SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota has surpassed 700 virus deaths as the state suffers through one of the worst virus surges in the nation. 

Health officials reported 31 deaths from COVID-19, marking the second-highest daily tally of deaths since the pandemic began.

 The state currently has the country’s 17th highest number of deaths per capita, according to Johns Hopkins researchers. But in the past 30 days, South Dakota has reported the nation’s second-worst rate of deaths per capita.

 The Department of Health also reported 1,071 new coronavirus cases.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota has surpassed 700 virus deaths as the state suffers through one of the worst virus surges in the nation. Health officials reported 31 deaths from COVID-19, marking the second-highest daily tally of deaths since the pandemic began. The state currently has the country’s 17th highest number of deaths per capita, according to Johns Hopkins researchers. But in the past 30 days, South Dakota has reported the nation’s second-worst rate of deaths per capita. A total of 705 people have died. The Department of Health also reported 1,071 new coronavirus cases.

South Dakota surpasses 700 virus deaths

OMAHA-Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) apprehended a juvenile following a pursuit in Omaha Wednesday evening.

At approximately 9:10 p.m. Wednesday, a trooper observed a westbound Nissan Altima speeding at 100 miles per hour on Interstate 80, near the Interstate 680 interchange. The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle accelerated and fled northbound onto I-680. The trooper initiated a pursuit.

While on I-680, the Nissan reached speeds of 125 miles per hour and drove recklessly, weaving through traffic. The Nissan exited I-680 at Fort Street and turned westbound onto Fort Street. Before the vehicle could accelerate again, the trooper performed a tactical vehicle intervention to bring the vehicle to a stop. The driver was immediately taken into custody without further incident.

The driver, a 14-year-old male, was lodged in the Douglas County Youth Center for felony flight to avoid arrest, felony willful reckless driving, no operator’s license, and traffic violations. The entire pursuit lasted approximately three minutes.

OMAHA-Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) apprehended a juvenile following a pursuit in Omaha Wednesday evening.At approximately 9:10 p.m. Wednesday, a trooper observed a westbound Nissan Altima speeding at 100 miles per hour on Interstate 80, near the Interstate 680 interchange. The trooper attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle accelerated and fled northbound onto I-680. The trooper initiated a pursuit.While on I-680, the Nissan reached speeds of 125 miles per hour and drove recklessly, weaving through traffic. The Nissan exited I-680 at Fort Street and turned westbound onto Fort Street. Before the vehicle could accelerate again, the trooper performed a tactical vehicle intervention to bring the vehicle to a stop. The driver was immediately taken into custody without further incident.The driver, a 14-year-old male, was lodged in the Douglas County Youth Center for felony flight to avoid arrest, felony willful reckless driving, no operator’s license, and traffic violations. The entire pursuit lasted approximately three minutes.

Troopers apprehend 14-year-old after pursuit in Omaha

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Authorities say an elderly Sioux Falls man was tricked out of about $550,000 in a phone scam.

 Police spokesman Sam Clemens says a man claiming to be with the Internal Revenue Service called the victim and told him that drugs were found in a car he owned. 

The 82-year-old man was instructed to send money to resolve the issue.

 The Argus Leader reports the man sent a total of $550,000 through money wires and gift cards. 

Clemens says IRS officials do not communicate through the phone and if it was a serious matter they would not say to not discuss it with anybody.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — Authorities say an elderly Sioux Falls man was tricked out of about $550,000 in a phone scam. Police spokesman Sam Clemens says a man claiming to be with the Internal Revenue Service called the victim and told him that drugs were found in a car he owned. The 82-year-old man was instructed to send money to resolve the issue. The Argus Leader reports the man sent a total of $550,000 through money wires and gift cards. Clemens says IRS officials do not communicate through the phone and if it was a serious matter they would not say to not discuss it with anybody.

Police say elderly South Dakota man scammed out of $550,000

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The largest city in South Dakota, Sioux Falls, has voted to reverse course and pass a 60-day face mask ordinance with no penalty for violations.

 Medical groups warmed that hospitals have exceeded capacity dealing with COVID-19 patients. Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken, who cast a tie-breaking vote against a mandate last week, said before Tuesday night's vote that he was ready to get behind the mask requirement after the state’s largest physician organization and a hospital system supported the mandate. 

The state is suffering through one of the worst virus outbreaks in the nation.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The largest city in South Dakota, Sioux Falls, has voted to reverse course and pass a 60-day face mask ordinance with no penalty for violations. Medical groups warmed that hospitals have exceeded capacity dealing with COVID-19 patients. Sioux Falls Mayor Paul TenHaken, who cast a tie-breaking vote against a mandate last week, said before Tuesday night's vote that he was ready to get behind the mask requirement after the state’s largest physician organization and a hospital system supported the mandate. The state is suffering through one of the worst virus outbreaks in the nation.

Sioux Falls OKs mask mandate after push from medical groups

By AMY RICKER <a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/244604ea-da02-435b-b5d1-9936420a3815">Great Bend Post</a>

GREAT BEND, Kan. — If you’ve received a text from the IRS saying that you need to accept a stimulus payment, do not click that link.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The
 IRS is warning of the latest stimulus payment scam making the rounds 
that is stealing your bank information, and a lot of people have already
 fallen for it.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The text on your cell phone looks 
like&nbsp;its&nbsp;coming from the IRS that says you have received a direct 
deposit of $1200 from the COVID-19 Treasury Fund. Continue here to 
accept this payment followed by a link to click.&nbsp;&nbsp;

IRS 
Spokesperson&nbsp;Alejandra Castro&nbsp;says when you click on the link, it 
connects you to a fraudulent website that looks a lot like the real 
I-R-S dot gov and asks you to fill out the form with your name, social 
security number, bank routing number, and bank account number. Castro 
says if you receive this text, the IRS is asking you to take these next 
steps.&nbsp;

“What you should do if you receive this text scam, you should take a screenshot of the message you received, and send it to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:phishing@irs.gov" target="_blank">phishing@irs.gov</a>&nbsp;with
 the following information: the date, time, the time they received the 
text message, and the number that appears on the caller I.D.,” explained
 Castro.&nbsp;

Castro says there has been a dramatic increase in scams 
and cybercrimes this year due to the pandemic that revolve around the 
IRS.&nbsp;

“We do not send unsolicited texts or emails. The IRS does 
not call people with the threat of jail, lawsuits, or that are 
back-taxes owed on gift cards. We do not call taxpayers at home and 
demand payments immediately or they will be arrested. Please be on the 
lookout because it’s easy to fall for these scams because they appear to
 be so legitimate. But I think if taxpayers have the information then 
they are a step ahead and won’t fall victims to these scams.”&nbsp;

For more information on this and other phishing, identity theft, and scams, visit IRS.gov.&nbsp;&nbsp;

