fe384d381bbff">the occupied West Bank</a>, Syria and Lebanon in recent days.

National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said there had been an uptick in rocket and drone attacks by Iranian-backed militias on U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria, and the U.S. was “deeply concerned about the possibility for any significant escalation” in attacks in coming days.

He said U.S. officials were having “active conversations” with Israeli counterparts about the potential ramifications of escalated military action.

The U.S. advised Israeli officials that delaying a ground offensive would give Washington more time to work with regional mediators on securing the release of more hostages, according to a U.S. official.

Israeli tanks and ground forces have been massed at the Gaza border, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told troops there Monday to keep preparing for an offensive “because it will come.” He said it will be a combined offensive from air, land and sea but did not give a timeframe.

A ground offensive is likely to dramatically increase casualties in what is already the deadliest by far&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-hamas-war-middle-east-palestinians-e6d44f4e478cced2cfaeac61385020ac">of five wars</a>&nbsp;fought between Israel and Hamas since the militant seized power in Gaza in 2007.

More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed — mostly civilians slain during the initial Hamas attack. At least 222 people were captured and dragged back to Gaza, including foreigners, the military said Monday, updating a previous figure.

More than 5,000 Palestinians, including some 2,000 minors and around 1,100 women, have been killed, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said Monday. That includes the disputed toll from an explosion at a hospital last week. The toll has climbed rapidly in recent days, with the ministry reporting 436 additional deaths in just the last 24 hours.

Israel said it had struck 320 militant targets throughout Gaza over the last 24 hours. The military says it does not target civilians, and that Palestinian militants have fired over 7,000 rockets at Israel since the start of the war.

Israel carried out limited ground forays into Gaza. On Sunday, Hamas said it destroyed an Israeli tank and two armored bulldozers inside Gaza. The Israeli military said a soldier was killed and three others were wounded by an anti-tank missile during a raid inside Gaza.

Intense airstrikes continued Monday across Gaza. After a strike in Gaza City, a woman with blood on her face wept as she clasped the hand of a dead relative. At least three bodies were sprawled on the street, one lying in a gray stream of water. After a series of strikes in the south, Rafah’s Abou Youssef Al-Najjar Hospital registered 61 deaths Monday, its spokesperson said. Bodies of the dead were laid out in the hospital grounds, spokesperson Talaat Barghout said.

On Monday the Palestinian Red Crescent said 20 trucks entered Gaza carrying food, water, medicine and medical supplies, through the Rafah crossing with Egypt, the only way into Gaza not controlled by Israel. It was the third delivery in as many days, each around the same size.

The aid coming in so far is “a drop in the ocean” compared to the needs of the population, said Thomas White, the Gaza director of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. The U.N. has said 20 trucks amounts to 4% of an average day’s imports before the war and that hundreds of trucks a day are needed.

White said the agency had only three days of fuel left for its trucks. The supplies coming through Rafah are reloaded onto UNRWA and the Red Crescent trucks to take to hospitals and U.N. schools in the south of Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people are taking shelter, running low on food and largely drinking contaminated water.

At least 1.4 million Palestinians in Gaza have fled their homes, and nearly 580,000 of them are sheltering in U.N.-run schools and shelters, the U.N. said Monday.

No aid will be distributed in Gaza City and other parts of the north, where hundreds of thousands of people remain. Gaza City’s main al-Shifa Hospital, with a normal capacity of 700 patients, is currently overwhelmed with 5,000 patients, and around 45,000 displaced people are gathered in and around its grounds for shelter, the U.N. said.

