WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;said Tuesday he is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-speaker-biden-impeachment-republicans-shutdown-4d8c314763252429a6f87e7d13ad2b43">directing a House committee</a>&nbsp;to open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden over his family's business dealings, launching historic proceedings ahead of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-2024-poll-old-corrupt-12b806876e2072790f9a67793761c688">2024 election.</a>

McCarthy said the House Oversight Committee's investigation so far has found a “culture of corruption” around the Biden family as Republicans probe the business dealings of Biden's son,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>, from before the Democratic president took office.

“These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction and corruption, and they warrant further investigation by the House of Representatives,” McCarthy, R-Calif., said outside the speaker's office at the Capitol. "That’s why today I am directing our House committee to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.”

The announcement comes as the Republican leader faces mounting pressure from his right flank to take action against Biden while he also is struggling to pass legislation needed to avoid a federal government shutdown at the end of the month.

An inquiry is step toward impeachment, and McCarthy essentially outlined potential charges. He is is planning to convene lawmakers behind closed doors multiple times this week, including for a meeting to discuss the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Biden</a>&nbsp;impeachment.

The Republican leader is once again at a political crossroads — trying to keep his most conservative lawmakers satisfied and prevent his own ouster. It’s a familiar political bind for McCarthy,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">who is juggling</a>&nbsp;the impeachment inquiry and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-impeachment-congress-funding-048dee639bb0dcb6604f05ba2f0782a8">government shutdown threat</a>&nbsp;with no clear end game.

Government funding is to run out on Sept. 30, which is the end of the federal fiscal year, and Congress must pass new funding bills or risk a shutdown and the interruption of government services.

Biden’s White House has dismissed the impeachment push as politically motivated.

“Speaker McCarthy shouldn’t cave to the extreme, far-right members who are threatening to shut down the government unless they get a baseless, evidence-free impeachment of President Biden. The consequences for the American people are too serious,” White House spokesman Ian Sams has said.

The impeachment push comes as Trump, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">twice impeached</a>&nbsp;by the House but acquitted by the Senate, faces more serious charges in court. Trump has been indicted four times this year, including for trying to overturn the 2020 election Biden won.

"This is a transparent effort to boost Donald Trump’s campaign by establishing a false moral equivalency between Trump — the four time-indicted former president" and Biden, who faces “zero evidence of wrongdoing whatsoever,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee.

House Republicans are probing the business dealings of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;but so far have not produced hard evidence linking them and the president. They have shown a few instances largely during the time the elder Biden was Barack Obama's vice president when he spoke by phone with his son and stopped by dinners his son was hosting with business partners.

An impeachment inquiry would provide more heft to the House investigation, especially as it battles in court for access to Biden family financial records.

Republicans contend the Justice Department has not fully probed the allegations against Hunter Biden, and say he received preferential treatment in what they call a sweetheart plea deal that recently collapsed. The Department of Justice has appointed a special prosecutor in that probe.

"We will go wherever the evidence takes us,” McCarthy said.

The White House has insisted Biden was not involved in his son’s business dealings. And Democrats on the Oversight Committee are stepping up to fight against what they view as unfounded claims against him ahead of the 2024 election.

Rep. James Comer, the Republican chairman leading the Oversight Committee, is digging into the Biden family finances and is expected to seek banking records for Hunter Biden as the panel tries to follow the flow of money.

On Tuesday, Comer demanded the State Department produce documents about the work Biden did as vice president during the Obama administration to clean up corruption in Ukraine. Comer wants to understand the State Department's views of former Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin, whom Biden and many Western allies wanted removed from office because of allegations of corruption.

This comes as federal government funding is set to run out on Sept. 30, which is the end of the federal fiscal year, and Congress must pass new funding bills or risk a shutdown and the interruption of government services.

Conservatives who power McCarty's majority want to slash spending, and the hard right is unwilling to approve spending levels the speaker negotiated with Biden earlier this year.

McCarthy is trying to float a 30-day stopgap measure to keep government running to Nov. 1, but conservatives are balking at what's called a continuing resolution, or CR, as they pursue cuts.

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said late Monday exiting McCarthy's office she has “red lines" against any new money being spent for COVID-19 vaccines or mandates or Russia's war in Ukraine.

Another Republican, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, a top Trump ally, is warning that McCarthy could face blowback from conservatives if he does not push hard for spending cuts.

At the start of the year, Gaetz and other Republicans secured agreements from McCarthy as he struggled to win their votes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-us-republican-party-0938c7358f41c83759246f8949ac7c15">become House speaker</a>.

Under the House rules, McCarthy's opponents are able to call a vote at any time to try to oust the speaker from office.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kevin-mccarthy">Kevin McCarthy</a>&nbsp;said Tuesday he is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mccarthy-speaker-biden-impeachment-republicans-shutdown-4d8c314763252429a6f87e7d13ad2b43">directing a House committee</a>&nbsp;to open an impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden over his family's business dealings, launching historic proceedings ahead of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-2024-poll-old-corrupt-12b806876e2072790f9a67793761c688">2024 election.</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">House Speaker McCarthy: &quot;I am directing our House committee to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/ynjJXEZ5fT">pic.twitter.com/ynjJXEZ5fT</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1701626243404157141?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>McCarthy said the House Oversight Committee's investigation so far has found a “culture of corruption” around the Biden family as Republicans probe the business dealings of Biden's son,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>, from before the Democratic president took office.“These are allegations of abuse of power, obstruction and corruption, and they warrant further investigation by the House of Representatives,” McCarthy, R-Calif., said outside the speaker's office at the Capitol. "That’s why today I am directing our House committee to open a formal impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Biden Crime Family, LLC.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1701661375754322261?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The announcement comes as the Republican leader faces mounting pressure from his right flank to take action against Biden while he also is struggling to pass legislation needed to avoid a federal government shutdown at the end of the month.An inquiry is step toward impeachment, and McCarthy essentially outlined potential charges. He is is planning to convene lawmakers behind closed doors multiple times this week, including for a meeting to discuss the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Biden</a>&nbsp;impeachment.The Republican leader is once again at a political crossroads — trying to keep his most conservative lawmakers satisfied and prevent his own ouster. It’s a familiar political bind for McCarthy,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">who is juggling</a>&nbsp;the impeachment inquiry and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-shutdown-impeachment-congress-funding-048dee639bb0dcb6604f05ba2f0782a8">government shutdown threat</a>&nbsp;with no clear end game.Government funding is to run out on Sept. 30, which is the end of the federal fiscal year, and Congress must pass new funding bills or risk a shutdown and the interruption of government services.Biden’s White House has dismissed the impeachment push as politically motivated.“Speaker McCarthy shouldn’t cave to the extreme, far-right members who are threatening to shut down the government unless they get a baseless, evidence-free impeachment of President Biden. The consequences for the American people are too serious,” White House spokesman Ian Sams has said.The impeachment push comes as Trump, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-impeachment-vote-capitol-siege-0a6f2a348a6e43f27d5e1dc486027860">twice impeached</a>&nbsp;by the House but acquitted by the Senate, faces more serious charges in court. Trump has been indicted four times this year, including for trying to overturn the 2020 election Biden won."This is a transparent effort to boost Donald Trump’s campaign by establishing a false moral equivalency between Trump — the four time-indicted former president" and Biden, who faces “zero evidence of wrongdoing whatsoever,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee.House Republicans are probing the business dealings of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;but so far have not produced hard evidence linking them and the president. They have shown a few instances largely during the time the elder Biden was Barack Obama's vice president when he spoke by phone with his son and stopped by dinners his son was hosting with business partners.An impeachment inquiry would provide more heft to the House investigation, especially as it battles in court for access to Biden family financial records.Republicans contend the Justice Department has not fully probed the allegations against Hunter Biden, and say he received preferential treatment in what they call a sweetheart plea deal that recently collapsed. The Department of Justice has appointed a special prosecutor in that probe."We will go wherever the evidence takes us,” McCarthy said.The White House has insisted Biden was not involved in his son’s business dealings. And Democrats on the Oversight Committee are stepping up to fight against what they view as unfounded claims against him ahead of the 2024 election.Rep. James Comer, the Republican chairman leading the Oversight Committee, is digging into the Biden family finances and is expected to seek banking records for Hunter Biden as the panel tries to follow the flow of money.On Tuesday, Comer demanded the State Department produce documents about the work Biden did as vice president during the Obama administration to clean up corruption in Ukraine. Comer wants to understand the State Department's views of former Ukrainian prosecutor Viktor Shokin, whom Biden and many Western allies wanted removed from office because of allegations of corruption.This comes as federal government funding is set to run out on Sept. 30, which is the end of the federal fiscal year, and Congress must pass new funding bills or risk a shutdown and the interruption of government services.Conservatives who power McCarty's majority want to slash spending, and the hard right is unwilling to approve spending levels the speaker negotiated with Biden earlier this year.McCarthy is trying to float a 30-day stopgap measure to keep government running to Nov. 1, but conservatives are balking at what's called a continuing resolution, or CR, as they pursue cuts.Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., said late Monday exiting McCarthy's office she has “red lines" against any new money being spent for COVID-19 vaccines or mandates or Russia's war in Ukraine.Another Republican, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, a top Trump ally, is warning that McCarthy could face blowback from conservatives if he does not push hard for spending cuts.At the start of the year, Gaetz and other Republicans secured agreements from McCarthy as he struggled to win their votes to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-us-republican-party-0938c7358f41c83759246f8949ac7c15">become House speaker</a>.Under the House rules, McCarthy's opponents are able to call a vote at any time to try to oust the speaker from office.

🎥House panel to open impeachment inquiry of President Biden

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. approved updated COVID-19 vaccines Monday, hoping to rev up protection against the latest coronavirus strains and blunt any surge this fall and winter.

The Food and Drug Administration decision opens the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-flu-rsv-vaccines-tripledemic-2a55728638c1c0879ce58deeeb0196bf">newest shots</a>&nbsp;from Moderna and Pfizer and its partner BioNTech to most Americans even if they’ve never had a coronavirus vaccination. It’s part of a shift to treat fall updates of the COVID-19 vaccine much like getting a yearly flu shot.

There’s still another step: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must sign off. A CDC advisory panel is set to issue recommendations Tuesday on who most needs the updated shots. Vaccinations could begin later this week, and both the COVID-19 and flu shot can be given at the same visit.

A third vaccine maker, Novavax, said its updated shot is still being reviewed by the FDA.

COVID-19 hospitalizations have been rising since late summer although –- thanks to lasting immunity from prior vaccinations and infections –- not nearly as much as this time last year.

But protection wanes over time and the coronavirus continually churns out new variants that can dodge prior immunity. It’s been a year since the last time the vaccines were tweaked, and only about 20% of adults ever received that earlier update.

“Vaccination remains critical to public health and continued protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said in a statement. “We very much encourage those who are eligible to consider getting vaccinated.”

Just like earlier vaccinations, the fall round is cleared for adults and children as young as age 6 months. FDA said starting at age 5, most people can get a single dose even if they’ve never had a prior COVID-19 shot. Younger children might need additional doses depending on their history of COVID-19 infections and vaccinations.

