<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-state-senators-cap-the-number-of-bills-they-can-propose-each-session/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska state senators set a self-imposed cap Friday on how many bills they can introduce.

In a 31-15 vote, the Legislature limited senators to proposing no more than 20 bills per senator per session, starting in 2025.&nbsp;

Part of the rule offered by State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair also will limit legislative committees to proposing no more than 10 committee bills a year.

Hansen’s proposal was his attempt to slow the growth in bill introductions seen in recent years.

He said 1,400 bills were introduced over the past two sessions, the most since at least 2008.

A decade ago, that number was nearer to 1,100 bills. Hansen said senators should focus on “quality, not quantity.”

In an interview after the vote, Hansen said his main goal was to slow the increase in public hearings for bills.&nbsp;The Nebraska Legislature is unusual among state legislatures in that it holds a public hearing for every bill proposed.

Speaker John Arch has said he worries about the sustainability of that approach if bill numbers continue to rise.

State Sen. John Cavanuagh of Omaha opposed the change. He argued that senators might produce more proposals with the cap, not fewer.

Cavanaugh and others warned colleagues about the increased risk of rolling multiple senators’ proposals into unwieldy bills.

That would make it harder for the public and lawmakers to comb through what’s in a bill and the consequences of bill language.

“My concern is you’d put a bill out that has a lot of content in it, and some parts of the bill don’t get discussed or parsed,” he said.

Opponents of the rules change, including State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, said elected leaders shouldn’t hamstring future elected leaders from proposing bills on behalf of their constituents.

Some said the Legislature was limiting its constitutionally granted power to propose legislation but not the governor’s.

Hansen said 20 bills should be more than enough for a senator. His original proposal was for 14 bills, with incentives to propose fewer, but the bill was eventually amended to a cap of 20, with no incentives for those offering fewer bills.

“When you have too many bills, things get lost in translation,” Hansen said. “Yeah, we want to have hearings. We want to have testimony and hear from the people. Sometimes you get too much.”

The Legislature ran out of time Friday to debate some more controversial rules changes proposed by State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard.

Among those were a proposal creating a sliding scale for floor votes. Erdman proposed lowering the number of votes needed to overcome a filibuster, based on how many senators were present and voting.

Erdman did get a floor vote Thursday on his proposal to end the Legislature’s tradition of electing its leaders by secret ballot. It fell short of the 30 votes needed.

Earlier in the week, senators adopted several procedural changes proposed by Arch that advanced out of committee with bipartisan support.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705933488336.jpeg" alt="State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair (Courtesy of Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>Aaron Sanderford<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-state-senators-cap-the-number-of-bills-they-can-propose-each-session/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska state senators set a self-imposed cap Friday on how many bills they can introduce.In a 31-15 vote, the Legislature limited senators to proposing no more than 20 bills per senator per session, starting in 2025.&nbsp;Part of the rule offered by State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair also will limit legislative committees to proposing no more than 10 committee bills a year.Hansen’s proposal was his attempt to slow the growth in bill introductions seen in recent years.He said 1,400 bills were introduced over the past two sessions, the most since at least 2008.A decade ago, that number was nearer to 1,100 bills. Hansen said senators should focus on “quality, not quantity.”<h2>Less focus on hearings, more on debate</h2>In an interview after the vote, Hansen said his main goal was to slow the increase in public hearings for bills.&nbsp;The Nebraska Legislature is unusual among state legislatures in that it holds a public hearing for every bill proposed.Speaker John Arch has said he worries about the sustainability of that approach if bill numbers continue to rise.State Sen. John Cavanuagh of Omaha opposed the change. He argued that senators might produce more proposals with the cap, not fewer.Cavanaugh and others warned colleagues about the increased risk of rolling multiple senators’ proposals into unwieldy bills.That would make it harder for the public and lawmakers to comb through what’s in a bill and the consequences of bill language.“My concern is you’d put a bill out that has a lot of content in it, and some parts of the bill don’t get discussed or parsed,” he said.Opponents of the rules change, including State Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, said elected leaders shouldn’t hamstring future elected leaders from proposing bills on behalf of their constituents.<h2>Empowering the governor?</h2>Some said the Legislature was limiting its constitutionally granted power to propose legislation but not the governor’s.Hansen said 20 bills should be more than enough for a senator. His original proposal was for 14 bills, with incentives to propose fewer, but the bill was eventually amended to a cap of 20, with no incentives for those offering fewer bills.“When you have too many bills, things get lost in translation,” Hansen said. “Yeah, we want to have hearings. We want to have testimony and hear from the people. Sometimes you get too much.”<h2>Rules debate over</h2>The Legislature ran out of time Friday to debate some more controversial rules changes proposed by State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard.Among those were a proposal creating a sliding scale for floor votes. Erdman proposed lowering the number of votes needed to overcome a filibuster, based on how many senators were present and voting.Erdman did get a floor vote Thursday on his proposal to end the Legislature’s tradition of electing its leaders by secret ballot. It fell short of the 30 votes needed.Earlier in the week, senators adopted several procedural changes proposed by Arch that advanced out of committee with bipartisan support.&nbsp;

Nebraska state senators cap the number of bills they can propose each session

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris is taking center stage in the Democrats'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-kamala-harris-abortion-c634452da5e103913982e1cc5a0cae78">renewed push for abortion rights</a>&nbsp;during this year's election and she will mark the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling on Monday in Wisconsin.

It will be the first in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-abortion-election-2024-9ed95b8363236078e8769c362177bd8a">a series of events</a>&nbsp;hosted by Harris, and it comes one day before she joins President Joe Biden at another campaign event focused on abortion in Virginia. First lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff are also expected to be there.

In her speech in Wisconsin, Harris plans to hammer former President Donald Trump for saying he is “proud” to have helped overturn Roe v. Wade, which he enabled by nominating three conservative justices to the U.S. Supreme Court during his term.

“Proud that women across our nation are suffering?" Harris will say, according to excerpts released by her office. "Proud that women have been robbed of a fundamental freedom? That doctors could be thrown in prison for caring for patients? That young women today have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers?”

Back in Washington, Biden on Monday will convene a meeting of his reproductive health care access task force to discuss threats to emergency care and new steps for implementing executive orders on the subject.

The Democratic president said in a statement that “tens of millions of women now live in states with extreme and dangerous abortion bans,” and “because of Republican elected officials, women’s health and lives are at risk.”

The administration <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/22/fact-sheet-white-house-task-force-on-reproductive-healthcare-access-announces-new-actions-and-marks-the-51st-anniversary-of-roe-v-wade/">announced new steps</a> to strengthen access to contraception and help file complaints under a law that's intended to ensure emergency health care access. The law is the subject of another legal battle that will be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-medical-emergencies-idaho-8ca89d7de0c1fa9256dcd27d1847e144">decided by the U.S. Supreme Court</a>, which will consider whether it requires providing abortions in situations where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/emergency-abortion-law-hospitals-kansas-missouri-emtala-2f993d2869fa801921d7e56e95787567">a woman's health is at risk</a>.

“President Biden and Vice President Harris stand with the vast majority of Americans who believe that the right to choose should be fundamental, and that healthcare decisions should be made by a woman with the help of her doctor — not politicians,” White House gender policy adviser Jen Klein said in previewing the effort. “We’ve shown and will continue to show that commitment by decisively taking action to protect access to reproductive health care.”

Although the loss of Roe v. Wade was a historic defeat for Democrats, the party successfully harnessed anger over the decision during the 2022 midterm elections, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roe-biden-abortion-reproductive-rights-election-3d184285cc6edbe733311b26445db2a0">they hope to do the same thing this year</a>&nbsp;as Biden runs for a second term.

The White House has repeatedly turned to Harris, the first woman to serve as vice president, to make its case.

“One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree that the government should not be telling her what to do with her body," she said in a recent appearance on ABC's “The View.” "If she chooses she will talk with her priest, her pastor, her rabbi, her imam. But it should not be the government telling her what to do.”

Harris also suggested that too many people took Roe v. Wade for granted before it was overturned.

“We kind of believed that it was always going to be there,” she said. “And look what happened.”

Harris' outspokenness on abortion contrasts with Biden's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-health-religion-32fbfb858d7d3314427e5cdd88308b8b">more reticent approach</a>. Although he is a longtime supporter of abortion rights, he mentions less often and sometimes avoids using the word abortion even when he discusses the issue.

“I think the real star from a messaging standpoint is the vice president,” said Mini Timmaraju, head of Reproductive Freedom for All, the activist organization formerly known as the National Abortion Rights Action League. “Look, Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris. Joe Biden has asked Kamala Harris to lead on this issue. This is going to set us up for a great contrast with the other side."

After Harris' appearance on “The View,” she received a notable assessment from Kayleigh McEnany, a former Trump spokeswoman who co-hosts a show on Fox News.

“She brought up abortion again and again and again,” McEnany said. No matter the topic, “she pivoted right back to abortion because she knows what is true, which is the GOP has lost every single abortion ballot initiative post-Roe.”

McEnany described herself as pro-life, but said “what Kamala is doing, right or wrong, is very powerful among young women.”

While Harris and Democrats have embraced abortion as a campaign issue, Republicans are shying away or calling for a truce.

Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, recently made a plea to “find consensus” on the divisive issue.

“As much as I’m pro-life, I don’t judge anyone for being pro-choice, and I don’t want them to judge me for being pro-life,” she said during a primary debate in November.

Trump has taken credit for helping to overturn Roe v. Wade, but he has balked at laws like Florida's ban on abortions after six weeks, which was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, another Republican candidate.

“You have to win elections,” Trump said during a recent Fox News town hall.

Harris' team is still working out the schedule for the rest of her events focused on abortion. Each stop is likely to feature a speech and a more intimate conversation with healthcare providers or women who have been affected by restrictions.

Wisconsin, Harris' first stop, is a key battleground state with an ongoing legal battle over abortion. When Roe v. Wade was overturned, Republicans argued that an 1849 law that was still on the books would effectively ban the procedure except in situations where a mother's life was at risk.

