Walgreens says it will not start selling an abortion pill in 20 states that had warned of legal consequences if it did so.

The drugstore chain’s announcement signals that access to mifepristone may not expand as broadly as federal regulators intended in January, when they finalized a rule change allowing more pharmacies to provide the pill.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved mifepristone in 2000 to end pregnancy, when used in combination with a second drug, misoprostol. The combination is approved for use up to the 10th week of pregnancy.

Mifepristone is taken first to dilate the cervix and block a hormone needed to sustain a pregnancy. Misoprostol is taken a day or two later, causing contractions to empty the uterus.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-medication-56972af9e9b0fc2fc97e06041f6e96ce">More than half</a>&nbsp;of U.S. abortions are now done with pills rather than with a procedure, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. In rare cases, the drug combination can cause excess bleeding, requiring emergency care.

For more than 20 years, the FDA limited dispensing of mifepristone to a subset of specialty offices and clinics due to safety concerns.

The agency has repeatedly eased restrictions and expanded access, increasing demand even as state laws make the pills harder to get for many women.

In late 2021, the agency eliminated an in-person requirement for getting the pill, saying a new scientific review showed no increase in safety complications if the drug is taken at home. That change also permitted the pill to be prescribed via telehealth and shipped by mail-order pharmacies.

Earlier this year, the FDA further loosened restrictions by allowing pharmacies like Walgreens to start dispensing the drug after they undergo certification. That includes meeting standards for shipping, tracking and confidentially storing prescribing information.

Typically, the FDA’s authority to regulate prescription drug access has gone unchallenged. But more than a dozen states now have laws restricting abortion broadly — and the pills specifically — following last year’s Supreme Court decision overturning the federal right to abortion.

Last month, attorneys general in 20 conservative-led states&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-state-government-west-virginia-united-states-us-food-and-drug-administration-a1b1a387788bb5aaa39c9ce4128d77ab">warned</a>&nbsp;CVS and Walgreens in a letter that they could face legal consequences if they sell abortion pills by mail in their states.

In addition to state laws, attorneys general from conservative states have argued that shipments of mifepristone run afoul of a 19th century law that prohibited sending items used in abortion through the mail.

A spokesman says the company told the attorneys general that it will not dispense mifepristone in their states and it doesn't plan to ship the drug to them as well.

But Walgreens is working to become eligible through the FDA’s certification process. It plans to dispense the pills where it can legally do so.

The company is not currently dispensing the pills anywhere.

Rite Aid Corp. said it was “monitoring the latest federal, state, legal and regulatory developments” and would keep evaluating its policies. The Associated Press also sought comment from CVS Health Corp., retail giant Walmart and the grocery chain Kroger.

Some independent pharmacists would like to become certified to dispense the pills, said Andrea Pivarunas, a spokeswoman for the National Community Pharmacists Association. She added that this would be a “personal business decision," based partly on state laws. The association has no specifics on how many will do it.

In November, an anti-abortion group filed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-business-texas-lawsuits-71b8e54b97b016bf2cc0d9380d478991">federal lawsuit</a>&nbsp;in Texas seeking to revoke mifepristone's approval, claiming the FDA approved the drug 23 years ago without adequate evidence of safety.

A federal judge could rule soon. If he sides with abortion opponents, mifepristone could potentially be removed from the U.S. market.

In January, abortion rights supporters filed separate lawsuits challenging abortion pill restrictions imposed in North Carolina and West Virginia.

Legal experts foresee years of court battles over access to the pills.

AP Health Writer Matthew Perrone contributed to this story.

By TOM MURPHY AP Health WriterWalgreens says it will not start selling an abortion pill in 20 states that had warned of legal consequences if it did so.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">California won&#39;t be doing business with <a href="https://twitter.com/Walgreens?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@walgreens</a> -- or any company that cowers to the extremists and puts women&#39;s lives at risk. We&#39;re done.<a href="https://t.co/OB10cYfm8H">https://t.co/OB10cYfm8H</a>&mdash; Gavin Newsom (@GavinNewsom) <a href="https://twitter.com/GavinNewsom/status/1632811406344192000?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The drugstore chain’s announcement signals that access to mifepristone may not expand as broadly as federal regulators intended in January, when they finalized a rule change allowing more pharmacies to provide the pill.Here’s a closer look at the issue.ABOUT THE ABORTION PILLThe U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved mifepristone in 2000 to end pregnancy, when used in combination with a second drug, misoprostol. The combination is approved for use up to the 10th week of pregnancy.Mifepristone is taken first to dilate the cervix and block a hormone needed to sustain a pregnancy. Misoprostol is taken a day or two later, causing contractions to empty the uterus.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-science-health-medication-56972af9e9b0fc2fc97e06041f6e96ce">More than half</a>&nbsp;of U.S. abortions are now done with pills rather than with a procedure, according to the Guttmacher Institute, a research group that supports abortion rights. In rare cases, the drug combination can cause excess bleeding, requiring emergency care.WIDENING ACCESSFor more than 20 years, the FDA limited dispensing of mifepristone to a subset of specialty offices and clinics due to safety concerns.The agency has repeatedly eased restrictions and expanded access, increasing demand even as state laws make the pills harder to get for many women.In late 2021, the agency eliminated an in-person requirement for getting the pill, saying a new scientific review showed no increase in safety complications if the drug is taken at home. That change also permitted the pill to be prescribed via telehealth and shipped by mail-order pharmacies.Earlier this year, the FDA further loosened restrictions by allowing pharmacies like Walgreens to start dispensing the drug after they undergo certification. That includes meeting standards for shipping, tracking and confidentially storing prescribing information.STATES STEP INTypically, the FDA’s authority to regulate prescription drug access has gone unchallenged. But more than a dozen states now have laws restricting abortion broadly — and the pills specifically — following last year’s Supreme Court decision overturning the federal right to abortion.Last month, attorneys general in 20 conservative-led states&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-state-government-west-virginia-united-states-us-food-and-drug-administration-a1b1a387788bb5aaa39c9ce4128d77ab">warned</a>&nbsp;CVS and Walgreens in a letter that they could face legal consequences if they sell abortion pills by mail in their states.In addition to state laws, attorneys general from conservative states have argued that shipments of mifepristone run afoul of a 19th century law that prohibited sending items used in abortion through the mail.WALGREENS' REACTIONA spokesman says the company told the attorneys general that it will not dispense mifepristone in their states and it doesn't plan to ship the drug to them as well.But Walgreens is working to become eligible through the FDA’s certification process. It plans to dispense the pills where it can legally do so.The company is not currently dispensing the pills anywhere.OTHER DRUGSTORESRite Aid Corp. said it was “monitoring the latest federal, state, legal and regulatory developments” and would keep evaluating its policies. The Associated Press also sought comment from CVS Health Corp., retail giant Walmart and the grocery chain Kroger.Some independent pharmacists would like to become certified to dispense the pills, said Andrea Pivarunas, a spokeswoman for the National Community Pharmacists Association. She added that this would be a “personal business decision," based partly on state laws. The association has no specifics on how many will do it.OTHER LEGAL ISSUESIn November, an anti-abortion group filed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-health-business-texas-lawsuits-71b8e54b97b016bf2cc0d9380d478991">federal lawsuit</a>&nbsp;in Texas seeking to revoke mifepristone's approval, claiming the FDA approved the drug 23 years ago without adequate evidence of safety.A federal judge could rule soon. If he sides with abortion opponents, mifepristone could potentially be removed from the U.S. market.In January, abortion rights supporters filed separate lawsuits challenging abortion pill restrictions imposed in North Carolina and West Virginia.Legal experts foresee years of court battles over access to the pills.___AP Health Writer Matthew Perrone contributed to this story.______

The implications of Walgreens' decision on abortion pills

WASHINGTON—International Women's Day is March 8. A day set aside to honor and recognize the accomplishments of women while acknowledging there is still progress to be made toward gender equality.

President Biden issued a statement recognizing the day.

"International Women’s Day&nbsp;honors a truth we live every day—that women and girls&nbsp;are essential to success and progress in every aspect of our society."

"Promoting opportunities for women and girls strengthens security, stability, and prosperity for everyone.&nbsp;And we know&nbsp;that we cannot solve any of the great global challenges of our time if half the population is left behind."

"So today, as we celebrate&nbsp;the accomplishments&nbsp;and contributions&nbsp;of women and girls around the world,&nbsp;we also&nbsp;reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that all people&nbsp;can reach their full potential." "Despite decades of progress, in&nbsp;far&nbsp;too many places around&nbsp;the world, the rights of women and girls are&nbsp;still under&nbsp;attack, holding back entire communities."

"We see it in Afghanistan, where the Taliban bars women and girls&nbsp;from&nbsp;attending&nbsp;school and&nbsp;pursuing&nbsp;employment. We see it in Iran, where the regime is brutally repressing the voices of women who are courageously standing up for their freedom. And in the face of&nbsp;Russia’s&nbsp;vicious and&nbsp;unjust invasion of Ukraine, including the use of rape as a weapon of war, we see countless stories of women&nbsp;bravely fighting for&nbsp;the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all&nbsp;Ukrainians." "The United States stands with women and girls around the world&nbsp;in the critical work of protecting and advancing&nbsp;human rights. My&nbsp;Administration&nbsp;is&nbsp;working with&nbsp;dedicated partners&nbsp;and local communities in every part of the world to expand&nbsp;economic security&nbsp;for women and girls, defend access to health care—including reproductive health care—safeguard women’s political participation and human rights, and promote the&nbsp;full participation of women and girls&nbsp;in all facets of society."

