WASHINGTON (AP) — A new committee to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol would have 13 members and the power to subpoena witnesses, according to legislation released by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday. The House is expected to vote on the bill this week.

The effort comes after Senate Republicans blocked the formation of an independent, bipartisan commission to probe the attack, in which hundreds of former President Donald Trump’s supporters violently broke into the Capitol and interrupted the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory.

The new, partisan House panel would have eight members appointed by Pelosi and five appointed “after consultation with” Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy. A Pelosi aide said the speaker is considering including a Republican among her appointments, which would bring the likely partisan split to 7-6. The aide was granted anonymity to discuss her thinking.

Pelosi said in a statement that Jan. 6 was “one of the darkest days in our nation’s history” and that the committee will seek the truth about it.

“The Select Committee will investigate and report upon the facts and causes of the attack and report recommendations for preventing any future assault," she said.

Many Republicans were concerned about such a partisan probe, since majority Democrats are likely to investigate Trump’s role in the siege and the right wing groups that were present for it. Almost three dozen House Republicans voted to create an independent panel, which would have had an even partisan split among members. Seven Republicans in the Senate supported moving forward on that bill, but that was short of the 10 Senate Republicans who would be necessary to pass it.

As laid out in Pelosi’s legislation, the new select committee would have subpoena power and no specific end date. The panel can issue interim reports as it conducts the probe.

Trump is not explicitly referenced in the legislation, which directs the select committee to investigate “facts, circumstances and causes relating to the January 6, 2021, domestic terrorist attack upon the United States Capitol Complex and relating to the interference with the peaceful transfer of power." The panel would also study “influencing factors that fomented such an attack on American representative democracy while engaged in a constitutional process.”

The House passed the bill to form an independent commission last month, and Pelosi, D-Calif., said it was her preference to have an independent panel lead the inquiry. But she said last week that Congress could not wait any longer to begin a deeper look at the insurrection so she would form the select panel. She has not said who will lead it.

Still, Pelosi said that the select committee could be complementary to an independent panel, should one ever be formed, and that she is “hopeful there could be a commission at some point.” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has said he might hold a second vote, but there’s no indication that any GOP votes have changed.

Many Republicans have made clear that they want to move on from the Jan. 6 attack, brushing aside the many unanswered questions about the insurrection, including how the government and law enforcement missed intelligence leading up to the rioting and the role of Trump before and during the insurrection.

Others in the GOP have gone further, with one suggesting the rioters looked like tourists and another insisting that a Trump supporter named Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed while trying to break into the House chamber, was “executed.”

Two officers who battled the rioters, Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone and Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, have been lobbying Republicans to support an independent commission and met with McCarthy on Friday. Afterward, they said they had asked McCarthy to denounce GOP comments downplaying the violence.

In the absence of an independent commission, Fanone said he asked McCarthy for a commitment not to put “the wrong people” on the new select panel and that McCarthy said he would take it seriously. McCarthy's office did not respond to requests for comment on either the meeting or the legislation to form the select committee.

The officers also asked McCarthy to denounce 21 Republicans who voted earlier this month against giving medals of honor to the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police to thank them for their service on Jan. 6. Dozens of those officers suffered injuries, including chemical burns, brain injuries and broken bones.

McCarthy, who voted for the measure, told them he would deal with those members privately.

Seven people died during and after the rioting, including Babbitt and three other Trump supporters who died of medical emergencies. Two police officers died by suicide in the days that followed, and a third officer, Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, collapsed and later died after engaging with the protesters. A medical examiner later determined he died of natural causes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624924788291.png" alt="House Speaker Pelosi said in a statement that Jan. 6 was “one of the darkest days in our nation’s history” and that the committee will seek the truth about it.-photo courtesy House Speaker's Office." />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Pelosi said in a statement that Jan. 6 was “one of the darkest days in our nation’s history” and that the committee will seek the truth about it.-photo courtesy House Speaker's Office.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A new committee to investigate the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol would have 13 members and the power to subpoena witnesses, according to legislation released by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Monday. The House is expected to vote on the bill this week.The effort comes after Senate Republicans blocked the formation of an independent, bipartisan commission to probe the attack, in which hundreds of former President Donald Trump’s supporters violently broke into the Capitol and interrupted the certification of President Joe Biden’s victory.The new, partisan House panel would have eight members appointed by Pelosi and five appointed “after consultation with” Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy. A Pelosi aide said the speaker is considering including a Republican among her appointments, which would bring the likely partisan split to 7-6. The aide was granted anonymity to discuss her thinking.Pelosi said in a statement that Jan. 6 was “one of the darkest days in our nation’s history” and that the committee will seek the truth about it.“The Select Committee will investigate and report upon the facts and causes of the attack and report recommendations for preventing any future assault," she said.Many Republicans were concerned about such a partisan probe, since majority Democrats are likely to investigate Trump’s role in the siege and the right wing groups that were present for it. Almost three dozen House Republicans voted to create an independent panel, which would have had an even partisan split among members. Seven Republicans in the Senate supported moving forward on that bill, but that was short of the 10 Senate Republicans who would be necessary to pass it.As laid out in Pelosi’s legislation, the new select committee would have subpoena power and no specific end date. The panel can issue interim reports as it conducts the probe.Trump is not explicitly referenced in the legislation, which directs the select committee to investigate “facts, circumstances and causes relating to the January 6, 2021, domestic terrorist attack upon the United States Capitol Complex and relating to the interference with the peaceful transfer of power." The panel would also study “influencing factors that fomented such an attack on American representative democracy while engaged in a constitutional process.”The House passed the bill to form an independent commission last month, and Pelosi, D-Calif., said it was her preference to have an independent panel lead the inquiry. But she said last week that Congress could not wait any longer to begin a deeper look at the insurrection so she would form the select panel. She has not said who will lead it.Still, Pelosi said that the select committee could be complementary to an independent panel, should one ever be formed, and that she is “hopeful there could be a commission at some point.” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has said he might hold a second vote, but there’s no indication that any GOP votes have changed.Many Republicans have made clear that they want to move on from the Jan. 6 attack, brushing aside the many unanswered questions about the insurrection, including how the government and law enforcement missed intelligence leading up to the rioting and the role of Trump before and during the insurrection.Others in the GOP have gone further, with one suggesting the rioters looked like tourists and another insisting that a Trump supporter named Ashli Babbitt, who was shot and killed while trying to break into the House chamber, was “executed.”Two officers who battled the rioters, Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone and Capitol Police Officer Harry Dunn, have been lobbying Republicans to support an independent commission and met with McCarthy on Friday. Afterward, they said they had asked McCarthy to denounce GOP comments downplaying the violence.In the absence of an independent commission, Fanone said he asked McCarthy for a commitment not to put “the wrong people” on the new select panel and that McCarthy said he would take it seriously. McCarthy's office did not respond to requests for comment on either the meeting or the legislation to form the select committee.The officers also asked McCarthy to denounce 21 Republicans who voted earlier this month against giving medals of honor to the U.S. Capitol Police and the Metropolitan Police to thank them for their service on Jan. 6. Dozens of those officers suffered injuries, including chemical burns, brain injuries and broken bones.McCarthy, who voted for the measure, told them he would deal with those members privately.Seven people died during and after the rioting, including Babbitt and three other Trump supporters who died of medical emergencies. Two police officers died by suicide in the days that followed, and a third officer, Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, collapsed and later died after engaging with the protesters. A medical examiner later determined he died of natural causes.

House to vote on bill launching investigation of Jan. 6 insurrection

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a Virginia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gavin-grimm-discrimination-virginia-gender-identity-us-supreme-court-68f298068a572f1faeb610a7e42c37c2">school board’s appeal</a>&nbsp;to reinstate its transgender bathroom ban.

Over two dissenting votes, the justices left in place lower court rulings that found the policy unconstitutional. The case involved former high school student Gavin Grimm, who filed a federal lawsuit after he was told he could not use the boys bathroom at his public high school. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas voted to hear the board’s appeal.

The Gloucester County, Virginia, school board’s policy required Grimm to use restrooms that corresponded with his biological sex — female — or private bathrooms.

Seven years ago, Grimm was barred from using the boys restroom when he was a 15-year-old student at Gloucester High School. He sued a year later, and his case has worked its way through the courts ever since.

After learning that the Supreme Court refused to hear the case, Grimm, now 22, said that his long court battle is over. “We won,” he tweeted. “Honored to have been part of this victory,” he added.

David Corrigan, an attorney for the school board, did not immediately respond to email and voice mail messages seeking comment.

In its petition asking the Supreme Court to hear the case, the school board argued that its bathroom policy poses a “pressing federal question of national importance.”