The FDA pointedly isn’t calling this latest round a “booster” but instead a vaccine updated to better match the currently circulating virus. The new recipe targets an omicron variant named XBB.1.5 — replacing outdated combination vaccines that mixed protection against the original coronavirus strain and an older version of omicron.

And while even the XBB.1.5 variant is no longer dominant, FDA determined that it’s close enough to coronavirus strains causing most COVID-19 illnesses today to offer good cross-protection. Like earlier versions, they're expected to be most protective against COVID-19's worst consequences rather than mild infection.

But while the FDA's decision allows for wide use of the updated shots, the CDC will decide how strongly different groups are urged to get them.

Federal officials have said the shots still will be free to most Americans through private insurance or Medicare. But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/bridge/index.html">for the uninsured or underinsured,</a>&nbsp;the CDC is working with health departments, clinics and certain pharmacies to temporarily provide free shots.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694460878166.png" alt="This photo provided by Pfizer in September 2023 shows single-dose vials of the company's updated COVID vaccine for adults. U.S. regulators have approved updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, shots aimed at revving up protection this fall and winter. The Food and Drug Administration's decision Monday, Sept. 11, 2023 is part of a shift to treat fall COVID-19 vaccine updates much like getting a yearly flu shot. (Pfizer via AP)" />
 <figcaption>This photo provided by Pfizer in September 2023 shows single-dose vials of the company's updated COVID vaccine for adults. U.S. regulators have approved updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, shots aimed at revving up protection this fall and winter. The Food and Drug Administration's decision Monday, Sept. 11, 2023 is part of a shift to treat fall COVID-19 vaccine updates much like getting a yearly flu shot. (Pfizer via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. approved updated COVID-19 vaccines Monday, hoping to rev up protection against the latest coronavirus strains and blunt any surge this fall and winter.The Food and Drug Administration decision opens the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-flu-rsv-vaccines-tripledemic-2a55728638c1c0879ce58deeeb0196bf">newest shots</a>&nbsp;from Moderna and Pfizer and its partner BioNTech to most Americans even if they’ve never had a coronavirus vaccination. It’s part of a shift to treat fall updates of the COVID-19 vaccine much like getting a yearly flu shot.There’s still another step: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must sign off. A CDC advisory panel is set to issue recommendations Tuesday on who most needs the updated shots. Vaccinations could begin later this week, and both the COVID-19 and flu shot can be given at the same visit.A third vaccine maker, Novavax, said its updated shot is still being reviewed by the FDA.COVID-19 hospitalizations have been rising since late summer although –- thanks to lasting immunity from prior vaccinations and infections –- not nearly as much as this time last year.But protection wanes over time and the coronavirus continually churns out new variants that can dodge prior immunity. It’s been a year since the last time the vaccines were tweaked, and only about 20% of adults ever received that earlier update.“Vaccination remains critical to public health and continued protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death,” FDA vaccine chief Dr. Peter Marks said in a statement. “We very much encourage those who are eligible to consider getting vaccinated.”Just like earlier vaccinations, the fall round is cleared for adults and children as young as age 6 months. FDA said starting at age 5, most people can get a single dose even if they’ve never had a prior COVID-19 shot. Younger children might need additional doses depending on their history of COVID-19 infections and vaccinations.The FDA pointedly isn’t calling this latest round a “booster” but instead a vaccine updated to better match the currently circulating virus. The new recipe targets an omicron variant named XBB.1.5 — replacing outdated combination vaccines that mixed protection against the original coronavirus strain and an older version of omicron.And while even the XBB.1.5 variant is no longer dominant, FDA determined that it’s close enough to coronavirus strains causing most COVID-19 illnesses today to offer good cross-protection. Like earlier versions, they're expected to be most protective against COVID-19's worst consequences rather than mild infection.But while the FDA's decision allows for wide use of the updated shots, the CDC will decide how strongly different groups are urged to get them.Federal officials have said the shots still will be free to most Americans through private insurance or Medicare. But&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/programs/bridge/index.html">for the uninsured or underinsured,</a>&nbsp;the CDC is working with health departments, clinics and certain pharmacies to temporarily provide free shots.

2 new COVID vaccines approved for your protection this fall

NEW YORK (AP) —The U.S. government is taking aim at what has been an indomitable empire: Google’s ubiquitous search engine that has become the internet’s main gateway.

The legal attack will swing into full force Tuesday in a Washington D.C. federal courtroom that will serve as the battleground for the biggest U.S. antitrust trial since regulators went after Microsoft and its dominance of personal computer software a quarter century ago.

The 10-week trial before U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta is expected to include potentially revelatory testimony from top executives at Google and its corporate parent Alphabet, as well as other powerful technology companies. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, who succeeded Google co-founder Larry Page in 2019, will be among the most prominent witnesses likely to testify. Court documents also indicate one of Apple's highest-ranking executives, Eddy Cue, might be called to the stand.

The case against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-antitrust-microsoft-doj-6a800b51cc9b6b1c4d1b23bad4510040">Google mirrors the one brought against Microsoft</a>&nbsp;in many ways, including the existential threat it poses to a renowned tech giant whose products are relied on by billions of people.

The trial is scheduled to continue into late November before its first phase wraps, after which another round of court filings and arguments are expected. Mehta isn’t expected to issue a ruling until early next year. If he decides Google has been breaking the law, it will trigger another trial to determine what measures should be taken to rein in the Mountain View, California, company.

Although Google products such as the Chrome web browser, Gmail, YouTube and online maps all are hugely popular, none have become as indispensable — or as valuable — as the internet search engine invented by Page and a fellow Stanford University graduate student, Sergey Brin, during the late 1990s.

The trial is beginning just a couple weeks after the 25th anniversary of the first investment in the company — a $100,000 check written by Sun Microsystems co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim that enabled Page and Brin to set up shop in a Silicon Valley garage.

Today, Google's corporate parent, Alphabet Inc., is worth $1.7 trillion and employs 182,000 people, with most of the money coming from $224 billion in annual ad sales flowing through a network of digital services anchored by a search engine that fields billions of queries a day.

Google could be hobbled if the antitrust trial culminates in concessions that undercut its power. One possibility is that the company could be forced to stop paying Apple and other companies to make Google the default search engine on smartphones and computers.

Or the legal battle could cause Google to lose focus. That's what happened to Microsoft after its antitrust showdown with the Justice Department: Distracted, the software giant struggled to adapt to the impact of internet search and smartphones. Google capitalized on that distraction to leap from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-antitrust-lawsuit-doj-f8f82967dc0d53a42c240b31d1559ccf">its startup roots into an imposing powerhouse.</a>

Nearly three years&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-justice-department-antitrust-0510e8f9047956254455ec5d4db06044">after filing its antitrust lawsuit</a>&nbsp;during the Trump administration, lawyers from the U.S. Justice Department will try to prove Google has been abusing the power of its search engine to stifle competition in ways that discouraged innovation. Critics say the quality of search results has deteriorated, too, as Google used its engine to sell ads and promote its own products, like Google restaurant reviews instead of those offered by Yelp.

Dozens of state attorneys general, led by Colorado, have waded into the battle and will have a chance to prove Google turned into an illegal monopoly that's harming consumers.

The crux of the Justice Department's argument will boil down to its contention that Google's search engine has become like digital air almost everyone breathes, and that it needs to be cleaned up because the company's tactics have polluted the atmosphere.

Google's vast legal team is expected to counter that the company has never stopped improving its search engine, executing its original mission to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible to anyone with an internet connection. From Google's perspective, the perpetual improvements explain why most people almost reflexively gravitate to its search engine, a habit that long ago made “Googling” synonymous with looking things up.

Despite commanding about 90% of the internet search market, Google argues it faces a wide range of competition ranging from other search engines such as Microsoft's Bing and DuckDuckGo to websites such as Amazon and Yelp, where people research questions about what product to buy or where to eat.

The Justice Department contends Google's claim that it dominates the market by supplying the best search engine is a canard. They allege Google protects its franchise through a form of payola, shelling out billions of dollars annually to be the default search engine on the iPhone and web browser such as Apple's Safari and Mozilla's Firefox.

Regulators also allege Google has illegally rigged the market in its favor by requiring its search engine to be bundled with its Android software for smartphones if the device manufacturers want full access to the Android app store.

By locking in Google's search engine as the default choice in so many places, the Justice Department contends the company has made it more difficult for people to find the best results as quickly as possible.

Regulators allege the company's deals ensure Google's automatic access to billions of queries that provide data for its search engine, while boxing out Bing and DuckDuckGo from getting information that could help them improve their results.

The tactics have created a toxic situation allowing Google to cram more ads at the top of its search results, increasing its profits and Alphabet's stock price, according to the Justice Department. That practice requires consumers to dig ever deeper to answer their questions, something that regulators believe could be avoided if rival services were able to collect as much information as Google does through its lock-in agreements.

Google insists that consumers could easily switch their default settings to another search engine.

The company also argues that it does face competition from evolving technology: Microsoft, for example, is baking artificial intelligence from its business partner Open AI into its Bing search engine. That move in early February prodded Google to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-artificial-intelligence-search-engine-chatgpt-microsoft-fd0538018df958388991772ced6e693d">start equipping its search engine with AI-fueled results</a>&nbsp;too — a sign that the company says shows competition continues to thrive.

