SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Wichita Police Department officer who retired this week is facing criminal charges.

Friday afternoon, investigators with the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Department notified the Wichita Police Department that the Sedgwick County District Attorney had charged former Police Captain Wendell Nicholson on eight counts of computer crimes.

Nicholson had been with the Wichita Police Department for 29 years prior to retiring. His last day with the department was March 23.

The district attorney's office released no additional details

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679705722312.png" alt="Nicholson has been with the police dept. for 29-years photo Wichita.gov" />
 <figcaption>Nicholson has been with the police dept. for 29-years photo Wichita.gov</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Wichita Police Department officer who retired this week is facing criminal charges.Friday afternoon, investigators with the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Department notified the Wichita Police Department that the Sedgwick County District Attorney had charged former Police Captain Wendell Nicholson on eight counts of computer crimes.Nicholson had been with the Wichita Police Department for 29 years prior to retiring. His last day with the department was March 23.The district attorney's office released no additional details

Kan. officer who retired Thursday charged with computer crimes

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Child care regulations would be lowered in Kansas under a bill that has won Senate approval and created a debate over how best to address a shortage of day care spots without compromising safety.

The 21 to 17 vote Thursday sends the measure, backed by the parents of two young children, to the Kansas House.

The bill would roll back some of the changes put in place under a law named after Lexie Engelman, a 13-month-old child who suffered fatal injuries in a Johnson County day care in 2004. It would decrease training and continuing education requirements from teachers and staff in child care facilities while increasing the child-to-adult maximum ratio requirement for facilities.

“The current system is causing people to seek unregulated care," said Republican Sen. Kristen O’Shea of Topeka.

She and fellow Republican Sen. Chase Blasi of Wichita described their bill as the beginning of an answer in Kansas to a shortage of child care spots.

The state needs more than 85,000 new child care slots to meet existing demand, according to Child Care Aware of Kansas, a chapter of a national organization aimed at promoting quality child care.

But Kelly Davydov, executive director of Child Care Aware of Kansas, said the changes made after Lexie’s Law put Kansas at the top of the nation in terms of child safety.

“It really at that time launched us to the front of the line in terms of quality early care and education,” Davydov said. “Some of the changes in this bill are moving us away from national health and safety standards and best practices.”

Furthermore, Davydov said, the decreased continuing education could put Kansas out of compliance with existing requirements to receive federal child care funding.

Blasi said any issues regarding federal funding could be addressed as the bill works its way through the statehouse. He argued Kansas is more stringent than most other states, and the bill would bring the state’s requirements closer to the national averages.

But Sen. Mary Ware, a Wichita Democrat, called the bill rushed. While it may create more slots, she said it might do so by harming the safety of children and workers.

“It is not child-centered. It isn’t even child care worker-centered,” Ware said.

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, has prioritized child care in her second term and announced a task force earlier this year to study the child care system in Kansas.

Her office said in a statement she would evaluate the legislation if it reaches her desk. Last year the Kansas Department of Health and Environment considered ratio changes similar to what was proposed in the bill. But those regulatory changes were halted after some providers expressed concern.

In a statement Matt Lara, a spokesman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said the agency is currently conducting a comprehensive review of existing regulations.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679710207921.png" alt="“The current system is causing people to seek unregulated care," said Republican Sen. Kristen O’Shea of Topeka. -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>“The current system is causing people to seek unregulated care," said Republican Sen. Kristen O’Shea of Topeka. -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Child care regulations would be lowered in Kansas under a bill that has won Senate approval and created a debate over how best to address a shortage of day care spots without compromising safety.The 21 to 17 vote Thursday sends the measure, backed by the parents of two young children, to the Kansas House.The bill would roll back some of the changes put in place under a law named after Lexie Engelman, a 13-month-old child who suffered fatal injuries in a Johnson County day care in 2004. It would decrease training and continuing education requirements from teachers and staff in child care facilities while increasing the child-to-adult maximum ratio requirement for facilities.“The current system is causing people to seek unregulated care," said Republican Sen. Kristen O’Shea of Topeka.She and fellow Republican Sen. Chase Blasi of Wichita described their bill as the beginning of an answer in Kansas to a shortage of child care spots.The state needs more than 85,000 new child care slots to meet existing demand, according to Child Care Aware of Kansas, a chapter of a national organization aimed at promoting quality child care.But Kelly Davydov, executive director of Child Care Aware of Kansas, said the changes made after Lexie’s Law put Kansas at the top of the nation in terms of child safety.“It really at that time launched us to the front of the line in terms of quality early care and education,” Davydov said. “Some of the changes in this bill are moving us away from national health and safety standards and best practices.”Furthermore, Davydov said, the decreased continuing education could put Kansas out of compliance with existing requirements to receive federal child care funding.Blasi said any issues regarding federal funding could be addressed as the bill works its way through the statehouse. He argued Kansas is more stringent than most other states, and the bill would bring the state’s requirements closer to the national averages.But Sen. Mary Ware, a Wichita Democrat, called the bill rushed. While it may create more slots, she said it might do so by harming the safety of children and workers.“It is not child-centered. It isn’t even child care worker-centered,” Ware said.Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, has prioritized child care in her second term and announced a task force earlier this year to study the child care system in Kansas.Her office said in a statement she would evaluate the legislation if it reaches her desk. Last year the Kansas Department of Health and Environment considered ratio changes similar to what was proposed in the bill. But those regulatory changes were halted after some providers expressed concern.In a statement Matt Lara, a spokesman for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said the agency is currently conducting a comprehensive review of existing regulations.

Bill lowering child care rules passes Kansas Senate

GRANBY (AP) —As heavy rains and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornado-texas-severe-weather-mississippi-valley-65e553e6358b56b2630ff5c588850505">flash floods doused southwestern Missouri</a>&nbsp;Friday, Layton Hoyer wanted to get a closer look at the rising river levels. That is when he noticed an SUV caught in the flash floods near Granby.

At first, Hoyer thought the car might have been abandoned, but flashing brake lights caught his eye. The lights were blinking as if someone was intentionally tapping the brakes. He got on top of the train tracks near the ditch where the SUV was trapped and saw someone inside.

“I could see this elderly woman lying in this car trying to stay in the air bubble,” he said.

The 33-year-old quickly called 911, but he said the woman didn’t have much time left as the car continued to sink. Hoyer tried to reach her car from the passenger side, but the current was too strong. He then waded through the cold water before he too was submerged and then lunged, grabbing onto her car.

