NEW ORLEANS (AP) — An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-protected-speech-lawsuit-injunction-148c1cd43f88a0284d5a3c53fd333727">order</a>&nbsp;by a federal judge in Louisiana has ignited a high-stakes legal battle over how the government is allowed to interact with social media platforms, raising broad questions about whether — and how — officials can fight what they deem misinformation on health or other matters.

U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty, a conservative nominated to the federal bench by former President Donald Trump, chose Independence Day to issue an injunction&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-protected-speech-lawsuit-injunction-148c1cd43f88a0284d5a3c53fd333727">blocking multiple government agencies and administration officials.</a>&nbsp;In his words, they are forbidden to meet with or contact social media companies for the purpose of “encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”

The order also prohibits the agencies and officials from pressuring social media companies "in any manner” to try to suppress posts, raising questions about what officials could even say in public forums.

Doughty's order blocks the administration from taking such actions pending further arguments in his court in a lawsuit filed by Republican attorneys general in Missouri and Louisiana.

Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, who was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed, said on Twitter that the ruling was “a huge win for the First Amendment and a blow to censorship.”

The Justice Department filed a notice of appeal and said it would also seek to try to stay the court’s order.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “We certainly disagree with this decision.” She declined to comment further.

An administration official said there was some concern about the impact the decision would have on efforts to counter domestic extremism — deemed by the intelligence community to be a top threat to the nation — but that it would depend on how long the injunction remains in place and what steps platforms take on their own. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.

The lawsuit alleges that government officials used the possibility of favorable or unfavorable regulatory action to coerce social media platforms to squelch what the administration considered misinformation on a variety of topics, including COVID-19 vaccines, President Joe Biden's son Hunter, and election integrity.

The injunction — and Doughty's accompanying reasons saying the administration "seems to have assumed a role similar to an Orwellian ‘Ministry of Truth’" — were hailed by conservatives as a victory for free speech and a blow to censorship.

Legal experts, however, expressed surprise at the breadth of the order, and questioned whether it puts too many limits on a presidential administration.

“When we were in the midst of the pandemic, but even now, the government has significantly important public health expertise,” James Speta, a law professor and expert on internet regulation at Northwestern University, said Wednesday. “The scope of the injunction limits the ability of the government to share public health expertise.”

The implications go beyond public health.

Disinformation researchers and social media watchdogs said the ruling could make social media companies less accountable to label and remove election falsehoods.

"As the U.S. gears up for the biggest election year the internet age has seen, we should be finding methods to better coordinate between governments and social media companies to increase the integrity of election news and information,” said Nora Benavidez, senior counsel of the digital rights advocacy group Free Press.

Social media companies routinely take down posts that violate their own standards, but they are rarely compelled to do so by the U.S. government.

Meta restricted access to 27 items that it thought violated laws in the U.S. during the first six months of 2020, most of them involving price-gouging allegations, according to its transparency report. But it reported no U.S.-specific content restrictions during 2021 or the first six months of 2022, the most recent data available.

By contrast, Meta restricted access to more than 17,000 social media posts in Mexico during the same period, most pertaining to unlawful advertising on risky cosmetic or dietary products, and more than 19,000 posts and comments in South Korea reported as violating national election rules.

Administration attorneys, in past court filings, have called the lawsuit an attempt to gag the free speech rights of administration officials themselves.

Justin Levitt, a law professor and constitutional law expert who is a former policy adviser to the Biden administration, said the order is unclear as to whether an official could even speak publicly to criticize misinformation on a social media platform.

Elizabeth Murrill, an assistant Louisiana attorney general, said Wednesday that the order doesn't infringe on such public criticism, as long as the official doesn't threaten government action against the platform.

Jennifer Grygiel, a communications professor and social media expert at Syracuse University, said Americans should resist the urge to dismiss the case as politically motivated and remain vigilant about the risks of federal encroachment on social media platforms.

“I’m more concerned that we’re lacking critique in the government’s intervention in these spaces,” Grygiel said. “We need, as a public, to be very critical of any attempts by a government, a federal actor, to censor speech through a corporate entity.”

Doughty has previously ruled against the Biden administration in other high-profile cases involving oil drilling and vaccination mandates.

In 2021 he issued a nationwide block of a Biden administration requirement that health care workers be vaccinated against COVID-19. A panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals trimmed the area covered by the order to 14 states that were plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667963892129.png" alt="Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, who was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed, said on Twitter that the ruling was “a huge win for the First Amendment and a blow to censorship.”-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, who was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed, said on Twitter that the ruling was “a huge win for the First Amendment and a blow to censorship.”-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-protected-speech-lawsuit-injunction-148c1cd43f88a0284d5a3c53fd333727">order</a>&nbsp;by a federal judge in Louisiana has ignited a high-stakes legal battle over how the government is allowed to interact with social media platforms, raising broad questions about whether — and how — officials can fight what they deem misinformation on health or other matters.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688666322401.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty, a conservative nominated to the federal bench by former President Donald Trump, chose Independence Day to issue an injunction&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-media-protected-speech-lawsuit-injunction-148c1cd43f88a0284d5a3c53fd333727">blocking multiple government agencies and administration officials.</a>&nbsp;In his words, they are forbidden to meet with or contact social media companies for the purpose of “encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”The order also prohibits the agencies and officials from pressuring social media companies "in any manner” to try to suppress posts, raising questions about what officials could even say in public forums.Doughty's order blocks the administration from taking such actions pending further arguments in his court in a lawsuit filed by Republican attorneys general in Missouri and Louisiana.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">King George believed the Declaration of Independence was “misinformation” God bless America and God bless the First Amendment. 🇺🇸&mdash; Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_Schmitt/status/1676411167126835201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, who was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed, said on Twitter that the ruling was “a huge win for the First Amendment and a blow to censorship.”The Justice Department filed a notice of appeal and said it would also seek to try to stay the court’s order.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said, “We certainly disagree with this decision.” She declined to comment further.An administration official said there was some concern about the impact the decision would have on efforts to counter domestic extremism — deemed by the intelligence community to be a top threat to the nation — but that it would depend on how long the injunction remains in place and what steps platforms take on their own. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.The lawsuit alleges that government officials used the possibility of favorable or unfavorable regulatory action to coerce social media platforms to squelch what the administration considered misinformation on a variety of topics, including COVID-19 vaccines, President Joe Biden's son Hunter, and election integrity.The injunction — and Doughty's accompanying reasons saying the administration "seems to have assumed a role similar to an Orwellian ‘Ministry of Truth’" — were hailed by conservatives as a victory for free speech and a blow to censorship.Legal experts, however, expressed surprise at the breadth of the order, and questioned whether it puts too many limits on a presidential administration.“When we were in the midst of the pandemic, but even now, the government has significantly important public health expertise,” James Speta, a law professor and expert on internet regulation at Northwestern University, said Wednesday. “The scope of the injunction limits the ability of the government to share public health expertise.”The implications go beyond public health.Disinformation researchers and social media watchdogs said the ruling could make social media companies less accountable to label and remove election falsehoods."As the U.S. gears up for the biggest election year the internet age has seen, we should be finding methods to better coordinate between governments and social media companies to increase the integrity of election news and information,” said Nora Benavidez, senior counsel of the digital rights advocacy group Free Press.Social media companies routinely take down posts that violate their own standards, but they are rarely compelled to do so by the U.S. government.Meta restricted access to 27 items that it thought violated laws in the U.S. during the first six months of 2020, most of them involving price-gouging allegations, according to its transparency report. But it reported no U.S.-specific content restrictions during 2021 or the first six months of 2022, the most recent data available.By contrast, Meta restricted access to more than 17,000 social media posts in Mexico during the same period, most pertaining to unlawful advertising on risky cosmetic or dietary products, and more than 19,000 posts and comments in South Korea reported as violating national election rules.Administration attorneys, in past court filings, have called the lawsuit an attempt to gag the free speech rights of administration officials themselves.Justin Levitt, a law professor and constitutional law expert who is a former policy adviser to the Biden administration, said the order is unclear as to whether an official could even speak publicly to criticize misinformation on a social media platform.Elizabeth Murrill, an assistant Louisiana attorney general, said Wednesday that the order doesn't infringe on such public criticism, as long as the official doesn't threaten government action against the platform.Jennifer Grygiel, a communications professor and social media expert at Syracuse University, said Americans should resist the urge to dismiss the case as politically motivated and remain vigilant about the risks of federal encroachment on social media platforms.“I’m more concerned that we’re lacking critique in the government’s intervention in these spaces,” Grygiel said. “We need, as a public, to be very critical of any attempts by a government, a federal actor, to censor speech through a corporate entity.”Doughty has previously ruled against the Biden administration in other high-profile cases involving oil drilling and vaccination mandates.In 2021 he issued a nationwide block of a Biden administration requirement that health care workers be vaccinated against COVID-19. A panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals trimmed the area covered by the order to 14 states that were plaintiffs in the lawsuit.