NEW YORK (AP) —The U.S. government is taking aim at what has been an indomitable empire: Google’s ubiquitous search engine that has become the internet’s main gateway.The legal attack will swing into full force Tuesday in a Washington D.C. federal courtroom that will serve as the battleground for the biggest U.S. antitrust trial since regulators went after Microsoft and its dominance of personal computer software a quarter century ago.The 10-week trial before U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta is expected to include potentially revelatory testimony from top executives at Google and its corporate parent Alphabet, as well as other powerful technology companies. Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai, who succeeded Google co-founder Larry Page in 2019, will be among the most prominent witnesses likely to testify. Court documents also indicate one of Apple's highest-ranking executives, Eddy Cue, might be called to the stand.The case against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-antitrust-microsoft-doj-6a800b51cc9b6b1c4d1b23bad4510040">Google mirrors the one brought against Microsoft</a>&nbsp;in many ways, including the existential threat it poses to a renowned tech giant whose products are relied on by billions of people.The trial is scheduled to continue into late November before its first phase wraps, after which another round of court filings and arguments are expected. Mehta isn’t expected to issue a ruling until early next year. If he decides Google has been breaking the law, it will trigger another trial to determine what measures should be taken to rein in the Mountain View, California, company.Although Google products such as the Chrome web browser, Gmail, YouTube and online maps all are hugely popular, none have become as indispensable — or as valuable — as the internet search engine invented by Page and a fellow Stanford University graduate student, Sergey Brin, during the late 1990s.The trial is beginning just a couple weeks after the 25th anniversary of the first investment in the company — a $100,000 check written by Sun Microsystems co-founder Andy Bechtolsheim that enabled Page and Brin to set up shop in a Silicon Valley garage.Today, Google's corporate parent, Alphabet Inc., is worth $1.7 trillion and employs 182,000 people, with most of the money coming from $224 billion in annual ad sales flowing through a network of digital services anchored by a search engine that fields billions of queries a day.Google could be hobbled if the antitrust trial culminates in concessions that undercut its power. One possibility is that the company could be forced to stop paying Apple and other companies to make Google the default search engine on smartphones and computers.Or the legal battle could cause Google to lose focus. That's what happened to Microsoft after its antitrust showdown with the Justice Department: Distracted, the software giant struggled to adapt to the impact of internet search and smartphones. Google capitalized on that distraction to leap from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-antitrust-lawsuit-doj-f8f82967dc0d53a42c240b31d1559ccf">its startup roots into an imposing powerhouse.</a>Nearly three years&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-justice-department-antitrust-0510e8f9047956254455ec5d4db06044">after filing its antitrust lawsuit</a>&nbsp;during the Trump administration, lawyers from the U.S. Justice Department will try to prove Google has been abusing the power of its search engine to stifle competition in ways that discouraged innovation. Critics say the quality of search results has deteriorated, too, as Google used its engine to sell ads and promote its own products, like Google restaurant reviews instead of those offered by Yelp.Dozens of state attorneys general, led by Colorado, have waded into the battle and will have a chance to prove Google turned into an illegal monopoly that's harming consumers.The crux of the Justice Department's argument will boil down to its contention that Google's search engine has become like digital air almost everyone breathes, and that it needs to be cleaned up because the company's tactics have polluted the atmosphere.Google's vast legal team is expected to counter that the company has never stopped improving its search engine, executing its original mission to organize the world's information and make it universally accessible to anyone with an internet connection. From Google's perspective, the perpetual improvements explain why most people almost reflexively gravitate to its search engine, a habit that long ago made “Googling” synonymous with looking things up.Despite commanding about 90% of the internet search market, Google argues it faces a wide range of competition ranging from other search engines such as Microsoft's Bing and DuckDuckGo to websites such as Amazon and Yelp, where people research questions about what product to buy or where to eat.The Justice Department contends Google's claim that it dominates the market by supplying the best search engine is a canard. They allege Google protects its franchise through a form of payola, shelling out billions of dollars annually to be the default search engine on the iPhone and web browser such as Apple's Safari and Mozilla's Firefox.Regulators also allege Google has illegally rigged the market in its favor by requiring its search engine to be bundled with its Android software for smartphones if the device manufacturers want full access to the Android app store.By locking in Google's search engine as the default choice in so many places, the Justice Department contends the company has made it more difficult for people to find the best results as quickly as possible.Regulators allege the company's deals ensure Google's automatic access to billions of queries that provide data for its search engine, while boxing out Bing and DuckDuckGo from getting information that could help them improve their results.The tactics have created a toxic situation allowing Google to cram more ads at the top of its search results, increasing its profits and Alphabet's stock price, according to the Justice Department. That practice requires consumers to dig ever deeper to answer their questions, something that regulators believe could be avoided if rival services were able to collect as much information as Google does through its lock-in agreements.Google insists that consumers could easily switch their default settings to another search engine.The company also argues that it does face competition from evolving technology: Microsoft, for example, is baking artificial intelligence from its business partner Open AI into its Bing search engine. That move in early February prodded Google to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/google-artificial-intelligence-search-engine-chatgpt-microsoft-fd0538018df958388991772ced6e693d">start equipping its search engine with AI-fueled results</a>&nbsp;too — a sign that the company says shows competition continues to thrive.

Google versus the U.S. in the biggest antitrust trial in decades

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;closed a visit to Vietnam on Monday by spotlighting new business deals and partnerships between the two countries and paying respects at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-ap-top-news-vietnam-az-state-wire-politics-f3f264059e05471dbf5a0a332fcceaf1">memorial honoring his late friend and colleague Sen. John McCain,</a>&nbsp;who endured a lengthy imprisonment in Hanoi during the Vietnam War.

Biden met with Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, who also accompanied Biden to a quick drop by at a meeting of business leaders. Biden also sat down with President Võ Văn Thưởng, who hosted the U.S. president for a formal state luncheon. The two sides are looking to strengthen their partnership amid shared concerns about China's assertiveness in the Pacific.

Both leaders spoke about strengthening Vietnam's semiconductor industry. Biden made clear his administration's commitment to an open Pacific.

“My message today is quite simple. Let’s keep it up," Biden told the CEOs. “We need to develop and drive our collaboration, We need to forge new partnerships.”

The prime minister also stressed the need to improve cooperation and said “the sky is the limit” for the expanding U.S.-Vietnam relationship.

“We truly wish to receive strong political commitment from the U.S. government including you, Mr. President, who has had great affection for Vietnam," the prime minister said.

Highlights of the major deals announced by the White House during Biden's first-ever visit to Vietnam include U.S.-based Boeing's $7.5 billion deal with Vietnam Airlines to buy about 50 aircraft and Arizona-based Amkor Technology's plans for a $1.6 billion factory in Bac Ninh Province.

The White House also said the administration would help “build Vietnamese capacity to fight regional and international transnational crime,” including targeting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. China has been locked in long-running territorial conflicts with Vietnam, along with the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, as Beijing claims waters in the other nations' exclusive economic zone.

Biden arrived in Vietnam on Sunday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-vietnam-status-china-trade-ac8f9dd899f77910c42295769d3fedb6">met with Nguyễn Phú Trong,</a>&nbsp;general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Trong formally announced Vietnam had elevated the U.S. to its highest diplomatic status,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/09/10/fact-sheet-president-joseph-r-biden-and-general-secretary-nguyen-phu-trong-announce-the-u-s-vietnam-comprehensive-strategic-partnership/">comprehensive strategic partner</a>. Biden said the shift demonstrated how far bilateral relations had evolved from the “bitter past” of the Vietnam War.

At the same time, Biden insisted that his roughly 24-hour visit was not about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-vietnam-status-china-trade-ac8f9dd899f77910c42295769d3fedb6">trying to start a “cold war” with China</a>&nbsp;but was part of a broader effort to improve global stability by building relationships throughout Asia, including with Vietnam, at a time of tensions with Beijing.

Before departing, Biden visited the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-bills-0bd309f182de44d9bc320f334be94875">John Sidney McCain III</a>&nbsp;Memorial near the site where, as a 31-year-old Navy lieutenant commander, McCain's Skyhawk dive bomber was shot down by the North Vietnamese. Both sides exchanged documents Monday on unaccounted U.S. service members and Vietnamese soldiers. Biden left one of his commemorative coins at the memorial, the White House said.

McCain parachuted out of the plane and landed in a lake in Hanoi, North Vietnam. He broke both arms and a leg in the fall, was dragged from the water by an angry crowd, and was beaten and bayoneted.

The harrowing 1967 incident began a more than five-year ordeal that became the defining moment for the future Republican senator from Arizona and two-time presidential candidate.

After six weeks in the hospital, McCain, who had lost about one-third of his weight, was transferred to a prison cell. After a brief time with cellmates, McCain, the son and grandson of four-star admirals, began two years in solitary confinement in a 10-by-10 foot (3-by-3 meter) room.

At one point, McCain’s captors asked if he wanted to go home, but it was a trick question. The U.S. military’s code of conduct required prisoners to be released in the order they were detained. The North Vietnamese wanted to make a show of releasing McCain early as his father assumed command over the Pacific. McCain refused.

For four days after he refused release, McCain was beaten every two to three hours by 10 guards. Filled with thoughts of suicide, McCain broke and agreed to sign an anti-U.S. propaganda statement confessing to “black crimes.” He later wrote: “I had learned what we all learned over there: Every man has his breaking point. I had reached mine.”

It was the last time McCain would break. He refused to sign any other statements or meet with visiting American anti-war activists. Eventually, McCain was removed from solitary confinement and mingled with other U.S. prisoners of war. He was released on March 14, 1973.

McCain returned home, retired from the Navy in 1981, moved to Arizona and launched a political career. He was elected to the House in 1982 and, in 1986, to the Senate, where he and Biden were colleagues. Despite his experience in Vietnam, McCain was a strong advocate of restoring diplomatic relations with the country that had so badly mistreated him.

He was the Republican presidential nominee in 2008, but lost to Democrat Barack Obama. He died of brain cancer in 2018. Biden delivered an emotional eulogy at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-us-news-ap-top-news-az-state-wire-north-america-ee653f2bdbce47b28bf26fe1c0617e65">McCain's funeral</a>&nbsp;in Arizona.

At the luncheon, Biden said he missed McCain. He praised McCain and John Kerry — another Vietnam War veteran and former Democratic senator, secretary of state in the Obama administration and Biden's climate envoy — for playing critical roles in the two nations’ “50 year arc of progress.”

“Where there was darkness you all found light,” Biden said.

On the way back to Washington, Biden was stopping at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, to address service members, first responders and their families on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sept-11-terror-attack-anniversary-ceremonies-47488758b18fd78f541674041e36d263">22nd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks</a>&nbsp;on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