By AMY RICKER <a href="https://greatbendpost.com/posts/244604ea-da02-435b-b5d1-9936420a3815">Great Bend Post</a>GREAT BEND, Kan. — If you’ve received a text from the IRS saying that you need to accept a stimulus payment, do not click that link.&nbsp;&nbsp;The
 IRS is warning of the latest stimulus payment scam making the rounds 
that is stealing your bank information, and a lot of people have already
 fallen for it.&nbsp;&nbsp;The text on your cell phone looks 
like&nbsp;its&nbsp;coming from the IRS that says you have received a direct 
deposit of $1200 from the COVID-19 Treasury Fund. Continue here to 
accept this payment followed by a link to click.&nbsp;&nbsp;IRS 
Spokesperson&nbsp;Alejandra Castro&nbsp;says when you click on the link, it 
connects you to a fraudulent website that looks a lot like the real 
I-R-S dot gov and asks you to fill out the form with your name, social 
security number, bank routing number, and bank account number. Castro 
says if you receive this text, the IRS is asking you to take these next 
steps.&nbsp;“What you should do if you receive this text scam, you should take a screenshot of the message you received, and send it to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:phishing@irs.gov" target="_blank">phishing@irs.gov</a>&nbsp;with
 the following information: the date, time, the time they received the 
text message, and the number that appears on the caller I.D.,” explained
 Castro.&nbsp;Castro says there has been a dramatic increase in scams 
and cybercrimes this year due to the pandemic that revolve around the 
IRS.&nbsp;“We do not send unsolicited texts or emails. The IRS does 
not call people with the threat of jail, lawsuits, or that are 
back-taxes owed on gift cards. We do not call taxpayers at home and 
demand payments immediately or they will be arrested. Please be on the 
lookout because it’s easy to fall for these scams because they appear to
 be so legitimate. But I think if taxpayers have the information then 
they are a step ahead and won’t fall victims to these scams.”&nbsp;For more information on this and other phishing, identity theft, and scams, visit IRS.gov.&nbsp;&nbsp;

IRS warns of new scam regarding stimulus payment 

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has defended people who choose not to wear masks in public as she appeared at a news conference to address the growing health crisis for the first time in over three months. 

Even as the state deals with one of the worst virus outbreaks in the nation, the Republican governor asked that people respect those who don’t wear masks, saying they are making a “personal decision.” 

She has refused to encourage people to wear masks or socially distance, instead saying the best thing people can do is wash their hands.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has defended people who choose not to wear masks in public as she appeared at a news conference to address the growing health crisis for the first time in over three months. Even as the state deals with one of the worst virus outbreaks in the nation, the Republican governor asked that people respect those who don’t wear masks, saying they are making a “personal decision.” She has refused to encourage people to wear masks or socially distance, instead saying the best thing people can do is wash their hands.

South Dakota's Noem defends forgoing masks as virus surges

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — Police say a person of interest has been detained in a shooting at a Rapid City apartment building. 

Authorities say someone called 911 about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and said a man had been shot in the leg. 

The man was taken to the hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries. 

The person of interest was detained in an alley one block south of the apartment building after a witness provided a name and description of the clothing the shooter was wearing. 

Officers say they also found a gun between the route one would take to walk from the apartment to the alley.

RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) — Police say a person of interest has been detained in a shooting at a Rapid City apartment building. Authorities say someone called 911 about 4:30 p.m. Wednesday and said a man had been shot in the leg. The man was taken to the hospital with serious but non-life threatening injuries. The person of interest was detained in an alley one block south of the apartment building after a witness provided a name and description of the clothing the shooter was wearing. Officers say they also found a gun between the route one would take to walk from the apartment to the alley.

Person of interest detained in Rapid City shooting

Catholics split almost evenly in supporting Donald Trump or Joe Biden in the presidential election. Now they’re sharply divided over a declaration by the head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that the president-elect’s support for abortion rights presents the church with a “difficult and complex situation.”

The USCCB’s president, Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez, made that statement Tuesday near the close of the conference’s national meeting and announced the formation of a working group of bishops to assess the dilemma. Some experts said it’s possible the group will discuss whether Biden — a practicing Roman Catholic — should be barred from partaking in Holy Communion.

Catholic anti-abortion activists hope the bishops follow through with tough words and action, making clear that Catholic politicians who support abortion are in breach of church teaching.

Biden’s policy agenda “is incompatible with the Catholic position on abortion and the protection of innocent human life,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, a leading anti-abortion group.

But others criticized the USCCB as setting the stage for potential conflict with the president-elect just days after he received a congratulatory call from Pope Francis. Biden said he hopes to work with the pontiff on issues such as climate change, poverty and immigration.

“The USCCB leadership simply can’t embrace the idea of engagement and goodwill that Pope Francis has asked of them,” said David Gibson, director of Fordham University’s Center on Religion and Culture. “That the pope called to congratulate Biden and discussed working together while the American bishops capped their meeting with plans to do battle with the incoming president says it all.”

Natalia Imperatori-Lee, a professor of religious studies at Manhattan College, also was dismayed by the USCCB.

“It seems they’d like to start an antagonistic relationship with only the second Catholic to be elected the president of this country,” she said via email. “This is appalling.”

“The bishops have chosen to continue the culture war that uses abortion to drive wedges in our church and our society, because they see that as a winning issue for them,” she wrote.

Gomez has welcomed many of Biden’s stances, including on immigration, racial justice and climate change. But some conservative bishops, citing the church’s opposition to abortion, have been outspoken in their criticism after Gomez congratulated Biden on his victory.

On Tuesday, as the USCCB ended the public portion of its meeting, Gomez read a statement that arose from discussions with some of the agitated bishops.

“The president-elect has given us reason to think he will support some good policies” but also some that “undermine our preeminent priority of the elimination of abortion,” the archbishop said.

“These policies pose a serious threat to the common good,” Gomez added. “When politicians who profess the Catholic faith support them ... it creates confusion among the faithful about what the church actually teaches on these questions.”

Gomez said he would form a working group to address the matter, headed by the USCCB’s vice president, Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron.

Two Catholic academics, responding to queries from The Associated Press, did not rule out the possibility that the working group could discuss whether Biden should be barred from partaking in Holy Communion because of his abortion stance.

That question “does not turn on what political office he holds, but on his public conduct as a Catholic,” said Edward Peters, professor of canon law at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.

“His prominence in public life makes his case more visible, certainly,” Peters added. “But, in the end, it is his own behavior that determines whether he should be refused Holy Communion.”

Thomas Groome, a theology professor at Boston College, said conservative bishops on the working group would likely push for Biden to be denied Communion. But he noted that Biden’s support for abortion rights is, according to many surveys, shared by most U.S. Catholics.

Groome called Gomez’s statement “dreadfully unfortunate” and said “the bishops should be helping bring us together rather than driving us apart.”

Chieko Noguchi, a USCCB spokeswoman, said the working group has not yet met and declined to comment on whether it would discuss a potential Communion ban for Biden. There has been no response by Biden’s transition team to AP requests for comment.

Divisions within the USCCB’s ranks over the president-elect have been stark, with some, such as Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, balking at recognizing his victory.

“I appreciate Archbishop Gomez’ acknowledgment that Vice President Biden’s proposed policies are divergent from Catholic teaching in significant ways,” Strickland tweeted Tuesday. “It remains troubling that the USCCB treats the election as certified when it is not &amp; it continues to be a source of division.”

Journalists for Catholic news outlets pointed out that the USCCB did not wait for election results to be certified in 2016, when it swiftly congratulated Trump after Election Day.

Kristan Hawkins, a Catholic who is president of Students for Life of America, said leaders of the U.S. church need to be blunter in condeming Catholic politicians who support abortion rights.

“This pretense that ending preborn life is negotiable with the church does create chaos and confusion,” Hawkins said. “This failure of leadership gives women who know that abortion is wrong the permission they’re looking for to get an abortion.”

However, Jamie Manson, president of Catholics for Choice, said Gomez’s claim that Biden’s position creates confusion among church members is “condescending.”

“They are, in fact, well-informed and have used their consciences in their choice both to elect President-elect Biden and to support reproductive health care,” she said.

