WASHINGTON (AP) — As they face an increasingly urgent task to emerge as a clear alternative to former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, five Republican presidential candidates gathered Wednesday for the party's latest debate.

Trump, the overwhelming front-runner in the race,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-republican-debate-florida-cubans-hispanics-4bf3422ae0803cbe13f97238270cb510">skipped the event</a>, as he has the first two, citing his polling advantage. There was no shortage of noteworthy confrontations on stage, as the participants debated the Israel-Hamas war, the future of abortion rights and Trump himself.

But with the Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses approaching, it seemed unlikely that the debate fundamentally changed the presidential nomination fight.

Wednesday marked the first time the presidential candidates gathered on a debate stage since war broke out between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel and Hamas</a>, resulting in a sharper foreign policy conversation compared to previous forums.

The contenders were unified in offering robust support for Israel and bemoaned antisemitism, especially on liberal college campuses. But they said virtually nothing about protecting Palestinian civilians in Gaza.

The GOP's familiar foreign policy split, however, resurfaced when the exchanges veered into the war in Ukraine, the possibility of China confronting Taiwan and how to handle Venezuela's oil market.

Former United Nations Ambassador&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nikki-haley">Nikki Haley</a>, South Carolina Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tim-scott">Tim Scott</a>&nbsp;and former New Jersey Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/chris-christie">Chris Christie</a>&nbsp;all sounded traditional GOP notes, backing military aid to Ukraine, calling for vastly increased investment in the military and linking all the global conflicts.

Biotech entrepreneur&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vivek-ramaswamy">Vivek Ramaswamy</a>&nbsp;tried to set himself apart, claiming the rest of the stage was part of a bipartisan foreign policy establishment that blundered into repeated disasters in foreign wars. A longtime critic of aid to Ukraine, he followed up his condemnation of antisemitism by calling that country’s Jewish president “a Nazi.”

Florida Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ron-desantis">Ron DeSantis</a>&nbsp;seemed like he was straddling the divide. At one point, he dodged a question about Ukraine and China by talking about boosting security on the southern border and suggesting he’d deport immigrants from the Middle East.

The candidates all talked tough. But the party divide over the Ukraine war ran subtly through the night and it’s not clear they’d each act the same should they actually make it to the Oval Office.

All of the candidates are trying to overtake Trump, who is the dominant front-runner in the primary. But for the most part, they've spent the primary campaign avoiding any opportunity to take on the former president.

That became harder during the first debate hosted by a network that wasn't affiliated with the Trump-friendly Fox News. Moderators from NBC News opened by pressing the contenders to articulate why they — and not Trump — should become the Republican nominee.

There was hardly a robust takedown of Trump, who remains popular among the GOP base and hosted a rival event Wednesday. But DeSantis was the most forceful.

“Donald Trump’s a lot different guy than he was in 2016,” he said, declaring that Trump owed it to Republican primary voters to show up and explain his record.

But even DeSantis’ strong words spanned less than 30 seconds. And he stopped short of questioning Trump’s “balls” for skipping the debate, as he had in recent days.

The other candidates were less aggressive.

Asked why he’s a better nominee than Trump, Ramaswamy went so far as to blame Republican National Committee Chair&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ronna-romney-mcdaniel">Ronna McDaniel</a>&nbsp;— not Trump — for the GOP’s repeated losses in national elections since Trump won the presidency in 2016.

When she was asked about Trump, Haley made a passing reference of the national debt that piled up under his watch. Scott said the GOP needs to win over independent voters. Christie devoted one sentence to highlighting Trump’s legal troubles.

The lack of pointed attacks against Trump may underscore the difficulty of attacking someone who’s not onstage. But his rivals didn’t try hard either. Wednesday’s debate is the latest example for why Trump may have been smart to skip the debates altogether.

There were five candidates on the debate stage, but the vendetta between two of them stood out — Haley and Ramaswamy.

The two children of Indian immigrants have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haley-ramaswamy-indian-americans-republicans-2024-election-916a01928d35d083ec6c10bc11b41a5f">collided during previous debates</a>. But the tension intensified Wednesday night with Ramaswamy gleefully playing the role of aggressor. He took several initial digs at Haley — at one point he called her and DeSantis “Cheney in 3-inch heels,” a reference to controversial former Vice President Dick Cheney and his daughter Liz, a congresswoman excommunicated from the GOP for her criticism of Trump.

But it was halfway through the debate, after Haley said she’d respond to Ramaswamy’s digs rather than answer a question about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vivek-ramaswamy-tiktok-republicans-china-2024-d2534384ff5b303d391fadba8e5b8824">banning Tik-Tok</a>, that Ramaswamy made his most shocking attack.

Noting Haley hadn’t answered the question, Ramaswamy said, “Her own daughter was using the app for a long time, so you might want to take care of your daughter first.”

Haley responded by forcefully telling Ramaswamy to “leave my daughter out of your voice.” She later said, “You're just scum.”

Ramaswamy has dominated all three of the debates with his pugnacious style. It hasn’t necessarily helped him politically — his biting attacks seem to turn off voters — but it drowns out all the other candidates. He’s also clearly gotten under the skin of his rivals, who spend precious time going after him.

Ramaswamy has even less of a path to victory than the rest of the very distant field, and each debate he dominates is another lost opportunity for anyone to change the trajectory of the GOP primary.

Republicans have had no answers on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">abortion</a>&nbsp;ever since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. In election after election, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2024-elections-republicans-ohio-virginia-90255a62d83ad9f1d86b407c9455bb0a">several this week</a>, Democrats have used the issue to their advantage.

On Wednesday night, Haley, the only woman onstage, tried to give her party a path forward for navigating the delicate political issue.

Haley’s approach was decidedly softer and more personal than what the men onstage offered.

“I don’t judge anyone for being pro-choice, and I don’t want them to judge me for being pro-life,” she said, suggesting that she respected the decisions of states to protect abortion rights even if she didn’t agree with them.

And she made clear that the next Republican president would not be in position to institute a national ban on abortion without 60 votes in the Senate, which isn’t anywhere close to the horizon. Instead, she suggested Republicans in Washington work for what could be achievable: a ban on late-term abortions, policies that encourage adoption and increased accessibility of contraception.

“Let’s focus on how to save as many babies as we can and support as many moms as we can and stop the judgment. We don’t need to divide America over this issue anymore,” Haley said, drawing applause from the crowd.

Meanwhile, the men onstage offered more of the same message that failed to resonate with voters across Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania earlier in the week.

DeSantis attacked Democrats for supporting abortions without any time restrictions. Echoing the criticism, Scott said it was “unethical and immoral” to allow abortions up to the day of birth.

Haley’s message might be popular among some suburban women, a group the GOP has struggled with during recent elections, but it’s decidedly out of step with many activists that make up the Republican base. Still, her answer Wednesday night is a reminder why some Democratic officials fear her as a possible Biden opponent more than any of the other candidates.

After two more hours of likely also-rans arguing over mostly small differences, it seems clear that the Republican presidential contest is mainly a race to finish a distant second.

No one is even close to Trump and no one is trying to catch him. Instead, the candidates seem to be fighting over who can be the best alternative to him in the event the unthinkable happens to sideline the four-times-indicted, constitutionally challenged, 77-year-old front-runner.

Even Christie, whose entire campaign was predicated on him being the only Republican brave enough to attack the former president, stayed quiet on Trump unless asked about him by the moderators.

By now it’s clear that no one sees a path to actual victory in the primary. Instead, everyone is acting like their best bet is that the alternative universe of the debates, where Trump is not even on the stage, somehow becomes reality for Republican voters.