“I got a hold of the back door and started trying to pull the door open. But the vacuum on the door was so tight,” he said.

He said he was able to break the seal at the top of her window jam and open the door.

“I swear there was only a foot of air gap left in the back part of her car,” he said. “I just grabbed her by both arms and pulled her out of there.”

Hoyer rushed to get them both inside his truck to warm up.

Jim Channel, assistant Granby fire chief, was responding to a call of an 80-year-old woman trapped in a car when he arrived on the scene. Channel had been called to water rescues by Old Ritchey Road before, but he wasn't surprised to see who was there.

“I’ve known the young man all his life, and he will do it again tomorrow,” Channel said of Hoyer. “He didn’t even think about what he was doing.”

Channel said he along with other rescue workers attempted to save the women’s three dogs inside the car, who were trapped in cages, but they couldn’t reach them in time before getting called to another water rescue.

Hoyer didn’t get a chance to get the woman’s full name. But he said he would like to see her again.

“I would love to put my arms around her 'cause she just cried in my arms and told me how thankful she was when the ambulance got there,” he said. “I was so thankful that God put me there to help her.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679741775995.png" alt="Photo National Weather Service Springfield" />
 <figcaption>Photo National Weather Service Springfield</figcaption>
 </figure>GRANBY (AP) —As heavy rains and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornado-texas-severe-weather-mississippi-valley-65e553e6358b56b2630ff5c588850505">flash floods doused southwestern Missouri</a>&nbsp;Friday, Layton Hoyer wanted to get a closer look at the rising river levels. That is when he noticed an SUV caught in the flash floods near Granby.At first, Hoyer thought the car might have been abandoned, but flashing brake lights caught his eye. The lights were blinking as if someone was intentionally tapping the brakes. He got on top of the train tracks near the ditch where the SUV was trapped and saw someone inside.“I could see this elderly woman lying in this car trying to stay in the air bubble,” he said.The 33-year-old quickly called 911, but he said the woman didn’t have much time left as the car continued to sink. Hoyer tried to reach her car from the passenger side, but the current was too strong. He then waded through the cold water before he too was submerged and then lunged, grabbing onto her car.“I got a hold of the back door and started trying to pull the door open. But the vacuum on the door was so tight,” he said.He said he was able to break the seal at the top of her window jam and open the door.“I swear there was only a foot of air gap left in the back part of her car,” he said. “I just grabbed her by both arms and pulled her out of there.”Hoyer rushed to get them both inside his truck to warm up.Jim Channel, assistant Granby fire chief, was responding to a call of an 80-year-old woman trapped in a car when he arrived on the scene. Channel had been called to water rescues by Old Ritchey Road before, but he wasn't surprised to see who was there.“I’ve known the young man all his life, and he will do it again tomorrow,” Channel said of Hoyer. “He didn’t even think about what he was doing.”Channel said he along with other rescue workers attempted to save the women’s three dogs inside the car, who were trapped in cages, but they couldn’t reach them in time before getting called to another water rescue.Hoyer didn’t get a chance to get the woman’s full name. But he said he would like to see her again.“I would love to put my arms around her 'cause she just cried in my arms and told me how thankful she was when the ambulance got there,” he said. “I was so thankful that God put me there to help her.”

Missouri man makes harrowing rescue in flash flood

BANGKOK (AP) — China threatened “serious consequences” Friday after the United States Navy sailed a destroyer around the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea for the second day in a row, in a move Beijing claimed was a violation of its sovereignty and security.

The warning comes amid growing tensions between China and the United States in the region, as Washington pushes back at Beijing's growingly assertive posture in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway it claims virtually in its entirety.

On Thursday, after the U.S. sailed the USS Milius guided-missile destroyer near the Paracel Islands, China said its navy and air force had forced the American vessel away,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-destroyer-ship-paracel-south-china-sea-a146fa95de728afb0b3a9d8a49dceeb8">a claim the U.S. military denied</a>.

The U.S. on Friday sailed the ship again in the vicinity of the islands, which are occupied by China but also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam, as part of what it called a “freedom of navigation operation" challenging requirements from all three nations requiring either advance notification or permission before a military vessel sails by.

“Unlawful and sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea pose a serious threat to the freedom of the seas, including the freedoms of navigation and overflight, free trade and unimpeded commerce, and freedom of economic opportunity for South China Sea littoral nations,” U.S. 7th Fleet spokesperson Lt. j.g. Luka Bakic said in an emailed statement.

“The United States challenges excessive maritime claims around the world regardless of the identity of the claimant,” Bakic said.

China's Ministry of National Defense responded by accusing the U.S. of “undermining the peace and stability of the South China Sea” with its actions.

“The act of the U.S. military seriously violated China’s sovereignty and security, severely breached international laws, and is more ironclad evidence of the U.S. pursuing navigation hegemony and militarizing the South China Sea,” ministry spokesperson Tan Kefei said. “We solemnly request that the US. immediately stop such actions of provocation, otherwise it will bear the serious consequences of unexpected incidents caused by this.”

He said China would take “all necessary measures” to ensure its security but did not elaborate.

Like its statement on the Thursday incident, China again said it drove the American ship away from the islands, which are in the South China Sea a few hundred kilometers (miles) off the coast of Vietnam and the Chinese province of Hainan.

Both sides said their actions were justified under international law.

Bakic told The Associated Press that the ship “was not driven away” and “continued on to conduct routine maritime security operations in international waters” after concluding its mission near the Paracel Islands.

“The operation reflects our commitment to uphold freedom of navigation and lawful uses of the sea for all nations,” he said. "The United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, as Milius did today.”

The U.S. has no South China Sea claims itself, but has deployed Naval and Air Force assets for decades to patrol the strategic waterway, through which around $5 trillion in global trade transits each year and which holds highly valuable fish stocks and undersea mineral resources.

A United Nations-backed arbitration tribunal ruled in 2016 that the historical claim from China on the waters had no legal basis under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas, and Washington maintains that freedom of navigation and overflight of the waterway are in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-aquilino-china-security-north-korea-bb41e692490b13cfcc0a6e28fd8f9bef">American national interest</a>.

U.S. forces currently operate daily in the South China Sea, and have been present for more than a century. China regularly responds angrily, accusing the U.S. of meddling in Asian affairs and impinging upon its sovereignty.

