KANSAS CIT(AP) — Two people are dead after a robbery suspect's vehicle was going the wrong way on an interstate highway while being chased by officers early Tuesday and slammed into another vehicle, killing both drivers, police said.

The accident happened just after 4 a.m. on Interstate 435 in Kansas City. Names of those killed have not been released.

Armed robberies occurred between around 2:30 a.m. and 4 a.m. at three convenience stores. Soon after the third crime, police saw the suspect vehicle and initiated a pursuit, police spokeswoman Alayna Gonzalez said in a news release.

During the chase, the driver traveled south in the northbound lanes of the interstate, causing the crash, Gonzalez said. The accident remains under investigation

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704216760410.png" alt="View of one of the vehicles involved in the deadly crash-photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>View of one of the vehicles involved in the deadly crash-photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CIT(AP) — Two people are dead after a robbery suspect's vehicle was going the wrong way on an interstate highway while being chased by officers early Tuesday and slammed into another vehicle, killing both drivers, police said.The accident happened just after 4 a.m. on Interstate 435 in Kansas City. Names of those killed have not been released.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704216864089.png" alt="photo of crash scene photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>photo of crash scene photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>Armed robberies occurred between around 2:30 a.m. and 4 a.m. at three convenience stores. Soon after the third crime, police saw the suspect vehicle and initiated a pursuit, police spokeswoman Alayna Gonzalez said in a news release.During the chase, the driver traveled south in the northbound lanes of the interstate, causing the crash, Gonzalez said. The accident remains under investigation

KC robbery suspect, other driver killed in wrong-way crash 

COFFEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities and officials with USD 245 Southern Coffey County in Leroy are investigating a social media threat to the school district, according to a statement from the Coffey County School District.

"No matter the credibility of any threat, the Sheriff's Office will investigate, and all steps will be taken to ensure all students and faculty are provided a safe learning environment," according to Sheriff, Thomas Johnson.

This case is currently active, and any individual identified as being responsible will be prosecuted. Anyone with information should contact Coffey County Sheriff's Office at 620-364-2123.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697128767642.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>COFFEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities and officials with USD 245 Southern Coffey County in Leroy are investigating a social media threat to the school district, according to a statement from the Coffey County School District."No matter the credibility of any threat, the Sheriff's Office will investigate, and all steps will be taken to ensure all students and faculty are provided a safe learning environment," according to Sheriff, Thomas Johnson.This case is currently active, and any individual identified as being responsible will be prosecuted. Anyone with information should contact Coffey County Sheriff's Office at 620-364-2123.

Sheriff: Alleged social media threat in Kansas school district

KANSAS CITY —Liberty Hospital, 2525 Glenn Hendren Drive, Liberty, Mo.,continues to investigate the disruption to their computer systems that began December 19.

On Friday night, the hospital reported the computer systems disruption has since been determined to be a cybersecurity incident, according to a statement on the hospital web site.

"We are in the process of confirming the nature and extent of the event. It is too soon to know how long confirmation will take or to provide a definitive recovery timeline."

"Liberty Hospital became aware of a disruption to our computer systems on December 19, 2023. The hospital proactively took its entire computer network offline, and the information technology (IT) team took immediate action to begin understanding the event while ensuring patients continued to receive safe care."

"Third-party cybersecurity specialists were quickly called in, and the hospital implemented additional safety protocols. In collaboration with numerous EMS teams and hospitals from across the Kansas City area, Liberty Hospital swiftly transferred patients who required higher levels of care than systems were equipped to support at that time. Clinical staff moved to downtime processes and innovative workarounds to safely care for patients who remained."

"During the next several days, the hospital's IT team and other specialists worked diligently to revive the affected systems safely and methodically. The hospital continued to perform low-risk procedures in the main operating rooms, outpatient surgery department and Birthing Center and accepted walk-in patients at the emergency department. Just in time for the busy holiday weekend, the hospital's emergency department opened to ambulances."

"Across the metro area, hospitals are at- or over-capacity, and we are doing our part to provide healthcare for sick patients as we are safely able to do so."

As of Dec. 28, many clinical and surgical services have resumed. If you have questions about an upcoming appointment, please call your clinic or the hospital in advance of your arrival.

The emergency department is caring for an increasing number of patients each day. Due to downtime patient safety procedures, typical ER wait times may be longer than usual. We encourage patients who may not require emergency care to seek care first from their primary care provider or Liberty Hospital Urgent Care Shoal Creek.

At Liberty Hospital Primary Care and Specialty Care clinics, prescription refills for outpatients may not occur electronically at this time. If you need a prescription refill, call your provider's office to ensure it will be submitted to your pharmacy.

"Patients with concerns about their billing are encouraged to call&nbsp;<a href="tel:+18167927110">816.792.7110</a>. Our customer service team will look at their concerns individually and address them accordingly."

"Patients scheduled for elective outpatient imaging – such as routine mammograms – should contact patient scheduling to avoid wait times. Beginning on Tuesday at 9:00 a.m., outpatient scheduling may be reached at&nbsp;<a href="tel:+18167927016">816.792.7016</a>. We regret any inconvenience this may cause."

Patient portals may not yet be accessible. In the meantime, patients may pay bills by phone Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703156650753.png" alt="Liberty Hospital courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Liberty Hospital courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Liberty Hospital, 2525 Glenn Hendren Drive, Liberty, Mo.,continues to investigate the disruption to their computer systems that began December 19.On Friday night, the hospital reported the computer systems disruption has since been determined to be a cybersecurity incident, according to a statement on the hospital web site. "We are in the process of confirming the nature and extent of the event. It is too soon to know how long confirmation will take or to provide a definitive recovery timeline.""Liberty Hospital became aware of a disruption to our computer systems on December 19, 2023. The hospital proactively took its entire computer network offline, and the information technology (IT) team took immediate action to begin understanding the event while ensuring patients continued to receive safe care.""Third-party cybersecurity specialists were quickly called in, and the hospital implemented additional safety protocols. In collaboration with numerous EMS teams and hospitals from across the Kansas City area, Liberty Hospital swiftly transferred patients who required higher levels of care than systems were equipped to support at that time. Clinical staff moved to downtime processes and innovative workarounds to safely care for patients who remained.""During the next several days, the hospital's IT team and other specialists worked diligently to revive the affected systems safely and methodically. The hospital continued to perform low-risk procedures in the main operating rooms, outpatient surgery department and Birthing Center and accepted walk-in patients at the emergency department. Just in time for the busy holiday weekend, the hospital's emergency department opened to ambulances.""Across the metro area, hospitals are at- or over-capacity, and we are doing our part to provide healthcare for sick patients as we are safely able to do so."As of Dec. 28, many clinical and surgical services have resumed. If you have questions about an upcoming appointment, please call your clinic or the hospital in advance of your arrival.The emergency department is caring for an increasing number of patients each day. Due to downtime patient safety procedures, typical ER wait times may be longer than usual. We encourage patients who may not require emergency care to seek care first from their primary care provider or Liberty Hospital Urgent Care Shoal Creek.At Liberty Hospital Primary Care and Specialty Care clinics, prescription refills for outpatients may not occur electronically at this time. If you need a prescription refill, call your provider's office to ensure it will be submitted to your pharmacy."Patients with concerns about their billing are encouraged to call&nbsp;<a href="tel:+18167927110">816.792.7110</a>. Our customer service team will look at their concerns individually and address them accordingly.""Patients scheduled for elective outpatient imaging – such as routine mammograms – should contact patient scheduling to avoid wait times. Beginning on Tuesday at 9:00 a.m., outpatient scheduling may be reached at&nbsp;<a href="tel:+18167927016">816.792.7016</a>. We regret any inconvenience this may cause."Patient portals may not yet be accessible. In the meantime, patients may pay bills by phone Monday - Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.<ul>
 <li>Liberty Hospital:&nbsp;<a href="tel:+18167927110">816.792.7110</a></li><li>Primary and Specialty Care Clinics:&nbsp;<a href="tel:+18167927110">816.792.7110</a></li><li>Liberty Hospital Outpatient Surgery Department:&nbsp;<a href="tel:+18167927110">816.792.7110</a></li><li>Urgent Care:&nbsp;<a href="tel:+18167927110">816.792.7110</a></li><li>Emergency Room Physicians:&nbsp;<a href="tel:+18166568648">816.656.8648</a></li>
 </ul>-----

KC-area hospital continues to battle cybersecurity incident 

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and after asking the public for help have identified the victim and are still working to notify family, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Office

An employee at Rocky Hollow Park found the body at about 8:15 a.m. December 22, off a roadway at the park, located at 14812 Old Quarry Road, Excelsior Springs.

Charges have been filed against a suspect in the homicide of the man whose body was located at Rocky Hollow Park on Dec. 22. Investigators need help to locate 48-year-old Elena Delcarmen Flores. She has been charged with 1st-degree murder, armed criminal action and abandonment of a corpse, according to the Clay County Sheriff.

