NEW YORK (AP) — Honda is recalling select 2023-2024 Accord and HR-V vehicles due to a missing piece in the front seat belt pretensioners, which could increase injury risks during a crash.

According to notices published by Honda and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration earlier this week, the pretensioners — which tighten seat belts in place upon impact — may be missing the rivet that secures the quick connector and wire plate. This means that passengers may not be properly restrained in a crash, regulators said.

The NHTSA credited the issue to an error made during assembly. More than 300,000 Accords and HR-Vs are potentially affected.

As of Nov. 16, Honda had received seven warranty claims, but no reports of injuries or deaths related to the faulty pretensioners, according to documents published by the NHTSA.

For consumers impacted by this recall, dealers will inspect all cars and potentially replace the seat belt pretensioner assembly at no cost. Those who have already paid for these repairs at their own expense may also be eligible for reimbursement.

Honda estimates that less than 1% of the potentially affected vehicles will require a replacement. The vast majority are expected to be satisfied by an inspection alone, a Honda spokesperson told The Associated Press on Saturday.

Notification letters will be sent via mail to registered owners of the affected vehicles starting Jan. 8, 2024. Replacement parts should be available to dealers by the end of the month, the spokesperson said, but consumers can go to an authorized Honda dealer for the inspection now.

For more information about the recall, consumers can visit the NHTSA website and&nbsp;<a href="https://hondanews.com/en-US/honda-corporate/releases/release-ce25b2bdc6167d48c9de61f4f905d5be-2023-2024-accord-and-hr-v-seat-belt-pretensioner-recall" target="_blank">Honda’s</a>&nbsp;and online recall pages.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654697101401.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Honda is recalling select 2023-2024 Accord and HR-V vehicles due to a missing piece in the front seat belt pretensioners, which could increase injury risks during a crash.According to notices published by Honda and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration earlier this week, the pretensioners — which tighten seat belts in place upon impact — may be missing the rivet that secures the quick connector and wire plate. This means that passengers may not be properly restrained in a crash, regulators said.The NHTSA credited the issue to an error made during assembly. More than 300,000 Accords and HR-Vs are potentially affected.As of Nov. 16, Honda had received seven warranty claims, but no reports of injuries or deaths related to the faulty pretensioners, according to documents published by the NHTSA.For consumers impacted by this recall, dealers will inspect all cars and potentially replace the seat belt pretensioner assembly at no cost. Those who have already paid for these repairs at their own expense may also be eligible for reimbursement.Honda estimates that less than 1% of the potentially affected vehicles will require a replacement. The vast majority are expected to be satisfied by an inspection alone, a Honda spokesperson told The Associated Press on Saturday.Notification letters will be sent via mail to registered owners of the affected vehicles starting Jan. 8, 2024. Replacement parts should be available to dealers by the end of the month, the spokesperson said, but consumers can go to an authorized Honda dealer for the inspection now.For more information about the recall, consumers can visit the NHTSA website and&nbsp;<a href="https://hondanews.com/en-US/honda-corporate/releases/release-ce25b2bdc6167d48c9de61f4f905d5be-2023-2024-accord-and-hr-v-seat-belt-pretensioner-recall" target="_blank">Honda’s</a>&nbsp;and online recall pages.

Honda recalls vehicles over seat belt issues

COFFEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary in Coffey County.

Between 10:30 a.m. Nov. 9 and 9:15 a.m. Nov. 11, suspects burglarized the American Legion Post 38, 113 North Third Street in Burlington, according to a media release from police.

The suspects entered through the south door. Police found pry marks and the door was inoperable. 

The file cabinet, safe and two notebooks containing checks were tampered with, but nothing was taken. 

The investigating officer checked with adjacent property owners, but no one had witnessed anything suspicious. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call Burlington Police Department at (620) 364-8757.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701097487213.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>COFFEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary in Coffey County.Between 10:30 a.m. Nov. 9 and 9:15 a.m. Nov. 11, suspects burglarized the American Legion Post 38, 113 North Third Street in Burlington, according to a media release from police.The suspects entered through the south door. Police found pry marks and the door was inoperable. The file cabinet, safe and two notebooks containing checks were tampered with, but nothing was taken. The investigating officer checked with adjacent property owners, but no one had witnessed anything suspicious. Anyone with information about this crime is asked to call Burlington Police Department at (620) 364-8757.&nbsp;

Police investigate American Legion Post burglary in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — A new plan from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">the Biden administration</a>&nbsp;could significantly increase salaries for thousands of low-paid early childhood teachers caring for the country's poorest children but might force some centers to reduce their enrollment.

The Health and Human Services agency's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/11/20/2023-25038/supporting-the-head-start-workforce-and-consistent-quality-programming">proposed federal rule</a>&nbsp;would require&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/head-start-preschool-shutdown-budget-congress-199fcb7da90479e3f4dc3b17f6b07c43">Head Start programs</a>, which are struggling nationwide with&nbsp;<a href="https://nhsa.org/resource/confronting-head-starts-workforce-crisis/">staffing shortages</a>, to raise teachers' salaries to put them on par with local public schoolteachers, and to beef up benefits. The requirement could raise wages by as much as $10,000 for Head Start teachers over the next seven years, the agency estimates.

“Early educators make poverty wages in many places," said Anna Markowitz, a University of California Los Angeles professor who has studied Head Start turnover and wages. “There are real consequences to these low wages.” She said "it's unfortunate we had to wait for the turnover to become a major crisis.”

Head Start teachers, many of whom are required to have a bachelor's degree, make about $39,000 a year on average —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teacher-appreciation-week-salary-cda032d966d7cf10208a526431d68d3a">far less than educators with similar credentials</a>. Head Start teacher turnover has doubled over the last decade, with the federal government estimating 1 out of every 5 Head Start teachers left their classroom last year.

That's created problems for the country's youngest learners: Waitlists are ballooning and classrooms are closing. As many as 275,000 infants, toddlers and preschoolers are on waitlists nationwide, according to the National Head Start Association. The federally funded program is designed to give free education and care to infants, toddlers and preschoolers in locally run classrooms situated in public schools, community centers and private daycares or preschools. Taxpayers spend about $12 billion for Head Start to serve roughly 1 million children.

The number of kids in classrooms could shrink, though, if teacher salaries are raised and Congress doesn't grant more money for the program. Biden asked Congress for an additional&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/briefing-room/2023/03/09/fact-sheet-president-bidens-budget-lowers-costs-for-families-and-gives-the-american-people-more-breathing-room/">$1 billion for Head Start this year</a>.

“As a result of these necessary reforms, one potential impact could be a reduction in Head Start slots in some programs in order to ensure the quality of services delivered,” the rule says.

In Cincinnati, Head Start should be able to help nearly 2,000 students but right now just over 1,500 kids are in classrooms because of staffing shortages, said Renee Daniel, vice president for early childhood education at the Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency.

Daniel was “jumping up and down” when she read the administration's proposal to raise wages and add heartier benefits for Head Start staff. But without additional federal money, she would have to permanently cut as many as 800 seats to pay for those increases.

“Right now we’re suffering, and we’re not serving the children anyway, because we don’t have the staff,” Daniel said.

Daniel said in recent years, teachers have left to work in the health care sector or at Amazon. Daniel recently raised teacher salaries to start at $21 an hour. But to match local public school teacher salaries, pay will need to be about $33 per hour. The rule also suggests adding retirement benefits to teacher compensation, a new perk she'd have to offer.

“How am I going to create parity with that, if I don’t get any new money?” she asked. Daniel said she plans to weigh in on the proposed rule, with the federal government accepting comments on the plan until Jan. 19.

Health and Human Services is counting on Congress to provide additional money to Head Start, which is why it's giving programs until 2031 to fully up their salaries to match local teacher pay. The administration also believes the program can "maintain its current capacity" with the wage increases, Katie Hamm, deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Early Childhood Development, said in an email.

“The proposed changes are necessary to stabilize the Head Start program, which is facing a severe workforce shortage because staff can earn higher wages from other employers,” Hamm said.

