SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a case of illegal drug and explosive manufacturing at a Kansas home.

Just after 1:00 a.m. Wednesday,&nbsp; police responded to a shooting call in the 2500 block of S. Roosevelt in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy.

 At the scene, officers located a 31-year-old man with a severe injury to his hand. Officers learned that the injury occurred due to a butane lighter explosion inside the home. He remains hospitalized, according to Macy.

Officers were allowed inside the residence where the explosion occurred, and they discovered evidence of illegal drug manufacturing and possible homemade explosive manufacturing. 

The home was secured, nearby homes were evacuated, and the WPD Bomb Squad was activated.

The Wichita Police Department and several partner agencies worked&nbsp; to safely remove illegal and illicit substances and energetic materials from the residence.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police have not released the man's name.

 At the scene, officers located a 31-year-old man with a severe injury to his hand. Officers learned that the injury occurred due to a butane lighter explosion inside the home.

The Wichita Police Department and several partner agencies worked&nbsp; to safely remove illegal and illicit substances and energetic materials from the residence.&nbsp; Police have not reported an update to the 31-year-old man's condition or any possible arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633543320562.png" alt="First responders at the scene of the investigation Wednesday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the scene of the investigation Wednesday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a case of illegal drug and explosive manufacturing at a Kansas home.Just after 1:00 a.m. Wednesday,&nbsp; police responded to a shooting call in the 2500 block of S. Roosevelt in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy. At the scene, officers located a 31-year-old man with a severe injury to his hand. Officers learned that the injury occurred due to a butane lighter explosion inside the home. He remains hospitalized, according to Macy.Officers were allowed inside the residence where the explosion occurred, and they discovered evidence of illegal drug manufacturing and possible homemade explosive manufacturing. The home was secured, nearby homes were evacuated, and the WPD Bomb Squad was activated.The Wichita Police Department and several partner agencies worked&nbsp; to safely remove illegal and illicit substances and energetic materials from the residence.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police have not released the man's name.-------------SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a case of illegal drug and explosive manufacturing at a Kansas home.Just after 1:00 a.m. Wednesday,&nbsp; police responded to a shooting call in the 2500 block of S. Roosevelt in Wichita, according to Officer Trevor Macy. At the scene, officers located a 31-year-old man with a severe injury to his hand. Officers learned that the injury occurred due to a butane lighter explosion inside the home.Officers were allowed inside the residence where the explosion occurred, and they discovered evidence of illegal drug manufacturing and possible homemade explosive manufacturing. The home was secured, nearby homes were evacuated, and the WPD Bomb Squad was activated.The Wichita Police Department and several partner agencies worked&nbsp; to safely remove illegal and illicit substances and energetic materials from the residence.&nbsp; Police have not reported an update to the 31-year-old man's condition or any possible arrest.

Drug lab: Bomb squad called after Kan. man injured in butane explosion

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police in Omaha say a 16-year-old girl asleep in her bed was grazed by a bullet shot into her house. 

Investigators say it happened shortly after 4 a.m. Monday in north Omaha when someone fired a gun at a home east of Seymour Smith Park.

 The Omaha World-Herald reports that the girl's father told police she heard “what sounded like an explosion” as a bullet grazed the back of her leg. 

Police say the family found damage from gunfire throughout the house.

 Police are asking the public's help in identifying the shooter.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Police in Omaha say a 16-year-old girl asleep in her bed was grazed by a bullet shot into her house. Investigators say it happened shortly after 4 a.m. Monday in north Omaha when someone fired a gun at a home east of Seymour Smith Park. The Omaha World-Herald reports that the girl's father told police she heard “what sounded like an explosion” as a bullet grazed the back of her leg. Police say the family found damage from gunfire throughout the house. Police are asking the public's help in identifying the shooter.

Teen girl asleep in bed grazed by bullet shot into house

WASHINGTON (AP) — With just weeks remaining before federal workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19, the federal government outlined procedures for employees to request medical or religious exemptions from President Joe Biden’s mandate.

The Office of Management and Budget released the new guidance Monday afternoon ahead of the Nov. 22 deadline for workers to be fully vaccinated, outlining specific medical conditions that would warrant an exemption. Under the guidelines, agencies are to direct workers to get their first shot within two weeks of an exemption request being denied, or the resolution of a medical condition. They also make clear that federal agencies may deny medical or religious exemptions if they determine that no other safety protocol is adequate.

The Biden administration is drawing on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance to determine approved medical exemptions, including a history of allergic reaction to the vaccines. Other conditions, including being treated with monoclonal antibodies or having a history of multisystem inflammatory syndrome, warrant a 90-day delay in vaccination, in accordance with CDC advice.

While the CDC recommends that women who are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant get vaccinated against COVID-19, the federal government will consider requests to delay vaccination while pregnant depending on the worker’s particular medical circumstances.

Senior administration officials provided The Associated Press with a preview of the new guidance Monday before it was posted by OMB.

Federal workers seeking exemptions will engage in what officials called an “interactive process” with their agencies, which will include being asked to provide documentation to support the exemption and potential accommodations. In the event an exemption request is rejected, workers will have two weeks to get a first shot, or be subject to disciplinary proceedings in accordance with Biden’s order.

Unvaccinated workers are required to wear masks and maintain social distancing and will have their ability to travel for work curtailed. New testing guidance for those who are granted exemptions is expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks.

In some cases, agencies may deny even legitimate exemption requests if they determine “that no safety protocol other than vaccination is adequate” given the nature of the employee’s job.

Under CDC guidelines, people are only considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of two-shot mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna or the one-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson shot — meaning most federal workers have until Nov. 8, at the latest, to roll up their sleeves to comply with Biden’s order.

According to the new federal guidance, neither past COVID-19 infection nor an antibody test can be substituted for vaccination.

Meanwhile, private companies with more than 100 employees will be subject to a forthcoming rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration requiring all employees to be vaccinated or get tested weekly. Biden announced the regulation weeks ago, but the agency is still drafting the particulars.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631816336784.png" alt="The Biden administration is drawing on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance to determine approved medical exemptions-White House Photo" />
 <figcaption>The Biden administration is drawing on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance to determine approved medical exemptions-White House Photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — With just weeks remaining before federal workers must be vaccinated against COVID-19, the federal government outlined procedures for employees to request medical or religious exemptions from President Joe Biden’s mandate.The Office of Management and Budget released the new guidance Monday afternoon ahead of the Nov. 22 deadline for workers to be fully vaccinated, outlining specific medical conditions that would warrant an exemption. Under the guidelines, agencies are to direct workers to get their first shot within two weeks of an exemption request being denied, or the resolution of a medical condition. They also make clear that federal agencies may deny medical or religious exemptions if they determine that no other safety protocol is adequate.The Biden administration is drawing on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidance to determine approved medical exemptions, including a history of allergic reaction to the vaccines. Other conditions, including being treated with monoclonal antibodies or having a history of multisystem inflammatory syndrome, warrant a 90-day delay in vaccination, in accordance with CDC advice.While the CDC recommends that women who are pregnant or are planning to become pregnant get vaccinated against COVID-19, the federal government will consider requests to delay vaccination while pregnant depending on the worker’s particular medical circumstances.Senior administration officials provided The Associated Press with a preview of the new guidance Monday before it was posted by OMB.Federal workers seeking exemptions will engage in what officials called an “interactive process” with their agencies, which will include being asked to provide documentation to support the exemption and potential accommodations. In the event an exemption request is rejected, workers will have two weeks to get a first shot, or be subject to disciplinary proceedings in accordance with Biden’s order.Unvaccinated workers are required to wear masks and maintain social distancing and will have their ability to travel for work curtailed. New testing guidance for those who are granted exemptions is expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks.In some cases, agencies may deny even legitimate exemption requests if they determine “that no safety protocol other than vaccination is adequate” given the nature of the employee’s job.Under CDC guidelines, people are only considered fully vaccinated two weeks after their second dose of two-shot mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna or the one-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson shot — meaning most federal workers have until Nov. 8, at the latest, to roll up their sleeves to comply with Biden’s order.According to the new federal guidance, neither past COVID-19 infection nor an antibody test can be substituted for vaccination.Meanwhile, private companies with more than 100 employees will be subject to a forthcoming rule from the Occupational Safety and Health Administration requiring all employees to be vaccinated or get tested weekly. Biden announced the regulation weeks ago, but the agency is still drafting the particulars.

US unveils guidance for federal vaccine mandate, exemptions

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 29-year-old Omaha man who fled to Nicaragua after being charged with dozens of felony counts of child pornography and enticement has pleaded no contest to seven of the counts.

 The Omaha World-Herald reports that Adam Hawhee faces up to 88 years in prison when he's sentenced in December.

 Hawhee was originally charged last year with two counts of child enticement and 26 counts of child pornography possession. 

He was accused of trying to entice two 7-year-old girls at an Omaha park in March 2020, but was freed after posting bond. 

He was jailed again months later after allegedly exposing himself to a young boy. 

Hawhee was freed again after posting bond and fled to Nicaragua, missing a December court appearance before being returned earlier this year.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A 29-year-old Omaha man who fled to Nicaragua after being charged with dozens of felony counts of child pornography and enticement has pleaded no contest to seven of the counts. The Omaha World-Herald reports that Adam Hawhee faces up to 88 years in prison when he's sentenced in December. Hawhee was originally charged last year with two counts of child enticement and 26 counts of child pornography possession. He was accused of trying to entice two 7-year-old girls at an Omaha park in March 2020, but was freed after posting bond. He was jailed again months later after allegedly exposing himself to a young boy. Hawhee was freed again after posting bond and fled to Nicaragua, missing a December court appearance before being returned earlier this year.

Man who fled to Nicaragua pleads to child enticement

HOWELL, Mich. (AP) — Calling opponents of his plans “complicit in America’s decline,” President Joe Biden made the case Tuesday that his ambitious social spending proposal is key to America’s global competitiveness — even as he acknowledged the current $3.5 trillion price tag will shrink.