She lives in Gardner, Kansas but investigators believe she may no longer be in the KC metro area. She may also go by Elena Torres, Elena Flores Garcia or Elena Stores. She is 5-foot-5 and 200 pounds. If you know where she is, call&nbsp; 816-407-3723 or <a href="https://twitter.com/KCCrimeStop">@KCCrimeStop</a> at 816-474-TIPS (8477). 2/2

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703285918610.png" alt="photo Clay Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>photo Clay Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and after asking the public for help have identified the victim and are still working to notify family, according to the Clay County Sheriff's OfficeAn employee at Rocky Hollow Park found the body at about 8:15 a.m. December 22, off a roadway at the park, located at 14812 Old Quarry Road, Excelsior Springs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703802024415.png" alt="Flores-photo Clay Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Flores-photo Clay Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Charges have been filed against a suspect in the homicide of the man whose body was located at Rocky Hollow Park on Dec. 22. Investigators need help to locate 48-year-old Elena Delcarmen Flores. She has been charged with 1st-degree murder, armed criminal action and abandonment of a corpse, according to the Clay County Sheriff.She lives in Gardner, Kansas but investigators believe she may no longer be in the KC metro area. She may also go by Elena Torres, Elena Flores Garcia or Elena Stores. She is 5-foot-5 and 200 pounds. If you know where she is, call&nbsp; 816-407-3723 or <a href="https://twitter.com/KCCrimeStop">@KCCrimeStop</a> at 816-474-TIPS (8477). 2/2

Search continues for Kansas woman for man's murder

WAJIMA, Japan (AP) — A series of powerful earthquakes that hit western Japan have left at least 55 people dead and damaged thousands of buildings, vehicles and boats. Officials warned Tuesday that more quakes could lie ahead.

Aftershocks continued to shake Ishikawa prefecture and nearby areas a day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-earthquake-tsunami-bfb94b14333379491953f7eb58c4e466">a magnitude 7.6 temblor</a>&nbsp;slammed the area.

Damage was so great that it could not immediately be assessed. Japanese media reports said tens of thousands of homes were destroyed.

Government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi said 17 people were seriously injured and gave a slightly lower death toll, saying he was aware of the prefecture's tally.

Water, power and cell phone service were still down in some areas. Residents expressed sorrow about their uncertain futures.

"It’s not just that it’s a mess. The wall has collapsed, and you can see through to the next room. I don’t think we can live here anymore,” Miki Kobayashi, an Ishikawa resident, said as she swept around her house.

The house was also damaged in a 2007 quake, she said.

Although casualty numbers continued to climb gradually, the prompt public warnings, relayed on broadcasts and phones, and the quick response from the general public and officials appeared to have limited some of the damage.

Toshitaka Katada, a University of Tokyo professor specializing in disasters, said people were prepared because the area had been hit by quakes in recent years. They had evacuation plans and emergency supplies in stock.

“There is probably no people on earth other than Japanese who are so disaster-ready,” he told The Associated Press.

Japan is frequently hit by earthquakes because of its location along the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.

Katada warned the situation remains precarious and unpredictable. The March 2011 quake and tsunami in northeastern Japan had been preceded by other quakes.

“This is far from over,” Katada said.

Predictions by scientists have repeatedly been proven wrong, such as with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-65736139597c4702962593dce94fd464">the 2016 quake in southwestern Kumamoto</a>, an area previously seen as relatively quake-free.

“Having too much confidence in the power of science is very dangerous. We are dealing with nature," Katada said.

Japanese media's aerial footage showed widespread damage in the hardest-hit spots, with landslides burying roads, boats tossed in the waters and a fire that had turned an entire section of Wajima city to ashes.

Japan’s military dispatched 1,000 soldiers to the disaster zones to join rescue efforts, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday.

“Saving lives is our priority and we are fighting a battle against time,” he said. “It is critical that people trapped in homes get rescued immediately.”

A quake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 shook the Ishikawa area as he was speaking. Quakes continued to rock the area, reaching more than 100 aftershocks over the past day.

Nuclear regulators said several nuclear plants in the region were operating normally. The 2011 quake and tsunami&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fukushima-nuclear-plant-timeline-0710658563458ed94c20517f49ff720f">caused three reactors to melt</a>&nbsp;and release large amounts of radiation at a nuclear plant in northeastern Japan.

On Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a major tsunami warning for Ishikawa and lower-level tsunami warnings or advisories for the rest of the western coast of Japan’s main island of Honshu, as well as for the northern island of Hokkaido.

The warning was downgraded several hours later, and all tsunami warnings were lifted as of early Tuesday. Waves measuring more than one meter (3 feet) hit some places.

Still, half-sunken ships floated in bays where tsunami waves had rolled in, leaving a muddied coastline.

People who were evacuated from their houses huddled in auditoriums, schools and community centers. Bullet trains in the region were halted, but service was mostly restored by Tuesday afternoon. Sections of highways were closed.

Weather forecasters predicted rain, setting off worries about crumbling buildings and infrastructure.

The region includes tourist spots famous for lacquerware and other traditional crafts, along with designated cultural heritage sites.

U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement that his administration was “ready to provide any necessary assistance for the Japanese people.”

WAJIMA, Japan (AP) — A series of powerful earthquakes that hit western Japan have left at least 48 people dead and damaged thousands of buildings, vehicles and boats. Officials warned that more quakes could lie ahead.

Aftershocks continued to shake Ishikawa prefecture and nearby areas a day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-earthquake-tsunami-bfb94b14333379491953f7eb58c4e466">a magnitude 7.6 temblor</a>&nbsp;slammed the area on Monday afternoon.

Forty-eight people were confirmed dead in Ishikawa, officials said. Sixteen others were seriously injured, while damage to homes was so great that it could not immediately be assessed, they said.

Japanese media reports said tens of thousands of homes were destroyed. Government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi said 17 people were seriously injured and gave a slightly lower death tally, while saying he was aware of the prefecture's tally.

Water, power and cell phone service were still down in some areas, and residents expressed sorrow about their destroyed homes and uncertain futures.

Their house was also damaged in a 2007 quake, she said.

Although casualty numbers continued to climb gradually, the prompt public warnings, relayed on broadcasts and phones, and the quick response from the general public and officials appeared to have kept at least some of the damage under control.

The rescue efforts that quickly followed from firefighters, police and the military proved a testament to how this nation has repeatedly withstood disasters, which have practically become a part of everyday life.

Toshitaka Katada, a University of Tokyo professor specializing in disasters, said the people were prepared because the area had been hit by quakes in recent years. They had evacuation plans and emergency supplies in stock.

“There is probably no people on earth other than Japanese who are so disaster-ready,” he said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.

Predictions by scientists have repeatedly been proven wrong, such as with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-65736139597c4702962593dce94fd464">the 2016 quake in southwestern Kumamoto</a>, an area previously seen as relatively quake-free. The only real projection possible is that you can't make projections, Katada added.

“Having too much confidence in the power of science is very dangerous. We are dealing with nature.”

Japanese media aerial footage showed widespread damage in the hardest-hit spots, with landslides burying roads, boats tossed in the waters and a major fire that had turned an entire section of Wajima city to ashes.

A quake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 shook the Ishikawa area as he was speaking. More quakes continued to rock the area, reaching more than 100 aftershocks over the past day.

News videos showed rows of collapsed houses. Some wooden structures were flattened and cars were overturned. Half-sunken ships floated in bays where tsunami waves had rolled in, leaving a muddied coastline.