If Head Start programs do raise their wages, their jobs could become coveted in communities where daycare workers and early childhood educators are meagerly paid, said Markowitz, the UCLA researcher. The average median wage for childcare workers sat at $13.71 per hour in May 2022, falling behind average pay for retail or food and beverage workers.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701092972344.png" alt="KCSL's Head Start program in Garden City provides early childhood education and other family services to the most vulnerable families.-Google image" />
 <figcaption>KCSL's Head Start program in Garden City provides early childhood education and other family services to the most vulnerable families.-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A new plan from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">the Biden administration</a>&nbsp;could significantly increase salaries for thousands of low-paid early childhood teachers caring for the country's poorest children but might force some centers to reduce their enrollment.The Health and Human Services agency's&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2023/11/20/2023-25038/supporting-the-head-start-workforce-and-consistent-quality-programming">proposed federal rule</a>&nbsp;would require&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/head-start-preschool-shutdown-budget-congress-199fcb7da90479e3f4dc3b17f6b07c43">Head Start programs</a>, which are struggling nationwide with&nbsp;<a href="https://nhsa.org/resource/confronting-head-starts-workforce-crisis/">staffing shortages</a>, to raise teachers' salaries to put them on par with local public schoolteachers, and to beef up benefits. The requirement could raise wages by as much as $10,000 for Head Start teachers over the next seven years, the agency estimates.“Early educators make poverty wages in many places," said Anna Markowitz, a University of California Los Angeles professor who has studied Head Start turnover and wages. “There are real consequences to these low wages.” She said "it's unfortunate we had to wait for the turnover to become a major crisis.”Head Start teachers, many of whom are required to have a bachelor's degree, make about $39,000 a year on average —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/teacher-appreciation-week-salary-cda032d966d7cf10208a526431d68d3a">far less than educators with similar credentials</a>. Head Start teacher turnover has doubled over the last decade, with the federal government estimating 1 out of every 5 Head Start teachers left their classroom last year.That's created problems for the country's youngest learners: Waitlists are ballooning and classrooms are closing. As many as 275,000 infants, toddlers and preschoolers are on waitlists nationwide, according to the National Head Start Association. The federally funded program is designed to give free education and care to infants, toddlers and preschoolers in locally run classrooms situated in public schools, community centers and private daycares or preschools. Taxpayers spend about $12 billion for Head Start to serve roughly 1 million children.The number of kids in classrooms could shrink, though, if teacher salaries are raised and Congress doesn't grant more money for the program. Biden asked Congress for an additional&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/omb/briefing-room/2023/03/09/fact-sheet-president-bidens-budget-lowers-costs-for-families-and-gives-the-american-people-more-breathing-room/">$1 billion for Head Start this year</a>.“As a result of these necessary reforms, one potential impact could be a reduction in Head Start slots in some programs in order to ensure the quality of services delivered,” the rule says.In Cincinnati, Head Start should be able to help nearly 2,000 students but right now just over 1,500 kids are in classrooms because of staffing shortages, said Renee Daniel, vice president for early childhood education at the Cincinnati-Hamilton County Community Action Agency.Daniel was “jumping up and down” when she read the administration's proposal to raise wages and add heartier benefits for Head Start staff. But without additional federal money, she would have to permanently cut as many as 800 seats to pay for those increases.“Right now we’re suffering, and we’re not serving the children anyway, because we don’t have the staff,” Daniel said.Daniel said in recent years, teachers have left to work in the health care sector or at Amazon. Daniel recently raised teacher salaries to start at $21 an hour. But to match local public school teacher salaries, pay will need to be about $33 per hour. The rule also suggests adding retirement benefits to teacher compensation, a new perk she'd have to offer.“How am I going to create parity with that, if I don’t get any new money?” she asked. Daniel said she plans to weigh in on the proposed rule, with the federal government accepting comments on the plan until Jan. 19.Health and Human Services is counting on Congress to provide additional money to Head Start, which is why it's giving programs until 2031 to fully up their salaries to match local teacher pay. The administration also believes the program can "maintain its current capacity" with the wage increases, Katie Hamm, deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Early Childhood Development, said in an email.“The proposed changes are necessary to stabilize the Head Start program, which is facing a severe workforce shortage because staff can earn higher wages from other employers,” Hamm said.If Head Start programs do raise their wages, their jobs could become coveted in communities where daycare workers and early childhood educators are meagerly paid, said Markowitz, the UCLA researcher. The average median wage for childcare workers sat at $13.71 per hour in May 2022, falling behind average pay for retail or food and beverage workers.

Biden's plan would raise salaries for Head Start teachers but leave fewer spots for kids

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A man accused in the murder of a Wichita woman is in a Kansas jail and could make a first court appearance this week.

Just after 8p.m. Wednesday authorities booked 26-year-old Carlos Anderson-Honeycutt into the Sedgwick County Jail, according to online jail records.

On Nov. 19, police were dispatched to a shooting at a home in the 2300 block of S. Belmont in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.&nbsp;

First responders located 24-year-old Brittnee Wicker inside her home with a fatal gunshot wound. She would be pronounced deceased on the scene.

On Tuesday, the Wichita Police Department made significant progress in the investigation into the homicide.

On Monday the Sedgwick County District Attorney was presented with evidence, leading to the charging Anderson-Honeycutt with 1st Degree Murder in the case, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Following a thorough collaborative effort with law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Wichita Police Department discovered that&nbsp;Anderson-Honeycutt was in the State of Texas. Coordinating with partners in Texas, particularly the United States Customs and Border Patrol, an arrest was successfully made near Brownsville, Texas.

Preliminary findings from the investigation suggest that this tragic incident was a result of Domestic Violence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700924495261.png" alt="Anderson-Honeycutt-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Anderson-Honeycutt-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A man accused in the murder of a Wichita woman is in a Kansas jail and could make a first court appearance this week.Just after 8p.m. Wednesday authorities booked 26-year-old Carlos Anderson-Honeycutt into the Sedgwick County Jail, according to online jail records.On Nov. 19, police were dispatched to a shooting at a home in the 2300 block of S. Belmont in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700926072292.png" alt="Britnee Wicker-photo Affinity Mortuary" />
 <figcaption>Britnee Wicker-photo Affinity Mortuary</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders located 24-year-old Brittnee Wicker inside her home with a fatal gunshot wound. She would be pronounced deceased on the scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700070538304.png" alt="Anderson-Honeycutt from an arrest in April of 2021 in Sedgwick County on requested charges of battery and criminal damage, according to arrest records." />
 <figcaption>Anderson-Honeycutt from an arrest in April of 2021 in Sedgwick County on requested charges of battery and criminal damage, according to arrest records.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Tuesday, the Wichita Police Department made significant progress in the investigation into the homicide.On Monday the Sedgwick County District Attorney was presented with evidence, leading to the charging Anderson-Honeycutt with 1st Degree Murder in the case, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.Following a thorough collaborative effort with law enforcement agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Wichita Police Department discovered that&nbsp;Anderson-Honeycutt was in the State of Texas. Coordinating with partners in Texas, particularly the United States Customs and Border Patrol, an arrest was successfully made near Brownsville, Texas.Preliminary findings from the investigation suggest that this tragic incident was a result of Domestic Violence.

Suspect captured in Texas for woman's murder moved to Kan. jail

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly weekend shooting have identified the victim as 16-year-old&nbsp;Derrick White, according to KCPD.

Just after 3p.m. Saturday, officers were dispatched to a shooting at 32nd and Park Street, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.

Officers entered a residence where White was located suffering from gunshot trauma. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Police have not reported an arrest or any suspect information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700960337162.png" alt="First responders at the scene of the investigation-Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the scene of the investigation-Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly weekend shooting have identified the victim as 16-year-old&nbsp;Derrick White, according to KCPD.Just after 3p.m. Saturday, officers were dispatched to a shooting at 32nd and Park Street, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.Officers entered a residence where White was located suffering from gunshot trauma. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.Police have not reported an arrest or any suspect information.

Homicide: Police ID 16-year-old found dead in Kansas City home

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Armed assailants seized and later let go of a tanker linked to Israel off the coast of Yemen on Sunday before being apprehended by the United States Navy, officials said. Two ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen then landed near a U.S. warship aiding the tanker in the Gulf of Aden, raising the stakes amid a series of ship attacks linked to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war" target="_blank">Israel-Hamas war</a>.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government blamed the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels for the attack, though the rebels in control of the capital, Sanaa, did not acknowledge either the seizure or the missile attack.

The attackers seized the Liberian-flagged Central Park, managed by Zodiac Maritime, in the Gulf of Aden, the company, the U.S. and British militaries and private intelligence firm Ambrey said.

The U.S. military’s Central Command said in a statement early Monday that its forces and allies, including the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Mason, responded to the seizure and demanded the armed assailants release the tanker.

“Subsequently, five armed individuals debarked the ship and attempted to flee via their small boat,” Central Command said. “The Mason pursued the attackers resulting in their eventual surrender.”

The Central Command did not identify the attackers, but said a missile launch from Houthi-controlled Yemen followed early Monday morning.

“The missiles landed in the Gulf of Aden approximately 10 nautical miles (18.5 kilometers) from the ships,” the statement said. “The USS Mason … was concluding its response to the M/V Central Park distress call at the time of the missile launches. There was no damage or reported injuries from either vessel during this incident.”

Early Monday morning, Zodiac said the vessel carrying phosphoric acid and its crew of 22 sailors from Bulgaria, Georgia, India, the Philippines, Russia, Turkey and Vietnam were unharmed.

“We would like to thank the coalition forces who responded quickly, protecting assets in the area and upholding international maritime law,” the company said.

Zodiac described the vessel as being owned by Clumvez Shipping Inc., though other records directly linked Zodiac as the owner. London-based Zodiac Maritime is part of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group. British corporate records listed two men with the last name Ofer as a current and former director of Clumvez Shipping, including Daniel Guy Ofer, who is also a director at Zodiac Maritime.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which is based out of nearby Aden, blamed the rebels for the seizure in a statement carried by their state-run news agency.

“The Yemeni government has renewed its denunciation of the acts of maritime piracy carried out by the terrorist Houthi militias with the support of the Iranian regime, the most recent of which was the hijacking of the Central Park,” the statement read.

The attack happened in a part of the Gulf of Aden that is in theory under the control of that government’s forces and is fairly distant from Houthi-controlled territory in the country. Somali pirates are not known to operate in that area.

Zodiac Maritime has been targeted previously amid a wider&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-israel-iran-iran-nuclear-united-arab-emirates-9835ba4644959e9cb4584ca999f49002" target="_blank">yearslong shadow war</a>&nbsp;between Iran and Israel. In 2021, a drone attack assessed by the U.S. and other Western nations to have been carried out by Iran&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ship-israeli-billionaire-oman-c43203ff0262ba2c4bfafb31cc42fa50" target="_blank">killed two crew members aboard Zodiac’s oil tanker</a>&nbsp;Mercer Street off the coast of Oman.