“The north didn’t receive anything” from incoming aid, said Mahmoud Shalabi, an aid worker with Medical Aid for Palestinians aid group based in the northern town of Beit Lahia. “It’s like a death sentence for the people in the north of Gaza.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698094669144.png" alt="Nurit Cooper, who was held as hostage by Palestinian Hamas militants, is seen in this undated handout photo. The International Committee of the Red Cross says Hamas militants have released Cooper along with Yocheved Lifshitz it had been holding captive in the Gaza Strip. (Hostages and Missing Families Forum via AP)" />
 <figcaption>Nurit Cooper, who was held as hostage by Palestinian Hamas militants, is seen in this undated handout photo. The International Committee of the Red Cross says Hamas militants have released Cooper along with Yocheved Lifshitz it had been holding captive in the Gaza Strip. (Hostages and Missing Families Forum via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>RAFAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Hamas released two elderly Israeli women held hostage in Gaza on Monday, as the United States expressed increasing concern that the escalating Israel-Hamas war will spark a wider conflict in the region, including attacks on American troops.The death toll in Gaza rose rapidly as Israel ramped up airstrikes, flattening residential buildings in what it says was preparation for an eventual ground assault. The United States advised Israel to delay an expected ground invasion to allow time to negotiate the release of more hostages taken by Hamas during its brutal incursion two weeks ago.A third small aid convoy from Egypt entered Gaza, where the population of 2.3 million has been running out of food, water and medicine under Israel’s two-week seal. With Israel still barring entry of fuel, the U.N. said its distribution of aid would grind to a halt within days when it can no longer fuel its trucks. Gaza hospitals flooded by a constant stream of wounded are struggling to keep generators running to power life-saving medical equipment and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-babies-crisis-9ec2e404e16a132821dac644af110ef6">incubators for premature babies</a>.The two freed hostages, 85-year-old Yocheved Lifshitz and 79-year-old Nurit Cooper, were taken out of Gaza at the Rafah crossing into Egypt, where they were put into ambulances, according to footage shown on Egyptian TV. The two women, along with their husbands, were snatched from their homes in the kibbutz of Nir Oz near the Gaza border during Hamas’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">Oct. 7 rampage</a>&nbsp;into southern Israeli communities. Their husbands were not released.Hamas said it had released them for humanitarian reasons, days after freeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-ed6875f15ea0d2bc196e4033b54b7194">an American woman and her teenage daughter</a>. Hamas and other militants in Gaza are believed to have taken roughly 220 people, including an unconfirmed number of foreigners and dual nationals.Israel is widely expected to launch&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-military-urban-battle-89e45b149f3b88cd647cf6376dbfe0ac">a ground offensive in Gaza</a>, vowing to destroy Hamas.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-marines-bombing-beirut-1983-hezbollah-israel-hamas-iran-34f61ac47909c52de800dd35b375e782">Iranian-backed fighters around the region are warning of possible escalation</a>&nbsp;if that happens, including targeting U.S. forces deployed in the Mideast.The U.S. has told Iranian-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and other groups not to join the fight.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-clashes-cadccde8c6ce5400ee36fd12d3bfea52">Israel and Hezbollah have traded fire almost daily across the Israel-Lebanon border</a>, and Israeli warplanes have struck targets in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-west-bank-gaza-militants-25b93d7eda4f2972360fe384d381bbff">the occupied West Bank</a>, Syria and Lebanon in recent days.National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said there had been an uptick in rocket and drone attacks by Iranian-backed militias on U.S. troops in Iraq and Syria, and the U.S. was “deeply concerned about the possibility for any significant escalation” in attacks in coming days.He said U.S. officials were having “active conversations” with Israeli counterparts about the potential ramifications of escalated military action.The U.S. advised Israeli officials that delaying a ground offensive would give Washington more time to work with regional mediators on securing the release of more hostages, according to a U.S. official.Israeli tanks and ground forces have been massed at the Gaza border, and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant told troops there Monday to keep preparing for an offensive “because it will come.” He said it will be a combined offensive from air, land and sea but did not give a timeframe.A ground offensive is likely to dramatically increase casualties in what is already the deadliest by far&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-israel-hamas-war-middle-east-palestinians-e6d44f4e478cced2cfaeac61385020ac">of five wars</a>&nbsp;fought between Israel and Hamas since the militant seized power in Gaza in 2007.More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed — mostly civilians slain during the initial Hamas attack. At least 222 people were captured and dragged back to Gaza, including foreigners, the military said Monday, updating a previous figure.More than 5,000 Palestinians, including some 2,000 minors and around 1,100 women, have been killed, the Hamas-run Health Ministry said Monday. That includes the disputed toll from an explosion at a hospital last week. The toll has climbed rapidly in recent days, with the ministry reporting 436 additional deaths in just the last 24 hours.Israel said it had struck 320 militant targets throughout Gaza over the last 24 hours. The military says it does not target civilians, and that Palestinian militants have fired over 7,000 rockets at Israel since the start of the war.Israel carried out limited ground forays into Gaza. On Sunday, Hamas said it destroyed an Israeli tank and two armored bulldozers inside Gaza. The Israeli military said a soldier was killed and three others were wounded by an anti-tank missile during a raid inside Gaza.Intense airstrikes continued Monday across Gaza. After a strike in Gaza City, a woman with blood on her face wept as she clasped the hand of a dead relative. At least three bodies were sprawled on the street, one lying in a gray stream of water. After a series of strikes in the south, Rafah’s Abou Youssef Al-Najjar Hospital registered 61 deaths Monday, its spokesperson said. Bodies of the dead were laid out in the hospital grounds, spokesperson Talaat Barghout said.On Monday the Palestinian Red Crescent said 20 trucks entered Gaza carrying food, water, medicine and medical supplies, through the Rafah crossing with Egypt, the only way into Gaza not controlled by Israel. It was the third delivery in as many days, each around the same size.The aid coming in so far is “a drop in the ocean” compared to the needs of the population, said Thomas White, the Gaza director of the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA. The U.N. has said 20 trucks amounts to 4% of an average day’s imports before the war and that hundreds of trucks a day are needed.White said the agency had only three days of fuel left for its trucks. The supplies coming through Rafah are reloaded onto UNRWA and the Red Crescent trucks to take to hospitals and U.N. schools in the south of Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people are taking shelter, running low on food and largely drinking contaminated water.At least 1.4 million Palestinians in Gaza have fled their homes, and nearly 580,000 of them are sheltering in U.N.-run schools and shelters, the U.N. said Monday.No aid will be distributed in Gaza City and other parts of the north, where hundreds of thousands of people remain. Gaza City’s main al-Shifa Hospital, with a normal capacity of 700 patients, is currently overwhelmed with 5,000 patients, and around 45,000 displaced people are gathered in and around its grounds for shelter, the U.N. said.“The north didn’t receive anything” from incoming aid, said Mahmoud Shalabi, an aid worker with Medical Aid for Palestinians aid group based in the northern town of Beit Lahia. “It’s like a death sentence for the people in the north of Gaza.”