China's claims have frequently brought it into conflict with other nations in the region as well.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-philippines-south-china-sea-disputes-70ea7983dbf67b1f9ae5264c6ce9271a">Filipino diplomats unleashed a slew of protests</a>&nbsp;Friday over China's recent targeting of a Philippine coast guard ship with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-philippines-government-manila-china-8ee5459dcac872b14a49c4a428029259">powerful military laser</a>&nbsp;and other aggressive behavior.

BANGKOK (AP) — China threatened “serious consequences” Friday after the United States Navy sailed a destroyer around the disputed Paracel Islands in the South China Sea for the second day in a row, in a move Beijing claimed was a violation of its sovereignty and security.The warning comes amid growing tensions between China and the United States in the region, as Washington pushes back at Beijing's growingly assertive posture in the South China Sea, a strategic waterway it claims virtually in its entirety.On Thursday, after the U.S. sailed the USS Milius guided-missile destroyer near the Paracel Islands, China said its navy and air force had forced the American vessel away,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-destroyer-ship-paracel-south-china-sea-a146fa95de728afb0b3a9d8a49dceeb8">a claim the U.S. military denied</a>.The U.S. on Friday sailed the ship again in the vicinity of the islands, which are occupied by China but also claimed by Taiwan and Vietnam, as part of what it called a “freedom of navigation operation" challenging requirements from all three nations requiring either advance notification or permission before a military vessel sails by.“Unlawful and sweeping maritime claims in the South China Sea pose a serious threat to the freedom of the seas, including the freedoms of navigation and overflight, free trade and unimpeded commerce, and freedom of economic opportunity for South China Sea littoral nations,” U.S. 7th Fleet spokesperson Lt. j.g. Luka Bakic said in an emailed statement.“The United States challenges excessive maritime claims around the world regardless of the identity of the claimant,” Bakic said.China's Ministry of National Defense responded by accusing the U.S. of “undermining the peace and stability of the South China Sea” with its actions.“The act of the U.S. military seriously violated China’s sovereignty and security, severely breached international laws, and is more ironclad evidence of the U.S. pursuing navigation hegemony and militarizing the South China Sea,” ministry spokesperson Tan Kefei said. “We solemnly request that the US. immediately stop such actions of provocation, otherwise it will bear the serious consequences of unexpected incidents caused by this.”He said China would take “all necessary measures” to ensure its security but did not elaborate.Like its statement on the Thursday incident, China again said it drove the American ship away from the islands, which are in the South China Sea a few hundred kilometers (miles) off the coast of Vietnam and the Chinese province of Hainan.Both sides said their actions were justified under international law.Bakic told The Associated Press that the ship “was not driven away” and “continued on to conduct routine maritime security operations in international waters” after concluding its mission near the Paracel Islands.“The operation reflects our commitment to uphold freedom of navigation and lawful uses of the sea for all nations,” he said. "The United States will continue to fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, as Milius did today.”The U.S. has no South China Sea claims itself, but has deployed Naval and Air Force assets for decades to patrol the strategic waterway, through which around $5 trillion in global trade transits each year and which holds highly valuable fish stocks and undersea mineral resources.A United Nations-backed arbitration tribunal ruled in 2016 that the historical claim from China on the waters had no legal basis under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas, and Washington maintains that freedom of navigation and overflight of the waterway are in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-military-aquilino-china-security-north-korea-bb41e692490b13cfcc0a6e28fd8f9bef">American national interest</a>.U.S. forces currently operate daily in the South China Sea, and have been present for more than a century. China regularly responds angrily, accusing the U.S. of meddling in Asian affairs and impinging upon its sovereignty.China's claims have frequently brought it into conflict with other nations in the region as well.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-philippines-south-china-sea-disputes-70ea7983dbf67b1f9ae5264c6ce9271a">Filipino diplomats unleashed a slew of protests</a>&nbsp;Friday over China's recent targeting of a Philippine coast guard ship with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-philippines-government-manila-china-8ee5459dcac872b14a49c4a428029259">powerful military laser</a>&nbsp;and other aggressive behavior.___

China threatens consequences over US warship's actions

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man has been sentenced to prison for a double-murder in 2021.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=192023">&nbsp;Michael Wilking,</a> 34,&nbsp;was sentenced this week to 34-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office. He had plead guilty to second-degree murder.

Just after 8p.m. Dec. 29, 2021, police responded to a shooting in the 3900 Block of W. Fairhaven in Wichita. They found&nbsp;43-year-old Bradley Michael Reece and 22-year-old Kayla Schmidt both of Wichita. 

Reece was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Schmidt, later identified as Wilking's girlfriend, to a local hospital. She died on New Year's Eve 2021,&nbsp;according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.

&nbsp;In January of 2022, Wilking, Jacquellynn Arthur, 28 and Joshua Halstead, 34, all of Wichita, were charged with 1st degree murder, aggravated burglary, and aggravated robbery in connection with the murders.

 She remains jailed on a requested charge of failure to comply, according to online jail records.