The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which provides warnings to sailors in the Middle East, had earlier issued a warning to sailors that “two black-and-white craft carrying eight persons in military-style clothing” had been seen in the area.

The UKMTO put the Central Park’s location over 60 kilometers (35 miles) south of Yemen’s coast, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) east of Djibouti and around 110 kilometers (70 miles) northeast of Somalia in the Gulf of Aden, a key shipping route.

The Central Park seizure comes after a container ship, CMA CGM Symi, owned by another Israeli billionaire,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-ship-drone-attack-symi-39929cae42a191b2f242896a053123a7" target="_blank">came under attack Friday</a>&nbsp;by a suspected Iranian drone in the Indian Ocean. Iran has not acknowledged carrying out the attack, nor did it respond to questions from The Associated Press about that assault.

Both the Symi and the Central Park had been behaving as if they faced a threat in recent days.

The ships had switched off their Automatic Identification System trackers, according to data from MarineTraffic.com analyzed by the AP. Ships are supposed to keep their AIS active for safety reasons, but crews will turn them off if it appears they might be targeted. In the Central Park’s case, the vessel had last transmitted four days ago after it left the Suez Canal heading south into the Red Sea.

Global shipping had increasingly been targeted as the Israel-Hamas war threatens to become a wider regional conflict — even as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-what-to-know-af1cfbc9dcaa1485ed7a9efaca7ec2b7" target="_blank">a truce has halted fighting</a>&nbsp;and Hamas exchanges hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.

Earlier in November, the Houthis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-red-sea-ship-yemen-houthis-65b611ff878a411900037e7c9a8ee17b" target="_blank">seized a vehicle transport ship</a>&nbsp;also linked to Israel in the Red Sea off Yemen. The rebels still hold the vessel off the port city of Hodeida.

However, the Houthis had not directly targeted the Americans for some time, further raising the stakes in the growing maritime conflict. In 2016, the U.S. launched Tomahawk cruise missiles that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/events-general-news-united-states-presidential-election-f03b50ff873a471c88ebb1538c1e3dc9" target="_blank">destroyed three coastal radar sites</a>&nbsp;in Houthi-controlled territory to retaliate for missiles being fired at U.S. Navy ships, including the USS Mason, at the time.

Meanwhile on Sunday, the American aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower traveled through the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Persian Gulf, the U.S. military said. The Eisenhower was accompanied by the guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea, the guided-missile destroyers USS Gravely and the USS Stethem and the French frigate Languedoc.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701045548674.png" alt=" Sailors stationed aboard the USS Mason (DDG 87) prepare the ship to get underway, Oct. 13, 2023. The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer departed Naval Station Mayport for a regularly scheduled deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brandon J. Vinson)" />
 <figcaption> Sailors stationed aboard the USS Mason (DDG 87) prepare the ship to get underway, Oct. 13, 2023. The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer departed Naval Station Mayport for a regularly scheduled deployment. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Brandon J. Vinson)</figcaption>
 </figure>DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Armed assailants seized and later let go of a tanker linked to Israel off the coast of Yemen on Sunday before being apprehended by the United States Navy, officials said. Two ballistic missiles fired from Houthi-controlled Yemen then landed near a U.S. warship aiding the tanker in the Gulf of Aden, raising the stakes amid a series of ship attacks linked to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war" target="_blank">Israel-Hamas war</a>.Yemen’s internationally recognized government blamed the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels for the attack, though the rebels in control of the capital, Sanaa, did not acknowledge either the seizure or the missile attack.The attackers seized the Liberian-flagged Central Park, managed by Zodiac Maritime, in the Gulf of Aden, the company, the U.S. and British militaries and private intelligence firm Ambrey said.The U.S. military’s Central Command said in a statement early Monday that its forces and allies, including the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Mason, responded to the seizure and demanded the armed assailants release the tanker.“Subsequently, five armed individuals debarked the ship and attempted to flee via their small boat,” Central Command said. “The Mason pursued the attackers resulting in their eventual surrender.”The Central Command did not identify the attackers, but said a missile launch from Houthi-controlled Yemen followed early Monday morning.“The missiles landed in the Gulf of Aden approximately 10 nautical miles (18.5 kilometers) from the ships,” the statement said. “The USS Mason … was concluding its response to the M/V Central Park distress call at the time of the missile launches. There was no damage or reported injuries from either vessel during this incident.”Early Monday morning, Zodiac said the vessel carrying phosphoric acid and its crew of 22 sailors from Bulgaria, Georgia, India, the Philippines, Russia, Turkey and Vietnam were unharmed.“We would like to thank the coalition forces who responded quickly, protecting assets in the area and upholding international maritime law,” the company said.Zodiac described the vessel as being owned by Clumvez Shipping Inc., though other records directly linked Zodiac as the owner. London-based Zodiac Maritime is part of Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group. British corporate records listed two men with the last name Ofer as a current and former director of Clumvez Shipping, including Daniel Guy Ofer, who is also a director at Zodiac Maritime.Yemen’s internationally recognized government, which is based out of nearby Aden, blamed the rebels for the seizure in a statement carried by their state-run news agency.“The Yemeni government has renewed its denunciation of the acts of maritime piracy carried out by the terrorist Houthi militias with the support of the Iranian regime, the most recent of which was the hijacking of the Central Park,” the statement read.The attack happened in a part of the Gulf of Aden that is in theory under the control of that government’s forces and is fairly distant from Houthi-controlled territory in the country. Somali pirates are not known to operate in that area.Zodiac Maritime has been targeted previously amid a wider&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-israel-iran-iran-nuclear-united-arab-emirates-9835ba4644959e9cb4584ca999f49002" target="_blank">yearslong shadow war</a>&nbsp;between Iran and Israel. In 2021, a drone attack assessed by the U.S. and other Western nations to have been carried out by Iran&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ship-israeli-billionaire-oman-c43203ff0262ba2c4bfafb31cc42fa50" target="_blank">killed two crew members aboard Zodiac’s oil tanker</a>&nbsp;Mercer Street off the coast of Oman.The British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which provides warnings to sailors in the Middle East, had earlier issued a warning to sailors that “two black-and-white craft carrying eight persons in military-style clothing” had been seen in the area.The UKMTO put the Central Park’s location over 60 kilometers (35 miles) south of Yemen’s coast, some 80 kilometers (50 miles) east of Djibouti and around 110 kilometers (70 miles) northeast of Somalia in the Gulf of Aden, a key shipping route.The Central Park seizure comes after a container ship, CMA CGM Symi, owned by another Israeli billionaire,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-ship-drone-attack-symi-39929cae42a191b2f242896a053123a7" target="_blank">came under attack Friday</a>&nbsp;by a suspected Iranian drone in the Indian Ocean. Iran has not acknowledged carrying out the attack, nor did it respond to questions from The Associated Press about that assault.Both the Symi and the Central Park had been behaving as if they faced a threat in recent days.The ships had switched off their Automatic Identification System trackers, according to data from MarineTraffic.com analyzed by the AP. Ships are supposed to keep their AIS active for safety reasons, but crews will turn them off if it appears they might be targeted. In the Central Park’s case, the vessel had last transmitted four days ago after it left the Suez Canal heading south into the Red Sea.Global shipping had increasingly been targeted as the Israel-Hamas war threatens to become a wider regional conflict — even as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-what-to-know-af1cfbc9dcaa1485ed7a9efaca7ec2b7" target="_blank">a truce has halted fighting</a>&nbsp;and Hamas exchanges hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel.Earlier in November, the Houthis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-red-sea-ship-yemen-houthis-65b611ff878a411900037e7c9a8ee17b" target="_blank">seized a vehicle transport ship</a>&nbsp;also linked to Israel in the Red Sea off Yemen. The rebels still hold the vessel off the port city of Hodeida.However, the Houthis had not directly targeted the Americans for some time, further raising the stakes in the growing maritime conflict. In 2016, the U.S. launched Tomahawk cruise missiles that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/events-general-news-united-states-presidential-election-f03b50ff873a471c88ebb1538c1e3dc9" target="_blank">destroyed three coastal radar sites</a>&nbsp;in Houthi-controlled territory to retaliate for missiles being fired at U.S. Navy ships, including the USS Mason, at the time.Meanwhile on Sunday, the American aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower traveled through the Strait of Hormuz and entered the Persian Gulf, the U.S. military said. The Eisenhower was accompanied by the guided-missile cruiser USS Philippine Sea, the guided-missile destroyers USS Gravely and the USS Stethem and the French frigate Languedoc.

Missiles fired at US Navy after it seizes attackers who held Israel-linked tanker

JOHNSON COUNTY—Federal authorities are investigating an airplane mishap that occurred just before 5p.m. on Thanksgiving Day in Johnson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1994 Cessna Fixed Wing Single Engine Aircraft piloted by Brandon Matthew Kanoy, 33, Overland Park, took off from New Century Airport and experienced power failure.

The pilot was able to turn around and start landing on Runway 36. Upon landing the airplane ran off the end of the runway. The aircraft came to rest approximately 300 feet off of the runway.