In the election, 50% of Catholic voters backed Trump and 49% favored Biden, according to VoteCast, a survey of more than 110,000 voters nationwide conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago.

The head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops told colleagues Tuesday that President-elect Joe Biden’s policy positions, including support for abortion rights, pose a “difficult and complex situation” for the church.

Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez, completing his first year as the USCCB’s president, welcomes many of Biden’s stances, including on immigration, racial justice and climate change. But some conservative bishops, noting the church’s strong opposition to abortion, were upset last week when Gomez congratulated Biden — a fellow Catholic — on his victory.

On Tuesday, as the USCCB ended the public portion of its two-day national meeting, Gomez departed from the official agenda to broach the issue.

“We are facing a unique moment in our history,” he said. “The president-elect has given us reason to think he will support some good policies" but also some that "undermine our preeminent priority of the elimination of abortion.”

“These policies pose a serious threat to the common good,” Gomez said. “When politicians who profess the Catholic faith support them ... it creates confusion among the faithful about what the church actually teaches on these questions.”

Gomez said he would form a working group to address the matter, headed by the USCCB's vice president, Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron.

There was no immediate response by Biden’s transition team to an AP request for comment.

Gomez’s unexpected remarks followed a two-hour session in which bishops from across the U.S., meeting online due to the coronavirus outbreak, shared their dioceses’ efforts to cope with the pandemic and to combat systemic racism.

Some who spoke during the racial injustice discussion represent communities that have seen protests and occasional violence after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May.

Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore was among several who described church-organized listening sessions for community members to share their experiences with racism and their thoughts on how to curtail it.

“These conversations can be difficult, painful,” Lori said. “A lot of people don’t think they need those conversations because they don’t have a racist bone in their body. The reality is much different.”

As one of several race-related initiatives, Lori said his archdiocese is building a new K-8 Catholic school in one of Baltimore’s poorest neighborhoods.

Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski of St. Louis said his archdiocese is seeking to promote racial equity in its hiring practices and has hired a diversity officer for a group of Catholic schools.

Rozanski recently toured predominantly Black neighborhoods including a stop in nearby Ferguson, where he prayed at the site where Michael Brown, an 18-year-old Black man, was fatally shot by a white police officern in 2014.

Mark Seitz, the bishop of El Paso, Texas, recalled the 2019 mass killing of 23 people at a Walmart by a gunman who said he was targeting Mexicans.

“It brought home the fact that white supremacy is not a harmless fringe ideology. It’s a death-dealing ideology,” Seitz said. “It reminded us that words matter — words that denigrate immigrants and other people of color really matter and feed into these ways of thinking.”

Seitz said the diocese is looking at forming a truth commission exploring the history and current status of racism in the region, and how it has impacted Native Americans, Hispanics, immigrants and others.

Tuesday's discussion was led by Bishop Shelton Fabre of the Louisiana diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, who heads the USCCB’s Committee Against Racism.

“The work is hard, the work is slow, but the work is being done,” he said. “In my diocese, hearts are being changed.”

Amid the protests following Floyd’s killing, some Black Catholics were outspoken in urging the church to take substantive steps conveying that their presence is valued. There have been calls for some form of reparations, and for the teaching of Black Catholic history in Catholic schools.

Black Catholics’ somewhat marginal place in the U.S. church is illustrated by statistics compiled by the USCCB: There are about 3 million African American members of the faith, roughly 4% of the nation’s 69 million Catholics, but as of January there were just 250 Black priests, or less than 1% of the total of 36,500.

Also Tuesday, a dozen bishops shared their experiences coping with the coronavirus pandemic, which has forced many dioceses to halt or sharply reduce in-person worship.

Bishop Oscar Cantú of San Jose, California, described outreach efforts aimed at sick and older adult parishioners and recounted the painful decision to lay off 15% of the diocese staff due to reduced income from offerings.

Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, where several priests and an auxiliary bishop have died of COVID-19, said a specially trained team of priests that was equipped with state-of-the-art protective equipment won permission to administer end-of-life sacraments to Catholic patients in hospitals.

John Wester, the archbishop of Santa Fe, New Mexico, said many parishioners were angry when restrictions forced the cancellation of in-person Masses at which they could receive Holy Communion.