Weather forecasters predicted rain, setting off worries about already crumbling buildings and infrastructure.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704110268813.png" alt="Location of the 7.6 magnitude earthquake -USGS image" />
 <figcaption>Location of the 7.6 magnitude earthquake -USGS image</figcaption>
 </figure>WAJIMA, Japan (AP) — A series of powerful earthquakes that hit western Japan have left at least 55 people dead and damaged thousands of buildings, vehicles and boats. Officials warned Tuesday that more quakes could lie ahead.Aftershocks continued to shake Ishikawa prefecture and nearby areas a day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-earthquake-tsunami-bfb94b14333379491953f7eb58c4e466">a magnitude 7.6 temblor</a>&nbsp;slammed the area.Damage was so great that it could not immediately be assessed. Japanese media reports said tens of thousands of homes were destroyed.Government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi said 17 people were seriously injured and gave a slightly lower death toll, saying he was aware of the prefecture's tally.Water, power and cell phone service were still down in some areas. Residents expressed sorrow about their uncertain futures."It’s not just that it’s a mess. The wall has collapsed, and you can see through to the next room. I don’t think we can live here anymore,” Miki Kobayashi, an Ishikawa resident, said as she swept around her house.The house was also damaged in a 2007 quake, she said.Although casualty numbers continued to climb gradually, the prompt public warnings, relayed on broadcasts and phones, and the quick response from the general public and officials appeared to have limited some of the damage.Toshitaka Katada, a University of Tokyo professor specializing in disasters, said people were prepared because the area had been hit by quakes in recent years. They had evacuation plans and emergency supplies in stock.“There is probably no people on earth other than Japanese who are so disaster-ready,” he told The Associated Press.Japan is frequently hit by earthquakes because of its location along the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.Katada warned the situation remains precarious and unpredictable. The March 2011 quake and tsunami in northeastern Japan had been preceded by other quakes.“This is far from over,” Katada said.Predictions by scientists have repeatedly been proven wrong, such as with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-65736139597c4702962593dce94fd464">the 2016 quake in southwestern Kumamoto</a>, an area previously seen as relatively quake-free.“Having too much confidence in the power of science is very dangerous. We are dealing with nature," Katada said.Japanese media's aerial footage showed widespread damage in the hardest-hit spots, with landslides burying roads, boats tossed in the waters and a fire that had turned an entire section of Wajima city to ashes.Japan’s military dispatched 1,000 soldiers to the disaster zones to join rescue efforts, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday.“Saving lives is our priority and we are fighting a battle against time,” he said. “It is critical that people trapped in homes get rescued immediately.”A quake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 shook the Ishikawa area as he was speaking. Quakes continued to rock the area, reaching more than 100 aftershocks over the past day.Nuclear regulators said several nuclear plants in the region were operating normally. The 2011 quake and tsunami&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fukushima-nuclear-plant-timeline-0710658563458ed94c20517f49ff720f">caused three reactors to melt</a>&nbsp;and release large amounts of radiation at a nuclear plant in northeastern Japan.On Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a major tsunami warning for Ishikawa and lower-level tsunami warnings or advisories for the rest of the western coast of Japan’s main island of Honshu, as well as for the northern island of Hokkaido.The warning was downgraded several hours later, and all tsunami warnings were lifted as of early Tuesday. Waves measuring more than one meter (3 feet) hit some places.Still, half-sunken ships floated in bays where tsunami waves had rolled in, leaving a muddied coastline.People who were evacuated from their houses huddled in auditoriums, schools and community centers. Bullet trains in the region were halted, but service was mostly restored by Tuesday afternoon. Sections of highways were closed.Weather forecasters predicted rain, setting off worries about crumbling buildings and infrastructure.The region includes tourist spots famous for lacquerware and other traditional crafts, along with designated cultural heritage sites.U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement that his administration was “ready to provide any necessary assistance for the Japanese people.”___WAJIMA, Japan (AP) — A series of powerful earthquakes that hit western Japan have left at least 48 people dead and damaged thousands of buildings, vehicles and boats. Officials warned that more quakes could lie ahead.Aftershocks continued to shake Ishikawa prefecture and nearby areas a day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/japan-earthquake-tsunami-bfb94b14333379491953f7eb58c4e466">a magnitude 7.6 temblor</a>&nbsp;slammed the area on Monday afternoon.Forty-eight people were confirmed dead in Ishikawa, officials said. Sixteen others were seriously injured, while damage to homes was so great that it could not immediately be assessed, they said.Japanese media reports said tens of thousands of homes were destroyed. Government spokesperson Yoshimasa Hayashi said 17 people were seriously injured and gave a slightly lower death tally, while saying he was aware of the prefecture's tally.Water, power and cell phone service were still down in some areas, and residents expressed sorrow about their destroyed homes and uncertain futures."It’s not just that it’s a mess. The wall has collapsed, and you can see through to the next room. I don’t think we can live here anymore,” Miki Kobayashi, an Ishikawa resident, said as she swept around her house.Their house was also damaged in a 2007 quake, she said.Although casualty numbers continued to climb gradually, the prompt public warnings, relayed on broadcasts and phones, and the quick response from the general public and officials appeared to have kept at least some of the damage under control.The rescue efforts that quickly followed from firefighters, police and the military proved a testament to how this nation has repeatedly withstood disasters, which have practically become a part of everyday life.Toshitaka Katada, a University of Tokyo professor specializing in disasters, said the people were prepared because the area had been hit by quakes in recent years. They had evacuation plans and emergency supplies in stock.“There is probably no people on earth other than Japanese who are so disaster-ready,” he said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press.Katada warned the situation remains precarious and unpredictable. The March 2011 quake and tsunami in northeastern Japan had been preceded by other quakes.“This is far from over,” Katada said.Predictions by scientists have repeatedly been proven wrong, such as with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-65736139597c4702962593dce94fd464">the 2016 quake in southwestern Kumamoto</a>, an area previously seen as relatively quake-free. The only real projection possible is that you can't make projections, Katada added.“Having too much confidence in the power of science is very dangerous. We are dealing with nature.”Japanese media aerial footage showed widespread damage in the hardest-hit spots, with landslides burying roads, boats tossed in the waters and a major fire that had turned an entire section of Wajima city to ashes.Japan’s military dispatched 1,000 soldiers to the disaster zones to join rescue efforts, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday.“Saving lives is our priority and we are fighting a battle against time,” he said. “It is critical that people trapped in homes get rescued immediately.”A quake with a preliminary magnitude of 5.6 shook the Ishikawa area as he was speaking. More quakes continued to rock the area, reaching more than 100 aftershocks over the past day.Nuclear regulators said several nuclear plants in the region were operating normally. The 2011 quake and tsunami&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fukushima-nuclear-plant-timeline-0710658563458ed94c20517f49ff720f">caused three reactors to melt</a>&nbsp;and release large amounts of radiation at a nuclear plant in northeastern Japan.News videos showed rows of collapsed houses. Some wooden structures were flattened and cars were overturned. Half-sunken ships floated in bays where tsunami waves had rolled in, leaving a muddied coastline.On Monday, the Japan Meteorological Agency issued a major tsunami warning for Ishikawa and lower-level tsunami warnings or advisories for the rest of the western coast of Japan’s main island of Honshu, as well as for the northern island of Hokkaido.The warning was downgraded several hours later, and all tsunami warnings were lifted as of early Tuesday. Waves measuring more than one meter (3 feet) hit some places.People who were evacuated from their houses huddled in auditoriums, schools and community centers. Bullet trains in the region were halted, but service was mostly restored by Tuesday afternoon. Sections of highways were closed.Weather forecasters predicted rain, setting off worries about already crumbling buildings and infrastructure.The region includes tourist spots famous for lacquerware and other traditional crafts, along with designated cultural heritage sites.U.S. President Joe Biden said in a statement that his administration was “ready to provide any necessary assistance for the Japanese people.”Japan is frequently hit by earthquakes because of its location along the “Ring of Fire,” an arc of volcanoes and fault lines in the Pacific Basin.

Death toll climbs after powerful earthquakes rock Japan

WASHINGTON (AP) — After months of extra duty at sea providing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war" target="_blank">protection for Israel</a>, the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group will be heading home, the Navy announced Monday.

The Ford and its accompanying warships will be replaced by the amphibious assault ship the USS Bataan and its accompanying warships, the USS Mesa Verde and the USS Carter Hall. The three vessels had been in the Red Sea and have been transiting toward the Eastern Mediterranean over the last few days.

The Ford will sail for home “in the coming days,” the U.S. 6th Fleet, the European-based U.S. naval command that’s responsible for ships sailing in the Mediterranean, said in a statement

The Ford was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-american-carrier-strike-force-mediterranean-db05d535a9ebb931f684f758c9b6f628" target="_blank">sent to the Eastern Mediterranean</a>&nbsp;to be within striking distance of Israel since the day after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks. The carrier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ford-navy-israel-hamas-iran-25a387e50b4ad9054e8be753c59464e4" target="_blank">stayed in the Eastern Mediterranean</a>&nbsp;while its accompanying warships had sailed into the Red Sea, where they repeatedly intercepted incoming ballistic missiles and attack drones fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-us-austin-b606e2bc61b57493cd2d322ebd1885d6" target="_blank">visited the Ford</a>&nbsp;last month.

Since it was extended in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Ford and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier have been part of a two-carrier presence bracketing the Israel-Hamas war, underscoring U.S. concerns that the conflict will widen. The Eisenhower has recently patrolled near the Gulf of Aden, at the mouth of the Red Sea waterway, where so many commercial vessels have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/attacks-red-sea-navy-mission-missiles-286d51bfd65e741e839e185f0f4a455b" target="_blank">come under attack</a>&nbsp;in recent weeks.

On Sunday, helicopters from the Eisenhower and its destroyer the USS Gravely responded to a distress call from the container ship Maersk Hangzhou, which was under attack by four Iranian-backed Houthi small boats. As the helicopters responded, the boats fired at them with crew-served weapons and small arms and the helicopters returned fire, sinking three of the four boats and killing their crews, the U.S. Central Command said.

The incessant attacks on the commercial ships have led some companies to suspend transits through the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Gulf of Aden to the southern Red Sea and then the Suez Canal.