That’s the only way these debates likely matter anymore. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned in the Trump era, it’s that you can never tell what will happen next.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699496384832.png" alt="Photo courtesy&nbsp; Haley campaign for President" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy&nbsp; Haley campaign for President</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — As they face an increasingly urgent task to emerge as a clear alternative to former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, five Republican presidential candidates gathered Wednesday for the party's latest debate.Trump, the overwhelming front-runner in the race,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rally-republican-debate-florida-cubans-hispanics-4bf3422ae0803cbe13f97238270cb510">skipped the event</a>, as he has the first two, citing his polling advantage. There was no shortage of noteworthy confrontations on stage, as the participants debated the Israel-Hamas war, the future of abortion rights and Trump himself.But with the Jan. 15 Iowa caucuses approaching, it seemed unlikely that the debate fundamentally changed the presidential nomination fight.Here are some debate takeaways:The foreign policy debateWednesday marked the first time the presidential candidates gathered on a debate stage since war broke out between&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel and Hamas</a>, resulting in a sharper foreign policy conversation compared to previous forums.The contenders were unified in offering robust support for Israel and bemoaned antisemitism, especially on liberal college campuses. But they said virtually nothing about protecting Palestinian civilians in Gaza.The GOP's familiar foreign policy split, however, resurfaced when the exchanges veered into the war in Ukraine, the possibility of China confronting Taiwan and how to handle Venezuela's oil market.Former United Nations Ambassador&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nikki-haley">Nikki Haley</a>, South Carolina Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/tim-scott">Tim Scott</a>&nbsp;and former New Jersey Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/chris-christie">Chris Christie</a>&nbsp;all sounded traditional GOP notes, backing military aid to Ukraine, calling for vastly increased investment in the military and linking all the global conflicts.Biotech entrepreneur&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vivek-ramaswamy">Vivek Ramaswamy</a>&nbsp;tried to set himself apart, claiming the rest of the stage was part of a bipartisan foreign policy establishment that blundered into repeated disasters in foreign wars. A longtime critic of aid to Ukraine, he followed up his condemnation of antisemitism by calling that country’s Jewish president “a Nazi.”Florida Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ron-desantis">Ron DeSantis</a>&nbsp;seemed like he was straddling the divide. At one point, he dodged a question about Ukraine and China by talking about boosting security on the southern border and suggesting he’d deport immigrants from the Middle East.The candidates all talked tough. But the party divide over the Ukraine war ran subtly through the night and it’s not clear they’d each act the same should they actually make it to the Oval Office.Taking on TrumpAll of the candidates are trying to overtake Trump, who is the dominant front-runner in the primary. But for the most part, they've spent the primary campaign avoiding any opportunity to take on the former president.That became harder during the first debate hosted by a network that wasn't affiliated with the Trump-friendly Fox News. Moderators from NBC News opened by pressing the contenders to articulate why they — and not Trump — should become the Republican nominee.There was hardly a robust takedown of Trump, who remains popular among the GOP base and hosted a rival event Wednesday. But DeSantis was the most forceful.“Donald Trump’s a lot different guy than he was in 2016,” he said, declaring that Trump owed it to Republican primary voters to show up and explain his record.But even DeSantis’ strong words spanned less than 30 seconds. And he stopped short of questioning Trump’s “balls” for skipping the debate, as he had in recent days.The other candidates were less aggressive.Asked why he’s a better nominee than Trump, Ramaswamy went so far as to blame Republican National Committee Chair&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ronna-romney-mcdaniel">Ronna McDaniel</a>&nbsp;— not Trump — for the GOP’s repeated losses in national elections since Trump won the presidency in 2016.When she was asked about Trump, Haley made a passing reference of the national debt that piled up under his watch. Scott said the GOP needs to win over independent voters. Christie devoted one sentence to highlighting Trump’s legal troubles.The lack of pointed attacks against Trump may underscore the difficulty of attacking someone who’s not onstage. But his rivals didn’t try hard either. Wednesday’s debate is the latest example for why Trump may have been smart to skip the debates altogether.The Ramaswamy and Haley feudThere were five candidates on the debate stage, but the vendetta between two of them stood out — Haley and Ramaswamy.The two children of Indian immigrants have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haley-ramaswamy-indian-americans-republicans-2024-election-916a01928d35d083ec6c10bc11b41a5f">collided during previous debates</a>. But the tension intensified Wednesday night with Ramaswamy gleefully playing the role of aggressor. He took several initial digs at Haley — at one point he called her and DeSantis “Cheney in 3-inch heels,” a reference to controversial former Vice President Dick Cheney and his daughter Liz, a congresswoman excommunicated from the GOP for her criticism of Trump.But it was halfway through the debate, after Haley said she’d respond to Ramaswamy’s digs rather than answer a question about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vivek-ramaswamy-tiktok-republicans-china-2024-d2534384ff5b303d391fadba8e5b8824">banning Tik-Tok</a>, that Ramaswamy made his most shocking attack.Noting Haley hadn’t answered the question, Ramaswamy said, “Her own daughter was using the app for a long time, so you might want to take care of your daughter first.”Haley responded by forcefully telling Ramaswamy to “leave my daughter out of your voice.” She later said, “You're just scum.”Ramaswamy has dominated all three of the debates with his pugnacious style. It hasn’t necessarily helped him politically — his biting attacks seem to turn off voters — but it drowns out all the other candidates. He’s also clearly gotten under the skin of his rivals, who spend precious time going after him.Ramaswamy has even less of a path to victory than the rest of the very distant field, and each debate he dominates is another lost opportunity for anyone to change the trajectory of the GOP primary.A path forward on abortionRepublicans have had no answers on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">abortion</a>&nbsp;ever since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. In election after election, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-2024-elections-republicans-ohio-virginia-90255a62d83ad9f1d86b407c9455bb0a">several this week</a>, Democrats have used the issue to their advantage.On Wednesday night, Haley, the only woman onstage, tried to give her party a path forward for navigating the delicate political issue.Haley’s approach was decidedly softer and more personal than what the men onstage offered.“I don’t judge anyone for being pro-choice, and I don’t want them to judge me for being pro-life,” she said, suggesting that she respected the decisions of states to protect abortion rights even if she didn’t agree with them.And she made clear that the next Republican president would not be in position to institute a national ban on abortion without 60 votes in the Senate, which isn’t anywhere close to the horizon. Instead, she suggested Republicans in Washington work for what could be achievable: a ban on late-term abortions, policies that encourage adoption and increased accessibility of contraception.“Let’s focus on how to save as many babies as we can and support as many moms as we can and stop the judgment. We don’t need to divide America over this issue anymore,” Haley said, drawing applause from the crowd.Meanwhile, the men onstage offered more of the same message that failed to resonate with voters across Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania earlier in the week.DeSantis attacked Democrats for supporting abortions without any time restrictions. Echoing the criticism, Scott said it was “unethical and immoral” to allow abortions up to the day of birth.Haley’s message might be popular among some suburban women, a group the GOP has struggled with during recent elections, but it’s decidedly out of step with many activists that make up the Republican base. Still, her answer Wednesday night is a reminder why some Democratic officials fear her as a possible Biden opponent more than any of the other candidates.The race for secondAfter two more hours of likely also-rans arguing over mostly small differences, it seems clear that the Republican presidential contest is mainly a race to finish a distant second.No one is even close to Trump and no one is trying to catch him. Instead, the candidates seem to be fighting over who can be the best alternative to him in the event the unthinkable happens to sideline the four-times-indicted, constitutionally challenged, 77-year-old front-runner.Even Christie, whose entire campaign was predicated on him being the only Republican brave enough to attack the former president, stayed quiet on Trump unless asked about him by the moderators.By now it’s clear that no one sees a path to actual victory in the primary. Instead, everyone is acting like their best bet is that the alternative universe of the debates, where Trump is not even on the stage, somehow becomes reality for Republican voters.That’s the only way these debates likely matter anymore. But if there’s one thing we’ve learned in the Trump era, it’s that you can never tell what will happen next.

GOP candidates hit Trump and back Israel: Highlights from the debate

SHAWNEE COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting continue asking the public for help to locate a suspect.

On October 11, police responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of SW Clay Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks.

 First responders found 18-year-old s Ra’Juan Spicer,suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased by medical personnel at the scene.&nbsp;

Police are attempting to locate Reginald Rucker-Plakio, 17, of Topeka, in reference to the homicide.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699048664862.png" alt="Rucker-Plakio-photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Rucker-Plakio-photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting continue asking the public for help to locate a suspect.On October 11, police responded to a shooting in the 1200 block of SW Clay Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Donna Eubanks. First responders found 18-year-old s Ra’Juan Spicer,suffering from a life-threatening gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased by medical personnel at the scene.&nbsp;Police are attempting to locate Reginald Rucker-Plakio, 17, of Topeka, in reference to the homicide.

Homicide: Search continues for 17-year-old Kansas suspect

JOHNSON COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a Kansas house fire.

Just before 5p.m. Wednesday, crews responded to a house fire at 150th and Arapahoe Drive in Olathe, according to a media release.

&nbsp;Firefighters had the fire under control within 16 minutes of arriving on-scene. Damage to the home is significant. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699489485709.png" alt="Photo courtesy Olathe Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Olathe Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Authorities are working to determine the cause of a Kansas house fire.Just before 5p.m. Wednesday, crews responded to a house fire at 150th and Arapahoe Drive in Olathe, according to a media release.&nbsp;Firefighters had the fire under control within 16 minutes of arriving on-scene. Damage to the home is significant. There were no injuries reported.&nbsp;

Cause of Kansas house fire under investigation

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 10:30a.m. Wednesday in Kansas City.

A Buick LeSabre was southbound on 71 Highway at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Corey Carlisle.

 Just south of Meyer Street, the Buick traveled off the roadway to the left, traveling through the grassy median and struck a large tree head on. 

The Buick was immediately engulfed in fire which destroyed the entire vehicle. The driver and sole occupant of the Buick was pronounced deceased at the scene. 

Southbound 71 Highway was completely closed to all traffic at 63rd Street for approximately three hours.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the victim. The accident remains under investigation.

 This is 84th fatality crash in KCMO this year compared to 78 at this time last year, according to Carlisle.

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 10:30a.m. Wednesday in Kansas City.A Buick LeSabre was southbound on 71 Highway at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Corey Carlisle. Just south of Meyer Street, the Buick traveled off the roadway to the left, traveling through the grassy median and struck a large tree head on. The Buick was immediately engulfed in fire which destroyed the entire vehicle. The driver and sole occupant of the Buick was pronounced deceased at the scene. Southbound 71 Highway was completely closed to all traffic at 63rd Street for approximately three hours.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the victim. The accident remains under investigation. This is 84th fatality crash in KCMO this year compared to 78 at this time last year, according to Carlisle.

Police: One dead in KC-area crash and fire

LOS ANGELES (AP) — On Thursday, for the first time in more than six months, neither Hollywood's actors nor its writers will be on strike.

The long-awaited clearing in the industry's stormiest season in decades comes as a deal was reached late Wednesday to end what was, at nearly four months, the longest strike ever for film and television actors.

The three-year contract must be approved by the board of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and its members in the coming days. But union leadership declared that the strike will end at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, putting all of the parts of production back into action for the first time since spring.

Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA's executive director and chief negotiator, said the gains made in the deal justified the struggle.

“It’s an agreement that our members can be proud of. I’m certainly very proud of it," Crabtree-Ireland told The Associated Press in an interview. "We said we would only accept a fair, equitable and respectful deal, and that’s precisely what this deal is. So I think our members, as we are able to release more of the details of it, will look at them and say, now this is something that was worth being on strike for.”

More than 60,000 SAG-AFTRA members&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-actors-strike-ca3e3eddc910f1e52d618e5e3c394554">went on strike</a>&nbsp;July 14, joining screenwriters who had walked off the job more than two months earlier. It was the first time the two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-strikes-poll-public-opinion-actors-writers-5727ed3078c4f69851c18c560670f480">unions had been on strike</a>&nbsp;together since 1960. The studios and writers reached a deal that brought their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-deal-hollywood-vote-actors-d3119d670a4fd3449773bf8f4026fb2b">strike to an end</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 26.

The union valued the deal at over a billion dollars. Crabtree-Ireland said the deal includes boosts to minimum payments to actors, a greater share of streaming revenue going to performers, a bolstering of benefit plans and protections against the unfettered use of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-ai-strike-wga-artificial-intelligence-39ab72582c3a15f77510c9c30a45ffc8">artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;in recreating performances. Details of the terms will not be released until after a meeting on Friday where board members review the contract.

The AI protections were a sticking point in the negotiations that had moved methodically, with both long breaks for both sides to huddle, since they restarted on Oct. 24.

“It is something that has evolved even while we’ve been in this negotiation process,” Crabtree-Ireland said. “The capabilities of generative AI tools have expanded dramatically. So we have really been focused on making sure that the guardrails that we negotiated for were future-proof or at least future-resistant.”

The other side in the negotiations,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-strikes-lombardini-drescher-stutzman-iger-zaslav-00c17264129cebb17d10b80b9c51aa3e">Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers</a>&nbsp;said in a statement that the “agreement represents a new paradigm. It gives SAG-AFTRA the biggest contract-on-contract gains in the history of the union.” The AMPTP said it "looks forward to the industry resuming the work of telling great stories.”

Executives from top entertainment companies including Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery and Universal had a direct hand in negotiations.

The Writers Guild of America applauded Wednesday's deal. “We’re thrilled to see SAG-AFTRA members win a contract that creates new protections for performers and gives them a greater share of the immense value they create,” the union said in a statement. "When workers are united, they win!”

Although the writers strike had immediate, visible effects for viewers, including the months-long suspension of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-late-night-shows-return-negotiations-1ddcaa8c4684375f8e56d2cd2abd62ea">late-night talk shows</a>&nbsp;and “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saturday-night-live-returns-a3c0feb411b8f673797fb1d4fdc2546b">Saturday Night Live</a>,” the impact of the actors’ absence was not as immediately apparent. But its ripple effects — delayed release dates and waits for new show seasons — could be felt for months or even years.