“We’re grateful for that devotion,” Wester said. “On the other hand, we’re trying to keep people safe."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605698274321.png" alt="His Excellence Mgr José Horacio GOMEZ, Metropolitan Archbishop of Los Angeles and President of the USCCB during this week's virtual annual meeting-photo Catholic News Service" />
 <figcaption>His Excellence Mgr José Horacio GOMEZ, Metropolitan Archbishop of Los Angeles and President of the USCCB during this week's virtual annual meeting-photo Catholic News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID CRARY, Associated PressCatholics split almost evenly in supporting Donald Trump or Joe Biden in the presidential election. Now they’re sharply divided over a declaration by the head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops that the president-elect’s support for abortion rights presents the church with a “difficult and complex situation.”The USCCB’s president, Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez, made that statement Tuesday near the close of the conference’s national meeting and announced the formation of a working group of bishops to assess the dilemma. Some experts said it’s possible the group will discuss whether Biden — a practicing Roman Catholic — should be barred from partaking in Holy Communion.Catholic anti-abortion activists hope the bishops follow through with tough words and action, making clear that Catholic politicians who support abortion are in breach of church teaching.Biden’s policy agenda “is incompatible with the Catholic position on abortion and the protection of innocent human life,” said Marjorie Dannenfelser, president of the Susan B. Anthony List, a leading anti-abortion group.But others criticized the USCCB as setting the stage for potential conflict with the president-elect just days after he received a congratulatory call from Pope Francis. Biden said he hopes to work with the pontiff on issues such as climate change, poverty and immigration.“The USCCB leadership simply can’t embrace the idea of engagement and goodwill that Pope Francis has asked of them,” said David Gibson, director of Fordham University’s Center on Religion and Culture. “That the pope called to congratulate Biden and discussed working together while the American bishops capped their meeting with plans to do battle with the incoming president says it all.”Natalia Imperatori-Lee, a professor of religious studies at Manhattan College, also was dismayed by the USCCB.“It seems they’d like to start an antagonistic relationship with only the second Catholic to be elected the president of this country,” she said via email. “This is appalling.”“The bishops have chosen to continue the culture war that uses abortion to drive wedges in our church and our society, because they see that as a winning issue for them,” she wrote.Gomez has welcomed many of Biden’s stances, including on immigration, racial justice and climate change. But some conservative bishops, citing the church’s opposition to abortion, have been outspoken in their criticism after Gomez congratulated Biden on his victory.On Tuesday, as the USCCB ended the public portion of its meeting, Gomez read a statement that arose from discussions with some of the agitated bishops.“The president-elect has given us reason to think he will support some good policies” but also some that “undermine our preeminent priority of the elimination of abortion,” the archbishop said.“These policies pose a serious threat to the common good,” Gomez added. “When politicians who profess the Catholic faith support them ... it creates confusion among the faithful about what the church actually teaches on these questions.”Gomez said he would form a working group to address the matter, headed by the USCCB’s vice president, Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron.Two Catholic academics, responding to queries from The Associated Press, did not rule out the possibility that the working group could discuss whether Biden should be barred from partaking in Holy Communion because of his abortion stance.That question “does not turn on what political office he holds, but on his public conduct as a Catholic,” said Edward Peters, professor of canon law at Sacred Heart Major Seminary in Detroit.“His prominence in public life makes his case more visible, certainly,” Peters added. “But, in the end, it is his own behavior that determines whether he should be refused Holy Communion.”Thomas Groome, a theology professor at Boston College, said conservative bishops on the working group would likely push for Biden to be denied Communion. But he noted that Biden’s support for abortion rights is, according to many surveys, shared by most U.S. Catholics.Groome called Gomez’s statement “dreadfully unfortunate” and said “the bishops should be helping bring us together rather than driving us apart.”Chieko Noguchi, a USCCB spokeswoman, said the working group has not yet met and declined to comment on whether it would discuss a potential Communion ban for Biden. There has been no response by Biden’s transition team to AP requests for comment.Divisions within the USCCB’s ranks over the president-elect have been stark, with some, such as Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, balking at recognizing his victory.“I appreciate Archbishop Gomez’ acknowledgment that Vice President Biden’s proposed policies are divergent from Catholic teaching in significant ways,” Strickland tweeted Tuesday. “It remains troubling that the USCCB treats the election as certified when it is not &amp; it continues to be a source of division.”Journalists for Catholic news outlets pointed out that the USCCB did not wait for election results to be certified in 2016, when it swiftly congratulated Trump after Election Day.Kristan Hawkins, a Catholic who is president of Students for Life of America, said leaders of the U.S. church need to be blunter in condeming Catholic politicians who support abortion rights.“This pretense that ending preborn life is negotiable with the church does create chaos and confusion,” Hawkins said. “This failure of leadership gives women who know that abortion is wrong the permission they’re looking for to get an abortion.”However, Jamie Manson, president of Catholics for Choice, said Gomez’s claim that Biden’s position creates confusion among church members is “condescending.”“They are, in fact, well-informed and have used their consciences in their choice both to elect President-elect Biden and to support reproductive health care,” she said.In the election, 50% of Catholic voters backed Trump and 49% favored Biden, according to VoteCast, a survey of more than 110,000 voters nationwide conducted for The Associated Press by NORC at the University of Chicago.---------By DAVID CRARY, Associated PressThe head of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops told colleagues Tuesday that President-elect Joe Biden’s policy positions, including support for abortion rights, pose a “difficult and complex situation” for the church.Los Angeles Archbishop José Gomez, completing his first year as the USCCB’s president, welcomes many of Biden’s stances, including on immigration, racial justice and climate change. But some conservative bishops, noting the church’s strong opposition to abortion, were upset last week when Gomez congratulated Biden — a fellow Catholic — on his victory.On Tuesday, as the USCCB ended the public portion of its two-day national meeting, Gomez departed from the official agenda to broach the issue.“We are facing a unique moment in our history,” he said. “The president-elect has given us reason to think he will support some good policies" but also some that "undermine our preeminent priority of the elimination of abortion.”“These policies pose a serious threat to the common good,” Gomez said. “When politicians who profess the Catholic faith support them ... it creates confusion among the faithful about what the church actually teaches on these questions.”Gomez said he would form a working group to address the matter, headed by the USCCB's vice president, Detroit Archbishop Allen Vigneron.There was no immediate response by Biden’s transition team to an AP request for comment.Gomez’s unexpected remarks followed a two-hour session in which bishops from across the U.S., meeting online due to the coronavirus outbreak, shared their dioceses’ efforts to cope with the pandemic and to combat systemic racism.Some who spoke during the racial injustice discussion represent communities that have seen protests and occasional violence after the police killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis in May.Archbishop William Lori of Baltimore was among several who described church-organized listening sessions for community members to share their experiences with racism and their thoughts on how to curtail it.“These conversations can be difficult, painful,” Lori said. “A lot of people don’t think they need those conversations because they don’t have a racist bone in their body. The reality is much different.”As one of several race-related initiatives, Lori said his archdiocese is building a new K-8 Catholic school in one of Baltimore’s poorest neighborhoods.Archbishop Mitchell Rozanski of St. Louis said his archdiocese is seeking to promote racial equity in its hiring practices and has hired a diversity officer for a group of Catholic schools.Rozanski recently toured predominantly Black neighborhoods including a stop in nearby Ferguson, where he prayed at the site where Michael Brown, an 18-year-old Black man, was fatally shot by a white police officern in 2014.Mark Seitz, the bishop of El Paso, Texas, recalled the 2019 mass killing of 23 people at a Walmart by a gunman who said he was targeting Mexicans.“It brought home the fact that white supremacy is not a harmless fringe ideology. It’s a death-dealing ideology,” Seitz said. “It reminded us that words matter — words that denigrate immigrants and other people of color really matter and feed into these ways of thinking.”Seitz said the diocese is looking at forming a truth commission exploring the history and current status of racism in the region, and how it has impacted Native Americans, Hispanics, immigrants and others.Tuesday's discussion was led by Bishop Shelton Fabre of the Louisiana diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, who heads the USCCB’s Committee Against Racism.“The work is hard, the work is slow, but the work is being done,” he said. “In my diocese, hearts are being changed.”Amid the protests following Floyd’s killing, some Black Catholics were outspoken in urging the church to take substantive steps conveying that their presence is valued. There have been calls for some form of reparations, and for the teaching of Black Catholic history in Catholic schools.Black Catholics’ somewhat marginal place in the U.S. church is illustrated by statistics compiled by the USCCB: There are about 3 million African American members of the faith, roughly 4% of the nation’s 69 million Catholics, but as of January there were just 250 Black priests, or less than 1% of the total of 36,500.Also Tuesday, a dozen bishops shared their experiences coping with the coronavirus pandemic, which has forced many dioceses to halt or sharply reduce in-person worship.Bishop Oscar Cantú of San Jose, California, described outreach efforts aimed at sick and older adult parishioners and recounted the painful decision to lay off 15% of the diocese staff due to reduced income from offerings.Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston, where several priests and an auxiliary bishop have died of COVID-19, said a specially trained team of priests that was equipped with state-of-the-art protective equipment won permission to administer end-of-life sacraments to Catholic patients in hospitals.John Wester, the archbishop of Santa Fe, New Mexico, said many parishioners were angry when restrictions forced the cancellation of in-person Masses at which they could receive Holy Communion.“We’re grateful for that devotion,” Wester said. “On the other hand, we’re trying to keep people safe."

Catholics divided as bishops examine Biden's abortion stance

OMAHA-United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Marquel Grant, age 20, of Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for sexual abuse of a minor on the Omaha Nation Indian Reservation.&nbsp; United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Grant to 54 months in prison.&nbsp; After Grant’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.&nbsp; There is no parole in the federal system.&nbsp; As a result of this conviction, Grant will be required to register as a sex offender.&nbsp;

On November 15, 2018, Grant, then 18, interacted with the minor via SnapChat.&nbsp; Grant and the minor met up in Walthill, Nebraska, and walked to an abandoned residence.&nbsp; Outside of the residence, Grant put the minor on the ground.&nbsp; Grant started kissing the minor.&nbsp; The minor said no to Grant and tried pushing him away.&nbsp; Grant pinned the minor’s arms to the ground, unbuckled her pants, and pulled her pants and underwear down to her ankles.&nbsp; He attempted sexual intercourse with the minor before she was finally able to force Grant away.&nbsp;

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/" target="_blank">www.projectsafechildhood.gov</a>.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Nation Law Enforcement Services.