Kanoy and a&nbsp; passenger identified 93-year-old Robert Brown were not injured. The NTSB is in charge of the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701085350667.png" alt="Google map" />
 <figcaption>Google map</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—Federal authorities are investigating an airplane mishap that occurred just before 5p.m. on Thanksgiving Day in Johnson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1994 Cessna Fixed Wing Single Engine Aircraft piloted by Brandon Matthew Kanoy, 33, Overland Park, took off from New Century Airport and experienced power failure.The pilot was able to turn around and start landing on Runway 36. Upon landing the airplane ran off the end of the runway. The aircraft came to rest approximately 300 feet off of the runway.Kanoy and a&nbsp; passenger identified 93-year-old Robert Brown were not injured. The NTSB is in charge of the investigation.

Thanksgiving Day airplane mishap in Kan. under investigation

JACKSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 9 a.m. Sunday in Jackson County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Nissan Juke driven by Jenna G. Marconett, 20,&nbsp; Pleasant Hill, was westbound on MO 7 at MO East Junction.&nbsp;

The driver failed to yield and struck the passenger side of a northbound 2019 GMC Savannah 3500 driven by Mark A. Fields, 63, Independence. After impact, the can struck the front of a northbound 2010 Subaru Outback driven by Stephen E. Longmeyer, 54, Pleasant Hill, and overturned.

Fields was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the Jackson County Medical Examiner's office. Pleasant Hill EMS transported Marconett to Research Medical Center. Southern Jackson County EMS transported Longmeyer and two adult passenger in the Subaru to Centerpoint Medical Center. All five were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

JACKSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 9 a.m. Sunday in Jackson County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Nissan Juke driven by Jenna G. Marconett, 20,&nbsp; Pleasant Hill, was westbound on MO 7 at MO East Junction.&nbsp;The driver failed to yield and struck the passenger side of a northbound 2019 GMC Savannah 3500 driven by Mark A. Fields, 63, Independence. After impact, the can struck the front of a northbound 2010 Subaru Outback driven by Stephen E. Longmeyer, 54, Pleasant Hill, and overturned.Fields was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the Jackson County Medical Examiner's office. Pleasant Hill EMS transported Marconett to Research Medical Center. Southern Jackson County EMS transported Longmeyer and two adult passenger in the Subaru to Centerpoint Medical Center. All five were properly restrained, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man dies, 4 injured after 3-vehicle crash

LANSING,&nbsp;Kan. –Lansing Correctional Facility (LCF) inmate 29-year-old Darionce Terrell Charles-Lott died Saturday night at the facility, according to a statement from the Kansas Department of Corrections.

&nbsp;Charles-Lott was found unresponsive in his cell with no pulse. Life-saving measures were administered. He was transported to the facility clinic where he later was pronounced deceased.

Charles-Lott was serving a 172-month sentence from Wyandotte County for one count of Aggravated Battery with Intent for Bodily Harm and was admitted to the facility on November 1, 2011.

The cause of death is pending further investigation and the results of an independent autopsy.

Per protocol, when a resident dies in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC), the death is under investigation by the KDOC and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701026109758.png" alt="Charles-Lott-photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Charles-Lott-photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>LANSING,&nbsp;Kan. –Lansing Correctional Facility (LCF) inmate 29-year-old Darionce Terrell Charles-Lott died Saturday night at the facility, according to a statement from the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp;Charles-Lott was found unresponsive in his cell with no pulse. Life-saving measures were administered. He was transported to the facility clinic where he later was pronounced deceased.Charles-Lott was serving a 172-month sentence from Wyandotte County for one count of Aggravated Battery with Intent for Bodily Harm and was admitted to the facility on November 1, 2011.The cause of death is pending further investigation and the results of an independent autopsy.Per protocol, when a resident dies in the custody of the Kansas Department of Corrections (KDOC), the death is under investigation by the KDOC and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.&nbsp;

Kan. inmate, in jail since age 18, found dead in his cell

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nebraska —Law enforcement authorities are&nbsp;investigating the death of a 10-year-old boy.

Just after 11:30p.m. Thanksgiving, officers responded to 1112 N 31st Avenue for a report of a shooting, according to a media release.

When officers arrived they found&nbsp;Kendrick McDonald suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken by Omaha Fire Department personnel to Nebraska Medicine where he later died.&nbsp;

Police arrested the boy's father identified as 47-year-old Will McDonald on a requested charge of criminal homicide, use of a weapon-gun, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701022606863.png" alt="McDonald-photo Omaha Police" />
 <figcaption>McDonald-photo Omaha Police</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY, Nebraska —Law enforcement authorities are&nbsp;investigating the death of a 10-year-old boy.Just after 11:30p.m. Thanksgiving, officers responded to 1112 N 31st Avenue for a report of a shooting, according to a media release.When officers arrived they found&nbsp;Kendrick McDonald suffering from a gunshot wound. He was taken by Omaha Fire Department personnel to Nebraska Medicine where he later died.&nbsp;Police arrested the boy's father identified as 47-year-old Will McDonald on a requested charge of criminal homicide, use of a weapon-gun, and possession of a firearm by a prohibited person.&nbsp;Police released no additional details.

Father accused in death of 10-year-old son on Thanksgiving

By ALLISON KITE,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/10/04/evergy-regulators-near-deal-on-kansas-electric-rates/">Kansas Reflector</a>

The phrase “El Niño” can conjure up images of horrendous weather: severe storms in the southern U.S. and droughts in Asia and Africa.

But for Kansas and Missouri, El Niño, a months-long weather pattern that typically brings warm winters and extra precipitation to the central U.S., brings hope.&nbsp;

Both states have been stuck in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/23/with-only-weeks-until-winter-wheat-harvest-drought-still-plagues-kansas/">stubborn drought, slashing farm yields</a>&nbsp;and shrinking ponds for livestock. Aaron Harries, vice president of research and operations for Kansas Wheat, said the possibility of more rain and snow brought on by El Niño was welcome news.&nbsp;

“Anything better than what we’ve had the last three years is good news,” Harries said.&nbsp;

El Niño is a naturally —&nbsp;though irregularly —&nbsp;occurring phenomenon when the ocean’s surface warms in parts of the Pacific, bringing more rains to some areas of the globe while depriving others. Prevailing winds at the surface weaken and can reverse.&nbsp;

The National Weather Service declared the globe had entered an El Niño period in June and predicts it could last through the spring.

<a target="_blank" href="https://news.ucar.edu/132912/ncar-experimental-prediction-system-calls-super-el-nino-winter">The National Center for Atmospheric Research predicted</a>&nbsp;the current period would be a “Super El Niño,” which, for Kansas State climatologist Matthew Sittel, creates an image of a “meteorological superhero.”

“As it turns out, a Super El Niño could indeed be a hero for Kansans,” Sittel wrote in a report about the phenomenon this week.

Sittel’s counterpart in Missouri, Zack Leasor, said the possibility of more precipitation was cause for optimism. Over the course of the drought, Missouri has built up long-term precipitation deficits, he said, so it needs significant rain or snow to catch up.&nbsp;

But Missouri sits on a divide between the south, which typically gets above-average precipitation in an El Niño year, and the north, which sees less, making it difficult to know whether the state will see drought relief.

“So hopefully that forecast does hold because that would be good news for drought improvement,” he said.

Kansas and Missouri have both struggled through a months-long drought.

A year ago, more than half of Kansas was in an “extreme” or “exceptional” drought, the most severe label given by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?KS">the U.S. Drought Monitor</a>. While it has eased, most of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/10/30/southeast-kansas-town-is-almost-out-of-water-and-signs-of-crisis-are-everywhere/">state is still experiencing some level of drought</a>.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported in July that Kansas’ winter wheat production fell 15% from 2022. Bushels of wheat per acre fell from 32 to 27.&nbsp;

On Thursday, the agency reported sorghum, a more drought-tolerant cereal crop, was planted in much higher quantities this year and the harvest was forecast to be 47% larger than last year’s.

While the situation is not as severe in Missouri, just over half of the state&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?MO">remains in a lingering drought</a>.

A recent survey released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported 62% of livestock producers in Missouri are short or very short on hay and roughage supplies, and 43% are short or very short on stock water.

Huge swaths of the state have soil moisture levels far below historical averages. Corn yields are down 10% compared to 2022.

While an El Niño year typically brings more moisture than average for Kansas, that’s compared to a dry baseline. A couple extra inches of rain or snow won’t solve a 12-inch deficit in drought-stricken parts of the state.