“These extremists want to roll back the clock to a time before women were treated as full citizens," Harris plans to say in her speech on Monday.

Clinics across the state stopped offering abortions until a court ruled the law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-wisconsin-ban-challenge-lawsuit-866eed85d2918113bfe644459e62171a">did not apply to abortions</a>. Republicans have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-wisconsin-ban-appeal-00e04a5e90931891afd2e0adcd0bcbca">appealed the decision</a>, and the case will likely be decided by the state supreme court.

Abortion has reshaped Harris' tenure as vice president after earlier struggles when dealing with intractable issues like migration from Central America.

Jamal Simmons, a former communications director for Harris, said abortion “focused her attention and her office in a way that nothing had before."

“Focusing on abortion rights tapped into the vice president’s legal background, her political values and her substantive knowledge in a way that I saw no other issue do while I was there," he said.

Vice presidents are rarely decisive figures in reelection campaigns. However, Harris has faced additional scrutiny because of Biden's age — he would be 82 at the start of a second term — and her status as the first woman, Black person and person of South Asian descent to serve in her position.

The battle over abortion will also bolster her visibility.

“The president and the vice president appeal to different parts of the party," Simmons said. “They’re stronger as a team."

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris is taking center stage in the Democrats'&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-kamala-harris-abortion-c634452da5e103913982e1cc5a0cae78">renewed push for abortion rights</a>&nbsp;during this year's election and she will mark the 51st anniversary of the Roe v. Wade ruling on Monday in Wisconsin.It will be the first in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-abortion-election-2024-9ed95b8363236078e8769c362177bd8a">a series of events</a>&nbsp;hosted by Harris, and it comes one day before she joins President Joe Biden at another campaign event focused on abortion in Virginia. First lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff are also expected to be there.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We trust women to make decisions about their own body and their own future. <a href="https://t.co/SJ6kc4KQTf">pic.twitter.com/SJ6kc4KQTf</a>&mdash; Vice President Kamala Harris (@VP) <a href="https://twitter.com/VP/status/1749203565648728548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In her speech in Wisconsin, Harris plans to hammer former President Donald Trump for saying he is “proud” to have helped overturn Roe v. Wade, which he enabled by nominating three conservative justices to the U.S. Supreme Court during his term.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">On the day Roe v. Wade was overturned, I vowed that I wouldn&#39;t back down in the fight to ensure women have the freedom to make their own reproductive health care decisions. Today, over a year and a half later, that promise stands. <a href="https://t.co/ZcQuOSROiq">pic.twitter.com/ZcQuOSROiq</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1749117513189769219?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Proud that women across our nation are suffering?" Harris will say, according to excerpts released by her office. "Proud that women have been robbed of a fundamental freedom? That doctors could be thrown in prison for caring for patients? That young women today have fewer rights than their mothers and grandmothers?”Back in Washington, Biden on Monday will convene a meeting of his reproductive health care access task force to discuss threats to emergency care and new steps for implementing executive orders on the subject.The Democratic president said in a statement that “tens of millions of women now live in states with extreme and dangerous abortion bans,” and “because of Republican elected officials, women’s health and lives are at risk.”The administration <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/01/22/fact-sheet-white-house-task-force-on-reproductive-healthcare-access-announces-new-actions-and-marks-the-51st-anniversary-of-roe-v-wade/">announced new steps</a> to strengthen access to contraception and help file complaints under a law that's intended to ensure emergency health care access. The law is the subject of another legal battle that will be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-medical-emergencies-idaho-8ca89d7de0c1fa9256dcd27d1847e144">decided by the U.S. Supreme Court</a>, which will consider whether it requires providing abortions in situations where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/emergency-abortion-law-hospitals-kansas-missouri-emtala-2f993d2869fa801921d7e56e95787567">a woman's health is at risk</a>.“President Biden and Vice President Harris stand with the vast majority of Americans who believe that the right to choose should be fundamental, and that healthcare decisions should be made by a woman with the help of her doctor — not politicians,” White House gender policy adviser Jen Klein said in previewing the effort. “We’ve shown and will continue to show that commitment by decisively taking action to protect access to reproductive health care.”Although the loss of Roe v. Wade was a historic defeat for Democrats, the party successfully harnessed anger over the decision during the 2022 midterm elections, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roe-biden-abortion-reproductive-rights-election-3d184285cc6edbe733311b26445db2a0">they hope to do the same thing this year</a>&nbsp;as Biden runs for a second term.The White House has repeatedly turned to Harris, the first woman to serve as vice president, to make its case.“One does not have to abandon their faith or deeply held beliefs to agree that the government should not be telling her what to do with her body," she said in a recent appearance on ABC's “The View.” "If she chooses she will talk with her priest, her pastor, her rabbi, her imam. But it should not be the government telling her what to do.”Harris also suggested that too many people took Roe v. Wade for granted before it was overturned.“We kind of believed that it was always going to be there,” she said. “And look what happened.”Harris' outspokenness on abortion contrasts with Biden's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-health-religion-32fbfb858d7d3314427e5cdd88308b8b">more reticent approach</a>. Although he is a longtime supporter of abortion rights, he mentions less often and sometimes avoids using the word abortion even when he discusses the issue.“I think the real star from a messaging standpoint is the vice president,” said Mini Timmaraju, head of Reproductive Freedom for All, the activist organization formerly known as the National Abortion Rights Action League. “Look, Joe Biden picked Kamala Harris. Joe Biden has asked Kamala Harris to lead on this issue. This is going to set us up for a great contrast with the other side."After Harris' appearance on “The View,” she received a notable assessment from Kayleigh McEnany, a former Trump spokeswoman who co-hosts a show on Fox News.“She brought up abortion again and again and again,” McEnany said. No matter the topic, “she pivoted right back to abortion because she knows what is true, which is the GOP has lost every single abortion ballot initiative post-Roe.”McEnany described herself as pro-life, but said “what Kamala is doing, right or wrong, is very powerful among young women.”While Harris and Democrats have embraced abortion as a campaign issue, Republicans are shying away or calling for a truce.Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor who is running for the Republican presidential nomination, recently made a plea to “find consensus” on the divisive issue.“As much as I’m pro-life, I don’t judge anyone for being pro-choice, and I don’t want them to judge me for being pro-life,” she said during a primary debate in November.Trump has taken credit for helping to overturn Roe v. Wade, but he has balked at laws like Florida's ban on abortions after six weeks, which was signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis, another Republican candidate.“You have to win elections,” Trump said during a recent Fox News town hall.Harris' team is still working out the schedule for the rest of her events focused on abortion. Each stop is likely to feature a speech and a more intimate conversation with healthcare providers or women who have been affected by restrictions.Wisconsin, Harris' first stop, is a key battleground state with an ongoing legal battle over abortion. When Roe v. Wade was overturned, Republicans argued that an 1849 law that was still on the books would effectively ban the procedure except in situations where a mother's life was at risk.“These extremists want to roll back the clock to a time before women were treated as full citizens," Harris plans to say in her speech on Monday.Clinics across the state stopped offering abortions until a court ruled the law&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-wisconsin-ban-challenge-lawsuit-866eed85d2918113bfe644459e62171a">did not apply to abortions</a>. Republicans have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-wisconsin-ban-appeal-00e04a5e90931891afd2e0adcd0bcbca">appealed the decision</a>, and the case will likely be decided by the state supreme court.Abortion has reshaped Harris' tenure as vice president after earlier struggles when dealing with intractable issues like migration from Central America.Jamal Simmons, a former communications director for Harris, said abortion “focused her attention and her office in a way that nothing had before."“Focusing on abortion rights tapped into the vice president’s legal background, her political values and her substantive knowledge in a way that I saw no other issue do while I was there," he said.Vice presidents are rarely decisive figures in reelection campaigns. However, Harris has faced additional scrutiny because of Biden's age — he would be 82 at the start of a second term — and her status as the first woman, Black person and person of South Asian descent to serve in her position.The battle over abortion will also bolster her visibility.“The president and the vice president appeal to different parts of the party," Simmons said. “They’re stronger as a team."

🎥.Biden admin. announces new abortion initiatives on Roe anniversary

WASHINGTON —The U.S. Central Command in the Middle East announced Sunday evening that after a 10-day exhaustive search, the two missing U.S. Navy SEALs had not been located and their status has been changed to deceased. 

The search and rescue operation for the two Navy SEALs reported missing during the boarding of an illicit dhow carrying Iranian advanced conventional weapons Jan. 11 concluded and the. U.S. military&nbsp; is now conducting recovery operations. 

During this expansive search operation, airborne and naval platforms from the U.S., Japan, and Spain continuously searched more than 21,000 square miles to locate the "missing teammates."

Search assistance was also provided by Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center, the U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command, University of San Diego – Scripts Institute of Oceanography, and the Office of Naval Research – Oceanographic Support.&nbsp;

The U.S. Central Command has not released their names.

“We mourn the loss of our two Naval Special Warfare warriors, and we will forever honor their sacrifice and example. Our prayers are with the SEALs’ families, friends, the U.S. Navy, and the entire Special Operations community during this time,” said General Michael Erik Kurilla, USCENTCOM Commander.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705405243920.png" alt="The two SEALs went into water in mid-January during a nighttime boarding mission to interdict a dhow suspected of carrying Iranian-made weapons for Houthi militants in Yemen, according to the U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>The two SEALs went into water in mid-January during a nighttime boarding mission to interdict a dhow suspected of carrying Iranian-made weapons for Houthi militants in Yemen, according to the U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —The U.S. Central Command in the Middle East announced Sunday evening that after a 10-day exhaustive search, the two missing U.S. Navy SEALs had not been located and their status has been changed to deceased. The search and rescue operation for the two Navy SEALs reported missing during the boarding of an illicit dhow carrying Iranian advanced conventional weapons Jan. 11 concluded and the. U.S. military&nbsp; is now conducting recovery operations. During this expansive search operation, airborne and naval platforms from the U.S., Japan, and Spain continuously searched more than 21,000 square miles to locate the "missing teammates."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705405198142.png" alt="&nbsp;U.S. Navy SEALs seized Iranian-made missile parts and other weaponry from a ship bound for Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the raid&nbsp; that saw two of the commandos go missing." />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;U.S. Navy SEALs seized Iranian-made missile parts and other weaponry from a ship bound for Yemen’s Houthi rebels in the raid&nbsp; that saw two of the commandos go missing.</figcaption>
 </figure>Search assistance was also provided by Fleet Numerical Meteorology and Oceanography Center, the U.S. Coast Guard Atlantic Area Command, University of San Diego – Scripts Institute of Oceanography, and the Office of Naval Research – Oceanographic Support.&nbsp;The U.S. Central Command has not released their names.“We mourn the loss of our two Naval Special Warfare warriors, and we will forever honor their sacrifice and example. Our prayers are with the SEALs’ families, friends, the U.S. Navy, and the entire Special Operations community during this time,” said General Michael Erik Kurilla, USCENTCOM Commander.