The Bataan’s accompanying warship the Mesa Verde is a transport dock ship, carrying approximately 2,000 Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Those Marines provide “forces capable of supporting a wide range of missions,” the U.S. 6th Fleet said. The Carter Hall is a dock landing ship, which carries amphibious landing craft and their crews. Both vessels and the Bataan can support rotary aircraft; the Bataan can also carry and support Marine Corps’ F-35 vertical takeoff fighter aircraft.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696803172229.png" alt="The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in mid October-photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>The USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group arrived in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in mid October-photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — After months of extra duty at sea providing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war" target="_blank">protection for Israel</a>, the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group will be heading home, the Navy announced Monday.The Ford and its accompanying warships will be replaced by the amphibious assault ship the USS Bataan and its accompanying warships, the USS Mesa Verde and the USS Carter Hall. The three vessels had been in the Red Sea and have been transiting toward the Eastern Mediterranean over the last few days.The Ford will sail for home “in the coming days,” the U.S. 6th Fleet, the European-based U.S. naval command that’s responsible for ships sailing in the Mediterranean, said in a statementThe Ford was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-american-carrier-strike-force-mediterranean-db05d535a9ebb931f684f758c9b6f628" target="_blank">sent to the Eastern Mediterranean</a>&nbsp;to be within striking distance of Israel since the day after Hamas’ Oct. 7 attacks. The carrier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ford-navy-israel-hamas-iran-25a387e50b4ad9054e8be753c59464e4" target="_blank">stayed in the Eastern Mediterranean</a>&nbsp;while its accompanying warships had sailed into the Red Sea, where they repeatedly intercepted incoming ballistic missiles and attack drones fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-us-austin-b606e2bc61b57493cd2d322ebd1885d6" target="_blank">visited the Ford</a>&nbsp;last month.Since it was extended in the Eastern Mediterranean, the Ford and the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier have been part of a two-carrier presence bracketing the Israel-Hamas war, underscoring U.S. concerns that the conflict will widen. The Eisenhower has recently patrolled near the Gulf of Aden, at the mouth of the Red Sea waterway, where so many commercial vessels have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/attacks-red-sea-navy-mission-missiles-286d51bfd65e741e839e185f0f4a455b" target="_blank">come under attack</a>&nbsp;in recent weeks.On Sunday, helicopters from the Eisenhower and its destroyer the USS Gravely responded to a distress call from the container ship Maersk Hangzhou, which was under attack by four Iranian-backed Houthi small boats. As the helicopters responded, the boats fired at them with crew-served weapons and small arms and the helicopters returned fire, sinking three of the four boats and killing their crews, the U.S. Central Command said.The incessant attacks on the commercial ships have led some companies to suspend transits through the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which connects the Gulf of Aden to the southern Red Sea and then the Suez Canal.The Bataan’s accompanying warship the Mesa Verde is a transport dock ship, carrying approximately 2,000 Marines from the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit. Those Marines provide “forces capable of supporting a wide range of missions,” the U.S. 6th Fleet said. The Carter Hall is a dock landing ship, which carries amphibious landing craft and their crews. Both vessels and the Bataan can support rotary aircraft; the Bataan can also carry and support Marine Corps’ F-35 vertical takeoff fighter aircraft.

US to bring home aircraft carrier after deployment defending Israel

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a New Year's Eve house fire in Kansas City.

Just after 4:30a.m. Sunday, crews responded to a reported house fire in the 3700 block of Wayne Street, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. Crews reported heavy smoke and fire showing from a two-story house.

&nbsp;There appeared to be someone living in the home. However, there were no utilities, gas or electric. Fire crews never made contact with occupants of the home.

The water supply needed to fight this fire was delayed due to a car being parked in front of the closest hydrant.

There were no injuries reported at this fire. The KCFD would like to remind individuals that it is illegal to park in front of a fire hydrant, and you should leave a minimum of 15 feet of clearance. Officials did not release a damage estimate.

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a New Year's Eve house fire in Kansas City.Just after 4:30a.m. Sunday, crews responded to a reported house fire in the 3700 block of Wayne Street, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. Crews reported heavy smoke and fire showing from a two-story house.&nbsp;There appeared to be someone living in the home. However, there were no utilities, gas or electric. Fire crews never made contact with occupants of the home.The water supply needed to fight this fire was delayed due to a car being parked in front of the closest hydrant.There were no injuries reported at this fire. The KCFD would like to remind individuals that it is illegal to park in front of a fire hydrant, and you should leave a minimum of 15 feet of clearance. Officials did not release a damage estimate.

Car parked in front of hydrant delays getting water to KC house fire

JOHNSON COUNTY —A registered Kansas sex offender has been charged with new allegations.

Bobby Holder, 72, is charged with sexual exploitation of a child, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's Office

According to court documents, Holder recorded children during an incident on November 1.&nbsp; Holder has been registered as a sex offender since 2008 for a conviction on four counts of sexual exploitation of a child in Olathe, according to the KBI offender registry.

He is being held on a $100,000 bond and is due back in court Feb. 14, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1704040353292.png" alt="Holder-photo KBI offender registry&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Holder-photo KBI offender registry&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A registered Kansas sex offender has been charged with new allegations.Bobby Holder, 72, is charged with sexual exploitation of a child, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's OfficeAccording to court documents, Holder recorded children during an incident on November 1.&nbsp; Holder has been registered as a sex offender since 2008 for a conviction on four counts of sexual exploitation of a child in Olathe, according to the KBI offender registry.He is being held on a $100,000 bond and is due back in court Feb. 14, according to online jail records.

Kansas sex offender jailed on new child sex allegations

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of an inmate in the dorm at the Sedgwick County Department of Corrections Adult Residential and Work Release Program.

Just after 5:30 a.m. New Year's Day, a corrections officer was doing a dorm check according to a news release. One of the residential clients told the officer that the 22-year-old man was not doing well.

The officer found the man unresponsive. Corrections staff and EMS attempted life-saving measures but he was pronounced deceased.

The inmate, whose name has not been released, had been convicted of burglary and theft. He was court-assigned to the adult residential facility on Dec. 20.&nbsp;

The Kansas Bureau of Investigations, Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division and the District Coroner’s Office are in charge of the investigation, according to the release.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of an inmate in the dorm at the Sedgwick County Department of Corrections Adult Residential and Work Release Program.Just after 5:30 a.m. New Year's Day, a corrections officer was doing a dorm check according to a news release. One of the residential clients told the officer that the 22-year-old man was not doing well.The officer found the man unresponsive. Corrections staff and EMS attempted life-saving measures but he was pronounced deceased.The inmate, whose name has not been released, had been convicted of burglary and theft. He was court-assigned to the adult residential facility on Dec. 20.&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigations, Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division and the District Coroner’s Office are in charge of the investigation, according to the release.

Inmate found dead at Kan. residential work release facility

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on drug allegations.

Just before&nbsp;9:30p.m. Dec. 29, a Sheriff’s Deputy stopped a black, Hyundai Sonata on U.S. 75 just south of 142nd Road for traffic violations, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

&nbsp; During the traffic stop, the deputy conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle, which revealed drug paraphernalia, hallucinogenic drugs, cocaine and an open container of alcohol.

The deputy arrested the driver, 31-year-old Ian Jameel Norvell Black of Topeka, on requested charge Possession of cocaine, Possession of hallucinogenic drugs, Possession of drug paraphernalia,&nbsp;Transporting an open container,Violation of restrictions on driver’s license, Defective tail lamp on motor vehicle and Improper driving on laned roadway.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1704055615779.png" alt="Black photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Black photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on drug allegations.Just before&nbsp;9:30p.m. Dec. 29, a Sheriff’s Deputy stopped a black, Hyundai Sonata on U.S. 75 just south of 142nd Road for traffic violations, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp; During the traffic stop, the deputy conducted a probable cause search of the vehicle, which revealed drug paraphernalia, hallucinogenic drugs, cocaine and an open container of alcohol.The deputy arrested the driver, 31-year-old Ian Jameel Norvell Black of Topeka, on requested charge Possession of cocaine, Possession of hallucinogenic drugs, Possession of drug paraphernalia,&nbsp;Transporting an open container,Violation of restrictions on driver’s license, Defective tail lamp on motor vehicle and Improper driving on laned roadway.

Kan. man caught driving with cocaine, open container of alcohol

NEW YORK (AP) —<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/social-media">Social media</a>&nbsp;companies collectively made over $11 billion in U.S. advertising revenue from minors last year, according to a study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health published on Wednesday.

The researchers say the findings show a need for government regulation of social media since the companies that stand to make money from children who use their platforms have failed to meaningfully self-regulate. They note such regulations, as well greater transparency from tech companies, could help alleviate harms to youth mental health and curtail potentially harmful advertising practices that target children and adolescents.

To come up with the revenue figure, the researchers estimated the number of users under 18 on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube in 2022 based on population data from the U.S. Census and survey data from Common Sense Media and Pew Research. They then used data from research firm eMarketer, now called Insider Intelligence, and Qustodio, a parental control app, to estimate each platform's U.S. ad revenue in 2022 and the time children spent per day on each platform. After that, the researchers said they built a simulation model using the data to estimate how much ad revenue the platforms earned from minors in the U.S.

Researchers and lawmakers have long focused on the negative effects stemming from social media platforms, whose personally-tailored algorithms can drive children towards excessive use. This year, lawmakers in states like New York and Utah introduced or passed legislation that would curb social media use among kids, citing harms to youth mental health and other concerns.

Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, is also being sued by dozens of states for allegedly contributing to the mental health crisis.