Court fight: DOJ responds to ruling on interference in social media content

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The first of two Iowa teenagers who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-teens-teacher-beating-death-f3acd07dff116cb2c7311b3ad2b44d9b" target="_blank">pleaded guilty to beating</a>&nbsp;their high school Spanish teacher to death&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-baseball-media-social-media-homicide-8d2536fb9668f3767b832c4d88b3f041" target="_blank">with a baseball bat</a>&nbsp;was sentenced Thursday to life with a possibility of parole after 35 years in prison.

A judge sentenced Willard Miller after a sentencing hearing that lasted more than seven hours.

Miller and another teen, Jeremy Goodale, had pleaded guilty in April to the 2021 attack on Nohema Graber. The 66-year-old teacher was fatally beaten while taking her regular afternoon walk in a park in Fairfield.

In sentencing Miller, District Court Judge Shawn Showers acknowledged Miller’s young age but also noted he had “cut Nohema Graber’s precious life short,” devastating her family and the community.

“I find that your intent and actions were sinister and evil. Those acts resulted in the intentional loss of human life in a brutal fashion,” Showers said. “There is no excuse.”

As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors had recommended Miller receive a term of between 30 years and life in prison, with the possibility of parole. Goodale is to be sentenced later.

Before being sentenced, Miller said in court Thursday that he accepted responsibility for the killing and apologized to the Graber family.

“I would like to apologize for my actions, first and foremost to the family,” he said. “I am sincerely sorry for the distress I have caused you and the devastation I have caused your family.”

Miller also apologized to the Fairfield community, his own family, Goodale’s family and the police.

“I’m realizing just the magnitude of my actions, and I know it’s wrong and I knew it was wrong and yet I still carried through,” he said. “I still did what I did, and I accept responsibility for that.”

Ten of Graber’s relatives either read or submitted victim impact statements that described the woman as kind, caring and devoted to her family, students and church. Several also blamed Miller and Goodale for the recent death of Graber’s husband, who suffered from cancer but delayed treatment amid his depression over the murder.

“I hope you open your soul to the lord and maybe ask for forgiveness there first because you’re on a spiral straight to hell,” Graber’s brother-in-law, Jim Graber said while staring at Miller.

Miller and Goodale killed Graber on Nov. 2, 2021, in a park where the teacher routinely walked after school. Prosecutors said the teens, who were 16 at the time, were angry at Graber because of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-homicide-iowa-des-moines-fairfield-42eba22bc42bf9e52a165478916072c4" target="_blank">bad grade she had given</a>&nbsp;Miller.

Under Goodale’s agreement to plead guilty, prosecutors had recommended a sentence of between 25 years and life with the possibility of parole. Goodale’s sentencing is scheduled for August, but his lawyers have sought a delay in the hearing.

Thursday’s sentencing hearing at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Fairfield initially focused on investigators who described how officers found Graber’s body. They also talked about social media postings that led them to question and then arrest Miller and Goodale. Prosecutors also played recordings of police interviews with both teens and displayed photographs of the crime scene, including graphic images of Graber’s body.

Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation agent Trent Vileta recalled police finding Graber’s body under a tarp in Chautauqua Park. A wheelbarrow and railroad tie had been placed over the tarp, making it hard to see the body, with only a shoe and a hand visible.

After pulling back part of the tarp, Vileta said the only significant injury to Graber appeared to be a severe head wound.

In the interview, Miller initially said he knew nothing about Graber’s disappearance but later said he saw other people carrying her body in the park.

Goodale testified earlier that he and Miller had planned the killing for about two weeks and that both of them struck the victim and then hid her body. Goodale said Miller had initiated the plan. Miller admitted helping but denied hitting Graber.

The two were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-homicide-iowa-fairfield-f4d1329baedb35bfe41f7a7b5a15173c" target="_blank">charged as adults</a>, but because of their age they were not subject to a mandatory sentence of life without parole for first-degree murder. Miller is now 17 and Goodale is 18.

Fairfield, a city of 9,400 people, is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Des Moines.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688733891554.png" alt="Miller's original booking photo provided by Jefferson Co.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Miller's original booking photo provided by Jefferson Co.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The first of two Iowa teenagers who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-teens-teacher-beating-death-f3acd07dff116cb2c7311b3ad2b44d9b" target="_blank">pleaded guilty to beating</a>&nbsp;their high school Spanish teacher to death&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-baseball-media-social-media-homicide-8d2536fb9668f3767b832c4d88b3f041" target="_blank">with a baseball bat</a>&nbsp;was sentenced Thursday to life with a possibility of parole after 35 years in prison.A judge sentenced Willard Miller after a sentencing hearing that lasted more than seven hours.Miller and another teen, Jeremy Goodale, had pleaded guilty in April to the 2021 attack on Nohema Graber. The 66-year-old teacher was fatally beaten while taking her regular afternoon walk in a park in Fairfield.In sentencing Miller, District Court Judge Shawn Showers acknowledged Miller’s young age but also noted he had “cut Nohema Graber’s precious life short,” devastating her family and the community.“I find that your intent and actions were sinister and evil. Those acts resulted in the intentional loss of human life in a brutal fashion,” Showers said. “There is no excuse.”As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors had recommended Miller receive a term of between 30 years and life in prison, with the possibility of parole. Goodale is to be sentenced later.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688734515241.png" alt="Goodale original booking photo Jefferson Co." />
 <figcaption>Goodale original booking photo Jefferson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Before being sentenced, Miller said in court Thursday that he accepted responsibility for the killing and apologized to the Graber family.“I would like to apologize for my actions, first and foremost to the family,” he said. “I am sincerely sorry for the distress I have caused you and the devastation I have caused your family.”Miller also apologized to the Fairfield community, his own family, Goodale’s family and the police.“I’m realizing just the magnitude of my actions, and I know it’s wrong and I knew it was wrong and yet I still carried through,” he said. “I still did what I did, and I accept responsibility for that.”Ten of Graber’s relatives either read or submitted victim impact statements that described the woman as kind, caring and devoted to her family, students and church. Several also blamed Miller and Goodale for the recent death of Graber’s husband, who suffered from cancer but delayed treatment amid his depression over the murder.“I hope you open your soul to the lord and maybe ask for forgiveness there first because you’re on a spiral straight to hell,” Graber’s brother-in-law, Jim Graber said while staring at Miller.Miller and Goodale killed Graber on Nov. 2, 2021, in a park where the teacher routinely walked after school. Prosecutors said the teens, who were 16 at the time, were angry at Graber because of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-homicide-iowa-des-moines-fairfield-42eba22bc42bf9e52a165478916072c4" target="_blank">bad grade she had given</a>&nbsp;Miller.Under Goodale’s agreement to plead guilty, prosecutors had recommended a sentence of between 25 years and life with the possibility of parole. Goodale’s sentencing is scheduled for August, but his lawyers have sought a delay in the hearing.Thursday’s sentencing hearing at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Fairfield initially focused on investigators who described how officers found Graber’s body. They also talked about social media postings that led them to question and then arrest Miller and Goodale. Prosecutors also played recordings of police interviews with both teens and displayed photographs of the crime scene, including graphic images of Graber’s body.Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation agent Trent Vileta recalled police finding Graber’s body under a tarp in Chautauqua Park. A wheelbarrow and railroad tie had been placed over the tarp, making it hard to see the body, with only a shoe and a hand visible.After pulling back part of the tarp, Vileta said the only significant injury to Graber appeared to be a severe head wound.In the interview, Miller initially said he knew nothing about Graber’s disappearance but later said he saw other people carrying her body in the park.Goodale testified earlier that he and Miller had planned the killing for about two weeks and that both of them struck the victim and then hid her body. Goodale said Miller had initiated the plan. Miller admitted helping but denied hitting Graber.The two were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-homicide-iowa-fairfield-f4d1329baedb35bfe41f7a7b5a15173c" target="_blank">charged as adults</a>, but because of their age they were not subject to a mandatory sentence of life without parole for first-degree murder. Miller is now 17 and Goodale is 18.Fairfield, a city of 9,400 people, is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Des Moines.

Iowa teen sentenced for killing Spanish teacher over bad grade

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has decided to provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-cluster-munitions-milley-counteroffensive-54eef6f03bb5eaf09303887593831df2">cluster munitions</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine and is expected to announce on Friday that the Pentagon will send thousands as part of the latest military aid package for the war effort against Russia, according to people familiar with the decision.

The decision comes despite widespread concerns that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-afghanistan-israel-syria-europe-4ac7b012f2b63567ffde368f65283921">controversial bombs</a>&nbsp;can cause civilian casualties. The Pentagon will provide munitions that have a reduced “dud rate,” meaning there will be far fewer unexploded rounds that can result in unintended civilian deaths.

U.S. officials said Thursday that the cluster munitions would be part of about $800 million in new military assistance to Ukraine.

Long sought by Ukraine, cluster bombs are weapons that open in the air, releasing submunitions, or “bomblets,” that are dispersed over a large area and are intended to wreak destruction on multiple targets at once.