"Through initiatives like the&nbsp;Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, we are supporting the infrastructure of the care economy in low- and middle-income countries."

"We have also redoubled our commitment to eliminating gender-based violence wherever it occurs, promoting accountability for conflict-related sexual violence, and expanding protection services for women and girls in humanitarian emergences." "Here in the United States, we&nbsp;have&nbsp;made landmark investments&nbsp;to give families&nbsp;more&nbsp;breathing room and support&nbsp;women’s&nbsp;participation in the&nbsp;labor force.&nbsp;This includes&nbsp;signing into law important workplace protections for pregnant and nursing workers in the United States.&nbsp;And last year, I was particularly proud to sign legislation strengthening&nbsp;and reauthorizing&nbsp;the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and increasing VAWA funding to $700 million, the highest funding level in history.&nbsp;This critical legislation will&nbsp;advance access to services, justice, and healing for survivors." "As we continue working to implement our first-ever National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality, we are&nbsp;focused&nbsp;on&nbsp;lifting&nbsp;up&nbsp;the rights of women and girls through every aspect of both our foreign and domestic policy."

"This is a defining feature of who we are as a nation and the values we hold dear&nbsp;as Americans. So&nbsp;let us&nbsp;continue to strive toward a future&nbsp;where women have an equal&nbsp;seat at the table, an equal&nbsp;voice in&nbsp;shaping decisions, and&nbsp;an&nbsp;equal&nbsp;opportunity to contribute fully to their nations. "&nbsp;

WASHINGTON—International Women's Day is March 8. A day set aside to honor and recognize the accomplishments of women while acknowledging there is still progress to be made toward gender equality.President Biden issued a statement recognizing the day."International Women’s Day&nbsp;honors a truth we live every day—that women and girls&nbsp;are essential to success and progress in every aspect of our society."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">On International Women’s Day, we celebrate a group of incredible, courageous women and their extraordinary work pursuing justice, freedom, and peace around the world. <a href="https://t.co/ZnY17IF67H">pic.twitter.com/ZnY17IF67H</a>&mdash; Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/1633611365666660352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>"Promoting opportunities for women and girls strengthens security, stability, and prosperity for everyone.&nbsp;And we know&nbsp;that we cannot solve any of the great global challenges of our time if half the population is left behind.""So today, as we celebrate&nbsp;the accomplishments&nbsp;and contributions&nbsp;of women and girls around the world,&nbsp;we also&nbsp;reaffirm our commitment to ensuring that all people&nbsp;can reach their full potential." "Despite decades of progress, in&nbsp;far&nbsp;too many places around&nbsp;the world, the rights of women and girls are&nbsp;still under&nbsp;attack, holding back entire communities." "We see it in Afghanistan, where the Taliban bars women and girls&nbsp;from&nbsp;attending&nbsp;school and&nbsp;pursuing&nbsp;employment. We see it in Iran, where the regime is brutally repressing the voices of women who are courageously standing up for their freedom. And in the face of&nbsp;Russia’s&nbsp;vicious and&nbsp;unjust invasion of Ukraine, including the use of rape as a weapon of war, we see countless stories of women&nbsp;bravely fighting for&nbsp;the human rights and fundamental freedoms of all&nbsp;Ukrainians." "The United States stands with women and girls around the world&nbsp;in the critical work of protecting and advancing&nbsp;human rights. My&nbsp;Administration&nbsp;is&nbsp;working with&nbsp;dedicated partners&nbsp;and local communities in every part of the world to expand&nbsp;economic security&nbsp;for women and girls, defend access to health care—including reproductive health care—safeguard women’s political participation and human rights, and promote the&nbsp;full participation of women and girls&nbsp;in all facets of society." "Through initiatives like the&nbsp;Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, we are supporting the infrastructure of the care economy in low- and middle-income countries.""We have also redoubled our commitment to eliminating gender-based violence wherever it occurs, promoting accountability for conflict-related sexual violence, and expanding protection services for women and girls in humanitarian emergences." "Here in the United States, we&nbsp;have&nbsp;made landmark investments&nbsp;to give families&nbsp;more&nbsp;breathing room and support&nbsp;women’s&nbsp;participation in the&nbsp;labor force.&nbsp;This includes&nbsp;signing into law important workplace protections for pregnant and nursing workers in the United States.&nbsp;And last year, I was particularly proud to sign legislation strengthening&nbsp;and reauthorizing&nbsp;the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), and increasing VAWA funding to $700 million, the highest funding level in history.&nbsp;This critical legislation will&nbsp;advance access to services, justice, and healing for survivors." "As we continue working to implement our first-ever National Strategy on Gender Equity and Equality, we are&nbsp;focused&nbsp;on&nbsp;lifting&nbsp;up&nbsp;the rights of women and girls through every aspect of both our foreign and domestic policy." "This is a defining feature of who we are as a nation and the values we hold dear&nbsp;as Americans. So&nbsp;let us&nbsp;continue to strive toward a future&nbsp;where women have an equal&nbsp;seat at the table, an equal&nbsp;voice in&nbsp;shaping decisions, and&nbsp;an&nbsp;equal&nbsp;opportunity to contribute fully to their nations. "&nbsp;

President Biden celebrates International Women's Day

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/07/creighton-college-world-series-officials-pitch-60-million-request-for-health-center-ballfields/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Officials with Creighton University and the College World 
Series made a pitch Tuesday for $60 million in state funds to help 
finish a trio of projects, including a new baseball field for the 
university’s team and the CWS.

One project is completion of the $90 million C.L. Werner Center for 
Health Sciences Education, which was portrayed as a way to address 
Nebraska’s workforce shortage in nurses, physicians and other 
health-related fields.

Another was a series of projects to beautify the university’s Omaha campus and convert some streets to pedestrian use.

The third project was to build a complex of baseball and softball 
fields near Charles Schwab Field that would serve as practice fields for
 CWS teams, home fields for Bluejay baseball and softball teams, and 
community use, including youth baseball tournaments.

“I think a strong Creighton makes for a strong Nebraska,” said the Rev. Daniel Hendrickson, Creighton’s president.

He told members of the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee that 
Creighton will match the $60 million dollar-for-dollar if the 
Legislature decides to fully fund the request contained in Legislative 
Bill 444.

Hendrickson said projections indicate that by 2040, more than 3,800 
health sciences graduates from Creighton, who are originally from 
outside Nebraska, will stay in the state to begin their careers.

State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, who introduced the bill, said 
it would help address the state’s biggest challenges, lack of workforce 
and population growth.

Hendrickson pointed out that 80% of Creighton’s students come from 
outside the state, and of those, half remain in Nebraska for first jobs 
or professional school.

He said $14 million of the funds requested would be used to equip 
classrooms and laboratories in the health services center, which is 
scheduled to open this fall.

The baseball field, which would use $13.7 million, would become the 
new home of the Creighton Bluejays baseball team and serve as a practice
 field for teams playing in the CWS.

“The College World Series is desperate for new practice fields and batting cages,” Hendrickson said.

Jack Diesing, the longtime president of the board of CWS Inc., said 
the field would become a “new experience” for the college baseball fans 
within walking distance of Schwab Field.

When asked by Bayard Sen. Steve Erdman if the baseball field would be
 built if the state didn’t provide funds, Diesing responded that it was 
“very important” that state money is obtained.

He said building the facility was important in maintaining Nebraska 
as the home of the &nbsp;“Greatest Show on Dirt,” which Omaha has hosted for 
72 years.

Hendrickson said that the men’s baseball team may occasionally still 
use Schwab Field — its current home field — but that the 24,000-seat 
stadium tended to be too large for most home crowds.

Creighton is seeking $11.4 million for the softball field. 
Hendrickson said the baseball/softball complex would also be available 
for community use, including youth baseball tournaments, which attract 
teams from 40 states during the CWS.

The remaining $20.9 million would be used to increase green space on 
the CU campus and renovate Burt Street, from 20th to 27th Streets, to 
enhance its use for pedestrians and cyclists.

The Appropriations Committee, which is crafting a state budget, took no action on LB 444 after the public hearing.