With his plans in jeopardy on Capitol Hill, Biden journeyed to Michigan, declaring he wanted to “set some things straight” about his agenda and cut through what he dismissed as “noise” in Washington.

“America’s still the largest economy in the world, we still have the most productive workers and the most innovative minds in the world, but we’re at risk of losing our edge as a nation,” he said at a union training center, surrounded by bulldozers and other heavy equipment.

The president went on to spell out his plans in greater detail than he has in some time, after spending the past week deep in the details of negotiations on Capitol Hill. He highlighted popular individual parts of the plan, including funding for early childhood education and investments to combat climate change, rather than the expensive topline. And he emphasized that the trillions in spending would be drawn out over a decade and paid for by tax increases on corporations and the wealthiest Americans.

Speaking briefly to reporters afterward, Biden acknowledged that the overall $3.5 trillion number for his social spending bill will decline, but he insisted that he and Democrats in Congress will “get it done.”

And in a signal of how much still may change by the time the bill makes it to his desk, Biden later suggested he’d sign a bill that included the controversial Hyde Amendment, which blocks federal funds from being used for abortions in most cases. Moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin wants it in the final bill, while progressive Democrats oppose it — but Biden told reporters, “I’d sign it either way.”

On Capitol Hill, strong signs were emerging that Democrats were coalescing around Biden’s push for a slimmed-down package in the $2 trillion range, a figure that seemed potentially acceptable to Manchin, D-W.Va., and other centrists with reservations. With all Republicans opposed, Biden can’t spare a single Democratic senator.

Polling suggests that elements in the social spending bill and a related $1 trillion infrastructure bill — such as expanded child care opportunities and roads-and-bridges infrastructure projects — are popular with large parts of the public. But even some of the White House’s closest allies have worried that the West Wing has not done enough to sell the spending. That brought Biden back on the road Tuesday, hitting the red-leaning district of Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin to sell his policies.

“These bills are not about left versus right or moderate vs progressive,” Biden said. “These bills are about competitiveness versus complacency.”

Back in Washington, a more immediate problem was mounting as Senate Republicans are putting up hurdles to raising the nation’s debt limit, a routine vote that’s needed to allow more borrowing and prevent a devastating credit default. Biden said Democrats are considering changing the chamber’s filibuster rules, which would lower the typical 60-vote threshold to 50, to do it.

“It’s a real possibility,” Biden told reporters at the White House.

Meanwhile, negotiations continued on the pair of bills to boost spending on safety net, health and environmental programs and infrastructure projects. The $3.5 trillion price tag on the social services portion of Biden’s agenda has long been the sticking point, with progressives demanding the funding for their priorities and moderates balking at the eye-popping number. But there’s a growing consensus — which Biden has expressed privately to lawmakers, and acknowledged publicly Tuesday — that the topline number will eventually shrink.

In multiple private meetings, Biden has now floated $2 trillion as a figure for his signature package, including in a call late Monday with progressive House lawmakers, who still advocated for a higher amount, according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the private meeting.

While there is cautious optimism about recent progress, no deal has been struck to bridge stark divides between moderates and progressives in Biden’s Democratic Party on the size and scope of the social spending package. In recent weeks, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has worked unsuccessfully to secure passage of the bills, Biden has stayed in Washington to cajole lawmakers.

Now, he’s trying to put the public focus on popular components of the bills rather than the inside-the-Beltway debate over the price tag.

Next to Biden, the Democrats with the most on the line over the shape and success of his spending plans are House members from swing districts whose reelections are essential if his party is to retain control of Congress.

Many of those targeted moderates — including Arizona Rep. Tom O’Halleran, Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger and nine other vulnerable Democrats — joined Biden for a virtual meeting Tuesday. He held a similar session the previous day with a dozen progressives.

And his Tuesday visit to Slotkin’s district, which President Donald Trump narrowly won in 2020, was aimed at giving moderates like her cover to support his spending package.

While Slotkin backs the smaller, bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill that has passed the Senate, she prefers passing it in the House before negotiating the broader package of social programs.

“To be honest, it was hard for me to understand why leadership decided in the first place to tie the two bills together,” Slotkin recently told The Detroit News. “That’s not how we normally operate. It’s not my preference.”

Washington was gripped with the drama last week as lawmakers grappled with the massive Democrats-only social spending bill that has been linked with the infrastructure bill. Progressives have balked at voting for the infrastructure bill if the other bill shrinks.

Yet even as talk of that shrinkage increased, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a leader of the progressives, said Tuesday, “There’s a lot of discussion going on, but I’m confident at the end of the day it’s going to be a good agreement.”

At the same time, new battle lines are being formed as Democrats decide which of the many programs that they want to expand — health, education, childcare, climate change — will remain in the final proposal or be reduced or left behind.

“This cannot ultimately be a bill that does 18 new things, but it could do four or five or six big bold new things,” said Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, an ally of the president.

Lawmakers are considering cutting back some programs or limiting others to only people who qualify based on need.

Biden’s team huddled with the Democratic leaders late Monday at the Capitol as they rush to finish the latest draft — in “days, not weeks,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.

One senator was moved to compare it all to dancing.

“The best image I know is a square dance: You come together, but then you go apart; you come together, but then you go apart,” said Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado, describing his fellow Democrats. “There’s a rhythm there, we just got to make sure we stay in rhythm. That’s the challenge.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633464761565.png" alt="And in a signal of how much still may change by the time the bill makes it to his desk, Biden later suggested he’d sign a bill that included the controversial Hyde Amendment, which blocks federal funds from being used for abortions in most cases. Moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin wants it in the final bill, while progressive Democrats oppose it — but Biden told reporters, “I’d sign it either way.”-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>And in a signal of how much still may change by the time the bill makes it to his desk, Biden later suggested he’d sign a bill that included the controversial Hyde Amendment, which blocks federal funds from being used for abortions in most cases. Moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin wants it in the final bill, while progressive Democrats oppose it — but Biden told reporters, “I’d sign it either way.”-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>HOWELL, Mich. (AP) — Calling opponents of his plans “complicit in America’s decline,” President Joe Biden made the case Tuesday that his ambitious social spending proposal is key to America’s global competitiveness — even as he acknowledged the current $3.5 trillion price tag will shrink.With his plans in jeopardy on Capitol Hill, Biden journeyed to Michigan, declaring he wanted to “set some things straight” about his agenda and cut through what he dismissed as “noise” in Washington.“America’s still the largest economy in the world, we still have the most productive workers and the most innovative minds in the world, but we’re at risk of losing our edge as a nation,” he said at a union training center, surrounded by bulldozers and other heavy equipment.The president went on to spell out his plans in greater detail than he has in some time, after spending the past week deep in the details of negotiations on Capitol Hill. He highlighted popular individual parts of the plan, including funding for early childhood education and investments to combat climate change, rather than the expensive topline. And he emphasized that the trillions in spending would be drawn out over a decade and paid for by tax increases on corporations and the wealthiest Americans.Speaking briefly to reporters afterward, Biden acknowledged that the overall $3.5 trillion number for his social spending bill will decline, but he insisted that he and Democrats in Congress will “get it done.”And in a signal of how much still may change by the time the bill makes it to his desk, Biden later suggested he’d sign a bill that included the controversial Hyde Amendment, which blocks federal funds from being used for abortions in most cases. Moderate Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin wants it in the final bill, while progressive Democrats oppose it — but Biden told reporters, “I’d sign it either way.”On Capitol Hill, strong signs were emerging that Democrats were coalescing around Biden’s push for a slimmed-down package in the $2 trillion range, a figure that seemed potentially acceptable to Manchin, D-W.Va., and other centrists with reservations. With all Republicans opposed, Biden can’t spare a single Democratic senator.Polling suggests that elements in the social spending bill and a related $1 trillion infrastructure bill — such as expanded child care opportunities and roads-and-bridges infrastructure projects — are popular with large parts of the public. But even some of the White House’s closest allies have worried that the West Wing has not done enough to sell the spending. That brought Biden back on the road Tuesday, hitting the red-leaning district of Democratic Rep. Elissa Slotkin to sell his policies.“These bills are not about left versus right or moderate vs progressive,” Biden said. “These bills are about competitiveness versus complacency.”Back in Washington, a more immediate problem was mounting as Senate Republicans are putting up hurdles to raising the nation’s debt limit, a routine vote that’s needed to allow more borrowing and prevent a devastating credit default. Biden said Democrats are considering changing the chamber’s filibuster rules, which would lower the typical 60-vote threshold to 50, to do it.“It’s a real possibility,” Biden told reporters at the White House.Meanwhile, negotiations continued on the pair of bills to boost spending on safety net, health and environmental programs and infrastructure projects. The $3.5 trillion price tag on the social services portion of Biden’s agenda has long been the sticking point, with progressives demanding the funding for their priorities and moderates balking at the eye-popping number. But there’s a growing consensus — which Biden has expressed privately to lawmakers, and acknowledged publicly Tuesday — that the topline number will eventually shrink.In multiple private meetings, Biden has now floated $2 trillion as a figure for his signature package, including in a call late Monday with progressive House lawmakers, who still advocated for a higher amount, according to a person granted anonymity to discuss the private meeting.While there is cautious optimism about recent progress, no deal has been struck to bridge stark divides between moderates and progressives in Biden’s Democratic Party on the size and scope of the social spending package. In recent weeks, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has worked unsuccessfully to secure passage of the bills, Biden has stayed in Washington to cajole lawmakers.Now, he’s trying to put the public focus on popular components of the bills rather than the inside-the-Beltway debate over the price tag.Next to Biden, the Democrats with the most on the line over the shape and success of his spending plans are House members from swing districts whose reelections are essential if his party is to retain control of Congress.Many of those targeted moderates — including Arizona Rep. Tom O’Halleran, Virginia Rep. Abigail Spanberger and nine other vulnerable Democrats — joined Biden for a virtual meeting Tuesday. He held a similar session the previous day with a dozen progressives.And his Tuesday visit to Slotkin’s district, which President Donald Trump narrowly won in 2020, was aimed at giving moderates like her cover to support his spending package.While Slotkin backs the smaller, bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill that has passed the Senate, she prefers passing it in the House before negotiating the broader package of social programs.“To be honest, it was hard for me to understand why leadership decided in the first place to tie the two bills together,” Slotkin recently told The Detroit News. “That’s not how we normally operate. It’s not my preference.”Washington was gripped with the drama last week as lawmakers grappled with the massive Democrats-only social spending bill that has been linked with the infrastructure bill. Progressives have balked at voting for the infrastructure bill if the other bill shrinks.Yet even as talk of that shrinkage increased, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., a leader of the progressives, said Tuesday, “There’s a lot of discussion going on, but I’m confident at the end of the day it’s going to be a good agreement.”At the same time, new battle lines are being formed as Democrats decide which of the many programs that they want to expand — health, education, childcare, climate change — will remain in the final proposal or be reduced or left behind.“This cannot ultimately be a bill that does 18 new things, but it could do four or five or six big bold new things,” said Sen. Chris Coons of Delaware, an ally of the president.Lawmakers are considering cutting back some programs or limiting others to only people who qualify based on need.Biden’s team huddled with the Democratic leaders late Monday at the Capitol as they rush to finish the latest draft — in “days, not weeks,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.One senator was moved to compare it all to dancing.“The best image I know is a square dance: You come together, but then you go apart; you come together, but then you go apart,” said Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado, describing his fellow Democrats. “There’s a rhythm there, we just got to make sure we stay in rhythm. That’s the challenge.”