 in three criminal cases, including one where he shot a man to death on Dec. 29, 2020, after a confrontation over a drug debt that was allegedly unpaid. Michael C. Wilking, 34, pleaded guilty on Feb. 1 to one count of second-degree murder for gunning down 43-year-old Bradley Michael Reece of Wichita in the front yard of 3935 W. Fairhaven after going to Reece’s home with others, sparking violence that also led to the shooting death of Wilking’s girlfriend, 22-year-old Kayla Schmidt. An affidavit released by the court says the group went to Reece’s house to teach him a lesson for collecting money from a woman “and for not paying a drug debt” and decided on the way there to rob him “to pay for the disrespect.” Wilking was armed with a shotgun, according to the document. TOP VIDEOS After breaking in, Wilking demanded to know the whereabouts of drugs and cash and ordered others to search dresser drawers and take methamphetamine and computer equipment, the affidavit says. Reece died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds during an apparent exchange of gunfire with Wilking after Reece escaped to a neighbor’s house for help, the affidavit says. Wilking’s girlfriend died later at a hospital where he and others left her after fleeing from Reece’s address, court records say. Sedgwick County District Judge Tyler Roush on Wednesday afternoon sentenced Wilking to nearly 24 years in prison for Reece’s death; more than 8 1/2 years for his role in a June 2020 robbery in which he pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and kidnapping; and 19 months in connection with a September 2018 aggravated assault where he pleaded guilty to one count of criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, court records show. Get unlimited digital access Try 1 month for $1 CLAIM OFFER Roush ordered the sentences be served consecutively, or back to back, resulting in the 34-year prison term, a spokeswoman for the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, Kristin Johnson, said by email. He’ll be subject to three years of post-release supervision after he gets out, Johnson said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610403967578.png" alt="Wilking-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Wilking-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man has been sentenced to prison for a double-murder in 2021.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=192023">&nbsp;Michael Wilking,</a> 34,&nbsp;was sentenced this week to 34-years in prison, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office. He had plead guilty to second-degree murder.Just after 8p.m. Dec. 29, 2021, police responded to a shooting in the 3900 Block of W. Fairhaven in Wichita. They found&nbsp;43-year-old Bradley Michael Reece and 22-year-old Kayla Schmidt both of Wichita. Reece was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported Schmidt, later identified as Wilking's girlfriend, to a local hospital. She died on New Year's Eve 2021,&nbsp;according to Sheriff's Lt. Benjamin Blick.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610023320599.png" alt="-Halstead has a previous convictions for theft, burglary, aggravated weapons and for drug possession and distribution, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections He was reported as an absconder in August of 2021-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>-Halstead has a previous convictions for theft, burglary, aggravated weapons and for drug possession and distribution, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections He was reported as an absconder in August of 2021-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;In January of 2022, Wilking, Jacquellynn Arthur, 28 and Joshua Halstead, 34, all of Wichita, were charged with 1st degree murder, aggravated burglary, and aggravated robbery in connection with the murders.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610023377783.png" alt="Arthur -photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Arthur -photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure> She remains jailed on a requested charge of failure to comply, according to online jail records. in three criminal cases, including one where he shot a man to death on Dec. 29, 2020, after a confrontation over a drug debt that was allegedly unpaid. Michael C. Wilking, 34, pleaded guilty on Feb. 1 to one count of second-degree murder for gunning down 43-year-old Bradley Michael Reece of Wichita in the front yard of 3935 W. Fairhaven after going to Reece’s home with others, sparking violence that also led to the shooting death of Wilking’s girlfriend, 22-year-old Kayla Schmidt. An affidavit released by the court says the group went to Reece’s house to teach him a lesson for collecting money from a woman “and for not paying a drug debt” and decided on the way there to rob him “to pay for the disrespect.” Wilking was armed with a shotgun, according to the document. TOP VIDEOS After breaking in, Wilking demanded to know the whereabouts of drugs and cash and ordered others to search dresser drawers and take methamphetamine and computer equipment, the affidavit says. Reece died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds during an apparent exchange of gunfire with Wilking after Reece escaped to a neighbor’s house for help, the affidavit says. Wilking’s girlfriend died later at a hospital where he and others left her after fleeing from Reece’s address, court records say. Sedgwick County District Judge Tyler Roush on Wednesday afternoon sentenced Wilking to nearly 24 years in prison for Reece’s death; more than 8 1/2 years for his role in a June 2020 robbery in which he pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary and kidnapping; and 19 months in connection with a September 2018 aggravated assault where he pleaded guilty to one count of criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, court records show. Get unlimited digital access Try 1 month for $1 CLAIM OFFER Roush ordered the sentences be served consecutively, or back to back, resulting in the 34-year prison term, a spokeswoman for the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, Kristin Johnson, said by email. He’ll be subject to three years of post-release supervision after he gets out, Johnson said.

Double-murder: Kan. man's girlfriend died on New Year's Eve

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Pennsylvania woman linked to a far-right extremist movement was sentenced on Thursday to three years in prison for storming the U.S. Capitol, where she invaded then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office with other rioters.

Riley June Williams, 23, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was charged but not convicted of helping steal a laptop from Pelosi’s office suite during the riot on Jan. 6, 2021.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-pennsylvania-riots-donald-trump-nancy-pelosi-34be1139127837ec787ea841a01c784e">A federal jury convicted Williams in November</a>&nbsp;of six charges, including a felony count of civil disorder, after a two-week trial. But it deadlocked on two other counts, including “aiding and abetting" the laptop's theft.

Jurors also deadlocked on a charge of obstructing an official proceeding, the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress for certifying President Joe Biden's 2020 electoral victory. Then-Vice President Mike Pence and members of Congress evacuated the House and Senate chambers when rioters attacked the Capitol.

Prosecutors had asked U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to sentence Williams to seven years and three months in prison.

“Everywhere she went, Williams acted as an accelerant, exacerbating the mayhem. Where others turned back, she pushed forward,”&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.236292/gov.uscourts.dcd.236292.139.0.pdf">prosecutors wrote in a court filing.</a>

Defense lawyers requested a term of imprisonment of one year and one day for Williams, who was 22 in January 2021.

“In some respects, she is starkly different from the average January 6th defendant – particularly given her youth and that she is a female,”&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.236291/gov.uscourts.dcd.236291.137.0.pdf">they wrote</a>. “In other ways she is similar to many of other January 6th defendants with no prior criminal record, that were caught up with the mob that day, acting on impulse and without thought to the consequences of their actions.”

Jackson also sentenced Williams to three years of supervised release after her prison term and ordered her to pay $2,000 in restitution, according to the U.S. attorney's office for the District of Columbia.

Williams was an ardent supporter of the white nationalist “Groyper” movement led by internet personality Nick Fuentes, according to prosecutors. They said Williams was “obsessed" with Fuentes and fixated on baseless claims — amplified by Fuentes — that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump.

Williams' attorneys argued that her political beliefs shouldn't be a factor in her sentencing. They said the First Amendment protects her interest in Fuentes and his “Groyper Army” of followers.

Fuentes has used his online platform to spew antisemitic and white supremacist rhetoric. In November, former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-kanye-west-entertainment-donald-trump-21ea30fc30a9a97074581015b25e18bf">Trump dined at his Mar-a-Lago club with Fuentes</a>&nbsp;and the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, who is now known as Ye.

Other Fuentes followers have been charged with Jan. 6-related crimes, including former UCLA student Christian Secor, who waved a flag associated with Fuentes’ movement when he entered the Capitol. Secor was sentenced last year to three years and six months in prison.

Williams wore a green “I’m with Groyper” T-shirt when she traveled to Washington, D.C., with her father and his friends on Jan. 6. They attended Trump's “Stop the Steal” rally before heading to the Capitol. Williams entered the building through the Senate Wing Door two minutes after other rioters breached the entrance.