“Although social media platforms may claim that they can self-regulate their practices to reduce the harms to young people, they have yet to do so, and our study suggests they have overwhelming financial incentives to continue to delay taking meaningful steps to protect children," said Bryn Austin, a professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Harvard and a senior author on the study.

The platforms themselves don't make public how much money they earn from minors.

Social media platforms are not the first to advertise to children, and parents and experts have long expressed concerns about marketing to kids online, on television and even in schools. But online ads can be especially insidious because they can be targeted to children and because the line between ads and the content kids seek out is often blurry.

In a&nbsp;<a href="https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/146/1/e20201681/37013/Digital-Advertising-to-Children">2020 policy paper</a>, the American Academy of Pediatrics said children are “uniquely vulnerable to the persuasive effects of advertising because of immature critical thinking skills and impulse inhibition.”

“School-aged children and teenagers may be able to recognize advertising but often are not able to resist it when it is embedded within trusted social networks, encouraged by celebrity influencers, or delivered next to personalized content,” the paper noted.

As concerns about social media and children's mental health grow, the Federal Trade Commission earlier this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ftc-children-social-media-games-coppa-352ba63293832ee930f0c137aac735de">proposed sweeping changes</a>&nbsp;to a decades-old law that regulates how online companies can track and advertise to children. The proposed changes include turning off targeted ads to kids under 13 by default and limiting push notifications.

According to the Harvard study, YouTube derived the greatest ad revenue from users 12 and under ($959.1 million), followed by Instagram ($801.1 million) and Facebook ($137.2 million).

Instagram, meanwhile, derived the greatest ad revenue from users aged 13-17 ($4 billion), followed by TikTok ($2 billion) and YouTube ($1.2 billion).

The researchers also estimate that Snapchat derived the greatest share of its overall 2022 ad revenue from users under 18 (41%), followed by TikTok (35%), YouTube (27%), and Instagram (16%).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1578090484280.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/social-media">Social media</a>&nbsp;companies collectively made over $11 billion in U.S. advertising revenue from minors last year, according to a study from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health published on Wednesday.The researchers say the findings show a need for government regulation of social media since the companies that stand to make money from children who use their platforms have failed to meaningfully self-regulate. They note such regulations, as well greater transparency from tech companies, could help alleviate harms to youth mental health and curtail potentially harmful advertising practices that target children and adolescents.To come up with the revenue figure, the researchers estimated the number of users under 18 on Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter) and YouTube in 2022 based on population data from the U.S. Census and survey data from Common Sense Media and Pew Research. They then used data from research firm eMarketer, now called Insider Intelligence, and Qustodio, a parental control app, to estimate each platform's U.S. ad revenue in 2022 and the time children spent per day on each platform. After that, the researchers said they built a simulation model using the data to estimate how much ad revenue the platforms earned from minors in the U.S.Researchers and lawmakers have long focused on the negative effects stemming from social media platforms, whose personally-tailored algorithms can drive children towards excessive use. This year, lawmakers in states like New York and Utah introduced or passed legislation that would curb social media use among kids, citing harms to youth mental health and other concerns.Meta, which owns Instagram and Facebook, is also being sued by dozens of states for allegedly contributing to the mental health crisis.“Although social media platforms may claim that they can self-regulate their practices to reduce the harms to young people, they have yet to do so, and our study suggests they have overwhelming financial incentives to continue to delay taking meaningful steps to protect children," said Bryn Austin, a professor in the Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Harvard and a senior author on the study.The platforms themselves don't make public how much money they earn from minors.Social media platforms are not the first to advertise to children, and parents and experts have long expressed concerns about marketing to kids online, on television and even in schools. But online ads can be especially insidious because they can be targeted to children and because the line between ads and the content kids seek out is often blurry.In a&nbsp;<a href="https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/146/1/e20201681/37013/Digital-Advertising-to-Children">2020 policy paper</a>, the American Academy of Pediatrics said children are “uniquely vulnerable to the persuasive effects of advertising because of immature critical thinking skills and impulse inhibition.”“School-aged children and teenagers may be able to recognize advertising but often are not able to resist it when it is embedded within trusted social networks, encouraged by celebrity influencers, or delivered next to personalized content,” the paper noted.As concerns about social media and children's mental health grow, the Federal Trade Commission earlier this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ftc-children-social-media-games-coppa-352ba63293832ee930f0c137aac735de">proposed sweeping changes</a>&nbsp;to a decades-old law that regulates how online companies can track and advertise to children. The proposed changes include turning off targeted ads to kids under 13 by default and limiting push notifications.According to the Harvard study, YouTube derived the greatest ad revenue from users 12 and under ($959.1 million), followed by Instagram ($801.1 million) and Facebook ($137.2 million).Instagram, meanwhile, derived the greatest ad revenue from users aged 13-17 ($4 billion), followed by TikTok ($2 billion) and YouTube ($1.2 billion).The researchers also estimate that Snapchat derived the greatest share of its overall 2022 ad revenue from users under 18 (41%), followed by TikTok (35%), YouTube (27%), and Instagram (16%).

Report: Social media companies made $11 billion in US ad revenue from minors

BY Zachary Roth&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>&nbsp;

With U.S. democracy plagued by extremism, polarization and a growing disconnect between voters and lawmakers, a set of reforms that could dramatically upend how Americans vote is gaining momentum at surprising speed in Western states.

Ranked choice voting, which asks voters to rank multiple candidates in order of preference, has seen its profile steadily expand since 2016, when Maine became the first state to adopt it. But increasingly, RCV is being paired with a new system for primaries known as Final Five — or in some cases, Final Four — that advances multiple candidates, regardless of party, to the general election.

Together, proponents argue, these twin reforms deliver fairer outcomes that better reflect the will of voters, while disempowering the extremes and encouraging candidates and elected officials to prioritize conciliation and compromise.

Ultimately, they say, the new system can help create a government focused not on partisan point-scoring but on delivering tangible results that improve voters’ lives.

Alaska, the only state currently using RCV-plus-Final Four or Final-Five, appears to be seeing some benefits to its political culture already: After years of partisan rancor, both legislative chambers are now controlled by bipartisan majorities eager to find common ground and respond to the needs of voters, say lawmakers in the state who have embraced the new system.

A slew of other states could soon follow in Alaska’s footsteps. Last year, Nevada voters approved a constitutional amendment that would create an RCV-plus-Final-Five system — for the measure to take effect, voters must approve it again next year.

Efforts also are underway to get RCV-plus-Final-Five on Arizona’s 2024 ballot, and RCV-plus-Final-Four in Colorado and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/idaho-open-primary-ballot-initiative-reaches-50000-signature-milestone%C2%A0">Idaho</a>&nbsp;— where organizers announced earlier this month that they’ve gathered 50,000 signatures (they need around 63,000 to qualify). Even Wisconsin Republicans, who in the redistricting sphere have fought reform efforts tooth and nail, in December held a hearing for bipartisan legislation that would create RCV-plus-Final-Five, though its prospects appear dim.

Meanwhile, Oregon voters will decide next year whether to adopt RCV alone. And this year, Minnesota and Illinois lawmakers passed bills to study RCV, while Connecticut approved a measure that allows local governments to use it.

There are even flickers of interest at the national level. In December alone, two leading Washington, D.C. think tanks that often find themselves on opposite sides — the conservative American Enterprise Institute and the liberal Center for American Progress — each held separate panel discussions that considered RCV-plus-Final-Four/Five.

Katherine Gehl, the founder of the Institute for Political Innovation, and the designer of the Final Four/Five system, calls RCV-plus-Final-Five “transformational.” (Her organization now says advancing five candidates to the general works best, by giving voters more choices.)

“There’s a huge pressure on reformers to say, this is not a silver bullet,” said Gehl. “And OK, I get that.”

But, she added, “I think it’s as close to a silver bullet as you can come.”

Meanwhile, a backlash to change is brewing, with several Republican-led states banning RCV in recent years. A coalition of national conservative election groups last month&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://electiontransparency.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/11/ETI_WI_Coalition_Letter.pdf">warned</a>&nbsp;Wisconsin’s legislative leaders that RCV and Final Five are “intended to dramatically push our politics to the Left.”

Here’s how RCV-plus-Final-Four/Five works.

In the primary election, candidates from all parties compete against each other, with voters picking only their top choice, as in a conventional election. The top four or five finishers, regardless of party, advance to the general.

In the general, voters use RCV to pick the winner. They fill out their ballot by ranking as many of the candidates as they want, by order of preference.

If no candidate wins a majority of first-place votes, the candidate who finished last is eliminated, and his or her supporters’ second-place votes are allocated. If there’s still no candidate with a majority, the process is repeated with the next-to-last candidate. This continues until someone gains a majority and is declared the winner.

Supporters of the system say the Final Four/Five primary gives a voice to a broader share of voters, while the use of RCV in the general helps ensure a fairer result. Under the current system, two similar candidates together may win a clear majority but split voters between them, allowing a third candidate to win with a minority of votes.