Hamas frees 2 more hostages as US advises delaying ground war 

KANSAS CITY (AP) —The United Auto Workers union has once again escalated its strikes against big Detroit automakers, this time adding a factory that makes Ram pickup trucks for Stellantis.

The union says that 6,800 members walked out Monday morning and shut down the Sterling Heights, Michigan, Assembly Plant, a huge profit center for the company.

The newest strike action comes just three days after union&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strike-union-uaw-shawn-fain-0e3e71f44f075fda066f499bb2165b48">President Shawn Fain</a>&nbsp;reported progress in talks with General Motors and Stellantis but said the companies will have to make better offers. No progress was reported with Ford, which last week said it had the best offer of the three.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-uaw-workers-strike-gm-ford-stellantis-7ce3ca9d94b911250d07556b7af376c7">union went on strike Sept. 15</a>&nbsp;at one assembly plant from each company. About 41,000 workers are now on strike against all three automakers. The strikes, now in their sixth week, cover seven assembly plants and 38 parts warehouses. About 28% of the union's work force at the three companies are now on strike.

General Motors, which increased its offer last week, and Ford were spared in the latest escalation. At first the union avoided striking at pickup and large SUV plants, which at all three produce vehicles that make the most money for the companies. But that changed two weeks ago when the UAW took out a giant Ford heavy-duty pickup and SUV plant in Louisville, Kentucky.

In previous strikes the union has targeted a particular company and reached an agreement that served as a pattern for a deal with the other two.

In a statement, the union said that offers from Stellantis, formed in the 2021 merger of Fiat Chrysler and France's PSA Groupe, lag Ford and GM despite the automaker having the most revenue and highest profits of the three.

Stellantis has the worst offer on cost of living raises, how fast workers move to the top of the pay scale, temporary worker pay, converting temps to full time, and other issues, the union said.

In a statement, Stellantis said it was “outraged” that the Sterling Heights plant was added to the strike list because the company improved its offer on Thursday but has not received a response from the UAW. The new offer included a 23% wage increase over four years, nearly a 50% increase in retirement savings contributions and added job security provisions, the company said.

“Our very strong offer would address member demands and provide immediate financial gains for our employees,” the statement said. “Instead the UAW has decided to cause further harm to the entire automotive industry as well as our local, state and national economies.”

With every plant it adds, the union “sacrifices domestic market share to nonunion competition,” hurting the company's ability to invest and compete, the statement said.

The union expects to make counteroffers to Stellantis and GM soon.

By taking down the Stellantis factory, the union is signaling Ford and GM to improve their offers, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said. Last week it appeared a deal might be in the works, but Fain said Friday that the companies will need to pay more.

“It takes a potential deal that appeared on the table -- at least for now -- off of it,” Ives said, predicting the the union will announce new strike locations later this week. "There could be some tough talks ahead,” Ives said.