Actors should quickly return to movie sets where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-delayed-shows-movies-writers-42b99032bb638930df097f675b363898">productions were paused</a>, including “Deadpool 3,” “Gladiator 2” and “Wicked.” Other movies and shows will restart shooting once returning writers finish scripts.

And beyond scripted productions, the end of the strike allows actors to return to red carpets, talk shows and podcasts, as Hollywood’s awards season approaches.

“The SAG strike is over!! I can finally say it: watch my documentary Saturday night at 8 on HBO/MAX!” actor-director&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AlbertBrooks">Albert Brooks said on social media</a>&nbsp;moments after the strike ended. “Couldn’t say a word until now!!”

The only major awards show directly effected by the strike was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/emmy-awards">Emmys</a>, which was moved from September to January. Now, the usual fall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oscars">Oscar</a>&nbsp;campaigns will mobilize.

But any feeling of industry normalcy could prove temporary. The circumstances that brought on the strikes — the shift from traditional theatrical and broadcast media to streaming, and emerging tech like AI — have not been slowed. And the gains made by the strikes may embolden other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-strike-averted-deal-reached-iatse-fec4d17fae1115e9fe17149d9e8cdbc4">Hollywood unions</a>, or these same guilds in negotiations that will come up again in three years.

Union leaders treated the strike like a watershed moment from the start, coming as it did amid wider&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-mack-union-ford-gm-stellantis-volvo-e55c1b1efc5b0d0a6e01b4f57d7da08a">labor fights</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kaiser-health-care-workers-strike-b8b40ce8c082c0b8c4f1c0fb7ec38741">other industries</a>.

“I think it’s a conversation now about the culture of big business, and how it treats everybody up and down the ladder in the name of profit,” SAG-AFTRA President and “The Nanny” star&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fran-drescher-actors-strike-sagaftra-nanny-ec62ce74813caa12ec11f72a0b48bc17">Fran Drescher told AP</a>&nbsp;in August.

The agreement also means a return to sets for thousands of film crew members who were left with nothing to work on during the strikes. SAG-AFTRA sought to offset their hardship by allowing sometimes controversial&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-strike-waiver-explained-b2e192a3bbbcce7237c11d557e933477">interim agreements</a>&nbsp;for some smaller productions to proceed, and by making their strike relief fund available to all workers in the industry.

“The idea that I get to discover if I still remember how to act is very exciting,” said actor Ely Henry, who has spent the past months leading pickets outside Paramount Pictures as a strike captain. “I’m just grateful for the fact that so many people are going to get back to work.”

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hollywood’s actors union reached a tentative deal with studios Wednesday to end its strike, bringing a close to months of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hollywood-strikes/">labor strife</a>&nbsp;that ground the entertainment industry to a historic halt.

The three-year contract agreement must be approved by votes from the union’s board and its members in the coming days, but the leadership declared that the strike will end at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday.

More than 60,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Performers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-actors-strike-ca3e3eddc910f1e52d618e5e3c394554">went on strike</a>&nbsp;July 14, joining screenwriters who had walked off the job more than two months earlier. It was the first time the two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-strikes-poll-public-opinion-actors-writers-5727ed3078c4f69851c18c560670f480">unions had been on strike</a>&nbsp;together since 1960. Studios chose to negotiate with the writers first, striking a deal that their leadership marked as a major win and bringing their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-deal-hollywood-vote-actors-d3119d670a4fd3449773bf8f4026fb2b">strike to an end</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 26.

The terms of the agreement were not immediately released. SAG-AFTRA said details would be made public after a meeting on Friday where board members review the contract.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-writers-strike-explained-05a2e9439eee5146474b1b538ff9ada6">Issues on the table</a>&nbsp;included both short-term compensation and future royalty payments for film and TV performances, along with control over actors’ images and likenesses regenerated with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-ai-strike-wga-artificial-intelligence-39ab72582c3a15f77510c9c30a45ffc8">artificial intelligence</a>.

Executives from top entertainment companies including Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery and Universal had a direct hand in negotiations, which like all Hollywood union talks were led by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-strikes-lombardini-drescher-stutzman-iger-zaslav-00c17264129cebb17d10b80b9c51aa3e">Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers</a>.

But any feeling of industry normalcy could prove temporary. The circumstances that brought on the strikes — the shift from traditional theatrical and broadcast media to streaming, and emerging tech like AI — have not been slowed. And the gains made by the strikes may embolden other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-strike-averted-deal-reached-iatse-fec4d17fae1115e9fe17149d9e8cdbc4">Hollywood unions</a>, or these same guilds in negotiations that will come up again in just a few years.

“I think it’s a conversation now about the culture of big business, and how it treats everybody up and down the ladder in the name of profit,” SAG-AFTRA President and “The Nanny” star&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fran-drescher-actors-strike-sagaftra-nanny-ec62ce74813caa12ec11f72a0b48bc17">Fran Drescher told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;in an August interview.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-strikes-lombardini-drescher-stutzman-iger-zaslav-00c17264129cebb17d10b80b9c51aa3e">Duncan Crabtree-Ireland</a>, the executive director and chief negotiator who led the team that struck the deal for the guild, told the AP in August that he was “honored to be part of making sure that our members get a fair contract that’s going to protect them going into the future and make sure that the 14-year-olds I talked to on the Disney picket line still have the ability to be an actor when they turn 18.”