Williams used men wearing helmets and body armor like a “human battering ram,” pushing them forward to break through police lines inside the Capitol, prosecutors said. Entering Pelosi's main conference room, she stole a gavel and encouraged another rioter to take a laptop from atop a table, according to prosecutors.

“As the other rioter later manipulated the laptop and its cords, Williams filmed the theft that she had just commanded and encouraged, and further instructed the rioter, 'Dude, put on gloves!'” prosecutors wrote.

Williams then went to the Rotunda, where she shouted insults at police and urged other rioters to join her in pushing against officers.

Williams spent roughly 90 minutes in the Capitol. After leaving, she climbed on the roof of a parked police car.

Williams destroyed evidence before her arrest, deleting her social media accounts, resetting her iPhone and using software to wipe her computer, according to prosecutors.

Williams bragged online that she stole Pelosi’s gavel, laptop and hard drives and that she “gave the electronic devices, or attempted to give them, to unspecified Russian individuals,” prosecutors said in a June 2022 court filing.

“To date, neither the laptop nor the gavel has been recovered,” they added.

A witness described as a former romantic partner of Williams told the FBI that she intended to send the stolen laptop or hard drive to a friend in Russia who planned to sell it to Russia’s foreign intelligence service. But the witness said Williams kept the device or destroyed it when the transfer fell through, according to the FBI.

When the FBI questioned her, Williams denied stealing the laptop. She accused an ex-boyfriend of fabricating the allegation.

Williams was taken into custody after the jury convicted her on Nov. 21.

<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/jan-6-prosecutions/">Approximately 1,000 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot.</a>&nbsp;More than 400 have been sentenced, with over half of them receiving terms of imprisonment ranging from seven days to 10 years.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679667473441.png" alt="Williams-photo&nbsp;(Dauphin County&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Williams-photo&nbsp;(Dauphin County&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A Pennsylvania woman linked to a far-right extremist movement was sentenced on Thursday to three years in prison for storming the U.S. Capitol, where she invaded then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office with other rioters.Riley June Williams, 23, of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, was charged but not convicted of helping steal a laptop from Pelosi’s office suite during the riot on Jan. 6, 2021.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-pennsylvania-riots-donald-trump-nancy-pelosi-34be1139127837ec787ea841a01c784e">A federal jury convicted Williams in November</a>&nbsp;of six charges, including a felony count of civil disorder, after a two-week trial. But it deadlocked on two other counts, including “aiding and abetting" the laptop's theft.Jurors also deadlocked on a charge of obstructing an official proceeding, the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress for certifying President Joe Biden's 2020 electoral victory. Then-Vice President Mike Pence and members of Congress evacuated the House and Senate chambers when rioters attacked the Capitol.Prosecutors had asked U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to sentence Williams to seven years and three months in prison.“Everywhere she went, Williams acted as an accelerant, exacerbating the mayhem. Where others turned back, she pushed forward,”&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.236292/gov.uscourts.dcd.236292.139.0.pdf">prosecutors wrote in a court filing.</a>Defense lawyers requested a term of imprisonment of one year and one day for Williams, who was 22 in January 2021.“In some respects, she is starkly different from the average January 6th defendant – particularly given her youth and that she is a female,”&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.236291/gov.uscourts.dcd.236291.137.0.pdf">they wrote</a>. “In other ways she is similar to many of other January 6th defendants with no prior criminal record, that were caught up with the mob that day, acting on impulse and without thought to the consequences of their actions.”Jackson also sentenced Williams to three years of supervised release after her prison term and ordered her to pay $2,000 in restitution, according to the U.S. attorney's office for the District of Columbia.Williams was an ardent supporter of the white nationalist “Groyper” movement led by internet personality Nick Fuentes, according to prosecutors. They said Williams was “obsessed" with Fuentes and fixated on baseless claims — amplified by Fuentes — that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from Donald Trump.Williams' attorneys argued that her political beliefs shouldn't be a factor in her sentencing. They said the First Amendment protects her interest in Fuentes and his “Groyper Army” of followers.Fuentes has used his online platform to spew antisemitic and white supremacist rhetoric. In November, former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-kanye-west-entertainment-donald-trump-21ea30fc30a9a97074581015b25e18bf">Trump dined at his Mar-a-Lago club with Fuentes</a>&nbsp;and the rapper formerly known as Kanye West, who is now known as Ye.Other Fuentes followers have been charged with Jan. 6-related crimes, including former UCLA student Christian Secor, who waved a flag associated with Fuentes’ movement when he entered the Capitol. Secor was sentenced last year to three years and six months in prison.Williams wore a green “I’m with Groyper” T-shirt when she traveled to Washington, D.C., with her father and his friends on Jan. 6. They attended Trump's “Stop the Steal” rally before heading to the Capitol. Williams entered the building through the Senate Wing Door two minutes after other rioters breached the entrance.Williams used men wearing helmets and body armor like a “human battering ram,” pushing them forward to break through police lines inside the Capitol, prosecutors said. Entering Pelosi's main conference room, she stole a gavel and encouraged another rioter to take a laptop from atop a table, according to prosecutors.“As the other rioter later manipulated the laptop and its cords, Williams filmed the theft that she had just commanded and encouraged, and further instructed the rioter, 'Dude, put on gloves!'” prosecutors wrote.Williams then went to the Rotunda, where she shouted insults at police and urged other rioters to join her in pushing against officers.Williams spent roughly 90 minutes in the Capitol. After leaving, she climbed on the roof of a parked police car.Williams destroyed evidence before her arrest, deleting her social media accounts, resetting her iPhone and using software to wipe her computer, according to prosecutors.Williams bragged online that she stole Pelosi’s gavel, laptop and hard drives and that she “gave the electronic devices, or attempted to give them, to unspecified Russian individuals,” prosecutors said in a June 2022 court filing.“To date, neither the laptop nor the gavel has been recovered,” they added.A witness described as a former romantic partner of Williams told the FBI that she intended to send the stolen laptop or hard drive to a friend in Russia who planned to sell it to Russia’s foreign intelligence service. But the witness said Williams kept the device or destroyed it when the transfer fell through, according to the FBI.When the FBI questioned her, Williams denied stealing the laptop. She accused an ex-boyfriend of fabricating the allegation.Williams was taken into custody after the jury convicted her on Nov. 21.<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/jan-6-prosecutions/">Approximately 1,000 people have been charged with federal crimes related to the Capitol riot.</a>&nbsp;More than 400 have been sentenced, with over half of them receiving terms of imprisonment ranging from seven days to 10 years.