The board argued previously that federal laws protect against discrimination based on sex, not gender identity. Because Grimm had not undergone sex-reassignment surgery and still had female genitalia, the board’s position has been that he remained anatomically a female.

The American Civil Liberties Union, which represented Grimm in his yearslong lawsuit against Gloucester, argued that federal law makes it clear transgender students are protected from discrimination.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a Virginia&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gavin-grimm-discrimination-virginia-gender-identity-us-supreme-court-68f298068a572f1faeb610a7e42c37c2">school board’s appeal</a>&nbsp;to reinstate its transgender bathroom ban.Over two dissenting votes, the justices left in place lower court rulings that found the policy unconstitutional. The case involved former high school student Gavin Grimm, who filed a federal lawsuit after he was told he could not use the boys bathroom at his public high school. Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas voted to hear the board’s appeal.The Gloucester County, Virginia, school board’s policy required Grimm to use restrooms that corresponded with his biological sex — female — or private bathrooms.Seven years ago, Grimm was barred from using the boys restroom when he was a 15-year-old student at Gloucester High School. He sued a year later, and his case has worked its way through the courts ever since.After learning that the Supreme Court refused to hear the case, Grimm, now 22, said that his long court battle is over. “We won,” he tweeted. “Honored to have been part of this victory,” he added.David Corrigan, an attorney for the school board, did not immediately respond to email and voice mail messages seeking comment.In its petition asking the Supreme Court to hear the case, the school board argued that its bathroom policy poses a “pressing federal question of national importance.”The board argued previously that federal laws protect against discrimination based on sex, not gender identity. Because Grimm had not undergone sex-reassignment surgery and still had female genitalia, the board’s position has been that he remained anatomically a female.The American Civil Liberties Union, which represented Grimm in his yearslong lawsuit against Gloucester, argued that federal law makes it clear transgender students are protected from discrimination.

Transgender boy wins over school bathroom ban in Supreme Court

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. troops in eastern Syria came under rocket attack Monday, with no reported casualties, one day after U.S. Air Force planes carried out airstrikes near the Iraq-Syria border against what the Pentagon said were facilities used by Iran-backed militia groups to support drone strikes inside Iraq.

Iraq’s military condemned the U.S. airstrikes, and the militia groups called for revenge against the United States.

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said the militias were using the facilities to launch unmanned aerial vehicle attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq. It was the second time the administration has taken military action in the region since Biden took over earlier this year.

There was no indication that Sunday’s attacks were meant as the start of a wider, sustained U.S. air campaign in the border region. But a spokesman for the U.S. military mission based in Baghdad, Col. Wayne Marotto, wrote on Twitter Monday that at 7:44 p.m. local time “U.S. forces in Syria were attacked by multiple rockets.” He said there were no injuries and that attack damage was being assessed.

Marotto later tweeted that while under rocket attack, U.S. forces in Syria responded in self-defense with artillery fire at the rocket-launching positions.

Kirby said the U.S. military targeted three operational and weapons storage facilities — two in Syria and one in Iraq. In its release of videos of the strikes by Air Force F-15 and F-16 aircraft, the Pentagon described one target as a coordination center for the shipment and transfer of advanced conventional weapons.

Kirby said the airstrikes were “defensive,” saying they were launched in response to the attacks by militias.

“The United States took necessary, appropriate, and deliberate action designed to limit the risk of escalation — but also to send a clear and unambiguous deterrent message,” Kirby said.

The Pentagon said the facilities were used by Iran-backed militia factions, including Kata’ib Hezbollah and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada.

A Pentagon spokeswoman, Navy Cmdr. Jessica McNulty, said Monday that each strike hit its intended target and that the U.S. military was still assessing the results of the operation.

“The targets selected were facilities utilized by the network of Iran-backed militia groups responsible for the series of recent attacks against facilities housing U.S. personnel in Iraq,” McNulty said. She said those groups have conducted at least five such “one-way” drone attacks since April.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking to reporters in Rome on Monday, said Biden has been clear that the U.S. will act to protect American personnel.

“This action in self-defense to do what’s necessary to do to prevent further attacks, I think sends a very important and strong message. And I hope very much that it is received,” he said. “I think we’ve demonstrated with the actions taken last night and actions taken previously, that the president is fully prepared to act and act appropriately and deliberately to protect us.“

Two Iraqi militia officials told The Associated Press in Baghdad that four militiamen were killed in the airstrikes near the border with Syria. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to give statements. They said the first strike hit a weapons storage facility inside Syrian territory, where the militiamen were killed. The second strike hit the border strip.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based group that closely monitors the Syrian conflict through activists on the ground, reported that at least seven Iraqi militiamen were killed in the airstrikes.

The Iran-backed Iraqi militia factions vowed revenge for the attack and said in a joint statement they would continue to target U.S. forces. “We ... will avenge the blood of our righteous martyrs against the perpetrators of this heinous crime and with God’s help we will make the enemy taste the bitterness of revenge,” they said.

The Popular Mobilization Forces, an Iraqi state-sanctioned umbrella of mostly Shiite militias — including those targeted by the U.S. strikes — said their men were on missions to prevent infiltration by the Islamic State group and denied the presence of weapons warehouses.

Iraq’s military condemned the strikes as a “blatant and unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty and national security.” It called for avoiding escalation, but also rejected that Iraq be an “arena for settling accounts” — a reference to the U.S. and Iran. It represented rare condemnation by the Iraqi military of U.S. airstrikes.

In Iran, foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh accused the U.S. of creating instability in the region. “Definitely, what the U.S. is doing is disrupting the security of the region,” he said on Monday.

U.S. military officials have grown increasingly alarmed over drone strikes targeting U.S. military bases in Iraq, which became more common since a U.S.-directed drone killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani near the Baghdad airport last year. Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was also killed in the attack. The strike drew the ire of mostly Shiite Iraqi lawmakers and prompted parliament to pass a nonbinding resolution to pressure the Iraqi government to oust foreign troops from the country.

Sunday’s strikes mark the second time the Biden administration launched airstrikes along the Iraq-Syria border region. In February, the U.S. launched airstrikes against facilities in Syria, near the Iraqi border, that it said were used by Iranian-backed militia groups.

The Pentagon said those strikes were retaliation for a rocket attack in Iraq earlier that month that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition troops.

At that time, Biden said Iran should view his decision to authorize U.S. airstrikes in Syria as a warning that it can expect consequences for its support of militia groups that threaten U.S. interests or personnel.