News Release US Attorney's OfficeOMAHA-United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Marquel Grant, age 20, of Sioux City, Iowa, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for sexual abuse of a minor on the Omaha Nation Indian Reservation.&nbsp; United States District Judge Brian C. Buescher sentenced Grant to 54 months in prison.&nbsp; After Grant’s release from prison, he will begin a five-year term of supervised release.&nbsp; There is no parole in the federal system.&nbsp; As a result of this conviction, Grant will be required to register as a sex offender.&nbsp;On November 15, 2018, Grant, then 18, interacted with the minor via SnapChat.&nbsp; Grant and the minor met up in Walthill, Nebraska, and walked to an abandoned residence.&nbsp; Outside of the residence, Grant put the minor on the ground.&nbsp; Grant started kissing the minor.&nbsp; The minor said no to Grant and tried pushing him away.&nbsp; Grant pinned the minor’s arms to the ground, unbuckled her pants, and pulled her pants and underwear down to her ankles.&nbsp; He attempted sexual intercourse with the minor before she was finally able to force Grant away.&nbsp;This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by United States Attorneys’ Offices and the Criminal Division's Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section (CEOS), Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to better locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children via the Internet, as well as to identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.projectsafechildhood.gov/" target="_blank">www.projectsafechildhood.gov</a>.The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Omaha Nation Law Enforcement Services.

Sioux City man gets over 4 years for sexual abuse of a minor

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A man currently jailed in Arizona has been charged with first-degree murder in a 2013 shooting death in Omaha.

Bernard "B.J." Turner Jr., 25, is in the Maricopa County Jail in Phoenix, awaiting extradition to Omaha to face charges in the death of 19-year-old Julius Vaughn, his onetime friend, whose body was found inside a car in south Omaha in October 2013.

Vaughn and Turner were members of the 16th Street Bloods, a gang in Omaha, The Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/cold-case-omaha-police-nab-gang-member-in-2013-murder-hes-a-suspect-in-2/article_bb414045-08e6-5441-9ae4-7bd9f778bb29.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1" target="_blank">reported</a>.

Omaha Police Detective Dave Schneider, who leads the department's cold-case unit, declined Tuesday to say what led to the arrest, or a possible motive in the shooting.

Turner was a suspect in the 2016 death of Jarrell Haynes, 22, who was scheduled to testify in the double murder trial of a gang member. That case was dismissed after a key witness declined to testify.

He also was charged with attempted murder in Aurora, Colorado, but that case fell apart when a witness declined to testify.

Turner has been in the jail in Arizona for a year and was scheduled to be released Thursday. It was not immediately clear why Turner was jailed in Arizona.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) - A man currently jailed in Arizona has been charged with first-degree murder in a 2013 shooting death in Omaha.Bernard "B.J." Turner Jr., 25, is in the Maricopa County Jail in Phoenix, awaiting extradition to Omaha to face charges in the death of 19-year-old Julius Vaughn, his onetime friend, whose body was found inside a car in south Omaha in October 2013.Vaughn and Turner were members of the 16th Street Bloods, a gang in Omaha, The Omaha World-Herald&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/cold-case-omaha-police-nab-gang-member-in-2013-murder-hes-a-suspect-in-2/article_bb414045-08e6-5441-9ae4-7bd9f778bb29.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-1" target="_blank">reported</a>.Omaha Police Detective Dave Schneider, who leads the department's cold-case unit, declined Tuesday to say what led to the arrest, or a possible motive in the shooting.Turner was a suspect in the 2016 death of Jarrell Haynes, 22, who was scheduled to testify in the double murder trial of a gang member. That case was dismissed after a key witness declined to testify.He also was charged with attempted murder in Aurora, Colorado, but that case fell apart when a witness declined to testify.Turner has been in the jail in Arizona for a year and was scheduled to be released Thursday. It was not immediately clear why Turner was jailed in Arizona.

Warrant issued in 2013 gang-related shooting death in Omaha

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The largest group representing South Dakota doctors has come out in support of a statewide mask mandate as several cities have moved to require masks in public settings.

 The South Dakota State Medical Association has been urging people to voluntarily wear masks, but updated its stance to “strongly support” a statewide mandate. 

Gov. Kristi Noem has opposed government-imposed mask mandates, arguing they have not been proven to halt the spread of infections. 

She plans to give an update on the state’s coronavirus situation later Wednesday. 

South Dakota is enduring one of the worst virus outbreaks in the country.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (AP) — The largest group representing South Dakota doctors has come out in support of a statewide mask mandate as several cities have moved to require masks in public settings. The South Dakota State Medical Association has been urging people to voluntarily wear masks, but updated its stance to “strongly support” a statewide mandate. Gov. Kristi Noem has opposed government-imposed mask mandates, arguing they have not been proven to halt the spread of infections. She plans to give an update on the state’s coronavirus situation later Wednesday. South Dakota is enduring one of the worst virus outbreaks in the country.

South Dakota Medical Association pushes statewide mask rules

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Firefighters say several people escaped harm when they managed to get out of a burning Omaha house, and a man was later arrested on suspicion of arson. 

Battalion Chief Scott Fitzpatrick says the fire broke Tuesday afternoon in a north Omaha garage and quickly consumed the house. 

Fire officials say four adults and three children managed to escape. 

Investigators believe the fire was intentionally set, and police arrested a 33-year-old man who lived at the home but was found a short distance away. Police say the man faces several counts of arson.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Firefighters say several people escaped harm when they managed to get out of a burning Omaha house, and a man was later arrested on suspicion of arson. Battalion Chief Scott Fitzpatrick says the fire broke Tuesday afternoon in a north Omaha garage and quickly consumed the house. Fire officials say four adults and three children managed to escape. Investigators believe the fire was intentionally set, and police arrested a 33-year-old man who lived at the home but was found a short distance away. Police say the man faces several counts of arson.

Residents escape burning Omaha house; man arrested nearby

FILLEY, Neb. (AP) — A second person has died from injuries received in a southeastern Nebraska house fire last month. 

Beatrice radio station KWBE reports that 20-year-old Tyler Reed, of Filley, died in a Lincoln hospital Sunday, more than three weeks after the Oct. 24 fire in Filley that also killed 20-year-old Courtney Knepp, of Beatrice. 

A third person, 21-year-old Jayden Maguire of Filley, also was critically injured in the fire. 

Knepp died at the scene of the fire; Reed and Maguire were found outside the burning home and taken to a Lincoln burn unit with critical injuries. 

The State Fire Marshal Agency had earlier confirmed that a propane leak caused the fire.

FILLEY, Neb. (AP) — A second person has died from injuries received in a southeastern Nebraska house fire last month. Beatrice radio station KWBE reports that 20-year-old Tyler Reed, of Filley, died in a Lincoln hospital Sunday, more than three weeks after the Oct. 24 fire in Filley that also killed 20-year-old Courtney Knepp, of Beatrice. A third person, 21-year-old Jayden Maguire of Filley, also was critically injured in the fire. Knepp died at the scene of the fire; Reed and Maguire were found outside the burning home and taken to a Lincoln burn unit with critical injuries. The State Fire Marshal Agency had earlier confirmed that a propane leak caused the fire.

Second person has died from injuries in Filley house fire

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators on Tuesday allowed emergency use of the first rapid coronavirus test that can be <a href="https://www.lucirahealth.com/">performed entirely at home</a> and delivers results in 30 minutes.

The announcement by the Food and Drug Administration represents an important step in U.S. efforts to expand testing options for COVID-19 beyond health care facilities and testing sites. However, the test will require a prescription, likely limiting its initial use.

The FDA granted emergency authorization to the single-use <a href="https://www.lucirahealth.com/">test kit from Lucira Health</a>, a California manufacturer.