On Friday, Fain said Stellantis and GM have made wage offers that matched Ford’s 23% over the life of a four year contract. But, speaking in his characteristic sharp tones, the union president insisted that the companies can go further.

“We’ve got cards left to play, and they’ve got money left to spend,” Fain said.

While Fain said the companies keep touting that they’ve made record offers to the UAW, he said they’re insufficient to make up for how much ground workers have lost during the past two decades. Each time the automakers make an offer, Fain said, they insist it’s the best they can do, only to return days later with a better offer.

“What that should tell you,” Fain said, is that “there’s room to move.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695471687000.png" alt="About 41,000 workers are now on strike against all three automakers.-photo UAW" />
 <figcaption>About 41,000 workers are now on strike against all three automakers.-photo UAW</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —The United Auto Workers union has once again escalated its strikes against big Detroit automakers, this time adding a factory that makes Ram pickup trucks for Stellantis.The union says that 6,800 members walked out Monday morning and shut down the Sterling Heights, Michigan, Assembly Plant, a huge profit center for the company.The newest strike action comes just three days after union&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-workers-strike-union-uaw-shawn-fain-0e3e71f44f075fda066f499bb2165b48">President Shawn Fain</a>&nbsp;reported progress in talks with General Motors and Stellantis but said the companies will have to make better offers. No progress was reported with Ford, which last week said it had the best offer of the three.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-uaw-workers-strike-gm-ford-stellantis-7ce3ca9d94b911250d07556b7af376c7">union went on strike Sept. 15</a>&nbsp;at one assembly plant from each company. About 41,000 workers are now on strike against all three automakers. The strikes, now in their sixth week, cover seven assembly plants and 38 parts warehouses. About 28% of the union's work force at the three companies are now on strike.General Motors, which increased its offer last week, and Ford were spared in the latest escalation. At first the union avoided striking at pickup and large SUV plants, which at all three produce vehicles that make the most money for the companies. But that changed two weeks ago when the UAW took out a giant Ford heavy-duty pickup and SUV plant in Louisville, Kentucky.In previous strikes the union has targeted a particular company and reached an agreement that served as a pattern for a deal with the other two.In a statement, the union said that offers from Stellantis, formed in the 2021 merger of Fiat Chrysler and France's PSA Groupe, lag Ford and GM despite the automaker having the most revenue and highest profits of the three.Stellantis has the worst offer on cost of living raises, how fast workers move to the top of the pay scale, temporary worker pay, converting temps to full time, and other issues, the union said.In a statement, Stellantis said it was “outraged” that the Sterling Heights plant was added to the strike list because the company improved its offer on Thursday but has not received a response from the UAW. The new offer included a 23% wage increase over four years, nearly a 50% increase in retirement savings contributions and added job security provisions, the company said.“Our very strong offer would address member demands and provide immediate financial gains for our employees,” the statement said. “Instead the UAW has decided to cause further harm to the entire automotive industry as well as our local, state and national economies.”With every plant it adds, the union “sacrifices domestic market share to nonunion competition,” hurting the company's ability to invest and compete, the statement said.The union expects to make counteroffers to Stellantis and GM soon.By taking down the Stellantis factory, the union is signaling Ford and GM to improve their offers, Wedbush analyst Dan Ives said. Last week it appeared a deal might be in the works, but Fain said Friday that the companies will need to pay more.“It takes a potential deal that appeared on the table -- at least for now -- off of it,” Ives said, predicting the the union will announce new strike locations later this week. "There could be some tough talks ahead,” Ives said.On Friday, Fain said Stellantis and GM have made wage offers that matched Ford’s 23% over the life of a four year contract. But, speaking in his characteristic sharp tones, the union president insisted that the companies can go further.“We’ve got cards left to play, and they’ve got money left to spend,” Fain said.While Fain said the companies keep touting that they’ve made record offers to the UAW, he said they’re insufficient to make up for how much ground workers have lost during the past two decades. Each time the automakers make an offer, Fain said, they insist it’s the best they can do, only to return days later with a better offer.“What that should tell you,” Fain said, is that “there’s room to move.”____

Autoworkers expand strike, shut down big profit center

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Friday said it would indefinitely block a lower court order curbing Biden administration efforts to combat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-biden-administration-lawsuit-injunction-6322aae981bdc5c9009babde4b31ab60">controversial social media posts</a>&nbsp;on topics including COVID-19 and election security.