“You can’t act with impunity. Be careful,” Biden said when a reporter asked what message he had intended to send.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624914054376.png" alt="Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said the militias were using the facilities to launch unmanned aerial vehicle attacks against U.S. troops-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said the militias were using the facilities to launch unmanned aerial vehicle attacks against U.S. troops-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. troops in eastern Syria came under rocket attack Monday, with no reported casualties, one day after U.S. Air Force planes carried out airstrikes near the Iraq-Syria border against what the Pentagon said were facilities used by Iran-backed militia groups to support drone strikes inside Iraq.Iraq’s military condemned the U.S. airstrikes, and the militia groups called for revenge against the United States.Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said the militias were using the facilities to launch unmanned aerial vehicle attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq. It was the second time the administration has taken military action in the region since Biden took over earlier this year.There was no indication that Sunday’s attacks were meant as the start of a wider, sustained U.S. air campaign in the border region. But a spokesman for the U.S. military mission based in Baghdad, Col. Wayne Marotto, wrote on Twitter Monday that at 7:44 p.m. local time “U.S. forces in Syria were attacked by multiple rockets.” He said there were no injuries and that attack damage was being assessed.Marotto later tweeted that while under rocket attack, U.S. forces in Syria responded in self-defense with artillery fire at the rocket-launching positions.Kirby said the U.S. military targeted three operational and weapons storage facilities — two in Syria and one in Iraq. In its release of videos of the strikes by Air Force F-15 and F-16 aircraft, the Pentagon described one target as a coordination center for the shipment and transfer of advanced conventional weapons.Kirby said the airstrikes were “defensive,” saying they were launched in response to the attacks by militias.“The United States took necessary, appropriate, and deliberate action designed to limit the risk of escalation — but also to send a clear and unambiguous deterrent message,” Kirby said.The Pentagon said the facilities were used by Iran-backed militia factions, including Kata’ib Hezbollah and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada.A Pentagon spokeswoman, Navy Cmdr. Jessica McNulty, said Monday that each strike hit its intended target and that the U.S. military was still assessing the results of the operation.“The targets selected were facilities utilized by the network of Iran-backed militia groups responsible for the series of recent attacks against facilities housing U.S. personnel in Iraq,” McNulty said. She said those groups have conducted at least five such “one-way” drone attacks since April.Secretary of State Antony Blinken, speaking to reporters in Rome on Monday, said Biden has been clear that the U.S. will act to protect American personnel.“This action in self-defense to do what’s necessary to do to prevent further attacks, I think sends a very important and strong message. And I hope very much that it is received,” he said. “I think we’ve demonstrated with the actions taken last night and actions taken previously, that the president is fully prepared to act and act appropriately and deliberately to protect us.“Two Iraqi militia officials told The Associated Press in Baghdad that four militiamen were killed in the airstrikes near the border with Syria. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to give statements. They said the first strike hit a weapons storage facility inside Syrian territory, where the militiamen were killed. The second strike hit the border strip.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based group that closely monitors the Syrian conflict through activists on the ground, reported that at least seven Iraqi militiamen were killed in the airstrikes.The Iran-backed Iraqi militia factions vowed revenge for the attack and said in a joint statement they would continue to target U.S. forces. “We ... will avenge the blood of our righteous martyrs against the perpetrators of this heinous crime and with God’s help we will make the enemy taste the bitterness of revenge,” they said.The Popular Mobilization Forces, an Iraqi state-sanctioned umbrella of mostly Shiite militias — including those targeted by the U.S. strikes — said their men were on missions to prevent infiltration by the Islamic State group and denied the presence of weapons warehouses.Iraq’s military condemned the strikes as a “blatant and unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty and national security.” It called for avoiding escalation, but also rejected that Iraq be an “arena for settling accounts” — a reference to the U.S. and Iran. It represented rare condemnation by the Iraqi military of U.S. airstrikes.In Iran, foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh accused the U.S. of creating instability in the region. “Definitely, what the U.S. is doing is disrupting the security of the region,” he said on Monday.U.S. military officials have grown increasingly alarmed over drone strikes targeting U.S. military bases in Iraq, which became more common since a U.S.-directed drone killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani near the Baghdad airport last year. Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was also killed in the attack. The strike drew the ire of mostly Shiite Iraqi lawmakers and prompted parliament to pass a nonbinding resolution to pressure the Iraqi government to oust foreign troops from the country.Sunday’s strikes mark the second time the Biden administration launched airstrikes along the Iraq-Syria border region. In February, the U.S. launched airstrikes against facilities in Syria, near the Iraqi border, that it said were used by Iranian-backed militia groups.The Pentagon said those strikes were retaliation for a rocket attack in Iraq earlier that month that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition troops.At that time, Biden said Iran should view his decision to authorize U.S. airstrikes in Syria as a warning that it can expect consequences for its support of militia groups that threaten U.S. interests or personnel.“You can’t act with impunity. Be careful,” Biden said when a reporter asked what message he had intended to send.___

US troops in Syria attacked after airstrikes on militias

SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP) — Rescue workers digging for a fifth day into the remnants of a collapsed Florida condo building stressed Monday that they could still find survivors in the rubble, a hope family members clung to even though no one has been pulled out alive since the first hours after the structure fell.

Another body was recovered overnight, bringing the confirmed death toll to 10. But more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-0c1be1e82c4bc6010515199513fc5a93">150 people</a>&nbsp;are still missing in Surfside. Their families&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-miami-surfside-condo-building-collapse-02507acd6f14d31ccfe8c42662b76532">rode buses</a>&nbsp;Sunday to a nearby site to watch the intense rescue effort, which included firefighters, sniffer dogs and search experts using radar and sonar devices.

Early Monday, a crane lifted a large slab of concrete from the debris pile, enabling about 30 rescuers in hard hats to move in and carry smaller pieces of debris into red buckets, which are emptied into a larger bin for a crane to remove. The work has been complicated by intermittent rain showers, but the fires that hampered the initial search have been extinguished.

Andy Alvarez, a deputy incident commander with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that rescuers have been able to find some voids inside the wreckage, mostly in the basement and the parking garage.

“We have over 80 rescuers at a time that are breaching the walls that collapsed, in a frantic effort to try to rescue those that are still viable and to get to those voids that we typically know exist in these buildings,” Alvarez said.

“We have been able to tunnel through the building,” Alvarez added. “This is a frantic search to seek that hope, that miracle, to see who we can bring out of this building alive.”

Others who have seen the wreckage up close were daunted by the task ahead. Alfredo Lopez, who lived with his wife in a sixth-floor corner apartment and narrowly escaped, said he finds it hard to believe anyone is alive in the rubble.

“If you saw what I saw: nothingness. And then, you go over there and you see, like, all the rubble. How can somebody survive that?” Lopez told The Associated Press.

Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Nachman Shai, head of a humanitarian delegation from Israel that includes several search-and-rescue experts, said professionals have told him of cases where survivors were found after 100 hours or more.

“So don’t lose hope, that’s what I would say,” he said.

Some families had hoped their visit to the site near the 12-story building would enable them to shout messages to loved ones possibly buried inside the pile. As they returned to a nearby hotel, several paused to embrace as they got off the bus. Others walked slowly with arms around each other back to the hotel entrance.

“We are just waiting for answers. That’s what we want,” said Dianne Ohayon, whose parents, Myriam and Arnie Notkin, were in the building. “It’s hard to go through these long days and we haven’t gotten any answers yet.”

The building collapsed just days before a deadline for condo owners to start making steep payments toward more than $9 million in repairs that had been recommended nearly three years earlier, in a report that warned of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-building-collapses-technology-ef5b013114b766b7ed1e88a5b27c501f">“major structural damage.”</a>

Authorities on Sunday identified the additional four people who have been recovered as Leon Oliwkowicz, 80, and his wife, Christina Beatriz Elvira Oliwkowicz, 74; and Ana Ortiz, 46, and her son Luis Bermudez, 26. The number of people left unaccounted for was 152.

Miami-Dade Assistant Fire Chief Raide Jadallah explained that conditions at the site have frustrated crews looking for survivors. Alan Cominsky, chief of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department, said his team must move slowly and methodically.

“The debris field is scattered throughout, and it’s compact, extremely compact,” he said, noting that teams must stabilize and shore up debris as they go.

“We can’t just go in and move things erratically, because that’s going to have the worst outcome possible,” he said.

Among the tools rescuers used was a microwave radar device developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab and the Department of Homeland Security that “sees” through up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) of solid concrete, according to Adrian Garulay, CEO of Spec Ops Group, which sells them. The suitcase-size device can detect human respiration and heartbeats and was being deployed Sunday by a seven-member search-and-rescue team from Mexico’s Jewish community.

Six to eight teams are actively searching the pile at any given time, with hundreds of team members on standby ready to rotate in. Teams have worked around the clock since Thursday, said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.

Crews spent Saturday night digging a trench that stretches 125 feet long, 20 feet across and 40 feet deep (38 meters long, 6 meters across and 12 meters deep), which, she said, allowed them to find more bodies and human remains.

Earl Tilton, who runs a search-and-rescue consulting firm in North Carolina, said rushing into the rubble without careful planning and execution could injure or kill rescuers and the people they are trying to save.

“Moving the wrong piece of debris at the wrong time could cause it to fall” on workers and crush them, he said.