The company’s test allows users to swab themselves to collect a nasal sample. The sample is then swirled in a vial of laboratory solution that plugs into a portable device. Results are displayed as lights labeled positive or negative.

To date, the FDA has authorized nearly 300 tests for coronavirus. The vast majority require a nasal swab performed by a health professional and must be processed at laboratories using high-tech equipment. A handful of tests allow people to collect their own sample at home — a nasal swab or saliva — that’s then shipped to a lab, which usually means waiting days for results.

Health experts have called for options to allow people to test themselves at home, reducing turnaround times and the potential spread of the virus to others, including health care workers. Rapid test results are critical to quickly quarantining those who are infected and tracing their contacts. But for months, U.S. testing has been plagued by slow results due to bottlenecks as testing laboratories. There are other rapid tests but most require a small, special machine operated by a health professional to develop results

“Now, more Americans who may have COVID-19 will be able to take immediate action, based on their results, to protect themselves and those around them,” Dr. Jeff Shuren, director of the FDA’s devices center, said in a statement.

Lucira did not immediately respond to a request for additional details after business hours Tuesday.

The Lucira COVID-19 test grew out of research the company was doing to develop an at-home flu test, according to the company’s website. Lucira adapted its technology to detect COVID-19 after the outbreak.

The test uses technology similar to genetic laboratory-based tests that are the standard tool for COVID-19 screening. That’s different than most rapid tests currently used in the U.S., which look for viral proteins called antigens — not the virus itself.

Anyone that tests positive should isolate and seek care from a health professional, the FDA said in its release. Those who test negative but still have coronavirus symptoms should consult a doctor; a negative result does not rule out COVID-19 infection.

The FDA said Lucira’s test was also authorized for use in doctor’s offices and testing sites. Currently all U.S. testing sites must report results to state and federal health authorities tracking the pandemic. Doctors will be required to report the home test results.

“If the results are not reported back, it may be difficult to figure out what is happening in the community at large,” said Dr. Alberto Gutierrez, former head of the FDA’s testing office, in an interview before the announcement.

More than two dozen companies have been racing for months to develop the first, rapid home-based test for COVID-19. However, the FDA outlined a number of study requirements for manufacturers.

These hurdles have less to do with COVID-19 specifically, and more to do with decades-long concerns about whether people without any medical training can accurately screen themselves and interpret the results.

The FDA has only ever approved one home test for an infectious disease — an HIV test. And even commonplace over-the-counter tests— such as home pregnancy kits — were subject to years of scrutiny before FDA allowed their use in the 1970s.

Experts say that careful approach is warranted for coronavirus.

“I think increased testing closer to patients, including in the home, is the way of the future,” said Dr. Robin Patel of the Mayo Clinic, in an interview before the announcement was made. “But there are considerations that have to be addressed to make sure that this is done in a safe and effective way.”

FDA regulators authorized the new test using their emergency powers to quickly speed the availability of experimental products during public health crises. In normal times, the FDA requires evidence of safety and effectiveness before clearing a new test. But during public health emergencies the agency can lower those standards.

The FDA release did not disclose the test’s accuracy or the study results that regulators used to make the decision.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605699600232.png" alt="photo courtesy Lucira Health" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy Lucira Health</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators on Tuesday allowed emergency use of the first rapid coronavirus test that can be <a href="https://www.lucirahealth.com/">performed entirely at home</a> and delivers results in 30 minutes.The announcement by the Food and Drug Administration represents an important step in U.S. efforts to expand testing options for COVID-19 beyond health care facilities and testing sites. However, the test will require a prescription, likely limiting its initial use.The FDA granted emergency authorization to the single-use <a href="https://www.lucirahealth.com/">test kit from Lucira Health</a>, a California manufacturer.The company’s test allows users to swab themselves to collect a nasal sample. The sample is then swirled in a vial of laboratory solution that plugs into a portable device. Results are displayed as lights labeled positive or negative.To date, the FDA has authorized nearly 300 tests for coronavirus. The vast majority require a nasal swab performed by a health professional and must be processed at laboratories using high-tech equipment. A handful of tests allow people to collect their own sample at home — a nasal swab or saliva — that’s then shipped to a lab, which usually means waiting days for results.Health experts have called for options to allow people to test themselves at home, reducing turnaround times and the potential spread of the virus to others, including health care workers. Rapid test results are critical to quickly quarantining those who are infected and tracing their contacts. But for months, U.S. testing has been plagued by slow results due to bottlenecks as testing laboratories. There are other rapid tests but most require a small, special machine operated by a health professional to develop results“Now, more Americans who may have COVID-19 will be able to take immediate action, based on their results, to protect themselves and those around them,” Dr. Jeff Shuren, director of the FDA’s devices center, said in a statement.Lucira did not immediately respond to a request for additional details after business hours Tuesday.The Lucira COVID-19 test grew out of research the company was doing to develop an at-home flu test, according to the company’s website. Lucira adapted its technology to detect COVID-19 after the outbreak.The test uses technology similar to genetic laboratory-based tests that are the standard tool for COVID-19 screening. That’s different than most rapid tests currently used in the U.S., which look for viral proteins called antigens — not the virus itself.Anyone that tests positive should isolate and seek care from a health professional, the FDA said in its release. Those who test negative but still have coronavirus symptoms should consult a doctor; a negative result does not rule out COVID-19 infection.The FDA said Lucira’s test was also authorized for use in doctor’s offices and testing sites. Currently all U.S. testing sites must report results to state and federal health authorities tracking the pandemic. Doctors will be required to report the home test results.“If the results are not reported back, it may be difficult to figure out what is happening in the community at large,” said Dr. Alberto Gutierrez, former head of the FDA’s testing office, in an interview before the announcement.More than two dozen companies have been racing for months to develop the first, rapid home-based test for COVID-19. However, the FDA outlined a number of study requirements for manufacturers.These hurdles have less to do with COVID-19 specifically, and more to do with decades-long concerns about whether people without any medical training can accurately screen themselves and interpret the results.The FDA has only ever approved one home test for an infectious disease — an HIV test. And even commonplace over-the-counter tests— such as home pregnancy kits — were subject to years of scrutiny before FDA allowed their use in the 1970s.Experts say that careful approach is warranted for coronavirus.“I think increased testing closer to patients, including in the home, is the way of the future,” said Dr. Robin Patel of the Mayo Clinic, in an interview before the announcement was made. “But there are considerations that have to be addressed to make sure that this is done in a safe and effective way.”FDA regulators authorized the new test using their emergency powers to quickly speed the availability of experimental products during public health crises. In normal times, the FDA requires evidence of safety and effectiveness before clearing a new test. But during public health emergencies the agency can lower those standards.The FDA release did not disclose the test’s accuracy or the study results that regulators used to make the decision.___

FDA allows 1st rapid virus test that gives results at home

WASHINGTON (AP) — As the CEOs of Twitter and Facebook gave assurances of vigorous action against election disinformation, Republicans at a Senate hearing Tuesday pounded the social media companies over political bias, business practices and market dominance, laying the ground for curbs on their long-held legal protections.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?478048-1/facebook-twitter-ceos-testify-senate-judiciary-committee&amp;live">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;a replay of the hearing

Twitter’s Jack Dorsey and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg defended at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing the safeguards against the use of their platforms to spread falsehoods and incite violence in the contest between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden. Responding to concern from Democrats on the panel, they pledged continued vigorous action for two special elections in Georgia that could determine in January which party controls the U.S. Senate.