HANOI, Vietnam (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;closed a visit to Vietnam on Monday by spotlighting new business deals and partnerships between the two countries and paying respects at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-ap-top-news-vietnam-az-state-wire-politics-f3f264059e05471dbf5a0a332fcceaf1">memorial honoring his late friend and colleague Sen. John McCain,</a>&nbsp;who endured a lengthy imprisonment in Hanoi during the Vietnam War.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden and Secretary General Nguyễn Phú Trọng announced a new Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the U.S. and Vietnam – Vietnam&#39;s highest tier of international partnership. This weekend, <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> deepened the critical relationship between our two countries. <a href="https://t.co/r6hFoCYiPF">pic.twitter.com/r6hFoCYiPF</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1701024984833900666?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden met with Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính, who also accompanied Biden to a quick drop by at a meeting of business leaders. Biden also sat down with President Võ Văn Thưởng, who hosted the U.S. president for a formal state luncheon. The two sides are looking to strengthen their partnership amid shared concerns about China's assertiveness in the Pacific.Both leaders spoke about strengthening Vietnam's semiconductor industry. Biden made clear his administration's commitment to an open Pacific.“My message today is quite simple. Let’s keep it up," Biden told the CEOs. “We need to develop and drive our collaboration, We need to forge new partnerships.”The prime minister also stressed the need to improve cooperation and said “the sky is the limit” for the expanding U.S.-Vietnam relationship.“We truly wish to receive strong political commitment from the U.S. government including you, Mr. President, who has had great affection for Vietnam," the prime minister said.Highlights of the major deals announced by the White House during Biden's first-ever visit to Vietnam include U.S.-based Boeing's $7.5 billion deal with Vietnam Airlines to buy about 50 aircraft and Arizona-based Amkor Technology's plans for a $1.6 billion factory in Bac Ninh Province.The White House also said the administration would help “build Vietnamese capacity to fight regional and international transnational crime,” including targeting illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing. China has been locked in long-running territorial conflicts with Vietnam, along with the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei, as Beijing claims waters in the other nations' exclusive economic zone.Biden arrived in Vietnam on Sunday and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-vietnam-status-china-trade-ac8f9dd899f77910c42295769d3fedb6">met with Nguyễn Phú Trong,</a>&nbsp;general secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam. Trong formally announced Vietnam had elevated the U.S. to its highest diplomatic status,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/09/10/fact-sheet-president-joseph-r-biden-and-general-secretary-nguyen-phu-trong-announce-the-u-s-vietnam-comprehensive-strategic-partnership/">comprehensive strategic partner</a>. Biden said the shift demonstrated how far bilateral relations had evolved from the “bitter past” of the Vietnam War.At the same time, Biden insisted that his roughly 24-hour visit was not about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-vietnam-status-china-trade-ac8f9dd899f77910c42295769d3fedb6">trying to start a “cold war” with China</a>&nbsp;but was part of a broader effort to improve global stability by building relationships throughout Asia, including with Vietnam, at a time of tensions with Beijing.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">TODAY: President Biden visited a memorial for the late Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) in Vietnam. <a href="https://t.co/hdkofxdX9P">pic.twitter.com/hdkofxdX9P</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1701235392262054331?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Before departing, Biden visited the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-bills-0bd309f182de44d9bc320f334be94875">John Sidney McCain III</a>&nbsp;Memorial near the site where, as a 31-year-old Navy lieutenant commander, McCain's Skyhawk dive bomber was shot down by the North Vietnamese. Both sides exchanged documents Monday on unaccounted U.S. service members and Vietnamese soldiers. Biden left one of his commemorative coins at the memorial, the White House said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It was here where a Navy lieutenant commander by the name of John McCain was shot down in his Skyhawk. I went to pay my respects. And to remember my friend. Even though John is not with us, he left us pretty clear instructions: “Believe always in the promise and greatness of… <a href="https://t.co/DRylYqZTae">pic.twitter.com/DRylYqZTae</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1701325761473335597?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>McCain parachuted out of the plane and landed in a lake in Hanoi, North Vietnam. He broke both arms and a leg in the fall, was dragged from the water by an angry crowd, and was beaten and bayoneted.The harrowing 1967 incident began a more than five-year ordeal that became the defining moment for the future Republican senator from Arizona and two-time presidential candidate.After six weeks in the hospital, McCain, who had lost about one-third of his weight, was transferred to a prison cell. After a brief time with cellmates, McCain, the son and grandson of four-star admirals, began two years in solitary confinement in a 10-by-10 foot (3-by-3 meter) room.At one point, McCain’s captors asked if he wanted to go home, but it was a trick question. The U.S. military’s code of conduct required prisoners to be released in the order they were detained. The North Vietnamese wanted to make a show of releasing McCain early as his father assumed command over the Pacific. McCain refused.For four days after he refused release, McCain was beaten every two to three hours by 10 guards. Filled with thoughts of suicide, McCain broke and agreed to sign an anti-U.S. propaganda statement confessing to “black crimes.” He later wrote: “I had learned what we all learned over there: Every man has his breaking point. I had reached mine.”It was the last time McCain would break. He refused to sign any other statements or meet with visiting American anti-war activists. Eventually, McCain was removed from solitary confinement and mingled with other U.S. prisoners of war. He was released on March 14, 1973.McCain returned home, retired from the Navy in 1981, moved to Arizona and launched a political career. He was elected to the House in 1982 and, in 1986, to the Senate, where he and Biden were colleagues. Despite his experience in Vietnam, McCain was a strong advocate of restoring diplomatic relations with the country that had so badly mistreated him.He was the Republican presidential nominee in 2008, but lost to Democrat Barack Obama. He died of brain cancer in 2018. Biden delivered an emotional eulogy at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-us-news-ap-top-news-az-state-wire-north-america-ee653f2bdbce47b28bf26fe1c0617e65">McCain's funeral</a>&nbsp;in Arizona.At the luncheon, Biden said he missed McCain. He praised McCain and John Kerry — another Vietnam War veteran and former Democratic senator, secretary of state in the Obama administration and Biden's climate envoy — for playing critical roles in the two nations’ “50 year arc of progress.”“Where there was darkness you all found light,” Biden said.On the way back to Washington, Biden was stopping at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Anchorage, Alaska, to address service members, first responders and their families on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sept-11-terror-attack-anniversary-ceremonies-47488758b18fd78f541674041e36d263">22nd anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks</a>&nbsp;on New York, Washington and Pennsylvania.

🎥 US and Vietnam ink historic partnership during Biden visit

Connecting Young Nebraskans (CYN) is now inviting nominations of exemplary young professionals deserving of a 2023 Young Nebraskans Award. Young Nebraskans Awards celebrate talented, influential young Nebraskans who are making a positive impact in their workplaces and communities. Awards will be presented for the following categories: CYN Network Weaver, Young Professional of the Year, Community Involvement &amp; Impact, Entrepreneurship &amp; Innovation, Leadership &amp; Professional Development, and Diversity &amp; Inclusion.

"We are thrilled to announce the opening of nominations for CYN’s Young Nebraskans Awards. These awards shine a spotlight on the exceptional talents and contributions of our state's rising stars. We invite everyone to participate in recognizing and honoring our area young professionals who are driving progress, fostering inclusivity and leaving an indelible mark on our local landscape," said Allison Hatch, CYN fund advisory committee member.

The deadline to submit nominations and self-nominations is Sept. 18. Awardees and individuals receiving an honorable mention will be notified by Sept. 25. Awardees will be recognized at the 2023 CYN Summit on Oct. 19 at the Younes Hospitality Campus in Kearney. To learn more and fill out a nomination form, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://connectingyoungnebraskans.weebly.com/young-nebraskans-awards.html" target="_blank">https://connectingyoungnebraskans.weebly.com/young-nebraskans-awards.html</a>.

For more information on the 2023 Connecting Young Nebraskans Summit, which will be held in Kearney on Oct. 18-19 at the Younes Hospitality Campus, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://connectingyoungnebraskans.weebly.com/cyn-summit.html" target="_blank">https://connectingyoungnebraskans.weebly.com/cyn-summit.html</a>.

Connecting Young Nebraskans (CYN connects young Nebraskans and empowers them to lead and shape the future of their communities and state. CYN’s statewide network is a dynamic and diverse group of more than 900 peers with a&nbsp;passion for making a difference, a willingness to learn and the desire to build important relationships to help shape the future of Nebraska. Connecting Young Nebraskans is an affiliated fund of Nebraska Community Foundation.

By Connecting Young NebraskansConnecting Young Nebraskans (CYN) is now inviting nominations of exemplary young professionals deserving of a 2023 Young Nebraskans Award. Young Nebraskans Awards celebrate talented, influential young Nebraskans who are making a positive impact in their workplaces and communities. Awards will be presented for the following categories: CYN Network Weaver, Young Professional of the Year, Community Involvement &amp; Impact, Entrepreneurship &amp; Innovation, Leadership &amp; Professional Development, and Diversity &amp; Inclusion."We are thrilled to announce the opening of nominations for CYN’s Young Nebraskans Awards. These awards shine a spotlight on the exceptional talents and contributions of our state's rising stars. We invite everyone to participate in recognizing and honoring our area young professionals who are driving progress, fostering inclusivity and leaving an indelible mark on our local landscape," said Allison Hatch, CYN fund advisory committee member.The deadline to submit nominations and self-nominations is Sept. 18. Awardees and individuals receiving an honorable mention will be notified by Sept. 25. Awardees will be recognized at the 2023 CYN Summit on Oct. 19 at the Younes Hospitality Campus in Kearney. To learn more and fill out a nomination form, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://connectingyoungnebraskans.weebly.com/young-nebraskans-awards.html" target="_blank">https://connectingyoungnebraskans.weebly.com/young-nebraskans-awards.html</a>.For more information on the 2023 Connecting Young Nebraskans Summit, which will be held in Kearney on Oct. 18-19 at the Younes Hospitality Campus, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://connectingyoungnebraskans.weebly.com/cyn-summit.html" target="_blank">https://connectingyoungnebraskans.weebly.com/cyn-summit.html</a>.About Connecting Young NebraskansConnecting Young Nebraskans (CYN connects young Nebraskans and empowers them to lead and shape the future of their communities and state. CYN’s statewide network is a dynamic and diverse group of more than 900 peers with a&nbsp;passion for making a difference, a willingness to learn and the desire to build important relationships to help shape the future of Nebraska. Connecting Young Nebraskans is an affiliated fund of Nebraska Community Foundation.

CYN opens nomination process for 2023 Young Nebraskans Awards

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans are looking back on the horror and legacy of 9/11, gathering Monday at memorials, firehouses, city halls and elsewhere to observe the 22nd anniversary of the deadliest terror attack on U.S. soil.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?530271-1/911-remembrance-ceremony-york-city">Click here to watch</a> the 9/11 remembrance ceremony in New York

Commemorations stretch from the attack sites — at New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania — to Alaska and beyond.

“For those of us who lost people on that day, that day is still happening. Everybody else moves on. And you find a way to go forward, but that day is always happening for you,” Edward Edelman said as he arrived at ground zero to honor his slain brother-in-law, Daniel McGinley.

President Joe Biden is due at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-911-terrorist-attack-harris-alaska-8e58378865dc612a49d0a2dee80f2304">a ceremony on a military base</a>&nbsp;in Anchorage. His visit, en route to Washington, D.C., from a trip to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-vietnam-status-china-trade-ac8f9dd899f77910c42295769d3fedb6">India and Vietnam</a>, is a reminder that the impact of 9/11 was felt in every corner of the nation, however remote. The hijacked plane attacks claimed nearly 3,000 lives and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/911-20-years-world-affairs-cc497f11743fcbd48b0b3e0c3ed2da5f">reshaped American foreign policy</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-sept-11-changed-flying-1ce4dc4282fb47a34c0b61ae09a024f4">domestic fears</a>.

On that day, “we were one country, one nation, one people, just like it should be. That was the feeling — that everyone came together and did what we could, where we were at, to try to help," said Eddie Ferguson, the fire-rescue chief in Virginia’s Goochland County.

It's more than 100 miles from the Pentagon and more than three times as far from New York. But a sense of connection is enshrined in a local memorial incorporating steel from the World Trade Center’s destroyed twin towers.

The predominantly rural county of 25,000 people holds not just one but two anniversary commemorations: a morning service focused on first responders and an evening ceremony honoring all the victims.

Other communities across the country pay tribute with moments of silence, tolling bells, candlelight vigils and other activities. In Columbus, Indiana, 911 dispatchers broadcast a remembrance message to police, fire and EMS radios throughout the 50,000-person city, which also holds a public memorial ceremony.

Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts raise and lower the flag at a commemoration in Fenton, Missouri, where a “Heroes Memorial” includes a piece of World Trade Center steel and a plaque honoring 9/11 victim Jessica Leigh Sachs. Some of her relatives live in the St. Louis suburb of 4,000 residents.

“We’re just a little bitty community,” said Mayor Joe Maurath, but “it’s important for us to continue to remember these events. Not just 9/11, but all of the events that make us free.”

New Jersey's Monmouth County, which was home to some 9/11 victims, made Sept. 11 a holiday this year for county employees so they could attend commemorations.

As another way of marking the anniversary, many Americans do volunteer work on what Congress has designated both Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and Remembrance.