But even more important, many advocates argue, is how the two reforms together can change how candidates and elected officials of all stripes approach their jobs, by adjusting the incentive structure they operate under.

Increasingly, many states and districts are solidly red or blue, meaning the general election is uncompetitive, and the key race takes place in the primary. That’s a problem, because the primary electorate is by and large smaller, more partisan and more extreme than the general electorate.

Right now, with politicians worrying more about the primary than the general, they’re more focused on playing to their base than on reaching beyond it and solving problems, critics argue. It isn’t hard to find evidence for this lately, both in Washington and in state capitals across the country.

By allowing multiple candidates to advance, Final Four/Five shifts the crucial election from the primary to the general. And RCV means the votes of Democrats in red districts and Republicans in blue ones still matter, even if their top choice remains unlikely to win.

Together, it means candidates are rewarded for paying attention to the entire general electorate, not just a small slice of staunch supporters. As a result, it encourages candidates — and elected officials, once in office — toward moderation and problem-solving, and away from extremism.

“People do what it takes to get and keep their jobs,” said Gehl, the Final Four/Five designer. “So if you change who hires and fires, which is to say, November voters instead of primary voters, and you change the system so that there’s real competition in November every time, even once you’re an incumbent, that forces accountability.”

The experience of Alaska, whose voters passed an RCV-plus-Final-Four system in 2020, offers an illustration.

At its first use in 2022, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an independent-minded Republican distrusted by the party’s conservative wing, was reelected. Mary Peltola, a moderate Democrat who kept in place her Republican predecessor’s chief of staff, was elected to the U.S. House, defeating Sarah Palin, the conservative Republican former governor. (Murkowski and Peltola endorsed each other).

Meanwhile, voters reelected Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a conservative Republican – suggesting, reformers say, that the system can produce a wide range of outcomes.

And more women ran in 2022 than in the five previous cycles combined — highlighting how allowing anyone to run, regardless of party, can boost opportunities for under-represented groups.

But the effect on how candidates and lawmakers have approached their jobs has been more dramatic still, advocates say.

Senate Majority Leader Cathy Giessel, a Republican, told the Center for American Progress event that, after angering GOP voters by working collaboratively with Democrats, she lost her 2020 primary, held under the old election system, to a staunch conservative. Giessel had been in office since 2011.

Giessel said that when she ran again last year under RCV-plus-Final-Four, her campaign didn’t even buy the database showing voters’ party affiliations that most candidates rely on to identify supporters, because she needed to target voters of all stripes. Helped by being the second choice of many Democratic voters in the general election, Giessel won back her seat.

“You’re requiring us as candidates to be much more authentic,” said Giessel of the new system. “We’re not speaking to a party platform anymore. We’re speaking to the citizens.”

Giessel now leads a bipartisan majority coalition, formed within days of the election. Members have focused on consensus issues that are priorities for voters, including boosting education funding, lowering the cost of energy and passing a balanced budget.

“We have seen much more collaboration on the budget,” said Giessel. “There’s a much more open process now, understanding that everyone needs to have input.“

An&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://rstreet.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/REALFINAL_policy-short-no-122-no-embargo.pdf">analysis</a>&nbsp;by the R Street Institute, a center-right Washington, D.C. think tank, found that Alaska’s new election system “gave citizens greater choice and elevated the most broadly appealing candidates, in turn improving representation.”

Reformers in Nevada — gearing up for next year’s campaign to pass RCV-plus-Final-Five a second time after it won with 53% of the vote last year — have noticed Alaska’s early success.

Over 40% of all registered voters in the Silver State aren’t affiliated with a major party, and the figure is growing. It was these voters’ frustration over being denied a voice in the state’s taxpayer-funded closed primaries that initially drove the push for reform, said Mike Draper, the communications director for Nevada Voters First, a political action committee that organized the ballot measure.

As in Alaska and elsewhere, there was also a related concern about politicians playing only to their base.

“Candidates and electeds, through no fault of their own, are not incentivized to … work to solve problems,” said Draper. “The primary incentive is to make sure they stay in the good graces either of the party, or of that fringe group that’s active in the primaries.”

Top figures in both major parties, including Nevada’s Republican governor and its two Democratic U.S. senators, oppose reform. A lawsuit brought by Democratic super-lawyer Marc Elias that aimed to keep the measure off the 2022 ballot was rejected by a judge.

Though elected Democrats in Nevada and some other blue states have come out against reform, the most vocal opponents have been red-state Republicans and national conservative groups. They argue it would confuse voters and further reduce confidence in election results.

Some even see a progressive plot. An October&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://thefga.org/research/ranked-choice-voting-partisan-plot-to-disrupt-elections/">analysis</a>&nbsp;by the conservative Foundation for Government Accountability called RCV a “scheme of the Left to disenfranchise voters and elect more Democrats.”

Florida, Tennessee, Idaho, Montana, and South Dakota — all Republican-controlled states — have passed legislation in recent years to ban RCV. Arizona’s GOP-controlled legislature also passed an RCV ban, but it was vetoed by Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat.

In Alaska, conservatives have launched a campaign to advance a ballot measure repealing their state’s reform. Palin, who has blamed the system for her loss to Peltola last year, calling it “wack,” is playing a prominent role in the effort.

Still, advocates say there are also signs of emerging interest among some Republicans in other states.

Last year, the GOP lost several winnable statewide races after primary voters nominated extremists like Doug Mastriano in Pennsylvania and Kari Lake in Arizona. Now, some in the party think reform could allow them to advance more electable candidates.

“Even among Republicans, I’ve had my fair share of conversations where they are starting to recognize that the system isn’t putting forward candidates who are necessarily the best general election winners,” said Matt Germer, an associate director and elections fellow at the R Street Institute.

“So there’s even some growing interest among Republican electeds to say, hey, what we’re doing now is not growing our party. And if we really want to change our country, we’re going to need to grow our party, and that means appealing to enough voters to win elections.”

<a target="_blank" href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="mailto:info@stateline.org">info@stateline.org</a>. Follow Stateline on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://facebook.com/statelinenewsroom">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/stateline_news">Twitter</a>.