But Tilton agreed that families were not wrong to hold out hope. During past urban rescues, he said, rescuers have found survivors as long as a week past the initial catastrophe.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624902613147.png" alt="Photo Miami Dade County Fire and Rescue" />
 <figcaption>Photo Miami Dade County Fire and Rescue</figcaption>
 </figure>SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP) — Rescue workers digging for a fifth day into the remnants of a collapsed Florida condo building stressed Monday that they could still find survivors in the rubble, a hope family members clung to even though no one has been pulled out alive since the first hours after the structure fell.Another body was recovered overnight, bringing the confirmed death toll to 10. But more than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-0c1be1e82c4bc6010515199513fc5a93">150 people</a>&nbsp;are still missing in Surfside. Their families&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-miami-surfside-condo-building-collapse-02507acd6f14d31ccfe8c42662b76532">rode buses</a>&nbsp;Sunday to a nearby site to watch the intense rescue effort, which included firefighters, sniffer dogs and search experts using radar and sonar devices.Early Monday, a crane lifted a large slab of concrete from the debris pile, enabling about 30 rescuers in hard hats to move in and carry smaller pieces of debris into red buckets, which are emptied into a larger bin for a crane to remove. The work has been complicated by intermittent rain showers, but the fires that hampered the initial search have been extinguished.Andy Alvarez, a deputy incident commander with Miami-Dade Fire Rescue, told ABC’s “Good Morning America” that rescuers have been able to find some voids inside the wreckage, mostly in the basement and the parking garage.“We have over 80 rescuers at a time that are breaching the walls that collapsed, in a frantic effort to try to rescue those that are still viable and to get to those voids that we typically know exist in these buildings,” Alvarez said.“We have been able to tunnel through the building,” Alvarez added. “This is a frantic search to seek that hope, that miracle, to see who we can bring out of this building alive.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624626672386.png" alt="Photo Miami Dade County Fire and Rescue" />
 <figcaption>Photo Miami Dade County Fire and Rescue</figcaption>
 </figure>Others who have seen the wreckage up close were daunted by the task ahead. Alfredo Lopez, who lived with his wife in a sixth-floor corner apartment and narrowly escaped, said he finds it hard to believe anyone is alive in the rubble.“If you saw what I saw: nothingness. And then, you go over there and you see, like, all the rubble. How can somebody survive that?” Lopez told The Associated Press.Israeli Diaspora Affairs Minister Nachman Shai, head of a humanitarian delegation from Israel that includes several search-and-rescue experts, said professionals have told him of cases where survivors were found after 100 hours or more.“So don’t lose hope, that’s what I would say,” he said.Some families had hoped their visit to the site near the 12-story building would enable them to shout messages to loved ones possibly buried inside the pile. As they returned to a nearby hotel, several paused to embrace as they got off the bus. Others walked slowly with arms around each other back to the hotel entrance.“We are just waiting for answers. That’s what we want,” said Dianne Ohayon, whose parents, Myriam and Arnie Notkin, were in the building. “It’s hard to go through these long days and we haven’t gotten any answers yet.”The building collapsed just days before a deadline for condo owners to start making steep payments toward more than $9 million in repairs that had been recommended nearly three years earlier, in a report that warned of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-building-collapses-technology-ef5b013114b766b7ed1e88a5b27c501f">“major structural damage.”</a>Authorities on Sunday identified the additional four people who have been recovered as Leon Oliwkowicz, 80, and his wife, Christina Beatriz Elvira Oliwkowicz, 74; and Ana Ortiz, 46, and her son Luis Bermudez, 26. The number of people left unaccounted for was 152.Miami-Dade Assistant Fire Chief Raide Jadallah explained that conditions at the site have frustrated crews looking for survivors. Alan Cominsky, chief of the Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Department, said his team must move slowly and methodically.“The debris field is scattered throughout, and it’s compact, extremely compact,” he said, noting that teams must stabilize and shore up debris as they go.“We can’t just go in and move things erratically, because that’s going to have the worst outcome possible,” he said.Among the tools rescuers used was a microwave radar device developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab and the Department of Homeland Security that “sees” through up to 8 inches (20 centimeters) of solid concrete, according to Adrian Garulay, CEO of Spec Ops Group, which sells them. The suitcase-size device can detect human respiration and heartbeats and was being deployed Sunday by a seven-member search-and-rescue team from Mexico’s Jewish community.Six to eight teams are actively searching the pile at any given time, with hundreds of team members on standby ready to rotate in. Teams have worked around the clock since Thursday, said Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava.Crews spent Saturday night digging a trench that stretches 125 feet long, 20 feet across and 40 feet deep (38 meters long, 6 meters across and 12 meters deep), which, she said, allowed them to find more bodies and human remains.Earl Tilton, who runs a search-and-rescue consulting firm in North Carolina, said rushing into the rubble without careful planning and execution could injure or kill rescuers and the people they are trying to save.“Moving the wrong piece of debris at the wrong time could cause it to fall” on workers and crush them, he said.But Tilton agreed that families were not wrong to hold out hope. During past urban rescues, he said, rescuers have found survivors as long as a week past the initial catastrophe.

Rescuers: Survivors could still be inside collapsed Florida condo

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska will formally end its coronavirus emergency this week, even though rural parts of the state continue to lag behind larger cities in vaccinations.&nbsp; Gov. Pete Ricketts says he will let the state’s current virus emergency expire as scheduled on Wednesday along with its remaining social-distancing guidelines that were made mandatory earlier in the pandemic.&nbsp; Ricketts says he also expects all schools to be open for in-person learning this fall without imposing any mask or vaccination requirements.&nbsp; The Governor's&nbsp; comments came as the number of virus-related hospitalizations dropped to 27 on Sunday after more than a month of declines.&nbsp; Still, Nebraska continues to show a wide disparity in vaccination rates between urban and rural areas.

By: Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska will formally end its coronavirus emergency this week, even though rural parts of the state continue to lag behind larger cities in vaccinations.&nbsp; Gov. Pete Ricketts says he will let the state’s current virus emergency expire as scheduled on Wednesday along with its remaining social-distancing guidelines that were made mandatory earlier in the pandemic.&nbsp; Ricketts says he also expects all schools to be open for in-person learning this fall without imposing any mask or vaccination requirements.&nbsp; The Governor's&nbsp; comments came as the number of virus-related hospitalizations dropped to 27 on Sunday after more than a month of declines.&nbsp; Still, Nebraska continues to show a wide disparity in vaccination rates between urban and rural areas.

State virus emergency to end despite rural vaccination lag

Americans urged to watch out for tax scams during the pandemic

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today began its "Dirty 
Dozen" list for 2021 with a warning for taxpayers, tax professionals and
 financial institutions to be on the lookout for these 12 nefarious 
schemes and scams.

This year's "Dirty Dozen" will be separated into four separate categories:

The agency compiled the list into these categories based on who 
perpetuates the schemes and who they impact. In addition to today's 
scams the IRS will highlight the other schemes over the next three days.

The IRS urges all taxpayers to be on guard, especially during the 
pandemic, not only for themselves, but also for other people in their 
lives.

"We continue to see scam artists use the pandemic to steal money and 
information from honest taxpayers in a time of crisis," said IRS 
Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "We provide this list to alert taxpayers 
about common scams that fraudsters use against their victims. At the 
IRS, we are dedicated to stopping these criminals, but it's up to all of
 us to remain vigilant to protect ourselves and our families."

Taxpayers are encouraged to review the "Dirty Dozen: list in a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/dirty-dozen">special section</a> on IRS.gov and should be alert to these scams during tax filing season and throughout the year.

A continuing threat to individuals is from identity thieves who try 
to steal Economic Impact Payments (EIPs), also known as stimulus 
payments. Most eligible people will get their payments automatically 
from the IRS. Taxpayers should watch out for these tell-tale signs of a 
scam:

Taxpayers should remember that the IRS website, IRS.gov, is the 
agency's official website for information on payments, refunds and other
 tax information.

Unemployment fraud leading to inaccurate taxpayer 1099-Gs

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many taxpayers lost their jobs and 
received unemployment compensation from their state. However, scammers 
also took advantage of the pandemic by filing fraudulent claims for 
unemployment compensation using stolen personal information of 
individuals who had not filed claims. Payments made on these fraudulent 
claims went to the identity thieves.

The IRS reminds taxpayers to be on the lookout for receiving a Form 
1099-G reporting unemployment compensation that they didn't receive. For
 people in this situation, the IRS urges them to contact their 
appropriate state agency for a corrected form. If a corrected form 
cannot be obtained so that a taxpayer can file a timely tax return, 
taxpayers should complete their return claiming only the unemployment 
compensation and other income they actually received. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/identity-theft-and-unemployment-benefits">Identity Theft and Unemployment Benefits</a> for tax details and <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/UIIDtheft">DOL.gov/fraud</a> for state-by-state reporting information.

Additional protection to help protect taxpayers

IRS makes IP PINs available to all taxpayers – adding another layer of security

To help taxpayers avoid identity theft, the IRS this year made its <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/all-taxpayers-now-eligible-for-identity-protection-pins">Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN)</a>
 program available to all taxpayers. Previously it was available only to
 victims of ID theft or taxpayers in certain states. The IP PIN is a 
six-digit code known only to the taxpayer and to the IRS. It helps 
prevent identity thieves from filing fraudulent tax returns using a 
taxpayer's personally identifiable information.

Using an IP PIN is, in essence, a way to lock a tax account. The IP 
PIN serves as the key to opening that account. Electronic returns that 
do not contain the correct IP PIN will be rejected and paper returns 
will go through additional scrutiny for fraud.

The IRS and its <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/security-summit">Security Summit</a>
 partners in the states and the private-sector tax community have made 
changes to help reduce identity theft-related refund fraud that are 
noticeable to the average person filing a return:

It is important for taxpayers filing in 2021 to know that online tax 
software products available to both taxpayers and tax professionals will
 contain options for multi-factor authentication. Multi-factor 
authentication allows users to better protect online accounts. One way 
this is accomplished is by requiring a security code sent to a mobile 
phone in addition to the username and password used to access the 
account.

The IRS and its Security Summit partners have formed an information 
sharing center that allows them to quickly identify emerging scams and 
react to protect taxpayers. The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/2020-information-sharing-and-analysis-center-isac-annual-report.pdf">Identity Theft Tax Refund Fraud Information Sharing and Analysis Center&nbsp;PDF</a> is now operational.