At ground zero, Vice President Kamala Harris is due to join the ceremony on the National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum plaza. The event will not feature remarks from political figures, instead giving the podium to victims’ relatives for an hourslong reading of the names of the dead.

James Giaccone signed up to read again this year in memory of his brother, Joseph Giaccone, 43. The family attends the ceremony every year to hear Joseph's name.

"If their name is spoken out loud, they don’t disappear,” James Giaccone said in a recent interview.

“I hope I never see the day when they minimize this,” he said. “It's a day that changed history.”

Biden, a Democrat, will be the first president to commemorate Sept. 11 in Alaska, or anywhere in the western U.S. He and his predecessors have gone to one or another of the attack sites in most years, though Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Barack Obama each marked the anniversary on the White House lawn at times. Obama followed one of those observances by recognizing the military with a visit to Fort Meade in Maryland.

First lady Jill Biden is due to lay a wreath at the 9/11 memorial at the Pentagon.

In Pennsylvania, where one of the hijacked jets crashed after passengers tried to storm the cockpit, a remembrance and wreath-laying is scheduled at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Stoystown operated by the National Park Service. Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, is expected to attend the ceremony.

The memorial site will offer a new educational video, virtual tour and other materials for teachers to use in classrooms. Educators with a total of more than 10,000 students have registered for access to the free “National Day of Learning” program, which will be available through the fall, organizers say.

“We need to get the word out to the next generation,” said memorial spokesperson Katherine Hostetler, a National Park Service ranger.

NEW YORK (AP) — Americans are looking back on the horror and legacy of 9/11, gathering Monday at memorials, firehouses, city halls and elsewhere to observe the 22nd anniversary of the deadliest terror attack on U.S. soil.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?530271-1/911-remembrance-ceremony-york-city">Click here to watch</a> the 9/11 remembrance ceremony in New YorkCommemorations stretch from the attack sites — at New York's World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Shanksville, Pennsylvania — to Alaska and beyond.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">September 11 is a day not only to remember, but a day of renewal and resolve for every American — in our devotion to this country, to the principles it embodies, to our democracy. That is what we owe one another. And what we owe future generations of Americans to come. <a href="https://t.co/EeCYvo7Q0Q">pic.twitter.com/EeCYvo7Q0Q</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1701200460386816145?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“For those of us who lost people on that day, that day is still happening. Everybody else moves on. And you find a way to go forward, but that day is always happening for you,” Edward Edelman said as he arrived at ground zero to honor his slain brother-in-law, Daniel McGinley.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, we remember and honor all the heroes and victims our nation lost on September 11, 2001. We will never forget. <a href="https://t.co/Zmh9LIqX9Y">pic.twitter.com/Zmh9LIqX9Y</a>&mdash; KS Highway Patrol (@kshighwaypatrol) <a href="https://twitter.com/kshighwaypatrol/status/1701224816995365282?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>President Joe Biden is due at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-911-terrorist-attack-harris-alaska-8e58378865dc612a49d0a2dee80f2304">a ceremony on a military base</a>&nbsp;in Anchorage. His visit, en route to Washington, D.C., from a trip to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-vietnam-status-china-trade-ac8f9dd899f77910c42295769d3fedb6">India and Vietnam</a>, is a reminder that the impact of 9/11 was felt in every corner of the nation, however remote. The hijacked plane attacks claimed nearly 3,000 lives and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/911-20-years-world-affairs-cc497f11743fcbd48b0b3e0c3ed2da5f">reshaped American foreign policy</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-sept-11-changed-flying-1ce4dc4282fb47a34c0b61ae09a024f4">domestic fears</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today marks 22 years since the terrorist attacks on America. 2,977 people were killed including 343 Firefighters, 72 police &amp; 55 military personnel. The KCKFD stands ready to serve our city as those responders served theirs. We will always remember. We will never forget 9-11-2001 <a href="https://t.co/Qahg3szxSg">pic.twitter.com/Qahg3szxSg</a>&mdash; KCK Fire Department (@KCKFDPIO) <a href="https://twitter.com/KCKFDPIO/status/1701225966037536876?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On that day, “we were one country, one nation, one people, just like it should be. That was the feeling — that everyone came together and did what we could, where we were at, to try to help," said Eddie Ferguson, the fire-rescue chief in Virginia’s Goochland County.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The lights are on! 9/11 Memorial Ceremony in Overland Park starts at 7:30 a.m. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NeverForget?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NeverForget</a> <a href="https://t.co/fWErmrdBCv">pic.twitter.com/fWErmrdBCv</a>&mdash; Overland Park Fire (@OverlandParkFD) <a href="https://twitter.com/OverlandParkFD/status/1701050417969529151?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It's more than 100 miles from the Pentagon and more than three times as far from New York. But a sense of connection is enshrined in a local memorial incorporating steel from the World Trade Center’s destroyed twin towers.The predominantly rural county of 25,000 people holds not just one but two anniversary commemorations: a morning service focused on first responders and an evening ceremony honoring all the victims.Other communities across the country pay tribute with moments of silence, tolling bells, candlelight vigils and other activities. In Columbus, Indiana, 911 dispatchers broadcast a remembrance message to police, fire and EMS radios throughout the 50,000-person city, which also holds a public memorial ceremony.Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts raise and lower the flag at a commemoration in Fenton, Missouri, where a “Heroes Memorial” includes a piece of World Trade Center steel and a plaque honoring 9/11 victim Jessica Leigh Sachs. Some of her relatives live in the St. Louis suburb of 4,000 residents.“We’re just a little bitty community,” said Mayor Joe Maurath, but “it’s important for us to continue to remember these events. Not just 9/11, but all of the events that make us free.”New Jersey's Monmouth County, which was home to some 9/11 victims, made Sept. 11 a holiday this year for county employees so they could attend commemorations.As another way of marking the anniversary, many Americans do volunteer work on what Congress has designated both Patriot Day and a National Day of Service and Remembrance.At ground zero, Vice President Kamala Harris is due to join the ceremony on the National Sept. 11 Memorial and Museum plaza. The event will not feature remarks from political figures, instead giving the podium to victims’ relatives for an hourslong reading of the names of the dead.James Giaccone signed up to read again this year in memory of his brother, Joseph Giaccone, 43. The family attends the ceremony every year to hear Joseph's name."If their name is spoken out loud, they don’t disappear,” James Giaccone said in a recent interview.The commemoration is crucial to him.“I hope I never see the day when they minimize this,” he said. “It's a day that changed history.”Biden, a Democrat, will be the first president to commemorate Sept. 11 in Alaska, or anywhere in the western U.S. He and his predecessors have gone to one or another of the attack sites in most years, though Republican George W. Bush and Democrat Barack Obama each marked the anniversary on the White House lawn at times. Obama followed one of those observances by recognizing the military with a visit to Fort Meade in Maryland.First lady Jill Biden is due to lay a wreath at the 9/11 memorial at the Pentagon.In Pennsylvania, where one of the hijacked jets crashed after passengers tried to storm the cockpit, a remembrance and wreath-laying is scheduled at the Flight 93 National Memorial in Stoystown operated by the National Park Service. Harris’ husband, Doug Emhoff, is expected to attend the ceremony.The memorial site will offer a new educational video, virtual tour and other materials for teachers to use in classrooms. Educators with a total of more than 10,000 students have registered for access to the free “National Day of Learning” program, which will be available through the fall, organizers say.“We need to get the word out to the next generation,” said memorial spokesperson Katherine Hostetler, a National Park Service ranger.

🎥The United States marks 22 years since 9/11

Accidental overdoses are now the No. 1 cause of death for young people in 37 states, including Missouri

BY: TIM HENDERSON,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>&nbsp;

A new Stateline analysis shows that U.S. residents under 40 were relatively unscathed by COVID-19 in the pandemic but fell victim to another killer: accidental drug overdose deaths.

Death rates in the age group were up by nearly a third in 2021 over 2018, and last year were still 21% higher.

COVID-19 was a small part of the increase, causing about 23,000 deaths total between 2018 and 2022 in the age group, which includes the millennial generation (born starting in the early 1980s), Generation Z (born starting in the late ’90s) and children. Vehicle accidents and suicide (about 96,000 each) and gun homicide (about 65,000) all took a cumulative toll from 2018 to 2022, according to a Stateline analysis of federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.

Overdose deaths, however, took almost 177,000 lives in that time.

Accidental overdose became the No. 1 cause of death in 13 states for people under 40, overtaking suicide in nine states and vehicle accidents in five others; it’s now the top cause in 37 states. The only other change was in Mississippi, where homicide became the main cause of death, overtaking car accidents. In 40 states and the District of Columbia, overdose was the biggest increase in deaths for young people.

States are responding to the skyrocketing death rates with “harm reduction” strategies that can include warning of the new danger of recreational drugs laced with deadly fentanyl, training and equipping people to counteract overdoses when they see them, and even considering controversial supervised drug use sites to keep addicts safer.

A “fourth great wave” of accidental overdose deaths driven by drugs spiked with powerful fentanyl is now washing over young America, said Daliah Heller, vice president of drug use initiatives at Vital Strategies, an international advocacy group that works on strengthening public health.

Prescription opioids led to one surge in drug dependency from 2000 to 2016, then when supply waned in response to crackdowns, users turned to heroin, synthetic opioids and finally fentanyl, which is 50 times more potent than heroin and easier to get in the pandemic, Heller said.

Jonathan Diehl of Silver Spring, Maryland, died in 2019 at age 28 after using heroin he likely did not know was spiked with fentanyl, said his mother, Cristina Rabadán-Diehl. Jonathan Diehl earned a degree in construction management and was starting a promising new job in home heating and air conditioning four days before he died, his mother said.

“I think Jonathan’s trajectory was very common,” said Rabadán-Diehl, who now works as an adviser on substance use disorders. “He started with opioid pills, and when the government started putting restrictions on prescriptions, he as well as millions and millions of Americans transitioned into the illegal market. And then fentanyl made its appearance.”

Now, a fresh wave of overdose deaths — different from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395919300180#:~:text=The%20triple%20wave%20epidemic%3A%20opioid,methadone%20(Ciccarone%2C%202017)">the first three</a>&nbsp;— is fed by fentanyl making its way into all kind of recreational drugs, and by pandemic isolation that led to more solitary drug use, Heller said.

“Somebody might think they’re getting a Xanax [for anxiety], or methamphetamine or cocaine,” Heller said. “They have no experience with opioids, it’s not what they’re expecting and now they have a much higher risk of overdose and death.”

Authorities generally classify overdose deaths as an accident or suicide based on individual investigations of the circumstances surrounding each death.

States struggling the most with deaths of young people, driven mostly by accidental overdoses, include New Mexico, which eclipsed West Virginia and Mississippi since 2018 to have the highest death rate in the nation for people under 40 — about 188 deaths per 100,000, up 43% since 2018.

Other states with high death rates for the age group include West Virginia (170 deaths per 100,000), Louisiana and Mississippi (164), and Alaska (163).

