CHICAGO (AP) — ” Brats for Harris.” ” We need a Kamalanomenon. ” ” Gen Z feels the Kamalove.”

In the days since President Joe Biden exited the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, Gen Z voters jumped to social media to share coconut tree and “brat summer” memes — reflecting a stark shift in tone for a generation that’s voiced feeling left behind by the Democratic Party.

Youth-led progressive organizations have warned for months that Biden had a problem with young voters, pleading with the president to work more closely with them to refocus on the issues most important to younger generations or risk losing their votes. With Biden out of the race, many of these young leaders are now hoping Harris can overcome his faltering support among Gen Z and harness a new explosion of energy among young voters.

Since last Sunday, statements have poured out from youth-led organizations across the country, including in Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, California, Minnesota, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, as leaders thanked Biden for stepping aside and celebrated the opportunity to organize around a new candidate. On Friday, a coalition of 17 youth-led groups endorsed Harris.

“This changes everything,” said Zo Tobi, director of communication for the Movement Voter Project, a national progressive funding group focusing on youth-led organizations, when he heard the news that Biden was dropping out of the race and endorsing Harris. “The world as it is suddenly shifted into the world as it could be.”

As the campaign enters a new phase, both Harris and her Republican rival, Donald Trump, are delivering messages aimed at younger voters who could prove decisive in some of the most hotly contested states.

Harris recorded a brief video message shown Saturday at a conference of Gen Z activists and elected officials in Atlanta.

“We know young voters will be key, and we know your vote cannot be taken for granted,” Harris told the gathering, highlighting her support for gun safety, abortion rights, LGBTQ rights and action to combat climate change.

Eve Levenson, the national youth engagement director for Harris’ campaign, attended the conference in Atlanta, and she praised young voters across the country for their response to the vice president’s elevation to likely nominee.

“As amazing as it is to see the tremendous youth enthusiasm online, what has been even more incredible is how that online energy has already translated into a tangible desire to take action and get involved with our campaign,” she said, citing new voter registrations, small donations from young voters and student requests to help start campus-based campaign organizations.

Trump, in his own address Friday in Florida to a conference on faith hosted by Turning Point USA, derided Harris as an “incompetent” and a “far left” vice president. He vowed to champion religious Americans’ causes in a second White House term.

“With your vote, I will defend religious liberty in all of its forms,” Trump told the conservative group that focuses on high school, college and university campuses. “I will protect Christians in our schools and our military and our government and our workplaces and our hospitals, in our public square and I will also protect other religions.”

John Della Volpe, director of polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics, who has worked with Biden, said the “white-hot energy” among young people is something he hasn’t seen since former President Barack Obama’s campaign. While there’s little reliable polling so far, he described the dynamic as “a combination of the hopefulness we saw with Obama and the urgency and fight we saw after the Parkland shooting.”

In many ways, it was the first time many young people felt heard and felt like their actions could have an impact on politics, he and several young leaders said.

“It’s reset this election in profound ways,” he said. “People, especially young people, for so long, for so many important reasons have been despondent about politics, despondent about the direction of the country. It’s weighed on them. And then they wake up the next morning, and it seems like everything’s changed.”

About 6 in 10 adults under 30 voted for Biden in 2020, according to AP VoteCast, but his ratings with the group have dipped substantially since then, with only about a quarter of the group saying they had a favorable opinion of him in the most recent AP-NORC poll, conducted before Biden withdrew from the race.

That poll, along with polls from The New York Times/Siena and from CNN that were conducted after Biden dropped out, suggest that Harris starts off with somewhat better favorable ratings than Biden among young adults.

Sunjay Muralitharan, vice president of College Democrats of America, said it felt like a weight was lifted off his chest when Harris entered the race.

Despite monthly coalition calls between youth-led groups and the Biden campaign, Muralitharan spent months worrying about how Biden would fare among young voters as he watched young people leave organizations such as the College Democrats and Young Democrats to join more leftist groups.

College Democrats issued statements and social media posts encouraging the party to prioritize young people and to change course on the war in Gaza and have “worked tirelessly to get College Dems programming” at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago later this summer. But they received limited outreach in return, Muralitharan said.

A Harris campaign represents an opportunity to move in a new direction, he said. The vice president has shown her vocal support for issues important to young voters such as climate change and reproductive rights, Muralitharan said, adding that she may also be able to change course and distance herself from Biden’s approach to the war in Gaza.

“The perpetual roadblock we’ve run into is that Biden is the lesser of two evils and his impact on the crisis in Gaza,” he said. “For months, we’ve been given this broken script that’s made it difficult for us to organize young voters. But that changes now.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Santiago Mayer, executive director of the Gen Z voter engagement organization Voters of Tomorrow, said the Biden campaign “created an entirely new framework for operating with youth organizations” that can now be transitioned into supporting Harris’ campaign.

“Gen Z loves VP Harris, and VP Harris loves Gen Z,” he said. “So we’re ready to get to work for her.”

The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Associated Press writer Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.

2024-07-28 01:45:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fpresidential%2F3101982%2Fprogressive-groups-hope-harris-energize-young-voters%2F?w=600&h=450, CHICAGO (AP) — ” Brats for Harris.” ” We need a Kamalanomenon. ” ” Gen Z feels the Kamalove.” In the days since President Joe Biden exited the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, Gen Z voters jumped to social media to share coconut tree and “brat summer” memes — reflecting a stark,

CHICAGO (AP) — ” Brats for Harris.” ” We need a Kamalanomenon. ” ” Gen Z feels the Kamalove.”

In the days since President Joe Biden exited the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, Gen Z voters jumped to social media to share coconut tree and “brat summer” memes — reflecting a stark shift in tone for a generation that’s voiced feeling left behind by the Democratic Party.

Youth-led progressive organizations have warned for months that Biden had a problem with young voters, pleading with the president to work more closely with them to refocus on the issues most important to younger generations or risk losing their votes. With Biden out of the race, many of these young leaders are now hoping Harris can overcome his faltering support among Gen Z and harness a new explosion of energy among young voters.

Since last Sunday, statements have poured out from youth-led organizations across the country, including in Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, California, Minnesota, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, as leaders thanked Biden for stepping aside and celebrated the opportunity to organize around a new candidate. On Friday, a coalition of 17 youth-led groups endorsed Harris.

“This changes everything,” said Zo Tobi, director of communication for the Movement Voter Project, a national progressive funding group focusing on youth-led organizations, when he heard the news that Biden was dropping out of the race and endorsing Harris. “The world as it is suddenly shifted into the world as it could be.”

As the campaign enters a new phase, both Harris and her Republican rival, Donald Trump, are delivering messages aimed at younger voters who could prove decisive in some of the most hotly contested states.

Harris recorded a brief video message shown Saturday at a conference of Gen Z activists and elected officials in Atlanta.

“We know young voters will be key, and we know your vote cannot be taken for granted,” Harris told the gathering, highlighting her support for gun safety, abortion rights, LGBTQ rights and action to combat climate change.

Eve Levenson, the national youth engagement director for Harris’ campaign, attended the conference in Atlanta, and she praised young voters across the country for their response to the vice president’s elevation to likely nominee.

“As amazing as it is to see the tremendous youth enthusiasm online, what has been even more incredible is how that online energy has already translated into a tangible desire to take action and get involved with our campaign,” she said, citing new voter registrations, small donations from young voters and student requests to help start campus-based campaign organizations.

Trump, in his own address Friday in Florida to a conference on faith hosted by Turning Point USA, derided Harris as an “incompetent” and a “far left” vice president. He vowed to champion religious Americans’ causes in a second White House term.

“With your vote, I will defend religious liberty in all of its forms,” Trump told the conservative group that focuses on high school, college and university campuses. “I will protect Christians in our schools and our military and our government and our workplaces and our hospitals, in our public square and I will also protect other religions.”

John Della Volpe, director of polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics, who has worked with Biden, said the “white-hot energy” among young people is something he hasn’t seen since former President Barack Obama’s campaign. While there’s little reliable polling so far, he described the dynamic as “a combination of the hopefulness we saw with Obama and the urgency and fight we saw after the Parkland shooting.”

In many ways, it was the first time many young people felt heard and felt like their actions could have an impact on politics, he and several young leaders said.

“It’s reset this election in profound ways,” he said. “People, especially young people, for so long, for so many important reasons have been despondent about politics, despondent about the direction of the country. It’s weighed on them. And then they wake up the next morning, and it seems like everything’s changed.”

About 6 in 10 adults under 30 voted for Biden in 2020, according to AP VoteCast, but his ratings with the group have dipped substantially since then, with only about a quarter of the group saying they had a favorable opinion of him in the most recent AP-NORC poll, conducted before Biden withdrew from the race.

That poll, along with polls from The New York Times/Siena and from CNN that were conducted after Biden dropped out, suggest that Harris starts off with somewhat better favorable ratings than Biden among young adults.

Sunjay Muralitharan, vice president of College Democrats of America, said it felt like a weight was lifted off his chest when Harris entered the race.

Despite monthly coalition calls between youth-led groups and the Biden campaign, Muralitharan spent months worrying about how Biden would fare among young voters as he watched young people leave organizations such as the College Democrats and Young Democrats to join more leftist groups.

College Democrats issued statements and social media posts encouraging the party to prioritize young people and to change course on the war in Gaza and have “worked tirelessly to get College Dems programming” at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago later this summer. But they received limited outreach in return, Muralitharan said.

A Harris campaign represents an opportunity to move in a new direction, he said. The vice president has shown her vocal support for issues important to young voters such as climate change and reproductive rights, Muralitharan said, adding that she may also be able to change course and distance herself from Biden’s approach to the war in Gaza.

“The perpetual roadblock we’ve run into is that Biden is the lesser of two evils and his impact on the crisis in Gaza,” he said. “For months, we’ve been given this broken script that’s made it difficult for us to organize young voters. But that changes now.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Santiago Mayer, executive director of the Gen Z voter engagement organization Voters of Tomorrow, said the Biden campaign “created an entirely new framework for operating with youth organizations” that can now be transitioned into supporting Harris’ campaign.

“Gen Z loves VP Harris, and VP Harris loves Gen Z,” he said. “So we’re ready to get to work for her.”

The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Associated Press writer Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.