Jan. 6 rioter charged in theft of Nancy Pelosi's laptop sentenced 

SUMNER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting.

On Friday afternoon, the Kansas Turnpike Authorities notified the Oklahoma Highway Patrol that a bank robbery suspect was southbound on Interstate 35, according to a statement from the Patrol.

A Port of Entry officer saw a vehicle enter Oklahoma that matched the description of the robbery suspect’s vehicle.

 A trooper located the vehicle and a short pursuit ensued. During that pursuit, the suspect fired at troopers, who also fired back. The suspect fled on foot in the area of Interstate 35 and Highway 412. 

There was another exchange of gunfire. The suspect is deceased. No troopers were harmed. Authorities have not released the name of the suspect or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679693670963.png" alt="No troopers were injured -photo Oklahoma Highway Patrol" />
 <figcaption>No troopers were injured -photo Oklahoma Highway Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>SUMNER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal officer-involved shooting.On Friday afternoon, the Kansas Turnpike Authorities notified the Oklahoma Highway Patrol that a bank robbery suspect was southbound on Interstate 35, according to a statement from the Patrol.A Port of Entry officer saw a vehicle enter Oklahoma that matched the description of the robbery suspect’s vehicle. A trooper located the vehicle and a short pursuit ensued. During that pursuit, the suspect fired at troopers, who also fired back. The suspect fled on foot in the area of Interstate 35 and Highway 412. There was another exchange of gunfire. The suspect is deceased. No troopers were harmed. Authorities have not released the name of the suspect or additional details.

Kan. bank robbery suspect killed in gunfight on turnpike

BARTON COUNTY—Authorities investigating the home explosion in Great Bend have confirmed the identity of the man who died as&nbsp;48-year-old Ryan Neil Kleweno, according to Police Lt. Heather Smith.&nbsp; "He lived in the home."

The explosion at the home in the 700 Block of 10th Street just after 3a.m. Wednesday&nbsp;was caused by a gas leak, according to a statement from Deputy Fire Chief Brent Smith.

&nbsp;Kleweno was transported to a local hospital for treatment and later to the burn unit in a Wichita hospital where he died.

 Crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire and secure the scene. Tenth street was closed for approximately an hour while debris was removed from the roadway.

Testing showed that the gas line from the main to the structure was intact and was not leaking, according to Smith.

 There was significant damage to neighboring structures and vehicles. The cause of the explosion was investigated by the Great Bend Fire Department and the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679599027514.png" alt="The cause of the explosion was investigated by the Great Bend Fire Department and the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal. Photo courtesy Great Bend Fire and EMS" />
 <figcaption>The cause of the explosion was investigated by the Great Bend Fire Department and the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal. Photo courtesy Great Bend Fire and EMS</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—Authorities investigating the home explosion in Great Bend have confirmed the identity of the man who died as&nbsp;48-year-old Ryan Neil Kleweno, according to Police Lt. Heather Smith.&nbsp; "He lived in the home."The explosion at the home in the 700 Block of 10th Street just after 3a.m. Wednesday&nbsp;was caused by a gas leak, according to a statement from Deputy Fire Chief Brent Smith.&nbsp;Kleweno was transported to a local hospital for treatment and later to the burn unit in a Wichita hospital where he died. Crews were able to quickly extinguish the fire and secure the scene. Tenth street was closed for approximately an hour while debris was removed from the roadway.Testing showed that the gas line from the main to the structure was intact and was not leaking, according to Smith. There was significant damage to neighboring structures and vehicles. The cause of the explosion was investigated by the Great Bend Fire Department and the Office of the Kansas State Fire Marshal.&nbsp;

Police confirm ID of man who died in Kansas home explosion

BEIRUT (AP) — A strike Thursday by a suspected Iranian-made drone killed a U.S. contractor and wounded six other Americans in northeast Syria, and U.S. forces retaliated with airstrikes on sites in Syria used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, the Pentagon said. Activists said the U.S. bombing killed at least four people.

On Friday night, two Syrian opposition activist groups reported a new wave of airstrikes on eastern Syria that hit positions of Iran-backed militias after rockets were fired at a Conoco gas plant that has a base housing American troops. It was not immediately clear if U.S. warplanes carried out the attack.

While it’s not the first time the U.S. and Iran have traded strikes in Syria, the attack and the U.S. response threaten to upend recent efforts to deescalate tensions across the wider Middle East, whose rival powers have made steps toward détente in recent days after years of turmoil.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the American intelligence community had determined the drone was of Iranian origin, but offered no other immediate evidence to support the claim. The drone hit a coalition base in the northeast Syrian city of Hasaka. The wounded included five American service members and a U.S. contractor.

Austin said the strikes were a response to the drone attack “as well as a series of recent attacks against coalition forces in Syria” by groups affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard.

Iran relies on a network of proxy forces through the Mideast to counter the U.S. and Israel, its arch regional enemy. The U.S. has had forces in northeast Syria since 2015, when they deployed as part of the fight against the Islamic State group, and maintains some 900 troops there, working with Kurdish-led forces that control around a third of Syria.

The U.S. airstrikes hit targets in three towns in eastern Syria, activists said. Overnight, videos on social media purported to show explosions in Deir el-Zour, a strategic province that borders Iraq and contains oil fields. Iranian-backed militia groups and Syrian forces control the area, which also has seen suspected airstrikes by Israel in recent months allegedly targeting Iranian supply routes.

According to a defense official, the U.S. counter strikes were conducted by F-15 fighter jets flying out of al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.

According to a U.S. official, the U.S. F-15s struck three locations, all in the vicinity of Deir el-Zour.

The activist group Deir Ezzor 24, which covers news in the province, said the American strikes killed four people and wounded a number of others, including Iraqis.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, put the death toll from U.S. strikes at 11 Iranian-backed fighters — including six at an arms depot in the Harabesh neighborhood in the city of Deir el-Zour and five others at military posts near the towns of Mayadeen and Boukamal.

Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Observatory said three rockets were fired earlier Friday at al-Omar oil field in Deir el-Zour that houses U.S. troops, an apparent retaliation to the American strikes.