Republican senators, including Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham, revived complaints of censorship and anti-conservative bias against the social media platforms. They were reticent to address head-on the issue of election disinformation, an awkward topic for Republicans given that many of them have refused to knock down Trump’s unfounded claims of voting irregularities and fraud, even as misinformation disputing Biden’s victory has flourished online.

The actions that Twitter and Facebook took to quell the spread of disinformation angered Trump and his supporters.

Different grievances but a common adversary. Democrats, including President-elect Biden, also call for stripping away some of the protections that have shielded tech companies from legal responsibility for what people post.

They have focused their concern on hate speech and incitement on social media platforms that can spawn violence.

Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Democrat from Hawaii, asked Zuckerberg: “At what point will you stop giving in to baseless claims of anti-conservative bias and start exercising your control over Facebook to stop driving division?”

Graham pushed the case for Congress to curb the tech companies’ legal shield. “I think there’s Republican and Democrat concern about the power that’s being used by social media outlets to tell us what we can see and what we can’t, what’s true and what’s not,” Graham said.

Republicans and Democrats also are making common cause on Big Tech’s market dominance, endorsing stronger enforcement of antitrust laws and for some, the breakup of giants like Facebook and Google.

“Your companies are the most powerful in the world,” Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican, told Dorsey and Zuckerberg.

“It is time we took action against these modern-day robber barons,” Hawley said, referring to the 19th century industrial moguls whose ruthless practices built fortunes.

Hawley exulted in a tweet: “Under oath, Zuckerberg admits Facebook DOES have ‘tools’ to track its users across the internet, across platforms, across accounts — all without user knowledge. I ask how many times this tool has been used domestically against Americans. Zuck won’t say.”

Zuckerberg, fending off Hawley’s accusations that Facebook coordinates its content moderation policies with rivals such as Google, said “We do coordinate and share on security-related topics” such as terrorism and foreign government influence — but not on policing content.

Despite fears over security in the runup to Election Day and social media companies bracing for the worst, the election turned out to be the most secure in U.S. history, federal and state officials from both parties say — repudiating Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of fraud.

Twitter and Facebook have both slapped a misinformation label on some content from Trump, most notably his assertions linking voting by mail to fraud. On Monday, Twitter flagged Trump’s tweet proclaiming “I won the Election!” with this note: “Official sources called this election differently.”

Twitter has in many cases prevented users from retweeting Trump’s tweets, while Facebook allows its users to continue sharing Trump’s false claims.

Dorsey and Zuckerberg testified to the hearing via video. Dorsey said that Twitter flagged some 300,000 tweets between Oct. 27 and Nov. 11 for content that was disputed and potentially misleading, representing 0.2% of all U.S. election-related tweets sent during the period.

Zuckerberg said Facebook joined with election officials to remove false claims about polling conditions and displayed warnings on more than 150 million pieces of content after review by independent fact-checkers. Facebook also prohibited misrepresentations about how or when to vote as well as attempts to use threats on the coronavirus to scare people into not voting, he said.

Zuckerberg acknowledged that “election interference remains an ongoing threat.”

Facebook moved two days after the election to ban a large group called “Stop the Steal” that Trump supporters were using to organize protests against the vote count. The 350,000-member group echoed Trump’s baseless allegations of a rigged election rendering the results invalid.

For days after the election as the vote counting went on, copycat “Stop the Steal” groups were easily found on Facebook. As of Monday, Facebook appeared to have made them harder to find, though it was still possible to locate them, including some groups with thousands of members.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605640650291.png" alt="Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg during Tuesday's hearing-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg during Tuesday's hearing-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — As the CEOs of Twitter and Facebook gave assurances of vigorous action against election disinformation, Republicans at a Senate hearing Tuesday pounded the social media companies over political bias, business practices and market dominance, laying the ground for curbs on their long-held legal protections.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?478048-1/facebook-twitter-ceos-testify-senate-judiciary-committee&amp;live">Click here to watch</a>&nbsp;a replay of the hearingTwitter’s Jack Dorsey and Facebook’s Mark Zuckerberg defended at the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing the safeguards against the use of their platforms to spread falsehoods and incite violence in the contest between President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden. Responding to concern from Democrats on the panel, they pledged continued vigorous action for two special elections in Georgia that could determine in January which party controls the U.S. Senate.Republican senators, including Committee Chairman Sen. Lindsey Graham, revived complaints of censorship and anti-conservative bias against the social media platforms. They were reticent to address head-on the issue of election disinformation, an awkward topic for Republicans given that many of them have refused to knock down Trump’s unfounded claims of voting irregularities and fraud, even as misinformation disputing Biden’s victory has flourished online.The actions that Twitter and Facebook took to quell the spread of disinformation angered Trump and his supporters.Different grievances but a common adversary. Democrats, including President-elect Biden, also call for stripping away some of the protections that have shielded tech companies from legal responsibility for what people post.They have focused their concern on hate speech and incitement on social media platforms that can spawn violence.Sen. Mazie Hirono, a Democrat from Hawaii, asked Zuckerberg: “At what point will you stop giving in to baseless claims of anti-conservative bias and start exercising your control over Facebook to stop driving division?”Graham pushed the case for Congress to curb the tech companies’ legal shield. “I think there’s Republican and Democrat concern about the power that’s being used by social media outlets to tell us what we can see and what we can’t, what’s true and what’s not,” Graham said.Republicans and Democrats also are making common cause on Big Tech’s market dominance, endorsing stronger enforcement of antitrust laws and for some, the breakup of giants like Facebook and Google.“Your companies are the most powerful in the world,” Sen. Josh Hawley, a Missouri Republican, told Dorsey and Zuckerberg.“It is time we took action against these modern-day robber barons,” Hawley said, referring to the 19th century industrial moguls whose ruthless practices built fortunes.Hawley exulted in a tweet: “Under oath, Zuckerberg admits Facebook DOES have ‘tools’ to track its users across the internet, across platforms, across accounts — all without user knowledge. I ask how many times this tool has been used domestically against Americans. Zuck won’t say.”Zuckerberg, fending off Hawley’s accusations that Facebook coordinates its content moderation policies with rivals such as Google, said “We do coordinate and share on security-related topics” such as terrorism and foreign government influence — but not on policing content.Despite fears over security in the runup to Election Day and social media companies bracing for the worst, the election turned out to be the most secure in U.S. history, federal and state officials from both parties say — repudiating Trump’s unsubstantiated claims of fraud.Twitter and Facebook have both slapped a misinformation label on some content from Trump, most notably his assertions linking voting by mail to fraud. On Monday, Twitter flagged Trump’s tweet proclaiming “I won the Election!” with this note: “Official sources called this election differently.”Twitter has in many cases prevented users from retweeting Trump’s tweets, while Facebook allows its users to continue sharing Trump’s false claims.Dorsey and Zuckerberg testified to the hearing via video. Dorsey said that Twitter flagged some 300,000 tweets between Oct. 27 and Nov. 11 for content that was disputed and potentially misleading, representing 0.2% of all U.S. election-related tweets sent during the period.Zuckerberg said Facebook joined with election officials to remove false claims about polling conditions and displayed warnings on more than 150 million pieces of content after review by independent fact-checkers. Facebook also prohibited misrepresentations about how or when to vote as well as attempts to use threats on the coronavirus to scare people into not voting, he said.Zuckerberg acknowledged that “election interference remains an ongoing threat.”Facebook moved two days after the election to ban a large group called “Stop the Steal” that Trump supporters were using to organize protests against the vote count. The 350,000-member group echoed Trump’s baseless allegations of a rigged election rendering the results invalid.For days after the election as the vote counting went on, copycat “Stop the Steal” groups were easily found on Facebook. As of Monday, Facebook appeared to have made them harder to find, though it was still possible to locate them, including some groups with thousands of members.___

🎥  Twitter, Facebook defend election actions to Senate committee

MOLINE, Ill. (AP) — More than 10,000 striking Deere &amp; Co. workers were voting Wednesday on a new contract offer from the tractor maker, but this third deal is strikingly similar to a contract that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-strikes-united-auto-workers-7124f0d5f729c0a722e62c87c94fc14a">55% of workers rejected</a>&nbsp;two weeks ago.