, CHICAGO (AP) — ” Brats for Harris.” ” We need a Kamalanomenon. ” ” Gen Z feels the Kamalove.” In the days since President Joe Biden exited the presidential race and endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris, Gen Z voters jumped to social media to share coconut tree and “brat summer” memes — reflecting a stark shift in tone for a generation that’s voiced feeling left behind by the Democratic Party. Youth-led progressive organizations have warned for months that Biden had a problem with young voters, pleading with the president to work more closely with them to refocus on the issues most important to younger generations or risk losing their votes. With Biden out of the race, many of these young leaders are now hoping Harris can overcome his faltering support among Gen Z and harness a new explosion of energy among young voters. Since last Sunday, statements have poured out from youth-led organizations across the country, including in Arizona, Wisconsin, Michigan, California, Minnesota, North Carolina and Pennsylvania, as leaders thanked Biden for stepping aside and celebrated the opportunity to organize around a new candidate. On Friday, a coalition of 17 youth-led groups endorsed Harris. “This changes everything,” said Zo Tobi, director of communication for the Movement Voter Project, a national progressive funding group focusing on youth-led organizations, when he heard the news that Biden was dropping out of the race and endorsing Harris. “The world as it is suddenly shifted into the world as it could be.” As the campaign enters a new phase, both Harris and her Republican rival, Donald Trump, are delivering messages aimed at younger voters who could prove decisive in some of the most hotly contested states. Harris recorded a brief video message shown Saturday at a conference of Gen Z activists and elected officials in Atlanta. “We know young voters will be key, and we know your vote cannot be taken for granted,” Harris told the gathering, highlighting her support for gun safety, abortion rights, LGBTQ rights and action to combat climate change. Eve Levenson, the national youth engagement director for Harris’ campaign, attended the conference in Atlanta, and she praised young voters across the country for their response to the vice president’s elevation to likely nominee. “As amazing as it is to see the tremendous youth enthusiasm online, what has been even more incredible is how that online energy has already translated into a tangible desire to take action and get involved with our campaign,” she said, citing new voter registrations, small donations from young voters and student requests to help start campus-based campaign organizations. Trump, in his own address Friday in Florida to a conference on faith hosted by Turning Point USA, derided Harris as an “incompetent” and a “far left” vice president. He vowed to champion religious Americans’ causes in a second White House term. “With your vote, I will defend religious liberty in all of its forms,” Trump told the conservative group that focuses on high school, college and university campuses. “I will protect Christians in our schools and our military and our government and our workplaces and our hospitals, in our public square and I will also protect other religions.” John Della Volpe, director of polling at the Harvard Kennedy School Institute of Politics, who has worked with Biden, said the “white-hot energy” among young people is something he hasn’t seen since former President Barack Obama’s campaign. While there’s little reliable polling so far, he described the dynamic as “a combination of the hopefulness we saw with Obama and the urgency and fight we saw after the Parkland shooting.” In many ways, it was the first time many young people felt heard and felt like their actions could have an impact on politics, he and several young leaders said. “It’s reset this election in profound ways,” he said. “People, especially young people, for so long, for so many important reasons have been despondent about politics, despondent about the direction of the country. It’s weighed on them. And then they wake up the next morning, and it seems like everything’s changed.” About 6 in 10 adults under 30 voted for Biden in 2020, according to AP VoteCast, but his ratings with the group have dipped substantially since then, with only about a quarter of the group saying they had a favorable opinion of him in the most recent AP-NORC poll, conducted before Biden withdrew from the race. That poll, along with polls from The New York Times/Siena and from CNN that were conducted after Biden dropped out, suggest that Harris starts off with somewhat better favorable ratings than Biden among young adults. Sunjay Muralitharan, vice president of College Democrats of America, said it felt like a weight was lifted off his chest when Harris entered the race. Despite monthly coalition calls between youth-led groups and the Biden campaign, Muralitharan spent months worrying about how Biden would fare among young voters as he watched young people leave organizations such as the College Democrats and Young Democrats to join more leftist groups. College Democrats issued statements and social media posts encouraging the party to prioritize young people and to change course on the war in Gaza and have “worked tirelessly to get College Dems programming” at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago later this summer. But they received limited outreach in return, Muralitharan said. A Harris campaign represents an opportunity to move in a new direction, he said. The vice president has shown her vocal support for issues important to young voters such as climate change and reproductive rights, Muralitharan said, adding that she may also be able to change course and distance herself from Biden’s approach to the war in Gaza. “The perpetual roadblock we’ve run into is that Biden is the lesser of two evils and his impact on the crisis in Gaza,” he said. “For months, we’ve been given this broken script that’s made it difficult for us to organize young voters. But that changes now.” CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Santiago Mayer, executive director of the Gen Z voter engagement organization Voters of Tomorrow, said the Biden campaign “created an entirely new framework for operating with youth organizations” that can now be transitioned into supporting Harris’ campaign. “Gen Z loves VP Harris, and VP Harris loves Gen Z,” he said. “So we’re ready to get to work for her.” The Associated Press receives support from several private foundations to enhance its explanatory coverage of elections and democracy. See more about AP’s democracy initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Associated Press writer Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Kamala-Harris-young-voters.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Associated Press,

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A rocket attack Saturday on a soccer field in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights killed at least 10 people and wounded several others, including children, hours after an Israeli airstrike on south Lebanon killed three members of the militant Hezbollah group.

The strike, the deadliest attack on an Israeli target since the fighting between the two foes erupted in October, raised fears of a broader conflagration in the region.

Hezbollah said it struck a military base in the Golan Heights in retaliation for Israeli attacks on a village in Lebanon.

Hezbollah chief spokesman Mohammed Afif told the Associated Press that the group “categorically denies carrying out an attack on Majdal Shams.”

The Israeli military said in a statement Saturday that according to intelligence in its possession, “the rocket launch toward Majdal Shams was carried out by the Hezbollah terrorist organization.”

“The Hezbollah terrorist organization is behind the rocket launch at a soccer field in Majdal Shams which caused multiple civilian casualties, including children, earlier this evening,” the statement said.

Israel’s Magen David Adom paramedic service initially reported 11 people wounded, nine critically, and all between the ages of 10 and 20. Israeli Public Broadcaster Kan aired footage of some being rushed to ambulances on stretchers from a soccer field in the town of Majdal Shams.

“These were kids at a soccer field,” Beni Ben Muvchar, head of the local council, told Israeli Channel 12. “Today a red line was crossed,” he said, urging Israeli leaders to start targeting top Hezbollah commanders.

The Israeli military said one projectile was identified crossing from Lebanon toward the area, adding it was cooperating with the MDA to evacuate the wounded. Channel 12 aired footage of a large blast in one of the town’s valleys.

Hezbollah said in a statement that its militants firing Katyusha rockets at an Israeli army post in the Golan Heights was in response to Israeli airstrikes on villages in south Lebanon. The group said earlier three of its members were killed on Saturday without specifying where. Israel’s military said its air force targeted a Hezbollah arms depot on the border village of Kfar Kila, adding that militants were inside at the time.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed them in 1981.

Israel and Hezbollah have traded near daily fire since the war in Gaza started after Hamas’ surprise attack on Oct.7 killed some 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage. Israel launched an offensive that has so far killed more than 39,000 people, according to local health authorities, displaced over 80% of the territory’s people and triggered a humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Over the past weeks, the exchange of fire along the Lebanon-Israel intensified with Israeli airstrikes and rocket and drone attacks by Hezbollah striking deeper and further away from the border.

Since early October, Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed more than 450 people, mostly Hezbollah members, but also around 90 civilians and non-combatants. On the Israeli side, 21 soldiers and 13 civilians have been killed.

2024-07-27 18:29:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fworld%2F3101868%2Frocket-attack-golan-heights-kills-10%2F?w=600&h=450, TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A rocket attack Saturday on a soccer field in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights killed at least 10 people and wounded several others, including children, hours after an Israeli airstrike on south Lebanon killed three members of the militant Hezbollah group. The strike, the deadliest attack on an Israeli target since,

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A rocket attack Saturday on a soccer field in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights killed at least 10 people and wounded several others, including children, hours after an Israeli airstrike on south Lebanon killed three members of the militant Hezbollah group.

The strike, the deadliest attack on an Israeli target since the fighting between the two foes erupted in October, raised fears of a broader conflagration in the region.

Hezbollah said it struck a military base in the Golan Heights in retaliation for Israeli attacks on a village in Lebanon.

Hezbollah chief spokesman Mohammed Afif told the Associated Press that the group “categorically denies carrying out an attack on Majdal Shams.”

The Israeli military said in a statement Saturday that according to intelligence in its possession, “the rocket launch toward Majdal Shams was carried out by the Hezbollah terrorist organization.”

“The Hezbollah terrorist organization is behind the rocket launch at a soccer field in Majdal Shams which caused multiple civilian casualties, including children, earlier this evening,” the statement said.

Israel’s Magen David Adom paramedic service initially reported 11 people wounded, nine critically, and all between the ages of 10 and 20. Israeli Public Broadcaster Kan aired footage of some being rushed to ambulances on stretchers from a soccer field in the town of Majdal Shams.

“These were kids at a soccer field,” Beni Ben Muvchar, head of the local council, told Israeli Channel 12. “Today a red line was crossed,” he said, urging Israeli leaders to start targeting top Hezbollah commanders.

The Israeli military said one projectile was identified crossing from Lebanon toward the area, adding it was cooperating with the MDA to evacuate the wounded. Channel 12 aired footage of a large blast in one of the town’s valleys.

Hezbollah said in a statement that its militants firing Katyusha rockets at an Israeli army post in the Golan Heights was in response to Israeli airstrikes on villages in south Lebanon. The group said earlier three of its members were killed on Saturday without specifying where. Israel’s military said its air force targeted a Hezbollah arms depot on the border village of Kfar Kila, adding that militants were inside at the time.

Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed them in 1981.

Israel and Hezbollah have traded near daily fire since the war in Gaza started after Hamas’ surprise attack on Oct.7 killed some 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage. Israel launched an offensive that has so far killed more than 39,000 people, according to local health authorities, displaced over 80% of the territory’s people and triggered a humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Over the past weeks, the exchange of fire along the Lebanon-Israel intensified with Israeli airstrikes and rocket and drone attacks by Hezbollah striking deeper and further away from the border.

Since early October, Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed more than 450 people, mostly Hezbollah members, but also around 90 civilians and non-combatants. On the Israeli side, 21 soldiers and 13 civilians have been killed.

, TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A rocket attack Saturday on a soccer field in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights killed at least 10 people and wounded several others, including children, hours after an Israeli airstrike on south Lebanon killed three members of the militant Hezbollah group. The strike, the deadliest attack on an Israeli target since the fighting between the two foes erupted in October, raised fears of a broader conflagration in the region. Hezbollah said it struck a military base in the Golan Heights in retaliation for Israeli attacks on a village in Lebanon. Hezbollah chief spokesman Mohammed Afif told the Associated Press that the group “categorically denies carrying out an attack on Majdal Shams.” The Israeli military said in a statement Saturday that according to intelligence in its possession, “the rocket launch toward Majdal Shams was carried out by the Hezbollah terrorist organization.” “The Hezbollah terrorist organization is behind the rocket launch at a soccer field in Majdal Shams which caused multiple civilian casualties, including children, earlier this evening,” the statement said. Israel’s Magen David Adom paramedic service initially reported 11 people wounded, nine critically, and all between the ages of 10 and 20. Israeli Public Broadcaster Kan aired footage of some being rushed to ambulances on stretchers from a soccer field in the town of Majdal Shams. “These were kids at a soccer field,” Beni Ben Muvchar, head of the local council, told Israeli Channel 12. “Today a red line was crossed,” he said, urging Israeli leaders to start targeting top Hezbollah commanders. The Israeli military said one projectile was identified crossing from Lebanon toward the area, adding it was cooperating with the MDA to evacuate the wounded. Channel 12 aired footage of a large blast in one of the town’s valleys. Hezbollah said in a statement that its militants firing Katyusha rockets at an Israeli army post in the Golan Heights was in response to Israeli airstrikes on villages in south Lebanon. The group said earlier three of its members were killed on Saturday without specifying where. Israel’s military said its air force targeted a Hezbollah arms depot on the border village of Kfar Kila, adding that militants were inside at the time. Israel captured the Golan Heights from Syria during the 1967 Mideast war and later annexed them in 1981. Israel and Hezbollah have traded near daily fire since the war in Gaza started after Hamas’ surprise attack on Oct.7 killed some 1,200 people and took 250 others hostage. Israel launched an offensive that has so far killed more than 39,000 people, according to local health authorities, displaced over 80% of the territory’s people and triggered a humanitarian disaster in the Gaza Strip. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Over the past weeks, the exchange of fire along the Lebanon-Israel intensified with Israeli airstrikes and rocket and drone attacks by Hezbollah striking deeper and further away from the border. Since early October, Israeli airstrikes in Lebanon have killed more than 450 people, mostly Hezbollah members, but also around 90 civilians and non-combatants. On the Israeli side, 21 soldiers and 13 civilians have been killed., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/israel-lebanon.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Associated Press,

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City is turning to AI-powered scanners in a new bid to keep guns out of its subway system, but the pilot program launched Friday is already being met with skepticism from riders and the threat of a lawsuit from civil liberties advocates who say the searches are unconstitutional.