An official with an Iran-backed group in Iraq said the strikes on eastern Syria early Friday killed seven Iranians. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.

Deir Ezzor 24 and the Observatory had no details on whether the new wave of airstrikes Friday night on the city of Deir el-Zour inflicted any casualties.

The Associated Press could not immediately independently confirm the activist reports. Iran and Syria did not immediately acknowledge the strikes, nor did their officials at the United Nations in New York respond to requests for comment from the AP.

Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been suspected of carrying out attacks with bomb-carrying drones across the wider Middle East.

The exchange of strikes came as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-iran-diplomatic-relations-middle-east-d78f3ceac0561f4fb20301e4f32eef88">Saudi Arabia and Iran</a>&nbsp;have been working toward reopening embassies in each other’s countries. The kingdom also acknowledged efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-syria-restore-relations-192c4b2086b34288bdd530e06fc4a32a">reopen a Saudi embassy in Syria</a>, whose embattled President Bashar Assad has been backed by Iran in his country’s long war.

U.S. Army Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, the head of the American military’s Central Command, warned that its forces could carry out additional strikes if needed. “We are postured for scalable options in the face of any additional Iranian attacks,” Kurilla said in a statement.

Addressing the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Kurilla warned lawmakers that the “Iran of today is exponentially more militarily capable than it was even five years ago.” He pointed to Iran’s arsenal of ballistic missiles and bomb-carrying drones.

“What Iran does to hide its hand is they use Iranian proxies,” Kurilla said.

According to officials, Iran has launched 80 attacks against U.S. forces and locations in Iraq and Syria since January 2021. The vast majority of those have been in Syria.

Diplomacy to deescalate the exchange appeared to begin immediately. The foreign minister of Qatar spoke by phone with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan as well as Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the Qatari state news agency report. Doha has been an interlocutor between Iran and the U.S. recently amid tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program.

Austin said he authorized the retaliatory strikes at the direction of President Joe Biden.

“As President Biden has made clear, we will take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing,” Austin said. “No group will strike our troops with impunity.”

The U.S. under Biden has struck Syria previously over tensions with Iran — in February and June of 2021, as well as August 2022.

Dareen Khalifa, a senior Syria analyst with the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, said that while Thursday’s exchange of strikes comes at a sensitive political moment due to the “overall deterioration of U.S.-Iran relations and the stalling of the nuclear talks,” she does not expect a significant escalation.

“These tit-for-tat strikes have been ongoing for a long time,” Khalifa said, although she noted that they usually do not result in casualties.

While “the risk of an escalatory cycle is there,” she said, “I think the Biden administration won’t be eager to escalate in Syria now and will instead have a relatively measured response.”

Since the U.S. drone strike that killed Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020, Iran has sought “to make life difficult for U.S. forces stationed east of the Euphrates,” said Hamidreza Azizi, an expert with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.

“Iran increased its support for local proxies in Deir el-Zour while trying to ally with the tribal forces in the area,” Azizi wrote in a recent analysis. “Due to the geographical proximity, Iraqi groups also intensified their activities in the border strip with Syria and in the Deir el-Zour province.”

The strikes come during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Syria’s war began with the 2011 Arab Spring protests that roiled the wider Middle East and toppled governments in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen. It later morphed into a regional proxy conflict that has seen Russia and Iran back Assad. The United Nations estimates over 300,000 civilians have been killed in the war. Those figures do not include soldiers and insurgents killed in the conflict; their numbers are believed to be in the tens of thousands.

BEIRUT (AP) — A strike Thursday by a suspected Iranian-made drone killed a U.S. contractor and wounded five American troops and another contractor in northeast Syria, the Pentagon said. American forces said they retaliated soon after with "precision airstrikes" in Syria targeting facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard, with activist groups saying they killed at least four people.

The attack and the U.S. response threaten to upend recent efforts to deescalate tensions across the wider Middle East, whose rival powers have made steps toward détente in recent days after years of turmoil.

U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the American intelligence community had determined the drone was of Iranian origin, but offered no other immediate evidence to support the claim.

"The airstrikes were conducted in response to today's attack as well as a series of recent attacks against coalition forces in Syria" by groups affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard, Austin said.

Iran relies on a network of proxy forces through the Mideast to counter the U.S. and Israel, its arch regional enemy.

The Pentagon said two of the wounded service members were treated on-site, while three others and the injured contractor were transported to medical facilities in Iraq.

Overnight, videos on social media purported to show explosions in Syria's Deir el-Zour, a strategic province that borders Iraq and contains oil fields. Iran-backed militia groups and Syrian forces control the area, which also has seen suspected airstrikes by Israel in recent months allegedly targeting Iranian supply routes.

Iran and Syria did not immediately acknowledge the strikes, nor did their officials at the United Nations in New York respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.

The activist group Deir Ezzor 24 put the death toll from the American strikes at four people. Deir Ezzor 24, which covers news in Deir el-Zour province, said the strikes hit the city of Deir el-Zour as well as militiamen posts near Mayadeen and Boukamal. It said the strikes also wounded people, including Iraqis.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, reported that the American strikes killed six Iranian-backed fighters at an arms depot in the Harabesh neighborhood in the city of Deir el-Zour. The Observatory, which relies on a network of local contacts in Syria, said U.S. bombing at a post near the town of Mayadeen killed two fighters.

A separate American strike hit a military post near the town of Boukamal along the border with Iraq, killing another three fighters, the Observatory said.

The AP could not immediately independently confirm the activist reports.

Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been suspected of carrying out attacks with bomb-carrying drones across the wider Middle East.

In recent months, Russia has begun using Iranian drones in its attacks on sites across Ukraine as part of its war on Kyiv. Iran has issued a series of conflicting denials about its drones being used in the war, though Western nations and experts have tied components in the drones back to Tehran.

The exchange of strikes came as Saudi Arabia and Iran have been working toward reopening embassies in each other's countries. The kingdom also acknowledged efforts to reopen a Saudi embassy in Syria, whose embattled President Bashar Assad has been backed by Iran in his country's long war.

U.S. Army Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla, the head of the American military's Central Command, warned that American forces could carry out additional strikes if needed. "We are postured for scalable options in the face of any additional Iranian attacks," Kurilla said in a statement.

Addressing the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Kurilla warned lawmakers that the "Iran of today is exponentially more militarily capable than it was even five years ago." He pointed to Iran's arsenal of ballistic missiles and bomb-carrying drones.