The state is awash in surplus funds, and on Tuesday, the committee 
heard four other bills seeking funding between $500,000 and $30 million a
 year for economic development projects.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678288676858.png" alt="Creighton University is seeking $60 million to help complete the CL Werner Center for Health Sciences Education, as well as a baseball/softball complex and campus beautification work. (Courtesy of Creighton University) " />
 <figcaption>Creighton University is seeking $60 million to help complete the CL Werner Center for Health Sciences Education, as well as a baseball/softball complex and campus beautification work. (Courtesy of Creighton University) </figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/07/creighton-college-world-series-officials-pitch-60-million-request-for-health-center-ballfields/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Officials with Creighton University and the College World 
Series made a pitch Tuesday for $60 million in state funds to help 
finish a trio of projects, including a new baseball field for the 
university’s team and the CWS.One project is completion of the $90 million C.L. Werner Center for 
Health Sciences Education, which was portrayed as a way to address 
Nebraska’s workforce shortage in nurses, physicians and other 
health-related fields.Another was a series of projects to beautify the university’s Omaha campus and convert some streets to pedestrian use.The third project was to build a complex of baseball and softball 
fields near Charles Schwab Field that would serve as practice fields for
 CWS teams, home fields for Bluejay baseball and softball teams, and 
community use, including youth baseball tournaments.“I think a strong Creighton makes for a strong Nebraska,” said the Rev. Daniel Hendrickson, Creighton’s president.He told members of the Legislature’s Appropriations Committee that 
Creighton will match the $60 million dollar-for-dollar if the 
Legislature decides to fully fund the request contained in Legislative 
Bill 444.Hendrickson said projections indicate that by 2040, more than 3,800 
health sciences graduates from Creighton, who are originally from 
outside Nebraska, will stay in the state to begin their careers.State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, who introduced the bill, said 
it would help address the state’s biggest challenges, lack of workforce 
and population growth.<h2>Out-of-state students</h2>Hendrickson pointed out that 80% of Creighton’s students come from 
outside the state, and of those, half remain in Nebraska for first jobs 
or professional school.He said $14 million of the funds requested would be used to equip 
classrooms and laboratories in the health services center, which is 
scheduled to open this fall.The baseball field, which would use $13.7 million, would become the 
new home of the Creighton Bluejays baseball team and serve as a practice
 field for teams playing in the CWS.“The College World Series is desperate for new practice fields and batting cages,” Hendrickson said.<h2>Baseball field a ‘new experience’</h2>Jack Diesing, the longtime president of the board of CWS Inc., said 
the field would become a “new experience” for the college baseball fans 
within walking distance of Schwab Field.When asked by Bayard Sen. Steve Erdman if the baseball field would be
 built if the state didn’t provide funds, Diesing responded that it was 
“very important” that state money is obtained.He said building the facility was important in maintaining Nebraska 
as the home of the &nbsp;“Greatest Show on Dirt,” which Omaha has hosted for 
72 years.Hendrickson said that the men’s baseball team may occasionally still 
use Schwab Field — its current home field — but that the 24,000-seat 
stadium tended to be too large for most home crowds.<h2>Youth tournaments</h2>Creighton is seeking $11.4 million for the softball field. 
Hendrickson said the baseball/softball complex would also be available 
for community use, including youth baseball tournaments, which attract 
teams from 40 states during the CWS.The remaining $20.9 million would be used to increase green space on 
the CU campus and renovate Burt Street, from 20th to 27th Streets, to 
enhance its use for pedestrians and cyclists.The Appropriations Committee, which is crafting a state budget, took no action on LB 444 after the public hearing.The state is awash in surplus funds, and on Tuesday, the committee 
heard four other bills seeking funding between $500,000 and $30 million a
 year for economic development projects.

Creighton, College World Series officials pitch $60M in projects

By ZACH WENDLING <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/american-indian-college-fund-announces-2022-23-honorees-including-three-nebraskans/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — The American Indian 
College Fund has announced its Student of the Year and Tribal College 
and University Honoree of the Year awardees, who include three 
Nebraskans.

The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.collegefund.org.">College Fund</a>
 has been the nation’s largest charity that supports Native higher 
education for 33 years. This includes distributing more than $259 
million in scholarships, programmatic and community support since its 
founding in 1989.

Michael Oltrogge was named the Tribal College and University Honoree 
of the Year. Oltrogge is the president of Nebraska Indian Community 
College, which has three locations across Nebraska in Macy, Santee and 
South Sioux City.

Wakinyanhotunwin Flute Player and Theresa Juarez were among the 35 
student honorees. They, respectively, attend Little Priest Tribal 
College in Winnebago, Nebraska, and Nebraska Indian Community College.

The Adolph Coors Foundation sponsors both awards, providing each 
student honoree a $1,200 scholarship and Oltrogge with a $1,200 
honorarium.

The College Fund honored each student and Oltrogge at a ceremony Sunday at the Albuquerque Convention Center in New Mexico.

Cheryl Crazy Bull, who is president and CEO of the American Indian 
College Fund, said in a statement the College Fund is “so appreciative” 
of all of their students, especially the Students of the Year.

“We think of these students as representing their classmates with 
their dedication to their education and their desire to give back to 
their communities,” Crazy Bull said. “It isn’t easy to be a student 
today; college takes time and effort and many of our students have 
families to help to support and are among the first in their families to
 go to college.

“We thank them for sharing part of their life’s journey with us.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678227300054.png" alt="The American Indian College Fund announced 35 Student of the Year honorees on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Courtesy of American Indian College Fund)" />
 <figcaption>The American Indian College Fund announced 35 Student of the Year honorees on Sunday, March 5, 2023, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Courtesy of American Indian College Fund)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ZACH WENDLING <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/american-indian-college-fund-announces-2022-23-honorees-including-three-nebraskans/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — The American Indian 
College Fund has announced its Student of the Year and Tribal College 
and University Honoree of the Year awardees, who include three 
Nebraskans.The <a target="_blank" href="https://www.collegefund.org.">College Fund</a>
 has been the nation’s largest charity that supports Native higher 
education for 33 years. This includes distributing more than $259 
million in scholarships, programmatic and community support since its 
founding in 1989.Michael Oltrogge was named the Tribal College and University Honoree 
of the Year. Oltrogge is the president of Nebraska Indian Community 
College, which has three locations across Nebraska in Macy, Santee and 
South Sioux City.Wakinyanhotunwin Flute Player and Theresa Juarez were among the 35 
student honorees. They, respectively, attend Little Priest Tribal 
College in Winnebago, Nebraska, and Nebraska Indian Community College.The Adolph Coors Foundation sponsors both awards, providing each 
student honoree a $1,200 scholarship and Oltrogge with a $1,200 
honorarium.The College Fund honored each student and Oltrogge at a ceremony Sunday at the Albuquerque Convention Center in New Mexico.Cheryl Crazy Bull, who is president and CEO of the American Indian 
College Fund, said in a statement the College Fund is “so appreciative” 
of all of their students, especially the Students of the Year.“We think of these students as representing their classmates with 
their dedication to their education and their desire to give back to 
their communities,” Crazy Bull said. “It isn’t easy to be a student 
today; college takes time and effort and many of our students have 
families to help to support and are among the first in their families to
 go to college.“We thank them for sharing part of their life’s journey with us.”

Three from Neb. honored by American Indian College Fund

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is considering detaining migrant families who cross into the U.S. illegally as it prepares to end COVID-19 restrictions at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to U.S. officials familiar with the plans. That would be a major reversal after officials in late 2021 stopped holding families in detention facilities.

Homeland Security officials are working through how to manage an expected increase of migrants at the border once the COVID-19 restrictions that have been in place since 2020 are lifted in May. Detention is one of several ideas under discussion and nothing has been finalized, the officials said.

If families were detained, they would be held for short periods of time, perhaps just a few days, and their cases expedited through immigration court, one official said. The officials were unauthorized to speak publicly about internal deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on “rumors" that the policy was under consideration. “I’m not saying that it is, I'm not saying that it’s not,” she said. She refused to say whether President Joe Biden believed that detention of families was humane.

Under current policy, families who arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border are released into the U.S. and told to appear in immigration court at a later date. During the height of the pandemic, few families were held in custody, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are now using those facilities to hold single adults who cross the border illegally.

But the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mexico-costa-rica-donald-trump-1a5a89459fb0b61f04f8500789b9b221">has increasingly moved to restrict migrants</a>&nbsp;as it faces record numbers of people coming to the Mexico border seeking asylum and is seeing some success at bringing down the number of migrants making a dangerous and often deadly journey.

The suggestion to again detain families was met with disdain from immigration advocates, who point to studies that show how detrimental detention can be for children and families. Many said they were surprised to hear of the possibility because they had been told families would no longer be detained.

“The Biden administration is seeking to find a balance that protects the rights of those fleeing persecution and violence and the desire to enhance the orderliness of asylum processing," said Sergio Gonzales, executive director of the Immigration Hub. "Detaining families has no place in this quest. We implore the administration to reject this shameful, retrograde practice.”

In 2020, Biden himself said in a tweet after reports that children were being released but not their parents: “Children should be released from ICE detention with their parents immediately. This is pretty simple, and I can’t believe I have to say it: Families belong together.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asylum-immigration-poll-biden-border-dbfb4af09d4beb81f4f1d450d4d66f29">A new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research</a>&nbsp;shows some support for changing the number of immigrants and asylum-seekers allowed into the country. About 4 in 10 U.S. adults say the level of immigration and asylum-seekers should be lowered, while about 2 in 10 say it should be higher, according to the poll. About a third want the numbers to remain the same.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mexico-immigration-af0643a4fb8f45388fe247e44c9b2c5e">Illegal border crossings plummeted after Biden</a>&nbsp;announced Jan. 5 that Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans would be returned to Mexico if they crossed illegally. At the same time, the administration announced that up to 30,000 people from those four countries could come monthly if they applied online, arrived at an airport and had a financial sponsor. The Border Patrol stopped migrants 128,410 times on the Mexican border in January, down 42% from December, which was the highest month on record. February numbers have not been publicly released, but one of the officials told the AP migrants were stopped about 130,000 times.

Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mexico-costa-rica-donald-trump-1a5a89459fb0b61f04f8500789b9b221">the administration said it would generally</a>&nbsp;deny asylum to migrants who show up at the U.S. southern border without first seeking protection in a country they passed through, mirroring an attempt by the Trump administration that never took effect because it was blocked in court.

But most of these efforts do not include families, which are treated differently because of the children traveling. But parents who fear detention may also start sending their children alone, and the number of unaccompanied migrants is also rising.