The Evolv scanner — a sleek-looking weapons detector using artificial intelligence to search riders for guns and knives — was on display at a lower Manhattan subway station where Mayor Eric Adams announced the 30-day trial.

“This is good technology,” Adams said at Fulton Center near the World Trade Center.

“Would I rather that we don’t have to be scanned? Yes,” he added. “But if you would speak to the average subway rider, they would state that they don’t want guns on their subway system, and if it means using scanners, then bring the scanners on.”

Adams, a self-described “tech geek,” has stressed that the scanners are still in the experimental phase. The machines, already in use at baseball stadiums and other venues, will be deployed to a small number of stations and only a fraction of riders will be asked to step through them. The city has not entered into a contract with Evolv, and Adams said other companies were welcomed to pitch their own gun-detection innovations.

The scanners, about 6 feet tall, feature the logo of the city’s police department and a multicolor light display. When a weapon is detected, an alert is sent to a tablet monitored by a pair of NYPD officers. The system is not supposed to alert everyday items, such as phones and laptops — though a reporter’s iPad case set it off Friday.

The scanners drew immediate protest from civil liberties advocates. The New York Civil Liberties Union and the Legal Aid Society said they would sue the city if the technology is rolled out widely, alleging the searches violated the constitutional rights of riders.

“City officials have admitted that these scanners are primarily to combat some riders’ ‘perceptions’ that they are unsafe on the subway — this is not a justifiable basis to violate the Constitution,” said NYCLU attorney Daniel Lambright.

The scanners also spurred concerns from riders who said it isn’t practical or plausible to subject millions of commuters to security screenings.

“It’s not going to work,” said Dre Thomas, 25, shaking his head at the device. “It’d have to be at every point in the subway. I don’t see how that’s possible. It seems to me like another way to waste taxpayer money.”

Wyatt Hotis, 29, said he thought the scanners were a good idea but “not the root of the issue” when people getting pushed onto the tracks were a bigger safety concern. Hotis instead suggested adding guardrails and barriers to the platforms, along with more officers to patrol them.

Margaret Bortner, among the first riders to go through the scanner, described the 30-second process as painless — but didn’t see the need to have them at every station.

“There are more important things officers should be doing,” she said.

Though there have been high-profile incidents, like a 2022 shooting on a Brooklyn train that left 10 people wounded, crime in the New York City subway system has fallen in recent years. Overall, violent crime in the system is rare, with train cars and stations being generally as safe as any other public place.

So far this year, subway crime is down 8% through July 21 compared with the same period in 2023, according to police data. Last year, there were five killings in the subway, down from 10 the year prior, according to police.

Adams has long discussed the possibility of adding weapons detectors to the subway system. He suggested this week that “eventually, every turnstile is going to be able to identify if someone is carrying a gun,” but doing so could require the city to deploy thousands of police officers to respond to gun alerts.

Experts have also expressed doubts about the feasibility of adding the technology to the city’s sprawling subway system, which includes 472 stations with multiple ways in and out. Fulton Center, the subway hub where the mayor spoke, illustrates the challenges of deploying the detectors in a system designed to be as accessible as possible.

There are multiple entrances spread out over several blocks, with dozens of turnstiles used by as many as 300,000 riders a day. During rush hour, they are often sprinting to catch a train. Anyone who wanted to bring a gun in without passing through a scanner could simply walk to another entrance or a nearby station.

The CEO of Evolv, Peter George, has himself acknowledged that subways are “not a great use-case” for the scanners, according to the Daily News.

Evolv has said that its scanning system uses artificial intelligence to screen up to 3,600 people per hour, quickly detecting the “signatures” of guns, knives and explosives while not alerting cell phones and other metal devices.

The company has faced a spate of lawsuits in recent years, along with federal probes into its marketing practices. Evolv told investors last year that it was contacted by the Federal Trade Commission and in February said it had been contacted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as part of a “fact finding inquiry.”

Earlier this year, investors filed a class-action lawsuit, accusing company executives of overstating the devices’ capabilities and claiming that “Evolv does not reliably detect knives or guns.” The company has claimed that it is being targeted by a misinformation campaign by those “incentivized to discredit the company.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

New York City has experimented with a variety of security measures to ensure the protection of its vast subway system. In 2005, the NYPD ran a pilot project aimed at examining the feasibility of using explosive detection technology in the subways.

Then, the department began doing random searches of people’s bags as they entered the subway system. That effort was also rolled out with much fanfare, but such bag checks — while not completely abandoned — are rare today.

2024-07-27 17:11:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcrime%2F3101818%2Fnew-york-city-ai-powered-gun-scanners-subway%2F?w=600&h=450, NEW YORK (AP) — New York City is turning to AI-powered scanners in a new bid to keep guns out of its subway system, but the pilot program launched Friday is already being met with skepticism from riders and the threat of a lawsuit from civil liberties advocates who say the searches are unconstitutional. The Evolv scanner,

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City is turning to AI-powered scanners in a new bid to keep guns out of its subway system, but the pilot program launched Friday is already being met with skepticism from riders and the threat of a lawsuit from civil liberties advocates who say the searches are unconstitutional.

The Evolv scanner — a sleek-looking weapons detector using artificial intelligence to search riders for guns and knives — was on display at a lower Manhattan subway station where Mayor Eric Adams announced the 30-day trial.

“This is good technology,” Adams said at Fulton Center near the World Trade Center.

“Would I rather that we don’t have to be scanned? Yes,” he added. “But if you would speak to the average subway rider, they would state that they don’t want guns on their subway system, and if it means using scanners, then bring the scanners on.”

Adams, a self-described “tech geek,” has stressed that the scanners are still in the experimental phase. The machines, already in use at baseball stadiums and other venues, will be deployed to a small number of stations and only a fraction of riders will be asked to step through them. The city has not entered into a contract with Evolv, and Adams said other companies were welcomed to pitch their own gun-detection innovations.

The scanners, about 6 feet tall, feature the logo of the city’s police department and a multicolor light display. When a weapon is detected, an alert is sent to a tablet monitored by a pair of NYPD officers. The system is not supposed to alert everyday items, such as phones and laptops — though a reporter’s iPad case set it off Friday.

The scanners drew immediate protest from civil liberties advocates. The New York Civil Liberties Union and the Legal Aid Society said they would sue the city if the technology is rolled out widely, alleging the searches violated the constitutional rights of riders.

“City officials have admitted that these scanners are primarily to combat some riders’ ‘perceptions’ that they are unsafe on the subway — this is not a justifiable basis to violate the Constitution,” said NYCLU attorney Daniel Lambright.

The scanners also spurred concerns from riders who said it isn’t practical or plausible to subject millions of commuters to security screenings.

“It’s not going to work,” said Dre Thomas, 25, shaking his head at the device. “It’d have to be at every point in the subway. I don’t see how that’s possible. It seems to me like another way to waste taxpayer money.”

Wyatt Hotis, 29, said he thought the scanners were a good idea but “not the root of the issue” when people getting pushed onto the tracks were a bigger safety concern. Hotis instead suggested adding guardrails and barriers to the platforms, along with more officers to patrol them.

Margaret Bortner, among the first riders to go through the scanner, described the 30-second process as painless — but didn’t see the need to have them at every station.

“There are more important things officers should be doing,” she said.

Though there have been high-profile incidents, like a 2022 shooting on a Brooklyn train that left 10 people wounded, crime in the New York City subway system has fallen in recent years. Overall, violent crime in the system is rare, with train cars and stations being generally as safe as any other public place.

So far this year, subway crime is down 8% through July 21 compared with the same period in 2023, according to police data. Last year, there were five killings in the subway, down from 10 the year prior, according to police.

Adams has long discussed the possibility of adding weapons detectors to the subway system. He suggested this week that “eventually, every turnstile is going to be able to identify if someone is carrying a gun,” but doing so could require the city to deploy thousands of police officers to respond to gun alerts.

Experts have also expressed doubts about the feasibility of adding the technology to the city’s sprawling subway system, which includes 472 stations with multiple ways in and out. Fulton Center, the subway hub where the mayor spoke, illustrates the challenges of deploying the detectors in a system designed to be as accessible as possible.

There are multiple entrances spread out over several blocks, with dozens of turnstiles used by as many as 300,000 riders a day. During rush hour, they are often sprinting to catch a train. Anyone who wanted to bring a gun in without passing through a scanner could simply walk to another entrance or a nearby station.

The CEO of Evolv, Peter George, has himself acknowledged that subways are “not a great use-case” for the scanners, according to the Daily News.

Evolv has said that its scanning system uses artificial intelligence to screen up to 3,600 people per hour, quickly detecting the “signatures” of guns, knives and explosives while not alerting cell phones and other metal devices.

The company has faced a spate of lawsuits in recent years, along with federal probes into its marketing practices. Evolv told investors last year that it was contacted by the Federal Trade Commission and in February said it had been contacted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as part of a “fact finding inquiry.”

Earlier this year, investors filed a class-action lawsuit, accusing company executives of overstating the devices’ capabilities and claiming that “Evolv does not reliably detect knives or guns.” The company has claimed that it is being targeted by a misinformation campaign by those “incentivized to discredit the company.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

New York City has experimented with a variety of security measures to ensure the protection of its vast subway system. In 2005, the NYPD ran a pilot project aimed at examining the feasibility of using explosive detection technology in the subways.

Then, the department began doing random searches of people’s bags as they entered the subway system. That effort was also rolled out with much fanfare, but such bag checks — while not completely abandoned — are rare today.