The justices said they would hear arguments in a lawsuit filed by Louisiana, Missouri and other parties accusing administration officials of unconstitutionally squelching conservative points of view. The new case adds to a term already heavy with social media issues.

Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas would have rejected the emergency appeal from the Biden administration.

“At this time in the history of our country, what the Court has done, I fear, will be seen by some as giving the Government a green light to use heavy-handed tactics to skew the presentation of views on the medium that increasingly dominates the dissemination of news. That is most unfortunate,” Alito wrote in dissent.

White House communications staffers, the surgeon general, the FBI and the U.S. cybersecurity agency are among those who would have been affected by the order. The lawsuit said they were among those who coerced changes in online content on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and other media platforms.

Notably, the companies themselves are not part of the litigation.

A panel of three judges on the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled earlier that the administration had likely brought unconstitutional pressure on the media platforms. The appellate panel said officials cannot attempt to “coerce or significantly encourage” changes in online content.

The Justice Department said the appellate ruling and a much broader order issued by a federal judge in Louisiana that the appeals court narrowed were riddled with factual and legal mistakes.

“The Fifth Circuit erred in finding coercion by the White House, Surgeon General’s office, and FBI because the court did not identify any threat, implicit or explicit, of adverse consequences for noncompliance," Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar wrote. "Indeed, the Fifth Circuit adopted a definition of coercion so lax that it deemed the FBI’s actions coercive simply because the FBI is a powerful law enforcement agency and the platforms sometimes (but not always) removed the content it flagged.”

The 5th Circuit had previously narrowed a more sweeping order during the summer from a federal judge, who wanted to include even more government officials and prohibit mere encouragement of content changes.

The Supreme Court has four other social media cases on its docket. The justices are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-social-media-florida-texas-820e90e58e49c1146b69101ece4dd9d5">evaluating Republican-passed laws in Florida and Texas</a>&nbsp;that prohibit large social media companies from taking down posts because of the views they express. The tech companies said that the laws violate their First Amendment rights. The laws reflect a view among Republicans that the platforms disproportionately censor conservative viewpoints.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Friday said it would indefinitely block a lower court order curbing Biden administration efforts to combat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-biden-administration-lawsuit-injunction-6322aae981bdc5c9009babde4b31ab60">controversial social media posts</a>&nbsp;on topics including COVID-19 and election security.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 BREAKING: The United States Supreme Court has granted cert in Missouri v. Biden -- the nation&#39;s highest court will hear the most important free speech case in American history. I&#39;m proud to have filed this case when I was AG, and will always defend free speech. <a href="https://t.co/2MOfLXH8u0">pic.twitter.com/2MOfLXH8u0</a>&mdash; Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_Schmitt/status/1715469445815054529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 20, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The justices said they would hear arguments in a lawsuit filed by Louisiana, Missouri and other parties accusing administration officials of unconstitutionally squelching conservative points of view. The new case adds to a term already heavy with social media issues.Justices Samuel Alito, Neil Gorsuch and Clarence Thomas would have rejected the emergency appeal from the Biden administration.“At this time in the history of our country, what the Court has done, I fear, will be seen by some as giving the Government a green light to use heavy-handed tactics to skew the presentation of views on the medium that increasingly dominates the dissemination of news. That is most unfortunate,” Alito wrote in dissent.White House communications staffers, the surgeon general, the FBI and the U.S. cybersecurity agency are among those who would have been affected by the order. The lawsuit said they were among those who coerced changes in online content on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and other media platforms.Notably, the companies themselves are not part of the litigation.A panel of three judges on the New Orleans-based 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals had ruled earlier that the administration had likely brought unconstitutional pressure on the media platforms. The appellate panel said officials cannot attempt to “coerce or significantly encourage” changes in online content.The Justice Department said the appellate ruling and a much broader order issued by a federal judge in Louisiana that the appeals court narrowed were riddled with factual and legal mistakes.“The Fifth Circuit erred in finding coercion by the White House, Surgeon General’s office, and FBI because the court did not identify any threat, implicit or explicit, of adverse consequences for noncompliance," Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar wrote. "Indeed, the Fifth Circuit adopted a definition of coercion so lax that it deemed the FBI’s actions coercive simply because the FBI is a powerful law enforcement agency and the platforms sometimes (but not always) removed the content it flagged.”The 5th Circuit had previously narrowed a more sweeping order during the summer from a federal judge, who wanted to include even more government officials and prohibit mere encouragement of content changes.The Supreme Court has four other social media cases on its docket. The justices are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-social-media-florida-texas-820e90e58e49c1146b69101ece4dd9d5">evaluating Republican-passed laws in Florida and Texas</a>&nbsp;that prohibit large social media companies from taking down posts because of the views they express. The tech companies said that the laws violate their First Amendment rights. The laws reflect a view among Republicans that the platforms disproportionately censor conservative viewpoints.