The agreement also means a return to sets for thousands of film crew members who have left with nothing to work on during the strikes. SAG-AFTRA sought to offset their hardship by allowing sometimes controversial&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-strike-waiver-explained-b2e192a3bbbcce7237c11d557e933477">interim agreements</a>&nbsp;for some smaller productions to proceed, and by making their strike relief fund available to all workers in the industry.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699493412106.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — On Thursday, for the first time in more than six months, neither Hollywood's actors nor its writers will be on strike.The long-awaited clearing in the industry's stormiest season in decades comes as a deal was reached late Wednesday to end what was, at nearly four months, the longest strike ever for film and television actors.The three-year contract must be approved by the board of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists and its members in the coming days. But union leadership declared that the strike will end at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, putting all of the parts of production back into action for the first time since spring.Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA's executive director and chief negotiator, said the gains made in the deal justified the struggle.“It’s an agreement that our members can be proud of. I’m certainly very proud of it," Crabtree-Ireland told The Associated Press in an interview. "We said we would only accept a fair, equitable and respectful deal, and that’s precisely what this deal is. So I think our members, as we are able to release more of the details of it, will look at them and say, now this is something that was worth being on strike for.”More than 60,000 SAG-AFTRA members&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-actors-strike-ca3e3eddc910f1e52d618e5e3c394554">went on strike</a>&nbsp;July 14, joining screenwriters who had walked off the job more than two months earlier. It was the first time the two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-strikes-poll-public-opinion-actors-writers-5727ed3078c4f69851c18c560670f480">unions had been on strike</a>&nbsp;together since 1960. The studios and writers reached a deal that brought their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-deal-hollywood-vote-actors-d3119d670a4fd3449773bf8f4026fb2b">strike to an end</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 26.The union valued the deal at over a billion dollars. Crabtree-Ireland said the deal includes boosts to minimum payments to actors, a greater share of streaming revenue going to performers, a bolstering of benefit plans and protections against the unfettered use of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-ai-strike-wga-artificial-intelligence-39ab72582c3a15f77510c9c30a45ffc8">artificial intelligence</a>&nbsp;in recreating performances. Details of the terms will not be released until after a meeting on Friday where board members review the contract.The AI protections were a sticking point in the negotiations that had moved methodically, with both long breaks for both sides to huddle, since they restarted on Oct. 24.“It is something that has evolved even while we’ve been in this negotiation process,” Crabtree-Ireland said. “The capabilities of generative AI tools have expanded dramatically. So we have really been focused on making sure that the guardrails that we negotiated for were future-proof or at least future-resistant.”The other side in the negotiations,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-strikes-lombardini-drescher-stutzman-iger-zaslav-00c17264129cebb17d10b80b9c51aa3e">Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers</a>&nbsp;said in a statement that the “agreement represents a new paradigm. It gives SAG-AFTRA the biggest contract-on-contract gains in the history of the union.” The AMPTP said it "looks forward to the industry resuming the work of telling great stories.”Executives from top entertainment companies including Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery and Universal had a direct hand in negotiations.The Writers Guild of America applauded Wednesday's deal. “We’re thrilled to see SAG-AFTRA members win a contract that creates new protections for performers and gives them a greater share of the immense value they create,” the union said in a statement. "When workers are united, they win!”Although the writers strike had immediate, visible effects for viewers, including the months-long suspension of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-late-night-shows-return-negotiations-1ddcaa8c4684375f8e56d2cd2abd62ea">late-night talk shows</a>&nbsp;and “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saturday-night-live-returns-a3c0feb411b8f673797fb1d4fdc2546b">Saturday Night Live</a>,” the impact of the actors’ absence was not as immediately apparent. But its ripple effects — delayed release dates and waits for new show seasons — could be felt for months or even years.Actors should quickly return to movie sets where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-delayed-shows-movies-writers-42b99032bb638930df097f675b363898">productions were paused</a>, including “Deadpool 3,” “Gladiator 2” and “Wicked.” Other movies and shows will restart shooting once returning writers finish scripts.And beyond scripted productions, the end of the strike allows actors to return to red carpets, talk shows and podcasts, as Hollywood’s awards season approaches.“The SAG strike is over!! I can finally say it: watch my documentary Saturday night at 8 on HBO/MAX!” actor-director&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AlbertBrooks">Albert Brooks said on social media</a>&nbsp;moments after the strike ended. “Couldn’t say a word until now!!”The only major awards show directly effected by the strike was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/emmy-awards">Emmys</a>, which was moved from September to January. Now, the usual fall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oscars">Oscar</a>&nbsp;campaigns will mobilize.But any feeling of industry normalcy could prove temporary. The circumstances that brought on the strikes — the shift from traditional theatrical and broadcast media to streaming, and emerging tech like AI — have not been slowed. And the gains made by the strikes may embolden other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-strike-averted-deal-reached-iatse-fec4d17fae1115e9fe17149d9e8cdbc4">Hollywood unions</a>, or these same guilds in negotiations that will come up again in three years.Union leaders treated the strike like a watershed moment from the start, coming as it did amid wider&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-mack-union-ford-gm-stellantis-volvo-e55c1b1efc5b0d0a6e01b4f57d7da08a">labor fights</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kaiser-health-care-workers-strike-b8b40ce8c082c0b8c4f1c0fb7ec38741">other industries</a>.“I think it’s a conversation now about the culture of big business, and how it treats everybody up and down the ladder in the name of profit,” SAG-AFTRA President and “The Nanny” star&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fran-drescher-actors-strike-sagaftra-nanny-ec62ce74813caa12ec11f72a0b48bc17">Fran Drescher told AP</a>&nbsp;in August.The agreement also means a return to sets for thousands of film crew members who were left with nothing to work on during the strikes. SAG-AFTRA sought to offset their hardship by allowing sometimes controversial&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-strike-waiver-explained-b2e192a3bbbcce7237c11d557e933477">interim agreements</a>&nbsp;for some smaller productions to proceed, and by making their strike relief fund available to all workers in the industry.“The idea that I get to discover if I still remember how to act is very exciting,” said actor Ely Henry, who has spent the past months leading pickets outside Paramount Pictures as a strike captain. “I’m just grateful for the fact that so many people are going to get back to work.”-------------------LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hollywood’s actors union reached a tentative deal with studios Wednesday to end its strike, bringing a close to months of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hollywood-strikes/">labor strife</a>&nbsp;that ground the entertainment industry to a historic halt.The three-year contract agreement must be approved by votes from the union’s board and its members in the coming days, but the leadership declared that the strike will end at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday.More than 60,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Performers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-actors-strike-ca3e3eddc910f1e52d618e5e3c394554">went on strike</a>&nbsp;July 14, joining screenwriters who had walked off the job more than two months earlier. It was the first time the two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-strikes-poll-public-opinion-actors-writers-5727ed3078c4f69851c18c560670f480">unions had been on strike</a>&nbsp;together since 1960. Studios chose to negotiate with the writers first, striking a deal that their leadership marked as a major win and bringing their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/writers-strike-deal-hollywood-vote-actors-d3119d670a4fd3449773bf8f4026fb2b">strike to an end</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 26.The terms of the agreement were not immediately released. SAG-AFTRA said details would be made public after a meeting on Friday where board members review the contract.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-writers-strike-explained-05a2e9439eee5146474b1b538ff9ada6">Issues on the table</a>&nbsp;included both short-term compensation and future royalty payments for film and TV performances, along with control over actors’ images and likenesses regenerated with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-ai-strike-wga-artificial-intelligence-39ab72582c3a15f77510c9c30a45ffc8">artificial intelligence</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699493495908.png" alt="Photo courtesy SAG-AFTRA" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy SAG-AFTRA</figcaption>
 </figure>Executives from top entertainment companies including Disney, Netflix, Warner Bros. Discovery and Universal had a direct hand in negotiations, which like all Hollywood union talks were led by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-strikes-lombardini-drescher-stutzman-iger-zaslav-00c17264129cebb17d10b80b9c51aa3e">Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers</a>.Although the writers strike had immediate, visible effects for viewers, including the months-long suspension of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-late-night-shows-return-negotiations-1ddcaa8c4684375f8e56d2cd2abd62ea">late-night talk shows</a>&nbsp;and “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saturday-night-live-returns-a3c0feb411b8f673797fb1d4fdc2546b">Saturday Night Live</a>,” the impact of the actors’ absence was not as immediately apparent. But its ripple effects — delayed release dates and waits for new show seasons — could be felt for months or even years.Actors should quickly return to movie sets where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-delayed-shows-movies-writers-42b99032bb638930df097f675b363898">productions were paused</a>, including “Deadpool 3,” “Gladiator 2” and “Wicked.” Other movies and shows will restart shooting once returning writers finish scripts.And beyond scripted productions, the end of the strike allows actors to return to red carpets, talk shows and podcasts, as Hollywood’s awards season approaches.“The SAG strike is over!! I can finally say it: watch my documentary Saturday night at 8 on HBO/MAX!” actor-director&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/AlbertBrooks">Albert Brooks said on social media</a>&nbsp;moments after the strike ended. “Couldn’t say a word until now!!”The only major awards show directly effected by the strike was the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/emmy-awards">Emmys</a>, which was moved from September to January. Now, the usual fall&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oscars">Oscar</a>&nbsp;campaigns will mobilize.But any feeling of industry normalcy could prove temporary. The circumstances that brought on the strikes — the shift from traditional theatrical and broadcast media to streaming, and emerging tech like AI — have not been slowed. And the gains made by the strikes may embolden other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-strike-averted-deal-reached-iatse-fec4d17fae1115e9fe17149d9e8cdbc4">Hollywood unions</a>, or these same guilds in negotiations that will come up again in just a few years.Union leaders treated the strike like a watershed moment from the start, coming as it did amid wider&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uaw-mack-union-ford-gm-stellantis-volvo-e55c1b1efc5b0d0a6e01b4f57d7da08a">labor fights</a>&nbsp;in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kaiser-health-care-workers-strike-b8b40ce8c082c0b8c4f1c0fb7ec38741">other industries</a>.“I think it’s a conversation now about the culture of big business, and how it treats everybody up and down the ladder in the name of profit,” SAG-AFTRA President and “The Nanny” star&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fran-drescher-actors-strike-sagaftra-nanny-ec62ce74813caa12ec11f72a0b48bc17">Fran Drescher told The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;in an August interview.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hollywood-strikes-lombardini-drescher-stutzman-iger-zaslav-00c17264129cebb17d10b80b9c51aa3e">Duncan Crabtree-Ireland</a>, the executive director and chief negotiator who led the team that struck the deal for the guild, told the AP in August that he was “honored to be part of making sure that our members get a fair contract that’s going to protect them going into the future and make sure that the 14-year-olds I talked to on the Disney picket line still have the ability to be an actor when they turn 18.”The agreement also means a return to sets for thousands of film crew members who have left with nothing to work on during the strikes. SAG-AFTRA sought to offset their hardship by allowing sometimes controversial&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/actors-strike-strike-waiver-explained-b2e192a3bbbcce7237c11d557e933477">interim agreements</a>&nbsp;for some smaller productions to proceed, and by making their strike relief fund available to all workers in the industry.

After 118 days Hollywood actors strike is over; union reaches tentative deal 

KANSAS CITY—A Kansas City, Kan., man has been charged in connection with a fatal shooting of a man found in a parking lot in Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Osvaldo Rangel, 31, faces charges of Murder 2nd Degree or in the alternative Murder 2nd Degree Felony Murder and Armed Criminal Action.

According to court records, at 6a.m. on Sept. 30, Kansas City police were dispatched to a reported shooting. Officers located a deceased man in the parking lot partially under a Hummer H2. 

Surveillance video showed the vehicle arriving shortly before and pulling into a parking space. Surveillance video obtained by police detectives showed a GMC Acadia, later learned to be driven by the victim, stopped nearby. 

The driver of a dark four-door sedan, later learned to be the Rangel, is observed exiting the sedan and approaching the passenger side of the Hummer. It's apparent a disturbance is occurring. The video shows the Rangel shooting the victim at the rear of the Hummer, and the victim falling to the ground.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699376771705.png" alt="Rangel-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Rangel-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—A Kansas City, Kan., man has been charged in connection with a fatal shooting of a man found in a parking lot in Kansas City, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Osvaldo Rangel, 31, faces charges of Murder 2nd Degree or in the alternative Murder 2nd Degree Felony Murder and Armed Criminal Action.According to court records, at 6a.m. on Sept. 30, Kansas City police were dispatched to a reported shooting. Officers located a deceased man in the parking lot partially under a Hummer H2. Surveillance video showed the vehicle arriving shortly before and pulling into a parking space. Surveillance video obtained by police detectives showed a GMC Acadia, later learned to be driven by the victim, stopped nearby. The driver of a dark four-door sedan, later learned to be the Rangel, is observed exiting the sedan and approaching the passenger side of the Hummer. It's apparent a disturbance is occurring. The video shows the Rangel shooting the victim at the rear of the Hummer, and the victim falling to the ground.&nbsp;

Kan. man accused of murder after victim found under SUV

JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a violent traffic stop.

On Nov. 6, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle near Mayetta for alleged erratic driving, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

When Perry exited the vehicle he allegedly pulled out a knife. The deputy arrested Perry. Prairie Band Pottawatomie Nation Police assisted with the incident. 

Perry is being held in the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, felony interference with law enforcement and driving under the influence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699374286898.png" alt="Perry-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Perry-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a violent traffic stop.On Nov. 6, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a vehicle near Mayetta for alleged erratic driving, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.When Perry exited the vehicle he allegedly pulled out a knife. The deputy arrested Perry. Prairie Band Pottawatomie Nation Police assisted with the incident. Perry is being held in the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, felony interference with law enforcement and driving under the influence.

Sheriff: Kan. man pulled a knife on deputy during traffic stop

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. launched an airstrike on a facility in eastern Syria used by Iranian-backed militias, in retaliation for what has been a growing number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-navy-warship-missiles-intercepted-2f5fc9c8a3737f762b29d5c53ec08a5b">attacks on bases housing U.S. troops</a>&nbsp;in the region for the past several weeks, the Pentagon said.

Wednesday's strike by two U.S. F-15 fighter jets was on a weapons storage facility linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard.

“The President has no higher priority than the safety of U.S. personnel, and he directed today’s action to make clear that the United States will defend itself, its personnel, and its interests,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.

This is the second time in less than two weeks that the U.S. has bombed facilities used by the militant groups, many operating under the umbrella of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which U.S. officials say have carried out at least 40 such attacks since Oct. 17.

That was the day a powerful explosion rocked a Gaza hospital, killing hundreds and triggering protests in a number of Muslim nations. The Israeli military has relentlessly attacked Gaza in retaliation for the devastating Hamas rampage in southern Israel on Oct. 7.

Israel denied responsibility for the al-Ahli hospital blast, and the U.S. has said its intelligence assessment found that Tel Aviv was not to blame. But the Israeli military has continued a ferocious assault on Hamas, with ground troops now deep inside Gaza City in a war that has a staggering death toll of more than 10,000 Palestinians, two-thirds of them women and children, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">the Health Ministry</a>&nbsp;of the Hamas-run territory.

The latest U.S. strike was designed to take out supplies, weapons and ammunition in an effort to erode the abilities of the Iranian-backed militants to attack Americans based in Iraq and Syria. And it reflects the Biden administration’s determination to maintain a delicate balance. The U.S. wants to hit Iranian-backed groups suspected of targeting the U.S. as strongly as possible to deter future aggression, possibly fueled by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-raid-2964c54724e0e80382dd29756b3427bf">Israel’s war against Hamas</a>, while also working to avoid further inflaming the region and provoking a wider conflict.

Similar U.S. airstrikes on Oct. 27 also targeted facilities in Syria, and officials at the time said the two sites were affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. When asked why those locations in Syria were chosen — since many of the attacks have happened in Iraq — officials said the U.S. went after storage sites for munitions that could be linked to the strikes on U.S. personnel.