Also, check out our recent <a href="https://www.irs.gov/about-irs/when-it-comes-to-tax-scams-knowledge-is-power">A Closer Look column</a> for more on how to be vigilant about tax scams. Visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-central">Identity Theft Central</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/tax-fraud-alerts">Tax Fraud Alerts</a> for more information on how to protect against or report identity theft or fraud.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Americans urged to watch out for tax scams during the pandemic</h2>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today began its "Dirty 
Dozen" list for 2021 with a warning for taxpayers, tax professionals and
 financial institutions to be on the lookout for these 12 nefarious 
schemes and scams.This year's "Dirty Dozen" will be separated into four separate categories:<ul>
 <li>pandemic-related scams like Economic Impact Payment theft;</li><li>personal information cons including phishing, ransomware and phone "vishing;"</li><li>ruses focusing on unsuspecting victims like fake charities and senior/immigrant fraud; and</li><li>schemes that persuade taxpayers into unscrupulous actions such as Offer In Compromise mills and syndicated conservation easements.</li>
 </ul>The agency compiled the list into these categories based on who 
perpetuates the schemes and who they impact. In addition to today's 
scams the IRS will highlight the other schemes over the next three days.The IRS urges all taxpayers to be on guard, especially during the 
pandemic, not only for themselves, but also for other people in their 
lives."We continue to see scam artists use the pandemic to steal money and 
information from honest taxpayers in a time of crisis," said IRS 
Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "We provide this list to alert taxpayers 
about common scams that fraudsters use against their victims. At the 
IRS, we are dedicated to stopping these criminals, but it's up to all of
 us to remain vigilant to protect ourselves and our families."Taxpayers are encouraged to review the "Dirty Dozen: list in a <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/dirty-dozen">special section</a> on IRS.gov and should be alert to these scams during tax filing season and throughout the year.<h2>Economic Impact Payment theft</h2>A continuing threat to individuals is from identity thieves who try 
to steal Economic Impact Payments (EIPs), also known as stimulus 
payments. Most eligible people will get their payments automatically 
from the IRS. Taxpayers should watch out for these tell-tale signs of a 
scam:<ul>
 <li>Any text messages, random incoming phone calls or emails 
inquiring about bank account information or requesting recipients to 
click a link or verify data should be considered suspicious and deleted 
without opening.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>Be alert to mailbox theft. Frequently check mail and report suspected mail losses to <a href="https://www.uspis.gov/">Postal Inspectors</a>.</li><li>Don't fall for stimulus check scams. The IRS won't initiate contact
 by phone, email, text or social media asking for Social Security 
numbers or other personal or financial information related to Economic 
Impact Payments.</li>
 </ul>Taxpayers should remember that the IRS website, IRS.gov, is the 
agency's official website for information on payments, refunds and other
 tax information.<h2>Unemployment fraud leading to inaccurate taxpayer 1099-Gs</h2>Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many taxpayers lost their jobs and 
received unemployment compensation from their state. However, scammers 
also took advantage of the pandemic by filing fraudulent claims for 
unemployment compensation using stolen personal information of 
individuals who had not filed claims. Payments made on these fraudulent 
claims went to the identity thieves.The IRS reminds taxpayers to be on the lookout for receiving a Form 
1099-G reporting unemployment compensation that they didn't receive. For
 people in this situation, the IRS urges them to contact their 
appropriate state agency for a corrected form. If a corrected form 
cannot be obtained so that a taxpayer can file a timely tax return, 
taxpayers should complete their return claiming only the unemployment 
compensation and other income they actually received. See <a href="https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/identity-theft-and-unemployment-benefits">Identity Theft and Unemployment Benefits</a> for tax details and <a href="https://www.dol.gov/agencies/eta/UIIDtheft">DOL.gov/fraud</a> for state-by-state reporting information.<h2>Additional protection to help protect taxpayers</h2><h2>IRS makes IP PINs available to all taxpayers – adding another layer of security</h2>To help taxpayers avoid identity theft, the IRS this year made its <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/all-taxpayers-now-eligible-for-identity-protection-pins">Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN)</a>
 program available to all taxpayers. Previously it was available only to
 victims of ID theft or taxpayers in certain states. The IP PIN is a 
six-digit code known only to the taxpayer and to the IRS. It helps 
prevent identity thieves from filing fraudulent tax returns using a 
taxpayer's personally identifiable information.Using an IP PIN is, in essence, a way to lock a tax account. The IP 
PIN serves as the key to opening that account. Electronic returns that 
do not contain the correct IP PIN will be rejected and paper returns 
will go through additional scrutiny for fraud.<h2>Reducing fraud</h2>The IRS and its <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/security-summit">Security Summit</a>
 partners in the states and the private-sector tax community have made 
changes to help reduce identity theft-related refund fraud that are 
noticeable to the average person filing a return:<ul>
 <li>Tax software providers agreed to strengthen password protocols. 
This is the first line of defense for these companies to make sure their
 products are secure.</li><li>State tax agencies began asking for taxpayers' driver's license numbers as another way for people to prove their identities.</li><li>The IRS limited the number of tax refunds going to financial accounts or addresses.</li><li>The IRS masked personal information from tax transcripts.</li>
 </ul><h2>Multi-factor authentication can help</h2>It is important for taxpayers filing in 2021 to know that online tax 
software products available to both taxpayers and tax professionals will
 contain options for multi-factor authentication. Multi-factor 
authentication allows users to better protect online accounts. One way 
this is accomplished is by requiring a security code sent to a mobile 
phone in addition to the username and password used to access the 
account.The IRS and its Security Summit partners have formed an information 
sharing center that allows them to quickly identify emerging scams and 
react to protect taxpayers. The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-utl/2020-information-sharing-and-analysis-center-isac-annual-report.pdf">Identity Theft Tax Refund Fraud Information Sharing and Analysis Center&nbsp;PDF</a> is now operational.Also, check out our recent <a href="https://www.irs.gov/about-irs/when-it-comes-to-tax-scams-knowledge-is-power">A Closer Look column</a> for more on how to be vigilant about tax scams. Visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-central">Identity Theft Central</a> and <a href="https://www.irs.gov/compliance/criminal-investigation/tax-fraud-alerts">Tax Fraud Alerts</a> for more information on how to protect against or report identity theft or fraud.

IRS announces 'Dirty Dozen' tax scams for 2021

GREENWOOD, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska State Patrol says one person was killed in a weekend crash along Interstate 80 in eastern Nebraska. Investigators say the crash happened around 2:30 p.m. Saturday, when a westbound sport utility vehicle went off the interstate and crashed in a creek near the Greenwood exit. First responders sent to the crash site attempted to save the driver's life, but he died at the scene. Authorities have not released the man's name.

GREENWOOD, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska State Patrol says one person was killed in a weekend crash along Interstate 80 in eastern Nebraska. Investigators say the crash happened around 2:30 p.m. Saturday, when a westbound sport utility vehicle went off the interstate and crashed in a creek near the Greenwood exit. First responders sent to the crash site attempted to save the driver's life, but he died at the scene. Authorities have not released the man's name.

Patrol: 1 person killed in I-80 crash in eastern Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska health officials are continuing to work to persuade residents of rural parts of the state, where coronavirus vaccination rates remain low, to get their shots. The Omaha World-Herald reports that vaccination rates in the state’s rural counties tend to lag far behind the rates in the state’s urban counties. Only about 40% of the adults in rural parts of Nebraska are fully vaccinated compared with more than 60% of those living in the state’s metropolitan areas. As part of the effort to reach rural areas. state health officials plan to participate in a forum hosted by the Center for Rural Affairs on Tuesday.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska health officials are continuing to work to persuade residents of rural parts of the state, where coronavirus vaccination rates remain low, to get their shots. The Omaha World-Herald reports that vaccination rates in the state’s rural counties tend to lag far behind the rates in the state’s urban counties. Only about 40% of the adults in rural parts of Nebraska are fully vaccinated compared with more than 60% of those living in the state’s metropolitan areas. As part of the effort to reach rural areas. state health officials plan to participate in a forum hosted by the Center for Rural Affairs on Tuesday.

Virus vaccination rates in rural Nebraska lag behind cities

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military, under the direction of President Joe Biden, carried out airstrikes against what it said were “facilities used by Iran-backed militia groups” near the border between Iraq and Syria, drawing condemnation from Iraq’s military and calls for revenge by the militias.

Pentagon Press <a href="https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2672875/statement-by-the-department-of-defense/utm_source/hootsuite/">Secretary John Kirby said </a>the militias were using the facilities to launch unmanned aerial vehicle attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq. It was the second time the Biden administration has taken military action in the region since he took over earlier this year.