BY Zachary Roth&nbsp;&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>&nbsp;With U.S. democracy plagued by extremism, polarization and a growing disconnect between voters and lawmakers, a set of reforms that could dramatically upend how Americans vote is gaining momentum at surprising speed in Western states.Ranked choice voting, which asks voters to rank multiple candidates in order of preference, has seen its profile steadily expand since 2016, when Maine became the first state to adopt it. But increasingly, RCV is being paired with a new system for primaries known as Final Five — or in some cases, Final Four — that advances multiple candidates, regardless of party, to the general election.Together, proponents argue, these twin reforms deliver fairer outcomes that better reflect the will of voters, while disempowering the extremes and encouraging candidates and elected officials to prioritize conciliation and compromise.Ultimately, they say, the new system can help create a government focused not on partisan point-scoring but on delivering tangible results that improve voters’ lives.Alaska, the only state currently using RCV-plus-Final Four or Final-Five, appears to be seeing some benefits to its political culture already: After years of partisan rancor, both legislative chambers are now controlled by bipartisan majorities eager to find common ground and respond to the needs of voters, say lawmakers in the state who have embraced the new system.A slew of other states could soon follow in Alaska’s footsteps. Last year, Nevada voters approved a constitutional amendment that would create an RCV-plus-Final-Five system — for the measure to take effect, voters must approve it again next year.Efforts also are underway to get RCV-plus-Final-Five on Arizona’s 2024 ballot, and RCV-plus-Final-Four in Colorado and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/idaho-open-primary-ballot-initiative-reaches-50000-signature-milestone%C2%A0">Idaho</a>&nbsp;— where organizers announced earlier this month that they’ve gathered 50,000 signatures (they need around 63,000 to qualify). Even Wisconsin Republicans, who in the redistricting sphere have fought reform efforts tooth and nail, in December held a hearing for bipartisan legislation that would create RCV-plus-Final-Five, though its prospects appear dim.Meanwhile, Oregon voters will decide next year whether to adopt RCV alone. And this year, Minnesota and Illinois lawmakers passed bills to study RCV, while Connecticut approved a measure that allows local governments to use it.There are even flickers of interest at the national level. In December alone, two leading Washington, D.C. think tanks that often find themselves on opposite sides — the conservative American Enterprise Institute and the liberal Center for American Progress — each held separate panel discussions that considered RCV-plus-Final-Four/Five.Katherine Gehl, the founder of the Institute for Political Innovation, and the designer of the Final Four/Five system, calls RCV-plus-Final-Five “transformational.” (Her organization now says advancing five candidates to the general works best, by giving voters more choices.)“There’s a huge pressure on reformers to say, this is not a silver bullet,” said Gehl. “And OK, I get that.”But, she added, “I think it’s as close to a silver bullet as you can come.”Meanwhile, a backlash to change is brewing, with several Republican-led states banning RCV in recent years. A coalition of national conservative election groups last month&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://electiontransparency.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/2023/11/ETI_WI_Coalition_Letter.pdf">warned</a>&nbsp;Wisconsin’s legislative leaders that RCV and Final Five are “intended to dramatically push our politics to the Left.”<h2>Understanding the process</h2>Here’s how RCV-plus-Final-Four/Five works.In the primary election, candidates from all parties compete against each other, with voters picking only their top choice, as in a conventional election. The top four or five finishers, regardless of party, advance to the general.In the general, voters use RCV to pick the winner. They fill out their ballot by ranking as many of the candidates as they want, by order of preference.If no candidate wins a majority of first-place votes, the candidate who finished last is eliminated, and his or her supporters’ second-place votes are allocated. If there’s still no candidate with a majority, the process is repeated with the next-to-last candidate. This continues until someone gains a majority and is declared the winner.Supporters of the system say the Final Four/Five primary gives a voice to a broader share of voters, while the use of RCV in the general helps ensure a fairer result. Under the current system, two similar candidates together may win a clear majority but split voters between them, allowing a third candidate to win with a minority of votes.But even more important, many advocates argue, is how the two reforms together can change how candidates and elected officials of all stripes approach their jobs, by adjusting the incentive structure they operate under.Increasingly, many states and districts are solidly red or blue, meaning the general election is uncompetitive, and the key race takes place in the primary. That’s a problem, because the primary electorate is by and large smaller, more partisan and more extreme than the general electorate.Right now, with politicians worrying more about the primary than the general, they’re more focused on playing to their base than on reaching beyond it and solving problems, critics argue. It isn’t hard to find evidence for this lately, both in Washington and in state capitals across the country.By allowing multiple candidates to advance, Final Four/Five shifts the crucial election from the primary to the general. And RCV means the votes of Democrats in red districts and Republicans in blue ones still matter, even if their top choice remains unlikely to win.Together, it means candidates are rewarded for paying attention to the entire general electorate, not just a small slice of staunch supporters. As a result, it encourages candidates — and elected officials, once in office — toward moderation and problem-solving, and away from extremism.“People do what it takes to get and keep their jobs,” said Gehl, the Final Four/Five designer. “So if you change who hires and fires, which is to say, November voters instead of primary voters, and you change the system so that there’s real competition in November every time, even once you’re an incumbent, that forces accountability.”<h2>A success story from the Last Frontier?</h2>The experience of Alaska, whose voters passed an RCV-plus-Final-Four system in 2020, offers an illustration.At its first use in 2022, U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski, an independent-minded Republican distrusted by the party’s conservative wing, was reelected. Mary Peltola, a moderate Democrat who kept in place her Republican predecessor’s chief of staff, was elected to the U.S. House, defeating Sarah Palin, the conservative Republican former governor. (Murkowski and Peltola endorsed each other).Meanwhile, voters reelected Gov. Mike Dunleavy, a conservative Republican – suggesting, reformers say, that the system can produce a wide range of outcomes.And more women ran in 2022 than in the five previous cycles combined — highlighting how allowing anyone to run, regardless of party, can boost opportunities for under-represented groups.But the effect on how candidates and lawmakers have approached their jobs has been more dramatic still, advocates say.Senate Majority Leader Cathy Giessel, a Republican, told the Center for American Progress event that, after angering GOP voters by working collaboratively with Democrats, she lost her 2020 primary, held under the old election system, to a staunch conservative. Giessel had been in office since 2011.Giessel said that when she ran again last year under RCV-plus-Final-Four, her campaign didn’t even buy the database showing voters’ party affiliations that most candidates rely on to identify supporters, because she needed to target voters of all stripes. Helped by being the second choice of many Democratic voters in the general election, Giessel won back her seat.“You’re requiring us as candidates to be much more authentic,” said Giessel of the new system. “We’re not speaking to a party platform anymore. We’re speaking to the citizens.”Giessel now leads a bipartisan majority coalition, formed within days of the election. Members have focused on consensus issues that are priorities for voters, including boosting education funding, lowering the cost of energy and passing a balanced budget.“We have seen much more collaboration on the budget,” said Giessel. “There’s a much more open process now, understanding that everyone needs to have input.“An&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://rstreet.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/REALFINAL_policy-short-no-122-no-embargo.pdf">analysis</a>&nbsp;by the R Street Institute, a center-right Washington, D.C. think tank, found that Alaska’s new election system “gave citizens greater choice and elevated the most broadly appealing candidates, in turn improving representation.”Reformers in Nevada — gearing up for next year’s campaign to pass RCV-plus-Final-Five a second time after it won with 53% of the vote last year — have noticed Alaska’s early success.Over 40% of all registered voters in the Silver State aren’t affiliated with a major party, and the figure is growing. It was these voters’ frustration over being denied a voice in the state’s taxpayer-funded closed primaries that initially drove the push for reform, said Mike Draper, the communications director for Nevada Voters First, a political action committee that organized the ballot measure.As in Alaska and elsewhere, there was also a related concern about politicians playing only to their base.“Candidates and electeds, through no fault of their own, are not incentivized to … work to solve problems,” said Draper. “The primary incentive is to make sure they stay in the good graces either of the party, or of that fringe group that’s active in the primaries.”Top figures in both major parties, including Nevada’s Republican governor and its two Democratic U.S. senators, oppose reform. A lawsuit brought by Democratic super-lawyer Marc Elias that aimed to keep the measure off the 2022 ballot was rejected by a judge.<h2>‘A scheme of the Left’?</h2>Though elected Democrats in Nevada and some other blue states have come out against reform, the most vocal opponents have been red-state Republicans and national conservative groups. They argue it would confuse voters and further reduce confidence in election results.Some even see a progressive plot. An October&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://thefga.org/research/ranked-choice-voting-partisan-plot-to-disrupt-elections/">analysis</a>&nbsp;by the conservative Foundation for Government Accountability called RCV a “scheme of the Left to disenfranchise voters and elect more Democrats.”Florida, Tennessee, Idaho, Montana, and South Dakota — all Republican-controlled states — have passed legislation in recent years to ban RCV. Arizona’s GOP-controlled legislature also passed an RCV ban, but it was vetoed by Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat.In Alaska, conservatives have launched a campaign to advance a ballot measure repealing their state’s reform. Palin, who has blamed the system for her loss to Peltola last year, calling it “wack,” is playing a prominent role in the effort.Still, advocates say there are also signs of emerging interest among some Republicans in other states.Last year, the GOP lost several winnable statewide races after primary voters nominated extremists like Doug Mastriano in Pennsylvania and Kari Lake in Arizona. Now, some in the party think reform could allow them to advance more electable candidates.“Even among Republicans, I’ve had my fair share of conversations where they are starting to recognize that the system isn’t putting forward candidates who are necessarily the best general election winners,” said Matt Germer, an associate director and elections fellow at the R Street Institute.“So there’s even some growing interest among Republican electeds to say, hey, what we’re doing now is not growing our party. And if we really want to change our country, we’re going to need to grow our party, and that means appealing to enough voters to win elections.”<a target="_blank" href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>&nbsp;is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Stateline maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Scott S. Greenberger for questions:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="mailto:info@stateline.org">info@stateline.org</a>. Follow Stateline on&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://facebook.com/statelinenewsroom">Facebook</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/stateline_news">Twitter</a>.

How a new way to vote is gaining traction in states — and could transform US politics

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials are seizing more shipments of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaping-elf-bar-ecigarettes-china-teens-77033584983ad47fc5795baa46b4705e">unauthorized electronic cigarettes</a>&nbsp;at U.S. ports, but thousands of new flavored products continue pouring into the country from China, according to government and industry data reviewed by The Associated Press.

The figures underscore the chaotic state of the nation’s $7 billion vaping market and raise questions about how the U.S. government can stop the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-vapes-vaping-elf-bar-juul-80b2680a874d89b8d651c5e909e39e8f">flow of fruit-flavored disposable e-cigarettes</a>&nbsp;used by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teen-vaping-smoking-cdc-survey-d1f44bd3d8df6960215a14454f5e2e6e">1 in 10 American teens</a>&nbsp;and adolescents.

More than 11,500 unique vaping products are being sold in U.S. stores, up 27% from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-vapes-vaping-elf-bar-juul-5e45cf57dc78f6b94213047c97b10f7e">9,000 products in June</a>, according to tightly held industry data from analytics firm Circana.

“FDA whacks one product and then the manufacturers get around it and the kids get around it,” said Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a Stanford University psychologist who develops anti-vaping educational materials. “It’s too easy to change your product a little bit and just relaunch it.”

Halpern-Felsher says she is “constantly” updating her curriculum to keep pace with new vaping brands and trends.

Nearly all the new products are disposable e-cigarettes, according to the sales data gathered from gas stations, convenience stores and other shops. The products generated $3.2 billion in the first 11 months of this year.

The FDA has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-business-health-126c438648d433fdfe987c397e576b26">authorized a handful of e-cigarettes</a>&nbsp;for adult smokers and is still reviewing products from several major companies, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/ctp-newsroom/fda-puts-firms-responsible-esco-bars-and-breeze-two-popular-disposable-e-cigarette-brands-notice">Juul</a>. Regulators consider nearly all other e-cigarettes to be illegal.