U.S. Supreme Court temporarily blocks order in social media lawsuit

BEIRUT —As tensions grow in the Middle East, the U.S. State Department has increased their alerts to Americans.

Late Sunday, the U.S. State Department alert said, "&nbsp;U.S. citizens who wish to depart Lebanon should leave now, due to the unpredictable security situation."

"There are still commercial flights available, but there is reduced capacity. Please check flight options at Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport (<a href="https://t.co/k6ZEqXfR8S" target="_blank">https://beirutairport.gov.lb</a>)."

If you need a financial assistance loan from the U.S. government to purchase tickets on a flight to depart Lebanon, or are interested in receiving messages from the U.S. Department of State, please complete this crisis intake form (<a href="https://t.co/SS3GH5pbgj" target="_blank">https://cacms.state.gov/s/crisis-intake</a>). Do not fill out this form if you have already completed it – we have your information, and duplicate requests delay our response. Security Alert&nbsp;

On October 19, U.S. State Department released a rare “Worldwide Travel Alert” stating that American citizens should exercise increased caution around the world due to increasing tensions in various locations and the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests.&nbsp;

<a href="https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/worldwide-caution.html">Click here</a>&nbsp;for additional details from the U.S. State Department

In addition, the FBI is continuing to monitor threats both in the United States and overseas.&nbsp;As the conflict continues, the FBI has seen an increase in reports of threats against Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities and institutions, according to a statement from the agency.

"We take all potential threats seriously and are working closely with our law enforcement partners to determine their credibility, share information, and take appropriate&nbsp;investigative&nbsp;action.&nbsp;As always, we encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement. "

"FBI field offices across the country are communicating not just with our law enforcement partners but also with faith-based organizations and the private sector, among others. To help keep our communities safe, we are talking with leaders of all faiths, including Jewish and Muslim leaders, sharing information, and asking them to let us know if they see anything concerning."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697731566690.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BEIRUT —As tensions grow in the Middle East, the U.S. State Department has increased their alerts to Americans.Late Sunday, the U.S. State Department alert said, "&nbsp;U.S. citizens who wish to depart Lebanon should leave now, due to the unpredictable security situation.""There are still commercial flights available, but there is reduced capacity. Please check flight options at Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport (<a href="https://t.co/k6ZEqXfR8S" target="_blank">https://beirutairport.gov.lb</a>)." If you need a financial assistance loan from the U.S. government to purchase tickets on a flight to depart Lebanon, or are interested in receiving messages from the U.S. Department of State, please complete this crisis intake form (<a href="https://t.co/SS3GH5pbgj" target="_blank">https://cacms.state.gov/s/crisis-intake</a>). Do not fill out this form if you have already completed it – we have your information, and duplicate requests delay our response. Security Alert&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697731837363.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>On October 19, U.S. State Department released a rare “Worldwide Travel Alert” stating that American citizens should exercise increased caution around the world due to increasing tensions in various locations and the potential for terrorist attacks, demonstrations or violent actions against U.S. citizens and interests.&nbsp;<a href="https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/traveladvisories/worldwide-caution.html">Click here</a>&nbsp;for additional details from the U.S. State DepartmentIn addition, the FBI is continuing to monitor threats both in the United States and overseas.&nbsp;As the conflict continues, the FBI has seen an increase in reports of threats against Jewish, Muslim, and Arab communities and institutions, according to a statement from the agency."We take all potential threats seriously and are working closely with our law enforcement partners to determine their credibility, share information, and take appropriate&nbsp;investigative&nbsp;action.&nbsp;As always, we encourage members of the public to immediately report anything they consider suspicious to law enforcement. ""FBI field offices across the country are communicating not just with our law enforcement partners but also with faith-based organizations and the private sector, among others. To help keep our communities safe, we are talking with leaders of all faiths, including Jewish and Muslim leaders, sharing information, and asking them to let us know if they see anything concerning.""Through our Legal Attaché office in Tel Aviv, we are working with our Israeli and U.S. Embassy partners to identify all Americans who have been impacted in the region, including those who remain unaccounted for, and our victim services specialists are working closely with victims and their families here and abroad."