Kirby said the U.S. military targeted three operational and weapons storage facilities on Sunday night — two in Syria and one in Iraq.

He described the airstrikes as “defensive,” saying they were launched in response to the attacks by militias.

In Iran, foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh accused the U.S. of creating instability in the region.

“Definitely, what the U.S. is doing is disrupting the security of the region,” he said on Monday.

On Sunday, Kirby said Biden “has been clear that he will act to protect U.S. personnel. Given the ongoing series of attacks by Iran-backed groups targeting U.S. interests in Iraq, the President directed further military action to disrupt and deter such attacks.”

The Pentagon spokesman added: “As a matter of international law, the United States acted pursuant to its right of self-defense. The strikes were both necessary to address the threat and appropriately limited in scope.”

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement Sunday that the U.S. airstrikes “appear to be a targeted and proportional response to a serious and specific threat,” adding, “Protecting the military heroes who defend our freedoms is a sacred priority.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military, under the direction of President Joe Biden, carried out airstrikes against what it said were “facilities used by Iran-backed militia groups” near the border between Iraq and Syria, drawing condemnation from Iraq’s military and calls for revenge by the militias.Pentagon Press <a href="https://www.defense.gov/Newsroom/Releases/Release/Article/2672875/statement-by-the-department-of-defense/utm_source/hootsuite/">Secretary John Kirby said </a>the militias were using the facilities to launch unmanned aerial vehicle attacks against U.S. troops in Iraq. It was the second time the Biden administration has taken military action in the region since he took over earlier this year.Kirby said the U.S. military targeted three operational and weapons storage facilities on Sunday night — two in Syria and one in Iraq.He described the airstrikes as “defensive,” saying they were launched in response to the attacks by militias.“The United States took necessary, appropriate, and deliberate action designed to limit the risk of escalation — but also to send a clear and unambiguous deterrent message,” Kirby said.The Pentagon said the facilities were used by Iran-backed militia factions, including Kata’ib Hezbollah and Kata’ib Sayyid al-Shuhada.Two Iraqi militia officials told The Associated Press in Baghdad that four militiamen were killed in the airstrikes near the border with Syria. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to give statements. They said the first strike hit a weapons storage facility inside Syrian territory, where the militiamen were killed. The second strike hit the border strip.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a Britain-based group that closely monitors the Syrian conflict through activists on the ground, reported that at least seven Iraqi militiamen were killed in the airstrikes.The Iran-backed Iraqi militia factions vowed revenge for the attack and said in a joint statement they would continue to target U.S. forces. “We ... will avenge the blood of our righteous martyrs against the perpetrators of this heinous crime and with God’s help we will make the enemy taste the bitterness of revenge,” they said.The Popular Mobilization Forces, an Iraqi state-sanctioned umbrella of mostly Shiite militias — including those targeted by the U.S. strikes — said their men were on missions to prevent infiltration by the Islamic State group and denied the presence of weapons warehouses.Iraq’s military condemned the strikes as a “blatant and unacceptable violation of Iraqi sovereignty and national security.” It called for avoiding escalation, but also rejected that Iraq be an “arena for settling accounts” — a reference to the U.S. and Iran. It represented rare condemnation by the Iraqi military of U.S. airstrikes.In Iran, foreign ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh accused the U.S. of creating instability in the region.“Definitely, what the U.S. is doing is disrupting the security of the region,” he said on Monday.U.S. military officials have grown increasingly alarmed over drone strikes targeting U.S. military bases in Iraq, which became more common since a U.S.-directed drone killed Iranian Gen. Qassem Soleimani near the Baghdad airport last year. Iraqi militia leader Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis was also killed in the attack. The strike drew the ire of mostly Shiite Iraqi lawmakers and prompted parliament to pass a nonbinding resolution to pressure the Iraqi government to oust foreign troops from the country.Sunday’s strikes mark the second time the Biden administration launched airstrikes along the Iraq-Syria border region. In February, the U.S. launched airstrikes against facilities in Syria, near the Iraqi border, that it said were used by Iranian-backed militia groups.The Pentagon said those strikes were retaliation for a rocket attack in Iraq earlier that month that killed one civilian contractor and wounded a U.S. service member and other coalition troops.At that time, Biden said Iran should view his decision to authorize U.S. airstrikes in Syria as a warning that it can expect consequences for its support of militia groups that threaten U.S. interests or personnel.“You can’t act with impunity. Be careful,” Biden said when a reporter asked what message he had intended to send.On Sunday, Kirby said Biden “has been clear that he will act to protect U.S. personnel. Given the ongoing series of attacks by Iran-backed groups targeting U.S. interests in Iraq, the President directed further military action to disrupt and deter such attacks.”The Pentagon spokesman added: “As a matter of international law, the United States acted pursuant to its right of self-defense. The strikes were both necessary to address the threat and appropriately limited in scope.”House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a statement Sunday that the U.S. airstrikes “appear to be a targeted and proportional response to a serious and specific threat,” adding, “Protecting the military heroes who defend our freedoms is a sacred priority.”

US airstrikes target Iran-backed militias in Syria, Iraq

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and a bipartisan group of senators have reached an agreement to significantly boost infrastructure spending, though considerable hurdles remain before the blueprint unveiled becomes reality.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?512941-1/president-biden-remarks-infrastructure-legislation">Click here to watch</a> the President's comments on the agreement

The White House says the agreement calls for about $579 billion in new spending over the next five years for roads, bridges, public transit and other public works. Add on what the federal government is currently projected to spend on those items, and the total comes to about $973 billion over five years.

Here’s a look at where those dollars would go and what changes lawmakers would make to pay for the new spending.

The agreement calls for a $109 billion boost for roads and bridges. It’s the biggest line item in the plan, but to put that in perspective, the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that the country has a $786 billion backlog of road and bridge capital needs.

The next largest line items in the transportation arena are $66 billion for freight and passenger rail, $49 billion for public transit systems and $25 billion for airports. Biden regularly rode Amtrak between Washington and his home in Wilmington, Delaware, during his 36 years as a senator and has proposed a big increase in federal money for the rail service.

Supporters say that increased use of public transit and rail would reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To speed up the use of electric vehicles, the plan also calls for $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging stations.

Along with transportation, the plan also looks to boost funding by about $73 billion for a broader network of transmission lines to deliver electricity from solar and wind power to homes and businesses across the county. There’s also $65 billion to enhance broadband access and $55 billion for improvements to the nation’s drinking water and wastewater systems.

Biden didn’t want to increase the user fees typically used to fund highways and transit, the federal gas and diesel tax. Republicans didn’t want to raise corporate taxes. The result was a scramble for cash. Lawmakers propose paying for the bill by pulling dollars from existing programs, cracking down on tax dodgers, auctioning spectrum for 5G services and at least one reliable stand-by for Congress, selling off some of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.

Lawmakers, according to a document from Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, are projecting that spending an additional $40 billion on the IRS would generate about $140 billion in additional federal revenue through audits and improved customer service. The agency was hit with budget cuts that began about a decade ago, shrinking the staff and the number of audits it performed.

Another big revenue raiser would come from clawing back unused COVID relief funds, $80 billion, plus recouping some of the supplemental unemployment insurance provided for in this year’s COVID relief bill, $25 billion. Dozens of states have rejected the $300 weekly benefit the federal government is temporarily providing, claiming that the payment stops people from returning to the workforce.