“I’m alarmed by news reports that the administration is considering reinstating family detention policies," said Bennie Thompson, D-Miss, the ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee. “Not only are these policies cruel and harmful to children, but they don’t prevent families from traveling to the United States.”

The administration has the capacity to house roughly 3,000 people in two family detention centers in Texas.

Both the Obama and Trump administrations detained families in those facilities until their immigration cases played out,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-coronavirus-pandemic-border-patrols-texas-9b959d739d59f03dd5873927171f2e29">though a court order prevents the government from holding children beyond 20 days</a>. A third detention center in Pennsylvania was shut down a few months ago.

Jean-Pierre pushed back against criticism that Biden was reinstating some of the policies of former President Donald Trump, who, among the major changes he made to the immigration system, severely curbed asylum and forcibly separated children from their parents at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-ap-top-news-politics-latin-america-immigration-63e7e47666914bf79eff7366e8eb411b">border in a policy denounced worldwide as inhumane.</a>

″A lot of people have compared what the president is doing, is either extending what Trump did or being very Trump-like,” Jean-Pierre said. “That is not what is happening here.”

Administration officials are ending the national emergency on May 11 that was brought on by the pandemic. Because the border restrictions known as Title 42 are tied to the national emergency, the administration is also planning to end them on May 11. The U.S. Supreme Court is weighing a Republican-led effort to leave them in place, but it has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-politics-canada-mexico-health-57c1906f9d83a318a9d570278735255b">removed oral arguments on the case from its calendar.</a>

The majority of migrants who come seeking asylum do not actually win asylum, according to data from the U.S. government. Only about 30% are deemed eligible under U.S. law, which narrowly defines who qualifies. Many people coming are seeking a better life and fleeing poverty and devastation in their home countries, but it doesn't often mean they get to stay in the U.S.

The two Texas detention centers are in Karnes City and in Dilley. Families would likely be held again in Dilley, which was used to detain families during the Obama and Trump administrations. The New York Times first reported that officials were considering detaining families again.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1632317779595.png" alt="White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on “rumors" that the policy was under consideration. “I’m not saying that it is, I'm not saying that it’s not,” she said. She refused to say whether President Joe Biden believed that detention of families was humane.&nbsp; photo Rep. Tony Gonzales" />
 <figcaption>White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on “rumors" that the policy was under consideration. “I’m not saying that it is, I'm not saying that it’s not,” she said. She refused to say whether President Joe Biden believed that detention of families was humane.&nbsp; photo Rep. Tony Gonzales</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is considering detaining migrant families who cross into the U.S. illegally as it prepares to end COVID-19 restrictions at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to U.S. officials familiar with the plans. That would be a major reversal after officials in late 2021 stopped holding families in detention facilities.Homeland Security officials are working through how to manage an expected increase of migrants at the border once the COVID-19 restrictions that have been in place since 2020 are lifted in May. Detention is one of several ideas under discussion and nothing has been finalized, the officials said.If families were detained, they would be held for short periods of time, perhaps just a few days, and their cases expedited through immigration court, one official said. The officials were unauthorized to speak publicly about internal deliberations and spoke on condition of anonymity.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined to comment on “rumors" that the policy was under consideration. “I’m not saying that it is, I'm not saying that it’s not,” she said. She refused to say whether President Joe Biden believed that detention of families was humane.Under current policy, families who arrive at the U.S.-Mexico border are released into the U.S. and told to appear in immigration court at a later date. During the height of the pandemic, few families were held in custody, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials are now using those facilities to hold single adults who cross the border illegally.But the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mexico-costa-rica-donald-trump-1a5a89459fb0b61f04f8500789b9b221">has increasingly moved to restrict migrants</a>&nbsp;as it faces record numbers of people coming to the Mexico border seeking asylum and is seeing some success at bringing down the number of migrants making a dangerous and often deadly journey.The suggestion to again detain families was met with disdain from immigration advocates, who point to studies that show how detrimental detention can be for children and families. Many said they were surprised to hear of the possibility because they had been told families would no longer be detained.“The Biden administration is seeking to find a balance that protects the rights of those fleeing persecution and violence and the desire to enhance the orderliness of asylum processing," said Sergio Gonzales, executive director of the Immigration Hub. "Detaining families has no place in this quest. We implore the administration to reject this shameful, retrograde practice.”In 2020, Biden himself said in a tweet after reports that children were being released but not their parents: “Children should be released from ICE detention with their parents immediately. This is pretty simple, and I can’t believe I have to say it: Families belong together.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/asylum-immigration-poll-biden-border-dbfb4af09d4beb81f4f1d450d4d66f29">A new poll by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research</a>&nbsp;shows some support for changing the number of immigrants and asylum-seekers allowed into the country. About 4 in 10 U.S. adults say the level of immigration and asylum-seekers should be lowered, while about 2 in 10 say it should be higher, according to the poll. About a third want the numbers to remain the same.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mexico-immigration-af0643a4fb8f45388fe247e44c9b2c5e">Illegal border crossings plummeted after Biden</a>&nbsp;announced Jan. 5 that Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans would be returned to Mexico if they crossed illegally. At the same time, the administration announced that up to 30,000 people from those four countries could come monthly if they applied online, arrived at an airport and had a financial sponsor. The Border Patrol stopped migrants 128,410 times on the Mexican border in January, down 42% from December, which was the highest month on record. February numbers have not been publicly released, but one of the officials told the AP migrants were stopped about 130,000 times.Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-mexico-costa-rica-donald-trump-1a5a89459fb0b61f04f8500789b9b221">the administration said it would generally</a>&nbsp;deny asylum to migrants who show up at the U.S. southern border without first seeking protection in a country they passed through, mirroring an attempt by the Trump administration that never took effect because it was blocked in court.But most of these efforts do not include families, which are treated differently because of the children traveling. But parents who fear detention may also start sending their children alone, and the number of unaccompanied migrants is also rising.“I’m alarmed by news reports that the administration is considering reinstating family detention policies," said Bennie Thompson, D-Miss, the ranking member on the House Homeland Security Committee. “Not only are these policies cruel and harmful to children, but they don’t prevent families from traveling to the United States.”The administration has the capacity to house roughly 3,000 people in two family detention centers in Texas.Both the Obama and Trump administrations detained families in those facilities until their immigration cases played out,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-coronavirus-pandemic-border-patrols-texas-9b959d739d59f03dd5873927171f2e29">though a court order prevents the government from holding children beyond 20 days</a>. A third detention center in Pennsylvania was shut down a few months ago.Jean-Pierre pushed back against criticism that Biden was reinstating some of the policies of former President Donald Trump, who, among the major changes he made to the immigration system, severely curbed asylum and forcibly separated children from their parents at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-ap-top-news-politics-latin-america-immigration-63e7e47666914bf79eff7366e8eb411b">border in a policy denounced worldwide as inhumane.</a>″A lot of people have compared what the president is doing, is either extending what Trump did or being very Trump-like,” Jean-Pierre said. “That is not what is happening here.”Administration officials are ending the national emergency on May 11 that was brought on by the pandemic. Because the border restrictions known as Title 42 are tied to the national emergency, the administration is also planning to end them on May 11. The U.S. Supreme Court is weighing a Republican-led effort to leave them in place, but it has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-supreme-court-politics-canada-mexico-health-57c1906f9d83a318a9d570278735255b">removed oral arguments on the case from its calendar.</a>The majority of migrants who come seeking asylum do not actually win asylum, according to data from the U.S. government. Only about 30% are deemed eligible under U.S. law, which narrowly defines who qualifies. Many people coming are seeking a better life and fleeing poverty and devastation in their home countries, but it doesn't often mean they get to stay in the U.S.The two Texas detention centers are in Karnes City and in Dilley. Families would likely be held again in Dilley, which was used to detain families during the Obama and Trump administrations. The New York Times first reported that officials were considering detaining families again.

Biden is considering reinstating detention of migrant families

WASHINGTON (AP) — Handed some 41,000 hours of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-capitol-riot-mccarthy-tucker-carlson-50a41c27108279a4486823a5db284dc1">Jan. 6 security footage,</a>&nbsp;Fox News' Tucker Carlson launched an impassioned new effort to explain away the deadly Capitol attack, linking the Republican Party ever more closely to pro-Trump conspiracy theories about the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW_PTgWi2Vk&amp;t=449s">2021 riot</a>.

(Click below for the White House response to the newly released video)

The conservative commentator aired a first installment to millions of viewers on his prime-time show, working to bend perceptions of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">violent, grueling siege</a>&nbsp;that played out for the world to see into a narrative favorable to Donald Trump.

The undertaking by Fox News comes as Trump is again running for president, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-fraud-donald-trump-24d6322f99281fdfb46c272e3ac6bacf">executives at the highest levels</a>&nbsp;of the cable news giant have admitted in unrelated court proceedings that it spread the former president's false claims about the 2020 election despite dismissing Trump's assertions privately.

The effort dovetails with the work of Republicans on Capitol Hill, led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy who turned over the security footage to Fox. The Republicans are trying to claw back the findings of the House Jan. 6 investigation, which painstakingly documented, with testimony and video evidence, how Trump rallied his supporters to head to the Capitol and “fight like hell” as Congress was certifying his loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

Trump on Tuesday contended that Carlson's presentation was “irrefutable” evidence that rioters have been wrongly accused of crimes and he thanked the host and the speaker for their work. Carlson praised McCarthy as having “rectified” the official record.

Trump called anew for the release from custody of people who have been convicted or have pleaded guilty to charges from the attack.