The U.S. has often avoided bombing sites in Iraq in order to lessen the chances of killing Iraqis or angering Iraq’s leaders.

While officials have said the strikes are meant to deter further attacks, they have not had that effect. Rocket and drone attacks have occurred almost daily, although in nearly all cases they have resulted in little damage and few injuries.

According to the Pentagon, a total of 45 personnel have been injured and all of those were in attacks on Oct. 17 and 18. Of those, 32 were at al-Tanf garrison in southeastern Syria, with a mix of minor injuries and traumatic brain injuries, and 13 were at al-Asad air base in western Iraq, with four cases of traumatic brain injury and nine of minor injury. One person was injured at Irbil air base in Iraq.

The Pentagon has faced repeated questions about whether deterrence against Iran and its proxies is working because the attacks have only increased.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1678905995425.png" alt="“The President has no higher priority than the safety of U.S. personnel, and he directed today’s action to make clear that the United States will defend itself, its personnel, and its interests,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.-photo Defense Department" />
 <figcaption>“The President has no higher priority than the safety of U.S. personnel, and he directed today’s action to make clear that the United States will defend itself, its personnel, and its interests,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.-photo Defense Department</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. launched an airstrike on a facility in eastern Syria used by Iranian-backed militias, in retaliation for what has been a growing number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-navy-warship-missiles-intercepted-2f5fc9c8a3737f762b29d5c53ec08a5b">attacks on bases housing U.S. troops</a>&nbsp;in the region for the past several weeks, the Pentagon said.Wednesday's strike by two U.S. F-15 fighter jets was on a weapons storage facility linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard.“The President has no higher priority than the safety of U.S. personnel, and he directed today’s action to make clear that the United States will defend itself, its personnel, and its interests,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement.This is the second time in less than two weeks that the U.S. has bombed facilities used by the militant groups, many operating under the umbrella of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, which U.S. officials say have carried out at least 40 such attacks since Oct. 17.That was the day a powerful explosion rocked a Gaza hospital, killing hundreds and triggering protests in a number of Muslim nations. The Israeli military has relentlessly attacked Gaza in retaliation for the devastating Hamas rampage in southern Israel on Oct. 7.Israel denied responsibility for the al-Ahli hospital blast, and the U.S. has said its intelligence assessment found that Tel Aviv was not to blame. But the Israeli military has continued a ferocious assault on Hamas, with ground troops now deep inside Gaza City in a war that has a staggering death toll of more than 10,000 Palestinians, two-thirds of them women and children, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">the Health Ministry</a>&nbsp;of the Hamas-run territory.The latest U.S. strike was designed to take out supplies, weapons and ammunition in an effort to erode the abilities of the Iranian-backed militants to attack Americans based in Iraq and Syria. And it reflects the Biden administration’s determination to maintain a delicate balance. The U.S. wants to hit Iranian-backed groups suspected of targeting the U.S. as strongly as possible to deter future aggression, possibly fueled by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-raid-2964c54724e0e80382dd29756b3427bf">Israel’s war against Hamas</a>, while also working to avoid further inflaming the region and provoking a wider conflict.Similar U.S. airstrikes on Oct. 27 also targeted facilities in Syria, and officials at the time said the two sites were affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. When asked why those locations in Syria were chosen — since many of the attacks have happened in Iraq — officials said the U.S. went after storage sites for munitions that could be linked to the strikes on U.S. personnel.The U.S. has often avoided bombing sites in Iraq in order to lessen the chances of killing Iraqis or angering Iraq’s leaders.While officials have said the strikes are meant to deter further attacks, they have not had that effect. Rocket and drone attacks have occurred almost daily, although in nearly all cases they have resulted in little damage and few injuries.According to the Pentagon, a total of 45 personnel have been injured and all of those were in attacks on Oct. 17 and 18. Of those, 32 were at al-Tanf garrison in southeastern Syria, with a mix of minor injuries and traumatic brain injuries, and 13 were at al-Asad air base in western Iraq, with four cases of traumatic brain injury and nine of minor injury. One person was injured at Irbil air base in Iraq.The Pentagon has faced repeated questions about whether deterrence against Iran and its proxies is working because the attacks have only increased.

US launches airstrike in Syria in response to attacks by Iranian-backed militias

For the second time in three years, the issue is in the hands of the state’s highest court

By CLARA BATES,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>

The Missouri Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments over whether the state’s move to block Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid reimbursements was constitutional — the second time in three years the issue has reached the state’s highest court.&nbsp;

After the state legislature voted to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/03/10/planned-parenthood-sues-missouri-social-services-agency-over-restricted-medicaid-funds/#:~:text=Reproductive%20rights%20advocates%20have%20argued,to%20indirectly%20subsidize%20abortion%20providers.">block Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid reimbursements</a>&nbsp;last year, the organization sued. In December, Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem concluded the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.stltoday.com/life-entertainment/local/wellness/planned-parenthood-wins-court-fight-over-missouri-medicaid-reimbursements/article_c3630962-802c-58a4-b424-2bc97eb340af.html">state couldn’t deny access to funds</a>&nbsp;available to other health care providers.&nbsp;

The attorney general’s office&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/08/state-push-to-defund-missouri-planned-parenthood-clinics-continues-in-appeal/">appealed</a>&nbsp;on behalf of the Department of Social Services, which oversees Missouri’s Medicaid program, arguing the “entire purpose of the appropriations process is to prioritize funds.”

“I can’t stress this enough,”&nbsp;said Joshua Divine, solicitor general in the attorney general’s office.&nbsp;“A ruling for Planned Parenthood on the constitutional issue would create catastrophic aftershocks that would wreck the appropriation process that has been used for decades.”

Planned Parenthood argued that the appropriations bill conflicts with statute, so the state would only be constitutionally permitted to zero out the funding if they changed the statute.

“The $0 appropriation is an appropriation bill that changes the substantive law to deny an eligible provider with a contract access to Medicaid funding,” said attorney Chuck Hatfield, representing Planned Parenthood, “and that you cannot do.”

In a similar case in 2020, the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article243901862.html">struck down language</a>&nbsp;in a budget bill that excluded abortion providers or their affiliates from receiving Medicaid reimbursements, calling it a “naked attempt” to legislate through a budget bill.&nbsp;

“Here we go again,” Hatfield said, “with a long line of cases where this court has met its responsibility…to advise the legislature on the limits of its authority when it comes to appropriation.”

Debate over proper procedure to restrict funds

Last year’s appropriations bill included a line to spend $0 for Medicaid-covered services if the provider also offers abortions or is affiliated with an abortion provider. That blocked reimbursements to Planned Parenthood for reproductive health services including STI screenings, cancer screenings and contraceptives. The state’s Medicaid program has long banned funding for abortion, with limited exceptions, and since last year’s U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the constitutional right to an abortion,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/24/abortion-is-now-illegal-in-missouri-in-wake-of-u-s-supreme-court-ruling/#:~:text=Under%20Missouri's%20trigger%20law%20passed,or%20incest%20under%20the%20law.">abortion</a>&nbsp;is banned in the state.

Medicaid serves low-income and disabled Missourians.&nbsp;

Planned Parenthood and its defenders characterize legislative attempts to restrict the organization’s funding as a broader attack on access to reproductive health care. Anti-abortion advocates contend the state should not use taxpayer dollars to subsidize abortion providers.

In his December ruling, Beetem agreed with Planned Parenthood that efforts to “deny access to funds that are otherwise available to other MO HealthNet providers is ineffective and/or unconstitutional.”&nbsp;

The hearing Wednesday centered on whether Planned Parenthood should have first taken the matter to the Administrative Hearing Commission, as well as whether Planned Parenthood had contractually waived any claim to funding or had the legal ability to sue.&nbsp;

The state&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=188855">argued</a>&nbsp;Planned Parenthood “ran straight to court” when they should have gone to the administrative hearing commission, while Planned Parenthood&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=201716">called</a>&nbsp;those arguments “meritless procedural roadblocks.” The courts were the correct venue because the questions at hand were constitutional, the organization argued.&nbsp;

The judges asked questions about the point of the administrative hearing commission and whether the appropriations were being used to amend substantive law — whether the process the state used to exclude Planned Parenthood was constitutional.

Divine said this case differed from the 2020 case because lawmakers made a “literal front-end appropriation,” which provided zero dollars for Planned Parenthood.

“There has never been any dispute that the legislature can constitutionally restrict Medicaid funds from Planned Parenthood if it wants to do so,” Divine said. “It just has to go through the proper procedures.”

In 2020 the legislature “tacked on this additional language at the end,” after already appropriating the funds, Divine said, but in this case, the two categories of funding for organizations receiving Medicaid funds “simply exclude Planned Parenthood, just like they exclude many other organizations.”

Asked by a judge if any other providers were excluded, Divine said “I don’t think the record makes that clear.”

“…Here the legislature said what we’re excluding from the $60 million pot is abortion providers and their affiliates,” Divine said, “so the Planned Parenthood providers are clearly in that but I think other affiliates, some other organizations that might not be before this court would also be excluded.”

Hatfield said the way to exclude Planned Parenthood from Medicaid reimbursements constitutionally&nbsp; would be for lawmakers to amend the statute and said that’s what the Supreme Court concluded in 2020.

“What you said is if you want to change who an eligible provider is under Medicaid, you must change the statute: You told them very clearly how to do this,” he said, “And by the way, the legislature has the votes, in my view, this is my opinion — if they want to go change the statutes and exclude providers, they can do that. And that’s what you told them very clearly.”