The officials and others familiar with the decision were not authorized to publicly discuss the move before the official announcement and spoke on condition of anonymity.

Ukrainian officials have asked for the weapons to aid their campaign to push through lines of Russian troops and make gains in the ongoing counteroffensive. Russian forces are already using cluster munitions on the battlefield, U.S. officials have said.

According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.icrc.org/en/war-and-law/weapons/cluster-munitions">International Committee of the Red Cross</a>, some cluster munitions leave behind “bomblets’’ that have a high rate of failure to explode — up to 40% in some cases. U.S. officials said Thursday that the rate of unexploded ordnance for the munitions that will be going to Ukraine is less than 3% and therefore will mean fewer threats left behind to civilians.

Cluster bombs can be fired by artillery that the U.S. has provided to Ukraine, and the Pentagon has a large stockpile of them.

The last large-scale American use of cluster bombs was during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, according to the Pentagon. But U.S. forces considered them a key weapon during the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, according to Human Rights Watch. In the first three years of that conflict, it is estimated the U.S.-led coalition dropped more than 1,500 cluster bombs in Afghanistan.

Proponents of banning cluster bombs say they kill indiscriminately and endanger civilians long after their use. Groups have raised alarms about Russia’s use of the munitions in Ukraine.

A convention banning the use of cluster bombs has been joined by more than 120 countries who agreed not to use, produce, transfer or stockpile the weapons and to clear them after they’ve been used.

The United States, Russia and Ukraine are among the countries that have not signed on.

It is not clear how America’s NATO allies would view the U.S. providing cluster bombs to Ukraine and whether the issue might prove divisive for their largely united support of Kyiv. More than two-thirds of the 30 countries in the alliance are signatories of the 2010 convention on cluster munitions.

Laura Cooper, a deputy assistant secretary of defense focusing on Russia and Ukraine, recently testified to Congress that the Pentagon has assessed that such munitions would help Kyiv press through Russia’s dug-in positions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688676274185.png" alt="Pentagon spokesman U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder speaks during a media briefing on Thursday-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Pentagon spokesman U.S. Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder speaks during a media briefing on Thursday-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration has decided to provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-cluster-munitions-milley-counteroffensive-54eef6f03bb5eaf09303887593831df2">cluster munitions</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine and is expected to announce on Friday that the Pentagon will send thousands as part of the latest military aid package for the war effort against Russia, according to people familiar with the decision.The decision comes despite widespread concerns that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-afghanistan-israel-syria-europe-4ac7b012f2b63567ffde368f65283921">controversial bombs</a>&nbsp;can cause civilian casualties. The Pentagon will provide munitions that have a reduced “dud rate,” meaning there will be far fewer unexploded rounds that can result in unintended civilian deaths.U.S. officials said Thursday that the cluster munitions would be part of about $800 million in new military assistance to Ukraine.Long sought by Ukraine, cluster bombs are weapons that open in the air, releasing submunitions, or “bomblets,” that are dispersed over a large area and are intended to wreak destruction on multiple targets at once.The officials and others familiar with the decision were not authorized to publicly discuss the move before the official announcement and spoke on condition of anonymity.Ukrainian officials have asked for the weapons to aid their campaign to push through lines of Russian troops and make gains in the ongoing counteroffensive. Russian forces are already using cluster munitions on the battlefield, U.S. officials have said.According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.icrc.org/en/war-and-law/weapons/cluster-munitions">International Committee of the Red Cross</a>, some cluster munitions leave behind “bomblets’’ that have a high rate of failure to explode — up to 40% in some cases. U.S. officials said Thursday that the rate of unexploded ordnance for the munitions that will be going to Ukraine is less than 3% and therefore will mean fewer threats left behind to civilians.Cluster bombs can be fired by artillery that the U.S. has provided to Ukraine, and the Pentagon has a large stockpile of them.The last large-scale American use of cluster bombs was during the 2003 invasion of Iraq, according to the Pentagon. But U.S. forces considered them a key weapon during the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, according to Human Rights Watch. In the first three years of that conflict, it is estimated the U.S.-led coalition dropped more than 1,500 cluster bombs in Afghanistan.Proponents of banning cluster bombs say they kill indiscriminately and endanger civilians long after their use. Groups have raised alarms about Russia’s use of the munitions in Ukraine.A convention banning the use of cluster bombs has been joined by more than 120 countries who agreed not to use, produce, transfer or stockpile the weapons and to clear them after they’ve been used.The United States, Russia and Ukraine are among the countries that have not signed on.It is not clear how America’s NATO allies would view the U.S. providing cluster bombs to Ukraine and whether the issue might prove divisive for their largely united support of Kyiv. More than two-thirds of the 30 countries in the alliance are signatories of the 2010 convention on cluster munitions.Laura Cooper, a deputy assistant secretary of defense focusing on Russia and Ukraine, recently testified to Congress that the Pentagon has assessed that such munitions would help Kyiv press through Russia’s dug-in positions.

 $800 million in new aid: US giving cluster bombs to Ukraine

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/21/massive-pipeline-spill-caused-by-crack-created-during-installation-third-party-review-concludes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Prices for Nebraska farmland rose 14% in 2023, the fourth consecutive year for an increase and a new record high, according to a recent University of Nebraska report.

The average price for an acre of ag land in the state was $3,835 as of Feb. 1, up from $3,360 in the previous year, according to the final&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cap.unl.edu/realestate">2022-2023 Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Highlights report.</a>

High crop prices, farm expansion and non-farmer investor interest were cited as major factors in the increased prices in the report, published by the Center for Agriculture Profitability at NU.

High interest rates also pushed farm operators and investors to purchase land as a hedge against inflation, according to Jim Jansen, a co-author of the report.

“Land acts as a hedge against inflation by increasing in price as the impact of rising prices takes hold across the economy,” Jansen said.

The highest priced agricultural land was gravity- and center-pivot-irrigated cropland, which averaged $7,905 and $8,760 per acre, respectively.

The highest increases in farmland values were in the eastern sector of the state, with 10 counties in southeast Nebraska showing a 17% rise, to $7,090 an acre.

The average price in the middle-east section of Nebraska was $9,320 — a 15% increase and the highest ag land values in the state. Meanwhile, the average price of farmland in northeast Nebraska was $8,035, a 16% increase.

Western regions of Nebraska reported smaller increases, ranging from approximately 10% to 13%.

Austin Harthoorn, an economist with the Nebraska Farm Bureau, said that higher prices typically mean higher property tax bills for farmers.

“However, the economy has been so strong the last few years, farmers are in a very good place to handle that,” he said. “It’s a&nbsp;very profitable time to be in agriculture.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688725551874.png" alt="A farmer harvests a field of dry, edible beans in Nebraska’s Panhandle. (Courtesy of Gary Stone)" />
 <figcaption>A farmer harvests a field of dry, edible beans in Nebraska’s Panhandle. (Courtesy of Gary Stone)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/04/21/massive-pipeline-spill-caused-by-crack-created-during-installation-third-party-review-concludes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Prices for Nebraska farmland rose 14% in 2023, the fourth consecutive year for an increase and a new record high, according to a recent University of Nebraska report.The average price for an acre of ag land in the state was $3,835 as of Feb. 1, up from $3,360 in the previous year, according to the final&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://cap.unl.edu/realestate">2022-2023 Nebraska Farm Real Estate Market Highlights report.</a>High crop prices, farm expansion and non-farmer investor interest were cited as major factors in the increased prices in the report, published by the Center for Agriculture Profitability at NU.High interest rates also pushed farm operators and investors to purchase land as a hedge against inflation, according to Jim Jansen, a co-author of the report.“Land acts as a hedge against inflation by increasing in price as the impact of rising prices takes hold across the economy,” Jansen said.The highest priced agricultural land was gravity- and center-pivot-irrigated cropland, which averaged $7,905 and $8,760 per acre, respectively.The highest increases in farmland values were in the eastern sector of the state, with 10 counties in southeast Nebraska showing a 17% rise, to $7,090 an acre.The average price in the middle-east section of Nebraska was $9,320 — a 15% increase and the highest ag land values in the state. Meanwhile, the average price of farmland in northeast Nebraska was $8,035, a 16% increase.Western regions of Nebraska reported smaller increases, ranging from approximately 10% to 13%.Austin Harthoorn, an economist with the Nebraska Farm Bureau, said that higher prices typically mean higher property tax bills for farmers.“However, the economy has been so strong the last few years, farmers are in a very good place to handle that,” he said. “It’s a&nbsp;very profitable time to be in agriculture.”

Nebraska ag land values at record high, increasing 14% during the past year

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russian fighter jets flew dangerously close to several U.S. drone aircraft over Syria again Thursday, setting off flares and forcing the MQ-9 Reapers to take evasive maneuvers, the Air Force said.

It was the second time in 24 hours that Russia has harassed U.S. drones there.

“We urge Russian forces in Syria to cease this reckless behavior and adhere to the standards of behavior expected of a professional air force so we can resume our focus on the enduring defeat of ISIS,” Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, head of U.S. Air Forces Central Command, said in a statement.