Two US Navy Seals declared dead after raid to seize Iranian weapons 

PALM SPRINGS (AP) —Mary Weiss, the lead singer of the 1960s pop group the Shangri-Las, whose hits included “Leader of the Pack,” has died. She was 75.

Miriam Linna, founder of Weiss' label, Norton Records, said Sunday that Weiss died Friday in Palm Springs, California. No cause of death was given. Rolling Stone first reported her death Friday.

The Shangri-Las, formed in the New York City borough of Queens, were made up of two pairs of sisters: Weiss and her sister Elizabeth “Betty” Weiss, along with twins Marguerite “Marge” Ganser and Mary Ann Ganser. They met in school and as teenagers began performing at school dances and teen hops.

After producer Artie Ripp signed them to Kama Sutra Productions, the Shangri-Las found enormous success as a girl group with a tough, working-class image and drama-filled songs of teen dreams and heartbreak that consumed mid-1960s radio waves. Their name came from a restaurant in Queens.

Their first hit,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5YxtweUxrA">”Remember (Walking in the Sand),"</a>&nbsp;reached the Billboard top 5 in 1964 for Red Bird Records. Weiss was just 15 when it charted. The song, which Aerosmith would later cover, was written by Brill Building pop songwriter-producer George “Shadow” Morton.

Morton would be a key architect of the Shangri-Las, developing a sound that fused a Ronettes-style R&amp;B with big teenage emotions.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWIf4Ifk6aQ">“Leader of the Pack,"</a>&nbsp;co-written by Morton, was the top Billboard single of 1965. On it, Weiss sang:

They said he came from the wrong side of town

They told me he was bad, but I knew he was sad

That’s why I fell for the leader of the pack"

The Shangri-Las didn't last long. They disbanded in 1968 amid legal issues. But they remained a pioneering all-female group.

"I truly believe a lot of men were considered artists, whether or not people wrote for them where women were considered products,” Weiss said in a 2007 interview at the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame.

After the break-up, Weiss moved to San Francisco and fell out of the music business. For years, she worked at an architectural firm. It would be four decades before Weiss recorded an album of new material again. She made her solo debut with the 2007 album&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nortonrecords.com/323-mary-weiss-dangerous-game-cd/">“Dangerous Game.”</a>

“I didn't even sing along the car radio,” Weiss told Rolling Stone in 2007 about her post-Shangri-Las years. “When I put something down, I really put it down.”

On “Dangerous Game,” Weiss recaptured some of the spirit and sound of the Shangri-Las but from a more adult perspective.

“I just want to have fun now. And I’m going to. People can take advantage of you in your youth,” Weiss told New York magazine. “And they’re not going to do it again. There are benefits to being a grown-up.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705884336837.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>PALM SPRINGS (AP) —Mary Weiss, the lead singer of the 1960s pop group the Shangri-Las, whose hits included “Leader of the Pack,” has died. She was 75.Miriam Linna, founder of Weiss' label, Norton Records, said Sunday that Weiss died Friday in Palm Springs, California. No cause of death was given. Rolling Stone first reported her death Friday.The Shangri-Las, formed in the New York City borough of Queens, were made up of two pairs of sisters: Weiss and her sister Elizabeth “Betty” Weiss, along with twins Marguerite “Marge” Ganser and Mary Ann Ganser. They met in school and as teenagers began performing at school dances and teen hops.After producer Artie Ripp signed them to Kama Sutra Productions, the Shangri-Las found enormous success as a girl group with a tough, working-class image and drama-filled songs of teen dreams and heartbreak that consumed mid-1960s radio waves. Their name came from a restaurant in Queens.Their first hit,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V5YxtweUxrA">”Remember (Walking in the Sand),"</a>&nbsp;reached the Billboard top 5 in 1964 for Red Bird Records. Weiss was just 15 when it charted. The song, which Aerosmith would later cover, was written by Brill Building pop songwriter-producer George “Shadow” Morton.Morton would be a key architect of the Shangri-Las, developing a sound that fused a Ronettes-style R&amp;B with big teenage emotions.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWIf4Ifk6aQ">“Leader of the Pack,"</a>&nbsp;co-written by Morton, was the top Billboard single of 1965. On it, Weiss sang:"My folks were always putting him downThey said he came from the wrong side of townThey told me he was bad, but I knew he was sadThat’s why I fell for the leader of the pack"The Shangri-Las didn't last long. They disbanded in 1968 amid legal issues. But they remained a pioneering all-female group."I truly believe a lot of men were considered artists, whether or not people wrote for them where women were considered products,” Weiss said in a 2007 interview at the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame.After the break-up, Weiss moved to San Francisco and fell out of the music business. For years, she worked at an architectural firm. It would be four decades before Weiss recorded an album of new material again. She made her solo debut with the 2007 album&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nortonrecords.com/323-mary-weiss-dangerous-game-cd/">“Dangerous Game.”</a>“I didn't even sing along the car radio,” Weiss told Rolling Stone in 2007 about her post-Shangri-Las years. “When I put something down, I really put it down.”On “Dangerous Game,” Weiss recaptured some of the spirit and sound of the Shangri-Las but from a more adult perspective.“I just want to have fun now. And I’m going to. People can take advantage of you in your youth,” Weiss told New York magazine. “And they’re not going to do it again. There are benefits to being a grown-up.”

Mary Weiss, lead singer of the Shangri-Las, dies at 75

As This week, thousands came to Washington to participate in the 51st annual March for Life and celebrate Sanctity of Human Life Day. Sanctity of Human Life Day was first recognized in 1984 by President Reagan, marking the 11th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s&nbsp;Roe v Wade&nbsp;decision and commemorating the right to life for the unborn. When handed down in January of 1973,&nbsp;Roe v Wade&nbsp;assigned federal protection for abortion access to an arbitrary point in pregnancy and unjustly struck down state laws which protected unborn children.

Today, even after the Supreme Court’s landmark 2022 decision in&nbsp;Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned&nbsp;Roe v Wade, the work of the pro-life movement is not done. Contrary to popular misconception, Dobbs in itself did nothing to prohibit abortion or protect abortion-vulnerable women and children.

While the U.S. remains one of only seven countries worldwide with no national abortion limitations after 20 weeks of pregnancy, many states, including Nebraska have stepped up to protect the right to life. However, there is much work to be done to extend dignity to every woman and child in America.

Women experiencing an unplanned pregnancy can face isolation and uncertainty, lacking the information, options, and support necessary to make the best choice for their own wellbeing and their child’s. Across the country pregnancy resource centers (PRCs), play an important role in providing this support to vulnerable families. Through support systems, coaching, parenting classes, childcare, and more, these centers work to empower women.

I’ve been inspired by the work of PRCs to meet the needs of women and families to overcome the challenges of work, pregnancy, and raising children. I’ve heard from PRC clients who had a difficult life moment become very triumphant because they had someone with vital information and care walk through it with them.

Unfortunately, due to a proposal from the Biden administration, PRCs with clients seeking this kind of assistance are at risk of being prohibited from providing support utilizing funding from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The policy, a rule proposed by the Children and Families Administration at the Department of Health and Human Services would bar states from awarding TANF funding to pro-life pregnancy centers.

While the primary purpose of TANF is providing cash and job search assistance to the neediest Americans, states are empowered to use their block grants to provide supplemental assistance to help Americans enter and remain in the workforce, including parenting supports such as those provided by PRCs. Nearly 3,000 of these organizations support women and children daily in extraordinary ways. There is no reason organizations offering these services to their communities shouldn’t be eligible for support through TANF. We allow states much latitude in carrying out what they think they need to do with taxpayer dollars devoted to assistance programs. It’s imperative those dollars be wisely and efficiently directed to help those most in need.

This week, I spoke in the Ways and Means Committee and on the House floor in support of the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act (H.R. 6918), a bill to help to women and families acutely in need by prohibiting restrictions on the use of TANF funds targeted toward PRCs.

With my support H.R. 6918 passed the House on January 18.

I remain committed to ensuring respect for human life continues to be a cornerstone of public policy. Let’s come together, taking every opportunity to honor the options expectant mothers and fathers should have. Connecting those truly in need with resources can help them on a trajectory to thrive, earn advancement, and provide for their families. The federal government should not for ideological reasons stand in the way of organizations offering information and support to uphold life.