The latest proposed contract maintains the 10% immediate raises that the last deal offered, and it makes what the United Auto Workers union called modest changes to the details of Deere’s internal incentive pay program for workers.

After the last vote on Nov. 2, Deere officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-strikes-united-auto-workers-4cb8e7fca37836ee7eb4482392615c35">told the union</a>&nbsp;not to expect the company to offer any more money, and Deere largely stuck to that promise in this latest offer.

In addition to the initial raises, this week’s offer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-illinois-moline-united-auto-workers-7e85b3d6aa34955f7c0be633e201c87f">keeps the 5% raises</a>&nbsp;that were in the third and fifth years of the six-year deal and 3% lump sum payments in the second, fourth and sixth years of the deal. The offer would also provide an $8,500 ratification bonus, preserve a pension option for new employees, make workers eligible for health insurance sooner and maintain their no-premium health insurance coverage.

The contract covers 12 plants in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas where the company’s iconic green John Deere agricultural and construction equipment is made.

What Moline, Illinois-based Deere did in this latest offer, which it is calling its final one, was tweak the complicated formula it uses to determine which workers receive bonuses based on whether their team hits certain productivity goals. The changes in the formula could make it easier for workers to qualify for the incentive pay, but there are some Deere workers who aren’t eligible for the bonuses based on the job they do in the company’s factories and warehouses.

The workers who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-united-auto-workers-moline-strikes-447c2d911c1314c247011522e30f9bd2">went on strike&nbsp;</a>on Oct. 14 have been holding out for more from Deere, which has predicted it will report record annual profits between $5.7 billion and $5.9 billion when it releases its earnings report later this month. Initially, more than 90% of the workers rejected Deere’s initial offer, but the second vote was much closer after the company essentially doubled the raises it was offering.

Deere workers have had to endure increasingly colder temperatures along the picket lines while trying to get by on the union’s $275 in weekly strike pay or by finding another job.

Company officials have said they are using salaried employees and other workers to try and keep their factories operating during the strike. Other Deere plants globally are also working to pick up work.

Still, Deere workers — and other unions — have been emboldened to ask for more this year because of the ongoing worker shortages and because workers didn’t always feel appreciated while working long hours during the pandemic.

Another group of UAW-represented workers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-strikes-17c318d1250ebfca9f597c5601af820b">went on strike earlier this year</a>&nbsp;at a Volvo Trucks plant in Virginia and secured better pay and lower-cost health benefits after rejecting three tentative contract offers. Currently, about 1,400 Kellogg’s workers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kelloggs-cereal-plants-strike-d9185eb8fa9054d34a078063c3db6c33">have been on strike since early last month</a>&nbsp;at the company’s four U.S. cereal plants.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634596496067.png" alt="The strike began Oct. 14 -Photo courtesy WQAD TV" />
 <figcaption>The strike began Oct. 14 -Photo courtesy WQAD TV</figcaption>
 </figure>MOLINE, Ill. (AP) — More than 10,000 striking Deere &amp; Co. workers were voting Wednesday on a new contract offer from the tractor maker, but this third deal is strikingly similar to a contract that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-strikes-united-auto-workers-7124f0d5f729c0a722e62c87c94fc14a">55% of workers rejected</a>&nbsp;two weeks ago.The latest proposed contract maintains the 10% immediate raises that the last deal offered, and it makes what the United Auto Workers union called modest changes to the details of Deere’s internal incentive pay program for workers.After the last vote on Nov. 2, Deere officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-strikes-united-auto-workers-4cb8e7fca37836ee7eb4482392615c35">told the union</a>&nbsp;not to expect the company to offer any more money, and Deere largely stuck to that promise in this latest offer.In addition to the initial raises, this week’s offer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-illinois-moline-united-auto-workers-7e85b3d6aa34955f7c0be633e201c87f">keeps the 5% raises</a>&nbsp;that were in the third and fifth years of the six-year deal and 3% lump sum payments in the second, fourth and sixth years of the deal. The offer would also provide an $8,500 ratification bonus, preserve a pension option for new employees, make workers eligible for health insurance sooner and maintain their no-premium health insurance coverage.The contract covers 12 plants in Iowa, Illinois and Kansas where the company’s iconic green John Deere agricultural and construction equipment is made.What Moline, Illinois-based Deere did in this latest offer, which it is calling its final one, was tweak the complicated formula it uses to determine which workers receive bonuses based on whether their team hits certain productivity goals. The changes in the formula could make it easier for workers to qualify for the incentive pay, but there are some Deere workers who aren’t eligible for the bonuses based on the job they do in the company’s factories and warehouses.The workers who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-united-auto-workers-moline-strikes-447c2d911c1314c247011522e30f9bd2">went on strike&nbsp;</a>on Oct. 14 have been holding out for more from Deere, which has predicted it will report record annual profits between $5.7 billion and $5.9 billion when it releases its earnings report later this month. Initially, more than 90% of the workers rejected Deere’s initial offer, but the second vote was much closer after the company essentially doubled the raises it was offering.Deere workers have had to endure increasingly colder temperatures along the picket lines while trying to get by on the union’s $275 in weekly strike pay or by finding another job.Company officials have said they are using salaried employees and other workers to try and keep their factories operating during the strike. Other Deere plants globally are also working to pick up work.Still, Deere workers — and other unions — have been emboldened to ask for more this year because of the ongoing worker shortages and because workers didn’t always feel appreciated while working long hours during the pandemic.Another group of UAW-represented workers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-strikes-17c318d1250ebfca9f597c5601af820b">went on strike earlier this year</a>&nbsp;at a Volvo Trucks plant in Virginia and secured better pay and lower-cost health benefits after rejecting three tentative contract offers. Currently, about 1,400 Kellogg’s workers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kelloggs-cereal-plants-strike-d9185eb8fa9054d34a078063c3db6c33">have been on strike since early last month</a>&nbsp;at the company’s four U.S. cereal plants.

Striking John Deere workers vote on 3rd contract offer

BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Fire Marshal's office has identified a man who died in a house fire south of Omaha. 

The agency says in a news release that 40-year-old Brian Glowen died in the early Saturday morning fire.

 Preliminary autopsy results show Glowen died from smoke inhalation. 

Officials say firefighters in nearby Bellevue were first called to the fire in Sarpy County just after 4 a.m. Saturday. 

BELLEVUE, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska Fire Marshal's office has identified a man who died in a house fire south of Omaha. The agency says in a news release that 40-year-old Brian Glowen died in the early Saturday morning fire. Preliminary autopsy results show Glowen died from smoke inhalation. Officials say firefighters in nearby Bellevue were first called to the fire in Sarpy County just after 4 a.m. Saturday. Arriving firefighters found the house fully engulfed in flames, and Glowen was later found dead inside the house. Investigators determined the fire was accidental and caused by smoking materials, such as a discarded or unattended cigarette.