The issue itself has been around for decades: Missouri lawmakers have been attempting to restrict public funds from going to Planned Parenthood&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://casetext.com/case/planned-parenthood-of-mid-missouri-v-dempsey">since the mid-90s</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699475228249.png" alt="Planned Parenthood in Kansas City -google image" />
 <figcaption>Planned Parenthood in Kansas City -google image</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>For the second time in three years, the issue is in the hands of the state’s highest court</h2>By CLARA BATES,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/09/21/missouri-judge-once-again-delays-decision-on-closing-agape-boarding-school/">Missouri Independent</a>The Missouri Supreme Court on Wednesday heard arguments over whether the state’s move to block Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid reimbursements was constitutional — the second time in three years the issue has reached the state’s highest court.&nbsp;After the state legislature voted to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/03/10/planned-parenthood-sues-missouri-social-services-agency-over-restricted-medicaid-funds/#:~:text=Reproductive%20rights%20advocates%20have%20argued,to%20indirectly%20subsidize%20abortion%20providers.">block Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid reimbursements</a>&nbsp;last year, the organization sued. In December, Cole County Circuit Judge Jon Beetem concluded the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.stltoday.com/life-entertainment/local/wellness/planned-parenthood-wins-court-fight-over-missouri-medicaid-reimbursements/article_c3630962-802c-58a4-b424-2bc97eb340af.html">state couldn’t deny access to funds</a>&nbsp;available to other health care providers.&nbsp;The attorney general’s office&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/09/08/state-push-to-defund-missouri-planned-parenthood-clinics-continues-in-appeal/">appealed</a>&nbsp;on behalf of the Department of Social Services, which oversees Missouri’s Medicaid program, arguing the “entire purpose of the appropriations process is to prioritize funds.”“I can’t stress this enough,”&nbsp;said Joshua Divine, solicitor general in the attorney general’s office.&nbsp;“A ruling for Planned Parenthood on the constitutional issue would create catastrophic aftershocks that would wreck the appropriation process that has been used for decades.”Planned Parenthood argued that the appropriations bill conflicts with statute, so the state would only be constitutionally permitted to zero out the funding if they changed the statute.“The $0 appropriation is an appropriation bill that changes the substantive law to deny an eligible provider with a contract access to Medicaid funding,” said attorney Chuck Hatfield, representing Planned Parenthood, “and that you cannot do.”In a similar case in 2020, the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article243901862.html">struck down language</a>&nbsp;in a budget bill that excluded abortion providers or their affiliates from receiving Medicaid reimbursements, calling it a “naked attempt” to legislate through a budget bill.&nbsp;“Here we go again,” Hatfield said, “with a long line of cases where this court has met its responsibility…to advise the legislature on the limits of its authority when it comes to appropriation.”<h2>Debate over proper procedure to restrict funds</h2>Last year’s appropriations bill included a line to spend $0 for Medicaid-covered services if the provider also offers abortions or is affiliated with an abortion provider. That blocked reimbursements to Planned Parenthood for reproductive health services including STI screenings, cancer screenings and contraceptives. The state’s Medicaid program has long banned funding for abortion, with limited exceptions, and since last year’s U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning the constitutional right to an abortion,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/06/24/abortion-is-now-illegal-in-missouri-in-wake-of-u-s-supreme-court-ruling/#:~:text=Under%20Missouri's%20trigger%20law%20passed,or%20incest%20under%20the%20law.">abortion</a>&nbsp;is banned in the state.Medicaid serves low-income and disabled Missourians.&nbsp;Planned Parenthood and its defenders characterize legislative attempts to restrict the organization’s funding as a broader attack on access to reproductive health care. Anti-abortion advocates contend the state should not use taxpayer dollars to subsidize abortion providers.In his December ruling, Beetem agreed with Planned Parenthood that efforts to “deny access to funds that are otherwise available to other MO HealthNet providers is ineffective and/or unconstitutional.”&nbsp;The hearing Wednesday centered on whether Planned Parenthood should have first taken the matter to the Administrative Hearing Commission, as well as whether Planned Parenthood had contractually waived any claim to funding or had the legal ability to sue.&nbsp;The state&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=188855">argued</a>&nbsp;Planned Parenthood “ran straight to court” when they should have gone to the administrative hearing commission, while Planned Parenthood&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=201716">called</a>&nbsp;those arguments “meritless procedural roadblocks.” The courts were the correct venue because the questions at hand were constitutional, the organization argued.&nbsp;The judges asked questions about the point of the administrative hearing commission and whether the appropriations were being used to amend substantive law — whether the process the state used to exclude Planned Parenthood was constitutional.Divine said this case differed from the 2020 case because lawmakers made a “literal front-end appropriation,” which provided zero dollars for Planned Parenthood.“There has never been any dispute that the legislature can constitutionally restrict Medicaid funds from Planned Parenthood if it wants to do so,” Divine said. “It just has to go through the proper procedures.”In 2020 the legislature “tacked on this additional language at the end,” after already appropriating the funds, Divine said, but in this case, the two categories of funding for organizations receiving Medicaid funds “simply exclude Planned Parenthood, just like they exclude many other organizations.”Asked by a judge if any other providers were excluded, Divine said “I don’t think the record makes that clear.”“…Here the legislature said what we’re excluding from the $60 million pot is abortion providers and their affiliates,” Divine said, “so the Planned Parenthood providers are clearly in that but I think other affiliates, some other organizations that might not be before this court would also be excluded.”Hatfield said the way to exclude Planned Parenthood from Medicaid reimbursements constitutionally&nbsp; would be for lawmakers to amend the statute and said that’s what the Supreme Court concluded in 2020.“What you said is if you want to change who an eligible provider is under Medicaid, you must change the statute: You told them very clearly how to do this,” he said, “And by the way, the legislature has the votes, in my view, this is my opinion — if they want to go change the statutes and exclude providers, they can do that. And that’s what you told them very clearly.”The issue itself has been around for decades: Missouri lawmakers have been attempting to restrict public funds from going to Planned Parenthood&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://casetext.com/case/planned-parenthood-of-mid-missouri-v-dempsey">since the mid-90s</a>.

Missouri Supreme Court weighs state’s push to defund Planned Parenthood

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. drone was shot down by Yemen's Houthi rebels on Wednesday, according to the Iran-backed group’s military arm and a senior U.S. military official.

The Houthis said it was an MQ-9 Reaper drone that was in Yemeni air space and was shot down by air defenses. The senior U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public, said the military is still analyzing the episode, including whether the drone was in international airspace or over Yemen. The drone is among the most expensive at $32 million dollars.

The Houthis have fired at least four batches of drones and missiles toward southern Israel since Oct. 7. The group controls the capital and much of northern and western Yemen where the majority of the county's population lives.

Meanwhile, the pace of Palestinian civilians fleeing the combat zone in northern Gaza has picked up as Israel’s air and ground campaign there intensifies. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Wednesday that about 15,000 people fled on Tuesday, compared to 5,000 on Monday and 2,000 on Sunday.

The densely populated northern area of Gaza, specifically Gaza City and adjacent crowded urban refugee camps, are the focus of Israel’s campaign to crush Hamas, the militant group that has ruled Gaza for 16 years. The war, now in its second month, was triggered by the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel.

The number of Palestinians killed in the war passed 10,500, including more than 4,300 children, the Hamas-run&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>&nbsp;said.

In the occupied West Bank, more than 160 Palestinians have been killed in the violence and Israeli raids. More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, most of them in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Oct. 7 Hamas attack</a>&nbsp;that started the fighting, and 242 hostages were taken from Israel into Gaza by the militant group.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. drone was shot down by Yemen's Houthi rebels on Wednesday, according to the Iran-backed group’s military arm and a senior U.S. military official.The Houthis said it was an MQ-9 Reaper drone that was in Yemeni air space and was shot down by air defenses. The senior U.S. official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss details not yet made public, said the military is still analyzing the episode, including whether the drone was in international airspace or over Yemen. The drone is among the most expensive at $32 million dollars.The Houthis have fired at least four batches of drones and missiles toward southern Israel since Oct. 7. The group controls the capital and much of northern and western Yemen where the majority of the county's population lives.Meanwhile, the pace of Palestinian civilians fleeing the combat zone in northern Gaza has picked up as Israel’s air and ground campaign there intensifies. The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Wednesday that about 15,000 people fled on Tuesday, compared to 5,000 on Monday and 2,000 on Sunday.The densely populated northern area of Gaza, specifically Gaza City and adjacent crowded urban refugee camps, are the focus of Israel’s campaign to crush Hamas, the militant group that has ruled Gaza for 16 years. The war, now in its second month, was triggered by the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on southern Israel.The number of Palestinians killed in the war passed 10,500, including more than 4,300 children, the Hamas-run&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>&nbsp;said.In the occupied West Bank, more than 160 Palestinians have been killed in the violence and Israeli raids. More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, most of them in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Oct. 7 Hamas attack</a>&nbsp;that started the fighting, and 242 hostages were taken from Israel into Gaza by the militant group.

$32M U.S. drone shot down by Yemen's Houthi rebels

WASHINGTON (AP) — The day that panda lovers have been dreading has finally come.

The National Zoo's three giant pandas, Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their cub Xiao Qi Ji. on Wednesday began their long trip to China, leaving behind an empty panda exhibit with no certainty that pandas ever would again take up residence there.

“It is a moment with some heartbreak in it,” said National Zoo Director Brandie Smith. “But it is also a moment of joy because we are celebrating the success of the world’s longest running conservation program for a single species.”

The pandas had been loaded into large white crates away from the public view. Forklifts took them to waiting trucks — along with several bushels of bamboo for road snacks. Their faces were occasionally visible through a small window at the side of the crates. Zoo personnel walked alongside them.

They were taken to Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia, where a specially outfitted Boeing 777F dubbed the FedEx Panda Express was waiting. The 19-hour flight to Chengdu, China will include a refueling stop in Anchorage, Alaska.

Smith noted that during the 50 years of panda exchanges between China and the National Zoo, giant pandas have been removed from the list of endangered species.

She said she hopes to be back at the airport “sometime soon again as we celebrate the return of giant pandas to Smithsonian’s National Zoo.”

But there's no guarantee that pandas will return to the zoo. The zoo's exchange agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association expires in early December and negotiations to renew or extend the deal have not produced results.

Veteran China-watchers have speculated that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giant-pandas-china-diplomacy-national-zoo-1f0eee3fc0114296bcfe5472c43a373e">Beijing is gradually withdrawing</a>&nbsp;its giant pandas from zoos in America and Europe amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-blinken-xi-biden-ce8bf13e5a02977a5291c001761ae0b3">diplomatic tensions</a>&nbsp;with a number of Western governments.

The San Diego Zoo returned its pandas in 2019, and the last bear at the Memphis, Tennessee, zoo went home earlier this year. The departure of the National Zoo’s bears means that the only giant pandas left in America are at the Atlanta Zoo — and that loan agreement expires late next year.

Chinese Embassy representative Xu Xueyuan praised the benefits of the China's multiple panda exchange agreements with zoos around the world. But she offered no hints on whether the program with American zoos will continue in the short term.

“Such collaboration has contributed strongly to the mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and American peoples,” she said. “China will continue to work closely with cooperation partners, including the United States, on the conservation and research of endangered species and biodiversity protection.”