Adrian SmithAs This week, thousands came to Washington to participate in the 51st annual March for Life and celebrate Sanctity of Human Life Day. Sanctity of Human Life Day was first recognized in 1984 by President Reagan, marking the 11th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s&nbsp;Roe v Wade&nbsp;decision and commemorating the right to life for the unborn. When handed down in January of 1973,&nbsp;Roe v Wade&nbsp;assigned federal protection for abortion access to an arbitrary point in pregnancy and unjustly struck down state laws which protected unborn children.Today, even after the Supreme Court’s landmark 2022 decision in&nbsp;Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, which overturned&nbsp;Roe v Wade, the work of the pro-life movement is not done. Contrary to popular misconception, Dobbs in itself did nothing to prohibit abortion or protect abortion-vulnerable women and children.While the U.S. remains one of only seven countries worldwide with no national abortion limitations after 20 weeks of pregnancy, many states, including Nebraska have stepped up to protect the right to life. However, there is much work to be done to extend dignity to every woman and child in America.Women experiencing an unplanned pregnancy can face isolation and uncertainty, lacking the information, options, and support necessary to make the best choice for their own wellbeing and their child’s. Across the country pregnancy resource centers (PRCs), play an important role in providing this support to vulnerable families. Through support systems, coaching, parenting classes, childcare, and more, these centers work to empower women.I’ve been inspired by the work of PRCs to meet the needs of women and families to overcome the challenges of work, pregnancy, and raising children. I’ve heard from PRC clients who had a difficult life moment become very triumphant because they had someone with vital information and care walk through it with them.Unfortunately, due to a proposal from the Biden administration, PRCs with clients seeking this kind of assistance are at risk of being prohibited from providing support utilizing funding from the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) program. The policy, a rule proposed by the Children and Families Administration at the Department of Health and Human Services would bar states from awarding TANF funding to pro-life pregnancy centers.While the primary purpose of TANF is providing cash and job search assistance to the neediest Americans, states are empowered to use their block grants to provide supplemental assistance to help Americans enter and remain in the workforce, including parenting supports such as those provided by PRCs. Nearly 3,000 of these organizations support women and children daily in extraordinary ways. There is no reason organizations offering these services to their communities shouldn’t be eligible for support through TANF. We allow states much latitude in carrying out what they think they need to do with taxpayer dollars devoted to assistance programs. It’s imperative those dollars be wisely and efficiently directed to help those most in need.This week, I spoke in the Ways and Means Committee and on the House floor in support of the Supporting Pregnant and Parenting Women and Families Act (H.R. 6918), a bill to help to women and families acutely in need by prohibiting restrictions on the use of TANF funds targeted toward PRCs.With my support H.R. 6918 passed the House on January 18.I remain committed to ensuring respect for human life continues to be a cornerstone of public policy. Let’s come together, taking every opportunity to honor the options expectant mothers and fathers should have. Connecting those truly in need with resources can help them on a trajectory to thrive, earn advancement, and provide for their families. The federal government should not for ideological reasons stand in the way of organizations offering information and support to uphold life.

  Upholding the Work of Pregnancy Resource Centers

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended his Republican presidential campaign on Sunday, ending his 2024 White House bid just before the New Hampshire primary while endorsing his bitter rival Donald Trump.

The timing of DeSantis' announcement escalates the pressure on former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, as the only major candidate left in the Republican nomination fight, to win New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary on Tuesday. Trump's foes in the GOP finally have the one-on-one contest they have sought for months.

“It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance," DeSantis said in a video announcing his decision to drop out of the race which he posted on X.

DeSantis also jabbed Haley, long his closest competition for second place in the primary race, saying Republicans “can't go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents.”

Haley was campaigning in Seabrook, New Hampshire, when DeSantis announced his decision.

“He ran a great race, he’s been a good governor, and we wish him well,” she told a room packed with supporters and media. “Having said that, it’s now one fella and one lady left.“

DeSantis' decision, while perhaps not surprising given his 30-point blowout loss last week in Iowa, marks the end of an extraordinary decline for a high-profile governor once thought to be a legitimate threat to Trump’s supremacy in the Republican Party.

He entered the 2024 presidential contest with major advantages in his quest to take on Trump, and early primary polls suggested DeSantis was in a strong position to do just that. He and his allies amassed a political fortune well in excess of $130 million, and he boasted a significant legislative record on issues important to many conservatives, like abortion and the teaching of race and gender issues in schools.

Such advantages did not survive the reality of presidential politics in 2024. From a high-profile announcement that was plagued by technical glitches to constant upheavals to his staff and campaign strategy, DeSantis struggled to find his footing in the primary. He lost the Iowa caucuses — which he had vowed to win — by 30 percentage points to Trump.

DeSantis' allies said that private discussions began shortly after Iowa to decide how to bow out of the race gracefully. They ultimately decided that he needed to endorse Trump, despite the deeply personal feud between them.

“While I’ve had disagreements with Donald Trump, such as on the coronavirus pandemic and his elevation of Anthony Fauci, Trump is superior to the current incumbent, Joe Biden. That is clear," said DeSantis, who is in his second and final term as Florida’s governor, which ends in January 2027.

The endorsement was a stunning tail-between-his-legs moment for DeSantis, whom Trump has mercilessly and relentlessly taunted in deeply personal terms for the better part of a year now.

For Trump, whose team includes many former DeSantis staffers, the attacks have often felt more like sport than political strategy. Trump and his aides have blasted the governor as disloyal for running in the first place, mocked his eating habits and his personality and accused him of wearing high heels to boost his height.

DeSantis' team joined Trump in attacking Haley as news of his departure rippled across the political landscape. Some doubt Haley, who was seen as splitting Republican votes and preventing a head-to-head match up between Trump, would benefit from DeSantis’ decision.

“She will not be the nominee,” key DeSantis supporter Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, told AP. “She will not be the president of the United States.”

Trump had already shifted his focus to Haley in recent weeks, but minutes after DeSantis' announcement, the former president's campaign released a new memo highlighting the pressure on Haley to win New Hampshire.

“Now that we are a mere 48 hours from the primary, the tone has shifted mightily. We see it, you see it, but make no mistake, if Nikki Haley loses in New Hampshire — there are only two options,” wrote senior advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles.

“Option A: Nikki Haley drops out, unites behind President Trump, and commits to defeating Joe Biden," they wrote. “Option B: Nikki Haley prepares to be absolutely DEMOLISHED and EMBARASSED in her home state of South Carolina," which votes on Feb. 24.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705324613627.png" alt="Florida Gov. Ron Desantis during a campaign stop in Iowa -photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Florida Gov. Ron Desantis during a campaign stop in Iowa -photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended his Republican presidential campaign on Sunday, ending his 2024 White House bid just before the New Hampshire primary while endorsing his bitter rival Donald Trump.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” - Winston Churchill <a href="https://t.co/ECoR8YeiMm">pic.twitter.com/ECoR8YeiMm</a>&mdash; Ron DeSantis (@RonDeSantis) <a href="https://twitter.com/RonDeSantis/status/1749159384112845285?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The timing of DeSantis' announcement escalates the pressure on former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, as the only major candidate left in the Republican nomination fight, to win New Hampshire's first-in-the-nation primary on Tuesday. Trump's foes in the GOP finally have the one-on-one contest they have sought for months.“It’s clear to me that a majority of Republican primary voters want to give Donald Trump another chance," DeSantis said in a video announcing his decision to drop out of the race which he posted on X.DeSantis also jabbed Haley, long his closest competition for second place in the primary race, saying Republicans “can't go back to the old Republican guard of yesteryear, a repackaged form of warmed-over corporatism that Nikki Haley represents.”Haley was campaigning in Seabrook, New Hampshire, when DeSantis announced his decision.“He ran a great race, he’s been a good governor, and we wish him well,” she told a room packed with supporters and media. “Having said that, it’s now one fella and one lady left.“DeSantis' decision, while perhaps not surprising given his 30-point blowout loss last week in Iowa, marks the end of an extraordinary decline for a high-profile governor once thought to be a legitimate threat to Trump’s supremacy in the Republican Party.He entered the 2024 presidential contest with major advantages in his quest to take on Trump, and early primary polls suggested DeSantis was in a strong position to do just that. He and his allies amassed a political fortune well in excess of $130 million, and he boasted a significant legislative record on issues important to many conservatives, like abortion and the teaching of race and gender issues in schools.Such advantages did not survive the reality of presidential politics in 2024. From a high-profile announcement that was plagued by technical glitches to constant upheavals to his staff and campaign strategy, DeSantis struggled to find his footing in the primary. He lost the Iowa caucuses — which he had vowed to win — by 30 percentage points to Trump.DeSantis' allies said that private discussions began shortly after Iowa to decide how to bow out of the race gracefully. They ultimately decided that he needed to endorse Trump, despite the deeply personal feud between them.“While I’ve had disagreements with Donald Trump, such as on the coronavirus pandemic and his elevation of Anthony Fauci, Trump is superior to the current incumbent, Joe Biden. That is clear," said DeSantis, who is in his second and final term as Florida’s governor, which ends in January 2027.The endorsement was a stunning tail-between-his-legs moment for DeSantis, whom Trump has mercilessly and relentlessly taunted in deeply personal terms for the better part of a year now.For Trump, whose team includes many former DeSantis staffers, the attacks have often felt more like sport than political strategy. Trump and his aides have blasted the governor as disloyal for running in the first place, mocked his eating habits and his personality and accused him of wearing high heels to boost his height.DeSantis' team joined Trump in attacking Haley as news of his departure rippled across the political landscape. Some doubt Haley, who was seen as splitting Republican votes and preventing a head-to-head match up between Trump, would benefit from DeSantis’ decision.“She will not be the nominee,” key DeSantis supporter Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, told AP. “She will not be the president of the United States.”Trump had already shifted his focus to Haley in recent weeks, but minutes after DeSantis' announcement, the former president's campaign released a new memo highlighting the pressure on Haley to win New Hampshire.“Now that we are a mere 48 hours from the primary, the tone has shifted mightily. We see it, you see it, but make no mistake, if Nikki Haley loses in New Hampshire — there are only two options,” wrote senior advisers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles.“Option A: Nikki Haley drops out, unites behind President Trump, and commits to defeating Joe Biden," they wrote. “Option B: Nikki Haley prepares to be absolutely DEMOLISHED and EMBARASSED in her home state of South Carolina," which votes on Feb. 24.

🎥Ron DeSantis explains why he is ending his 2024 campaign

IRBIL, Iraq —Several U.S. personnel were injured in a missile attack Saturday night by Iranian-backed rebels on Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq, according to statement from the U.S. Central Command.

At approximately 6:30 p.m. (Baghdad time) time Jan. 20, multiple ballistic missiles and rockets were launched by Iranian-backed militants in Western Iraq targeting al-Assad Airbase. 