Col. Michael Andrews, Air Forces Central Command spokesman, said “the Russian harassment, including close fly-bys, by one SU-34 and one SU-35 and deploying flares directly into the MQ-9, lasted almost an hour. So it wasn’t a quick fly-by, but much more of a sustained and unprofessional interaction.”

<a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/video/889328/russian-unprofessional-behavior-over-syria-5-july-2023">U.S. Air Forces Central</a>&nbsp;released videos of the two separate incidents that took place Wednesday and Thursday. In the first incident, which took place about 10:40 a.m. local time Wednesday in Northwest Syria, Russian SU-35 fighters closed in on a Reaper, and one of the Russian pilots moved their aircraft in front of a drone and engaged the SU-35’s afterburner, which greatly increases its speed and air pressure.

The jet blast from the afterburner can potentially damage the Reaper’s electronics, and Grynkewich said it reduced the drone operator’s ability to safely operate the aircraft.

Later a number of the so-called parachute flares moved into the drone's flight path. The flares are attached to parachutes.

In the second incident, which took place over Northwest Syria around 9:30 a.m. Thursday local time, “Russian aircraft dropped flares in front of the drones and flew dangerously close, endangering the safety of all aircraft involved,” Grynkewich said.

The drones were not armed with weapons and are commonly used for reconnaissance missions.

Army Gen. Erik Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command, said in a statement that Russia's violation of ongoing efforts to clear the airspace over Syria "increases the risk of escalation or miscalculation.”

About 900 U.S. forces are deployed to Syria to work with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces battling the Islamic State militants there. No other details about the drone operation were provided.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russian fighter jets flew dangerously close to several U.S. drone aircraft over Syria again Thursday, setting off flares and forcing the MQ-9 Reapers to take evasive maneuvers, the Air Force said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Regarding Russia&#39;s unprofessional behavior while reacting with U.S. aircraft over Syria, please see the video of today&#39;s encounter. For the full statement by Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, Commander, 9th AF (AFCENT) visit<a href="https://t.co/WKDYPiPT96">https://t.co/WKDYPiPT96</a><a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CENTCOM</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofDefense?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DeptofDefense</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/usairforce?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@usairforce</a> <a href="https://t.co/nmSSBxUojO">pic.twitter.com/nmSSBxUojO</a>&mdash; US AFCENT (@USAFCENT) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAFCENT/status/1676712564686831619?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It was the second time in 24 hours that Russia has harassed U.S. drones there.“We urge Russian forces in Syria to cease this reckless behavior and adhere to the standards of behavior expected of a professional air force so we can resume our focus on the enduring defeat of ISIS,” Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, head of U.S. Air Forces Central Command, said in a statement.Col. Michael Andrews, Air Forces Central Command spokesman, said “the Russian harassment, including close fly-bys, by one SU-34 and one SU-35 and deploying flares directly into the MQ-9, lasted almost an hour. So it wasn’t a quick fly-by, but much more of a sustained and unprofessional interaction.”<a href="https://www.dvidshub.net/video/889328/russian-unprofessional-behavior-over-syria-5-july-2023">U.S. Air Forces Central</a>&nbsp;released videos of the two separate incidents that took place Wednesday and Thursday. In the first incident, which took place about 10:40 a.m. local time Wednesday in Northwest Syria, Russian SU-35 fighters closed in on a Reaper, and one of the Russian pilots moved their aircraft in front of a drone and engaged the SU-35’s afterburner, which greatly increases its speed and air pressure.The jet blast from the afterburner can potentially damage the Reaper’s electronics, and Grynkewich said it reduced the drone operator’s ability to safely operate the aircraft.Later a number of the so-called parachute flares moved into the drone's flight path. The flares are attached to parachutes.In the second incident, which took place over Northwest Syria around 9:30 a.m. Thursday local time, “Russian aircraft dropped flares in front of the drones and flew dangerously close, endangering the safety of all aircraft involved,” Grynkewich said.The drones were not armed with weapons and are commonly used for reconnaissance missions.Army Gen. Erik Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command, said in a statement that Russia's violation of ongoing efforts to clear the airspace over Syria "increases the risk of escalation or miscalculation.”About 900 U.S. forces are deployed to Syria to work with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces battling the Islamic State militants there. No other details about the drone operation were provided.---------

🎥Video shows Russian fighter jets harrassing U.S. drones

WASHINGTON (AP) — A year after its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">sweeping gun rights ruling</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;agreed to decide whether judges are going too far in striking down restrictions on firearms.

The justices will hear the Biden administration's appeal of one such ruling that struck down as unconstitutional a federal law meant to keep guns away from people who have domestic violence restraining orders against them.

Arguments will take place in the fall in the first case in which the court could define the limits on new standards for evaluating gun laws that its conservative majority set out last June.

That decision in the case, which has come to be known as Bruen, has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mississippi-state-government-delaware-california-massachusetts-3983cecfd1107c263d5309ec0d80a966">upended gun laws across the country.</a>&nbsp;It's led to a rash of rulings invalidating some long-standing restrictions on firearms, but also produced confusion about what laws can survive.

Governments have to justify gun control laws by showing they are “consistent with the Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation,” Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in an opinion that was joined by the other five conservative justices. Until that ruling, judges could consider whether a law serves public interests such as enhancing public safety.

In the past year, judges also have struck down federal laws barring people from having guns if they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-texas-donald-trump-gun-politics-indictments-8f33eb6f21597e6ee63272aa64d32520">have been charged with serious crimes</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-oklahoma-state-government-new-orleans-city-c79d6fedc97ba657d2cab17f59354a95">use marijuana</a>. Other rulings have called into question a federal ban on possessing guns with serial numbers removed,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/young-gun-buyers-ruling-9165143fcab00ea733c703e5572e0730">the prohibition on licensed federal firearms dealers selling handguns</a>&nbsp;to young adults under 21 and Delaware’s ban on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-gun-politics-delaware-dover-39cc2a436ba0df094e9474ebd8d3d75d">possession of homemade “ghost guns.”</a>

Lower courts are also considering challenges to states’ bans on the sale of so-called assault weapons and large-capacity magazines. The Supreme Court in May&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-illinois-gun-law-14bcad1bf2ee322b0517086755b8ff56">denied an emergency request</a>&nbsp;to put an Illinois law on hold while that court challenge plays out.

The case now before the court involves Zackey Rahimi, whose conviction on possessing guns while subject to a restraining order was thrown out by a panel of three Republican appointees on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Rahimi was involved in five shootings over two months in and around Arlington, Texas, U.S. Circuit Judge Cory Wilson noted. When police identified Rahimi as a suspect in the shootings and showed up at his home with a search warrant, Rahimi admitted both to having guns in the house and being subject to a domestic violence restraining order that prohibited gun possession, Wilson wrote.

But though “hardly a model citizen,” Rahimi did not lose his constitutional right to have guns, Wilson concluded. The law at issue could not be justified by looking to history, he wrote for a unanimous panel.

Wilson and Judge James Ho were nominated by President Donald Trump. The third judge, Edith Jones, was chosen by President Ronald Reagan.

The appeals court initially upheld the conviction, then reconsidered once the Supreme Court ruled in Bruen. At least one district court has upheld the law since the Bruen decision

Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the Biden administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer, cited an earlier high court decision involving gun bans for domestic violence convictions to urge the justices to take up the case. “More than a million acts of domestic violence occur in the United States every year, and the presence of a firearm increases the chance that violence will escalate to homicide,” Prelogar wrote.

On the day the court finished deciding the cases argued in recent months, the legal fight over a gun law was among six cases that the justices added to their agenda for the term that begins on the first Monday in October.

—a Biden administration appeal of a 5th Circuit ruling that could have far-reaching effects on the Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory agencies. The appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-new-orleans-government-and-politics-executive-branch-a6a6c0e83238d0e5e55aedd9eb0ab85f">threw out stiff financial penalties imposed on hedge fund manager George R. Jarkesy by the SEC</a>.