In New Mexico, where accidental overdoses became the main cause of death for people under 40 in 2022, overtaking suicide and rising 90% to 394 deaths since 2018, the overdose problem has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ibis.doh.nm.gov/indicator/summary/DrugOverdoseED.html">generally been concentrated</a>&nbsp;in poverty-plagued rural areas such as Rio Arriba County on the Colorado border.

Democratic state Rep. Tara Lujan, who has relatives in that county, sponsored&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?chamber=H&amp;legType=B&amp;legNo=52&amp;year=22">harm reduction legislation</a>&nbsp;signed into law last year. It is similar to laws in many other states that include wide distribution of naloxone to reverse overdoses, legalized testing equipment for deadly additives like fentanyl, and good Samaritan laws that allow friends to report overdoses without legal consequences for their own drug use.

Lujan hopes to reintroduce a bill that would create so-called overdose prevention centers or harm reduction centers where drugs can be used in a supervised and safe environment. The legislation died in committee this year after Republicans called the idea “state-sponsored drug dens.”

“It’s all issues that were in place before the pandemic, but the pandemic made everything completely off the rails,” Lujan said. “My committee meetings have been packed with family members saying, ‘We know they won’t quit on their own, but we don’t want them to die.’”

Only New York City has two such facilities in operation, run by advocates; the sites claim some success in reversing overdoses. But federal law enforcement authorities are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/08/nyregion/drug-overdoses-supervised-consumption-nyc.html">threatening to shut them down</a>&nbsp;without a specific state mandate, since otherwise they fall under a federal law banning operations that allow illegal drug use on-site.

In California, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom last year&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SB-57-veto-msg-August-22-2022.pdf">vetoed</a>&nbsp;legislation that would have allowed jurisdictions to open safe injection sites, saying they “could induce a world of unintended consequences” in cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland.

“Worsening drug consumption challenges in these areas is not a risk we can take,” Newsom wrote in a veto message.

Rhode Island is the only state so far to pass legislation allowing supervised drug-use sites as a pilot project, in 2021, but&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2023/02/rhode-island-moves-closer-to-opening-first-overdose-prevention-center#:~:text=According%20to%20Marshall%2C%20the%20delay,a%20licensing%20procedure%2C%20he%20said.">has yet to open any centers</a>. New legislation&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/billtext23/housetext23/h5044.htm">introduced this year</a>&nbsp;would push the expiration of the pilot project from 2024 to 2026.

Bills on the same topic of supervised drug-use sites were under consideration this year in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1202">Colorado</a>,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=2&amp;GAID=17&amp;DocTypeID=HB&amp;LegId=141833&amp;SessionID=112&amp;GA=103">Illinois</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?default_fld=%0D%0A&amp;leg_video=&amp;bn=S00399&amp;term=2023&amp;Actions=Y">New York</a>&nbsp;but did not pass.

In a sign of the impact on young people, a Massachusetts bill would have required all state university dorm assistants to have naloxone training to reverse overdoses, but it stalled.

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wmur.com/article/overdose-prevention-van-to-deliver-life-saving-resources-across-new-hampshire/43065554">New Hampshire</a>&nbsp;is one of several states experimenting with vans that go to known drug-use locations and offer overdose prevention supplies and advice.

The lowest death rates for young people in 2022 were in Hawaii (78), Massachusetts and Rhode Island (79), and Utah and New Jersey (80). Massachusetts and New Jersey were the only states to see decreases in overall deaths for people under 40 since 2018, and also had drops in overdose deaths, although overdose remained the No. 1 cause of death for young people in both states.

Nationally, accidental overdoses dominated the increase in deaths in residents under 40 across racial and urban-rural divides, but many disparities exist. The increase in young overdose death rates was 154% for Black Americans, 122% for Hispanic residents and 37% for white people, yet even for white residents they represented the largest increase.

The largest urban areas saw increases in overdose death rates of 70%, and rural areas 64% — the largest increases in both areas for any cause of death.

Across races and age groups overdose death rates are higher for men and slowed in 2017, but picked up again after 2018 and skyrocketed in the pandemic until 2021, according to a federal National Center for Health Statistics&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db457.htm%5C">data brief</a>&nbsp;published last year.

<h2>Accidental overdoses are now the No. 1 cause of death for young people in 37 states, including Missouri</h2>BY: TIM HENDERSON,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>&nbsp;A new Stateline analysis shows that U.S. residents under 40 were relatively unscathed by COVID-19 in the pandemic but fell victim to another killer: accidental drug overdose deaths.Death rates in the age group were up by nearly a third in 2021 over 2018, and last year were still 21% higher.COVID-19 was a small part of the increase, causing about 23,000 deaths total between 2018 and 2022 in the age group, which includes the millennial generation (born starting in the early 1980s), Generation Z (born starting in the late ’90s) and children. Vehicle accidents and suicide (about 96,000 each) and gun homicide (about 65,000) all took a cumulative toll from 2018 to 2022, according to a Stateline analysis of federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.Overdose deaths, however, took almost 177,000 lives in that time.Accidental overdose became the No. 1 cause of death in 13 states for people under 40, overtaking suicide in nine states and vehicle accidents in five others; it’s now the top cause in 37 states. The only other change was in Mississippi, where homicide became the main cause of death, overtaking car accidents. In 40 states and the District of Columbia, overdose was the biggest increase in deaths for young people.States are responding to the skyrocketing death rates with “harm reduction” strategies that can include warning of the new danger of recreational drugs laced with deadly fentanyl, training and equipping people to counteract overdoses when they see them, and even considering controversial supervised drug use sites to keep addicts safer.A “fourth great wave” of accidental overdose deaths driven by drugs spiked with powerful fentanyl is now washing over young America, said Daliah Heller, vice president of drug use initiatives at Vital Strategies, an international advocacy group that works on strengthening public health.Prescription opioids led to one surge in drug dependency from 2000 to 2016, then when supply waned in response to crackdowns, users turned to heroin, synthetic opioids and finally fentanyl, which is 50 times more potent than heroin and easier to get in the pandemic, Heller said.<h2>‘Very common’ experience</h2>Jonathan Diehl of Silver Spring, Maryland, died in 2019 at age 28 after using heroin he likely did not know was spiked with fentanyl, said his mother, Cristina Rabadán-Diehl. Jonathan Diehl earned a degree in construction management and was starting a promising new job in home heating and air conditioning four days before he died, his mother said.“I think Jonathan’s trajectory was very common,” said Rabadán-Diehl, who now works as an adviser on substance use disorders. “He started with opioid pills, and when the government started putting restrictions on prescriptions, he as well as millions and millions of Americans transitioned into the illegal market. And then fentanyl made its appearance.”Now, a fresh wave of overdose deaths — different from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0955395919300180#:~:text=The%20triple%20wave%20epidemic%3A%20opioid,methadone%20(Ciccarone%2C%202017)">the first three</a>&nbsp;— is fed by fentanyl making its way into all kind of recreational drugs, and by pandemic isolation that led to more solitary drug use, Heller said.“Somebody might think they’re getting a Xanax [for anxiety], or methamphetamine or cocaine,” Heller said. “They have no experience with opioids, it’s not what they’re expecting and now they have a much higher risk of overdose and death.”Authorities generally classify overdose deaths as an accident or suicide based on individual investigations of the circumstances surrounding each death.States struggling the most with deaths of young people, driven mostly by accidental overdoses, include New Mexico, which eclipsed West Virginia and Mississippi since 2018 to have the highest death rate in the nation for people under 40 — about 188 deaths per 100,000, up 43% since 2018.Other states with high death rates for the age group include West Virginia (170 deaths per 100,000), Louisiana and Mississippi (164), and Alaska (163).In New Mexico, where accidental overdoses became the main cause of death for people under 40 in 2022, overtaking suicide and rising 90% to 394 deaths since 2018, the overdose problem has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ibis.doh.nm.gov/indicator/summary/DrugOverdoseED.html">generally been concentrated</a>&nbsp;in poverty-plagued rural areas such as Rio Arriba County on the Colorado border.Democratic state Rep. Tara Lujan, who has relatives in that county, sponsored&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nmlegis.gov/Legislation/Legislation?chamber=H&amp;legType=B&amp;legNo=52&amp;year=22">harm reduction legislation</a>&nbsp;signed into law last year. It is similar to laws in many other states that include wide distribution of naloxone to reverse overdoses, legalized testing equipment for deadly additives like fentanyl, and good Samaritan laws that allow friends to report overdoses without legal consequences for their own drug use.Lujan hopes to reintroduce a bill that would create so-called overdose prevention centers or harm reduction centers where drugs can be used in a supervised and safe environment. The legislation died in committee this year after Republicans called the idea “state-sponsored drug dens.”“It’s all issues that were in place before the pandemic, but the pandemic made everything completely off the rails,” Lujan said. “My committee meetings have been packed with family members saying, ‘We know they won’t quit on their own, but we don’t want them to die.’”Only New York City has two such facilities in operation, run by advocates; the sites claim some success in reversing overdoses. But federal law enforcement authorities are&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/08/08/nyregion/drug-overdoses-supervised-consumption-nyc.html">threatening to shut them down</a>&nbsp;without a specific state mandate, since otherwise they fall under a federal law banning operations that allow illegal drug use on-site.In California, Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom last year&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.gov.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SB-57-veto-msg-August-22-2022.pdf">vetoed</a>&nbsp;legislation that would have allowed jurisdictions to open safe injection sites, saying they “could induce a world of unintended consequences” in cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and Oakland.“Worsening drug consumption challenges in these areas is not a risk we can take,” Newsom wrote in a veto message.Rhode Island is the only state so far to pass legislation allowing supervised drug-use sites as a pilot project, in 2021, but&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.browndailyherald.com/article/2023/02/rhode-island-moves-closer-to-opening-first-overdose-prevention-center#:~:text=According%20to%20Marshall%2C%20the%20delay,a%20licensing%20procedure%2C%20he%20said.">has yet to open any centers</a>. New legislation&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/billtext23/housetext23/h5044.htm">introduced this year</a>&nbsp;would push the expiration of the pilot project from 2024 to 2026.Bills on the same topic of supervised drug-use sites were under consideration this year in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/hb23-1202">Colorado</a>,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://ilga.gov/legislation/BillStatus.asp?DocNum=2&amp;GAID=17&amp;DocTypeID=HB&amp;LegId=141833&amp;SessionID=112&amp;GA=103">Illinois</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nyassembly.gov/leg/?default_fld=%0D%0A&amp;leg_video=&amp;bn=S00399&amp;term=2023&amp;Actions=Y">New York</a>&nbsp;but did not pass.In a sign of the impact on young people, a Massachusetts bill would have required all state university dorm assistants to have naloxone training to reverse overdoses, but it stalled.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.wmur.com/article/overdose-prevention-van-to-deliver-life-saving-resources-across-new-hampshire/43065554">New Hampshire</a>&nbsp;is one of several states experimenting with vans that go to known drug-use locations and offer overdose prevention supplies and advice.<h2>Death rate disparities</h2>The lowest death rates for young people in 2022 were in Hawaii (78), Massachusetts and Rhode Island (79), and Utah and New Jersey (80). Massachusetts and New Jersey were the only states to see decreases in overall deaths for people under 40 since 2018, and also had drops in overdose deaths, although overdose remained the No. 1 cause of death for young people in both states.Nationally, accidental overdoses dominated the increase in deaths in residents under 40 across racial and urban-rural divides, but many disparities exist. The increase in young overdose death rates was 154% for Black Americans, 122% for Hispanic residents and 37% for white people, yet even for white residents they represented the largest increase.The largest urban areas saw increases in overdose death rates of 70%, and rural areas 64% — the largest increases in both areas for any cause of death.Across races and age groups overdose death rates are higher for men and slowed in 2017, but picked up again after 2018 and skyrocketed in the pandemic until 2021, according to a federal National Center for Health Statistics&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db457.htm%5C">data brief</a>&nbsp;published last year.