The zoo's incredibly popular&nbsp;<a href="https://nationalzoo.si.edu/webcams/panda-cam">livestream panda-cam</a>&nbsp;is now showing greatest hits panda videos.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The day that panda lovers have been dreading has finally come.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Custom travel crates, about 800 lbs. each, were made for giant pandas Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and Xiao Qi Ji for their journey from the Zoo to Chengdu via the <a href="https://twitter.com/FedEx?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@FedEx</a> Panda Express. Also, onboard is our expert panda care team. Stay tuned for departure! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PandaStory?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PandaStory</a> 🐼🐼🐼🛫 <a href="https://t.co/K9mBJpXJyy">pic.twitter.com/K9mBJpXJyy</a>&mdash; National Zoo (@NationalZoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/NationalZoo/status/1722303072175525936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The National Zoo's three giant pandas, Mei Xiang, Tian Tian and their cub Xiao Qi Ji. on Wednesday began their long trip to China, leaving behind an empty panda exhibit with no certainty that pandas ever would again take up residence there.“It is a moment with some heartbreak in it,” said National Zoo Director Brandie Smith. “But it is also a moment of joy because we are celebrating the success of the world’s longest running conservation program for a single species.”The pandas had been loaded into large white crates away from the public view. Forklifts took them to waiting trucks — along with several bushels of bamboo for road snacks. Their faces were occasionally visible through a small window at the side of the crates. Zoo personnel walked alongside them.They were taken to Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia, where a specially outfitted Boeing 777F dubbed the FedEx Panda Express was waiting. The 19-hour flight to Chengdu, China will include a refueling stop in Anchorage, Alaska.Smith noted that during the 50 years of panda exchanges between China and the National Zoo, giant pandas have been removed from the list of endangered species.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">❤️🐼 Whether he was somersaulting down a snow-covered hill, splashing in a tub filled with suds or snacking on bamboo shoots, giant panda Tian Tian captured the hearts of millions with his chill and goofy personality. We wish him safe travels to China. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PandaStory?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PandaStory</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/smithsonian?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@smithsonian</a> <a href="https://t.co/tDxRyQ7DsI">pic.twitter.com/tDxRyQ7DsI</a>&mdash; National Zoo (@NationalZoo) <a href="https://twitter.com/NationalZoo/status/1722291594018054331?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>She said she hopes to be back at the airport “sometime soon again as we celebrate the return of giant pandas to Smithsonian’s National Zoo.”But there's no guarantee that pandas will return to the zoo. The zoo's exchange agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association expires in early December and negotiations to renew or extend the deal have not produced results.Veteran China-watchers have speculated that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giant-pandas-china-diplomacy-national-zoo-1f0eee3fc0114296bcfe5472c43a373e">Beijing is gradually withdrawing</a>&nbsp;its giant pandas from zoos in America and Europe amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-blinken-xi-biden-ce8bf13e5a02977a5291c001761ae0b3">diplomatic tensions</a>&nbsp;with a number of Western governments.The San Diego Zoo returned its pandas in 2019, and the last bear at the Memphis, Tennessee, zoo went home earlier this year. The departure of the National Zoo’s bears means that the only giant pandas left in America are at the Atlanta Zoo — and that loan agreement expires late next year.Chinese Embassy representative Xu Xueyuan praised the benefits of the China's multiple panda exchange agreements with zoos around the world. But she offered no hints on whether the program with American zoos will continue in the short term.“Such collaboration has contributed strongly to the mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and American peoples,” she said. “China will continue to work closely with cooperation partners, including the United States, on the conservation and research of endangered species and biodiversity protection.”The zoo's incredibly popular&nbsp;<a href="https://nationalzoo.si.edu/webcams/panda-cam">livestream panda-cam</a>&nbsp;is now showing greatest hits panda videos.

National Zoo's giant pandas fly home amid uncertainty about future exchanges

MANHATTAN - On Wednesday morning, Governor Laura Kelly hosted a Healthy Workers, Healthy Economy tour roundtable in Manhattan, where the discussion was focused on how expanding Medicaid would benefit the Kansas agriculture industry.

Concerns about the current healthcare issues including long wait times, and lack of mental health resources were the focus of the discussion between farmers, ranchers and legislators participating in the roundtable.

“Agriculture is the backbone of the Kansas economy, yet our farmers and ranchers often face unnecessary obstacles to accessing essential care,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Expanding Medicaid would protect rural hospitals and lower healthcare costs for everyone – including ag businesses –so our agriculture industry and economy can continue to flourish.”&nbsp;

From Governor Laura Kelly's Office:&nbsp;Here's how Medicaid Expansion would benefit rural Kansas communities and the agriculture industry:&nbsp;

“I have long dealt with medical care for our soldiers and veterans. The pressures facing our farmers are the same,” said Kansas State Representative Michael Dodson.&nbsp;“Kansas ranks dead last in mental health. Kansas also has significant issues in rural health care. Although nearly 80% of Kansans want Medicaid expansion, those who oppose it have offered no plans to improve the health care we have. Kansas continues to send money to Washington for the 40 states that have adopted Medicaid Expansion. Meanwhile, Kansas has lost nearly $7 billion since federal implementation.”&nbsp;

“Access to care in rural areas is crucial to the health and wellbeing of Kansas farmers and ranchers,”&nbsp;said Matt Splitter, Board Member of Kansas Corn.&nbsp;“While they’re working hard to propel our economy, surrounding hospitals are struggling to keep their doors open, making access to crucial mental and physical care difficult for rural communities. Medicaid expansion would give more Kansas farmers and ranchers health insurance while supporting rural hospitals so they can get health care in their own communities.”&nbsp;

According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vZXhwYW5ka2FuY2FyZS5jb20vY291bnR5LWZhY3Qtc2hlZXRzLyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzExMDguODUzNTMwOTEifQ.YzKh2m8HxZQbRO33bNHs4z9vVsPhrnblQvp_2LEoJA8/s/2584887534/br/230326385464-l" target="_blank">Alliance for a Healthy Kansas</a>, more than 2,600 Riley County residents and more than 700 Geary County residents would become eligible for Medicaid if the Kansas legislature were to pass an expansion bill. Additionally, more than 870 new jobs would be created in Riley County and nearly 250 jobs would be created in Geary County under Medicaid expansion. More than $29 million in new annual health care spending would be generated in the counties combined.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansans can call their state legislators and ask them to expand Medicaid at 800-432-3924.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699472642088.jpeg" alt="Photo by Becky Goff" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Becky Goff</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN - On Wednesday morning, Governor Laura Kelly hosted a Healthy Workers, Healthy Economy tour roundtable in Manhattan, where the discussion was focused on how expanding Medicaid would benefit the Kansas agriculture industry.Concerns about the current healthcare issues including long wait times, and lack of mental health resources were the focus of the discussion between farmers, ranchers and legislators participating in the roundtable.“Agriculture is the backbone of the Kansas economy, yet our farmers and ranchers often face unnecessary obstacles to accessing essential care,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Expanding Medicaid would protect rural hospitals and lower healthcare costs for everyone – including ag businesses –so our agriculture industry and economy can continue to flourish.”&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699474898597.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>From Governor Laura Kelly's Office:&nbsp;Here's how Medicaid Expansion would benefit rural Kansas communities and the agriculture industry:&nbsp;<ol>
 <li>The Kansas agriculture industry has the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmtoaS5vcmcvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjIvMDQvNDIyMDByZXBvcnR0cmZpbmFsLnBkZiIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzExMDguODUzNTMwOTEifQ.jwB-hR9hxenkvk0_VXXN2POcJXU7ozq6ddZZNPQHOxU/s/2584887534/br/230326385464-l" target="_blank">4th&nbsp;highest percentage</a>&nbsp;of workers who would potentially be eligible for Medicaid if it were expanded.&nbsp;</li><li>Of Kansas’ 104 rural hospitals, 58% are at risk of&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vZ292ZXJub3Iua2Fuc2FzLmdvdi93cC1jb250ZW50L3VwbG9hZHMvMjAyMy8xMS9SdXJhbF9Ib3NwaXRhbHNfYXRfUmlza19vZl9DbG9zaW5nLnBkZiIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzExMDguODUzNTMwOTEifQ.x3CrGzpiwWMggXu3CP49ewK1sN7e0ft9c67Hf51VwBc/s/2584887534/br/230326385464-l" target="_blank">closing</a>&nbsp;their doors.&nbsp;When a rural hospital closes, it devastates the local economy.&nbsp;Being in a Medicaid expansion state&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDMsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnZveC5jb20vcG9saWN5LWFuZC1wb2xpdGljcy8yMDIwLzIvMTgvMjExNDI2NTAvcnVyYWwtaG9zcGl0YWxzLWNsb3NpbmctbWVkaWNhaWQtZXhwYW5zaW9uLXN0YXRlcyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzExMDguODUzNTMwOTEifQ.bmuw_IsNVktSGFhVXeovRRhL157AE22r9DM6ednKKyg/s/2584887534/br/230326385464-l" target="_blank">decreases</a>&nbsp;the likelihood of a rural hospital closing by 62%.&nbsp;</li><li>Farmers are&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDQsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNqb25saW5lLmNvbS9zdG9yeS9idXNpbmVzcy9hZ3JpY3VsdHVyYWwvMjAyMy8wOS8xOS9yb2dlci1tYXJzaGFsbC1yYWlzZXMtc3VpY2lkZS1wcmV2ZW50aW9uLWF3YXJlbmVzcy1mb3Ita2Fuc2FzLWZhcm1lcnMvNzA4OTIzNjgwMDcvIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMTEwOC44NTM1MzA5MSJ9.vRkiD9D_SSVKZYMSAJ9r27Eqj1GysX3Pm3CBUhTThIE/s/2584887534/br/230326385464-l" target="_blank">more at risk for suicide</a>&nbsp;than any other type of worker in Kansas, and they need hospitals and other mental health care providers to remain open.</li>
 </ol>“I have long dealt with medical care for our soldiers and veterans. The pressures facing our farmers are the same,” said Kansas State Representative Michael Dodson.&nbsp;“Kansas ranks dead last in mental health. Kansas also has significant issues in rural health care. Although nearly 80% of Kansans want Medicaid expansion, those who oppose it have offered no plans to improve the health care we have. Kansas continues to send money to Washington for the 40 states that have adopted Medicaid Expansion. Meanwhile, Kansas has lost nearly $7 billion since federal implementation.”&nbsp;“Access to care in rural areas is crucial to the health and wellbeing of Kansas farmers and ranchers,”&nbsp;said Matt Splitter, Board Member of Kansas Corn.&nbsp;“While they’re working hard to propel our economy, surrounding hospitals are struggling to keep their doors open, making access to crucial mental and physical care difficult for rural communities. Medicaid expansion would give more Kansas farmers and ranchers health insurance while supporting rural hospitals so they can get health care in their own communities.”&nbsp;According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDUsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vZXhwYW5ka2FuY2FyZS5jb20vY291bnR5LWZhY3Qtc2hlZXRzLyIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzExMDguODUzNTMwOTEifQ.YzKh2m8HxZQbRO33bNHs4z9vVsPhrnblQvp_2LEoJA8/s/2584887534/br/230326385464-l" target="_blank">Alliance for a Healthy Kansas</a>, more than 2,600 Riley County residents and more than 700 Geary County residents would become eligible for Medicaid if the Kansas legislature were to pass an expansion bill. Additionally, more than 870 new jobs would be created in Riley County and nearly 250 jobs would be created in Geary County under Medicaid expansion. More than $29 million in new annual health care spending would be generated in the counties combined.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansans can call their state legislators and ask them to expand Medicaid at 800-432-3924.&nbsp;Roundtable participants included:&nbsp;<ol>
 <li>State Representative Mike Dodson,&nbsp;R-Manhattan&nbsp;</li><li>State Representative Kenny Titus,&nbsp;R-Manhattan&nbsp;</li><li>Matt Splitter,&nbsp;Board Member, Kansas Corn</li><li>Thad Geiger,&nbsp;Chair, Kansas Board of Agriculture&nbsp;</li><li>Nick Levendofsky,&nbsp;Executive Director, Kansas Farmers Union&nbsp;</li><li>Chrysanne Grund,&nbsp;Project Director,&nbsp;Greeley County Health Services&nbsp;</li><li>Scott Thellman,&nbsp;Member,&nbsp;Kansas Board of Agriculture and&nbsp;Former President, Kansas Specialty Crop Association&nbsp;</li><li>Erin Petersilie,&nbsp;Health Plan Director, Kansas Farm Bureau&nbsp;</li><li>Andrea de Jesus,&nbsp;Owner, A&amp;H Farm&nbsp;and President of the Downtown Farmer’s Market of Manhattan</li>
 </ol>