, NEW YORK (AP) — New York City is turning to AI-powered scanners in a new bid to keep guns out of its subway system, but the pilot program launched Friday is already being met with skepticism from riders and the threat of a lawsuit from civil liberties advocates who say the searches are unconstitutional. The Evolv scanner — a sleek-looking weapons detector using artificial intelligence to search riders for guns and knives — was on display at a lower Manhattan subway station where Mayor Eric Adams announced the 30-day trial. “This is good technology,” Adams said at Fulton Center near the World Trade Center. “Would I rather that we don’t have to be scanned? Yes,” he added. “But if you would speak to the average subway rider, they would state that they don’t want guns on their subway system, and if it means using scanners, then bring the scanners on.” Adams, a self-described “tech geek,” has stressed that the scanners are still in the experimental phase. The machines, already in use at baseball stadiums and other venues, will be deployed to a small number of stations and only a fraction of riders will be asked to step through them. The city has not entered into a contract with Evolv, and Adams said other companies were welcomed to pitch their own gun-detection innovations. The scanners, about 6 feet tall, feature the logo of the city’s police department and a multicolor light display. When a weapon is detected, an alert is sent to a tablet monitored by a pair of NYPD officers. The system is not supposed to alert everyday items, such as phones and laptops — though a reporter’s iPad case set it off Friday. The scanners drew immediate protest from civil liberties advocates. The New York Civil Liberties Union and the Legal Aid Society said they would sue the city if the technology is rolled out widely, alleging the searches violated the constitutional rights of riders. “City officials have admitted that these scanners are primarily to combat some riders’ ‘perceptions’ that they are unsafe on the subway — this is not a justifiable basis to violate the Constitution,” said NYCLU attorney Daniel Lambright. The scanners also spurred concerns from riders who said it isn’t practical or plausible to subject millions of commuters to security screenings. “It’s not going to work,” said Dre Thomas, 25, shaking his head at the device. “It’d have to be at every point in the subway. I don’t see how that’s possible. It seems to me like another way to waste taxpayer money.” Wyatt Hotis, 29, said he thought the scanners were a good idea but “not the root of the issue” when people getting pushed onto the tracks were a bigger safety concern. Hotis instead suggested adding guardrails and barriers to the platforms, along with more officers to patrol them. Margaret Bortner, among the first riders to go through the scanner, described the 30-second process as painless — but didn’t see the need to have them at every station. “There are more important things officers should be doing,” she said. Though there have been high-profile incidents, like a 2022 shooting on a Brooklyn train that left 10 people wounded, crime in the New York City subway system has fallen in recent years. Overall, violent crime in the system is rare, with train cars and stations being generally as safe as any other public place. So far this year, subway crime is down 8% through July 21 compared with the same period in 2023, according to police data. Last year, there were five killings in the subway, down from 10 the year prior, according to police. Adams has long discussed the possibility of adding weapons detectors to the subway system. He suggested this week that “eventually, every turnstile is going to be able to identify if someone is carrying a gun,” but doing so could require the city to deploy thousands of police officers to respond to gun alerts. Experts have also expressed doubts about the feasibility of adding the technology to the city’s sprawling subway system, which includes 472 stations with multiple ways in and out. Fulton Center, the subway hub where the mayor spoke, illustrates the challenges of deploying the detectors in a system designed to be as accessible as possible. There are multiple entrances spread out over several blocks, with dozens of turnstiles used by as many as 300,000 riders a day. During rush hour, they are often sprinting to catch a train. Anyone who wanted to bring a gun in without passing through a scanner could simply walk to another entrance or a nearby station. The CEO of Evolv, Peter George, has himself acknowledged that subways are “not a great use-case” for the scanners, according to the Daily News . Evolv has said that its scanning system uses artificial intelligence to screen up to 3,600 people per hour, quickly detecting the “signatures” of guns, knives and explosives while not alerting cell phones and other metal devices. The company has faced a spate of lawsuits in recent years, along with federal probes into its marketing practices. Evolv told investors last year that it was contacted by the Federal Trade Commission and in February said it had been contacted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission as part of a “fact finding inquiry.” Earlier this year, investors filed a class-action lawsuit, accusing company executives of overstating the devices’ capabilities and claiming that “Evolv does not reliably detect knives or guns.” The company has claimed that it is being targeted by a misinformation campaign by those “incentivized to discredit the company.” CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER New York City has experimented with a variety of security measures to ensure the protection of its vast subway system. In 2005, the NYPD ran a pilot project aimed at examining the feasibility of using explosive detection technology in the subways. Then, the department began doing random searches of people’s bags as they entered the subway system. That effort was also rolled out with much fanfare, but such bag checks — while not completely abandoned — are rare today., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/nyc-subway-gun-scanners.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Associated Press,

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three years ago, Joel Hernandez built a small wooden shack under the 405 freeway cutting through Los Angeles.

He had the help of a friend who lives in his own shack, just a few steps down the stairs he painstakingly dug out of the dirt hillside and reinforced with wooden planks.

Hernandez has had similar homes be cleared in homeless encampment sweeps by state or city authorities over the years, so the 62-year-old is taking in stride that his days in his makeshift shelter on state-owned land might be numbered. California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday issued an executive order directing state agencies to start clearing homeless encampments on state land, including lots under freeways.

“You get used to it,” Hernandez said. “I have to rebuild it every time.”

Many people living in these encampments echoed a similar sentiment of quiet resignation. Some simply wonder: Where else is there to go?

The order comes on the heels of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier this summer allowing cities to enforce bans on sleeping outside in public spaces, even if there are no shelter beds available.

Newsom’s order directs state agencies to act soon and follow the lead of the California Department of Transportation, known as Caltrans, which has removed 11,188 encampments and more than 248,000 cubic yards of debris from these encampments along the state rights of way, mostly freeways and highways, since July 2021. Caltrans oversees much of the land under and near the state’s freeways and highways.

But most of the time, the people living in those encampments return after officials leave.

“I haven’t found a better place,” said Hernandez, who has been on the waiting list for a shelter for three years. At least in this spot, he lives close to his friends and gets along with most of the people in the encampment, Hernandez said.

Hernandez and others admit it is not the safest place to live. A recent fire destroyed many of the shelters in the underpass, leaving the underside of the highway blackened and the area scattered with burnt trash, a broken grill, abandoned shopping carts, and more.

Esca Guernon lives next to the freeway further away from the underpass with her dog, Champion. Sometimes people disturb her tent while she is sleeping or steal her belongings. But she always comes back after an encampment sweep.

“We have to take what we have, like our bikes or something, and we go over there for them to clean up,” said Guernon, pointing across the street. “I come back, because I don’t know where to go.”

On Friday, an outreach team from Hope the Mission of Van Nuys, California, handed out cold bottles of water and snacks to Guernon and her friend. They will come back in a few days to begin the intake process and get them on the waiting list for a shelter.

“For us we’re just building our rapport with them,” said Armando Covarrubias, an outreach team leader with the organization. It can take repeated visits for someone to accept their offer of help, he said.

Covarrubias said Newsom’s executive order does nothing to reduce the population of homeless people, many who have to remain outside while waiting for a shelter bed.

“It’s not a solution. It’s not fair for them,” Covarrubias said. “This just puts more stress on them.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Newsom and supporters of his order, including many businesses, say the encampments cannot be left to exist because they pose health and safety issues both for homeless people and residents who live nearby.

His executive order is about “getting the sense of urgency that’s required of local government to do their job,” Newsom said.

2024-07-27 16:35:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2Fcampaigns%2Fstate%2F3101799%2Fhomeless-people-will-return-to-sites-newsom-order%2F?w=600&h=450, LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three years ago, Joel Hernandez built a small wooden shack under the 405 freeway cutting through Los Angeles. He had the help of a friend who lives in his own shack, just a few steps down the stairs he painstakingly dug out of the dirt hillside and reinforced with wooden planks.,

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three years ago, Joel Hernandez built a small wooden shack under the 405 freeway cutting through Los Angeles.

He had the help of a friend who lives in his own shack, just a few steps down the stairs he painstakingly dug out of the dirt hillside and reinforced with wooden planks.

Hernandez has had similar homes be cleared in homeless encampment sweeps by state or city authorities over the years, so the 62-year-old is taking in stride that his days in his makeshift shelter on state-owned land might be numbered. California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday issued an executive order directing state agencies to start clearing homeless encampments on state land, including lots under freeways.

“You get used to it,” Hernandez said. “I have to rebuild it every time.”

Many people living in these encampments echoed a similar sentiment of quiet resignation. Some simply wonder: Where else is there to go?

The order comes on the heels of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier this summer allowing cities to enforce bans on sleeping outside in public spaces, even if there are no shelter beds available.

Newsom’s order directs state agencies to act soon and follow the lead of the California Department of Transportation, known as Caltrans, which has removed 11,188 encampments and more than 248,000 cubic yards of debris from these encampments along the state rights of way, mostly freeways and highways, since July 2021. Caltrans oversees much of the land under and near the state’s freeways and highways.

But most of the time, the people living in those encampments return after officials leave.

“I haven’t found a better place,” said Hernandez, who has been on the waiting list for a shelter for three years. At least in this spot, he lives close to his friends and gets along with most of the people in the encampment, Hernandez said.

Hernandez and others admit it is not the safest place to live. A recent fire destroyed many of the shelters in the underpass, leaving the underside of the highway blackened and the area scattered with burnt trash, a broken grill, abandoned shopping carts, and more.

Esca Guernon lives next to the freeway further away from the underpass with her dog, Champion. Sometimes people disturb her tent while she is sleeping or steal her belongings. But she always comes back after an encampment sweep.

“We have to take what we have, like our bikes or something, and we go over there for them to clean up,” said Guernon, pointing across the street. “I come back, because I don’t know where to go.”

On Friday, an outreach team from Hope the Mission of Van Nuys, California, handed out cold bottles of water and snacks to Guernon and her friend. They will come back in a few days to begin the intake process and get them on the waiting list for a shelter.

“For us we’re just building our rapport with them,” said Armando Covarrubias, an outreach team leader with the organization. It can take repeated visits for someone to accept their offer of help, he said.

Covarrubias said Newsom’s executive order does nothing to reduce the population of homeless people, many who have to remain outside while waiting for a shelter bed.

“It’s not a solution. It’s not fair for them,” Covarrubias said. “This just puts more stress on them.”

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Newsom and supporters of his order, including many businesses, say the encampments cannot be left to exist because they pose health and safety issues both for homeless people and residents who live nearby.

His executive order is about “getting the sense of urgency that’s required of local government to do their job,” Newsom said.

, LOS ANGELES (AP) — Three years ago, Joel Hernandez built a small wooden shack under the 405 freeway cutting through Los Angeles. He had the help of a friend who lives in his own shack, just a few steps down the stairs he painstakingly dug out of the dirt hillside and reinforced with wooden planks. Hernandez has had similar homes be cleared in homeless encampment sweeps by state or city authorities over the years, so the 62-year-old is taking in stride that his days in his makeshift shelter on state-owned land might be numbered. California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Thursday issued an executive order directing state agencies to start clearing homeless encampments on state land, including lots under freeways. “You get used to it,” Hernandez said. “I have to rebuild it every time.” Many people living in these encampments echoed a similar sentiment of quiet resignation. Some simply wonder: Where else is there to go? The order comes on the heels of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling earlier this summer allowing cities to enforce bans on sleeping outside in public spaces, even if there are no shelter beds available. Newsom’s order directs state agencies to act soon and follow the lead of the California Department of Transportation, known as Caltrans, which has removed 11,188 encampments and more than 248,000 cubic yards of debris from these encampments along the state rights of way, mostly freeways and highways, since July 2021. Caltrans oversees much of the land under and near the state’s freeways and highways. But most of the time, the people living in those encampments return after officials leave. “I haven’t found a better place,” said Hernandez, who has been on the waiting list for a shelter for three years. At least in this spot, he lives close to his friends and gets along with most of the people in the encampment, Hernandez said. Hernandez and others admit it is not the safest place to live. A recent fire destroyed many of the shelters in the underpass, leaving the underside of the highway blackened and the area scattered with burnt trash, a broken grill, abandoned shopping carts, and more. Esca Guernon lives next to the freeway further away from the underpass with her dog, Champion. Sometimes people disturb her tent while she is sleeping or steal her belongings. But she always comes back after an encampment sweep. “We have to take what we have, like our bikes or something, and we go over there for them to clean up,” said Guernon, pointing across the street. “I come back, because I don’t know where to go.” On Friday, an outreach team from Hope the Mission of Van Nuys, California, handed out cold bottles of water and snacks to Guernon and her friend. They will come back in a few days to begin the intake process and get them on the waiting list for a shelter. “For us we’re just building our rapport with them,” said Armando Covarrubias, an outreach team leader with the organization. It can take repeated visits for someone to accept their offer of help, he said. Covarrubias said Newsom’s executive order does nothing to reduce the population of homeless people, many who have to remain outside while waiting for a shelter bed. “It’s not a solution. It’s not fair for them,” Covarrubias said. “This just puts more stress on them.” CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Newsom and supporters of his order, including many businesses, say the encampments cannot be left to exist because they pose health and safety issues both for homeless people and residents who live nearby. His executive order is about “getting the sense of urgency that’s required of local government to do their job,” Newsom said., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/gavin-newsom-oakland.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Associated Press,

California’s largest active fire exploded in size on Friday evening, growing rapidly amid bone-dry fuel and threatening thousands of homes as firefighters scrambled to meet the danger.