Most of the missiles were intercepted by the base’s air defense systems while others impacted on the base. 

Damage assessments are ongoing. A number of U.S. personnel are undergoing evaluation for traumatic brain injuries. At least one Iraqi service member was wounded.&nbsp; This occurred as the U.S. conducted new strikes on Yemen's Houthi rebels, who have been targeting shipping in the Red Sea over the war.

Meanwhile, an Israeli strike on the Syrian capital on Saturday destroyed a building used by the Iranian paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, killing at least five Iranians, Syrian and Iranian state media reported.

The Syrian army said the building in the tightly guarded western Damascus neighborhood of Mazzeh was entirely destroyed, adding that the Israeli air force fired the missiles while flying over Syria’s Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The Israeli military did not comment.

A few hours later, an Israeli drone strike on a car near the southern Lebanese port city of Tyre killed two people, including a Hezbollah member, who were in the vehicle and two people who were in a nearby orchard, an official with the group and Lebanon's state news agency said. One of those killed was Ali Hudruj, a local Hezbollah commander, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, without giving further details.

Nour News, which is believed to be close to Iran’s intelligence apparatus, identified two of the dead in Damascus as Gen. Sadegh Omidzadeh, the intelligence deputy of the guard's expeditionary Quds Force in Syria, and his deputy, who goes by the nom de guerre Hajj Gholam. The guard later issued statements identifying the five dead as Hojjatollah Omidvar, Ali Aghazadeh, Hossein Mohammadi, Saeed Karimi and Mohammad Amin Samadi. It gave no ranks for them. The difference in information could not be immediately reconciled.

An opposition war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said at least six people — five Iranians and a Syrian — were killed in the missile attack that struck while officials from Iran-backed groups were holding a meeting. The Observatory's chief, Rami Abdurrahman, said three of the Iranians were commanders, adding that four other people are still missing under the rubble.

The Telegram channel for Iranian state TV reported that Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi condemned the Israeli attack on Damascus, adding that “the Islamic Republic will not leave the crimes of the Zionist regime unanswered.”

Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani condemned the Israeli strike in a statement saying that “without any doubt, the blood of these high-ranking martyrs will not be wasted.”

Iran also tried again to link Israel to the Islamic State group, something its leaders have been trying to do since a suicide bombing by the extremists in early January in Iran&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-kerman-bombing-qassem-soleimani-mideast-tensions-3503bdbaa3d0815996e4010224bd5dcc">killed more than 90 people</a>.

Security forces deployed around the destroyed four-story building as ambulances and fire engines were seen in the area. A search for people trapped under the rubble was underway. Windows were also shattered in nearby buildings.

A grocer near the scene of the strike said he heard five consecutive explosions at about 10:15 a.m., adding that he later witnessed the bodies of a man and a woman being taken away as well as three wounded people.

“The shop shook. I stayed inside for a few seconds then went out and saw the smoke billowing from behind the mosque,” the man, who asked that his name not be used for security reasons, told The Associated Press.

“What happened was terrifying. I collapsed,” said Khaled Mawed, who lives nearby.

The strike came amid widening tensions in the region as Israel pushes ahead with its offensive in Gaza. Israel’s assault there,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-bombs-destruction-death-toll-scope-419488c511f83c85baea22458472a796">one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns</a>&nbsp;in recent history, has killed nearly 25,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, caused widespread destruction and uprooted over 80% of the territory’s 2.3 million people from their homes.

Israel launched the offensive after an unprecedented cross-border attack into Israel by Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">on Oct. 7</a>&nbsp;that killed 1,200 people and took some 250 others hostage. Roughly 130 hostages are believed by Israel to remain in Hamas captivity. The war has stoked tensions across the region, threatening to ignite other conflicts.

Last month, an Israeli airstrike on a suburb of Damascus killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-israel-iran-irgc-damascus-airstrike-7ee8496d727ba69834002f0444515a36">Iranian general Seyed Razi Mousavi</a>, a longtime adviser of the Iranian paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in Syria. Israel has also targeted Palestinian and Lebanese operatives in Syria over the past years.

Iranian and Syrian officials have long acknowledged Iran has advisers and military experts in Syria, but denied there were any ground troops. Thousands of fighters from Iran-backed groups took part in Syria's conflict that started in March 2011, helping tip the balance of power in favor of President Bashar Assad.

Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of war-torn Syria in recent years.

Israel rarely acknowledges its actions in Syria, but it has said that it targets bases of Iran-allied militant groups, such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which has sent thousands of fighters to support Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces.

Earlier this month, a strike said to be carried out by Israel killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-beirut-explosion-suburbs-hezbollah-israel-2a43fe948e8cb49c64b34bb963d77f64">top Hamas commander Saleh Arouri</a>&nbsp;in Beirut.

Over the past weeks, rockets have been fired from Syria into northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, adding to tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border and attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

-The Associated Press contributed to this report

IRBIL, Iraq —Several U.S. personnel were injured in a missile attack Saturday night by Iranian-backed rebels on Al-Asad Airbase in Iraq, according to statement from the U.S. Central Command.At approximately 6:30 p.m. (Baghdad time) time Jan. 20, multiple ballistic missiles and rockets were launched by Iranian-backed militants in Western Iraq targeting al-Assad Airbase. Most of the missiles were intercepted by the base’s air defense systems while others impacted on the base. Damage assessments are ongoing. A number of U.S. personnel are undergoing evaluation for traumatic brain injuries. At least one Iraqi service member was wounded.&nbsp; This occurred as the U.S. conducted new strikes on Yemen's Houthi rebels, who have been targeting shipping in the Red Sea over the war.Meanwhile, an Israeli strike on the Syrian capital on Saturday destroyed a building used by the Iranian paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, killing at least five Iranians, Syrian and Iranian state media reported.The Syrian army said the building in the tightly guarded western Damascus neighborhood of Mazzeh was entirely destroyed, adding that the Israeli air force fired the missiles while flying over Syria’s Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. The Israeli military did not comment.A few hours later, an Israeli drone strike on a car near the southern Lebanese port city of Tyre killed two people, including a Hezbollah member, who were in the vehicle and two people who were in a nearby orchard, an official with the group and Lebanon's state news agency said. One of those killed was Ali Hudruj, a local Hezbollah commander, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations, without giving further details.Nour News, which is believed to be close to Iran’s intelligence apparatus, identified two of the dead in Damascus as Gen. Sadegh Omidzadeh, the intelligence deputy of the guard's expeditionary Quds Force in Syria, and his deputy, who goes by the nom de guerre Hajj Gholam. The guard later issued statements identifying the five dead as Hojjatollah Omidvar, Ali Aghazadeh, Hossein Mohammadi, Saeed Karimi and Mohammad Amin Samadi. It gave no ranks for them. The difference in information could not be immediately reconciled.An opposition war monitor, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, said at least six people — five Iranians and a Syrian — were killed in the missile attack that struck while officials from Iran-backed groups were holding a meeting. The Observatory's chief, Rami Abdurrahman, said three of the Iranians were commanders, adding that four other people are still missing under the rubble.The Telegram channel for Iranian state TV reported that Iran's President Ebrahim Raisi condemned the Israeli attack on Damascus, adding that “the Islamic Republic will not leave the crimes of the Zionist regime unanswered.”Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani condemned the Israeli strike in a statement saying that “without any doubt, the blood of these high-ranking martyrs will not be wasted.”Iran also tried again to link Israel to the Islamic State group, something its leaders have been trying to do since a suicide bombing by the extremists in early January in Iran&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-kerman-bombing-qassem-soleimani-mideast-tensions-3503bdbaa3d0815996e4010224bd5dcc">killed more than 90 people</a>.Security forces deployed around the destroyed four-story building as ambulances and fire engines were seen in the area. A search for people trapped under the rubble was underway. Windows were also shattered in nearby buildings.A grocer near the scene of the strike said he heard five consecutive explosions at about 10:15 a.m., adding that he later witnessed the bodies of a man and a woman being taken away as well as three wounded people.“The shop shook. I stayed inside for a few seconds then went out and saw the smoke billowing from behind the mosque,” the man, who asked that his name not be used for security reasons, told The Associated Press.“What happened was terrifying. I collapsed,” said Khaled Mawed, who lives nearby.The strike came amid widening tensions in the region as Israel pushes ahead with its offensive in Gaza. Israel’s assault there,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-bombs-destruction-death-toll-scope-419488c511f83c85baea22458472a796">one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns</a>&nbsp;in recent history, has killed nearly 25,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities, caused widespread destruction and uprooted over 80% of the territory’s 2.3 million people from their homes.Israel launched the offensive after an unprecedented cross-border attack into Israel by Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">on Oct. 7</a>&nbsp;that killed 1,200 people and took some 250 others hostage. Roughly 130 hostages are believed by Israel to remain in Hamas captivity. The war has stoked tensions across the region, threatening to ignite other conflicts.Last month, an Israeli airstrike on a suburb of Damascus killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/syria-israel-iran-irgc-damascus-airstrike-7ee8496d727ba69834002f0444515a36">Iranian general Seyed Razi Mousavi</a>, a longtime adviser of the Iranian paramilitary Revolutionary Guard in Syria. Israel has also targeted Palestinian and Lebanese operatives in Syria over the past years.Iranian and Syrian officials have long acknowledged Iran has advisers and military experts in Syria, but denied there were any ground troops. Thousands of fighters from Iran-backed groups took part in Syria's conflict that started in March 2011, helping tip the balance of power in favor of President Bashar Assad.Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside government-controlled parts of war-torn Syria in recent years.Israel rarely acknowledges its actions in Syria, but it has said that it targets bases of Iran-allied militant groups, such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which has sent thousands of fighters to support Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces.Earlier this month, a strike said to be carried out by Israel killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-beirut-explosion-suburbs-hezbollah-israel-2a43fe948e8cb49c64b34bb963d77f64">top Hamas commander Saleh Arouri</a>&nbsp;in Beirut.Over the past weeks, rockets have been fired from Syria into northern Israel and the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, adding to tensions along the Lebanon-Israel border and attacks on ships in the Red Sea by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.-The Associated Press contributed to this report

U.S. personnel injured in missile attack on airbase in Iraq

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes sank in 2023 to a nearly 30-year low, as sharply higher mortgage rates, rising prices and a persistently low level of homes on the market combined to push homeownership out of reach for many Americans.