Lawmakers are also estimating they can raise $65 billion in spectrum auctions for 5G services and $72 billion by improving the integrity of the state unemployment insurance systems. Fraud perpetrators, sometimes in China, Nigeria or Russia, have bought stolen personal identifying information on the dark web and have flooded state unemployment systems with bogus claims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624844494624.png" alt="<a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?josephbiden">President Biden&nbsp;</a>delivered remarks on a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption><a href="https://www.c-span.org/person/?josephbiden">President Biden&nbsp;</a>delivered remarks on a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure deal-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden and a bipartisan group of senators have reached an agreement to significantly boost infrastructure spending, though considerable hurdles remain before the blueprint unveiled becomes reality.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?512941-1/president-biden-remarks-infrastructure-legislation">Click here to watch</a> the President's comments on the agreementThe White House says the agreement calls for about $579 billion in new spending over the next five years for roads, bridges, public transit and other public works. Add on what the federal government is currently projected to spend on those items, and the total comes to about $973 billion over five years.Here’s a look at where those dollars would go and what changes lawmakers would make to pay for the new spending.THE BIGGEST EXPENSES:The agreement calls for a $109 billion boost for roads and bridges. It’s the biggest line item in the plan, but to put that in perspective, the American Society of Civil Engineers estimates that the country has a $786 billion backlog of road and bridge capital needs.The next largest line items in the transportation arena are $66 billion for freight and passenger rail, $49 billion for public transit systems and $25 billion for airports. Biden regularly rode Amtrak between Washington and his home in Wilmington, Delaware, during his 36 years as a senator and has proposed a big increase in federal money for the rail service.Supporters say that increased use of public transit and rail would reduce greenhouse gas emissions. To speed up the use of electric vehicles, the plan also calls for $7.5 billion for electric vehicle charging stations.Along with transportation, the plan also looks to boost funding by about $73 billion for a broader network of transmission lines to deliver electricity from solar and wind power to homes and businesses across the county. There’s also $65 billion to enhance broadband access and $55 billion for improvements to the nation’s drinking water and wastewater systems.THE BIGGEST PAY-FORS:Biden didn’t want to increase the user fees typically used to fund highways and transit, the federal gas and diesel tax. Republicans didn’t want to raise corporate taxes. The result was a scramble for cash. Lawmakers propose paying for the bill by pulling dollars from existing programs, cracking down on tax dodgers, auctioning spectrum for 5G services and at least one reliable stand-by for Congress, selling off some of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve.Lawmakers, according to a document from Sen. Rob Portman, R-Ohio, are projecting that spending an additional $40 billion on the IRS would generate about $140 billion in additional federal revenue through audits and improved customer service. The agency was hit with budget cuts that began about a decade ago, shrinking the staff and the number of audits it performed.Another big revenue raiser would come from clawing back unused COVID relief funds, $80 billion, plus recouping some of the supplemental unemployment insurance provided for in this year’s COVID relief bill, $25 billion. Dozens of states have rejected the $300 weekly benefit the federal government is temporarily providing, claiming that the payment stops people from returning to the workforce.Lawmakers are also estimating they can raise $65 billion in spectrum auctions for 5G services and $72 billion by improving the integrity of the state unemployment insurance systems. Fraud perpetrators, sometimes in China, Nigeria or Russia, have bought stolen personal identifying information on the dark web and have flooded state unemployment systems with bogus claims.

🎥 What the $1.2T bipartisan infrastructure agreement includes

WICHITA, KAN. – Richard H. Adams, IV, 29, was sentenced to 12-years in prison after pleading guilty to Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, a Class A felony, according to the United State's Attorney.

In 2019, a state trooper pulled Adams over in Nebraska for speeding, according to court documents.

A search of the vehicle yielded the discovery of what was later determined to be at least 2,200 grams of methamphetamine. Troopers also found two loaded firearms belonging to Adams and $11,300 in U.S. currency. Adams admitted he planned to transport the methamphetamine to Wichita, Kansas, for distribution.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624389877712.png" alt="Adams is being held in Butler County" />
 <figcaption>Adams is being held in Butler County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – Richard H. Adams, IV, 29, was sentenced to 12-years in prison after pleading guilty to Possession with the Intent to Distribute Methamphetamine, a Class A felony, according to the United State's Attorney.In 2019, a state trooper pulled Adams over in Nebraska for speeding, according to court documents.A search of the vehicle yielded the discovery of what was later determined to be at least 2,200 grams of methamphetamine. Troopers also found two loaded firearms belonging to Adams and $11,300 in U.S. currency. Adams admitted he planned to transport the methamphetamine to Wichita, Kansas, for distribution.

Suspect was transporting meth for distribution in Kansas

WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department
 released information today detailing how many people in each state 
received the third round of Economic Impact Payments through early June.

The new details, available at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/statistics/soi-tax-stats-coronavirus-aid-relief-and-economic-security-act-cares-act-statistics#EIP3#EIP3">SOI Tax Stats - Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) Statistics</a>, are through June 3 and provide a look at the number of payments by <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/20in02eip3.xls">state&nbsp;XLS</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/20in01eip3.xls">income category&nbsp;XLS</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/20in03eip3.xls">filing status&nbsp;XLS</a> and other features.

The IRS continues to distribute Economic Impact Payments and the related <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>
 on a weekly basis as people continue to file income tax returns and as 
returns are processed. Ongoing payments will be sent to eligible 
individuals for whom the IRS previously did not have information to 
issue a payment but who recently filed a tax return, as well to people 
who qualify for "plus-up" payments.

The statistics released today provide details on more than 163 million payments worth approximately $390 billion.

Special reminder for those who don't normally file a tax return

Although payments are automatic for most people, the IRS continues to
 urge people who don't normally file a tax return and haven't received 
Economic Impact Payments to file a 2020 tax return to get all the 
benefits they're entitled to under the law, including tax credits such 
as the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>,
 the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Filing a 2020 
tax return will also assist the IRS in determining whether someone is 
eligible for an advance payment of the 2021 Child Tax Credit, which will
 begin to be disbursed this summer.

For example, some federal benefits recipients may need to file a 2020
 tax return – even if they don't usually file – to provide information 
the IRS needs to send payments for a qualifying dependent. Eligible 
individuals in this group should file a 2020 tax return as quickly as 
possible to be considered for an additional payment for their qualifying
 dependents.

People who don't normally have an obligation to file a tax return and
 don't receive federal benefits may qualify for these Economic Impact 
Payments. This includes those experiencing <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/those-experiencing-homelessness-can-get-economic-impact-payments-and-other-tax-benefits-permanent-address-not-required">homelessness</a>
 and others. Individuals who didn't get a first or second round Economic
 Impact Payment or got less than the full amounts may be eligible for 
the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>, but they'll need to file a 2020 tax return. See the special section on IRS.gov: <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-topic-a-claiming-the-recovery-rebate-credit-if-you-arent-required-to-file-a-tax-return">Claiming the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit if you aren't required to file a tax return</a>.

Free <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">tax return preparation</a> is available for qualifying people.

The IRS reminds taxpayers that the income levels in this third round 
of Economic Impact Payments have changed. This means that some people 
won't be eligible for the third payment even if they received a first or
 second Economic Impact Payment or claimed a 2020 Recovery Rebate 
Credit. Payments will begin to be reduced for individuals making $75,000
 or above in Adjusted Gross Income ($150,000 for married filing 
jointly). The payments end at $80,000 for individuals ($160,000 for 
married filing jointly); people with Adjusted Gross Incomes above these 
levels are ineligible for a payment.

Individuals can check the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment">Get My Payment</a>&nbsp;tool on IRS.gov to see the payment status of these payments. Additional information on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments">Economic Impact Payments</a> is available on IRS.gov.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp;The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department
 released information today detailing how many people in each state 
received the third round of Economic Impact Payments through early June.The new details, available at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.irs.gov/statistics/soi-tax-stats-coronavirus-aid-relief-and-economic-security-act-cares-act-statistics#EIP3#EIP3">SOI Tax Stats - Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) Statistics</a>, are through June 3 and provide a look at the number of payments by <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/20in02eip3.xls">state&nbsp;XLS</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/20in01eip3.xls">income category&nbsp;XLS</a>, <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/20in03eip3.xls">filing status&nbsp;XLS</a> and other features.The IRS continues to distribute Economic Impact Payments and the related <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>
 on a weekly basis as people continue to file income tax returns and as 
returns are processed. Ongoing payments will be sent to eligible 
individuals for whom the IRS previously did not have information to 
issue a payment but who recently filed a tax return, as well to people 
who qualify for "plus-up" payments.The statistics released today provide details on more than 163 million payments worth approximately $390 billion.<h2>Special reminder for those who don't normally file a tax return</h2>Although payments are automatic for most people, the IRS continues to
 urge people who don't normally file a tax return and haven't received 
Economic Impact Payments to file a 2020 tax return to get all the 
benefits they're entitled to under the law, including tax credits such 
as the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>,
 the Child Tax Credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit. Filing a 2020 
tax return will also assist the IRS in determining whether someone is 
eligible for an advance payment of the 2021 Child Tax Credit, which will
 begin to be disbursed this summer.For example, some federal benefits recipients may need to file a 2020
 tax return – even if they don't usually file – to provide information 
the IRS needs to send payments for a qualifying dependent. Eligible 
individuals in this group should file a 2020 tax return as quickly as 
possible to be considered for an additional payment for their qualifying
 dependents.People who don't normally have an obligation to file a tax return and
 don't receive federal benefits may qualify for these Economic Impact 
Payments. This includes those experiencing <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/those-experiencing-homelessness-can-get-economic-impact-payments-and-other-tax-benefits-permanent-address-not-required">homelessness</a>
 and others. Individuals who didn't get a first or second round Economic
 Impact Payment or got less than the full amounts may be eligible for 
the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit">2020 Recovery Rebate Credit</a>, but they'll need to file a 2020 tax return. See the special section on IRS.gov: <a href="https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/recovery-rebate-credit-topic-a-claiming-the-recovery-rebate-credit-if-you-arent-required-to-file-a-tax-return">Claiming the 2020 Recovery Rebate Credit if you aren't required to file a tax return</a>.Free <a href="https://www.irs.gov/individuals/free-tax-return-preparation-for-qualifying-taxpayers">tax return preparation</a> is available for qualifying people.The IRS reminds taxpayers that the income levels in this third round 
of Economic Impact Payments have changed. This means that some people 
won't be eligible for the third payment even if they received a first or
 second Economic Impact Payment or claimed a 2020 Recovery Rebate 
Credit. Payments will begin to be reduced for individuals making $75,000
 or above in Adjusted Gross Income ($150,000 for married filing 
jointly). The payments end at $80,000 for individuals ($160,000 for 
married filing jointly); people with Adjusted Gross Incomes above these 
levels are ineligible for a payment.Individuals can check the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/get-my-payment">Get My Payment</a>&nbsp;tool on IRS.gov to see the payment status of these payments. Additional information on <a href="https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/economic-impact-payments">Economic Impact Payments</a> is available on IRS.gov.