Biden pushes $3.5T plans as key to avoid ‘America’s decline’

The
 Federal Trade Commission put 70 for-profit higher education 
institutions on notice that the agency is cracking down on any false 
promises they make about their graduates’ job and earnings prospects and
 other outcomes and will hit violators with significant financial 
penalties.

The Commission is resurrecting its Penalty Offense 
Authority, found in Section 5 of the FTC Act, to ensure that bad actors 
pay a price when they break the law. By sending a Notice of Penalty 
Offenses to the institutions, which represent the largest for-profit 
colleges and vocational schools across the country, the companies 
operating these colleges will be on notice that they could incur 
significant sanctions for engaging in certain unlawful practices. The 
notice outlines a number of practices that the FTC has previously found 
to be unfair or deceptive, and notes that these practices could lead to 
civil penalties of up to $43,792 per violation.

“For too long, 
unscrupulous for-profit schools have preyed on students with impunity, 
facing no penalties when they defraud their students and drive them into
 debt,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “The FTC is resurrecting a dormant 
authority to deter wrongdoing and hold accountable bad actors who abuse 
students and taxpayers. Working closely with our state and federal 
partners, we’ll be monitoring this market carefully.” 

This 
broad-based initiative to deter for-profit college fraud marks the 
agency’s first use of its Penalty Offense Authority to protect students 
and their families. The Notice of Penalty Offenses allows the agency to 
seek civil penalties against a company that engages in conduct that it 
knows has been found unlawful in a previous FTC administrative order, 
other than a consent order. 

Many of the practices outlined in the
 Notice relate to claims made by institutions about the career outcomes 
of their graduates, including whether a particular career field is in 
demand, the percentage of graduates who get jobs in their chosen field, 
whether the institution can help a graduate get a job, the amount of 
money a graduate can expect to earn and other related practices. 
Complaints to the FTC around education-related issues surged roughly 70 
percent between 2018 and 2020, and the Commission is committed to 
rooting out practices that harm students and their families.

The 
Notice cites a number of administrative cases brought by the FTC against
 for-profit institutions in which the Commission found practices like 
those outlined in the Notice unlawful.

A full list of the 
institutions that received the Notice from the FTC is available on the 
FTC’s website.&nbsp; A school’s presence on this list does not reflect any 
assessment as to whether they have engaged in deceptive or unfair 
conduct. 

The Commission vote to authorize the Notice and its distribution was 5-0.

The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a> and file a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/complaint">consumer complaint online</a> or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357).&nbsp;For the latest news and resources, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/social-media">follow the FTC on social media</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> and read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1619632629588.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FTCThe
 Federal Trade Commission put 70 for-profit higher education 
institutions on notice that the agency is cracking down on any false 
promises they make about their graduates’ job and earnings prospects and
 other outcomes and will hit violators with significant financial 
penalties.The Commission is resurrecting its Penalty Offense 
Authority, found in Section 5 of the FTC Act, to ensure that bad actors 
pay a price when they break the law. By sending a Notice of Penalty 
Offenses to the institutions, which represent the largest for-profit 
colleges and vocational schools across the country, the companies 
operating these colleges will be on notice that they could incur 
significant sanctions for engaging in certain unlawful practices. The 
notice outlines a number of practices that the FTC has previously found 
to be unfair or deceptive, and notes that these practices could lead to 
civil penalties of up to $43,792 per violation.“For too long, 
unscrupulous for-profit schools have preyed on students with impunity, 
facing no penalties when they defraud their students and drive them into
 debt,” said FTC Chair Lina M. Khan. “The FTC is resurrecting a dormant 
authority to deter wrongdoing and hold accountable bad actors who abuse 
students and taxpayers. Working closely with our state and federal 
partners, we’ll be monitoring this market carefully.” This 
broad-based initiative to deter for-profit college fraud marks the 
agency’s first use of its Penalty Offense Authority to protect students 
and their families. The Notice of Penalty Offenses allows the agency to 
seek civil penalties against a company that engages in conduct that it 
knows has been found unlawful in a previous FTC administrative order, 
other than a consent order. Many of the practices outlined in the
 Notice relate to claims made by institutions about the career outcomes 
of their graduates, including whether a particular career field is in 
demand, the percentage of graduates who get jobs in their chosen field, 
whether the institution can help a graduate get a job, the amount of 
money a graduate can expect to earn and other related practices. 
Complaints to the FTC around education-related issues surged roughly 70 
percent between 2018 and 2020, and the Commission is committed to 
rooting out practices that harm students and their families.The 
Notice cites a number of administrative cases brought by the FTC against
 for-profit institutions in which the Commission found practices like 
those outlined in the Notice unlawful.A full list of the 
institutions that received the Notice from the FTC is available on the 
FTC’s website.&nbsp; A school’s presence on this list does not reflect any 
assessment as to whether they have engaged in deceptive or unfair 
conduct. The Commission vote to authorize the Notice and its distribution was 5-0.The Federal Trade Commission works to promote competition and to <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/about-ftc/bureaus-offices/bureau-consumer-protection">protect and educate consumers</a>. You can <a href="https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/">learn more about consumer topics</a> and file a <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/complaint">consumer complaint online</a> or by calling 1-877-FTC-HELP (382-4357).&nbsp;For the latest news and resources, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/social-media">follow the FTC on social media</a>, <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/stay-connected">subscribe to press releases</a> and read our <a href="https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/blogs">blogs</a>.

 FTC targets false claims by for-profit colleges

It’s always a good idea to get your holiday shopping done early, but this year it’s more important than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a <a href="https://www.wral.com/supply-chain-issues-mean-you-should-start-your-holiday-shopping-now/19865174/" target="_blank">microchip shortage</a> and <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supply-chain-issues-products-worker-shortage/" target="_blank">supply chain issues</a>. This means electronics, toys, and other products will be (or already are) in short supply.

Supply shortages, in turn, result in fewer holiday bargains and 
higher than normal prices.&nbsp; This means that sticking to your budget and 
scoring all the gifts on your list will be harder than usual. To make a success of your holiday shopping this year despite the challenges, BBB recommends the following tips.

Read the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/14040-bbb-tip-smart-shopping-online" target="_blank">BBB Tip: Smart Shopping Online</a> and visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/Holiday-Tips" target="_blank">BBB.org/Holiday-Tips</a> for more ways to get your holiday shopping done safely this year.

Always make purchases from businesses that follow&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/bbb-accreditation-standards" target="_blank">BBB Accreditation Standards</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/standards-for-trust" target="_blank">BBB Standards for Trust</a>.&nbsp;

If you come across a scam while holiday shopping, report it to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/us" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>. Your report can help others stay alert to the danger.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1579883951052.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BBBIt’s always a good idea to get your holiday shopping done early, but this year it’s more important than ever. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a <a href="https://www.wral.com/supply-chain-issues-mean-you-should-start-your-holiday-shopping-now/19865174/" target="_blank">microchip shortage</a> and <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/supply-chain-issues-products-worker-shortage/" target="_blank">supply chain issues</a>. This means electronics, toys, and other products will be (or already are) in short supply.Supply shortages, in turn, result in fewer holiday bargains and 
higher than normal prices.&nbsp; This means that sticking to your budget and 
scoring all the gifts on your list will be harder than usual. To make a success of your holiday shopping this year despite the challenges, BBB recommends the following tips.<h2>Tips for your 2021 holiday shopping</h2><ul>
 <li>Know what products stores might run out of. Millions
 of everyday products use microchips to function. Computers, gaming 
systems, smart appliances, cameras, and toys that feature light, sound, 
motion, or any kind of tech all use microchips, meaning many 
manufacturers are already struggling to keep up with the demand for 
their products. Think though your holiday list and identify&nbsp;must-have 
that are impacted by the shortage. </li><li>Start shopping earlier than usual. Don’t wait until Black Friday to start holiday shopping this year. Certain products may already be sold out by November, <a href="https://lifehacker.com/will-supply-chain-issues-really-sabotage-2021-holiday-s-1847682085" target="_blank">according to some retailers</a>. </li><li>When you find a good deal, don’t wait to buy. Good deals will be harder to find this year, so if you find a product in stock at a good price, take advantage right away. </li><li>Budget your holiday shopping without expecting sales. Supply
 chain problems mean many retailers have had to pay more than usual for 
inventory and can’t offer the same bargain prices they did last year. In
 fact, many products that use microchips have already gone up in price, 
so plan your budget accordingly. This might mean buying fewer presents 
or organizing <a href="https://lifehacker.com/the-best-way-to-run-a-secret-santa-gift-exchange-1789285244">a secret Santa style gift exchange.</a> </li><li>Have a backup plan. Because so many household items
 use microchip technology, some retailers already have products 
backordered into 2022. Try to stay flexible this year. If you absolutely
 can’t get a gift you had in mind, you may need a Plan B. For example, 
if the toy you wanted for your kids is not available or too expensive, 
keep in mind that the present shortages only affect <a href="https://news.yahoo.com/could-toy-shortage-holiday-why-190042035.html?fr=sycsrp_catchall">certain kinds of gifts</a>. Plush toys, outdoor toys, and action figures sans electronic features should stay in stock and reasonably priced this year. </li><li>Watch out for scams. Whenever a product is in high demand like <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16580-scam-alert-looking-for-this-seasons-hot-toy-beware-of-scams" target="_blank">the hottest toy of the holiday season</a>,
 scammers try to take advantage of consumers. Remember, deals that sound
 too good to be true probably are. In addition, keep an eye out for 
sketchy sellers that may be selling <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/16910-bbb-tip-counterfeit-product-scams" target="_blank">counterfeit products</a>.
 Finally, always research vendors you are unfamiliar with to make sure 
you’re dealing with a legitimate business before you make a purchase or 
give them your personal information, such as your credit card number.</li>
 </ul><h2>For More Information</h2>Read the <a href="https://www.bbb.org/article/tips/14040-bbb-tip-smart-shopping-online" target="_blank">BBB Tip: Smart Shopping Online</a> and visit&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/Holiday-Tips" target="_blank">BBB.org/Holiday-Tips</a> for more ways to get your holiday shopping done safely this year.Always make purchases from businesses that follow&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/bbb-accreditation-standards" target="_blank">BBB Accreditation Standards</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/standards-for-trust" target="_blank">BBB Standards for Trust</a>.&nbsp;If you come across a scam while holiday shopping, report it to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker/us" target="_blank">BBB Scam Tracker</a>. Your report can help others stay alert to the danger.