At the same time, criticism poured in from Democrats — and some top Republicans, too — over the GOP's attempt to amplify falsehoods about the attack that was seen around the world as Trump supporters laid siege to the seat of U.S. democracy.

Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, the Democrat who chaired the House Jan. 6 Committee investigating the riot, called McCarthy's decision to selectively release the security footage “a dereliction of duty."

“Despite repeated warnings as to the sensitive nature of this footage, the speaker decided it was more important to give in to a Fox host who spews lies and propaganda than to protect the Capitol,” Thompson said in a statement. He called Jan. 6 “one of the darkest days in the history of our democracy.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the Monday night Fox News episode from Carlson “one of the most shameful hours we have ever seen on television.”

The show's portrayal was "an insult to every single police officer,” Schumer said, especially the family of Brian Sicknick, who died later after fighting the mob. “Nonviolent? Ask his family.”

Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said it was a mistake for Fox News to depict the footage as it did — at odds with what he and others witnessed first hand at the Capitol on Jan. 6.

In the roughly 30-minute segment, Fox distilled the thousands of hours of footage of the gruesome scenes at the Capitol that day and did show some of the hand-to-hand combat as rioters laid siege to the building, broke windows and kicked down doors to gain entry.

But Carlson also emphasized imagery of the invaders, some in combat gear and wielding flagpoles, merely milling about the gilded halls, taking pictures of the surroundings during pauses in the hours-long attack.

“These were not insurrectionists. They were sightseers,” Carlson said.

The footage he aired focused on one of the highest-profile rioters,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prisons-arizona-capitol-siege-5c9ebf384bf936403d42e1a453c89153">Jacob Chansley</a>, the “QAnon Shaman,” garbed in his horned hat and bare chested, as he poked around the building, officers standing by or opening doors. Chansley&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-capitol-siege-michael-pence-cf57fd6131987a3dba5382d1a8149749">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;to a felony charge of obstructing an official proceeding and was sentenced to 41 months in prison.

Carlson denounced the Jan. 6 committee led by Democrats in the past Congress, and called out Trump's chief Republican critics Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger as liars on the panel.

He said most of rioters were “not destroying the Capitol, they obviously revere the Capitol."

Carlson is reviving the falsehoods launched by Trump and his allies, including Republicans in Congress, that the attackers were peaceful protesters and acted like tourists, despite the well-documented carnage of the day and the deaths of five people in the riot and its aftermath. It's part of an effort to reverse criminal charges for those being prosecuted in the attack, many of whom have pleaded guilty and said they regretted their actions on Jan. 6.

Capitol Police officers who were defending against the mob have testified to their harrowing experiences — one said she was slipping in other people's blood, while another told of being crushed in the mob — as they worked and ultimately failed to block the rioters from storming the Capitol.

Among those who died in the riot and its aftermath were Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt who was shot by police and Capitol Police officer Sicknick who died after fighting the mob.

Carlson aired footage of Sicknick inside the Capitol picking up posters and politely ushering protesters out the door, portraying that as evidence the officer was not killed in the crush.

That last was denounced by Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger as “the most disturbing accusation from last night."

“The Department maintains, as anyone with common sense would, that had Officer Sicknick not fought valiantly for hours on the day he was violently assaulted, Officer Sicknick would not have died the next day,” Chief Manger said in a memo to his police force.

He said the program “cherry-picked” from calmer moments of the day, ignoring “the chaos and violence that happened before or during.”

The Sicknick family said in a statement that the footage simply showed that Brian Sicknick bravely resumed his duties for a time after he had been attacked by a chemical agent.

Ken Sicknick, Brian Sicknick’s brother, said in an interview that the family is “at a loss” about how to fight back against a network with millions of viewers and the speaker of the House who gave access to the footage.

Law enforcement failures on Jan. 6 have been investigated in Congress and acknowledged: Police failed to heed signs of a looming attack and were slow to provide an adequate response, including reinforcement from the National Guard stationed nearby.

Nearly 1,000 people have been charged by the Justice Department in the siege, with members of the extremist Proud Boys and Oath Keepers groups facing rare charges of sedition for their roles at the front of the assault. Several members of the Oath Keepers have been found guilty of sedition

Most of the defendants face lesser misdemeanor charges for having been on hand during the siege.

Republicans on Capitol Hill are mounting an effort to retell the history of Jan. 6 through the House Administration Committee, which has opened an online portal for submissions from the public.

Some GOP leaders, however, appeared uncomfortable with McCarthy's move and the way the footage was being used.

Senate Republican leader McConnell quickly distanced himself from the endeavor, saying he wanted to “associate myself entirely with the opinion of the chief of the Capitol Police about what happened."

McConnell said, “Clearly the chief of the Capitol Police correctly describes what most of us witnessed firsthand on Jan. 6.”

Pressed about Jan. 6, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 2. Republican, said, “It was an attack on the Capitol.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — Handed some 41,000 hours of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jan-6-capitol-riot-mccarthy-tucker-carlson-50a41c27108279a4486823a5db284dc1">Jan. 6 security footage,</a>&nbsp;Fox News' Tucker Carlson launched an impassioned new effort to explain away the deadly Capitol attack, linking the Republican Party ever more closely to pro-Trump conspiracy theories about the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW_PTgWi2Vk&amp;t=449s">2021 riot</a>.(Click below for the White House response to the newly released video)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F897155534955442%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=2613" 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>The conservative commentator aired a first installment to millions of viewers on his prime-time show, working to bend perceptions of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">violent, grueling siege</a>&nbsp;that played out for the world to see into a narrative favorable to Donald Trump.He promised more Tuesday night.The undertaking by Fox News comes as Trump is again running for president, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-fraud-donald-trump-24d6322f99281fdfb46c272e3ac6bacf">executives at the highest levels</a>&nbsp;of the cable news giant have admitted in unrelated court proceedings that it spread the former president's false claims about the 2020 election despite dismissing Trump's assertions privately.The effort dovetails with the work of Republicans on Capitol Hill, led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy who turned over the security footage to Fox. The Republicans are trying to claw back the findings of the House Jan. 6 investigation, which painstakingly documented, with testimony and video evidence, how Trump rallied his supporters to head to the Capitol and “fight like hell” as Congress was certifying his loss to Democrat Joe Biden.Trump on Tuesday contended that Carlson's presentation was “irrefutable” evidence that rioters have been wrongly accused of crimes and he thanked the host and the speaker for their work. Carlson praised McCarthy as having “rectified” the official record.Trump called anew for the release from custody of people who have been convicted or have pleaded guilty to charges from the attack.At the same time, criticism poured in from Democrats — and some top Republicans, too — over the GOP's attempt to amplify falsehoods about the attack that was seen around the world as Trump supporters laid siege to the seat of U.S. democracy.Rep. Bennie G. Thompson, the Democrat who chaired the House Jan. 6 Committee investigating the riot, called McCarthy's decision to selectively release the security footage “a dereliction of duty."“Despite repeated warnings as to the sensitive nature of this footage, the speaker decided it was more important to give in to a Fox host who spews lies and propaganda than to protect the Capitol,” Thompson said in a statement. He called Jan. 6 “one of the darkest days in the history of our democracy.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenSchumer</a> on January 6th footage released by Speaker McCarthy to Fox News: &quot;What a low point for Speaker McCarthy, what a low point for Fox News.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/2TBM3MeKpl">pic.twitter.com/2TBM3MeKpl</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1633154472712060928?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called the Monday night Fox News episode from Carlson “one of the most shameful hours we have ever seen on television.”The show's portrayal was "an insult to every single police officer,” Schumer said, especially the family of Brian Sicknick, who died later after fighting the mob. “Nonviolent? Ask his family.”Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell said it was a mistake for Fox News to depict the footage as it did — at odds with what he and others witnessed first hand at the Capitol on Jan. 6.In the roughly 30-minute segment, Fox distilled the thousands of hours of footage of the gruesome scenes at the Capitol that day and did show some of the hand-to-hand combat as rioters laid siege to the building, broke windows and kicked down doors to gain entry.But Carlson also emphasized imagery of the invaders, some in combat gear and wielding flagpoles, merely milling about the gilded halls, taking pictures of the surroundings during pauses in the hours-long attack.“These were not insurrectionists. They were sightseers,” Carlson said.The footage he aired focused on one of the highest-profile rioters,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prisons-arizona-capitol-siege-5c9ebf384bf936403d42e1a453c89153">Jacob Chansley</a>, the “QAnon Shaman,” garbed in his horned hat and bare chested, as he poked around the building, officers standing by or opening doors. Chansley&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-capitol-siege-michael-pence-cf57fd6131987a3dba5382d1a8149749">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;to a felony charge of obstructing an official proceeding and was sentenced to 41 months in prison.Carlson denounced the Jan. 6 committee led by Democrats in the past Congress, and called out Trump's chief Republican critics Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger as liars on the panel.He said most of rioters were “not destroying the Capitol, they obviously revere the Capitol."Carlson is reviving the falsehoods launched by Trump and his allies, including Republicans in Congress, that the attackers were peaceful protesters and acted like tourists, despite the well-documented carnage of the day and the deaths of five people in the riot and its aftermath. It's part of an effort to reverse criminal charges for those being prosecuted in the attack, many of whom have pleaded guilty and said they regretted their actions on Jan. 6.Capitol Police officers who were defending against the mob have testified to their harrowing experiences — one said she was slipping in other people's blood, while another told of being crushed in the mob — as they worked and ultimately failed to block the rioters from storming the Capitol.Among those who died in the riot and its aftermath were Trump supporter Ashli Babbitt who was shot by police and Capitol Police officer Sicknick who died after fighting the mob.Carlson aired footage of Sicknick inside the Capitol picking up posters and politely ushering protesters out the door, portraying that as evidence the officer was not killed in the crush.That last was denounced by Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger as “the most disturbing accusation from last night."“The Department maintains, as anyone with common sense would, that had Officer Sicknick not fought valiantly for hours on the day he was violently assaulted, Officer Sicknick would not have died the next day,” Chief Manger said in a memo to his police force.He said the program “cherry-picked” from calmer moments of the day, ignoring “the chaos and violence that happened before or during.”The Sicknick family said in a statement that the footage simply showed that Brian Sicknick bravely resumed his duties for a time after he had been attacked by a chemical agent.Ken Sicknick, Brian Sicknick’s brother, said in an interview that the family is “at a loss” about how to fight back against a network with millions of viewers and the speaker of the House who gave access to the footage.Law enforcement failures on Jan. 6 have been investigated in Congress and acknowledged: Police failed to heed signs of a looming attack and were slow to provide an adequate response, including reinforcement from the National Guard stationed nearby.Nearly 1,000 people have been charged by the Justice Department in the siege, with members of the extremist Proud Boys and Oath Keepers groups facing rare charges of sedition for their roles at the front of the assault. Several members of the Oath Keepers have been found guilty of seditionMost of the defendants face lesser misdemeanor charges for having been on hand during the siege.Republicans on Capitol Hill are mounting an effort to retell the history of Jan. 6 through the House Administration Committee, which has opened an online portal for submissions from the public.Some GOP leaders, however, appeared uncomfortable with McCarthy's move and the way the footage was being used.Senate Republican leader McConnell quickly distanced himself from the endeavor, saying he wanted to “associate myself entirely with the opinion of the chief of the Capitol Police about what happened."McConnell said, “Clearly the chief of the Capitol Police correctly describes what most of us witnessed firsthand on Jan. 6.”Pressed about Jan. 6, Sen. John Thune of South Dakota, the No. 2. Republican, said, “It was an attack on the Capitol.”___