“It is an absolute — I won’t say certainty,” Sittel said, “… but 99% chance that all of eastern Kansas, north, north-central, central Kansas will still be in drought conditions by April 1.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684861752582.png" alt="The El Niño weather pattern could bring more precipitation to drought-stricken&nbsp;Kansas and Missouri this winter. (Kansas Wheat/submitted)" />
 <figcaption>The El Niño weather pattern could bring more precipitation to drought-stricken&nbsp;Kansas and Missouri this winter. (Kansas Wheat/submitted)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALLISON KITE,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/10/04/evergy-regulators-near-deal-on-kansas-electric-rates/">Kansas Reflector</a>The phrase “El Niño” can conjure up images of horrendous weather: severe storms in the southern U.S. and droughts in Asia and Africa.But for Kansas and Missouri, El Niño, a months-long weather pattern that typically brings warm winters and extra precipitation to the central U.S., brings hope.&nbsp;Both states have been stuck in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/23/with-only-weeks-until-winter-wheat-harvest-drought-still-plagues-kansas/">stubborn drought, slashing farm yields</a>&nbsp;and shrinking ponds for livestock. Aaron Harries, vice president of research and operations for Kansas Wheat, said the possibility of more rain and snow brought on by El Niño was welcome news.&nbsp;“Anything better than what we’ve had the last three years is good news,” Harries said.&nbsp;El Niño is a naturally —&nbsp;though irregularly —&nbsp;occurring phenomenon when the ocean’s surface warms in parts of the Pacific, bringing more rains to some areas of the globe while depriving others. Prevailing winds at the surface weaken and can reverse.&nbsp;The National Weather Service declared the globe had entered an El Niño period in June and predicts it could last through the spring.<a target="_blank" href="https://news.ucar.edu/132912/ncar-experimental-prediction-system-calls-super-el-nino-winter">The National Center for Atmospheric Research predicted</a>&nbsp;the current period would be a “Super El Niño,” which, for Kansas State climatologist Matthew Sittel, creates an image of a “meteorological superhero.”“As it turns out, a Super El Niño could indeed be a hero for Kansans,” Sittel wrote in a report about the phenomenon this week.Sittel’s counterpart in Missouri, Zack Leasor, said the possibility of more precipitation was cause for optimism. Over the course of the drought, Missouri has built up long-term precipitation deficits, he said, so it needs significant rain or snow to catch up.&nbsp;But Missouri sits on a divide between the south, which typically gets above-average precipitation in an El Niño year, and the north, which sees less, making it difficult to know whether the state will see drought relief.“So hopefully that forecast does hold because that would be good news for drought improvement,” he said.Kansas and Missouri have both struggled through a months-long drought.A year ago, more than half of Kansas was in an “extreme” or “exceptional” drought, the most severe label given by&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?KS">the U.S. Drought Monitor</a>. While it has eased, most of the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/10/30/southeast-kansas-town-is-almost-out-of-water-and-signs-of-crisis-are-everywhere/">state is still experiencing some level of drought</a>.The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported in July that Kansas’ winter wheat production fell 15% from 2022. Bushels of wheat per acre fell from 32 to 27.&nbsp;On Thursday, the agency reported sorghum, a more drought-tolerant cereal crop, was planted in much higher quantities this year and the harvest was forecast to be 47% larger than last year’s.While the situation is not as severe in Missouri, just over half of the state&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/CurrentMap/StateDroughtMonitor.aspx?MO">remains in a lingering drought</a>.A recent survey released by the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported 62% of livestock producers in Missouri are short or very short on hay and roughage supplies, and 43% are short or very short on stock water.Huge swaths of the state have soil moisture levels far below historical averages. Corn yields are down 10% compared to 2022.While an El Niño year typically brings more moisture than average for Kansas, that’s compared to a dry baseline. A couple extra inches of rain or snow won’t solve a 12-inch deficit in drought-stricken parts of the state.“It is an absolute — I won’t say certainty,” Sittel said, “… but 99% chance that all of eastern Kansas, north, north-central, central Kansas will still be in drought conditions by April 1.”

Why a ‘Super El Niño’ could help drought-stricken Kansas, Missouri 

JERUSALEM (AP) — The fragile&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-what-to-know-af1cfbc9dcaa1485ed7a9efaca7ec2b7">cease-fire between Israel and Hamas</a>&nbsp;was back on track Sunday as the militants freed 17 more hostages, including 14 Israelis and the first American, in a third set of releases under a four-day truce that the U.S. said it hoped would be extended.

(Click below to watch the President's comments)

Some hostages were handed over directly to Israel, while others left through Egypt. Israel's army said one was airlifted directly to a hospital. U.S. President Joe Biden said the elderly woman was “very sick and was in need of immediate medical help."

The hostages ranged in age from 4 to 84 and included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/children-hostages-israel-palestinians-gaza-orphan-c8e9f6dd703a9c14161eeb6ca9e25417">Abigail Edan</a>, a 4-year-old girl whose parents were killed in the Hamas attack that started the war on Oct. 7. “What she endured was unthinkable,” Biden said of the first American freed, adding he did not know the child’s condition but could confirm she was safely in Israel. He did not have updates on other American hostages and said it was his goal to extend the cease-fire deal as long as possible.

In all, nine children ages 17 and younger were on the list, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. Separately, Hamas said it had released one of the Russian hostages it was holding, “in response to the efforts of Russian President Vladimir Putin” and as a show of appreciation for Moscow’s position on the war. The Russian-Israeli citizen was the first male hostage to be freed.

Israel was to free 39 Palestinian prisoners later Sunday as part of the deal. A fourth exchange is expected on Monday — the last day of the cease-fire during which a total of 50 hostages and 150 Palestinian prisoners are to be freed. All are women and minors.

International mediators led by the U.S. and Qatar are trying to extend the cease-fire.

Ahead of the latest release, Netanyahu visited the Gaza Strip, where he spoke with troops. “We are making every effort to return our hostages, and at the end of the day we will return every one,” he said, adding that “we are continuing until the end, until victory. Nothing will stop us.” It was not immediately clear where he went inside Gaza.

The cease-fire agreement has brought the first significant pause in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">seven weeks of war</a>, marked by the deadliest Israeli-Palestinian violence in decades and vast destruction and displacement across the Gaza Strip.

More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed, roughly two thirds of them women and minors, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza</a>. The war has claimed the lives of more than 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians killed by Hamas in the initial attack.

Hamas and other militant groups seized around 240 people during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">incursion into southern Israel</a>&nbsp;that ignited the war. Fifty-eight have been released, one was freed by Israeli forces and two were found dead inside Gaza.

Families from the southern Israeli town of Kfar Aza embraced, cried, and applauded at the news that the hostages from their town had arrived in Israel. More than 70 members of the kibbutz of around 700 people were killed and 18 were kidnapped.

“I will be so excited to see her,” Shacher Fuchter, 10, said of her friend Ela Elyakim, Israel’s Channel 12 reported.

Pressure from hostages' families has sharpened the dilemma facing Israel's leaders, who seek to eliminate Hamas as a military and governing power while returning all the captives.

The cease-fire, which began Friday, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-israel-hamas-war-hostage-qatar-0126c6443a9b3b32fe97032b81eaa515">brokered by Qatar and Egypt and the United States</a>. Israel has said the truce can be extended by an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed, but has vowed to quickly resume its offensive once it ends. Sullivan said the U.S. is working “with all sides on the possibility that this deal gets extended to additional hostages beyond the initial 50.”

Hamas announced the death of Ahmed al-Ghandour, who was in charge of northern Gaza and a member of its top military council. He is the highest-ranking militant known to have been killed in the fighting. Israel's military confirmed the death.

Al-Ghandour, believed to have been around 56 years old, had survived at least three Israeli attempts on his life and was involved in a cross-border attack in 2006 in which Palestinian militants captured an Israeli soldier, according to the Counter Extremism Project, an advocacy group based in Washington.

Hamas said that he was killed along with three other senior militants, including Ayman Siam, who Israel says was in charge of Hamas’ rocket-firing unit. The Israeli military mentioned both men in a Nov. 16 statement, saying it had targeted an underground complex where Hamas leaders were hiding.

The Israeli military claims to have killed thousands of militants, without providing evidence, including several mid-ranking commanders it has identified by name.

The pause has given some respite to Gaza's 2.3 million people, still reeling from relentless Israeli bombardment that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-israel-airstrikes-gaza-hamas-war-702f447ff7e52b03476555ec2513008b">driven three-quarters of the population</a>&nbsp;from their homes and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-gaza-israel-bombing-destruction-hamas-reconstruction-f299a28410b70ee05dd764df97d8d3a0">leveled residential areas</a>. Rocket fire from Gaza militants into Israel also went silent.

War-weary Palestinians in northern Gaza, where the offensive has focused, returned to the streets. Entire city blocks in and around Gaza City have been gutted by airstrikes that hollowed out buildings and left drifts of rubble.

In southern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people from the north&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-palestinians-gaza-water-food-f225bf0723bb5b3ae1961ba6cdef1917">have sought refuge</a>, residents lined up outside gas stations, hoping to stock up on fuel. Palestinians who have tried to return to the north to see if their homes are intact have been turned back by Israeli troops.

“Many are desperate to return to their homes, but they open fire on anyone approaching from the south,” said Rami Hazarein, who fled from Gaza City last month.

The Israeli military has ordered Palestinians not to return to the north or approach within a kilometer (around a half-mile) of the border fence. The Palestinian Red Crescent rescue service said that Israeli forces opened fire Sunday on two farmers in central Gaza, killing one and wounding the other. It didn't provide further details. An Israeli military spokesperson said they weren't aware of the incident.

The United Nations said the truce has made it possible to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-palestinians-truce-red-cross-crescent-14cd8cae0f6e064484167c66bbcecf8f">scale up the delivery</a>&nbsp;of food, water, and medicine to the largest volume since the start of the war, though it still hasn't reached prewar levels. It was able to deliver fuel for the first time since the war began, and to reach areas in the north for the first time in a month.

The freed hostages have mostly stayed out of the public eye. Hospitals said their physical condition has been good, aside from one who was shot during the attack and required surgery. Little is publicly known about the conditions of their captivity.

Eyal Nouri, the nephew of Adina Moshe, 72, who was freed on Friday, said his aunt “had to adjust to the sunlight” because she had been in complete darkness for weeks.

The released Palestinians included at least two women who had been given long sentences after being convicted by Israeli courts of violent attacks. Many Palestinians view&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-israel-prisons-arrests-west-bank-fc894c6f56318fb6fb2f080555b40b6f">prisoners held by Israel</a>, including those implicated in attacks, as heroes resisting occupation, and have celebrated their release.