Microchip shortage: Don't let it ruin your holiday shopping

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police say a 16-year-old Lincoln High School student and football player died in an early-morning crash Tuesday on the north end of the city. 

The Lincoln Journal Star reports that the crash happened around 12:45 a.m. Police say Bryshawn Williams, a sophomore at the school, died when the car he was in crashed into a tree at North 70th Street and Fletcher Avenue. 

Officer Erin Spilker says a 17-year-old boy was driving the car when it went out of control. 

He and two other passengers — a 16-year-old girl and a 20-year-old man — were taken to hospitals with serious injuries. 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police say a 16-year-old Lincoln High School student and football player died in an early-morning crash Tuesday on the north end of the city. The Lincoln Journal Star reports that the crash happened around 12:45 a.m. Police say Bryshawn Williams, a sophomore at the school, died when the car he was in crashed into a tree at North 70th Street and Fletcher Avenue. Officer Erin Spilker says a 17-year-old boy was driving the car when it went out of control. He and two other passengers — a 16-year-old girl and a 20-year-old man — were taken to hospitals with serious injuries. The crash remains under investigation.

16-year-old Lincoln boy killed in early-morning crash

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Work has halted at all of the Kellogg Company’s U.S. cereal plants as roughly 1,400 workers went on strike.

 It wasn’t immediately clear how much the supply of Frosted Flakes or other iconic brands would be disrupted. 

The strike includes plants in Omaha, Nebraska; Battle Creek, Michigan; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Memphis, Tennessee. 

The union and company have been at an impasse for more than a year.

 Daniel Osborn, president of the local union in Omaha said the dispute is over the loss of several key benefits, and the company has threatened to move work to Mexico. 

The company insists its offer is fair and would increase wages.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Work has halted at all of the Kellogg Company’s U.S. cereal plants as roughly 1,400 workers went on strike. It wasn’t immediately clear how much the supply of Frosted Flakes or other iconic brands would be disrupted. The strike includes plants in Omaha, Nebraska; Battle Creek, Michigan; Lancaster, Pennsylvania; and Memphis, Tennessee. The union and company have been at an impasse for more than a year. Daniel Osborn, president of the local union in Omaha said the dispute is over the loss of several key benefits, and the company has threatened to move work to Mexico. The company insists its offer is fair and would increase wages.

Workers at all of Kellogg's U.S. cereal plants go on strike

WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland on Monday directed federal authorities to hold strategy sessions in the next 30 days with law enforcement to address the increasing threats targeting school board members, teachers and other employees in the nation’s public schools.

In a memorandum, Garland said there has been “a disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff who participate in the vital work of running our nation’s public schools.”

To address the rising problem, Garland said the FBI would work with U.S. attorneys and federal, state, local, territorial and tribal authorities in each district to develop strategies against the threats.

“While spirited debate about policy matters is protected under our Constitution, that protection does not extend to threats of violence or efforts to intimidate individuals based on their views,” he said.

The action is in response to an urgent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-education-school-boards-940da42fac771366929fc2150c8acf4d">request last week</a>&nbsp;from the National School Boards Association. The group, which represents school board members around the country, asked President Joe Biden for federal assistance to investigate and stop threats made over policies including mask mandates, likening the vitriol to a form of domestic terrorism.

The association asked for the federal government to investigate cases where threats or violence could be handled as violations of federal laws protecting civil rights. It also asked for the Justice Department, FBI, Homeland Security and Secret Service to help monitor threat levels and assess risks to students, educators, board members and school buildings.

The group’s letter documented more than 20 instances of threats, harassment, disruption, and acts of intimidation in California, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Ohio and other states. It cited the September arrest of an Illinois man for aggravated battery and disorderly conduct for allegedly striking a school official at a meeting. In Michigan, a meeting was disrupted when a man performed a Nazi salute to protest masking.

“We are coming after you,” a letter mailed to an Ohio school board member said, according to the group. “You are forcing them to wear mask — for no reason in this world other than control. And for that you will pay dearly.” It called the member “a filthy traitor.”

In making the announcement Garland said the Justice Department would use its authority and resources to discourage the threats and “prosecute them when appropriate. In the coming days, the Department will announce a series of measures designed to address the rise in criminal conduct directed toward school personnel.”

School board members are largely unpaid volunteers, parents and former educators who step forward to shape school policy, choose a superintendent and review the budget, but they have been frightened at how their jobs have suddenly become a culture war battleground. The climate has led a growing number to resign or decide against seeking reelection.

In a statement, Chip Slaven, NSBA interim executive director and CEO, praised the Justice Department’s swift action and pointed to the detrimental impact the threats of violence and intimidation have had on the education system.

“Over the last few weeks, school board members and other education leaders have received death threats and have been subjected to threats and harassment, both online and in person,” Slaven said. The department’s action “is a strong message to individuals with violent intent who are focused on causing chaos, disrupting our public schools, and driving wedges between school boards and the parents, students, and communities they serve.”

Nicole Neily, president of Parents Defending Education, an Arlington, Virginia-based group formed in January, took the school board group and the Justice Department to task. In a statement emailed to The Associated Press she said: “It is shameful that activists are weaponizing the US Department of Justice against parents. This is a coordinated attempt to intimidate dissenting voices in the debates surrounding America’s underperforming K-12 education – and it will not succeed. We will not be silenced.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633455127488.png" alt="During a July 26 board meeting, one parent told the Shawnee Mission Kan. School Board,&nbsp; "The CDC, the county health department and school board members are not the law."&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>During a July 26 board meeting, one parent told the Shawnee Mission Kan. School Board,&nbsp; "The CDC, the county health department and school board members are not the law."&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland on Monday directed federal authorities to hold strategy sessions in the next 30 days with law enforcement to address the increasing threats targeting school board members, teachers and other employees in the nation’s public schools.In a memorandum, Garland said there has been “a disturbing spike in harassment, intimidation, and threats of violence against school administrators, board members, teachers, and staff who participate in the vital work of running our nation’s public schools.”To address the rising problem, Garland said the FBI would work with U.S. attorneys and federal, state, local, territorial and tribal authorities in each district to develop strategies against the threats.“While spirited debate about policy matters is protected under our Constitution, that protection does not extend to threats of violence or efforts to intimidate individuals based on their views,” he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633090424533.png" alt="The first of the of the six page letter to President Biden" />
 <figcaption>The first of the of the six page letter to President Biden</figcaption>
 </figure>The action is in response to an urgent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-health-education-school-boards-940da42fac771366929fc2150c8acf4d">request last week</a>&nbsp;from the National School Boards Association. The group, which represents school board members around the country, asked President Joe Biden for federal assistance to investigate and stop threats made over policies including mask mandates, likening the vitriol to a form of domestic terrorism.The association asked for the federal government to investigate cases where threats or violence could be handled as violations of federal laws protecting civil rights. It also asked for the Justice Department, FBI, Homeland Security and Secret Service to help monitor threat levels and assess risks to students, educators, board members and school buildings.The group’s letter documented more than 20 instances of threats, harassment, disruption, and acts of intimidation in California, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Ohio and other states. It cited the September arrest of an Illinois man for aggravated battery and disorderly conduct for allegedly striking a school official at a meeting. In Michigan, a meeting was disrupted when a man performed a Nazi salute to protest masking.“We are coming after you,” a letter mailed to an Ohio school board member said, according to the group. “You are forcing them to wear mask — for no reason in this world other than control. And for that you will pay dearly.” It called the member “a filthy traitor.”In making the announcement Garland said the Justice Department would use its authority and resources to discourage the threats and “prosecute them when appropriate. In the coming days, the Department will announce a series of measures designed to address the rise in criminal conduct directed toward school personnel.”School board members are largely unpaid volunteers, parents and former educators who step forward to shape school policy, choose a superintendent and review the budget, but they have been frightened at how their jobs have suddenly become a culture war battleground. The climate has led a growing number to resign or decide against seeking reelection.In a statement, Chip Slaven, NSBA interim executive director and CEO, praised the Justice Department’s swift action and pointed to the detrimental impact the threats of violence and intimidation have had on the education system.“Over the last few weeks, school board members and other education leaders have received death threats and have been subjected to threats and harassment, both online and in person,” Slaven said. The department’s action “is a strong message to individuals with violent intent who are focused on causing chaos, disrupting our public schools, and driving wedges between school boards and the parents, students, and communities they serve.”Nicole Neily, president of Parents Defending Education, an Arlington, Virginia-based group formed in January, took the school board group and the Justice Department to task. In a statement emailed to The Associated Press she said: “It is shameful that activists are weaponizing the US Department of Justice against parents. This is a coordinated attempt to intimidate dissenting voices in the debates surrounding America’s underperforming K-12 education – and it will not succeed. We will not be silenced.”