🎥White House responds to release of more Jan. 6 security videos

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Missouri law banning local police from enforcing federal gun laws is unconstitutional and void, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

U.S. District Judge Brian Wimes ruled the 2021 law is preempted by the federal government under the U.S. Constitution’s supremacy clause.

“At best, this statute causes confusion among state law enforcement officials who are deputized for federal task force operations, and at worst, is unconstitutional on its face," Wimes wrote.

Missouri's Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey in a statement said he will appeal the ruling.

“As Attorney General, I will protect the Constitution, which includes defending Missourians’ fundamental right to bear arms," Bailey said. "We are prepared to defend this statute to the highest court, and we anticipate a better result at the Eighth Circuit.”

The Missouri law had subjected law enforcement agencies with officers who knowingly enforced federal gun laws without equivalent state laws to a fine of $50,000 per violating officer.

Federal laws without similar Missouri laws include statutes covering weapons registration and tracking, and possession of firearms by some domestic violence offenders.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-michael-brown-gun-politics-laws-government-and-politics-6b8d2b283a6ac997262104899a3b0715">Conflict over Missouri’s law</a>&nbsp;wrecked a crime-fighting partnership with U.S. attorneys that Missouri’s former Republican attorney general, now-Sen. Eric Schmitt, touted for years. Under Schmitt’s Safer Streets Initiative, attorneys from his office were deputized as assistant U.S. attorneys to help prosecute violent crimes.

The Justice Department, which last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-politics-missouri-merrick-garland-6c77cc39796eb1e95641c4c53eaeaf40">sued to overturn the Missouri law</a>, said the Missouri state crime lab, operated by the Highway Patrol, refused to process evidence that would help federal firearms prosecutions after the law took effect.

The Missouri Information and Analysis Center, also under the Highway Patrol, stopped cooperating with federal agencies investigating federal firearms offenses. And the Highway Patrol, along with many other agencies, suspended joint efforts to enforce federal firearms laws.

Wimes said police can now work with federal partners without worrying about breaking the voided law.

“State and local law enforcement officials in Missouri may lawfully participate in joint federal task forces, assist in the investigation and enforcement of federal firearm crimes, and fully share information with the Federal Government without fear of H.B. 85’s penalties,” the judge wrote.

Republican lawmakers who helped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-joe-biden-mo-state-wire-michael-brown-gun-politics-1a08383c079dda0f9e837a05451f2acd">pass the bill</a>&nbsp;said they were motivated by the potential for new gun restrictions under Democratic President Joe Biden, who signed the most sweeping gun violence bill in decades last year.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-signs-gun-violence-bill-c21249287f976c2c164d8753205c2e6d">federal legislation</a>&nbsp;toughened background checks for the youngest gun buyers, keeps firearms from more domestic violence offenders and helps states put in place red flag laws that make it easier for authorities to take weapons from people adjudged to be dangerous.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A Missouri law banning local police from enforcing federal gun laws is unconstitutional and void, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today&#39;s decision is a monumental defense of the safety of our families, our police, and our neighborhoods. Today&#39;s total repudiation of the patently unconstitutional Second Amendment Preservation Act makes clear the Constitution, if not common sense, can still prevail in Missouri <a href="https://t.co/twUPpKL4kp">https://t.co/twUPpKL4kp</a>&mdash; Mayor Q (@QuintonLucasKC) <a href="https://twitter.com/QuintonLucasKC/status/1633187657814626305?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>U.S. District Judge Brian Wimes ruled the 2021 law is preempted by the federal government under the U.S. Constitution’s supremacy clause.“At best, this statute causes confusion among state law enforcement officials who are deputized for federal task force operations, and at worst, is unconstitutional on its face," Wimes wrote.Missouri's Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey in a statement said he will appeal the ruling.“As Attorney General, I will protect the Constitution, which includes defending Missourians’ fundamental right to bear arms," Bailey said. "We are prepared to defend this statute to the highest court, and we anticipate a better result at the Eighth Circuit.”The Missouri law had subjected law enforcement agencies with officers who knowingly enforced federal gun laws without equivalent state laws to a fine of $50,000 per violating officer.Federal laws without similar Missouri laws include statutes covering weapons registration and tracking, and possession of firearms by some domestic violence offenders.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-michael-brown-gun-politics-laws-government-and-politics-6b8d2b283a6ac997262104899a3b0715">Conflict over Missouri’s law</a>&nbsp;wrecked a crime-fighting partnership with U.S. attorneys that Missouri’s former Republican attorney general, now-Sen. Eric Schmitt, touted for years. Under Schmitt’s Safer Streets Initiative, attorneys from his office were deputized as assistant U.S. attorneys to help prosecute violent crimes.The Justice Department, which last year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gun-politics-missouri-merrick-garland-6c77cc39796eb1e95641c4c53eaeaf40">sued to overturn the Missouri law</a>, said the Missouri state crime lab, operated by the Highway Patrol, refused to process evidence that would help federal firearms prosecutions after the law took effect.The Missouri Information and Analysis Center, also under the Highway Patrol, stopped cooperating with federal agencies investigating federal firearms offenses. And the Highway Patrol, along with many other agencies, suspended joint efforts to enforce federal firearms laws.Wimes said police can now work with federal partners without worrying about breaking the voided law.“State and local law enforcement officials in Missouri may lawfully participate in joint federal task forces, assist in the investigation and enforcement of federal firearm crimes, and fully share information with the Federal Government without fear of H.B. 85’s penalties,” the judge wrote.Republican lawmakers who helped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-joe-biden-mo-state-wire-michael-brown-gun-politics-1a08383c079dda0f9e837a05451f2acd">pass the bill</a>&nbsp;said they were motivated by the potential for new gun restrictions under Democratic President Joe Biden, who signed the most sweeping gun violence bill in decades last year.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-signs-gun-violence-bill-c21249287f976c2c164d8753205c2e6d">federal legislation</a>&nbsp;toughened background checks for the youngest gun buyers, keeps firearms from more domestic violence offenders and helps states put in place red flag laws that make it easier for authorities to take weapons from people adjudged to be dangerous.

US judge strikes down Mo. gun law as unconstitutional

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials are alerting consumers about two more recalls of eyedrops due to contamination risks that could lead to vision problems and serious injury.

The announcements follow a recall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-city-business-health-4572be6da44f4fab4e0f691f5e37e3ed">last month</a>&nbsp;of eyedrops made in India that were linked to an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eyedrops-recall-ezricare-delsam-outbreak-2320289a358e9fe6fa7d38a1fc5f19f7">outbreak of drug-resistant infections.</a>&nbsp;One person died and at least five others had permanent vision loss.

There's no indication the latest recalls are related to those products.

The Food and Drug Administration posted separate recall notices for certain eyedrops distributed by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/pharmedica-usa-llc-issues-voluntary-worldwide-recall-purely-soothing-15-msm-drops-due-non-sterility">Pharmedica</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/apotex-corp-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-brimonidine-tartrate-ophthalmic-solution-015-due">Apotex</a>&nbsp;after the companies said they are voluntarily pulling several lots of their products from the market. Both companies said the recalls were conducted in consultation with the FDA.