The Park Fire’s intensity and dramatic spread led fire officials to make unwelcome comparisons to the monstrous Camp Fire, which burned out of control in nearby Paradise in 2018, killing 85 people and torching 11,000 homes.

More than 130 structures have been destroyed by this fire so far, and thousands more are threatened as evacuations were ordered in four counties: Butte, Plumas, Tehama, and Shasta. It stood at 480 square miles on Friday night — about the size of Los Angeles — and was moving quickly north and east after igniting Wednesday when authorities said a man pushed a burning car into a gully in Chico and then calmly blended in with others fleeing the scene.

“There’s a tremendous amount of fuel out there and it’s going to continue with this rapid pace,” Cal Fire incident commander Billy See said at a briefing. He said the fire was advancing up to 8 square miles an hour on Friday afternoon.

Officials at Lassen Volcanic National Park evacuated staff from Mineral, a community of about 120 people where the park headquarters are located, as the fire moved north toward Highway 36 and east toward the park.

Communities elsewhere in the U.S. West and Canada were under siege Friday, from a fast-moving blaze sparked by lightning sent people fleeing on fire-ringed roads in rural Idaho to a new blaze that was causing evacuations in eastern Washington.

In eastern Oregon, a pilot was found dead in a small air tanker plane that crashed while fighting one of the many wildfires spreading across several Western states.

More than 110 active fires covering 2,800 square miles were burning in the U.S. on Friday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Some were caused by the weather, with climate change increasing the frequency of lightning strikes as the region endures record heat and bone-dry conditions.

A fire in eastern Washington destroyed three homes and five outbuildings near the community of Tyler, which was evacuated Friday afternoon, said Ryan Rodruck, a spokesman with the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Firefighters were able to contain the Columbia Basin fire in Spokane County to about half a square mile, he said.

In Chico, California, Carli Parker is one of hundreds who fled their homes as the Park Fire pushed close. Parker decided to leave her Forest Ranch residence with her family when the fire began burning across the street. She has previously been forced out of two homes by fire, and she said she had little hope that her residence would remain unscathed.

“I think I felt like I was in danger because the police had come to our house because we had signed up for early evacuation warnings, and they were running to their vehicle after telling us that we need to self-evacuate and they wouldn’t come back,” said Parker, a mother of five.

Ronnie Dean Stout, 42, of Chico, was arrested early Thursday in connection with the blaze and held without bail pending a Monday arraignment, officials said. There was no reply to an email to the district attorney asking whether the suspect had legal representation or someone who could comment on his behalf.

Fire crews were making progress on another complex of fires burning in the Plumas National Forest near the California-Nevada line, said Forest Service spokesperson Adrienne Freeman. Most of the 1,000 residents evacuated by the lightning-sparked Gold Complex fires were returning home Friday. Some crews were peeling off to help battle the Park Fire.

“As evidenced by the (Park) fire to the West, some of these fires are just absolutely exploding and burning at rates of spread that it is just hard to even imagine,” Tim Hike, Forest Service incident commander of the Gold Complex fire about 50 miles northwest of Reno, said Friday. “The fire does not look that bad right up until it does. And then that just might be too late.”

Forest Ranch evacuee Sherry Alpers, fled with her 12 small dogs and made the decision to stay in her car outside a Red Cross shelter in Chico after learning that animals would not be allowed inside. She ruled out traveling to another shelter after learning the dogs would be kept in cages, since her dogs have always roamed free at her home.

Alpers said she doesn’t know whether the fire spared her home or not, but she said that as long as her dogs are safe, she doesn’t care about the material things.

“I’m kind of worried, but not that much,” she said. “If it’s gone, it’s gone.”

Brian Bowles was also staying in his car outside the shelter with his dog Diamon. He said he doesn’t know if his mobile home is still standing.

Bowles said he only has a $100 gift card he received from United Way, which handed them out to evacuees.

“Now the question is, do I get a motel room and comfortable for one night? Or do I put gas in the car and sleep in here?” he said. “Tough choice.”

In Oregon, a Grant County Search and Rescue team on Friday morning located a small single-engine air tanker that had disappeared while fighting the 219-square-mile Falls Fire burning near the town of Seneca and the Malheur National Forest. The pilot died, said Bureau of Land Management information officer Lisa Clark. No one else was aboard the bureau-contracted aircraft when it went down in steep, forested terrain.

The most damage so far has been to the Canadian Rockies’ Jasper National Park, where a fast-moving wildfire forced 25,000 people to flee and devastated the park’s namesake town, a World Heritage site.

In Idaho, lightning strikes sparked fast-moving wildfires and the evacuation of multiple communities. The fires were burning on about 31 square miles Friday afternoon.

Videos posted to social media include a man who said he heard explosions as he fled Juliaetta, about 27 miles southeast of the University of Idaho’s campus in Moscow. The town of just over 600 residents was evacuated Thursday just ahead of roaring fires, as were several other communities near the Clearwater River and the Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery Complex, which breeds salmon.

There’s no estimate yet on the number of buildings burned in Idaho, nor is there information about damage to urban communities, officials said Friday morning.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Oregon still has the biggest active blaze in the United States, the Durkee Fire, which combined with the Cow Fire to burn nearly 630 square miles. It remains unpredictable and was only 20% contained Friday, according to the government website InciWeb.

The National Interagency Fire Center said more than 27,000 fires have burned more than 5,800 square miles in the U.S. this year, and in Canada, more than 8,000 square miles have burned in more than 3,700 fires so far, according to its National Wildland Fire Situation Report issued Wednesday.

2024-07-27 16:17:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fpolicy%2Fenergy-and-environment%2F3101781%2Fcalifornias-largest-wildfire-explodes-in-size%2F?w=600&h=450, California’s largest active fire exploded in size on Friday evening, growing rapidly amid bone-dry fuel and threatening thousands of homes as firefighters scrambled to meet the danger. The Park Fire’s intensity and dramatic spread led fire officials to make unwelcome comparisons to the monstrous Camp Fire, which burned out of control in nearby Paradise in,

California’s largest active fire exploded in size on Friday evening, growing rapidly amid bone-dry fuel and threatening thousands of homes as firefighters scrambled to meet the danger.

The Park Fire’s intensity and dramatic spread led fire officials to make unwelcome comparisons to the monstrous Camp Fire, which burned out of control in nearby Paradise in 2018, killing 85 people and torching 11,000 homes.

More than 130 structures have been destroyed by this fire so far, and thousands more are threatened as evacuations were ordered in four counties: Butte, Plumas, Tehama, and Shasta. It stood at 480 square miles on Friday night — about the size of Los Angeles — and was moving quickly north and east after igniting Wednesday when authorities said a man pushed a burning car into a gully in Chico and then calmly blended in with others fleeing the scene.

“There’s a tremendous amount of fuel out there and it’s going to continue with this rapid pace,” Cal Fire incident commander Billy See said at a briefing. He said the fire was advancing up to 8 square miles an hour on Friday afternoon.

Officials at Lassen Volcanic National Park evacuated staff from Mineral, a community of about 120 people where the park headquarters are located, as the fire moved north toward Highway 36 and east toward the park.

Communities elsewhere in the U.S. West and Canada were under siege Friday, from a fast-moving blaze sparked by lightning sent people fleeing on fire-ringed roads in rural Idaho to a new blaze that was causing evacuations in eastern Washington.

In eastern Oregon, a pilot was found dead in a small air tanker plane that crashed while fighting one of the many wildfires spreading across several Western states.

More than 110 active fires covering 2,800 square miles were burning in the U.S. on Friday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Some were caused by the weather, with climate change increasing the frequency of lightning strikes as the region endures record heat and bone-dry conditions.

A fire in eastern Washington destroyed three homes and five outbuildings near the community of Tyler, which was evacuated Friday afternoon, said Ryan Rodruck, a spokesman with the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Firefighters were able to contain the Columbia Basin fire in Spokane County to about half a square mile, he said.

In Chico, California, Carli Parker is one of hundreds who fled their homes as the Park Fire pushed close. Parker decided to leave her Forest Ranch residence with her family when the fire began burning across the street. She has previously been forced out of two homes by fire, and she said she had little hope that her residence would remain unscathed.

“I think I felt like I was in danger because the police had come to our house because we had signed up for early evacuation warnings, and they were running to their vehicle after telling us that we need to self-evacuate and they wouldn’t come back,” said Parker, a mother of five.

Ronnie Dean Stout, 42, of Chico, was arrested early Thursday in connection with the blaze and held without bail pending a Monday arraignment, officials said. There was no reply to an email to the district attorney asking whether the suspect had legal representation or someone who could comment on his behalf.

Fire crews were making progress on another complex of fires burning in the Plumas National Forest near the California-Nevada line, said Forest Service spokesperson Adrienne Freeman. Most of the 1,000 residents evacuated by the lightning-sparked Gold Complex fires were returning home Friday. Some crews were peeling off to help battle the Park Fire.

“As evidenced by the (Park) fire to the West, some of these fires are just absolutely exploding and burning at rates of spread that it is just hard to even imagine,” Tim Hike, Forest Service incident commander of the Gold Complex fire about 50 miles northwest of Reno, said Friday. “The fire does not look that bad right up until it does. And then that just might be too late.”

Forest Ranch evacuee Sherry Alpers, fled with her 12 small dogs and made the decision to stay in her car outside a Red Cross shelter in Chico after learning that animals would not be allowed inside. She ruled out traveling to another shelter after learning the dogs would be kept in cages, since her dogs have always roamed free at her home.

Alpers said she doesn’t know whether the fire spared her home or not, but she said that as long as her dogs are safe, she doesn’t care about the material things.

“I’m kind of worried, but not that much,” she said. “If it’s gone, it’s gone.”

Brian Bowles was also staying in his car outside the shelter with his dog Diamon. He said he doesn’t know if his mobile home is still standing.

Bowles said he only has a $100 gift card he received from United Way, which handed them out to evacuees.

“Now the question is, do I get a motel room and comfortable for one night? Or do I put gas in the car and sleep in here?” he said. “Tough choice.”

In Oregon, a Grant County Search and Rescue team on Friday morning located a small single-engine air tanker that had disappeared while fighting the 219-square-mile Falls Fire burning near the town of Seneca and the Malheur National Forest. The pilot died, said Bureau of Land Management information officer Lisa Clark. No one else was aboard the bureau-contracted aircraft when it went down in steep, forested terrain.

The most damage so far has been to the Canadian Rockies’ Jasper National Park, where a fast-moving wildfire forced 25,000 people to flee and devastated the park’s namesake town, a World Heritage site.