Attorney General: FBI will target school board threats

PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) — Prosecutors say a Nebraska man accused in the deaths of his two young children is now being charged with murder after an autopsy showed the children were smothered.

 Adam Price was initially charged with two counts of negligent child abuse resulting in death in the killings of 5-year-old Emily and 3-year-old Theodore. 

The Sarpy County Attorney's Office said Tuesday in a news release that the 36-year-old Price is now charged with two counts of first-degree murder. 

Authorities have said the children were with Price for a court-ordered visitation May 16 when they were found dead in his Bellevue home, 8 miles south of Omaha. 

Price was arrested hours later in Pacifica, California.

PAPILLION, Neb. (AP) — Prosecutors say a Nebraska man accused in the deaths of his two young children is now being charged with murder after an autopsy showed the children were smothered. Adam Price was initially charged with two counts of negligent child abuse resulting in death in the killings of 5-year-old Emily and 3-year-old Theodore. The Sarpy County Attorney's Office said Tuesday in a news release that the 36-year-old Price is now charged with two counts of first-degree murder. Authorities have said the children were with Price for a court-ordered visitation May 16 when they were found dead in his Bellevue home, 8 miles south of Omaha. Price was arrested hours later in Pacifica, California.

Autopsy shows children smothered; father charged with murder

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The number of new virus cases and hospitalizations in the state appear to be leveling out at an elevated level in recent weeks. 

Data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the state reported 4,775 new cases for the week that ended Friday. 

That was just above the 4.676 cases reported the previous week but significantly below the roughly 5,300 cases per week the state tallied during the three previous weeks. 

The number of virus hospitalizations averaged 415 a day over the past week, which was down slightly from 421 the previous week.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The number of new virus cases and hospitalizations in the state appear to be leveling out at an elevated level in recent weeks. Data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the state reported 4,775 new cases for the week that ended Friday. That was just above the 4.676 cases reported the previous week but significantly below the roughly 5,300 cases per week the state tallied during the three previous weeks. The number of virus hospitalizations averaged 415 a day over the past week, which was down slightly from 421 the previous week.

Nebraska virus cases, hospitalizations leveling off

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Two Omaha women have sued Nebraska's public health agency for denying their request to list both of them as parents on their children’s birth certificates. 

Erin Porterfield and Kristin Williams allege in their lawsuit filed Monday that state officials treat unmarried, same-sex couples differently than unmarried, opposite-sex couples, in violation of their due process and equal protection rights. 

They argue that listing them both is critical because it could affect their children’s eligibility for government benefits, should something happen to one of them. 

Each woman gave birth to a son while they were a couple. 

They split in 2013 but continue to share parenting duties for both children.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Two Omaha women have sued Nebraska's public health agency for denying their request to list both of them as parents on their children’s birth certificates. Erin Porterfield and Kristin Williams allege in their lawsuit filed Monday that state officials treat unmarried, same-sex couples differently than unmarried, opposite-sex couples, in violation of their due process and equal protection rights. They argue that listing them both is critical because it could affect their children’s eligibility for government benefits, should something happen to one of them. Each woman gave birth to a son while they were a couple. They split in 2013 but continue to share parenting duties for both children.

2 Omaha women sue for right to appear on birth certificates

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Captain Kirk is rocketing into space next week — boldly going where no other sci-fi stars have gone.

Jeff Bezos’ space travel company, Blue Origin, announced Monday that “Star Trek” actor William Shatner will blast off from West Texas on Oct. 12.

“Yes, it’s true; I’m going to be a ‘rocket man!’” the 90-year-old tweeted. He added: “It’s never too late to experience new things.”

Bezos, the founder of Amazon, is a huge fan of the sci-fi series and even had a cameo as a high-ranking alien in the 2016 film “Star Trek Beyond.” His rocket company invited Shatner to fly as its guest.

Shatner will become the oldest person to go to space. He’ll join three others — two of them paying customers — aboard a Blue Origin capsule. He’ll wind up being the second actor to reach space this month: Russia is launching an actress and a film director to the International Space Station on Tuesday for almost two weeks of moviemaking.

Shatner’s flight, by comparison, will last just 10 minutes and reach no higher than about 66 miles (106 kilometers). The capsule will parachute back to the desert floor, not far from where it took off.

With flights short or long, space tourism is picking up steam fast.

Virgin Galactic carried founder Richard Branson to the edge of space with five others in July, followed nine days later by Bezos’ space hop. Elon Musk’s SpaceX, meanwhile, launched its first private crew last month — a Pennsylvania entrepreneur who bought the three-day flight and took along two contest winners and a cancer survivor.

Virgin Galactic’s ship launches from an airplane and requires two pilots. Blue Origin and SpaceX’s capsules are fully automated, but the passengers must pass medical screenings and, among other things, be able to quickly climb several flights of steps at the launch tower to get to the capsule — or out of it in an emergency.

This will be Blue Origin’s second launch of a crew.

Bezos was on the debut flight on July 20. He took along his brother, an 18-year-old from the Netherlands and 82-year-old aviation pioneer Wally Funk — the youngest and oldest to fly in space. Shatner will break that upper threshold by eight years.

“I’ve heard about space for a long time now. I’m taking the opportunity to see it for myself. What a miracle,” Shatner said in a statement.

Shatner played the role of the USS Starship Enterprise’s commander for three seasons, from 1966 to 1969. He also portrayed Captain James T. Kirk in seven movies, directing one of them. He’s currently the host and executive producer of a History Channel show, “The UnXplained.”

The ashes of two other “Star Trek” powerhouses — creator Gene Roddenberry and actor James Doohan, who played Scotty — rocketed into space years ago following their deaths.

Also launching with Shatner: a former NASA engineer who founded a nanosatellite company and the co-founder of a software company specializing in clinical research. The two took part in the auction for a seat on the first flight. That seat cost $28 million; Blue Origin isn’t divulging any other ticket prices.

A fourth seat on the flight is going to Blue Origin’s vice president of mission and flight operations, who used to work for NASA as a space station flight controller.

A Blue Origin spokeswoman said Shatner, like the others, met all the company’s health and physical requirements.

Last week, more than 20 current and former Blue Origin employees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-lifestyle-elon-musk-jeff-bezos-ccb58b2b24f43b1820f18496c19bc1a9">accused&nbsp;</a>the Kent, Washington-based company of having a toxic work environment and not adhering to proper safety protocols. Blue Origin said it doesn’t tolerate harassment or discrimination and stood by its safety record.

Bezos’ company is also challenging a NASA contract award to SpaceX for providing a lunar lander that will return astronauts to the moon in a few years. Blue Origin was unsuccessful in its bid for the job.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633435884866.png" alt="Shatner will become the oldest person to go to space.-photo courtesy Blue Origin" />
 <figcaption>Shatner will become the oldest person to go to space.-photo courtesy Blue Origin</figcaption>
 </figure>CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Captain Kirk is rocketing into space next week — boldly going where no other sci-fi stars have gone.Jeff Bezos’ space travel company, Blue Origin, announced Monday that “Star Trek” actor William Shatner will blast off from West Texas on Oct. 12.“Yes, it’s true; I’m going to be a ‘rocket man!’” the 90-year-old tweeted. He added: “It’s never too late to experience new things.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">So now I can say something. Yes, it’s true; I’m going to be a “rocket man!” 😝🤣 <a href="https://t.co/B2jFeXrr6L">https://t.co/B2jFeXrr6L</a>&mdash; William Shatner (@WilliamShatner) <a href="https://twitter.com/WilliamShatner/status/1445023239105703946?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Bezos, the founder of Amazon, is a huge fan of the sci-fi series and even had a cameo as a high-ranking alien in the 2016 film “Star Trek Beyond.” His rocket company invited Shatner to fly as its guest.Shatner will become the oldest person to go to space. He’ll join three others — two of them paying customers — aboard a Blue Origin capsule. He’ll wind up being the second actor to reach space this month: Russia is launching an actress and a film director to the International Space Station on Tuesday for almost two weeks of moviemaking.Shatner’s flight, by comparison, will last just 10 minutes and reach no higher than about 66 miles (106 kilometers). The capsule will parachute back to the desert floor, not far from where it took off.With flights short or long, space tourism is picking up steam fast.Virgin Galactic carried founder Richard Branson to the edge of space with five others in July, followed nine days later by Bezos’ space hop. Elon Musk’s SpaceX, meanwhile, launched its first private crew last month — a Pennsylvania entrepreneur who bought the three-day flight and took along two contest winners and a cancer survivor.Virgin Galactic’s ship launches from an airplane and requires two pilots. Blue Origin and SpaceX’s capsules are fully automated, but the passengers must pass medical screenings and, among other things, be able to quickly climb several flights of steps at the launch tower to get to the capsule — or out of it in an emergency.This will be Blue Origin’s second launch of a crew.Bezos was on the debut flight on July 20. He took along his brother, an 18-year-old from the Netherlands and 82-year-old aviation pioneer Wally Funk — the youngest and oldest to fly in space. Shatner will break that upper threshold by eight years.“I’ve heard about space for a long time now. I’m taking the opportunity to see it for myself. What a miracle,” Shatner said in a statement.Shatner played the role of the USS Starship Enterprise’s commander for three seasons, from 1966 to 1969. He also portrayed Captain James T. Kirk in seven movies, directing one of them. He’s currently the host and executive producer of a History Channel show, “The UnXplained.”The ashes of two other “Star Trek” powerhouses — creator Gene Roddenberry and actor James Doohan, who played Scotty — rocketed into space years ago following their deaths.Also launching with Shatner: a former NASA engineer who founded a nanosatellite company and the co-founder of a software company specializing in clinical research. The two took part in the auction for a seat on the first flight. That seat cost $28 million; Blue Origin isn’t divulging any other ticket prices.A fourth seat on the flight is going to Blue Origin’s vice president of mission and flight operations, who used to work for NASA as a space station flight controller.A Blue Origin spokeswoman said Shatner, like the others, met all the company’s health and physical requirements.Last week, more than 20 current and former Blue Origin employees&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-business-lifestyle-elon-musk-jeff-bezos-ccb58b2b24f43b1820f18496c19bc1a9">accused&nbsp;</a>the Kent, Washington-based company of having a toxic work environment and not adhering to proper safety protocols. Blue Origin said it doesn’t tolerate harassment or discrimination and stood by its safety record.Bezos’ company is also challenging a NASA contract award to SpaceX for providing a lunar lander that will return astronauts to the moon in a few years. Blue Origin was unsuccessful in its bid for the job.___