Pharmedica on Friday said it is recalling two lots of Purely Soothing 15% MSM Drops due to problems “that could result in blindness." The over-the-counter drops are designed to treat eye irritation. The Phoenix-based company said consumers should immediately stop using the drops and return them to the place they were purchased.

The recall affects nearly 2,900 bottles, according to the company. The drops were manufactured in Arizona.

Last week, the FDA posted a separate recall announcement from Apotex recalling six lots of prescription eyedrops used to treat a form of glaucoma. The company said it launched the recall after finding cracks in a handful of bottle caps.

The drops are distributed as Brimonidine Tartrate Ophthalmic Solution. 0.15% and were sold between last April through February.

Apotex said in an email that the eyedrops were manufactured in Canada. The company hasn't received any reports of injuries related to the drops.

NEW YORK (AP) — The patients' eyes were painfully inflamed. They could sense light but could see almost nothing else. A doctor called one case the worst eye infection he’d ever seen.

It was the beginning of a national outbreak caused by an extremely worrisome bacteria — one that some say heralds an era in which antibiotics no longer work and seemingly routine infections get horribly out of hand.

At last count, 58 Americans in 13 states have been infected, including at least one who died and at least five who suffered permanent vision loss. All have been linked to tainted eyedrops, leading to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-city-business-health-4572be6da44f4fab4e0f691f5e37e3ed">recall</a>.

Experts marvel at how disease detectives pieced together the case: Patients were scattered across the country. The illnesses occurred over the span of months. The infections were found in different parts of the body — in the blood of some patients, in the lungs of others.

But scientists also shudder, because they have long worried common bacteria will evolve so that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-infectious-diseases-antibiotics-fungi-2c661fd0c6ed899bedc51238d390603a">antibiotics no longer work against them</a>.

"This really shows us that it's not something theoretical and in the future. It's here,” said Dr. Luis Ostrosky, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.

This account is drawn from phone and email interviews with U.S. disease investigators, health officials in three states and regulators in the U.S. and India.

The investigation started in May in Los Angeles County, California. A patient who'd recently been to an ophthalmologist came in with a bad eye infection. A month later, local health officials got a second report. Another bad eye infection, same eye doctor.

Two more cases were reported in the county before the summer was over. The patients’ eyes were inflamed with heavy yellow pus that obscured most of the pupil. Among the four, two had complete vision loss in the affected eye.

The hospital that reported the first infection determined it was caused by a bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The institution, which was equipped to do advanced genetic testing, quickly realized the bacteria had a rare gene that protected it from the effects of commonly used antibiotics.

It was an early break for investigators, said Kelsey OYong, of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.

OYong and her colleagues knew they were dealing with a scary germ, and they notified the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Pseudomonas infections are not new. Drug-resistant strains of the bacteria cause more than 30,000 infections annually among hospitalized patients in the U.S. and more than 2,500 deaths, the CDC said. It can spread through contaminated hands or medical equipment, and is particularly dangerous to fragile patients who have catheters or are on breathing machines.

But the California infections were in patients' eyes, not more common spots like the blood and lungs. Also, the lab analysis determined the infections were caused by a Pseudomonas germ that could resist just about every antibiotic.

The only thing that worked was a newer antibiotic called cefiderocol, administered by IV.

Over the summer, Pseudomonas outbreaks were seen at long-term care facilities in two other states.

In Connecticut, the first case was in June. Eventually, the bacteria was found in 25 patients from five nursing homes in different parts of the state, said Christopher Boyle, a spokesperson for Connecticut’s health department.

In Davis County, Utah, north of Salt Lake City, the first of six cases was reported to the CDC in August. While the patients had the bacteria, none actually got sick, said Sarah Willardson of the Davis County Health Department.

L.A. County health investigators thought the cases there might be due to some kind of equipment contamination at the eye doctor’s office.

But that suspicion faded in early October, when genetic testing showed the clusters in California, Connecticut and Utah were all caused by the same bacteria strain — a version of the germ that hadn’t been seen anywhere before.

“That made us start thinking that this was some kind of a product,” said Maroya Walters, the CDC official supervising the investigation.

As the year went on, other reports of drug-resistant Pseudomonas came in, including a Washington man who died with a bloodstream infection.

Given the initial cluster at the California ophthalmologist’s office, investigators suspected an eye care product was the culprit, though that hypothesis was complicated by the fact that the infections at the long-term care facilities were mainly found in the lungs.

But it wasn’t impossible. Tear ducts drain into the nasal cavity, which leads to the lungs and could provide a path to deep inside the body.

In early November, investigators determined most of the infected Connecticut patients had been given artificial tears, though it wasn't clear who had been given which brand.

Then, on Nov. 9, a Florida hospital contacted the CDC to report bad eye infections connected to an outpatient clinic. A check of artificial tears brands used in Connecticut, Florida and Utah pointed to one common product: EzriCare Artificial Tears, an over-the-counter product marketed in the U.S. by New Jersey-based EzriCare LLC and made in India by Global Pharma Healthcare.

The Pseudomonas bacteria is “pretty much everywhere” in India and the drug-resistant germ is common in many hospitals, said Dr. Gagandeep Kang, who studies microbes in the Christian Medical College in the same state as Global Pharma's factory.

In January, genetic sequencing confirmed the Florida cases were caused by the same bacteria strain as the clusters in California, Connecticut and Utah. On Jan. 20, the CDC urged doctors to avoid recommending the EzriCare product.

There was no recall or widespread public notice, however. Investigators had strong circumstantial evidence pointing toward the EzriCare drops, but didn’t get more conclusive proof until more than a week later after testing found the bacteria in seven open bottles of EzriCare Artificial Tears in Connecticut and New Jersey.

In early February, CDC officials issued a public health alert and the FDA recalled the EzriCare eyedrops and Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Tears, another product made by Global Pharma. Last week, the recall was expanded to include Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Eye Ointment.

Global Pharma didn't respond to emailed requests for comment.

A month before the first recall, the FDA blocked imports of Global Pharma products.

FDA spokesperson Audra Harrison said the U.S. import ban was “unrelated to the outbreak," and was instead based on the company’s “inadequate response” to a records request and problems with its manufacturing procedures. She wouldn't say what those problems were.

The subsequent recall, she said, was recommended due to lack of microbial testing and issues with the product’s formulation and packaging.

The FDA, tasked with assuring the safety of drug products shipped to the U.S., has long struggled to inspect facilities in China and India that account for the vast majority of raw materials used in American medicines. A search of FDA’s online inspection database shows no records of agency staff visiting the plant.

Indian drug inspectors visited the plant and the country's drug controller asked Global Pharma to stop making all products related to treating eye disorders until they finish their investigation, said P.V. Vijayalakshmi, the drug controller for southern Tamil Nadu state.

Ostrosky, the University of Texas expert, called the U.S. investigation “a public health victory” saying it shows that fighting drug-resistant bacteria requires international collaboration and investment. But he also said the case is disheartening.

An infection that's usually easy to treat with common antibiotic eyedrops "has become an infection that can be deadly and has pretty much no treatment except one IV antibiotic,” he said.

Pseudomonas now joins a growing list of bugs — including bacteria that cause urinary tract infections — that are getting increasingly difficult to treat, Ostrosky added.

“It's like a wave coming for us," he said.