“Those committing illegal acts don’t advertise their crimes, and those trying to import illegal tobacco products into the United States are no different," said FDA’s tobacco director, Brian King, in a written response to AP questions. “The FDA and our federal partners are using tools, like import alerts, to stop these illegal tobacco products at the border and to deter countless others.”

The rise in e-cigarettes sold continues despite a record number of products detained.

An FDA database shows officials “refused” entry to 148 containers or pallets of “tobacco” goods last month, consisting almost entirely of vaping products from China. Refused imports are typically destroyed.

Through the end of November, U.S. officials had refused 374 such shipments this year, more than double the 118 refused in 2022.

This year's items included $400,000 worth of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/ctp-newsroom/fda-puts-firms-responsible-esco-bars-and-breeze-two-popular-disposable-e-cigarette-brands-notice">Esco Bars</a>, a disposable brand placed on a list of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_1163.html">banned imports</a>&nbsp;in May. The agency's posted data is often preliminary because it takes time to finalize refusals.

But recent history shows how easily companies can maneuver around import bans.

In July 2022, the FDA barred dozens of e-cigarettes from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_1169.html">Chinese manufacturer Fume</a>, including flavors Pineapple Ice and Blue Razz.

Fume sales dipped after the ban, but the company launched a slew of new products, posting $42 million in U.S. sales in the third quarter of 2023, the data shows. Roughly 98% of sales came from products not on the FDA’s “red list” of products that can be detained.

Industry shipping tactics are also challenging the usefulness of import restrictions.

In July, FDA and customs officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ecigarettes-elf-bar-fda-teen-vaping-434dc600866cf2a626aa8c7a0063ac43">intercepted $18 million worth of illegal vapes</a>, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ecigarettes-elf-bar-fda-disposable-vaping-5245aed253ca9cdcf119483bd9cee1f1">leading brand Elf Bar</a>. But the shipments were mislabeled as shoes, toys and other items — not e-cigarettes — requiring officials to individually open and verify the contents of more than two dozen containers.

Circana, formerly IRI, restricts access to its data, which it sells to companies and researchers. A person not authorized to share it gave the AP access on condition of anonymity.

The FDA has no schedule for updating its import lists but said it is “closely monitoring” instances where companies try to avoid detection.

“The FDA has a variety of tools at our disposal to take action against these tactics,” FDA’s King said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703952979327.png" alt="Customs and Border Protection and FDA seized approximately 1.4 million units of unauthorized e-cigarette products, valued at $18M. earlier this month. The seizures were part of a three-day joint operation, which resulted in the seizure of 41 shipments containing illegal e-cigarettes- photo CB" />
 <figcaption>Customs and Border Protection and FDA seized approximately 1.4 million units of unauthorized e-cigarette products, valued at $18M. earlier this month. The seizures were part of a three-day joint operation, which resulted in the seizure of 41 shipments containing illegal e-cigarettes- photo CB</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal officials are seizing more shipments of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaping-elf-bar-ecigarettes-china-teens-77033584983ad47fc5795baa46b4705e">unauthorized electronic cigarettes</a>&nbsp;at U.S. ports, but thousands of new flavored products continue pouring into the country from China, according to government and industry data reviewed by The Associated Press.The figures underscore the chaotic state of the nation’s $7 billion vaping market and raise questions about how the U.S. government can stop the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-vapes-vaping-elf-bar-juul-80b2680a874d89b8d651c5e909e39e8f">flow of fruit-flavored disposable e-cigarettes</a>&nbsp;used by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teen-vaping-smoking-cdc-survey-d1f44bd3d8df6960215a14454f5e2e6e">1 in 10 American teens</a>&nbsp;and adolescents.More than 11,500 unique vaping products are being sold in U.S. stores, up 27% from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fda-vapes-vaping-elf-bar-juul-5e45cf57dc78f6b94213047c97b10f7e">9,000 products in June</a>, according to tightly held industry data from analytics firm Circana.“FDA whacks one product and then the manufacturers get around it and the kids get around it,” said Bonnie Halpern-Felsher, a Stanford University psychologist who develops anti-vaping educational materials. “It’s too easy to change your product a little bit and just relaunch it.”Halpern-Felsher says she is “constantly” updating her curriculum to keep pace with new vaping brands and trends.Nearly all the new products are disposable e-cigarettes, according to the sales data gathered from gas stations, convenience stores and other shops. The products generated $3.2 billion in the first 11 months of this year.The FDA has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-science-business-health-126c438648d433fdfe987c397e576b26">authorized a handful of e-cigarettes</a>&nbsp;for adult smokers and is still reviewing products from several major companies, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/ctp-newsroom/fda-puts-firms-responsible-esco-bars-and-breeze-two-popular-disposable-e-cigarette-brands-notice">Juul</a>. Regulators consider nearly all other e-cigarettes to be illegal.“Those committing illegal acts don’t advertise their crimes, and those trying to import illegal tobacco products into the United States are no different," said FDA’s tobacco director, Brian King, in a written response to AP questions. “The FDA and our federal partners are using tools, like import alerts, to stop these illegal tobacco products at the border and to deter countless others.”The rise in e-cigarettes sold continues despite a record number of products detained.An FDA database shows officials “refused” entry to 148 containers or pallets of “tobacco” goods last month, consisting almost entirely of vaping products from China. Refused imports are typically destroyed.Through the end of November, U.S. officials had refused 374 such shipments this year, more than double the 118 refused in 2022.This year's items included $400,000 worth of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/ctp-newsroom/fda-puts-firms-responsible-esco-bars-and-breeze-two-popular-disposable-e-cigarette-brands-notice">Esco Bars</a>, a disposable brand placed on a list of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_1163.html">banned imports</a>&nbsp;in May. The agency's posted data is often preliminary because it takes time to finalize refusals.But recent history shows how easily companies can maneuver around import bans.In July 2022, the FDA barred dozens of e-cigarettes from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/importalert_1169.html">Chinese manufacturer Fume</a>, including flavors Pineapple Ice and Blue Razz.Fume sales dipped after the ban, but the company launched a slew of new products, posting $42 million in U.S. sales in the third quarter of 2023, the data shows. Roughly 98% of sales came from products not on the FDA’s “red list” of products that can be detained.Industry shipping tactics are also challenging the usefulness of import restrictions.In July, FDA and customs officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ecigarettes-elf-bar-fda-teen-vaping-434dc600866cf2a626aa8c7a0063ac43">intercepted $18 million worth of illegal vapes</a>, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ecigarettes-elf-bar-fda-disposable-vaping-5245aed253ca9cdcf119483bd9cee1f1">leading brand Elf Bar</a>. But the shipments were mislabeled as shoes, toys and other items — not e-cigarettes — requiring officials to individually open and verify the contents of more than two dozen containers.Circana, formerly IRI, restricts access to its data, which it sells to companies and researchers. A person not authorized to share it gave the AP access on condition of anonymity.The FDA has no schedule for updating its import lists but said it is “closely monitoring” instances where companies try to avoid detection.“The FDA has a variety of tools at our disposal to take action against these tactics,” FDA’s King said.The agency has limited powers to penalize foreign companies. Instead, regulators have sent&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/ctp-newsroom/fda-warns-internet-retailers-selling-illegal-e-cigarettes-popular-among-youth">hundreds of warning letters</a>&nbsp;to U.S. stores selling their products, but those are not legally binding.Even as the FDA attempts to work with customs officials, it is struggling to complete a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-9ae0c0e7415549e29cb21fbaf7e401b3">yearslong review</a>&nbsp;of applications submitted by manufacturers hoping to market their products to adults.The few tobacco-flavored products currently authorized by FDA are deeply unpopular. Their combined sales were just $174 million, or 2.4% of the vaping marketplace this year, according to Circana.“Nobody wants them,” says Marc Silas, owner of 906 Vapor shop in Michigan. “If people wanted them, they’d be on the shelves and they’re not.”Deeply frustrated with the pace of FDA’s review, public health groups have successfully sued the agency to speed up the process. The agency aimed to complete all major outstanding applications this year, but it recently said the process would stretch into next year.The delays have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-vaping-us-food-and-drug-administration-robert-califf-63d2cc590965a6f5f39460e19f2a8607">raised questions</a>&nbsp;about the viability of the the current regulatory framework for e-cigarettes.“FDA is trying to operate with an old model when the whole environment has changed,” said Scott Ballin, a health policy consultant who previously worked for the American Heart Association. “They have this long line of products that have to be reviewed one by one and now they’re in a giant hole.”One alternative approach would be to make decisions about entire classes of e-cigarettes, rather than&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/juul-banned-fda-e41c58872a0e7a202ca5244442accb04">individual products</a>.The idea initially came from small vaping manufacturers who did not have the money to conduct the large studies typical of FDA applications. Public health advocates concerned about the persistence of underage vaping have embraced it.Halpern-Felsher, of Stanford University, is among those urging the FDA to ban all flavored disposable e-cigarettes, the products used by most of the 2 million underage teens who vape.“If we continue down this path that we’re on, we’re just going to have new and continuing generations of young people addicted to nicotine,” she said.