Beam him up: William Shatner will fly to space aboard Blue Origin rocket

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden urged Republican senators to “get out of the way” and let Democrats suspend the nation’s debt limit, hoping to keep the U.S. government from bumping dangerously close to a credit default as Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell refuses to lend his party’s help.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?515154-1/president-biden-guarantee-congress-raise-debt-limit-avoid-default">Click here to watch </a>the President's comments

Biden’s criticism on Monday came with Congress facing an Oct 18 deadline to allow for more borrowing to keep the government operating after having accrued a total public debt of $28.4 trillion. The House has passed a measure to suspend the debt limit, but McConnell is forcing Senate Democrats into a cumbersome process that could drag on and approach the deadline with little margin for error.

Both Biden and McConnell have promised that the country will avoid default, yet the public fight and political posturing risks an economic meltdown. The global economy relies on the stability of U.S. Treasury notes, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-united-states-bills-economy-janet-yellen-de159a96c61d0679e06bde313881092c">unpaid debt could crush financial markets and hurl America into recession</a>. Biden noted that the debt limit applies to borrowing that has already occurred, including under former President Donald Trump, and said Republicans are hurting the country by blocking the limit’s suspension.

“They need to stop playing Russian roulette with the U.S. economy,” Biden said at the White House. “Republicans just have to let us do our job. Just get out of the way. If you don’t want to help save the country, get out of the way so you don’t destroy it.”

Unmoved, McConnell said Republicans had given the Democrats a roadmap for dealing with the debt ceiling with months of warning.

“I suggest that our Democratic colleagues get moving,” McConnell said at the Capitol.

Once a routine vote, raising the nation’s debt limit has become increasingly partisan. It’s become a favorite political weapon of Republicans to either demand concessions or force Democrats into unpopular votes to enable more borrowing. McConnell has tied the vote to Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-congress-government-overhaul-public-works-9438a78ba7c7865d75428e746d1de04d">multitrillion-dollar tax and economic agenda&nbsp;</a>that awaits Congressional approval. But Biden says the price tag in terms of debt for his plan will be “zero,” paid for by raising taxes on corporations and on the wealthy, whom the House Democrats have defined as individuals earning more than $400,000 a year, or couples making more than $450,000.

Biden said he planned to talk with McConnell, who dug in with a letter of his own to the president.

“We have no list of demands. For two and a half months, we have simply warned that since your party wishes to govern alone, it must handle the debt limit alone as well,” the Kentucky senator wrote in the Monday letter.

The financial markets have stayed relatively calm with interest rates on 10-year Treasury notes holding just below 1.5%. That rate is slightly higher than the all-time lows set last year as the coronavirus pandemic spread, but it’s still lower than at any other time over nearly 60 years of data tracked by the Federal Reserve.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has projected the government will exhaust its cash reserves on Oct. 18, an event she says would likely trigger a financial crisis and economic recession. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer warned Monday that it would be hazardous for the economy to come anywhere near that deadline.

“The consequences of even approaching the X date could be disastrous for our economy and devastating to American families, raising the costs of borrowing for average Americans and hampering our economic recovery over the long-term,” Schumer said in a letter to Democratic senators.

Democrats and Republicans are in a standoff over how to handle an extension for the debt ceiling. Republicans are insisting that Democrats go it alone with the same legislative tool that is already being used to try and pass Biden’s plan to boost safety net, health and environmental programs. Democrats say that extending the debt limit has traditionally been a bipartisan effort and that the debt cap was built up under presidents from both parties.

Schumer said that if the debt issue is not resolved this week, the Senate will likely be forced to remain in session during the weekend and possibly the following week when senators were scheduled to be back in their home states.

Schumer also discussed the current state of play with the bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill that has already passed the Senate and is stuck in the House, as well as Biden’s larger, $3.5 trillion effort focused on social programs and the environment that would be offset by tax increases on corporations and the wealthy. He noted that the president visited with House Democrats on Friday to generate support for both measures.

“He encouraged them to stick together, compromise, and find the sweet spot that will allow us to complete our work,” Schumer said. “I agree with his sentiment wholeheartedly – we can get this done, together, if we put aside our differences and find the common ground within our party.”

Biden discussed the larger plan with progressive House Democrats during a virtual meeting Monday afternoon. And Schumer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and top White House advisers huddled late Monday at the Capitol over it.

“We’re making progress, Pelosi said as she exited. Schumer had said in an earlier letter to colleagues they need to reach a deal soon, preferably “days, not weeks.”

Schumer and McConnell debated the debt ceiling when the Senate earlier Monday.

McConnell noted that Biden voted against raising the debt ceiling as a senator when Republicans controlled Congress and the presidency.

But Schumer said Democrats allowed for an up-or-down vote back then rather than requiring the majority to overcome a filibuster. He said Republicans should follow that example when he seeks to bring up the House-passed bill that would suspend the debt ceiling until December 2022.

“We aren’t asking Republicans to support it when it comes time for a vote. We only ask that they get out of the way, let Democrats pass it on our own just as the majority party did in the early 2000s,” Schumer said.

“The fact is we don’t have the luxury of waiting until Oct. 18 to extend the debt ceiling,” Schumer added. “Even a near miss can have dramatic consequences.”

Biden will be traveling to Michigan on Tuesday to promote his legislative plan as negotiations resume in Washington. Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have said they won’t back a $3.5 trillion spending bill. And many House Democrats won’t support the smaller bipartisan infrastructure plan until they get an agreement on the larger measure.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633363521531.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden urged Republican senators to “get out of the way” and let Democrats suspend the nation’s debt limit, hoping to keep the U.S. government from bumping dangerously close to a credit default as Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell refuses to lend his party’s help.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?515154-1/president-biden-guarantee-congress-raise-debt-limit-avoid-default">Click here to watch </a>the President's commentsBiden’s criticism on Monday came with Congress facing an Oct 18 deadline to allow for more borrowing to keep the government operating after having accrued a total public debt of $28.4 trillion. The House has passed a measure to suspend the debt limit, but McConnell is forcing Senate Democrats into a cumbersome process that could drag on and approach the deadline with little margin for error.Both Biden and McConnell have promised that the country will avoid default, yet the public fight and political posturing risks an economic meltdown. The global economy relies on the stability of U.S. Treasury notes, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-united-states-bills-economy-janet-yellen-de159a96c61d0679e06bde313881092c">unpaid debt could crush financial markets and hurl America into recession</a>. Biden noted that the debt limit applies to borrowing that has already occurred, including under former President Donald Trump, and said Republicans are hurting the country by blocking the limit’s suspension.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1633375876920.png" alt="White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki used this chart during her media briefing amid the ongoing debt ceiling debate." />
 <figcaption>White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki used this chart during her media briefing amid the ongoing debt ceiling debate.</figcaption>
 </figure>“They need to stop playing Russian roulette with the U.S. economy,” Biden said at the White House. “Republicans just have to let us do our job. Just get out of the way. If you don’t want to help save the country, get out of the way so you don’t destroy it.”Unmoved, McConnell said Republicans had given the Democrats a roadmap for dealing with the debt ceiling with months of warning.“I suggest that our Democratic colleagues get moving,” McConnell said at the Capitol.Once a routine vote, raising the nation’s debt limit has become increasingly partisan. It’s become a favorite political weapon of Republicans to either demand concessions or force Democrats into unpopular votes to enable more borrowing. McConnell has tied the vote to Biden’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-congress-government-overhaul-public-works-9438a78ba7c7865d75428e746d1de04d">multitrillion-dollar tax and economic agenda&nbsp;</a>that awaits Congressional approval. But Biden says the price tag in terms of debt for his plan will be “zero,” paid for by raising taxes on corporations and on the wealthy, whom the House Democrats have defined as individuals earning more than $400,000 a year, or couples making more than $450,000.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My letter to President Biden this morning on congressional Democrats’ duty to handle the debt limit: <a href="https://t.co/U3G9QMPJwY">pic.twitter.com/U3G9QMPJwY</a>&mdash; Leader McConnell (@LeaderMcConnell) <a href="https://twitter.com/LeaderMcConnell/status/1445041217268588551?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden said he planned to talk with McConnell, who dug in with a letter of his own to the president.“We have no list of demands. For two and a half months, we have simply warned that since your party wishes to govern alone, it must handle the debt limit alone as well,” the Kentucky senator wrote in the Monday letter.The financial markets have stayed relatively calm with interest rates on 10-year Treasury notes holding just below 1.5%. That rate is slightly higher than the all-time lows set last year as the coronavirus pandemic spread, but it’s still lower than at any other time over nearly 60 years of data tracked by the Federal Reserve.Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has projected the government will exhaust its cash reserves on Oct. 18, an event she says would likely trigger a financial crisis and economic recession. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer warned Monday that it would be hazardous for the economy to come anywhere near that deadline.“The consequences of even approaching the X date could be disastrous for our economy and devastating to American families, raising the costs of borrowing for average Americans and hampering our economic recovery over the long-term,” Schumer said in a letter to Democratic senators.Democrats and Republicans are in a standoff over how to handle an extension for the debt ceiling. Republicans are insisting that Democrats go it alone with the same legislative tool that is already being used to try and pass Biden’s plan to boost safety net, health and environmental programs. Democrats say that extending the debt limit has traditionally been a bipartisan effort and that the debt cap was built up under presidents from both parties.Schumer said that if the debt issue is not resolved this week, the Senate will likely be forced to remain in session during the weekend and possibly the following week when senators were scheduled to be back in their home states.Schumer also discussed the current state of play with the bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill that has already passed the Senate and is stuck in the House, as well as Biden’s larger, $3.5 trillion effort focused on social programs and the environment that would be offset by tax increases on corporations and the wealthy. He noted that the president visited with House Democrats on Friday to generate support for both measures.“He encouraged them to stick together, compromise, and find the sweet spot that will allow us to complete our work,” Schumer said. “I agree with his sentiment wholeheartedly – we can get this done, together, if we put aside our differences and find the common ground within our party.”Biden discussed the larger plan with progressive House Democrats during a virtual meeting Monday afternoon. And Schumer, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and top White House advisers huddled late Monday at the Capitol over it.“We’re making progress, Pelosi said as she exited. Schumer had said in an earlier letter to colleagues they need to reach a deal soon, preferably “days, not weeks.”Schumer and McConnell debated the debt ceiling when the Senate earlier Monday.McConnell noted that Biden voted against raising the debt ceiling as a senator when Republicans controlled Congress and the presidency.But Schumer said Democrats allowed for an up-or-down vote back then rather than requiring the majority to overcome a filibuster. He said Republicans should follow that example when he seeks to bring up the House-passed bill that would suspend the debt ceiling until December 2022.“We aren’t asking Republicans to support it when it comes time for a vote. We only ask that they get out of the way, let Democrats pass it on our own just as the majority party did in the early 2000s,” Schumer said.“The fact is we don’t have the luxury of waiting until Oct. 18 to extend the debt ceiling,” Schumer added. “Even a near miss can have dramatic consequences.”Biden will be traveling to Michigan on Tuesday to promote his legislative plan as negotiations resume in Washington. Democratic Sens. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona have said they won’t back a $3.5 trillion spending bill. And many House Democrats won’t support the smaller bipartisan infrastructure plan until they get an agreement on the larger measure.___