AP writers Matthew Perrone in Washington and Aniruddha Ghosal in New Delhi contributed.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678210738168.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials are alerting consumers about two more recalls of eyedrops due to contamination risks that could lead to vision problems and serious injury.The announcements follow a recall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-city-business-health-4572be6da44f4fab4e0f691f5e37e3ed">last month</a>&nbsp;of eyedrops made in India that were linked to an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/eyedrops-recall-ezricare-delsam-outbreak-2320289a358e9fe6fa7d38a1fc5f19f7">outbreak of drug-resistant infections.</a>&nbsp;One person died and at least five others had permanent vision loss.There's no indication the latest recalls are related to those products.The Food and Drug Administration posted separate recall notices for certain eyedrops distributed by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/pharmedica-usa-llc-issues-voluntary-worldwide-recall-purely-soothing-15-msm-drops-due-non-sterility">Pharmedica</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/apotex-corp-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-brimonidine-tartrate-ophthalmic-solution-015-due">Apotex</a>&nbsp;after the companies said they are voluntarily pulling several lots of their products from the market. Both companies said the recalls were conducted in consultation with the FDA.Pharmedica on Friday said it is recalling two lots of Purely Soothing 15% MSM Drops due to problems “that could result in blindness." The over-the-counter drops are designed to treat eye irritation. The Phoenix-based company said consumers should immediately stop using the drops and return them to the place they were purchased.The recall affects nearly 2,900 bottles, according to the company. The drops were manufactured in Arizona.Last week, the FDA posted a separate recall announcement from Apotex recalling six lots of prescription eyedrops used to treat a form of glaucoma. The company said it launched the recall after finding cracks in a handful of bottle caps.The drops are distributed as Brimonidine Tartrate Ophthalmic Solution. 0.15% and were sold between last April through February.Apotex said in an email that the eyedrops were manufactured in Canada. The company hasn't received any reports of injuries related to the drops.___<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1675357768410.png" alt="-photo Ezri care" />
 <figcaption>-photo Ezri care</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE STOBBE AP Medical WriterNEW YORK (AP) — The patients' eyes were painfully inflamed. They could sense light but could see almost nothing else. A doctor called one case the worst eye infection he’d ever seen.It was the beginning of a national outbreak caused by an extremely worrisome bacteria — one that some say heralds an era in which antibiotics no longer work and seemingly routine infections get horribly out of hand.At last count, 58 Americans in 13 states have been infected, including at least one who died and at least five who suffered permanent vision loss. All have been linked to tainted eyedrops, leading to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-city-business-health-4572be6da44f4fab4e0f691f5e37e3ed">recall</a>.Experts marvel at how disease detectives pieced together the case: Patients were scattered across the country. The illnesses occurred over the span of months. The infections were found in different parts of the body — in the blood of some patients, in the lungs of others.But scientists also shudder, because they have long worried common bacteria will evolve so that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-health-infectious-diseases-antibiotics-fungi-2c661fd0c6ed899bedc51238d390603a">antibiotics no longer work against them</a>."This really shows us that it's not something theoretical and in the future. It's here,” said Dr. Luis Ostrosky, an infectious diseases expert at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston.This account is drawn from phone and email interviews with U.S. disease investigators, health officials in three states and regulators in the U.S. and India.___The investigation started in May in Los Angeles County, California. A patient who'd recently been to an ophthalmologist came in with a bad eye infection. A month later, local health officials got a second report. Another bad eye infection, same eye doctor.Two more cases were reported in the county before the summer was over. The patients’ eyes were inflamed with heavy yellow pus that obscured most of the pupil. Among the four, two had complete vision loss in the affected eye.The hospital that reported the first infection determined it was caused by a bacteria called Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The institution, which was equipped to do advanced genetic testing, quickly realized the bacteria had a rare gene that protected it from the effects of commonly used antibiotics.It was an early break for investigators, said Kelsey OYong, of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.OYong and her colleagues knew they were dealing with a scary germ, and they notified the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Pseudomonas infections are not new. Drug-resistant strains of the bacteria cause more than 30,000 infections annually among hospitalized patients in the U.S. and more than 2,500 deaths, the CDC said. It can spread through contaminated hands or medical equipment, and is particularly dangerous to fragile patients who have catheters or are on breathing machines.But the California infections were in patients' eyes, not more common spots like the blood and lungs. Also, the lab analysis determined the infections were caused by a Pseudomonas germ that could resist just about every antibiotic.The only thing that worked was a newer antibiotic called cefiderocol, administered by IV.___Over the summer, Pseudomonas outbreaks were seen at long-term care facilities in two other states.In Connecticut, the first case was in June. Eventually, the bacteria was found in 25 patients from five nursing homes in different parts of the state, said Christopher Boyle, a spokesperson for Connecticut’s health department.In Davis County, Utah, north of Salt Lake City, the first of six cases was reported to the CDC in August. While the patients had the bacteria, none actually got sick, said Sarah Willardson of the Davis County Health Department.L.A. County health investigators thought the cases there might be due to some kind of equipment contamination at the eye doctor’s office.But that suspicion faded in early October, when genetic testing showed the clusters in California, Connecticut and Utah were all caused by the same bacteria strain — a version of the germ that hadn’t been seen anywhere before.“That made us start thinking that this was some kind of a product,” said Maroya Walters, the CDC official supervising the investigation.___As the year went on, other reports of drug-resistant Pseudomonas came in, including a Washington man who died with a bloodstream infection.Given the initial cluster at the California ophthalmologist’s office, investigators suspected an eye care product was the culprit, though that hypothesis was complicated by the fact that the infections at the long-term care facilities were mainly found in the lungs.But it wasn’t impossible. Tear ducts drain into the nasal cavity, which leads to the lungs and could provide a path to deep inside the body.In early November, investigators determined most of the infected Connecticut patients had been given artificial tears, though it wasn't clear who had been given which brand.Then, on Nov. 9, a Florida hospital contacted the CDC to report bad eye infections connected to an outpatient clinic. A check of artificial tears brands used in Connecticut, Florida and Utah pointed to one common product: EzriCare Artificial Tears, an over-the-counter product marketed in the U.S. by New Jersey-based EzriCare LLC and made in India by Global Pharma Healthcare.___The Pseudomonas bacteria is “pretty much everywhere” in India and the drug-resistant germ is common in many hospitals, said Dr. Gagandeep Kang, who studies microbes in the Christian Medical College in the same state as Global Pharma's factory.In January, genetic sequencing confirmed the Florida cases were caused by the same bacteria strain as the clusters in California, Connecticut and Utah. On Jan. 20, the CDC urged doctors to avoid recommending the EzriCare product.There was no recall or widespread public notice, however. Investigators had strong circumstantial evidence pointing toward the EzriCare drops, but didn’t get more conclusive proof until more than a week later after testing found the bacteria in seven open bottles of EzriCare Artificial Tears in Connecticut and New Jersey.In early February, CDC officials issued a public health alert and the FDA recalled the EzriCare eyedrops and Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Tears, another product made by Global Pharma. Last week, the recall was expanded to include Delsam Pharma’s Artificial Eye Ointment.Global Pharma didn't respond to emailed requests for comment.___A month before the first recall, the FDA blocked imports of Global Pharma products.FDA spokesperson Audra Harrison said the U.S. import ban was “unrelated to the outbreak," and was instead based on the company’s “inadequate response” to a records request and problems with its manufacturing procedures. She wouldn't say what those problems were.The subsequent recall, she said, was recommended due to lack of microbial testing and issues with the product’s formulation and packaging.The FDA, tasked with assuring the safety of drug products shipped to the U.S., has long struggled to inspect facilities in China and India that account for the vast majority of raw materials used in American medicines. A search of FDA’s online inspection database shows no records of agency staff visiting the plant.Indian drug inspectors visited the plant and the country's drug controller asked Global Pharma to stop making all products related to treating eye disorders until they finish their investigation, said P.V. Vijayalakshmi, the drug controller for southern Tamil Nadu state.___Ostrosky, the University of Texas expert, called the U.S. investigation “a public health victory” saying it shows that fighting drug-resistant bacteria requires international collaboration and investment. But he also said the case is disheartening.An infection that's usually easy to treat with common antibiotic eyedrops "has become an infection that can be deadly and has pretty much no treatment except one IV antibiotic,” he said.Pseudomonas now joins a growing list of bugs — including bacteria that cause urinary tract infections — that are getting increasingly difficult to treat, Ostrosky added.“It's like a wave coming for us," he said.___AP writers Matthew Perrone in Washington and Aniruddha Ghosal in New Delhi contributed.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

FDA recalls more eyedrops brands due to risks

WASHINGTON (AP) — A private bank is trying to force the Biden administration to end its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-government-and-politics-f524c55faae26c2066b6795a9d29bc8d">pause on federal student loan payments</a>, arguing the moratorium has no legal basis and has cost the bank, known for its refinancing business, millions of dollars in profits.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1669150764430.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A private bank is trying to force the Biden administration to end its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-government-and-politics-f524c55faae26c2066b6795a9d29bc8d">pause on federal student loan payments</a>, arguing the moratorium has no legal basis and has cost the bank, known for its refinancing business, millions of dollars in profits.In a federal lawsuit filed Friday in Washington, SoFi Bank N.A. asked a federal judge to overturn President Joe Biden’s latest extension of the payment pause. Student loan payments first were halted at the start of the pandemic by President Donald Trump’s administration. The pause has been extended eight times over three years.The bank says its federal student loan refinancing business has suffered because borrowers have little incentive to refinance&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-scotus-what-to-know-06a8ac6187fb39b2edc2cf5a379c22c0">while payments and interest remain on hold</a>. At a minimum, the lawsuit asks a judge to limit the pause only to borrowers who would be eligible for Biden’s cancellation plan.Biden’s latest extension, which was announced in November and could stretch as far as this summer, is unlawful on “multiple grounds,” the lawsuit claims.Unlike the first seven extensions, which were meant to help borrowers struggling as a result of the pandemic, the latest one was enacted solely in response to legal challenges to Biden’s plan for widespread student debt forgiveness, the lawsuit says. The plan is currently being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-hearing-2128da75fc27ff3bcc0c3804ebd98aa7">challenged in the Supreme Court</a>, which is expected to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-scotus-what-to-know-06a8ac6187fb39b2edc2cf5a379c22c0">rule by June</a>.“The eighth extension does not even attempt to redress harm from the pandemic at all, but rather to alleviate ‘uncertainty’ caused by the debt-cancellation litigation,” SoFi says in the lawsuit.SoFi argues that isn’t a valid reason authorized by the HEROES Act, the federal law the Biden administration has invoked to continue the pause. The bank also argues the extension violated the Administrative Procedure Act because the administration failed to invite feedback from the public.The most recent extension has cost the bank at least $6 million in lost profits, SoFi says, and it could lead to a total of $30 million in losses if it continues through August.“In essence, SoFi is being forced to compete with loans with 0% interest rates and for which any ongoing repayment of the principal is entirely optional,” the lawsuit says.The Education Department defended the legality of the pause, calling the lawsuit “an attempt by a multi-billion dollar company to make money while they force 45 million borrowers back into repayment.”“The department will continue to fight to deliver relief to borrowers, provide a smooth path to repayment and protect borrowers from industry and special interests,” the agency said in a statement.The lawsuit drew swift condemnation from borrower advocates, who called it a money grab at the expense of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loan-forgiveness-supreme-court-payments-51ef087355f045260c37ae6fc698b38d">those struggling with student debt</a>.“The real story here is the huge risk this poses to tens of millions of working people who SoFi would never lend to — families across the country that depend on the student loan payment pause to shield them from financial devastation,” said Mike Pierce, executive director of the Student Borrower Protection Center.