The war in Gaza has been accompanied by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-israel-west-bank-war-gaza-hamas-settlers-army-raid-militants-c1386ab6a633971cc18b2497169210d3">surge in violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank</a>. Palestinian health authorities said Sunday that five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli military raid in the northern West Bank city of Jenin that began the day before. The toll in the West Bank is now 239 since the war began.

The Israeli army has conducted frequent military raids and arrested hundreds of Palestinians since the start of the war, mostly people it suspects of being Hamas members.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701012372596.png" alt="Abigail Edan as seen in family hand out photo is the first American hostage released-&nbsp; TAL EDAN VIA AP" />
 <figcaption>Abigail Edan as seen in family hand out photo is the first American hostage released-&nbsp; TAL EDAN VIA AP</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — The fragile&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-what-to-know-af1cfbc9dcaa1485ed7a9efaca7ec2b7">cease-fire between Israel and Hamas</a>&nbsp;was back on track Sunday as the militants freed 17 more hostages, including 14 Israelis and the first American, in a third set of releases under a four-day truce that the U.S. said it hoped would be extended.(Click below to watch the President's comments)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F1007369290378851%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=12" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Some hostages were handed over directly to Israel, while others left through Egypt. Israel's army said one was airlifted directly to a hospital. U.S. President Joe Biden said the elderly woman was “very sick and was in need of immediate medical help."The hostages ranged in age from 4 to 84 and included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/children-hostages-israel-palestinians-gaza-orphan-c8e9f6dd703a9c14161eeb6ca9e25417">Abigail Edan</a>, a 4-year-old girl whose parents were killed in the Hamas attack that started the war on Oct. 7. “What she endured was unthinkable,” Biden said of the first American freed, adding he did not know the child’s condition but could confirm she was safely in Israel. He did not have updates on other American hostages and said it was his goal to extend the cease-fire deal as long as possible.In all, nine children ages 17 and younger were on the list, according to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. Separately, Hamas said it had released one of the Russian hostages it was holding, “in response to the efforts of Russian President Vladimir Putin” and as a show of appreciation for Moscow’s position on the war. The Russian-Israeli citizen was the first male hostage to be freed.Israel was to free 39 Palestinian prisoners later Sunday as part of the deal. A fourth exchange is expected on Monday — the last day of the cease-fire during which a total of 50 hostages and 150 Palestinian prisoners are to be freed. All are women and minors.International mediators led by the U.S. and Qatar are trying to extend the cease-fire.Ahead of the latest release, Netanyahu visited the Gaza Strip, where he spoke with troops. “We are making every effort to return our hostages, and at the end of the day we will return every one,” he said, adding that “we are continuing until the end, until victory. Nothing will stop us.” It was not immediately clear where he went inside Gaza.A BREAK IN THE FIGHTINGThe cease-fire agreement has brought the first significant pause in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">seven weeks of war</a>, marked by the deadliest Israeli-Palestinian violence in decades and vast destruction and displacement across the Gaza Strip.More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed, roughly two thirds of them women and minors, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza</a>. The war has claimed the lives of more than 1,200 Israelis, mostly civilians killed by Hamas in the initial attack.Hamas and other militant groups seized around 240 people during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">incursion into southern Israel</a>&nbsp;that ignited the war. Fifty-eight have been released, one was freed by Israeli forces and two were found dead inside Gaza.Families from the southern Israeli town of Kfar Aza embraced, cried, and applauded at the news that the hostages from their town had arrived in Israel. More than 70 members of the kibbutz of around 700 people were killed and 18 were kidnapped.“I will be so excited to see her,” Shacher Fuchter, 10, said of her friend Ela Elyakim, Israel’s Channel 12 reported.Pressure from hostages' families has sharpened the dilemma facing Israel's leaders, who seek to eliminate Hamas as a military and governing power while returning all the captives.The cease-fire, which began Friday, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-israel-hamas-war-hostage-qatar-0126c6443a9b3b32fe97032b81eaa515">brokered by Qatar and Egypt and the United States</a>. Israel has said the truce can be extended by an extra day for every additional 10 hostages freed, but has vowed to quickly resume its offensive once it ends. Sullivan said the U.S. is working “with all sides on the possibility that this deal gets extended to additional hostages beyond the initial 50.”HAMAS COMMANDER KILLEDHamas announced the death of Ahmed al-Ghandour, who was in charge of northern Gaza and a member of its top military council. He is the highest-ranking militant known to have been killed in the fighting. Israel's military confirmed the death.Al-Ghandour, believed to have been around 56 years old, had survived at least three Israeli attempts on his life and was involved in a cross-border attack in 2006 in which Palestinian militants captured an Israeli soldier, according to the Counter Extremism Project, an advocacy group based in Washington.Hamas said that he was killed along with three other senior militants, including Ayman Siam, who Israel says was in charge of Hamas’ rocket-firing unit. The Israeli military mentioned both men in a Nov. 16 statement, saying it had targeted an underground complex where Hamas leaders were hiding.The Israeli military claims to have killed thousands of militants, without providing evidence, including several mid-ranking commanders it has identified by name.AID AND RESPITE IN GAZAThe pause has given some respite to Gaza's 2.3 million people, still reeling from relentless Israeli bombardment that has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-israel-airstrikes-gaza-hamas-war-702f447ff7e52b03476555ec2513008b">driven three-quarters of the population</a>&nbsp;from their homes and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-gaza-israel-bombing-destruction-hamas-reconstruction-f299a28410b70ee05dd764df97d8d3a0">leveled residential areas</a>. Rocket fire from Gaza militants into Israel also went silent.War-weary Palestinians in northern Gaza, where the offensive has focused, returned to the streets. Entire city blocks in and around Gaza City have been gutted by airstrikes that hollowed out buildings and left drifts of rubble.In southern Gaza, where hundreds of thousands of people from the north&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-palestinians-gaza-water-food-f225bf0723bb5b3ae1961ba6cdef1917">have sought refuge</a>, residents lined up outside gas stations, hoping to stock up on fuel. Palestinians who have tried to return to the north to see if their homes are intact have been turned back by Israeli troops.“Many are desperate to return to their homes, but they open fire on anyone approaching from the south,” said Rami Hazarein, who fled from Gaza City last month.The Israeli military has ordered Palestinians not to return to the north or approach within a kilometer (around a half-mile) of the border fence. The Palestinian Red Crescent rescue service said that Israeli forces opened fire Sunday on two farmers in central Gaza, killing one and wounding the other. It didn't provide further details. An Israeli military spokesperson said they weren't aware of the incident.The United Nations said the truce has made it possible to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-palestinians-truce-red-cross-crescent-14cd8cae0f6e064484167c66bbcecf8f">scale up the delivery</a>&nbsp;of food, water, and medicine to the largest volume since the start of the war, though it still hasn't reached prewar levels. It was able to deliver fuel for the first time since the war began, and to reach areas in the north for the first time in a month.HOSTAGES FOR PRISONERSThe freed hostages have mostly stayed out of the public eye. Hospitals said their physical condition has been good, aside from one who was shot during the attack and required surgery. Little is publicly known about the conditions of their captivity.Eyal Nouri, the nephew of Adina Moshe, 72, who was freed on Friday, said his aunt “had to adjust to the sunlight” because she had been in complete darkness for weeks.The released Palestinians included at least two women who had been given long sentences after being convicted by Israeli courts of violent attacks. Many Palestinians view&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-israel-prisons-arrests-west-bank-fc894c6f56318fb6fb2f080555b40b6f">prisoners held by Israel</a>, including those implicated in attacks, as heroes resisting occupation, and have celebrated their release.The war in Gaza has been accompanied by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-israel-west-bank-war-gaza-hamas-settlers-army-raid-militants-c1386ab6a633971cc18b2497169210d3">surge in violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank</a>. Palestinian health authorities said Sunday that five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli military raid in the northern West Bank city of Jenin that began the day before. The toll in the West Bank is now 239 since the war began.The Israeli army has conducted frequent military raids and arrested hundreds of Palestinians since the start of the war, mostly people it suspects of being Hamas members.

🎥First American included in 3rd hostage release by Hamas

By&nbsp;RACHEL MIPRO&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Agriculture gives a dam.&nbsp;

The department has been allocated $10 million in funding for several state water projects, including dam rehabilitation and repair and irrigation technology improvements.

About $7 million of the funding will go toward projects&nbsp;in eastern Stafford County, where the Rattlesnake Creek and&nbsp;Quivira National Wildlife Refuge have struggled with water flow.&nbsp;

The Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, which provides shelter for hundreds of migratory bird species, is home to inland marshes that rely on water from Rattlesnake Creek. While the refuge is supposed to be allocated a certain amount of water each year, crop irrigation and other agricultural water uses have greatly reduced the amount of water flowing into the creek, along with t<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/08/24/kansas-farm-irrigation-still-hinders-quivira-national-wildlife-refuge-water-rights/">he refuge’s overall water supply</a>.&nbsp;

The funding is meant to bolster solutions to the problem at the local level, such as partnering with stakeholders, changing irrigation technology in the area and buying out water rights in the community.&nbsp;

“These funds, as outlined,&nbsp; would have some flexibility for trying to address impairments with water right buyouts augmentation, infrastructure, technology and other solutions,” said Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam.&nbsp;

The State Finance Council approved the allocation, along with funding for several other water projects, during its Nov. 13 meeting.&nbsp;

Also, $3 million will go toward fixing privately owned high-hazard dams. These dams could cause significant destruction or loss of life if they fail, especially in areas where people live or reside under the dams. Beam said there are many such dams scattered throughout the state. He estimated the funding could help with costs on 20 or so.&nbsp;

“These are expensive projects,” Beam said. “So this should be a big boost for that.”&nbsp;

During allocations, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment also received $5.8 million in funding for water quality projects.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The department will use $1.5 million to clean up six orphaned contaminated sites, areas where the owner has abandoned the property and left behind hazardous substances.&nbsp; The six sites are currently contaminated with hydrocarbons, heavy metals and nitrate.