Death rates for people under 40 have skyrocketed. Blame fentanyl

By JASON HANCOCK,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

A federal appeals court in Louisiana agreed on Friday evening with Missouri’s attorney general that the Biden administration “ran afoul of the First Amendment” by threatening social media platforms over posts spreading misinformation.&nbsp;

But the three-judge panel of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/10/appeals-court-weighs-limits-on-biden-administration-contact-with-social-media-platforms/#:~:text=Attorneys%20for%20the%20Biden%20administration,information%20deemed%20harmful%20or%20misleading.">5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans</a>&nbsp;concluded a lower court’s wide-ranging order barring the federal government from communicating with social media companies was “vague and broader than necessary.”

The appeals court’s Friday order vacated much of the lower court’s injunction, with the exception of a provision it narrowed concerning alleged coercion.

“As an initial matter, it is axiomatic that an injunction is overbroad if it enjoins a defendant from engaging in legal conduct,” Friday’s ruling said. “Nine of the preliminary injunction’s 10 prohibitions risk doing just that. Moreover, many of the provisions are duplicative of each other and thus unnecessary.”

The lawsuit was filed last year by former Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry. It alleges the federal government colluded with social media companies like Twitter and Facebook to suppress the freedom of speech.

U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty ruled July 4 that officials under both Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/judge-limits-biden-administration-contact-with-social-media-platforms-in-censorship-case/">coerced social media companies to censor content over concerns it would fuel vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic or upend elections</a>.

Doughty, a Trump appointee, said the “widespread censorship campaign” violated the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment’s free speech guarantees. His order barred government agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, from contacting social media companies “for the purpose of urging, encouraging, pressuring or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”

The Biden administration quickly appealed, and the 5th Circuit temporarily put the judge’s ruling on hold.

Friday’s order will not go into effect for 10 days, giving federal officials time to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.&nbsp;

Despite the appeals court limiting restrictions on the Biden administration, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey declared victory.&nbsp;

“Missouri will continue to lead the way in the fight to defend our most fundamental freedoms,” Bailey said in an emailed statement.&nbsp;

While the court limited the restrictions, Friday’s order pilloried the Biden administration’s efforts to combat misinformation by pressuring social media companies to remove posts.&nbsp;

“ …officials made express threats and, at the very least, leaned into the inherent authority of the president’s office,” Friday’s ruling stated.” The officials made inflammatory accusations, such as saying that the platforms were ‘poison[ing]’ the public, and ‘killing people.’ The platforms were told they needed to take greater responsibility and action. Then, they followed their statements with threats of ‘fundamental reforms’ like regulatory changes and increased enforcement actions that would ensure the platforms were ‘held accountable.’”

Jenin Younes, a lawyer with the New Civil Liberties Alliance, an organization representing individual plaintiffs in the case, said Friday’s ruling is a win for free speech.

“The government cannot coerce or encourage social media companies to censor views it dislikes,” Younes said.

The lawsuit has garnered widespread attention, and attracted co-plaintiffs with long histories of spreading misinformation and debunked conspiracy theories.

That includes Jim Hoft, founder of the right-wing conspiracy website Gateway Pundit, who was added to the lawsuit in August and has built a career on promulgating conspiracies on a wide range of topics, from the 2018 Parkland school shooting to former President Barack Obama’s birth certificate.

More recently, Hoft has been among the biggest purveyors of election fraud lies. He currently faces&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/28/missouri-lawsuit-isnt-the-only-defamation-case-against-far-right-site-gateway-pundit/">defamation lawsuit in St. Louis circuit court</a>&nbsp;filed by two Georgia election workers who faced death threats following Gateway Pundit’s false stories about a vote-rigging scheme.&nbsp;

The lawsuit also attracted support from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/12/06/anti-vaxxers-seek-to-intervene-in-missouri-ag-eric-schmitts-social-media-lawsuit/">presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr</a>., who has a long history of promoting medical misinformation such as the idea that vaccines cause autism and Wi-Fi causes cancer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578090484280.jpeg" alt="-The lawsuit alleges the federal government colluded with social media companies like Twitter and Facebook&nbsp;o suppress the freedom of speech." />
 <figcaption>-The lawsuit alleges the federal government colluded with social media companies like Twitter and Facebook&nbsp;o suppress the freedom of speech.</figcaption>
 </figure>By JASON HANCOCK,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>A federal appeals court in Louisiana agreed on Friday evening with Missouri’s attorney general that the Biden administration “ran afoul of the First Amendment” by threatening social media platforms over posts spreading misinformation.&nbsp;But the three-judge panel of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/10/appeals-court-weighs-limits-on-biden-administration-contact-with-social-media-platforms/#:~:text=Attorneys%20for%20the%20Biden%20administration,information%20deemed%20harmful%20or%20misleading.">5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans</a>&nbsp;concluded a lower court’s wide-ranging order barring the federal government from communicating with social media companies was “vague and broader than necessary.”The appeals court’s Friday order vacated much of the lower court’s injunction, with the exception of a provision it narrowed concerning alleged coercion.“As an initial matter, it is axiomatic that an injunction is overbroad if it enjoins a defendant from engaging in legal conduct,” Friday’s ruling said. “Nine of the preliminary injunction’s 10 prohibitions risk doing just that. Moreover, many of the provisions are duplicative of each other and thus unnecessary.”The lawsuit was filed last year by former Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry. It alleges the federal government colluded with social media companies like Twitter and Facebook to suppress the freedom of speech.U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty ruled July 4 that officials under both Democratic President Joe Biden and Republican President Donald Trump&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/judge-limits-biden-administration-contact-with-social-media-platforms-in-censorship-case/">coerced social media companies to censor content over concerns it would fuel vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic or upend elections</a>.Doughty, a Trump appointee, said the “widespread censorship campaign” violated the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment’s free speech guarantees. His order barred government agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Federal Bureau of Investigation, from contacting social media companies “for the purpose of urging, encouraging, pressuring or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”The Biden administration quickly appealed, and the 5th Circuit temporarily put the judge’s ruling on hold.Friday’s order will not go into effect for 10 days, giving federal officials time to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.&nbsp;Despite the appeals court limiting restrictions on the Biden administration, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey declared victory.&nbsp;“Missouri will continue to lead the way in the fight to defend our most fundamental freedoms,” Bailey said in an emailed statement.&nbsp;While the court limited the restrictions, Friday’s order pilloried the Biden administration’s efforts to combat misinformation by pressuring social media companies to remove posts.&nbsp;“ …officials made express threats and, at the very least, leaned into the inherent authority of the president’s office,” Friday’s ruling stated.” The officials made inflammatory accusations, such as saying that the platforms were ‘poison[ing]’ the public, and ‘killing people.’ The platforms were told they needed to take greater responsibility and action. Then, they followed their statements with threats of ‘fundamental reforms’ like regulatory changes and increased enforcement actions that would ensure the platforms were ‘held accountable.’”Jenin Younes, a lawyer with the New Civil Liberties Alliance, an organization representing individual plaintiffs in the case, said Friday’s ruling is a win for free speech.“The government cannot coerce or encourage social media companies to censor views it dislikes,” Younes said.The lawsuit has garnered widespread attention, and attracted co-plaintiffs with long histories of spreading misinformation and debunked conspiracy theories.That includes Jim Hoft, founder of the right-wing conspiracy website Gateway Pundit, who was added to the lawsuit in August and has built a career on promulgating conspiracies on a wide range of topics, from the 2018 Parkland school shooting to former President Barack Obama’s birth certificate.More recently, Hoft has been among the biggest purveyors of election fraud lies. He currently faces&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/04/28/missouri-lawsuit-isnt-the-only-defamation-case-against-far-right-site-gateway-pundit/">defamation lawsuit in St. Louis circuit court</a>&nbsp;filed by two Georgia election workers who faced death threats following Gateway Pundit’s false stories about a vote-rigging scheme.&nbsp;The lawsuit also attracted support from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/12/06/anti-vaxxers-seek-to-intervene-in-missouri-ag-eric-schmitts-social-media-lawsuit/">presidential hopeful Robert F. Kennedy Jr</a>., who has a long history of promoting medical misinformation such as the idea that vaccines cause autism and Wi-Fi causes cancer.

Court reduces restrictions on Biden admin. contact with social media platforms

DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers union on Friday rejected wage and benefit offers from all three Detroit automakers, raising tensions just six days before a strike deadline for 146,000 employees.

Union President Shawn Fain told workers in a Facebook Live appearance that he filed proposals from Ford, General Motors and Stellantis in a wastebasket.

“The automakers have yet to offer our members a fair contract,” he said.

Negotiations are continuing through the weekend, but Fain warned that if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-strike-gm-stellantis-ford-fain-uaw-d11dfb266ce962d1e3a4582d404ba27f">there aren't agreements</a>&nbsp;by 11:59 p.m. Thursday “there will be a strike at all three if need be.”

On Friday, Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, made its first counteroffer to the union's demands with a bigger pay raise than offers from Ford and General Motors. Stellantis offered wage increases in each year of a new four-year contract totaling 14.5%.

Ford increased its offer from 9% to 10% raises over four years, but it also included lump sum payments, while GM’s offered 10% plus lump sums. All three companies offered additional lump sum payments to cover inflation.

The wage increases would be for most workers, said Mark Stewart, chief operating officer of Stellantis North America, said in a letter to employees.

The proposal by Stellantis also includes a $6,000 one-time inflation protection payment in the first year of the contract and $4,500 in inflation protection payments over the final three years of the contract.

In addition, the counteroffer includes boosting hourly wages from $15.78 to $20 for temporary workers and speeding up the progression timeline from eight years to six years for employees who are moving through the pay scale from starting wages.

The proposal from Stellantis, which was formed in a 2021 merger of Fiat Chrysler and France's PSA Peugeot, is closer to the union's demands of 46% across-the-board increases over four years, but both sides still are far apart.

“We remain committed to bargaining in good faith and reaching a fair agreement by the deadline," Stewart said. “With this equitable offer, we are seeking a timely resolution to our discussions.”

A strike against all three major automakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/automakers-cars-strike-pay-uaw-union-detroit-349a6e7281f1b07710cfcad511dcaa05">could cause damage</a>&nbsp;not only to the industry as a whole but also to the Midwest and even national economy, depending on how long it lasts. The auto industry accounts for about 3% of the nation’s economic output. A prolonged strike could also lead eventually to higher vehicle prices, and shift sales largely to Asian automakers with U.S. factories.