The National Association of Realtors said Friday that existing U.S. home sales totaled 4.09 million last year, an 18.7% decline from 2022. That is the weakest year for home sales since 1995 and the biggest annual decline since 2007, the start of the housing slump of the late 2000s.

The median national home price for all of last year edged up just under 1% to record high $389,800, the NAR said.

Last year’s home sales slump echoes the nearly 18% annual decline in 2022, when mortgage rates began rising, eventually more than doubling by the end of the year. That trend continued in 2023, driving the average rate on a 30-year mortgage by late October to 7.79%, the highest level since late 2000.

The sharply higher home loan borrowing costs limited home hunters' buying power on top of years of soaring prices. A dearth of homes for sale also kept many would-be homebuyers and sellers on the sidelines.

Still, a pullback in mortgage rates since late last year, and forecasts calling for a further rate declines this year, is fueling hopes that home sales will begin to bounce back from their dismal showing in 2023.

“The latest month’s sales look to be the bottom before inevitably turning higher in the new year,” said Lawrence Yun, the NAR's chief economist. ”Mortgage rates are meaningfully lower compared to just two months ago, and more inventory is expected to appear on the market in upcoming months.”

Mortgage rates have been mostly easing since November, echoing a pullback in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing loans. The yield has largely come down on hopes that inflation has cooled enough for the Federal Reserve to shift to cutting interest rates this year.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-loan-f772736312197acdcbe2fcc6fd534e9f">The average rate on a 30-year home loan was 6.6% this week,</a>&nbsp;according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. If rates continue to ease, as many economists expect, that should help boost demand heading into the spring homebuying season, which traditionally begins in late February.

Still, the average rate remains sharply higher than just two years ago, when it was 3.56%. That large gap between rates now and then has helped limit the number of previously occupied homes on the market by discouraging homeowners who locked in rock-bottom rates from selling.

“Prospective homebuyers have been shut out of the market by a lack of inventory,” said Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist at Bright MLS. “If there had been more listings on the market in 2023, we would have had more home sales.”

At the end of December, there were just 1 million homes on the market, the NAR said. While that's a 4.2% increase from a year earlier, the number of available homes remains well below the monthly historical average of about 2.25 million.

The available inventory at the end of last month amounts to a 3.2-month supply, going by the current sales pace. That’s down 3.5% from the previous month, but up from 2.9% from December 2022. In a more balanced market between buyers and sellers, there is a 4- to 6-month supply.

That means homebuyers are likely to face intense competition for the relatively few homes on the market, which should keep pushing up prices.

"There will still be a demand-supply imbalance in the housing market well into 2024,” Sturtevant said.

Despite easing mortgage rates, home sales in December declined after rising the previous month. Existing home sales fell 1% from November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.78 million, the slowest sales pace since August 2010, the NAR said.

Sales fell 6.2% from a year earlier. Last month’s sales pace is short of the roughly 3.83 million that economists were expecting, according to FactSet.

Home prices rose for the sixth straight month in December. The national median home sales price rose 4.4% from a year earlier to $382,600, the NAR said.

Homebuyers continued to face a competitive market due to the shortage of homes for sale.

Homes sold last month typically within just 29 days after hitting the market, and 56% of properties that sold in December were on the market for less than a month, the NAR said.

First-time homebuyers who don’t have any home equity to put toward their down payment continued to have a tough time getting into the housing market. They accounted for just 29% of all homes sold last month, down from 31% in November and December 2022. They've accounted for 40% of sales historically.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624025620777.png" alt="Photo by David Condos / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Photo by David Condos / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes sank in 2023 to a nearly 30-year low, as sharply higher mortgage rates, rising prices and a persistently low level of homes on the market combined to push homeownership out of reach for many Americans.The National Association of Realtors said Friday that existing U.S. home sales totaled 4.09 million last year, an 18.7% decline from 2022. That is the weakest year for home sales since 1995 and the biggest annual decline since 2007, the start of the housing slump of the late 2000s.The median national home price for all of last year edged up just under 1% to record high $389,800, the NAR said.Last year’s home sales slump echoes the nearly 18% annual decline in 2022, when mortgage rates began rising, eventually more than doubling by the end of the year. That trend continued in 2023, driving the average rate on a 30-year mortgage by late October to 7.79%, the highest level since late 2000.The sharply higher home loan borrowing costs limited home hunters' buying power on top of years of soaring prices. A dearth of homes for sale also kept many would-be homebuyers and sellers on the sidelines.Still, a pullback in mortgage rates since late last year, and forecasts calling for a further rate declines this year, is fueling hopes that home sales will begin to bounce back from their dismal showing in 2023.“The latest month’s sales look to be the bottom before inevitably turning higher in the new year,” said Lawrence Yun, the NAR's chief economist. ”Mortgage rates are meaningfully lower compared to just two months ago, and more inventory is expected to appear on the market in upcoming months.”Mortgage rates have been mostly easing since November, echoing a pullback in the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing loans. The yield has largely come down on hopes that inflation has cooled enough for the Federal Reserve to shift to cutting interest rates this year.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-loan-f772736312197acdcbe2fcc6fd534e9f">The average rate on a 30-year home loan was 6.6% this week,</a>&nbsp;according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. If rates continue to ease, as many economists expect, that should help boost demand heading into the spring homebuying season, which traditionally begins in late February.Still, the average rate remains sharply higher than just two years ago, when it was 3.56%. That large gap between rates now and then has helped limit the number of previously occupied homes on the market by discouraging homeowners who locked in rock-bottom rates from selling.“Prospective homebuyers have been shut out of the market by a lack of inventory,” said Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist at Bright MLS. “If there had been more listings on the market in 2023, we would have had more home sales.”At the end of December, there were just 1 million homes on the market, the NAR said. While that's a 4.2% increase from a year earlier, the number of available homes remains well below the monthly historical average of about 2.25 million.The available inventory at the end of last month amounts to a 3.2-month supply, going by the current sales pace. That’s down 3.5% from the previous month, but up from 2.9% from December 2022. In a more balanced market between buyers and sellers, there is a 4- to 6-month supply.That means homebuyers are likely to face intense competition for the relatively few homes on the market, which should keep pushing up prices."There will still be a demand-supply imbalance in the housing market well into 2024,” Sturtevant said.Despite easing mortgage rates, home sales in December declined after rising the previous month. Existing home sales fell 1% from November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 3.78 million, the slowest sales pace since August 2010, the NAR said.Sales fell 6.2% from a year earlier. Last month’s sales pace is short of the roughly 3.83 million that economists were expecting, according to FactSet.Home prices rose for the sixth straight month in December. The national median home sales price rose 4.4% from a year earlier to $382,600, the NAR said.Homebuyers continued to face a competitive market due to the shortage of homes for sale.Homes sold last month typically within just 29 days after hitting the market, and 56% of properties that sold in December were on the market for less than a month, the NAR said.First-time homebuyers who don’t have any home equity to put toward their down payment continued to have a tough time getting into the housing market. They accounted for just 29% of all homes sold last month, down from 31% in November and December 2022. They've accounted for 40% of sales historically.

Home sales slowest in almost 30 years

WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of pro-life supporters under falling snow on Friday at the annual March for Life, as speakers urged the impassioned crowd to capitalize on the movement's major victory in the Supreme Court and keep fighting until abortion is eliminated.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?533055-1/pro-life-advocates-supporters-attend-march-life-rally">Click here to watch </a>a replay of the rally

Months before a presidential election that could be heavily influenced by abortion politics, pro-life activists packed the National Mall carrying signs with messages such as “Life is precious" and “I am the pro-life generation.” After listening to speeches, the crowd, braving frigid temperatures, marched past the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court. One group planted in front of Court, beating a drum and chanting: “Everyone you know was once an embryo."

Friday’s March for Life is the second such event in the nation's capital since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the June 2022 Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;that ended the federal protection for abortion rights enshrined in Roe v. Wade. Last year’s march was triumphant, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-florida-state-government-kentucky-6ed9dbcdaae33312f1425ea38b681a7e">organizers relishing a state-by-state fight</a>&nbsp;in legislatures around the country.

Speakers praised the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade but said it was more important now than ever to keep up the pressure on lawmakers to advance abortion restrictions.

“Roe is done, but we still live in a culture that knows not how to care for life,” said Benjamin Watson, a former NFL player who is now an anti-abortion advocate. “Roe is done, but the factors that drive women to seek abortions are ever apparent and ever increasing. Roe is done, but abortion is still legal and thriving in too much of America.”

Friday's event appeared smaller than in past years as ice and snow complicated travel plans. But the crowd was fired up as speakers, which included members of Congress and Michigan University Football Coach Jim Harbaugh, urged participants to keep fighting until abortion becomes “unthinkable.”

“Let's be encouraged, let's press on and hope that we can join together and make this great difference," House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “We can stand with every woman for every child, and we can truly build a culture that cherishes and protects life.”

The snow fell heavily throughout the speeches as young people built snowmen and had snowball fights behind the stage. Near the Capitol, the crowd celebrated as a group on a balcony of the Cannon House Office building cheered on the march.

“I almost didn’t come when I saw the forecast, but this is just incredible,” said Stephanie Simpson, a 42-year-old grocery store employee from Cleveland, who has attended the last four marches.

Roberto Reyes, a Mexican native and Carmelite friar, said: “All these people are going to remember this year’s march for the rest of their lives!”

Members of the crowd described overturning Roe v. Wade as a victory, but said the anti-abortion fight rages on.