About $50,000 will be put aside for cleaning up the Kansas River, removing river trash around the Topeka area.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1696013446266.png" alt="The Quivira National Wildlife Refuge has struggled with getting enough water in the agriculture-dominated area. (Rachel Laubhan/USFWS)" />
 <figcaption>The Quivira National Wildlife Refuge has struggled with getting enough water in the agriculture-dominated area. (Rachel Laubhan/USFWS)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;RACHEL MIPRO&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Agriculture gives a dam.&nbsp;The department has been allocated $10 million in funding for several state water projects, including dam rehabilitation and repair and irrigation technology improvements.About $7 million of the funding will go toward projects&nbsp;in eastern Stafford County, where the Rattlesnake Creek and&nbsp;Quivira National Wildlife Refuge have struggled with water flow.&nbsp;The Quivira National Wildlife Refuge, which provides shelter for hundreds of migratory bird species, is home to inland marshes that rely on water from Rattlesnake Creek. While the refuge is supposed to be allocated a certain amount of water each year, crop irrigation and other agricultural water uses have greatly reduced the amount of water flowing into the creek, along with t<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/08/24/kansas-farm-irrigation-still-hinders-quivira-national-wildlife-refuge-water-rights/">he refuge’s overall water supply</a>.&nbsp;The funding is meant to bolster solutions to the problem at the local level, such as partnering with stakeholders, changing irrigation technology in the area and buying out water rights in the community.&nbsp;“These funds, as outlined,&nbsp; would have some flexibility for trying to address impairments with water right buyouts augmentation, infrastructure, technology and other solutions,” said Kansas Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam.&nbsp;The State Finance Council approved the allocation, along with funding for several other water projects, during its Nov. 13 meeting.&nbsp;Also, $3 million will go toward fixing privately owned high-hazard dams. These dams could cause significant destruction or loss of life if they fail, especially in areas where people live or reside under the dams. Beam said there are many such dams scattered throughout the state. He estimated the funding could help with costs on 20 or so.&nbsp;“These are expensive projects,” Beam said. “So this should be a big boost for that.”&nbsp;During allocations, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment also received $5.8 million in funding for water quality projects.&nbsp;&nbsp;The department will use $1.5 million to clean up six orphaned contaminated sites, areas where the owner has abandoned the property and left behind hazardous substances.&nbsp; The six sites are currently contaminated with hydrocarbons, heavy metals and nitrate.About $50,000 will be put aside for cleaning up the Kansas River, removing river trash around the Topeka area.

State funding set aside for Kansas River trash removal, high-risk dam repairs

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22Jon%20Dulin%20|%20Wealth%20of%20Geeks%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By Jon Dulin | Wealth of Geeks</a>, via Associated Press

Adolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of depression and anxiety, as well as feelings of body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem. That’s directly from the United States Surgeon General, reporting on social media and youth mental health.

While there are benefits to social media use, it is crucial not to overlook the worrisome dark side of social media use.

The report,&nbsp;<a href="https://rb.gy/h8g1z6">Social Media and Youth Mental Health</a>, sheds light on social media use among teens and its impact on their psychological welfare. About 95% of young people ages 13 to 17 are on social media. More than a third of them rank their use as “almost constantly.”

Although most social media platforms have a minimum age of 13 for access and use, few enforce that requirement — almost 40% of kids between eight and 12 years old use social media regularly. What is most concerning about this is there haven’t been any substantive studies on the safety of social media and its impact on young people, especially regarding&nbsp;<a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/mental-health-issues/">mental health</a>.

One of the most commonly cited benefits of social media is that it provides the opportunity for positive social connections and gives a sense of community with others who have similar interests, abilities, and identities. Users are free to express themselves and explore their creativity, gaining exposure to ideas and issues they may never encounter otherwise. It connects people worldwide, allowing for friendships to be forged and cultures to be shared.

Social media can be a haven for those who feel like social outcasts, introverts, or are socially awkward. After repeated failures at in-person interactions, they can feel overwhelmed and alone. Social media can help ease that isolation.&nbsp;<a href="https://unfinishedsuccess.com/when-life-gives-you-lemons/">When life gives you lemons</a>, fire up Facebook.

The exposure to various cultures and ideologies encourages a broader acceptance of diversity on all levels. The potential exists to make the world a better, more accepting place. Several studies have shown that social media may be a tool for supporting individuals who feel marginalized in society, including gender, racial, sexual, and ethnic minorities, or those groups commonly at risk. Many share and learn&nbsp;<a href="https://unfinishedsuccess.com/self-care-ideas/">self-care ideas</a>&nbsp;and the importance of self-love through the interactions they have online on these platforms.

Looking at social media from this standpoint, it’s hard to imagine that anything could go wrong, but it does. It can go very wrong.

Not all social media experiences are positive and helpful. Researchers have repeatedly found it is possible to have too much of a “good” thing. One study looked at the social media use of young people aged 12 to 15 and the impact it had on their mental health. Those who spent more than three hours a day on social media were twice as likely to experience anxiety, depression, and other poor mental health outcomes. In 2021, most eighth and 10th graders averaged three and a half hours on social media daily.

Study after study has shown an increase in depression and anxiety with regular use of social media, including grade school, high school, and college-aged young people. What is most telling is that a reduction in&nbsp;<a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/things-that-scream-i-want-attention-on-social-media/">social media</a>&nbsp;use typically correlates with a lowered incidence and intensity of depression and anxiety.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2056305120913983">2020 study</a>&nbsp;showed that social media use has the potential to normalize hatred by dehumanization. That may sound extreme, but the perceived anonymity of some users encourages them to do and say things to others online that they would likely never do face-to-face. Another study found that among 14-year-old social media users, the more frequent the use, the more they experienced:

The risk of exposure to harmful or inappropriate content is another factor that needs consideration. The human brain is not fully developed and mature until the person is in their mid to late 20s. Exposing children to this type of harmful content shapes their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-7-things-to-know#:~:text=Although%20the%20brain%20stops%20growing,the%20last%20parts%20to%20mature.">neurological development</a>, affecting not only their psychology but also their logic, decision-making, and ability to reason.

Parents are the gatekeepers of their children’s development and growth. It is the parent’s place to set firm boundaries that keep their children physically and mentally safe. Sometimes, that means making unpopular decisions, such as limiting social media use. Sometimes, it means getting creative and helping children make healthier choices.

A knee-jerk reaction may be to remove social media or substantially limit their children’s access to it.

But a better option for parents is to take a more sensitive approach. Replace time spent on social media with other activities.

In other words, increasing family time, investing in a fun class the child wants to take, or introducing other activities like reading or art. This strategy not only teaches the child the importance of moderation but also expands their interests.

Safe internet and social media use should be fundamental in the home.&nbsp;<a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/why-parenting-is-challenging/">Parents</a>&nbsp;should have access to their children’s accounts and be able to see any interactions and private messages. At the same time, parents must establish trust and not abuse that right to access.

When dealing with emotional fallout from negative social media experiences, parents must address them head-on with compassion and concern. One of the best ways to combat depression is to remember the&nbsp;<a href="https://unfinishedsuccess.com/small-things-to-be-grateful-for/">things to be thankful for</a>. That isn’t always an easy thing to do independently. A loving parent can help.

Young people should take responsibility for their social media use and have a plan in place when situations turn harmful. Giving them open access to a trusted adult and having a plan of action in place for addressing problems in a sensitive way can help the child’s self-esteem, confidence, and trust. It can also teach them invaluable coping and problem-solving skills.

Social media has its merits, but it has given far too much access to our children, and those children have far too much freedom with social media. The result is overuse, misuse, and abuse. It’s time to pick up the reins and get control of the runaway stagecoach that is carrying our kids into places they should never know.

This article was produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mediadecision.com/lifestyle/more-than-one-third-of-teens-use-social-media-almost-constantly/article_f62a4f62-8251-11ee-b77f-df4977305fb0.html">Media Decision</a>&nbsp;and syndicated by&nbsp;<a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/teens-use-social-media-constantly/">Wealth of Geeks</a>.