In Idaho, lightning strikes sparked fast-moving wildfires and the evacuation of multiple communities. The fires were burning on about 31 square miles Friday afternoon.

Videos posted to social media include a man who said he heard explosions as he fled Juliaetta, about 27 miles southeast of the University of Idaho’s campus in Moscow. The town of just over 600 residents was evacuated Thursday just ahead of roaring fires, as were several other communities near the Clearwater River and the Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery Complex, which breeds salmon.

There’s no estimate yet on the number of buildings burned in Idaho, nor is there information about damage to urban communities, officials said Friday morning.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Oregon still has the biggest active blaze in the United States, the Durkee Fire, which combined with the Cow Fire to burn nearly 630 square miles. It remains unpredictable and was only 20% contained Friday, according to the government website InciWeb.

The National Interagency Fire Center said more than 27,000 fires have burned more than 5,800 square miles in the U.S. this year, and in Canada, more than 8,000 square miles have burned in more than 3,700 fires so far, according to its National Wildland Fire Situation Report issued Wednesday.

, California’s largest active fire exploded in size on Friday evening, growing rapidly amid bone-dry fuel and threatening thousands of homes as firefighters scrambled to meet the danger. The Park Fire’s intensity and dramatic spread led fire officials to make unwelcome comparisons to the monstrous Camp Fire, which burned out of control in nearby Paradise in 2018, killing 85 people and torching 11,000 homes. More than 130 structures have been destroyed by this fire so far, and thousands more are threatened as evacuations were ordered in four counties: Butte, Plumas, Tehama, and Shasta. It stood at 480 square miles on Friday night — about the size of Los Angeles — and was moving quickly north and east after igniting Wednesday when authorities said a man pushed a burning car into a gully in Chico and then calmly blended in with others fleeing the scene. “There’s a tremendous amount of fuel out there and it’s going to continue with this rapid pace,” Cal Fire incident commander Billy See said at a briefing. He said the fire was advancing up to 8 square miles an hour on Friday afternoon. Officials at Lassen Volcanic National Park evacuated staff from Mineral, a community of about 120 people where the park headquarters are located, as the fire moved north toward Highway 36 and east toward the park. Communities elsewhere in the U.S. West and Canada were under siege Friday, from a fast-moving blaze sparked by lightning sent people fleeing on fire-ringed roads in rural Idaho to a new blaze that was causing evacuations in eastern Washington. In eastern Oregon, a pilot was found dead in a small air tanker plane that crashed while fighting one of the many wildfires spreading across several Western states. More than 110 active fires covering 2,800 square miles were burning in the U.S. on Friday, according to the National Interagency Fire Center. Some were caused by the weather, with climate change increasing the frequency of lightning strikes as the region endures record heat and bone-dry conditions. A fire in eastern Washington destroyed three homes and five outbuildings near the community of Tyler, which was evacuated Friday afternoon, said Ryan Rodruck, a spokesman with the Washington Department of Natural Resources. Firefighters were able to contain the Columbia Basin fire in Spokane County to about half a square mile, he said. In Chico, California, Carli Parker is one of hundreds who fled their homes as the Park Fire pushed close. Parker decided to leave her Forest Ranch residence with her family when the fire began burning across the street. She has previously been forced out of two homes by fire, and she said she had little hope that her residence would remain unscathed. “I think I felt like I was in danger because the police had come to our house because we had signed up for early evacuation warnings, and they were running to their vehicle after telling us that we need to self-evacuate and they wouldn’t come back,” said Parker, a mother of five. Ronnie Dean Stout, 42, of Chico, was arrested early Thursday in connection with the blaze and held without bail pending a Monday arraignment, officials said. There was no reply to an email to the district attorney asking whether the suspect had legal representation or someone who could comment on his behalf. Fire crews were making progress on another complex of fires burning in the Plumas National Forest near the California-Nevada line, said Forest Service spokesperson Adrienne Freeman. Most of the 1,000 residents evacuated by the lightning-sparked Gold Complex fires were returning home Friday. Some crews were peeling off to help battle the Park Fire. “As evidenced by the (Park) fire to the West, some of these fires are just absolutely exploding and burning at rates of spread that it is just hard to even imagine,” Tim Hike, Forest Service incident commander of the Gold Complex fire about 50 miles northwest of Reno, said Friday. “The fire does not look that bad right up until it does. And then that just might be too late.” Forest Ranch evacuee Sherry Alpers, fled with her 12 small dogs and made the decision to stay in her car outside a Red Cross shelter in Chico after learning that animals would not be allowed inside. She ruled out traveling to another shelter after learning the dogs would be kept in cages, since her dogs have always roamed free at her home. Alpers said she doesn’t know whether the fire spared her home or not, but she said that as long as her dogs are safe, she doesn’t care about the material things. “I’m kind of worried, but not that much,” she said. “If it’s gone, it’s gone.” Brian Bowles was also staying in his car outside the shelter with his dog Diamon. He said he doesn’t know if his mobile home is still standing. Bowles said he only has a $100 gift card he received from United Way, which handed them out to evacuees. “Now the question is, do I get a motel room and comfortable for one night? Or do I put gas in the car and sleep in here?” he said. “Tough choice.” In Oregon, a Grant County Search and Rescue team on Friday morning located a small single-engine air tanker that had disappeared while fighting the 219-square-mile Falls Fire burning near the town of Seneca and the Malheur National Forest. The pilot died, said Bureau of Land Management information officer Lisa Clark. No one else was aboard the bureau-contracted aircraft when it went down in steep, forested terrain. The most damage so far has been to the Canadian Rockies’ Jasper National Park, where a fast-moving wildfire forced 25,000 people to flee and devastated the park’s namesake town, a World Heritage site. In Idaho, lightning strikes sparked fast-moving wildfires and the evacuation of multiple communities. The fires were burning on about 31 square miles Friday afternoon. Videos posted to social media include a man who said he heard explosions as he fled Juliaetta, about 27 miles southeast of the University of Idaho’s campus in Moscow. The town of just over 600 residents was evacuated Thursday just ahead of roaring fires, as were several other communities near the Clearwater River and the Nez Perce Tribal Hatchery Complex, which breeds salmon. There’s no estimate yet on the number of buildings burned in Idaho, nor is there information about damage to urban communities, officials said Friday morning. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Oregon still has the biggest active blaze in the United States, the Durkee Fire, which combined with the Cow Fire to burn nearly 630 square miles. It remains unpredictable and was only 20% contained Friday, according to the government website InciWeb. The National Interagency Fire Center said more than 27,000 fires have burned more than 5,800 square miles in the U.S. this year, and in Canada, more than 8,000 square miles have burned in more than 3,700 fires so far, according to its National Wildland Fire Situation Report issued Wednesday., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/california-wildfires-.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Associated Press,

NEW YORK (AP) — As U.S. health officials investigate a fatal outbreak of listeria food poisoning, they’re advising people who are pregnant, elderly or have compromised immune systems to avoid eating sliced deli meat unless it’s recooked at home to be steaming hot.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention didn’t mandate a food recall as of early Saturday, because it remains unclear what specific products have been contaminated with the bacteria now blamed for two deaths and 28 hospitalizations across 12 states. This means the contaminated food may still be in circulation, and consumers should consider their personal risk level when consuming deli meats.

Federal health officials warned on Friday that the number of illnesses is likely an undercount, because people who recover at home aren’t likely to be tested. For the same reason, the outbreak may have spread wider than the states where listeria infections have been reported, mostly in the Midwest and along the U.S. eastern coast.

The largest number known to get sick — seven — were in New York, according to the CDC. The people who died were from Illinois and New Jersey.

What investigators have learned

Of the people investigators have been able to interview, “89% reported eating meats sliced at a deli, most commonly deli-sliced turkey, liverwurst, and ham. Meats were sliced at a variety of supermarket and grocery store delis,” the CDC said.

And samples collected from victims from May 29 to July 5 show the bacteria is closely related genetically.

“This information suggests that meats sliced at the deli are a likely source of this outbreak. However, at this time CDC doesn’t have enough information to say which deli meats are the source of this outbreak,” the agency said in a statement published on its website Friday.

What to expect if you’re infected

Listeria infections typically cause fever, muscle aches and tiredness and may cause stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Symptoms can occur quickly or to up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food.

It can be diagnosed by testing bodily fluids, usually blood, and sometimes urine or spinal fluid, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Listeria infections are especially dangerous for people older than 65 and those with weakened immune systems, according to the CDC. Victims of this outbreak ranged in age from 32 to 94, with a median age of 75.

For pregnant people, listeria can increase the risk of miscarriages. One of the victims of the current outbreak was pregnant, but did not have a miscarriage, officials said.

Infections confined to the gut — intestinal listeriosis — can often be treated without antibiotics according to the CDC. For example, people might need extra fluids while experiencing diarrhea.

But when the infection spreads beyond the gut — invasive listeriosis — it’s extremely dangerous, and is often treated with antibiotics to mitigate the risk of blood infections and brain inflammation, according to the Mayo Clinic.

What about the meat in your fridge

So far there’s no sign that people are getting sick from prepackaged deli meats. And for at-risk people who already have deli slices in their refrigerator, they can be sanitized by being recooked. “Refrigeration does not kill Listeria, but reheating before eating will kill any germs that may be on these meats,” the CDC says.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

This isn’t new advice: The CDC says it always recommends that people at higher risk for listeriosis avoid eating meats sliced at the deli, or heat them to an internal temperature of 165 Fahrenheit (74 Celsius) or until it’s steaming hot before eating.

Some of the products involved in past listeria outbreaks cannot be reheated, of course: Over the decades, listeria has provoked voluntary or mandated recalls of cheeses, bean dips, milk, mushrooms, packaged salads, and ice cream.

2024-07-21 14:55:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F3092620%2Fheres-what-to-do-with-deli-meats-as-the-cdc-investigates-a-listeria-outbreak-across-the-u-s%2F?w=600&h=450, NEW YORK (AP) — As U.S. health officials investigate a fatal outbreak of listeria food poisoning, they’re advising people who are pregnant, elderly or have compromised immune systems to avoid eating sliced deli meat unless it’s recooked at home to be steaming hot. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention didn’t mandate a food,

NEW YORK (AP) — As U.S. health officials investigate a fatal outbreak of listeria food poisoning, they’re advising people who are pregnant, elderly or have compromised immune systems to avoid eating sliced deli meat unless it’s recooked at home to be steaming hot.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention didn’t mandate a food recall as of early Saturday, because it remains unclear what specific products have been contaminated with the bacteria now blamed for two deaths and 28 hospitalizations across 12 states. This means the contaminated food may still be in circulation, and consumers should consider their personal risk level when consuming deli meats.

Federal health officials warned on Friday that the number of illnesses is likely an undercount, because people who recover at home aren’t likely to be tested. For the same reason, the outbreak may have spread wider than the states where listeria infections have been reported, mostly in the Midwest and along the U.S. eastern coast.

The largest number known to get sick — seven — were in New York, according to the CDC. The people who died were from Illinois and New Jersey.

What investigators have learned

Of the people investigators have been able to interview, “89% reported eating meats sliced at a deli, most commonly deli-sliced turkey, liverwurst, and ham. Meats were sliced at a variety of supermarket and grocery store delis,” the CDC said.

And samples collected from victims from May 29 to July 5 show the bacteria is closely related genetically.