🎥 Biden, Democrats blame GOP as debt limit deadline looms

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced today that Free 
File remains available through Oct. 15 for those taxpayers who still 
need to file their 2020 tax returns.

Free File is the IRS' public-private partnership with tax preparation
 software industry leaders to provide their brand-name products for 
free.

Free File provides two ways for taxpayers to prepare and file their federal income tax online for free:

Taxpayers who requested the six-month filing extension should 
complete their tax returns and file on or before the Oct. 15 deadline.

Only current year tax returns can be filed using IRS Free File. The 
IRS does not allow electronic filing for prior year returns through 
self-preparation websites.

Prior year returns can only be filed electronically by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/understanding-tax-return-preparer-credentials-and-qualifications">registered tax preparers</a>&nbsp;for the two previous tax years. Otherwise, taxpayers must print, sign and mail prior year returns.

The IRS <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications</a>&nbsp;lists qualified local preparers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRS&nbsp;WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service announced today that Free 
File remains available through Oct. 15 for those taxpayers who still 
need to file their 2020 tax returns.Free File is the IRS' public-private partnership with tax preparation
 software industry leaders to provide their brand-name products for 
free.Free File provides two ways for taxpayers to prepare and file their federal income tax online for free:<ul>
 <li>Traditional IRS Free File provides free online tax preparation 
and filing options on IRS partner sites. Taxpayers whose adjusted gross 
income (AGI) is $72,000 or less qualify for any IRS Free File partner 
offers.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>For taxpayers whose income (AGI) is greater than $72,000, 
there's the Free File Fillable Forms option. It provides electronic 
federal tax forms that can be filled out and filed online for free. To 
use this option taxpayers should know how to prepare their own tax 
return.</li>
 </ul><h2>Always start at&nbsp;IRS.gov:</h2><ul>
 <li>From the homepage select <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">File Your Taxes for Free</a></li><li>Pick an option based on income</li><li>Follow links to the chosen Free File provider's website</li>
 </ul>Taxpayers who requested the six-month filing extension should 
complete their tax returns and file on or before the Oct. 15 deadline.Only current year tax returns can be filed using IRS Free File. The 
IRS does not allow electronic filing for prior year returns through 
self-preparation websites.Prior year returns can only be filed electronically by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/understanding-tax-return-preparer-credentials-and-qualifications">registered tax preparers</a>&nbsp;for the two previous tax years. Otherwise, taxpayers must print, sign and mail prior year returns.The IRS <a href="https://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf">Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers with Credentials and Select Qualifications</a>&nbsp;lists qualified local preparers.

IRS Free File program still available for 2020 tax returns

WASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission has proposed rules to ensure networks that serve as entry points for foreign-originated phone calls do their part to prevent this traffic from including illegal robocalls.  Eliminating illegal robocalls that originate abroad is one of the most vexing challenges the Commission faces because of the difficulty in reaching foreign-based robocallers and the foreign voice service providers that originate their traffic.  

To address this problem, the FCC is looking to impose new, stringent requirements on domestic gateway providers to stop robocalls.  The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopted today proposes requiring these companies to apply STIR/SHAKEN caller ID authentication to, and perform robocall mitigation on, all foreign-originated calls with U.S. numbers.  Implementation of caller ID authentication using the STIR/SHAKEN framework reduces the effectiveness of illegal spoofing, helps law enforcement identify bad actors, and improves voice service providers’ blocking of robocalls using illegally spoofed caller ID information before those calls reach their subscribers.

The Notice also makes several proposals to ensure that gateway providers are engaged in the fight against illegal robocalls.  For example, it proposes requiring gateway providers to respond quickly to traceback requests, which are used to help block illegal robocalls and inform FCC enforcement investigations.  Additionally, it proposes requiring both the gateway provider and the network accepting questionable traffic from the gateway provider to actively block these calls.  It also proposes requiring that gateway providers ensure foreign calls using U.S. phone numbers are legally authorized to do so.  And it proposes to require gateway providers to submit a certification to the Robocall Mitigation Database describing and committing to robocall mitigation practices.

The FCC has made combating illegal robocalls and spoofing a priority.  Just this year, the FCC has required and confirmed implementation of STIR/SHAKEN standards on IP phone networks, issued the largest fine in FCC history against a telemarketer for spoof violations and proposed the largest robocall violation fine ever, successfully pushed certain gateway providers to cease and desist their facilitation of major robocall campaigns found on their networks, and improved coordination between agencies, nations, and even across FCC staff teams taking on different parts of this complex problem.  That said, unwanted call complaints remain the top consumer complaint to the FCC and the Commission is committed to an ongoing and all-hands-on-deck effort to fight scam calls.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1584977952684.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FCCWASHINGTON — The Federal Communications Commission has proposed rules to ensure networks that serve as entry points for foreign-originated phone calls do their part to prevent this traffic from including illegal robocalls. Eliminating illegal robocalls that originate abroad is one of the most vexing challenges the Commission faces because of the difficulty in reaching foreign-based robocallers and the foreign voice service providers that originate their traffic. To address this problem, the FCC is looking to impose new, stringent requirements on domestic gateway providers to stop robocalls. The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking adopted today proposes requiring these companies to apply STIR/SHAKEN caller ID authentication to, and perform robocall mitigation on, all foreign-originated calls with U.S. numbers. Implementation of caller ID authentication using the STIR/SHAKEN framework reduces the effectiveness of illegal spoofing, helps law enforcement identify bad actors, and improves voice service providers’ blocking of robocalls using illegally spoofed caller ID information before those calls reach their subscribers.The Notice also makes several proposals to ensure that gateway providers are engaged in the fight against illegal robocalls. For example, it proposes requiring gateway providers to respond quickly to traceback requests, which are used to help block illegal robocalls and inform FCC enforcement investigations. Additionally, it proposes requiring both the gateway provider and the network accepting questionable traffic from the gateway provider to actively block these calls. It also proposes requiring that gateway providers ensure foreign calls using U.S. phone numbers are legally authorized to do so. And it proposes to require gateway providers to submit a certification to the Robocall Mitigation Database describing and committing to robocall mitigation practices.The FCC has made combating illegal robocalls and spoofing a priority. Just this year, the FCC has required and confirmed implementation of STIR/SHAKEN standards on IP phone networks, issued the largest fine in FCC history against a telemarketer for spoof violations and proposed the largest robocall violation fine ever, successfully pushed certain gateway providers to cease and desist their facilitation of major robocall campaigns found on their networks, and improved coordination between agencies, nations, and even across FCC staff teams taking on different parts of this complex problem. That said, unwanted call complaints remain the top consumer complaint to the FCC and the Commission is committed to an ongoing and all-hands-on-deck effort to fight scam calls.

FCC takes aim at foreign robocalls entering U.S.

WASHINGTON (AP) —Facebook and its Instagram and WhatsApp platforms are back online after a massive global outage plunged the services and the businesses and people who rely on them into chaos for hours. Facebook said late Monday that “the root cause of this outage was a faulty configuration change” and that there is “no evidence that user data was compromised as a result” of the outage. The company apologized and said it is working to understand more about the cause, which began around 11:40 a.m. Eastern Monday. Facebook is going through a major crisis after the whistleblower who was the source of The Wall Street Journal’s series of stories exposing the company’s awareness of internal research into the negative effects of its products went public on CBS's “60 Minutes” program Sunday.

WASHINGTON (AP) —The massive global outage that plunged Facebook, its Instagram and WhatsApp platforms and many people who rely heavily on these services — including Facebook’s own workforce — into chaos Monday is gradually dissipating.

Facebook said late Monday that it’s been working to restore access to its services and is “happy to report they are coming back online now.” The company apologized and thanked its users for bearing with it. But fixing it wasn’t as simple as flipping a proverbial switch. For some users, WhatsApp was working for a time, then not. For others, Instagram was working but not Facebook, and so on.