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22Jon%20Dulin%20|%20Wealth%20of%20Geeks%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By Jon Dulin | Wealth of Geeks</a>, via Associated PressAdolescents who spend more than three hours a day on social media face double the risk of depression and anxiety, as well as feelings of body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem. That’s directly from the United States Surgeon General, reporting on social media and youth mental health.While there are benefits to social media use, it is crucial not to overlook the worrisome dark side of social media use.Social Media and Teens: By the NumbersThe report,&nbsp;<a href="https://rb.gy/h8g1z6">Social Media and Youth Mental Health</a>, sheds light on social media use among teens and its impact on their psychological welfare. About 95% of young people ages 13 to 17 are on social media. More than a third of them rank their use as “almost constantly.”Although most social media platforms have a minimum age of 13 for access and use, few enforce that requirement — almost 40% of kids between eight and 12 years old use social media regularly. What is most concerning about this is there haven’t been any substantive studies on the safety of social media and its impact on young people, especially regarding&nbsp;<a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/mental-health-issues/">mental health</a>.Benefits of Social MediaOne of the most commonly cited benefits of social media is that it provides the opportunity for positive social connections and gives a sense of community with others who have similar interests, abilities, and identities. Users are free to express themselves and explore their creativity, gaining exposure to ideas and issues they may never encounter otherwise. It connects people worldwide, allowing for friendships to be forged and cultures to be shared.Social media can be a haven for those who feel like social outcasts, introverts, or are socially awkward. After repeated failures at in-person interactions, they can feel overwhelmed and alone. Social media can help ease that isolation.&nbsp;<a href="https://unfinishedsuccess.com/when-life-gives-you-lemons/">When life gives you lemons</a>, fire up Facebook.The exposure to various cultures and ideologies encourages a broader acceptance of diversity on all levels. The potential exists to make the world a better, more accepting place. Several studies have shown that social media may be a tool for supporting individuals who feel marginalized in society, including gender, racial, sexual, and ethnic minorities, or those groups commonly at risk. Many share and learn&nbsp;<a href="https://unfinishedsuccess.com/self-care-ideas/">self-care ideas</a>&nbsp;and the importance of self-love through the interactions they have online on these platforms.Looking at social media from this standpoint, it’s hard to imagine that anything could go wrong, but it does. It can go very wrong.The Dark Side of Social MediaNot all social media experiences are positive and helpful. Researchers have repeatedly found it is possible to have too much of a “good” thing. One study looked at the social media use of young people aged 12 to 15 and the impact it had on their mental health. Those who spent more than three hours a day on social media were twice as likely to experience anxiety, depression, and other poor mental health outcomes. In 2021, most eighth and 10th graders averaged three and a half hours on social media daily.Study after study has shown an increase in depression and anxiety with regular use of social media, including grade school, high school, and college-aged young people. What is most telling is that a reduction in&nbsp;<a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/things-that-scream-i-want-attention-on-social-media/">social media</a>&nbsp;use typically correlates with a lowered incidence and intensity of depression and anxiety.A&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/2056305120913983">2020 study</a>&nbsp;showed that social media use has the potential to normalize hatred by dehumanization. That may sound extreme, but the perceived anonymity of some users encourages them to do and say things to others online that they would likely never do face-to-face. Another study found that among 14-year-old social media users, the more frequent the use, the more they experienced:<ul>
 <li>Exposure to explicit content: 71%</li><li>Pressure to act a particular way: 59%</li><li>Bullying or harassment by others: 54%</li><li>Lowered self-esteem: 54%</li><li>Depression or anxiety: 53%</li>
 </ul>The risk of exposure to harmful or inappropriate content is another factor that needs consideration. The human brain is not fully developed and mature until the person is in their mid to late 20s. Exposing children to this type of harmful content shapes their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/the-teen-brain-7-things-to-know#:~:text=Although%20the%20brain%20stops%20growing,the%20last%20parts%20to%20mature.">neurological development</a>, affecting not only their psychology but also their logic, decision-making, and ability to reason.Setting Boundaries for Social Media UseParents are the gatekeepers of their children’s development and growth. It is the parent’s place to set firm boundaries that keep their children physically and mentally safe. Sometimes, that means making unpopular decisions, such as limiting social media use. Sometimes, it means getting creative and helping children make healthier choices.A knee-jerk reaction may be to remove social media or substantially limit their children’s access to it.But a better option for parents is to take a more sensitive approach. Replace time spent on social media with other activities.In other words, increasing family time, investing in a fun class the child wants to take, or introducing other activities like reading or art. This strategy not only teaches the child the importance of moderation but also expands their interests.Safe internet and social media use should be fundamental in the home.&nbsp;<a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/why-parenting-is-challenging/">Parents</a>&nbsp;should have access to their children’s accounts and be able to see any interactions and private messages. At the same time, parents must establish trust and not abuse that right to access.When dealing with emotional fallout from negative social media experiences, parents must address them head-on with compassion and concern. One of the best ways to combat depression is to remember the&nbsp;<a href="https://unfinishedsuccess.com/small-things-to-be-grateful-for/">things to be thankful for</a>. That isn’t always an easy thing to do independently. A loving parent can help.Young people should take responsibility for their social media use and have a plan in place when situations turn harmful. Giving them open access to a trusted adult and having a plan of action in place for addressing problems in a sensitive way can help the child’s self-esteem, confidence, and trust. It can also teach them invaluable coping and problem-solving skills.Social media has its merits, but it has given far too much access to our children, and those children have far too much freedom with social media. The result is overuse, misuse, and abuse. It’s time to pick up the reins and get control of the runaway stagecoach that is carrying our kids into places they should never know.This article was produced by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mediadecision.com/lifestyle/more-than-one-third-of-teens-use-social-media-almost-constantly/article_f62a4f62-8251-11ee-b77f-df4977305fb0.html">Media Decision</a>&nbsp;and syndicated by&nbsp;<a href="https://wealthofgeeks.com/teens-use-social-media-constantly/">Wealth of Geeks</a>.

More than one-third of teens use social media “almost constantly”

Colyer says patients and doctors, not bureaucrats, need to make health care decisions

By TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Former Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer endorsed the Republican candidacy of Donald Trump based on a belief election of the former president in 2024 would protect Medicare, lower health care and drug prices, speed development of medical treatments and address the overdose epidemic.

Colyer, a surgeon who served seven years as lieutenant governor to GOP Gov. Sam Brownback, was governor of the state for one year after Brownback resigned to work in the Trump administration. In 2018, Colyer sought a full term as governor and was endorsed by former GOP presidential nominee Bob Dole. He narrowly lost the August primary contest to Kris Kobach, who was endorsed by Trump one day before the election.

“As a physician, cancer survivor and former governor, I’m endorsing Donald J. Trump for president,” Colyer said. “The biggest reason why is for all that he will do to fix health care in America.”

Colyer offered his support for Trump in a Newsweek column after visiting the former president at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

He said Americans didn’t appreciate Trump’s health policy accomplishments as president prior to the reelection loss to Democratic President Joe Biden. In a new term, Colyer said, Trump would protect from spending cuts Medicare benefits relied upon by 65 million Americans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618844745215.png" alt="Former Kansas governor Jeff Colyer and Senator Roger Marshall file photo" />
 <figcaption>Former Kansas governor Jeff Colyer and Senator Roger Marshall file photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Colyer says patients and doctors, not bureaucrats, need to make health care decisions</h2>By TIM CARPENTER&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/09/21/kansas-board-of-regents-sculpts-plan-for-boosting-state-aid-to-public-higher-education/?emci=78717300-c858-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;emdi=fc107f78-2659-ee11-9937-00224832eb73&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Former Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer endorsed the Republican candidacy of Donald Trump based on a belief election of the former president in 2024 would protect Medicare, lower health care and drug prices, speed development of medical treatments and address the overdose epidemic.Colyer, a surgeon who served seven years as lieutenant governor to GOP Gov. Sam Brownback, was governor of the state for one year after Brownback resigned to work in the Trump administration. In 2018, Colyer sought a full term as governor and was endorsed by former GOP presidential nominee Bob Dole. He narrowly lost the August primary contest to Kris Kobach, who was endorsed by Trump one day before the election.“As a physician, cancer survivor and former governor, I’m endorsing Donald J. Trump for president,” Colyer said. “The biggest reason why is for all that he will do to fix health care in America.”Colyer offered his support for Trump in a Newsweek column after visiting the former president at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.He said Americans didn’t appreciate Trump’s health policy accomplishments as president prior to the reelection loss to Democratic President Joe Biden. In a new term, Colyer said, Trump would protect from spending cuts Medicare benefits relied upon by 65 million Americans.Colyer said Trump would lower pharmaceutical drug prices and address shortcomings in the Affordable Care Act. He said Trump would create price transparency in U.S. health care. Consumers need accurate information to make decisions about containing medical expenditures, he said.“We need to allow patients and their doctors, not bureaucrats, to determine health care decisions,” said Colyer, who consistently supported legislation to restrain abortion rights in Kansas.Colyer said Trump would close the southern U.S. border with Mexico to drug traffickers flooding the country with opioids and fentanyl fueling overdose deaths. The country deserved “a president dedicated to securing our borders, stopping the drug traffickers and saving American lives,” Colyer said.In addition, Colyer said Trump would remove government roadblocks to research and development of new treatments for health problems.“From the vantage point of someone who experienced every side of the health care equation, there is no question that President Trump has the best track record on healthcare. And, now, he could become the most transformative health innovator in our lifetimes,” Colyer said.In 2016, Trump said he would implement health insurance for “everybody” and lower coverage costs. Trump said he would protect Medicare funding, but in 2020 disclosed that he was open to reductions in federal safety-net programs. Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Trump suggested treatment with&nbsp;ultraviolet light or “injection” of disinfectant might kill the virus.Trump said during the 2016 campaign that as president he would repeal and replace the ACA. The Center for American Progress said the GOP president chipped away at the ACA and the number of uninsured Americans expanded by 2.3 million from 2016 to 2019.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported in early 2023 a record 40 million Americans had health insurance coverage under the ACA.