Automakers say they need to make investments to develop and build electric vehicles, while at the same time putting out new internal combustion vehicles. They say that a big settlement with the union would saddle them with high costs and force them to charge more for vehicles than competitors.

Fain says automakers can afford raises to make up for inflation and previous concessions because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ford-profit-electric-vehicle-second-quarter-89fb15120107bc51b709343b5010ba64">they're making</a>&nbsp;billions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/general-motors-earnings-price-outlook-raised-4cbde5055ad2d37c2a2216999be502b5">in profits</a>&nbsp;and paying millions to CEOs. He blames auto price increases on corporate greed.

The union’s demands include 46% across-the-board pay raises, a 32-hour week with 40 hours of pay, restoration of traditional pensions for new hires, union representation of workers at new battery plants and a restoration of traditional pensions. Top-scale UAW assembly plant workers make about $32 an hour, plus annual profit sharing checks.

The union called proposals from Ford and GM “shameful and insulting,” while it labeled Stellantis' pay offer “deeply inadequate.”

Fain said the companies rejected raises for retirees who have gone without them for at least a decade. To handle inflation, Ford offered cost of living pay that he called severely deficient, while GM and Stellantis offered lump sums. All companies kept tiers of wages for factory workers but lowered the number of years needed to reach full pay, he said.

“I want all of you to be ready,” he said of Thursday's deadline. “Be ready to stand up for yourselves, your families and for your communities.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1693911002324.png" alt="Union President Shawn Fain told workers in a Facebook Live appearance that he filed proposals from Ford, General Motors and Stellantis in a wastebasket.-photo UAW" />
 <figcaption>Union President Shawn Fain told workers in a Facebook Live appearance that he filed proposals from Ford, General Motors and Stellantis in a wastebasket.-photo UAW</figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) — The United Auto Workers union on Friday rejected wage and benefit offers from all three Detroit automakers, raising tensions just six days before a strike deadline for 146,000 employees.Union President Shawn Fain told workers in a Facebook Live appearance that he filed proposals from Ford, General Motors and Stellantis in a wastebasket.“The automakers have yet to offer our members a fair contract,” he said.Negotiations are continuing through the weekend, but Fain warned that if&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-strike-gm-stellantis-ford-fain-uaw-d11dfb266ce962d1e3a4582d404ba27f">there aren't agreements</a>&nbsp;by 11:59 p.m. Thursday “there will be a strike at all three if need be.”On Friday, Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, made its first counteroffer to the union's demands with a bigger pay raise than offers from Ford and General Motors. Stellantis offered wage increases in each year of a new four-year contract totaling 14.5%.Ford increased its offer from 9% to 10% raises over four years, but it also included lump sum payments, while GM’s offered 10% plus lump sums. All three companies offered additional lump sum payments to cover inflation.The wage increases would be for most workers, said Mark Stewart, chief operating officer of Stellantis North America, said in a letter to employees.The proposal by Stellantis also includes a $6,000 one-time inflation protection payment in the first year of the contract and $4,500 in inflation protection payments over the final three years of the contract.In addition, the counteroffer includes boosting hourly wages from $15.78 to $20 for temporary workers and speeding up the progression timeline from eight years to six years for employees who are moving through the pay scale from starting wages.The proposal from Stellantis, which was formed in a 2021 merger of Fiat Chrysler and France's PSA Peugeot, is closer to the union's demands of 46% across-the-board increases over four years, but both sides still are far apart.“We remain committed to bargaining in good faith and reaching a fair agreement by the deadline," Stewart said. “With this equitable offer, we are seeking a timely resolution to our discussions.”A strike against all three major automakers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/automakers-cars-strike-pay-uaw-union-detroit-349a6e7281f1b07710cfcad511dcaa05">could cause damage</a>&nbsp;not only to the industry as a whole but also to the Midwest and even national economy, depending on how long it lasts. The auto industry accounts for about 3% of the nation’s economic output. A prolonged strike could also lead eventually to higher vehicle prices, and shift sales largely to Asian automakers with U.S. factories.Automakers say they need to make investments to develop and build electric vehicles, while at the same time putting out new internal combustion vehicles. They say that a big settlement with the union would saddle them with high costs and force them to charge more for vehicles than competitors.Fain says automakers can afford raises to make up for inflation and previous concessions because&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ford-profit-electric-vehicle-second-quarter-89fb15120107bc51b709343b5010ba64">they're making</a>&nbsp;billions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/general-motors-earnings-price-outlook-raised-4cbde5055ad2d37c2a2216999be502b5">in profits</a>&nbsp;and paying millions to CEOs. He blames auto price increases on corporate greed.The union’s demands include 46% across-the-board pay raises, a 32-hour week with 40 hours of pay, restoration of traditional pensions for new hires, union representation of workers at new battery plants and a restoration of traditional pensions. Top-scale UAW assembly plant workers make about $32 an hour, plus annual profit sharing checks.The union called proposals from Ford and GM “shameful and insulting,” while it labeled Stellantis' pay offer “deeply inadequate.”Fain said the companies rejected raises for retirees who have gone without them for at least a decade. To handle inflation, Ford offered cost of living pay that he called severely deficient, while GM and Stellantis offered lump sums. All companies kept tiers of wages for factory workers but lowered the number of years needed to reach full pay, he said.“I want all of you to be ready,” he said of Thursday's deadline. “Be ready to stand up for yourselves, your families and for your communities.”

Auto union rejects wage offers; strike deadline days away

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Nancy Pelosi</a>&nbsp;said Friday that she will seek reelection to Congress in 2024 as Democrats try to win back the majority.

Pelosi, 83, made the announcement before volunteers and labor allies in the San Francisco area district she has represented for more than 35 years.

“Now more than ever our City needs us to advance San Francisco values and further our recovery,” Pelosi said in a tweet. “Our country needs America to show the world that our flag is still there, with liberty and justice for ALL. That is why I am running for reelection — and respectfully ask for your vote.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">Republicans now control the House,</a>&nbsp;but just narrowly, with a 222-212 majority and one vacancy. Democrats believe they have a chance to regain power as President Joe Biden runs for a second term.

Pelosi's announcement quells any talk of retirement for the long-serving leader, who, with the honorific title of speaker emeritus, remains an influential lawmaker, pivotal party figure and strong fundraiser for Democrats.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659127005765.png" alt="Pelosi, 83, made the announcement before volunteers and labor allies in the San Francisco area district she has represented for more than 35 years-file photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Pelosi, 83, made the announcement before volunteers and labor allies in the San Francisco area district she has represented for more than 35 years-file photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Former House Speaker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nancy-pelosi">Nancy Pelosi</a>&nbsp;said Friday that she will seek reelection to Congress in 2024 as Democrats try to win back the majority.Pelosi, 83, made the announcement before volunteers and labor allies in the San Francisco area district she has represented for more than 35 years.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Now more than ever our City needs us to advance San Francisco values and further our recovery. Our country needs America to show the world that our flag is still there, with liberty and justice for ALL. That is why I am running for reelection — and respectfully ask for your vote.…&mdash; Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) <a href="https://twitter.com/TeamPelosi/status/1700177174542876754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Now more than ever our City needs us to advance San Francisco values and further our recovery,” Pelosi said in a tweet. “Our country needs America to show the world that our flag is still there, with liberty and justice for ALL. That is why I am running for reelection — and respectfully ask for your vote.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-house-control-79475a4fc11e4375cd0dded651b9eede">Republicans now control the House,</a>&nbsp;but just narrowly, with a 222-212 majority and one vacancy. Democrats believe they have a chance to regain power as President Joe Biden runs for a second term.Pelosi's announcement quells any talk of retirement for the long-serving leader, who, with the honorific title of speaker emeritus, remains an influential lawmaker, pivotal party figure and strong fundraiser for Democrats.It also unfolds as Washington is grappling with the sunset of a political era as an older generation of leaders, including Biden, 80, face questions about their age. This past week, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, 81, said he would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/united-states-senate-u-s-republican-party-access-to-health-care-charles-schumer-district-of-columbia-ddc9d8e4c3cc4d8bb55dc7a51c834b55">finish his term</a>&nbsp;as leader and senator despite concerns about his recent health episodes.Pelosi has long charted her own course, from her arrival in Congress as one of few women elected to the House to her tenure as one of the most powerful women in U.S. politics.First elected to Congress in 1987, Pelosi made history becoming the first female speaker in 2007, and in 2019 she regained the speaker’s gavel.Pelosi led the party through substantial legislative achievements, including passage of the Affordable Care Act, as well as turbulent times with two impeachments of Republican President Donald Trump and the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.Her announcement comes as House Republicans are preparing to launch an impeachment inquiry into Biden over the business dealings of his son, Hunter.Pelosi&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-house-future-plans-updates-3839ff31c605efa0ec1ee4ff004b72d2">stepped away</a>&nbsp;from the day-to-day political limelight after a younger generation of Democrats led by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-hakeem-jeffries-congress-government-and-politics-e6dee438b2cfd776b70ff29495072ab5">Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries</a>&nbsp;took charge in 2023, but she remains a political force and keeps a robust schedule of public and private events.According to a person familiar with Pelosi's thinking about her 2024 decision, Pelosi believes democracy hangs in the balance in the upcoming election as she works to reelect Biden and make Jeffries the next House speakerPelosi is among the party’s most prolific fundraisers for the House and key political strategists. She has said she does not intend to hover over the new Democratic House leadership team, but she and Jeffries are often seen huddling quietly on the House floor.It's rare, but not unprecedented, for former party leaders to continue in Congress as members.Back in California, Pelosi's decision to seek another term is sure to disappoint other Democrats who have wanted a run for the congressional seat.But Pelosi has priorities she is trying to secure for her home state and especially San Francisco as the city&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-francisco-downtown-retail-exodus-6c956f6f219a25aafd292f567a45a302">works to recover</a>&nbsp;from the coronavirus pandemic-era closures that have also dimmed other metro downtowns.San Francisco faces a delicate moment, Pelosi believes, and needs federal resources to continue its recovery, said the person familiar with her thinking, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter.One of the state's long-serving leaders, Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein, 90,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dianne-feinstein-not-running-for-reelection-1140a033b78e63687633bc154bc358ff#:~:text=Feinstein%20says%20she%20won't%20run%20for%20reelection,-Nancy%20Pelosi%20reacts&amp;text=LOS%20ANGELES%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20Democratic,t%20seek%20reelection%20in%202024.">has announced</a>&nbsp;she would not seek another term.Pelosi has long been portrayed as a political villain by Republican critics, who view her as a far-left liberal and raise vast sums of their own using her image and actions.Last year, her husband, Paul Pelosi, was seriously injured when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/san-francisco-nancy-pelosi-government-and-politics-3a0ec4302ee4f11c612678038997c0d7">an attacker broke into the family’s San Francisco home</a>, seeking the Democratic leader at a highly divisive time in American politics.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nancy-pelosi-husband-attacked-trial-venue-8bdeefb544b3dec5379be39af6fab328">A trial</a>&nbsp;is expected.