—a question about whether workers can pursue job discrimination claims under federal civil rights law when those workers are not demoted or docked pay. The case taken up by the court involve a sex discrimination claim by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/st-louis-sexual-misconduct-missouri-tigers-mens-basketball-crime-4b6259d5f0745c0534dc1637024329ec">a St. Louis police sergeant</a>&nbsp;who was transferred against her will.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A year after its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">sweeping gun rights ruling</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;agreed to decide whether judges are going too far in striking down restrictions on firearms.The justices will hear the Biden administration's appeal of one such ruling that struck down as unconstitutional a federal law meant to keep guns away from people who have domestic violence restraining orders against them.Arguments will take place in the fall in the first case in which the court could define the limits on new standards for evaluating gun laws that its conservative majority set out last June.That decision in the case, which has come to be known as Bruen, has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mississippi-state-government-delaware-california-massachusetts-3983cecfd1107c263d5309ec0d80a966">upended gun laws across the country.</a>&nbsp;It's led to a rash of rulings invalidating some long-standing restrictions on firearms, but also produced confusion about what laws can survive.Governments have to justify gun control laws by showing they are “consistent with the Nation’s historical tradition of firearm regulation,” Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in an opinion that was joined by the other five conservative justices. Until that ruling, judges could consider whether a law serves public interests such as enhancing public safety.In the past year, judges also have struck down federal laws barring people from having guns if they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-texas-donald-trump-gun-politics-indictments-8f33eb6f21597e6ee63272aa64d32520">have been charged with serious crimes</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-oklahoma-state-government-new-orleans-city-c79d6fedc97ba657d2cab17f59354a95">use marijuana</a>. Other rulings have called into question a federal ban on possessing guns with serial numbers removed,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/young-gun-buyers-ruling-9165143fcab00ea733c703e5572e0730">the prohibition on licensed federal firearms dealers selling handguns</a>&nbsp;to young adults under 21 and Delaware’s ban on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-gun-politics-delaware-dover-39cc2a436ba0df094e9474ebd8d3d75d">possession of homemade “ghost guns.”</a>Lower courts are also considering challenges to states’ bans on the sale of so-called assault weapons and large-capacity magazines. The Supreme Court in May&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-illinois-gun-law-14bcad1bf2ee322b0517086755b8ff56">denied an emergency request</a>&nbsp;to put an Illinois law on hold while that court challenge plays out.The case now before the court involves Zackey Rahimi, whose conviction on possessing guns while subject to a restraining order was thrown out by a panel of three Republican appointees on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.Rahimi was involved in five shootings over two months in and around Arlington, Texas, U.S. Circuit Judge Cory Wilson noted. When police identified Rahimi as a suspect in the shootings and showed up at his home with a search warrant, Rahimi admitted both to having guns in the house and being subject to a domestic violence restraining order that prohibited gun possession, Wilson wrote.But though “hardly a model citizen,” Rahimi did not lose his constitutional right to have guns, Wilson concluded. The law at issue could not be justified by looking to history, he wrote for a unanimous panel.Wilson and Judge James Ho were nominated by President Donald Trump. The third judge, Edith Jones, was chosen by President Ronald Reagan.The appeals court initially upheld the conviction, then reconsidered once the Supreme Court ruled in Bruen. At least one district court has upheld the law since the Bruen decisionSolicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar, the Biden administration’s top Supreme Court lawyer, cited an earlier high court decision involving gun bans for domestic violence convictions to urge the justices to take up the case. “More than a million acts of domestic violence occur in the United States every year, and the presence of a firearm increases the chance that violence will escalate to homicide,” Prelogar wrote.On the day the court finished deciding the cases argued in recent months, the legal fight over a gun law was among six cases that the justices added to their agenda for the term that begins on the first Monday in October.The other cases include:—a Biden administration appeal of a 5th Circuit ruling that could have far-reaching effects on the Securities and Exchange Commission and other regulatory agencies. The appeals court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-new-orleans-government-and-politics-executive-branch-a6a6c0e83238d0e5e55aedd9eb0ab85f">threw out stiff financial penalties imposed on hedge fund manager George R. Jarkesy by the SEC</a>.—a question about whether workers can pursue job discrimination claims under federal civil rights law when those workers are not demoted or docked pay. The case taken up by the court involve a sex discrimination claim by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/st-louis-sexual-misconduct-missouri-tigers-mens-basketball-crime-4b6259d5f0745c0534dc1637024329ec">a St. Louis police sergeant</a>&nbsp;who was transferred against her will.

Supreme Court will decide gun rights case on domestic violence

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has been briefed on the investigation into the discovery of cocaine on the lobby floor of the White House West Wing, and thinks it is “incredibly important” for the Secret Service to determine how it got there, officials said Wednesday.

(click below to watch press briefing on the cocaine investigation)

U.S. Secret Service agents&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-suspicious-substance-cocaine-bd7a792357a85453cf55b6c955ff1b4f" target="_blank">found the powder during a routine</a>&nbsp;White House sweep on Sunday, in a small, clear plastic bag on the ground in a heavily trafficked area, according to three people, who were not authorized to speak about an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

On Wednesday, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the White House had confidence in the Secret Service. “The president think it’s incredibly important to get to the bottom of this,” she said.

Biden was at Camp David with members of his family for the holiday weekend when the powder was discovered and the complex was briefly evacuated as a precaution. The fire department was called in to test the substance to determine it was not hazardous, and the initial test came back positive for cocaine. A secondary, more sensitive lab analysis confirmed the results.

Investigators have not yet identified who brought the drugs into the White House. The Secret Service, which is responsible for securing the White House, was combing through visitor logs and security footage.

The lobby where the drugs were found is where many official visitors and staffers enter. It is also open to staff-led tours of the West Wing, which are scheduled for nonworking hours on the weekends and evenings. Those tours are invitation-only and led by White House staff for friends, family and other guests. Most staffers who work on the complex can request an evening or weekend tour slot, but there is often a long wait list.

If a White House employee brought in the drugs, it would be easier to determine, because staff are fingerprinted and subjected to drug tests. A visitor would be harder to pin down; there were tours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday last week.

The District of Columbia fire department was called in Sunday to test the substance to determine whether it was hazardous, though officials immediately suspected illicit drugs because of how it was packaged, two of the people said. It’s routine to follow up with a more sensitive lab tests later. That test was returned Wednesday.

The Secret Service said in a statement Tuesday that the White House was closed as a precaution as emergency crews investigated.

“The item was sent for further evaluation and an investigation into the cause and manner of how it entered the White House is pending,” the Secret Service said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has been briefed on the investigation into the discovery of cocaine on the lobby floor of the White House West Wing, and thinks it is “incredibly important” for the Secret Service to determine how it got there, officials said Wednesday.(click below to watch press briefing on the cocaine investigation)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1012360460003301%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=529" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>U.S. Secret Service agents&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/white-house-suspicious-substance-cocaine-bd7a792357a85453cf55b6c955ff1b4f" target="_blank">found the powder during a routine</a>&nbsp;White House sweep on Sunday, in a small, clear plastic bag on the ground in a heavily trafficked area, according to three people, who were not authorized to speak about an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.On Wednesday, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the White House had confidence in the Secret Service. “The president think it’s incredibly important to get to the bottom of this,” she said.Biden was at Camp David with members of his family for the holiday weekend when the powder was discovered and the complex was briefly evacuated as a precaution. The fire department was called in to test the substance to determine it was not hazardous, and the initial test came back positive for cocaine. A secondary, more sensitive lab analysis confirmed the results.Investigators have not yet identified who brought the drugs into the White House. The Secret Service, which is responsible for securing the White House, was combing through visitor logs and security footage.The lobby where the drugs were found is where many official visitors and staffers enter. It is also open to staff-led tours of the West Wing, which are scheduled for nonworking hours on the weekends and evenings. Those tours are invitation-only and led by White House staff for friends, family and other guests. Most staffers who work on the complex can request an evening or weekend tour slot, but there is often a long wait list.If a White House employee brought in the drugs, it would be easier to determine, because staff are fingerprinted and subjected to drug tests. A visitor would be harder to pin down; there were tours on Friday, Saturday and Sunday last week.The District of Columbia fire department was called in Sunday to test the substance to determine whether it was hazardous, though officials immediately suspected illicit drugs because of how it was packaged, two of the people said. It’s routine to follow up with a more sensitive lab tests later. That test was returned Wednesday.The Secret Service said in a statement Tuesday that the White House was closed as a precaution as emergency crews investigated.“The item was sent for further evaluation and an investigation into the cause and manner of how it entered the White House is pending,” the Secret Service said.

🎥 Biden responds to cocaine found at the White House

By&nbsp;CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/woman-who-shouted-shame-following-critical-gun-bill-passage-is-banned-from-nebraska-capitol/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Gov. Jim Pillen on Wednesday announced the resignation of Dannette Smith as head of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.&nbsp;

Appointed in January 2019 by then-Gov. Pete Ricketts, Smith reportedly took a role with a national firm that supports health and human services across the United States. Her last day in Pillen’s cabinet is Aug. 4.

Pillen, in a news release, said he was grateful to Smith for her public service and dedication to improving the lives of Nebraskans.

Smith, in the same statement, said it was an honor to head the department that had oversight of some 5,000 staff members. She said she feels a “great sense of accomplishment.”

&nbsp;“I have spent every day challenging myself and my team to work with passion, integrity, and intentionality because the people of Nebraska depend on us,” Smith said. “Not only do I feel a great sense of accomplishment about what we have achieved, I look forward to taking the energy and the spirit of my fellow Nebraskans with me as I take on the new challenges in my next chapter.”

Smith managed an annual budget of $6.3 million. Highlights of her tenure, as noted in her statement, included efforts to address COVID-19 and the redesign of the state’s YRTC services.