WASHINGTON (AP) —Facebook and its Instagram and WhatsApp platforms are back online after a massive global outage plunged the services and the businesses and people who rely on them into chaos for hours. Facebook said late Monday that “the root cause of this outage was a faulty configuration change” and that there is “no evidence that user data was compromised as a result” of the outage. The company apologized and said it is working to understand more about the cause, which began around 11:40 a.m. Eastern Monday. Facebook is going through a major crisis after the whistleblower who was the source of The Wall Street Journal’s series of stories exposing the company’s awareness of internal research into the negative effects of its products went public on CBS's “60 Minutes” program Sunday.WASHINGTON (AP) —The massive global outage that plunged Facebook, its Instagram and WhatsApp platforms and many people who rely heavily on these services — including Facebook’s own workforce — into chaos Monday is gradually dissipating.Facebook said late Monday that it’s been working to restore access to its services and is “happy to report they are coming back online now.” The company apologized and thanked its users for bearing with it. But fixing it wasn’t as simple as flipping a proverbial switch. For some users, WhatsApp was working for a time, then not. For others, Instagram was working but not Facebook, and so on.Facebook did not say what might have caused the outage, which began around 11:40 a.m. ET and was still not fixed more than six hours later.“This is epic,” said Doug Madory, director of internet analysis for Kentik Inc, a network monitoring and intelligence company. The last major internet outage, which knocked many of the world’s top websites offline in June, lasted less than an hour. The stricken content-delivery company in that case, Fastly, blamed it on a software bug triggered by a customer who changed a setting.For hours, Facebook’s only public comment was a tweet in which it acknowledged that “some people are having trouble accessing (the) Facebook app” and said it was working on restoring access. Regarding the internal failures, Instagram head Adam Mosseri tweeted that it feels like a “snow day.”Mike Schroepfer, Facebook’s outgoing chief technology officer, later tweeted “sincere apologies” to everyone impacted by the outage. He blamed “networking issues” and said teams are “working as fast as possible to debug and restore as fast as possible.”There was no evidence as of Monday afternoon that malicious activity was involved. Matthew Prince, CEO of the internet infrastructure provider Cloudflare, tweeted that “nothing we’re seeing related to the Facebook services outage suggests it was an attack.” Prince said the most likely explanation was that Facebook mistakenly knocked itself off the internet during maintenance.Facebook did not respond to messages for comment about the attack or the possibility of malicious activity.While much of Facebook’s workforce is still working remotely, there were reports that employees at work on the company’s Menlo Park, California, campus had trouble entering buildings because the outage had rendered their security badges useless.But the impact was far worse for multitudes of Facebook’s nearly 3 billion users, showing just how much the world has come to rely on it and its properties — to run businesses, connect with online communities, log on to multiple other websites and even order food.It also showed that despite the presence of Twitter, Telegram, Signal, TikTok, Snapchat and a bevy of other platforms, nothing can easily replace the social network that over the past 17 years has effectively evolved into critical infrastructure. The outage came the same day&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-facebook-inc-federal-trade-commission-district-of-columbia-4533fd62e9dea3c7c858f46ac4bc7026">Facebook asked</a>&nbsp;a federal judge that that a revised antitrust complaint against it by the Federal Trade Commission be dismissed because it faces vigorous competition from other services.There are certainly other online services for posting selfies, connecting with fans or reaching out to elected officials, But those who rely on Facebook to run their business or communicate with friends and family in far-flung places saw this as little consolation.Kendall Ross, owner of a knitwear brand called Knit That in Oklahoma City, said he has 32,000 followers on his Instagram business page @id.knit.that. Almost all of his website traffic comes directly from Instagram. He posted a product photo about an hour before Instagram went out. He said he tends to sell about two hand-knit pieces after posting a product photo for about $300 to $400.“The outage today is frustrating financially,” he said. “It’s also a huge awakening that social media controls so much of my success in business.”The cause of the outage remains unclear. Madory said Facebook appears to have deleted basic data that tells the rest of the internet how to communicate with its properties. Such data is part of the internet’s Domain Name System, a central component that directs its traffic. Without Facebook broadcasting its location on the public internet, apps and web addresses simple could not locate it.London-based internet monitoring firm Netblocks noted that Facebook’s plans to merge its platforms — announced in 2019 — had raised concerns about the risks of such a move. While such centralization “gives the company a unified view of users’ internet usage habits,” it also makes the services vulnerable to single points of failure, Netblocks said.So many people are reliant on Facebook, WhatsApp or Instagram as primary modes of communication that losing access for so long can make them vulnerable to criminals taking advantage of the outage, said Rachel Tobac, a hacker and CEO of SocialProof Security.“They don’t know how to contact the people in their lives without it,” she said. “They’re more susceptible to social engineering because they’re so desperate to communicate.” Tobac said during previous outages, some people have received emails promising to restore their social media account by clicking on a malicious link that can expose their personal data.Jake Williams, chief technical officer of the cybersecurity firm BreachQuest, said that while foul play cannot be completely ruled out, chances were good that the outage is “an operational issue” caused by human error.“What it boils down to: running a LARGE, even by Internet standards, distributed system is very hard, even for the very best,” tweeted Columbia University computer scientist Steven Bellovin.Facebook was already in the throes of a separate major crisis after whistleblower Frances Haugen, a former Facebook product manager, provided The Wall Street Journal with internal documents that exposed the company’s awareness of harms caused by its products and decisions. Haugen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/facebook-whistleblower-frances-haugen-4a3640440769d9a241c47670facac213">went public</a>&nbsp;on CBS’s “60 Minutes” program Sunday and is scheduled to testify before a Senate subcommittee Tuesday.Haugen had also anonymously filed complaints with federal law enforcement alleging Facebook’s own research shows how it magnifies hate and misinformation and leads to increased polarization. It also showed that the company was aware that Instagram can harm teenage girls’ mental health.The Journal’s stories, called “The Facebook Files,” painted a picture of a company focused on growth and its own interests over the public good. Facebook has tried to play down the research. Nick Clegg, the company’s vice president of policy and public affairs, wrote to Facebook employees in a memo Friday that “social media has had a big impact on society in recent years, and Facebook is often a place where much of this debate plays out.”Twitter, meanwhile, chimed in from the company’s main account on its service, posting “hello literally everyone” as jokes and memes about the Facebook outage flooded the platform. Later, as an unverified screenshot suggesting that the facebook.com address was for sale circulated, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted, “how much?”-----------WASHINGTON (AP) — Facebook and its Instagram and WhatsApp platforms suffered a worldwide outage that has lasting more than three hours on Monday. Facebook’s internal systems used by employees also went down. Service has not yet been restored.The company did not say what might be causing the outage, which began around 11:40 ET. Websites and apps often suffer outages of varying size and duration, but hours-long global disruptions are rare.“This is epic,” said Doug Madory, director of internet analysis for Kentik Inc. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/software-technology-business-71e6096a8fae0c44e988d3eefe9bca8e">last major internet outage</a>, which knocked many of the world’s top websites offline in June, lasted less than an hour. The stricken content delivery company in that case, Fastly, blamed it on a software but triggered by a customer who changed a setting.Facebook’s only public comment so far was a tweet in which it acknowledged that “some people are having trouble accessing (the) Facebook app” and that it was working on restoring access. Regarding the internal failures, Instagram head Adam Mosseri tweeted that it feels like a “snow day.”So many people are reliant on Facebook, WhatsApp or Instagram as a primary mode of communication that losing access for so long can make them vulnerable to criminals taking advantage of the outage, said Rachel Tobac, a hacker and CEO of SocialProof Security.“They don’t know how to contact the people in their lives without it,” she said. “They’re more susceptible to social engineering because they’re so desperate to communicate.” Tobac said during previous outages, some people have received emails promising to restore their social media account by clicking on a malicious link that can expose their personal data.The cause of the outage remains unclear. Malory said it appears that Facebook withdrew “authoritative DNS routes” that let the rest of the internet communicate with its properties.Such routes are part of the internet’s Domain Name System, a key structure that determines where internet traffic needs to go. DNS translates an address like “facebook.com” to an IP address like 123.45.67.890. If Facebook’s DNS records disappeared, apps and web addresses would be unable to locate it.Jake Williams, chief technical officer of the cybersecurity firm BreachQuest, said that while foul play cannot be completely ruled out, chances were good that the outage is “an operational issue” caused by human error.Madory said there was no sign that anyone but Facebook was responsible and discounted the possibility that another major internet player, such as a telecom company, might have inadvertently rewritten major routing tables that affect Facebook. “No one else announced these routes,” said Madory.Facebook is going through a separate major crisis after whistleblower Frances Haugen, a former Facebook product manager, provided The Wall Street Journal with internal documents that exposed the company’s awareness of harms caused by of its products and decisions. Haugen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/facebook-whistleblower-frances-haugen-4a3640440769d9a241c47670facac213">went public</a>&nbsp;on “60 Minutes” on Sunday and is scheduled to testify before a Senate subcommittee on Tuesday.Haugen had also anonymously filed complaints with federal law enforcement alleging that Facebook’s own research shows how it magnifies hate and misinformation, leads to increased polarization and that Instagram, specifically, can harm teenage girls’ mental health.The Journal’s stories, called “The Facebook Files,” painted a picture of a company focused on growth and its own interests over the public good. Facebook has tried to play down the research. Nick Clegg, the company’s vice president of policy and public affairs, wrote to Facebook employees in a memo Friday that “social media has had a big impact on society in recent years, and Facebook is often a place where much of this debate plays out.”Twitter, meanwhile, chimed in from the company’s main Twitter account, posting “hello literally everyone” as jokes and memes about the Facebook outage flooded the platform. Later, as an unverified screenshot suggesting that the facebook.com address was for sale circulated, Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey tweeted, “how much?”--------------WASHINGTON (AP) —Facebook and its Instagram and WhatsApp platforms were down in parts of the world on Monday. The company said it was “aware that some people are having trouble accessing Facebook app" and it was working on restoring access. The company did not say what might be causing the outage, which began around 11:45 ET. Users reported being unable to access Facebook in California, New York and Europe. Facebook is going through a major crisis after the whistleblower who was the source of The Wall Street Journal’s series of stories exposing the company’s awareness of internal research into the negative effects of its products went public on “60 Minutes” Sunday.

State