Gov. hosts roundtable with ag leaders about Medicaid expansion

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted late Tuesday to censure Democratic Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rashida-tlaib">Rashida Tlaib</a>&nbsp;of Michigan — the only Palestinian American in Congress — an extraordinary rebuke of her rhetoric about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>.

On social media Wednesday, Kansas 2nd district congressman Jake LaTurner wrote, "It's shameful that we have individuals serving in Congress who knowingly push Hamas propaganda and dangerous antisemitic rhetoric.

"From the river to the sea!" is a disgusting terrorist slogan that calls for the complete destruction of Israel."

The 234-188 tally came after enough Democrats joined with Republicans to censure Tlaib, a punishment one step below expulsion from the House. The three-term congresswoman has long been a target of criticism for her views on the decades-long conflict in the Middle East.

The debate on the censure resolution on Tuesday afternoon was emotional and intense. Republican Rep. Rich McCormick of Georgia pushed the measure in response to what he called Tlaib’s promotion of antisemitic rhetoric. He said she has “levied unbelievable falsehoods about our greatest ally, Israel, and the attack on October 7.”

With other Democrats standing by her side, Tlaib defended her stance, saying she “will not be silenced and I will not let you distort my words.” She added that her criticism of Israel has always been directed toward its government and its leadership under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

“It is important to separate people and government,” she said. “The idea that criticizing the government of Israel is antisemitic sets a very dangerous precedent. And it’s been used to silence diverse voices speaking up for human rights across our nation.”

That criticism reached new heights after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">the Oct. 7 attack by the terrorist group Hamas</a>&nbsp;left hundreds of Israelis dead and scores injured. Tlaib, who has family in the West Bank, came under heavy reproval after she failed to immediately condemn Hamas after the attack.

All Democrats initially stood by Tlaib and helped defeat the first censure resolution against her last week. But since then, many of her colleagues, including prominent Jewish members, have become more conflicted about her rhetoric about the war, especially because of a slogan she has used frequently that is widely seen as calling for the eradication of Israel.

Ultimately, more than 20 of them joined Republicans on Tuesday night to censure her after an effort to shelve the measure failed earlier in the day.

The latest censure push resulted in a dramatic vote on the House floor amid political tensions over the ongoing, deadly Israel-Hamas war. While the majority of both parties have historically stood firmly on the side of Israel, divisions have emerged in the Democratic Party about the American response.

Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., the lone Democrat to vote with Republicans on Tuesday to advance the censure resolution, said he believed it was important to debate the slogan “from the river to the sea.”

“It is nothing else but the call for the destruction of Israel and murder of Jews,” the Jewish Democrat said. “I will always defend the right to free speech. Tlaib has the right to say whatever she wants.”

He added, “But it cannot go unanswered.”

While the censure of a lawmaker carries no practical effect, it amounts to severe reproach from colleagues, as lawmakers who are censured are usually asked to stand in the well of the House as the censure resolution against them is read aloud. But the resolution against Tlaib did not call for the public admonishment.

With the vote, Tlaib will become the second Muslim-American woman in Congress to be formally admonished this year for her criticism of Israel. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was removed in February from the House Foreign Affairs Committee for similar comments she made about Israel.

Some on the left have criticized President Joe Biden’s stance and urged him to put conditions on U.S. support for Israel as its aggressive military campaign drives the Palestinian death toll higher.

While the vote against Tlaib will take place against the extraordinary backdrop of the war, the push to censure her is part of a growing pattern in the House.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699467104100.png" alt="Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rashida-tlaib">Rashida Tlaib</a>, the only Palestinian American serving in Congress defends herself before the vote Tuesday night. She was comforted by Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rashida-tlaib">Rashida Tlaib</a>, the only Palestinian American serving in Congress defends herself before the vote Tuesday night. She was comforted by Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House voted late Tuesday to censure Democratic Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rashida-tlaib">Rashida Tlaib</a>&nbsp;of Michigan — the only Palestinian American in Congress — an extraordinary rebuke of her rhetoric about the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>.On social media Wednesday, Kansas 2nd district congressman Jake LaTurner wrote, "It's shameful that we have individuals serving in Congress who knowingly push Hamas propaganda and dangerous antisemitic rhetoric."From the river to the sea!" is a disgusting terrorist slogan that calls for the complete destruction of Israel."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Last night I voted to censure Rashida Tlaib. It&#39;s shameful that we have individuals serving in Congress who knowingly push Hamas propaganda and dangerous antisemitic rhetoric. &quot;From the river to the sea!&quot; is a disgusting terrorist slogan that calls for the complete destruction… <a href="https://t.co/TIkBmYdaGl">pic.twitter.com/TIkBmYdaGl</a>&mdash; Rep. Jake LaTurner (@RepLaTurner) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepLaTurner/status/1722287889743044832?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 8, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The 234-188 tally came after enough Democrats joined with Republicans to censure Tlaib, a punishment one step below expulsion from the House. The three-term congresswoman has long been a target of criticism for her views on the decades-long conflict in the Middle East.The debate on the censure resolution on Tuesday afternoon was emotional and intense. Republican Rep. Rich McCormick of Georgia pushed the measure in response to what he called Tlaib’s promotion of antisemitic rhetoric. He said she has “levied unbelievable falsehoods about our greatest ally, Israel, and the attack on October 7.”With other Democrats standing by her side, Tlaib defended her stance, saying she “will not be silenced and I will not let you distort my words.” She added that her criticism of Israel has always been directed toward its government and its leadership under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">My statement on the efforts to silence me: <a href="https://t.co/RRPRfEBrYz">pic.twitter.com/RRPRfEBrYz</a>&mdash; Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib (@RepRashida) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepRashida/status/1721915427045920966?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“It is important to separate people and government,” she said. “The idea that criticizing the government of Israel is antisemitic sets a very dangerous precedent. And it’s been used to silence diverse voices speaking up for human rights across our nation.”That criticism reached new heights after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">the Oct. 7 attack by the terrorist group Hamas</a>&nbsp;left hundreds of Israelis dead and scores injured. Tlaib, who has family in the West Bank, came under heavy reproval after she failed to immediately condemn Hamas after the attack.All Democrats initially stood by Tlaib and helped defeat the first censure resolution against her last week. But since then, many of her colleagues, including prominent Jewish members, have become more conflicted about her rhetoric about the war, especially because of a slogan she has used frequently that is widely seen as calling for the eradication of Israel.Ultimately, more than 20 of them joined Republicans on Tuesday night to censure her after an effort to shelve the measure failed earlier in the day.The latest censure push resulted in a dramatic vote on the House floor amid political tensions over the ongoing, deadly Israel-Hamas war. While the majority of both parties have historically stood firmly on the side of Israel, divisions have emerged in the Democratic Party about the American response.Rep. Brad Schneider, D-Ill., the lone Democrat to vote with Republicans on Tuesday to advance the censure resolution, said he believed it was important to debate the slogan “from the river to the sea.”“It is nothing else but the call for the destruction of Israel and murder of Jews,” the Jewish Democrat said. “I will always defend the right to free speech. Tlaib has the right to say whatever she wants.”He added, “But it cannot go unanswered.”While the censure of a lawmaker carries no practical effect, it amounts to severe reproach from colleagues, as lawmakers who are censured are usually asked to stand in the well of the House as the censure resolution against them is read aloud. But the resolution against Tlaib did not call for the public admonishment.With the vote, Tlaib will become the second Muslim-American woman in Congress to be formally admonished this year for her criticism of Israel. Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., was removed in February from the House Foreign Affairs Committee for similar comments she made about Israel.Some on the left have criticized President Joe Biden’s stance and urged him to put conditions on U.S. support for Israel as its aggressive military campaign drives the Palestinian death toll higher.While the vote against Tlaib will take place against the extraordinary backdrop of the war, the push to censure her is part of a growing pattern in the House.Censure had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/impeachment-house-censure-schiff-biden-boebert-70a2206fc0c543a307fc3ec63d5287e9">long been viewed as a punishment of last resort</a>, just one step below expulsion and to be triggered only for the most egregious wrongdoing. But censure resolutions are quickly becoming routine in the chamber, often wielded in strikingly partisan ways.Many Democrats and some Republicans who opposed censuring Tlaib cited free speech and warned of the precedent it would set.“This resolution not only degrades our Constitution, but it cheapens the meaning of discipline in this body for people who actually commit wrongful actions like bribery, fraud, violent assault and so on,” said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md., who defended Tlaib against the resolution on the floor late Tuesday.A second resolution by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to censure Tlaib had also been scheduled for a procedural vote late Tuesday night. But that measure was put on hold after the censure resolution from McCormick advanced to a final vote.Tlaib is now the 26th person to ever be censured by the chamber, and the second just this year. In June, Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/schiff-censure-house-republicans-russia-trump-318300df0f7b4f51c5b0ba5dd91edd23">voted to censure Democrat Adam Schiff</a>&nbsp;of California for comments he made several years ago about investigations into then-President Donald Trump’s ties to Russia.When the House was under Democratic control, Republican Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-entertainment-marjorie-taylor-greene-censures-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-854fd412b7a1049c8fb9a83fe2c56b8f">censured in 2021</a>&nbsp;for tweeting an animated video that depicted him striking Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York with a sword. And Democratic Rep. Charlie Rangel of New York was censured in 2010 over serious financial and campaign misconduct.