Smith also was at the helm of DHHS when Nebraska officials awarded a contract to oversee the state’s child welfare system to St. Francis Ministries of Kansas. The financially troubled nonprofit’s $197 million bid was later revealed to be&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/10/state-aims-to-avoid-state-contract-mistakes-made-in-bad-bid-from-st-francis-ministries/">markedly low,</a>&nbsp;requiring DHHS later to come up with $158 million more in funding to avoid the organization’s financial collapse.

The state has since ended its experiment with privatizing child welfare services and has taken back those operations from St. Francis.

Smith’s resignation comes three months after the departure of another state department head, Tony Goins of the Nebraska&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/05/new-economic-development-head-a-lifelong-nebraskan-with-quarter-century-of-promoting-rural-areas/">Department of Economic Development.</a>

Pillen has not announced an interim DHHS director. He said a national search will be launched to find Smith’s permanent replacement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688640224398.png" alt="Dannette Smith, CEO of Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services, has resigned effective Aug. 4. (Courtesy of DHHS)" />
 <figcaption>Dannette Smith, CEO of Nebraska’s Department of Health and Human Services, has resigned effective Aug. 4. (Courtesy of DHHS)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/woman-who-shouted-shame-following-critical-gun-bill-passage-is-banned-from-nebraska-capitol/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Gov. Jim Pillen on Wednesday announced the resignation of Dannette Smith as head of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.&nbsp;Appointed in January 2019 by then-Gov. Pete Ricketts, Smith reportedly took a role with a national firm that supports health and human services across the United States. Her last day in Pillen’s cabinet is Aug. 4.Pillen, in a news release, said he was grateful to Smith for her public service and dedication to improving the lives of Nebraskans.Smith, in the same statement, said it was an honor to head the department that had oversight of some 5,000 staff members. She said she feels a “great sense of accomplishment.”&nbsp;“I have spent every day challenging myself and my team to work with passion, integrity, and intentionality because the people of Nebraska depend on us,” Smith said. “Not only do I feel a great sense of accomplishment about what we have achieved, I look forward to taking the energy and the spirit of my fellow Nebraskans with me as I take on the new challenges in my next chapter.”Smith managed an annual budget of $6.3 million. Highlights of her tenure, as noted in her statement, included efforts to address COVID-19 and the redesign of the state’s YRTC services.Smith also was at the helm of DHHS when Nebraska officials awarded a contract to oversee the state’s child welfare system to St. Francis Ministries of Kansas. The financially troubled nonprofit’s $197 million bid was later revealed to be&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/02/10/state-aims-to-avoid-state-contract-mistakes-made-in-bad-bid-from-st-francis-ministries/">markedly low,</a>&nbsp;requiring DHHS later to come up with $158 million more in funding to avoid the organization’s financial collapse.The state has since ended its experiment with privatizing child welfare services and has taken back those operations from St. Francis.Smith’s resignation comes three months after the departure of another state department head, Tony Goins of the Nebraska&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/05/new-economic-development-head-a-lifelong-nebraskan-with-quarter-century-of-promoting-rural-areas/">Department of Economic Development.</a>Pillen has not announced an interim DHHS director. He said a national search will be launched to find Smith’s permanent replacement.

Head of Nebraska’s Health and Human Services resigns

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran tried to seize two oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz early Wednesday, opening fire on one of them, the U.S. Navy said.

It said that in both cases, the Iranian naval vessels backed off after the U.S. Navy dispatched a guided missile destroyer to the scene, and that both commercial ships continued their voyages.

“The Iranian navy did make attempts to seize commercial tankers lawfully transiting international waters,” said Cmdr. Tim Hawkins, spokesman for the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet. “The U.S. Navy responded immediately and prevented those seizures.”

He said the gunfire directed at the second vessel did not cause casualties or major damage.

There was no immediate Iranian comment on the incidents.

The U.S. Navy said an Iranian naval vessel approached the Marshall Islands-flagged TRF Moss in the Gulf of Oman at around 1 a.m. The U.S. deployed the USS McFaul, a guided-missile destroyer, as well as as MQ-9 Reaper drone and a P-8 Poseidon patrol plane.

Three hours later, the U.S. Navy received a distress call from the Bahamian-flagged oil tanker Richmond Voyager more than 20 nautical miles off the coast of Muscat, the capital of Oman. The Navy said another Iranian naval vessel had closed within a mile (1.6 kilometers) of the tanker and had ordered it to stop.

The same U.S. destroyer sped toward the tanker at “maximum speed,” the Navy said in a statement. “Prior to McFaul’s arrival on scene, Iranian personnel fired multiple, long bursts from both small arms and crew-served weapons,” it said.

The U.S. Navy says Iran has seized at least five commercial vessels in the last two years and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-tanker-seizures-us-uk-navy-revolutionary-guard-a8996a3dccccc82f8fa8d8bf263c9cfb" target="_blank">has harassed</a>&nbsp;more than a dozen others. Many of the incidents have occurred in and around the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of all crude oil passes.

In April, masked Iranian navy commandos conducted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-oil-tanker-advantage-sweet-seized-40b8f90bc0484fcd626903eef5faf64c" target="_blank">a helicopter-borne raid</a>&nbsp;to seize a U.S.-bound oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, footage of which was aired on Iranian state TV. Iran said the tanker was seized after it collided with another Iranian vessel but provided no evidence. In the past, Iran has seized commercial vessels to use as bargaining chips with the West.

Tensions have steadily risen since the Trump administration unilaterally withdrew from Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers and restored crippling sanctions. Iran has responded by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-iran-politics-government-mahmoud-ahmadinejad-6acdb64d36fcbe05b3ee725d8a585d96" target="_blank">ramping up its nuclear activities</a>&nbsp;— which it says are purely peaceful — and is also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-iran-drone-factory-ukraine-war-dfdfb4602fecb0fe65935cb24c82421a" target="_blank">providing armed drones to Russia</a>&nbsp;for its war against Ukraine.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688599050813.png" alt="Image U.S. Navy Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet" />
 <figcaption>Image U.S. Navy Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Iran tried to seize two oil tankers near the strategic Strait of Hormuz early Wednesday, opening fire on one of them, the U.S. Navy said.It said that in both cases, the Iranian naval vessels backed off after the U.S. Navy dispatched a guided missile destroyer to the scene, and that both commercial ships continued their voyages.“The Iranian navy did make attempts to seize commercial tankers lawfully transiting international waters,” said Cmdr. Tim Hawkins, spokesman for the U.S. Navy’s Fifth Fleet. “The U.S. Navy responded immediately and prevented those seizures.”He said the gunfire directed at the second vessel did not cause casualties or major damage.There was no immediate Iranian comment on the incidents.The U.S. Navy said an Iranian naval vessel approached the Marshall Islands-flagged TRF Moss in the Gulf of Oman at around 1 a.m. The U.S. deployed the USS McFaul, a guided-missile destroyer, as well as as MQ-9 Reaper drone and a P-8 Poseidon patrol plane.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688599074046.png" alt="Image U.S. Navy Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet" />
 <figcaption>Image U.S. Navy Central Command/U.S. Fifth Fleet</figcaption>
 </figure>Three hours later, the U.S. Navy received a distress call from the Bahamian-flagged oil tanker Richmond Voyager more than 20 nautical miles off the coast of Muscat, the capital of Oman. The Navy said another Iranian naval vessel had closed within a mile (1.6 kilometers) of the tanker and had ordered it to stop.The same U.S. destroyer sped toward the tanker at “maximum speed,” the Navy said in a statement. “Prior to McFaul’s arrival on scene, Iranian personnel fired multiple, long bursts from both small arms and crew-served weapons,” it said.The U.S. Navy says Iran has seized at least five commercial vessels in the last two years and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-tanker-seizures-us-uk-navy-revolutionary-guard-a8996a3dccccc82f8fa8d8bf263c9cfb" target="_blank">has harassed</a>&nbsp;more than a dozen others. Many of the incidents have occurred in and around the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf through which 20% of all crude oil passes.In April, masked Iranian navy commandos conducted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-oil-tanker-advantage-sweet-seized-40b8f90bc0484fcd626903eef5faf64c" target="_blank">a helicopter-borne raid</a>&nbsp;to seize a U.S.-bound oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, footage of which was aired on Iranian state TV. Iran said the tanker was seized after it collided with another Iranian vessel but provided no evidence. In the past, Iran has seized commercial vessels to use as bargaining chips with the West.Tensions have steadily risen since the Trump administration unilaterally withdrew from Iran’s 2015 nuclear agreement with world powers and restored crippling sanctions. Iran has responded by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-iran-politics-government-mahmoud-ahmadinejad-6acdb64d36fcbe05b3ee725d8a585d96" target="_blank">ramping up its nuclear activities</a>&nbsp;— which it says are purely peaceful — and is also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-iran-drone-factory-ukraine-war-dfdfb4602fecb0fe65935cb24c82421a" target="_blank">providing armed drones to Russia</a>&nbsp;for its war against Ukraine.

U.S. Navy confronts Iran after shots fired at oil tanker

WASHINGTON (AP) –A judge on Tuesday prohibited several federal agencies and officials of the Biden administration from working with social media companies about “protected speech,” a decision called “a blow to censorship” by one of the Republican officials whose lawsuit prompted the ruling.