“The key message this year is that our work is not done,” said Bishop Michael Burbidge, chair of the committee for pro-life activities for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The movement has seen mixed results. The ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization reverted abortion lawmaking back to the states, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-exception-lawsuit-legislature-confusion-b2808df90937e96887aa4e1f9c565771">14 states</a>&nbsp;are now enforcing bans on abortion throughout pregnancy. Two more have such bans on hold because of court rulings. And another two have bans that take effect when cardiac activity can be detected, about six weeks into pregnancy — often before women know they’re pregnant.

But abortion restrictions have also lost at the ballot box in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-abortion-amendment-election-2023-fe3e06747b616507d8ca21ea26485270">Ohio</a>, Kansas and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-kentucky-abortion-3fa387a4cdc355d50a223f4788aa0ae8">Kentucky</a>. And total bans have produced high-profile causes for abortion rights supporters to rally around.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-ban-7d865cdfd75bdc6b2f4186f4d1e6e8bd">Kate Cox</a>, a Texas mother of two, sought an abortion after learning the baby she was carrying had a fatal genetic condition. Her request for an exemption from Texas’ ban, one of the country’s strictest, was denied by the state Supreme Court, and she left Texas to seek an abortion elsewhere.

Movement organizers now expect abortion rights to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-kamala-harris-abortion-c634452da5e103913982e1cc5a0cae78">a major Democratic rallying cry</a>&nbsp;in President Joe Biden's reelection campaign.

“The pro-abortion forces, that's one of the major things they're going to run on,” said Susan Swift, president of Pro-Life Legal and a veteran anti-abortion activist. “That's one of the only things that seems to animate their base.”

Biden campaign officials openly state that they plan to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-kamala-harris-abortion-c634452da5e103913982e1cc5a0cae78">make Biden synonymous</a>&nbsp;with the fight to preserve abortion rights.

Vice President Kamala Harris has led the charge on the issue for the White House. She will hold the first event in Wisconsin on Monday, which would have been the 51st anniversary of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-roe-v-wade-33c08858dc8b0aa5f0450858b51a648a">Roe v. Wade</a>, the lawsuit that led to the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision establishing a constitutional right to abortion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705761295598.png" alt="Friday’s March for Life is the second such event in the nation's capital since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the June 2022 Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;that ended the federal protection for abortion rights enshrined in Roe v. Wade-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Friday’s March for Life is the second such event in the nation's capital since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the June 2022 Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;that ended the federal protection for abortion rights enshrined in Roe v. Wade-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of pro-life supporters under falling snow on Friday at the annual March for Life, as speakers urged the impassioned crowd to capitalize on the movement's major victory in the Supreme Court and keep fighting until abortion is eliminated.<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?533055-1/pro-life-advocates-supporters-attend-march-life-rally">Click here to watch </a>a replay of the rally<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Thank you to everyone who is participating in today’s snowy <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/MarchForLife?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#MarchForLife</a> on the National Mall! It’s an honor to fight alongside you for pro-family, pro-children policies here in DC! <a href="https://t.co/VDXNIPsoIL">pic.twitter.com/VDXNIPsoIL</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1748436943971491936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 19, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Months before a presidential election that could be heavily influenced by abortion politics, pro-life activists packed the National Mall carrying signs with messages such as “Life is precious" and “I am the pro-life generation.” After listening to speeches, the crowd, braving frigid temperatures, marched past the U.S. Capitol and Supreme Court. One group planted in front of Court, beating a drum and chanting: “Everyone you know was once an embryo."Friday’s March for Life is the second such event in the nation's capital since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">the June 2022 Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;that ended the federal protection for abortion rights enshrined in Roe v. Wade. Last year’s march was triumphant, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-florida-state-government-kentucky-6ed9dbcdaae33312f1425ea38b681a7e">organizers relishing a state-by-state fight</a>&nbsp;in legislatures around the country.Speakers praised the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade but said it was more important now than ever to keep up the pressure on lawmakers to advance abortion restrictions.“Roe is done, but we still live in a culture that knows not how to care for life,” said Benjamin Watson, a former NFL player who is now an anti-abortion advocate. “Roe is done, but the factors that drive women to seek abortions are ever apparent and ever increasing. Roe is done, but abortion is still legal and thriving in too much of America.”Friday's event appeared smaller than in past years as ice and snow complicated travel plans. But the crowd was fired up as speakers, which included members of Congress and Michigan University Football Coach Jim Harbaugh, urged participants to keep fighting until abortion becomes “unthinkable.”“Let's be encouraged, let's press on and hope that we can join together and make this great difference," House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La. “We can stand with every woman for every child, and we can truly build a culture that cherishes and protects life.”The snow fell heavily throughout the speeches as young people built snowmen and had snowball fights behind the stage. Near the Capitol, the crowd celebrated as a group on a balcony of the Cannon House Office building cheered on the march.“I almost didn’t come when I saw the forecast, but this is just incredible,” said Stephanie Simpson, a 42-year-old grocery store employee from Cleveland, who has attended the last four marches.Roberto Reyes, a Mexican native and Carmelite friar, said: “All these people are going to remember this year’s march for the rest of their lives!”Members of the crowd described overturning Roe v. Wade as a victory, but said the anti-abortion fight rages on.“The key message this year is that our work is not done,” said Bishop Michael Burbidge, chair of the committee for pro-life activities for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.The movement has seen mixed results. The ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization reverted abortion lawmaking back to the states, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-exception-lawsuit-legislature-confusion-b2808df90937e96887aa4e1f9c565771">14 states</a>&nbsp;are now enforcing bans on abortion throughout pregnancy. Two more have such bans on hold because of court rulings. And another two have bans that take effect when cardiac activity can be detected, about six weeks into pregnancy — often before women know they’re pregnant.But abortion restrictions have also lost at the ballot box in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-abortion-amendment-election-2023-fe3e06747b616507d8ca21ea26485270">Ohio</a>, Kansas and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-kentucky-abortion-3fa387a4cdc355d50a223f4788aa0ae8">Kentucky</a>. And total bans have produced high-profile causes for abortion rights supporters to rally around.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-ban-7d865cdfd75bdc6b2f4186f4d1e6e8bd">Kate Cox</a>, a Texas mother of two, sought an abortion after learning the baby she was carrying had a fatal genetic condition. Her request for an exemption from Texas’ ban, one of the country’s strictest, was denied by the state Supreme Court, and she left Texas to seek an abortion elsewhere.Movement organizers now expect abortion rights to be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-kamala-harris-abortion-c634452da5e103913982e1cc5a0cae78">a major Democratic rallying cry</a>&nbsp;in President Joe Biden's reelection campaign.“The pro-abortion forces, that's one of the major things they're going to run on,” said Susan Swift, president of Pro-Life Legal and a veteran anti-abortion activist. “That's one of the only things that seems to animate their base.”Biden campaign officials openly state that they plan to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-kamala-harris-abortion-c634452da5e103913982e1cc5a0cae78">make Biden synonymous</a>&nbsp;with the fight to preserve abortion rights.Vice President Kamala Harris has led the charge on the issue for the White House. She will hold the first event in Wisconsin on Monday, which would have been the 51st anniversary of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-roe-v-wade-33c08858dc8b0aa5f0450858b51a648a">Roe v. Wade</a>, the lawsuit that led to the landmark 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision establishing a constitutional right to abortion.___

🎥 March for Life rallies against abortion with an eye toward the Nov. elections

JERUSALEM (AP) —U.S. fighter jets struck Houthi rebel sites in Yemen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-us-military-strikes-dec1682fcb279904f84a8246e987f3fb">for a sixth time Friday</a>, taking out anti-ship missile launchers that were prepared to fire, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-houthis-yemen-shipping-attacks-fc5c1ed40f4e370bed81670bfdda0899">ongoing military operations</a>.

The Iranian-backed Houthi militants say their attacks on global shipping in the Red Sea corridor are aimed at stopping Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Now in its fourth month, the war in Gaza is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-bombs-destruction-death-toll-scope-419488c511f83c85baea22458472a796">one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns</a>&nbsp;in recent history and has increased tensions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-iran-airstrikes-militants-tensions-israel-hamas-war-palestinians-db154c92bb423936237f48996e237d26">across the Middle East</a>.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Gaza’s Health Ministry</a>&nbsp;says nearly 25,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, and the United Nations says more than half a million people in Gaza — a quarter of the population —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-21-2023-7d9718b32bf0d308c44c7c9e3c4e0deb">are starving</a>.

In Israel, around 1,200 people were killed during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Oct. 7 attack</a>&nbsp;by Hamas that sparked the war, which saw some 250 people taken hostage by militants. More than 100 hostages are believed to be held captive in Gaza.

The strikes come as President Joe Biden acknowledged Thursday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">the bombardment</a>&nbsp;of Houthi sites, including last Friday’s massive array of strikes by U.S. and British forces, has yet to stop the Iranian-backed militants’ attacks on vessels in the Red Sea that have disrupted global shipping.

The Houthis say their attacks are aimed at stopping Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and Israeli&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;finally spoke Friday after a glaring, nearly four-week gap in direct communication during which fundamental differences have come into focus over a possible pathway to Palestinian statehood once the fighting in Gaza ends.

Biden and his top aides have all but smothered Netanyahu with robust support, even in the face of global condemnation over the mounting civilian death toll and humanitarian suffering in Gaza as the Israelis have carried out military operations in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.

But the leaders' relationship has increasingly shown&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-1-19-2024-e5f45fb7b14d3dc8ff64b0aee4b473aa">signs of strain</a>&nbsp;as Netanyahu has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-18-2024-73d552c6e73e0dc3783a0a11b2b5f67d">repeatedly rebuffed</a>&nbsp;Biden's calls for Palestinian sovereignty, gumming up what the U.S. president believes is the key to unlocking a durable peace in the Middle East — the oft-cited, elusive two-state solution.

Friday's phone call came one day after Netanyahu said that he has told U.S. officials in plain terms that he will not support a Palestinian state as part of any postwar plan. Biden, for his part, in Friday's call reaffirmed his commitment to work toward helping the Palestinians move toward statehood.

“As we’re talking about post-conflict Gaza ... you can’t do that without also talking about the aspirations of the Palestinian people and what that needs to look like for them,” said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.