IRS, Treasury release state-by-state data on third round of COVID relief

SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP) — The death toll from the collapse of a Florida beachfront condo building has risen to nine as search-and-rescue efforts continue, Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said Sunday.

One person died in the hospital, and workers pulled four more bodies from the wreckage, the mayor said.

Scores of rescue workers remained on the massive pile of rubble, working to find survivors among the more than 150 people who remain unaccounted for. Four of the dead have been identified and next of kin notified, the mayor said.

Four days after Thursday’s collapse,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-education-religion-lifestyle-caa7f48c23277637b8a7ed921c1f162d">more than 150 people remain unaccounted for</a>&nbsp;in Surfside, and authorities and loved ones fear the toll will go much higher.

As rotating teams of rescuers used heavy machinery and power tools to clear the rubble from the top and tunnel in from below, the Noriega family hoped that their 92-year-old matriarch, Hilda Noriega, had somehow survived.

When Mike Noriega heard that part of the condominium tower where his grandmother lived had collapsed, he rushed with his father to the scene. They arrived at a nightmarish 30-foot pile of broken concrete and mangled metal, the remains of the 12-story building known as Champlain Towers South.

But among the flying debris, they stumbled across mementos that bore witness to Hilda’s life on the sixth floor: an old picture of her with her late husband and their infant son, and a birthday card that friends from her prayer group sent two weeks earlier with the acronym “ESM,” Spanish for “hand-delivered,” scrawled across the yellow envelope with a butterfly etching.

“There was a message in the mess of all this,” said Mike Noriega, who last spoke with his grandmother the day before the disaster. “It means not to give up hope. To have faith.”

Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett sought to assure families Sunday that rescuers were working nonstop. “Nothing else on our mind, with the only objective of pulling their family members out of that rubble,” he told ABC’s “This Week.”

“We’re not going to stop doing that -- not today, not tomorrow, not the next day. We’re going to keep going until everybody’s out.”

The Noriega family described Hilda as a fiercely independent and vivacious retiree — in Mike’s words, “the youngest 92-year-old I know ... 92 going on 62.”

Hilda Noriega had called Champlain Towers South home for more than 20 years. But six years after her husband’s death, she was ready to leave. The condo was for sale, and she planned to move in with family.

She loved living near the ocean and friends, but “when you lose a spouse, you want to be surrounded by family ... and she wanted to spend more time with her family and grandchildren,” said Sally Noriega, Hilda’s daughter-in-law.

Hilda Noriega was a loving person who built a life with her husband and raised a family after coming to the U.S. from Cuba in 1960, her daughter-in-law said.

“She was just one of those people who from the first time she met a person she instantly loved that person, and that person instantly loved her,” Sally said.

Carlos Noriega, Hilda’s son and police chief of nearby North Bay Village, was one of the emergency responders atop the pile.

The Noriegas don’t entirely know what to make of the treasured mementos found amid the chaos, but Sally said: “We are a family of faith. We’ll just leave it at that.”

They are among dozens of anguished families awaiting word on the fate of loved ones. The wait has been agonizing.

The atmosphere inside a hotel ballroom where around 200 family members were being briefed by authorities Saturday was tense, two people present told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the private conversations.

The two said families frustrated with the slow pace of recovery efforts had demanded they be allowed to go to the scene and attempt a collective shout — an attempt as much to find survivors as a cathartic farewell to those who had died.

The mayor said Saturday that the identification of three bodies had dropped the number of people unaccounted for down to 156, and crews also discovered other unspecified human remains. The remains are being sent to the medical examiner, and authorities are gathering DNA samples from family members to aid in identification.

A video posted online showed an official briefing families. When he said they had found remains among the rubble, people began sobbing.

Late Saturday, four of the victims were identified, as Stacie Dawn Fang, 54; Antonio Lozano, 83, and Gladys Lozano, 79; and Manuel LaFont, 54.

Burkett said a city official had led a cursory review of the nearby&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fl-state-wire-business-038431368e29b1d3c2729e11e7e536ab">Champlain Towers North and Champlain Towers East</a>&nbsp;buildings but “didn’t find anything out of the ordinary.”

The news came after word of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fl-state-wire-florida-2a241993956ea842262e593812ad3ada">2018 engineering report</a>&nbsp;that showed the building, which was built in 1981, had “major structural damage” to a concrete slab below its pool deck that needed extensive repairs, part of a series of documents released by the city of Surfside.

Further documentation showed the estimated cost of the repairs would total over $9 million. That included more than $3.8 million for garage, entrance and pool remediation and nearly $3.2 million for fixes to the exterior façade.

While officials said no cause for the collapse early Thursday has been determined, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said a “definitive answer” was needed in a timely manner.

SURFSIDE, Fla. (AP) — Rescue crews found another body in the rubble of a collapsed 12-story condominium tower near Miami on Saturday, raising the death toll to five as they raced to recover any survivors while fighting back fire and smoke deep inside the concrete and metal remains.

Miami-Dade Mayor Daniella Levine Cava announced the heightened toll at an evening news briefing, saying the identification of three bodies had dropped the number of unaccounted for down to 156. She said crews also discovered other unspecified human remains.

Officials said the remains they find are being sent to the medical examiner, and they are also gathering DNA samples from family members to help identify them.

Separately, a video posted online showed an official briefing families of missing loved ones. When he said they had found remains among the rubble, people began sobbing.

Throughout the day, rescue workers scoured the mountain of debris with trained dogs and sonar, searching for any survivors. “Our top priority continues to be search and rescue and saving any lives that we can,” the mayor said.

But crews had to fight flames in the debris during the day. At one point Saturday, a fire hose blasted one of the lower floors on the north side of the tower as white smoke or steam streamed out. A bitter, sulfur-like smell hung in the air.

“The stench is very thick,” Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said.

A crane removed pieces of debris from the more than 30-foot pile in the city of Surfside, and scores of rescuers used big machines, small buckets, drones, microphones and their own hands to pick through the rubble.

For many anxious for missing loved ones, the wait was agonizing. The atmosphere inside a hotel ballroom where around 200 family members were being briefed by authorities was tense, two people present told The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss the private conversations.

Among those&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-education-religion-lifestyle-caa7f48c23277637b8a7ed921c1f162d">awaiting word</a>&nbsp;of loved ones was Rachel Spiegel, whose mother, 66-year-old Judy Spiegel, lived on the sixth floor. Speaking beside her siblings, she said Saturday that “we’re trying to hold it together.”

“I know my mom is a fighter. I know she loves us. I know she doesn’t want to give up. So, you know, it’s day three, so it’s hard,” Spiegel said.

President Joe Biden said via Twitter that he had spoken with DeSantis on Friday to offer assistance as needed.

“My heart is with the community of Surfside as they grieve their lost loved ones and wait anxiously as search and rescue efforts continue,” Biden tweeted.

Authorities announced they were beginning an audit of buildings nearing their 40-year review — like the fallen Champlain Towers South — to make sure they’re safe. The mayor asked other cities in the county to join the building review and said there will be state and federal funding to help.

Federal Emergency Management Agency officials have joined local and state authorities at the site, DeSantis said. He added a nearby “sister building” of the collapsed tower is also being looked at because it was built at the same time and with the same designer.

Late Saturday, Surfside Mayor Charles Burkett said that a city official had led a cursory review of the nearby Champlain Towers North and Champlain Towers East buildings.

“They didn’t find anything out of the ordinary,” he said.

He emphasized the priority now was on rescuing anyone still alive.

“What we’re doing now is we’re saving lives and we’re bringing people out of the rubble. What we’re going to do in the next phase, after we address support for the families, is we are going to do a very deep dive into why this building fell down,” Burkett said.