U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty of Louisiana granted the injunction in response to a 2022 lawsuit brought by attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri. Their lawsuit alleged that the federal government overstepped in its efforts to convince social media companies to address postings that could result in vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic or affect elections.

Doughty cited “substantial evidence” of a far-reaching censorship campaign. He wrote that the “evidence produced thus far depicts an almost dystopian scenario. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a period perhaps best characterized by widespread doubt and uncertainty, the United States Government seems to have assumed a role similar to an Orwellian ‘Ministry of Truth.’ ”

Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said the injunction prevents the administration “from censoring the core political speech of ordinary Americans” on social media.

“The evidence in our case is shocking and offensive with senior federal officials deciding that they could dictate what Americans can and cannot say on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other platforms about COVID-19, elections, criticism of the government, and more," Landry said in a statement.

The Justice Department is reviewing the injunction “and will evaluate its options in this case,” said a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the case publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

“This administration has promoted responsible actions to protect public health, safety, and security when confronted by challenges like a deadly pandemic and foreign attacks on our elections,” the official said. “Our consistent view remains that social media platforms have a critical responsibility to take account of the effects their platforms are having on the American people, but make independent choices about the information they present.”

The ruling listed several government agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the FBI, that are prohibited by the injunction from discussions with social media companies aimed at “encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”

The order mentions by name several officials, including Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and others.

Doughty allowed several exceptions, such as informing social media companies of postings involving criminal activity and conspiracies; as well as notifying social media firms of national security threats and other threats posted on platforms.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit also included individuals, including conservative website owner Jim Hoft. The lawsuit accused the administration of using the possibility of favorable or unfavorable regulatory action to coerce social media platforms to squelch what it considered misinformation on masks and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also touched on other topics, including claims about election integrity and news stories about material on a laptop owned by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-investigation-house-republicans-prosecutor-irs-17f33b5f85443ee2c3315654b47f5a1c">Hunter Biden</a>, the president’s son.

Administration lawyers said the government left it up to social media companies to decide what constituted misinformation and how to combat it. In one brief, they likened the lawsuit to an attempt to put a legal gag order on the federal government and “suppress the speech of federal government officials under the guise of protecting the speech rights of others.”

“Plaintiffs’ proposed injunction would significantly hinder the Federal Government’s ability to combat foreign malign influence campaigns, prosecute crimes, protect the national security, and provide accurate information to the public on matters of grave public concern such as health care and election integrity,” the administration says in a May 3 court filing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667963892129.png" alt="Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) –A judge on Tuesday prohibited several federal agencies and officials of the Biden administration from working with social media companies about “protected speech,” a decision called “a blow to censorship” by one of the Republican officials whose lawsuit prompted the ruling.U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty of Louisiana granted the injunction in response to a 2022 lawsuit brought by attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri. Their lawsuit alleged that the federal government overstepped in its efforts to convince social media companies to address postings that could result in vaccine hesitancy during the COVID-19 pandemic or affect elections.Doughty cited “substantial evidence” of a far-reaching censorship campaign. He wrote that the “evidence produced thus far depicts an almost dystopian scenario. During the COVID-19 pandemic, a period perhaps best characterized by widespread doubt and uncertainty, the United States Government seems to have assumed a role similar to an Orwellian ‘Ministry of Truth.’ ”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">King George believed the Declaration of Independence was “misinformation” God bless America and God bless the First Amendment. 🇺🇸&mdash; Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_Schmitt/status/1676411167126835201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt, who was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed, said on Twitter that the ruling was “a huge win for the First Amendment and a blow to censorship.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨BREAKING: A Federal Judge in Missouri v. Biden just granted a preliminary injunction prohibiting the FBI, DOJ, DHS &amp; other agencies from working with Big Tech to censor on social media Big win for the First Amendment on this Independence Day🇺🇸 I’m proud to have led the fight. <a href="https://t.co/59FzDVuI4f">pic.twitter.com/59FzDVuI4f</a>&mdash; Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) <a href="https://twitter.com/Eric_Schmitt/status/1676287106220433423?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry said the injunction prevents the administration “from censoring the core political speech of ordinary Americans” on social media.“The evidence in our case is shocking and offensive with senior federal officials deciding that they could dictate what Americans can and cannot say on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and other platforms about COVID-19, elections, criticism of the government, and more," Landry said in a statement.The Justice Department is reviewing the injunction “and will evaluate its options in this case,” said a White House official who was not authorized to discuss the case publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.“This administration has promoted responsible actions to protect public health, safety, and security when confronted by challenges like a deadly pandemic and foreign attacks on our elections,” the official said. “Our consistent view remains that social media platforms have a critical responsibility to take account of the effects their platforms are having on the American people, but make independent choices about the information they present.”The ruling listed several government agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the FBI, that are prohibited by the injunction from discussions with social media companies aimed at “encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”The order mentions by name several officials, including Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas and others.Doughty allowed several exceptions, such as informing social media companies of postings involving criminal activity and conspiracies; as well as notifying social media firms of national security threats and other threats posted on platforms.The plaintiffs in the lawsuit also included individuals, including conservative website owner Jim Hoft. The lawsuit accused the administration of using the possibility of favorable or unfavorable regulatory action to coerce social media platforms to squelch what it considered misinformation on masks and vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic. It also touched on other topics, including claims about election integrity and news stories about material on a laptop owned by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-investigation-house-republicans-prosecutor-irs-17f33b5f85443ee2c3315654b47f5a1c">Hunter Biden</a>, the president’s son.Administration lawyers said the government left it up to social media companies to decide what constituted misinformation and how to combat it. In one brief, they likened the lawsuit to an attempt to put a legal gag order on the federal government and “suppress the speech of federal government officials under the guise of protecting the speech rights of others.”“Plaintiffs’ proposed injunction would significantly hinder the Federal Government’s ability to combat foreign malign influence campaigns, prosecute crimes, protect the national security, and provide accurate information to the public on matters of grave public concern such as health care and election integrity,” the administration says in a May 3 court filing.

Judge blocks Biden officials from interference in social media content

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House was briefly evacuated Sunday evening while President Joe Biden was at Camp David after the Secret Service discovered suspicious powder in a common area of the West Wing, and a preliminary test showed the substance was cocaine, two law enforcement officials said Tuesday.

Secret Service agents were doing routine rounds on Sunday when they found the white powder in an area accessible to tour groups, not in any particular West Wing office, the officials said. The officials were not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The complex was evacuated at about 8:45 p.m. Sunday as fire and emergency crews were brought in to do a rapid test, which preliminarily identified cocaine. The White House was soon reopened and the powder was sent for further testing.

Biden and his family left for Camp David on Friday and returned to the White House on Tuesday.

The Secret Service said in a statement the White House was closed as a precaution as emergency crews investigated, and that the District of Columbia fire department was called in to evaluate and determine that the substance was not hazardous.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688508095664.png" alt="The Secret Service said in a statement the White House was closed as a precaution as emergency crews investigated-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>The Secret Service said in a statement the White House was closed as a precaution as emergency crews investigated-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House was briefly evacuated Sunday evening while President Joe Biden was at Camp David after the Secret Service discovered suspicious powder in a common area of the West Wing, and a preliminary test showed the substance was cocaine, two law enforcement officials said Tuesday.Secret Service agents were doing routine rounds on Sunday when they found the white powder in an area accessible to tour groups, not in any particular West Wing office, the officials said. The officials were not authorized to discuss an ongoing investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.The complex was evacuated at about 8:45 p.m. Sunday as fire and emergency crews were brought in to do a rapid test, which preliminarily identified cocaine. The White House was soon reopened and the powder was sent for further testing.Biden and his family left for Camp David on Friday and returned to the White House on Tuesday.The Secret Service said in a statement the White House was closed as a precaution as emergency crews investigated, and that the District of Columbia fire department was called in to evaluate and determine that the substance was not hazardous.“The item was sent for further evaluation and an investigation into the cause and manner of how it entered the White House is pending,” the Secret Service said.

Secret Service investigating cocaine found at White House

ESTES PARK, Colo. (AP) — A 25-year-old Rhode Island man died after falling and being pulled underwater at a waterfall in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park on Sunday, according to the National Park Service.

The man from Providence has not yet been publicly identified and his body was recovered Sunday evening, officials said.

Rocky Mountain National Park covers over 400 square miles (1,036 square kilometers) of rugged mountains and high tundra, drawing typically over 4 million hikers annually.

The deceased man fell at West Creek Falls, on the east side of the park. The body was moved to the Larimer County Coroner, on the northern edge of Colorado, who will determine the cause of death.