“This information suggests that meats sliced at the deli are a likely source of this outbreak. However, at this time CDC doesn’t have enough information to say which deli meats are the source of this outbreak,” the agency said in a statement published on its website Friday.

What to expect if you’re infected

Listeria infections typically cause fever, muscle aches and tiredness and may cause stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Symptoms can occur quickly or to up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food.

It can be diagnosed by testing bodily fluids, usually blood, and sometimes urine or spinal fluid, according to the Mayo Clinic.

Listeria infections are especially dangerous for people older than 65 and those with weakened immune systems, according to the CDC. Victims of this outbreak ranged in age from 32 to 94, with a median age of 75.

For pregnant people, listeria can increase the risk of miscarriages. One of the victims of the current outbreak was pregnant, but did not have a miscarriage, officials said.

Infections confined to the gut — intestinal listeriosis — can often be treated without antibiotics according to the CDC. For example, people might need extra fluids while experiencing diarrhea.

But when the infection spreads beyond the gut — invasive listeriosis — it’s extremely dangerous, and is often treated with antibiotics to mitigate the risk of blood infections and brain inflammation, according to the Mayo Clinic.

What about the meat in your fridge

So far there’s no sign that people are getting sick from prepackaged deli meats. And for at-risk people who already have deli slices in their refrigerator, they can be sanitized by being recooked. “Refrigeration does not kill Listeria, but reheating before eating will kill any germs that may be on these meats,” the CDC says.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

This isn’t new advice: The CDC says it always recommends that people at higher risk for listeriosis avoid eating meats sliced at the deli, or heat them to an internal temperature of 165 Fahrenheit (74 Celsius) or until it’s steaming hot before eating.

Some of the products involved in past listeria outbreaks cannot be reheated, of course: Over the decades, listeria has provoked voluntary or mandated recalls of cheeses, bean dips, milk, mushrooms, packaged salads, and ice cream.

, NEW YORK (AP) — As U.S. health officials investigate a fatal outbreak of listeria food poisoning, they’re advising people who are pregnant, elderly or have compromised immune systems to avoid eating sliced deli meat unless it’s recooked at home to be steaming hot. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention didn’t mandate a food recall as of early Saturday, because it remains unclear what specific products have been contaminated with the bacteria now blamed for two deaths and 28 hospitalizations across 12 states. This means the contaminated food may still be in circulation, and consumers should consider their personal risk level when consuming deli meats. Federal health officials warned on Friday that the number of illnesses is likely an undercount, because people who recover at home aren’t likely to be tested. For the same reason, the outbreak may have spread wider than the states where listeria infections have been reported, mostly in the Midwest and along the U.S. eastern coast. The largest number known to get sick — seven — were in New York, according to the CDC. The people who died were from Illinois and New Jersey. What investigators have learned Of the people investigators have been able to interview, “89% reported eating meats sliced at a deli, most commonly deli-sliced turkey, liverwurst, and ham. Meats were sliced at a variety of supermarket and grocery store delis,” the CDC said. And samples collected from victims from May 29 to July 5 show the bacteria is closely related genetically. “This information suggests that meats sliced at the deli are a likely source of this outbreak. However, at this time CDC doesn’t have enough information to say which deli meats are the source of this outbreak,” the agency said in a statement published on its website Friday. What to expect if you’re infected Listeria infections typically cause fever, muscle aches and tiredness and may cause stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Symptoms can occur quickly or to up to 10 weeks after eating contaminated food. It can be diagnosed by testing bodily fluids, usually blood, and sometimes urine or spinal fluid, according to the Mayo Clinic. Listeria infections are especially dangerous for people older than 65 and those with weakened immune systems, according to the CDC. Victims of this outbreak ranged in age from 32 to 94, with a median age of 75. For pregnant people, listeria can increase the risk of miscarriages. One of the victims of the current outbreak was pregnant, but did not have a miscarriage, officials said. Infections confined to the gut — intestinal listeriosis — can often be treated without antibiotics according to the CDC. For example, people might need extra fluids while experiencing diarrhea. But when the infection spreads beyond the gut — invasive listeriosis — it’s extremely dangerous, and is often treated with antibiotics to mitigate the risk of blood infections and brain inflammation, according to the Mayo Clinic. What about the meat in your fridge So far there’s no sign that people are getting sick from prepackaged deli meats. And for at-risk people who already have deli slices in their refrigerator, they can be sanitized by being recooked. “Refrigeration does not kill Listeria, but reheating before eating will kill any germs that may be on these meats,” the CDC says. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER This isn’t new advice: The CDC says it always recommends that people at higher risk for listeriosis avoid eating meats sliced at the deli, or heat them to an internal temperature of 165 Fahrenheit (74 Celsius) or until it’s steaming hot before eating. Some of the products involved in past listeria outbreaks cannot be reheated, of course: Over the decades, listeria has provoked voluntary or mandated recalls of cheeses, bean dips, milk, mushrooms, packaged salads, and ice cream., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/listeria-food-health-cdc.webp, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Associated Press,

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military said it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen early Sunday, hours after Israeli warplanes struck several Houthi targets in the Arabian Peninsula country.

The Israeli airstrikes — in response to a deadly Houthi drone strike on Tel Aviv — were the first time Israel is known to have responded to repeated Houthi attacks throughout its nine-month war against Hamas. The burst of violence between the distant enemies has threatened to open a new front as Israel battles a series of Iranian proxies across the region.

The Israeli army late Saturday confirmed the airstrikes in the western Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, a Houthi stronghold. It said the strikes, carried out by U.S.-made F-15 and F-35 warplanes, were a response to hundreds of Houthi attacks.

The Health Ministry in Yemen said the Israeli strikes killed six people and wounded 83 others, many with severe burns. Another three people were missing, the ministry said in a statement shared by the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

“All of this won’t stop the Yemeni people or the Yemeni leadership, military and missile forces in targeting the Israeli entities,” said Moatasem Abdel Salah, a Sanaa resident.

Israel, along with the U.S., the U.K. and other Western allies with forces in the region, have intercepted almost all of the Houthi missiles and drones. But early Friday, a Houthi drone penetrated Israel’s air defenses and crashed into Tel Aviv, Israel’s commercial and cultural capital, killing one person.

The Israeli military said Saturday’s strike, about 1,700 kilometers (more than 1,000 miles) from Israel, was among the most complicated and longest-distance operations by its air force. It said it hit the port because the area is used to deliver Iranian arms to Yemen.

Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, vowed to carry out similar strikes “in any place where it may be required.”

The Houthis are among several Iranian-backed groups to have attacked Israel in solidarity with Hamas since the Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian militant group triggered the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza.

In addition to fighting Hamas, the Israeli military has been engaged in daily clashes with the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. These clashes have raised concerns that the fighting could spill over into a full-blown war with Lebanon and beyond.

The Hodeidah port is also a gateway for supplies to enter Yemen, which has been engulfed in civil war since 2014, when the Houthis seized much of northern Yemen and forced the internationally recognized government to flee from Sanaa. A Saudi-led coalition intervened the following year in support of government forces, and in time the conflict turned into a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

The war has killed more than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters.

Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam posted on X that the “blatant Israeli aggression” targeted fuel storage facilities and the province’s power station. He said the attacks aim “to increase the suffering of the people and to pressure Yemen to stop supporting Gaza.”

Abdulsalam said the attacks will only make Yemen’s people and armed forces more determined to support Gaza. “There will be impactful strikes,” Mohamed Ali al-Houthi of the Supreme Political Council in Yemen wrote on X.

The Israeli military said that the surface-to-surface missile fired Sunday was intercepted before reaching Israeli territory.

Since January, U.S. and U.K. forces have been striking targets in Yemen, in response to the Houthis’ attacks on commercial shipping that the rebels have described as retaliation for Israel’s actions in the war in Gaza. However, many of the ships targeted weren’t linked to Israel.

On Sunday, officials said that the Houthis repeatedly targeted a Liberia-flagged container vessel transiting the Red Sea, the latest assault by the group on the crucial maritime trade route.

The captain of the ship reported attacks from three small Houthi vessels, an uncrewed Houthi aerial vehicle and missile fire off the coast of Mocha, Yemen, resulting in “minor damage” to the ship, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. The Joint Maritime Information Center, a coalition overseen by the U.S. Navy, identified the ship as the Pumba and reported “all crew on board safe.”

Early Sunday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack on the Pumba.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Analysts and Western intelligence services have long accused Iran of arming the Houthis, a claim Tehran denies. The joint force airstrikes so far have done little to deter them.

The Houthis have long-range ballistic missiles, smaller cruise missiles and “suicide drones,” all capable of reaching southern Israel, according to weapons experts. The Houthis are open about their arsenal, regularly parading new missiles through the streets of Sanaa.

2024-07-21 14:55:00, http://s.wordpress.com/mshots/v1/https%3A%2F%2Fwww.washingtonexaminer.com%2Fnews%2F3092619%2Fisrael-shoots-down-a-missile-fired-from-yemen-hours-after-a-deadly-israeli-strike-on-houthi-rebels%2F?w=600&h=450, JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military said it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen early Sunday, hours after Israeli warplanes struck several Houthi targets in the Arabian Peninsula country. The Israeli airstrikes — in response to a deadly Houthi drone strike on Tel Aviv — were the first time Israel is known to have responded,

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military said it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen early Sunday, hours after Israeli warplanes struck several Houthi targets in the Arabian Peninsula country.

The Israeli airstrikes — in response to a deadly Houthi drone strike on Tel Aviv — were the first time Israel is known to have responded to repeated Houthi attacks throughout its nine-month war against Hamas. The burst of violence between the distant enemies has threatened to open a new front as Israel battles a series of Iranian proxies across the region.

The Israeli army late Saturday confirmed the airstrikes in the western Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, a Houthi stronghold. It said the strikes, carried out by U.S.-made F-15 and F-35 warplanes, were a response to hundreds of Houthi attacks.

The Health Ministry in Yemen said the Israeli strikes killed six people and wounded 83 others, many with severe burns. Another three people were missing, the ministry said in a statement shared by the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV.

“All of this won’t stop the Yemeni people or the Yemeni leadership, military and missile forces in targeting the Israeli entities,” said Moatasem Abdel Salah, a Sanaa resident.

Israel, along with the U.S., the U.K. and other Western allies with forces in the region, have intercepted almost all of the Houthi missiles and drones. But early Friday, a Houthi drone penetrated Israel’s air defenses and crashed into Tel Aviv, Israel’s commercial and cultural capital, killing one person.

The Israeli military said Saturday’s strike, about 1,700 kilometers (more than 1,000 miles) from Israel, was among the most complicated and longest-distance operations by its air force. It said it hit the port because the area is used to deliver Iranian arms to Yemen.

Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, vowed to carry out similar strikes “in any place where it may be required.”

The Houthis are among several Iranian-backed groups to have attacked Israel in solidarity with Hamas since the Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian militant group triggered the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza.

In addition to fighting Hamas, the Israeli military has been engaged in daily clashes with the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. These clashes have raised concerns that the fighting could spill over into a full-blown war with Lebanon and beyond.

The Hodeidah port is also a gateway for supplies to enter Yemen, which has been engulfed in civil war since 2014, when the Houthis seized much of northern Yemen and forced the internationally recognized government to flee from Sanaa. A Saudi-led coalition intervened the following year in support of government forces, and in time the conflict turned into a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.

The war has killed more than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters.

Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam posted on X that the “blatant Israeli aggression” targeted fuel storage facilities and the province’s power station. He said the attacks aim “to increase the suffering of the people and to pressure Yemen to stop supporting Gaza.”

Abdulsalam said the attacks will only make Yemen’s people and armed forces more determined to support Gaza. “There will be impactful strikes,” Mohamed Ali al-Houthi of the Supreme Political Council in Yemen wrote on X.

The Israeli military said that the surface-to-surface missile fired Sunday was intercepted before reaching Israeli territory.

Since January, U.S. and U.K. forces have been striking targets in Yemen, in response to the Houthis’ attacks on commercial shipping that the rebels have described as retaliation for Israel’s actions in the war in Gaza. However, many of the ships targeted weren’t linked to Israel.

On Sunday, officials said that the Houthis repeatedly targeted a Liberia-flagged container vessel transiting the Red Sea, the latest assault by the group on the crucial maritime trade route.

The captain of the ship reported attacks from three small Houthi vessels, an uncrewed Houthi aerial vehicle and missile fire off the coast of Mocha, Yemen, resulting in “minor damage” to the ship, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. The Joint Maritime Information Center, a coalition overseen by the U.S. Navy, identified the ship as the Pumba and reported “all crew on board safe.”

Early Sunday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack on the Pumba.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Analysts and Western intelligence services have long accused Iran of arming the Houthis, a claim Tehran denies. The joint force airstrikes so far have done little to deter them.

The Houthis have long-range ballistic missiles, smaller cruise missiles and “suicide drones,” all capable of reaching southern Israel, according to weapons experts. The Houthis are open about their arsenal, regularly parading new missiles through the streets of Sanaa.

, JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military said it intercepted a missile fired from Yemen early Sunday, hours after Israeli warplanes struck several Houthi targets in the Arabian Peninsula country. The Israeli airstrikes — in response to a deadly Houthi drone strike on Tel Aviv — were the first time Israel is known to have responded to repeated Houthi attacks throughout its nine-month war against Hamas. The burst of violence between the distant enemies has threatened to open a new front as Israel battles a series of Iranian proxies across the region. The Israeli army late Saturday confirmed the airstrikes in the western Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, a Houthi stronghold. It said the strikes, carried out by U.S.-made F-15 and F-35 warplanes, were a response to hundreds of Houthi attacks. The Health Ministry in Yemen said the Israeli strikes killed six people and wounded 83 others, many with severe burns. Another three people were missing, the ministry said in a statement shared by the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV. “All of this won’t stop the Yemeni people or the Yemeni leadership, military and missile forces in targeting the Israeli entities,” said Moatasem Abdel Salah, a Sanaa resident. Israel, along with the U.S., the U.K. and other Western allies with forces in the region, have intercepted almost all of the Houthi missiles and drones. But early Friday, a Houthi drone penetrated Israel’s air defenses and crashed into Tel Aviv, Israel’s commercial and cultural capital, killing one person. The Israeli military said Saturday’s strike, about 1,700 kilometers (more than 1,000 miles) from Israel, was among the most complicated and longest-distance operations by its air force. It said it hit the port because the area is used to deliver Iranian arms to Yemen. Israel’s defense minister, Yoav Gallant, vowed to carry out similar strikes “in any place where it may be required.” The Houthis are among several Iranian-backed groups to have attacked Israel in solidarity with Hamas since the Oct. 7 attack by the Palestinian militant group triggered the ongoing Israeli offensive in Gaza. In addition to fighting Hamas, the Israeli military has been engaged in daily clashes with the Hezbollah militant group in Lebanon. These clashes have raised concerns that the fighting could spill over into a full-blown war with Lebanon and beyond. The Hodeidah port is also a gateway for supplies to enter Yemen, which has been engulfed in civil war since 2014, when the Houthis seized much of northern Yemen and forced the internationally recognized government to flee from Sanaa. A Saudi-led coalition intervened the following year in support of government forces, and in time the conflict turned into a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran. The war has killed more than 150,000 people, including fighters and civilians, and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian disasters. Houthi spokesman Mohammed Abdulsalam posted on X that the “blatant Israeli aggression” targeted fuel storage facilities and the province’s power station. He said the attacks aim “to increase the suffering of the people and to pressure Yemen to stop supporting Gaza.” Abdulsalam said the attacks will only make Yemen’s people and armed forces more determined to support Gaza. “There will be impactful strikes,” Mohamed Ali al-Houthi of the Supreme Political Council in Yemen wrote on X. The Israeli military said that the surface-to-surface missile fired Sunday was intercepted before reaching Israeli territory. Since January, U.S. and U.K. forces have been striking targets in Yemen, in response to the Houthis’ attacks on commercial shipping that the rebels have described as retaliation for Israel’s actions in the war in Gaza. However, many of the ships targeted weren’t linked to Israel. On Sunday, officials said that the Houthis repeatedly targeted a Liberia-flagged container vessel transiting the Red Sea, the latest assault by the group on the crucial maritime trade route. The captain of the ship reported attacks from three small Houthi vessels, an uncrewed Houthi aerial vehicle and missile fire off the coast of Mocha, Yemen, resulting in “minor damage” to the ship, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said. The Joint Maritime Information Center, a coalition overseen by the U.S. Navy, identified the ship as the Pumba and reported “all crew on board safe.” Early Sunday, the Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack on the Pumba. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Analysts and Western intelligence services have long accused Iran of arming the Houthis, a claim Tehran denies. The joint force airstrikes so far have done little to deter them. The Houthis have long-range ballistic missiles, smaller cruise missiles and “suicide drones,” all capable of reaching southern Israel, according to weapons experts. The Houthis are open about their arsenal, regularly parading new missiles through the streets of Sanaa., , , https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Houthis-against-US-UK-1024×658.jpeg, Washington Examiner, Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/cropped-favicon-32×32.png, https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/feed/, Associated Press,

RENO, Nev. (AP) — A proposed constitutional amendment that would require voters to show photo identification at the polls has qualified for the November ballot in Nevada, the state’s top election official announced Friday.

The measure also calls for an extra layer of identification verification for mail ballots, such as the last four digits of a driver’s license or Social Security number.

The approval adds to several ballot initiatives that voters will choose alongside tight races up and down Nevada’s November ballot. This includes measures that would further enshrine Nevada’s abortion rights, institute new election processes that include ranked choice voting and remove language from the state constitution that includes slavery and involuntary servitude as a form of criminal punishment.

If passed in November, the voter ID measure would also have to be approved by voters in 2026 to amend the state constitution.

County election officials verified about 132,000 total signatures that organizers submitted, according to the secretary of state’s office. They surpassed the nearly 26,000 valid signatures needed from each of the state’s four petition districts.

Supporters of voter ID requirements said they add necessary security and ensure that only qualified voters can cast ballots. Opponents argued that the requirements make it more difficult for people to vote, especially the elderly, those with disabilities and those without driver’s licenses. The NAACP and other civil rights groups have argued that it disproportionately harms Black and Latino voters.

During the 2023 legislative session, voter ID became a partisan issue between Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo and the Democratic-controlled legislature. Lombardo outlined it as one of his main priorities, but Democrats who control the state legislature refused to give the proposal a hearing.

In a statement when organizers submitted signatures for review, Lombardo criticized Democratic legislative leadership for shooting down voter ID.

“I made a promise to voters that if the legislature would not support the will of the people, I would take that vote directly to them,” Lombardo said in a statement last month, which his office referred to when asked for comment on Friday. “And I am proud to see that become a reality today.”

Election procedures overall have become particularly contentious in Nevada, which adopted expansive election procedures during the pandemic, including a universal mail ballot system, and has been at the center of former President Donald Trump’s false claims of a stolen 2020 election and its ensuing fallout. County commissioners that oversee Reno and the surrounding area refused to certify the election results of two local recounts earlier this month, a vote that they overturned on Tuesday.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

David Gibbs, the president of Repair the Vote political action committee, which organized the ballot initiative effort, said he hopes the initiative drives turnout among voters who don’t regularly visit the ballot box.

“I know that we’ve had folks that have signed this that have not been regular voters,” Gibbs said. “I’m looking for those folks to get out and vote.”

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) — A state court judge on Friday disqualified numerous booklets used to gather signatures for an initiative that aims to repeal Alaska’s ranked choice voting system and gave elections officials a deadline to determine if the measure still had sufficient signatures to qualify for the November ballot.

The decision by Superior Court Judge Christina Rankin in Anchorage comes in a lawsuit brought by three voters that seeks to disqualify the repeal measure from the ballot. Rankin previously ruled the Division of Elections acted within its authority when it earlier this year allowed sponsors of the measure to fix errors with petition booklets after they were turned in and found the agency had complied with deadlines.

Her new ruling Friday focused on challenges to the sponsors’ signature-collecting methods that were the subject of a recent trial. Rankin set a Wednesday deadline for the division to remove the signatures and booklets she found should be disqualified and for the division to determine if the measure still has sufficient signatures to qualify for the ballot.

The state requires initiative sponsors meet certain signature-gathering thresholds, including getting signatures from voters in at least three-fourths of state House districts. Backers of the repeal initiative needed to gather 26,705 signatures total.

The plaintiffs alleged petition booklets, used for gathering signatures, were improperly left unattended at businesses and shared among multiple circulators. An expert testifying for the plaintiffs said suspicious activity was “endemic” to the repeal campaign, according to a filing by plaintiffs’ attorneys, including Scott Kendall.

Kendall was an architect of the successful 2020 ballot initiative that replaced party primaries with open primaries and instituted ranked voting in general elections. Under open primaries, the top four vote-getters, regardless of party, advance to the general election. The new system was used for the first time in 2022 and will be used this year.

Rankin wrote there was no evidence of a “pervasive pattern of intentional, knowing, and orchestrated misconduct to warrant” the petition totally be thrown out. But she said she found instances in which the signature-gathering process was not properly carried out, and she disqualified those booklets.

Kevin Clarkson, a former state attorney general who is representing the repeal initiative sponsors, said by email Friday that the ruling “looks mostly favorable” to his clients.

“We won on a lot of issues and on a lot of the books they were challenging,” he wrote. But he added he would need to run the numbers accounting for those Rankin rejected, a process that he said is complicated and would take time.

Kendall said Rankin disqualified 27 petition booklets containing nearly 3,000 signatures. “Clearly there were serious issues in this signature drive,” he said in a text message.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

The Division of Elections still must assess whether the measure has enough signatures in 30 out of the 40 House districts, “and then all parties will need to consider their appeal options,” he said.

Patty Sullivan, a spokesperson for the Alaska Department of Law, said the Division of Elections “appreciates the court’s quick decision and will recalculate the final signature count according to the court’s ruling as soon as it can.”

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iranian naval destroyer has sunk while it was being repaired in a port near the Strait of Hormuz, state media reported Sunday.

State-run IRNA news agency reported that the Sahand destroyer, being repaired at a wharf lost its balance due to water infiltration into the tanks.

The agency added that due to the low depth in the waters, it is possible to bring back the destroyer to balance.

It also reported that injured people were transferred to hospital. It did not elaborate.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

Sahand, named after a mountain in northern Iran, took six years to build and launched into the Persian Gulf in December 2018. The 1,300-ton vessel was equipped with surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles, anti-aircraft batteries, and sophisticated radar and radar-evading capabilities.

In January 2018, a naval destroyer, Damavand, sank in the Caspian Sea after crashing into a breakwater.