The leaders spoke frequently in the first weeks of the war. But the regular cadence of calls between Biden and Netanyahu, who have had a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-government-and-politics-216dd66d518577ef1e5be1cf2e8a2f37">hot-and-cold relationship</a>&nbsp;for over three decades, has slowed considerably. Their 30- to 40-minute call Friday was their first conversation since Dec. 23.

Both sides are hemmed in by domestic political considerations.

The chasm between Biden, a center-left Democrat, and Netanyahu, who leads the most conservative government in Israel’s history, has expanded as pressure mounts on the United States to use its considerable leverage to press Israel to wind down a war that has already killed nearly 25,000 Palestinians.

There is also growing impatience with Netanyahu in Israel over the lack of progress in freeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hostages-hamas-100-days-goldbergpolin-7d397419d6556cb1256ca7fbd54e83bb">dozens of hostages still held</a>&nbsp;by Islamic militants in Gaza.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1705692352787.png" alt="Biden said the air strikes in Yemen are not stopping the Houthis but will continue-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Biden said the air strikes in Yemen are not stopping the Houthis but will continue-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) —U.S. fighter jets struck Houthi rebel sites in Yemen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-us-military-strikes-dec1682fcb279904f84a8246e987f3fb">for a sixth time Friday</a>, taking out anti-ship missile launchers that were prepared to fire, according to a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-houthis-yemen-shipping-attacks-fc5c1ed40f4e370bed81670bfdda0899">ongoing military operations</a>.The Iranian-backed Houthi militants say their attacks on global shipping in the Red Sea corridor are aimed at stopping Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Now in its fourth month, the war in Gaza is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-bombs-destruction-death-toll-scope-419488c511f83c85baea22458472a796">one of the deadliest and most destructive military campaigns</a>&nbsp;in recent history and has increased tensions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pakistan-iran-airstrikes-militants-tensions-israel-hamas-war-palestinians-db154c92bb423936237f48996e237d26">across the Middle East</a>.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Gaza’s Health Ministry</a>&nbsp;says nearly 25,000 Palestinians have been killed in the conflict, and the United Nations says more than half a million people in Gaza — a quarter of the population —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-21-2023-7d9718b32bf0d308c44c7c9e3c4e0deb">are starving</a>.In Israel, around 1,200 people were killed during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-rockets-airstrikes-tel-aviv-11fb98655c256d54ecb5329284fc37d2">Oct. 7 attack</a>&nbsp;by Hamas that sparked the war, which saw some 250 people taken hostage by militants. More than 100 hostages are believed to be held captive in Gaza.The strikes come as President Joe Biden acknowledged Thursday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthis-biden-retaliation-attacks-0804b93372cd5e874a0dd03513fe36a2">the bombardment</a>&nbsp;of Houthi sites, including last Friday’s massive array of strikes by U.S. and British forces, has yet to stop the Iranian-backed militants’ attacks on vessels in the Red Sea that have disrupted global shipping.The Houthis say their attacks are aimed at stopping Israel’s war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.Meanwhile,&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and Israeli&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/benjamin-netanyahu">Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu</a>&nbsp;finally spoke Friday after a glaring, nearly four-week gap in direct communication during which fundamental differences have come into focus over a possible pathway to Palestinian statehood once the fighting in Gaza ends.Biden and his top aides have all but smothered Netanyahu with robust support, even in the face of global condemnation over the mounting civilian death toll and humanitarian suffering in Gaza as the Israelis have carried out military operations in the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attack on Israel.But the leaders' relationship has increasingly shown&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-1-19-2024-e5f45fb7b14d3dc8ff64b0aee4b473aa">signs of strain</a>&nbsp;as Netanyahu has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-18-2024-73d552c6e73e0dc3783a0a11b2b5f67d">repeatedly rebuffed</a>&nbsp;Biden's calls for Palestinian sovereignty, gumming up what the U.S. president believes is the key to unlocking a durable peace in the Middle East — the oft-cited, elusive two-state solution.Neither side shows signs of budging.Friday's phone call came one day after Netanyahu said that he has told U.S. officials in plain terms that he will not support a Palestinian state as part of any postwar plan. Biden, for his part, in Friday's call reaffirmed his commitment to work toward helping the Palestinians move toward statehood.“As we’re talking about post-conflict Gaza ... you can’t do that without also talking about the aspirations of the Palestinian people and what that needs to look like for them,” said National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.The leaders spoke frequently in the first weeks of the war. But the regular cadence of calls between Biden and Netanyahu, who have had a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-government-and-politics-216dd66d518577ef1e5be1cf2e8a2f37">hot-and-cold relationship</a>&nbsp;for over three decades, has slowed considerably. Their 30- to 40-minute call Friday was their first conversation since Dec. 23.Both sides are hemmed in by domestic political considerations.The chasm between Biden, a center-left Democrat, and Netanyahu, who leads the most conservative government in Israel’s history, has expanded as pressure mounts on the United States to use its considerable leverage to press Israel to wind down a war that has already killed nearly 25,000 Palestinians.There is also growing impatience with Netanyahu in Israel over the lack of progress in freeing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hostages-hamas-100-days-goldbergpolin-7d397419d6556cb1256ca7fbd54e83bb">dozens of hostages still held</a>&nbsp;by Islamic militants in Gaza.“There is certainly a reason to be concerned,” says Eytan Gilboa, an expert on U.S.-Israeli relations at Israel’s Bar-Ilan University, “The more and more we see political considerations dominating the relationship between Biden and Netanyahu, which is likely to continue because of the upcoming presidential election and the weakness of both leaders, the more we will see them pulling apart.”In their most recent calls, Biden’s frustration with Netanyahu has grown more evident, even though the U.S. leader has been careful to reaffirm his support for Israel at each step, according to U.S. officials who requested anonymity to discuss the leaders' private interactions.Yet, Biden, at least publicly, has not given up on the idea of winning over Netanyahu. Asked by a reporter on Friday if a two-state solution is impossible while Netanyahu is in office, Biden replied, “No, it's not.”Aides insist Biden understands the political box Netanyahu finds himself in with his hard-right coalition and as he deals with ongoing corruption charges that have left the prime minister fighting for his freedom, not just his political future.Biden, meanwhile, faces American voters in November, in a likely rematch with former President Donald Trump. Netanyahu and Trump forged a close relationship during the Republican’s term in office. Biden faces criticism from some on his left who believe he hasn't pushed the Israelis hard enough to demonstrate restraint as it carries out military operations.Key Democratic lawmakers, including Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy, this week warned that Netanyahu's position on statehood could complicate negotiations in the Senate on a spending package that includes military aid for Israel.Expect Netanyahu to “use every trick that he has to keep his coalition together and avoid elections and play out the clock,” said Michael Koplow, chief policy officer at the Israel Policy Forum. ”And I’m sure that part of it is a conviction that if he waits until November, he may end up with Donald Trump back in the Oval Office.”In recent weeks, some of the more difficult conversations have been left to Ron Dermer, a top aide to Netanyahu and former Israeli ambassador to the U.S., and Biden's national security adviser, Jake Sullivan. The two top aides talk almost daily — sometimes multiple times during a day, according to a U.S. official and an Israeli official, who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the condition of anonymity.Other senior Biden administration officials including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, as well as senior advisers Brett McGurk and Amos Hochstein, have been at the forefront of the administration's push to engage the Israelis and other Middle East allies as the Biden-Netanyahu dialogue has become less constructive.Netanyahu, who has opposed calls for a two-state solution throughout his political career, told reporters this week that he flatly told U.S. officials he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-01-18-2024-73d552c6e73e0dc3783a0a11b2b5f67d">remains opposed</a>&nbsp;to any postwar plan that includes establishment of a Palestinian state.The prime minister's latest rejection of Biden's push in that direction came after Blinken this week said at the World Economic Forum in Davos that Israel and its Middle East neighbors had “a profound opportunity” to solve the generational Israel-Palestinian conflict. Asked if he thought Netanyahu was up to making the most of the moment, Blinken demurred.“Look, these are decisions for Israelis to make,” Blinken said. “This is a profound decision for the country as a whole to make: What direction does it want to take? Does it see — can it seize — the opportunity that we believe is there?”The Biden-Netanyahu relationship has seen no shortage of peaks and valleys over the years. As vice president, Biden privately criticized Netanyahu after the the Israeli leader embarrassed President Barack Obama by approving the construction of 1,600 new apartments in disputed East Jerusalem in the middle of Biden’s 2010 visit to Israel.Netanyahu publicly resisted, before eventually relenting to, Biden's calls on the Israelis to wind down a May 2021 military operation in Gaza. And in late 2019, during a question and answer session with voters on the campaign trail, Biden called Netanyahu an “extreme right” leader.The path to a two-state solution — one in which Israel would co-exist with an independent Palestinian state — has eluded U.S. presidents and Middle East diplomats for decades.But as the war grinds on, Biden and his team have pressed the notion that there is a new dynamic in the Middle East in which Israel’s Arab and Muslim neighbors stand ready to integrate Israel into the region once the war ends, but only if Israel commits to a pathway to a Palestinian state.Biden has proposed that a “revitalized” Palestinian Authority, which is based in the West Bank, could run Gaza once combat ends. Netanyahu has roundly rejected the idea of putting the Palestinian Authority, which is beset by corruption, in charge of the territory.Netanyahu argues that a Palestinian state would become a launchpad for attacks on Israel. So Israel “must have security control over the entire territory west of the Jordan River,” Netanyahu said. “That collides with the idea of sovereignty. What can we do?”White House officials have sought to play down Netanyahu's public rejection of Biden's call for a two-state solution, noting that the prime minister's rhetoric is not new.They hold out hope Israel could eventually come around to accepting a Palestinian state that comes with strong security guarantees for Israel."I don’t think Biden has any illusions about Netanyahu,” said Daniel Kurtzer, who served as U.S. ambassador to Egypt during the Bill Clinton administration and to Israel under George W. Bush. “But I don’t think he’s ready to slam the door on him. And that’s because he gets the intersection between the policy and the politics.”