At this time of year, rivers, streams and waterfalls are dangerous cold and swift, said the National Park Service, warning visitors to stay a safe distance from quick-flowing waters.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688522453402.png" alt="The deceased man fell at West Creek Falls, on the east side of the park.-photo National Park Service" />
 <figcaption>The deceased man fell at West Creek Falls, on the east side of the park.-photo National Park Service</figcaption>
 </figure>ESTES PARK, Colo. (AP) — A 25-year-old Rhode Island man died after falling and being pulled underwater at a waterfall in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain National Park on Sunday, according to the National Park Service.The man from Providence has not yet been publicly identified and his body was recovered Sunday evening, officials said.Rocky Mountain National Park covers over 400 square miles (1,036 square kilometers) of rugged mountains and high tundra, drawing typically over 4 million hikers annually.The deceased man fell at West Creek Falls, on the east side of the park. The body was moved to the Larimer County Coroner, on the northern edge of Colorado, who will determine the cause of death.At this time of year, rivers, streams and waterfalls are dangerous cold and swift, said the National Park Service, warning visitors to stay a safe distance from quick-flowing waters.

Young man died after fall at a Rocky Mountain waterfall

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A visible crack in the support beam of a North Carolina roller coaster served as a reminder of the risks that sometimes arise with amusement park rides, particularly as families and adrenaline junkies flock to the attractions in summer.

Video footage of the Charlotte-based Carowinds' popular Fury 325 — known as a “Giga coaster” due to its dramatic height of 325 feet (99 meters) — showed a key support beam bending with the top visibly detached as cars packed with unsuspecting passengers whirled by at speeds of up to 95 mph (150 kph).

The park, which straddles the North Carolina and South Carolina line, closed the ride late last week as questions swirled about how the crack occurred. Those answers remained largely unknown as state investigators were on site in Monday morning.

Tommy Petty, chief of the state Department of Labor’s Amusement Device Bureau, confirmed investigators “already came and went” from Carowinds on Monday but declined to share details about their findings. Meanwhile, Carowinds said in a statement that all of its rides, including Fury 325, are inspected daily “to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity.”

Several Carowinds visitors said they were aware that the ride had been closed for repairs, but they were not deterred from enjoying the park's other attractions.

Greg Bledsoe, a 22-year-old season pass holder, visited the park Monday despite having watched the viral video of the Fury 325 track separating from its support beam mid-ride.

“I’m just glad I wasn’t on it because I don’t want to fall off. I’m glad nobody fell off,” he said.

While Bledsoe said the video was “a bit of a shock,” he remains confident in the park’s overall safety and plans to make good use of his season pass.

“Hopefully they get it fixed before the season’s over so I can ride it some more,” he said of the broken coaster. “It’s like the main thing here.”

Industry experts have been quick to counter that millions of Americans hop on roller coasters, Ferris wheels, water slides and many other rides without ever experiencing issues. They note injury rates are extremely low.

A 2021 survey compiled on behalf of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions found “0.9 injuries per million rides,” said Caitlin Dineen, the group's spokesperson. That year, more than 1,200 ride-related injuries were reported out of the typical 1.7 billion rides that take place each year across 400 locations in North America.

“Safety is the top priority for the global attractions industry,” Dineen said. “An excellent safety record is in the best interest of the industry, and leaders within it are committed to providing safe and secure attractions for all their guests and visitors.”

For Steven Powers, a resident of Columbia, South Carolina who visited Carowinds Monday with friends, the positive atmosphere of the park outweighs any worries.

“As far as any other safety concerns, I don’t believe there are any,” Powers said. “I think always subconsciously we think something might happen in the back of our minds, but I also know that they do have people's lives in their hands so they're going to make sure that they do what they're supposed to do on their end.”

Even when amusement park mishaps don't result in injuries, they can still upend vacations and cause headaches for summer fun-seekers.

Shortly after footage was released of the crack inside Fury 325's support structure, riders on a roller coaster in northeastern Wisconsin were trapped upside down for three hours before emergency responders arrived to rescue them.

<a href="https://www.nbc15.com/2023/07/03/roller-coaster-riders-trapped-upside-down-hours/">WJFW reports</a>&nbsp;the ride had been inspected recently when a mechanical failure occurred, halting the coaster mid-ride, according to Capt. Brennan Cook of the Crandon Fire Department.

But sometimes deaths do occur on an amusement park ride.

In 2022, Orlando's International Drive district&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-orlando-accidents-missouri-8d1dbb7541cfb7b0dc5c3496fcde48d7">removed a towering 400-foot (122-meter) ride</a>&nbsp;after it was directly linked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orlando-florida-missouri-obituaries-6dcc0a65607f5038f5044c6d1d485826">the death</a>&nbsp;of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson — a Missouri teen who fell to his death while on the ride the year prior.

Sampson, who lived near St. Louis, Missouri, was visiting Orlando during spring break when he died.

An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-orlando-e9470b0e84a8c59e1bdb1fb06314f170">initial report</a>&nbsp;from outside engineers hired by the Florida Department of Agriculture said sensors on the ride had been adjusted manually to double the size of the opening for restraints on two seats, resulting in the teen not being properly secured.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688473561332.png" alt="People ride a roller coaster at the Carowinds amusement park on Monday, July 3, 2023, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)" />
 <figcaption>People ride a roller coaster at the Carowinds amusement park on Monday, July 3, 2023, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco)</figcaption>
 </figure>CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — A visible crack in the support beam of a North Carolina roller coaster served as a reminder of the risks that sometimes arise with amusement park rides, particularly as families and adrenaline junkies flock to the attractions in summer.Video footage of the Charlotte-based Carowinds' popular Fury 325 — known as a “Giga coaster” due to its dramatic height of 325 feet (99 meters) — showed a key support beam bending with the top visibly detached as cars packed with unsuspecting passengers whirled by at speeds of up to 95 mph (150 kph).The park, which straddles the North Carolina and South Carolina line, closed the ride late last week as questions swirled about how the crack occurred. Those answers remained largely unknown as state investigators were on site in Monday morning.Tommy Petty, chief of the state Department of Labor’s Amusement Device Bureau, confirmed investigators “already came and went” from Carowinds on Monday but declined to share details about their findings. Meanwhile, Carowinds said in a statement that all of its rides, including Fury 325, are inspected daily “to ensure their proper functioning and structural integrity.”Several Carowinds visitors said they were aware that the ride had been closed for repairs, but they were not deterred from enjoying the park's other attractions.Greg Bledsoe, a 22-year-old season pass holder, visited the park Monday despite having watched the viral video of the Fury 325 track separating from its support beam mid-ride.“I’m just glad I wasn’t on it because I don’t want to fall off. I’m glad nobody fell off,” he said.While Bledsoe said the video was “a bit of a shock,” he remains confident in the park’s overall safety and plans to make good use of his season pass.“Hopefully they get it fixed before the season’s over so I can ride it some more,” he said of the broken coaster. “It’s like the main thing here.”Industry experts have been quick to counter that millions of Americans hop on roller coasters, Ferris wheels, water slides and many other rides without ever experiencing issues. They note injury rates are extremely low.A 2021 survey compiled on behalf of the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions found “0.9 injuries per million rides,” said Caitlin Dineen, the group's spokesperson. That year, more than 1,200 ride-related injuries were reported out of the typical 1.7 billion rides that take place each year across 400 locations in North America.“Safety is the top priority for the global attractions industry,” Dineen said. “An excellent safety record is in the best interest of the industry, and leaders within it are committed to providing safe and secure attractions for all their guests and visitors.”For Steven Powers, a resident of Columbia, South Carolina who visited Carowinds Monday with friends, the positive atmosphere of the park outweighs any worries.“As far as any other safety concerns, I don’t believe there are any,” Powers said. “I think always subconsciously we think something might happen in the back of our minds, but I also know that they do have people's lives in their hands so they're going to make sure that they do what they're supposed to do on their end.”Even when amusement park mishaps don't result in injuries, they can still upend vacations and cause headaches for summer fun-seekers.Shortly after footage was released of the crack inside Fury 325's support structure, riders on a roller coaster in northeastern Wisconsin were trapped upside down for three hours before emergency responders arrived to rescue them.<a href="https://www.nbc15.com/2023/07/03/roller-coaster-riders-trapped-upside-down-hours/">WJFW reports</a>&nbsp;the ride had been inspected recently when a mechanical failure occurred, halting the coaster mid-ride, according to Capt. Brennan Cook of the Crandon Fire Department.But sometimes deaths do occur on an amusement park ride.In 2022, Orlando's International Drive district&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-orlando-accidents-missouri-8d1dbb7541cfb7b0dc5c3496fcde48d7">removed a towering 400-foot (122-meter) ride</a>&nbsp;after it was directly linked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/orlando-florida-missouri-obituaries-6dcc0a65607f5038f5044c6d1d485826">the death</a>&nbsp;of 14-year-old Tyre Sampson — a Missouri teen who fell to his death while on the ride the year prior.Sampson, who lived near St. Louis, Missouri, was visiting Orlando during spring break when he died.An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-orlando-e9470b0e84a8c59e1bdb1fb06314f170">initial report</a>&nbsp;from outside engineers hired by the Florida Department of Agriculture said sensors on the ride had been adjusted manually to double the size of the opening for restraints on two seats, resulting in the teen not being properly secured.