Kurilla also alleged that Iran had launched some 78 attacks on U.S. positions in Syria since January 2021.

"What Iran does to hide its hand is they use Iranian proxies," Kurilla said.

Diplomacy to deescalate the crisis appeared to begin immediately around the strikes. Qatar's state-run news agency reported a call between its foreign minister and Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security adviser. Doha has been an interlocutor between Iran and the U.S. recently amid tensions over Tehran's nuclear program.

Qatar's foreign minister also spoke around the same time with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.

"As President Biden has made clear, we will take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing," Austin said. "No group will strike our troops with impunity."

The U.S. under Biden has struck Syria previously over tensions with Iran. In February and June of 2021, as well as August 2022, Biden launched attacks there.

U.S. forces entered Syria in 2015, backing allied forces in their fight against the Islamic State group. The U.S. still maintains the base near Hasakah in northeast Syria where Thursday's drone strike happened. There are roughly 900 U.S. troops, and even more contractors, in Syria, including in the north and farther south and east.

Since the U.S. drone strike that killed Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020, Iran has sought "to make life difficult for U.S. forces stationed east of the Euphrates," said Hamidreza Azizi, an expert with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.

"Iran increased its support for local proxies in Deir el-Zour while trying to ally with the tribal forces in the area," Azizi wrote in a recent analysis. "Due to the geographical proximity, Iraqi groups also intensified their activities in the border strip with Syria and in the Deir el-Zour province."

Syria's war began with the 2011 Arab Spring protests that roiled the wider Middle East and toppled governments in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen. It later morphed into a regional proxy conflict that has seen Russia and Iran back Assad. The United Nations estimates over 300,000 civilians have been killed in the war. Those figures do not include soldiers and insurgents killed in the conflict; their numbers are believed to be in the tens of thousands.

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Kesten reported from Washington.

BEIRUT (AP) — A strike Thursday by a suspected Iranian-made drone killed a U.S. contractor and wounded six other Americans in northeast Syria, and U.S. forces retaliated with airstrikes on sites in Syria used by groups affiliated with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, the Pentagon said. Activists said the U.S. bombing killed at least four people.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/PentagonPresSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PentagonPresSec</a> on U.S. retaliatory air strikes in Syria: &quot;These precision strikes were intended to protect and defend U.S. personnel and the U.S. took proportionate and deliberate action intended to limit the risk of escalation and minimize casualties.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/1KyclVOhWi">pic.twitter.com/1KyclVOhWi</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1639335261984129046?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Friday night, two Syrian opposition activist groups reported a new wave of airstrikes on eastern Syria that hit positions of Iran-backed militias after rockets were fired at a Conoco gas plant that has a base housing American troops. It was not immediately clear if U.S. warplanes carried out the attack.While it’s not the first time the U.S. and Iran have traded strikes in Syria, the attack and the U.S. response threaten to upend recent efforts to deescalate tensions across the wider Middle East, whose rival powers have made steps toward détente in recent days after years of turmoil.U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the American intelligence community had determined the drone was of Iranian origin, but offered no other immediate evidence to support the claim. The drone hit a coalition base in the northeast Syrian city of Hasaka. The wounded included five American service members and a U.S. contractor.Austin said the strikes were a response to the drone attack “as well as a series of recent attacks against coalition forces in Syria” by groups affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard.Iran relies on a network of proxy forces through the Mideast to counter the U.S. and Israel, its arch regional enemy. The U.S. has had forces in northeast Syria since 2015, when they deployed as part of the fight against the Islamic State group, and maintains some 900 troops there, working with Kurdish-led forces that control around a third of Syria.The U.S. airstrikes hit targets in three towns in eastern Syria, activists said. Overnight, videos on social media purported to show explosions in Deir el-Zour, a strategic province that borders Iraq and contains oil fields. Iranian-backed militia groups and Syrian forces control the area, which also has seen suspected airstrikes by Israel in recent months allegedly targeting Iranian supply routes.According to a defense official, the U.S. counter strikes were conducted by F-15 fighter jets flying out of al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss military operations.According to a U.S. official, the U.S. F-15s struck three locations, all in the vicinity of Deir el-Zour.The activist group Deir Ezzor 24, which covers news in the province, said the American strikes killed four people and wounded a number of others, including Iraqis.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, put the death toll from U.S. strikes at 11 Iranian-backed fighters — including six at an arms depot in the Harabesh neighborhood in the city of Deir el-Zour and five others at military posts near the towns of Mayadeen and Boukamal.Rami Abdurrahman who heads the Observatory said three rockets were fired earlier Friday at al-Omar oil field in Deir el-Zour that houses U.S. troops, an apparent retaliation to the American strikes.An official with an Iran-backed group in Iraq said the strikes on eastern Syria early Friday killed seven Iranians. The official spoke on condition of anonymity in line with regulations.Deir Ezzor 24 and the Observatory had no details on whether the new wave of airstrikes Friday night on the city of Deir el-Zour inflicted any casualties.The Associated Press could not immediately independently confirm the activist reports. Iran and Syria did not immediately acknowledge the strikes, nor did their officials at the United Nations in New York respond to requests for comment from the AP.Iran’s paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been suspected of carrying out attacks with bomb-carrying drones across the wider Middle East.The exchange of strikes came as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-iran-diplomatic-relations-middle-east-d78f3ceac0561f4fb20301e4f32eef88">Saudi Arabia and Iran</a>&nbsp;have been working toward reopening embassies in each other’s countries. The kingdom also acknowledged efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-arabia-syria-restore-relations-192c4b2086b34288bdd530e06fc4a32a">reopen a Saudi embassy in Syria</a>, whose embattled President Bashar Assad has been backed by Iran in his country’s long war.U.S. Army Gen. Michael “Erik” Kurilla, the head of the American military’s Central Command, warned that its forces could carry out additional strikes if needed. “We are postured for scalable options in the face of any additional Iranian attacks,” Kurilla said in a statement.Addressing the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Kurilla warned lawmakers that the “Iran of today is exponentially more militarily capable than it was even five years ago.” He pointed to Iran’s arsenal of ballistic missiles and bomb-carrying drones.“What Iran does to hide its hand is they use Iranian proxies,” Kurilla said.According to officials, Iran has launched 80 attacks against U.S. forces and locations in Iraq and Syria since January 2021. The vast majority of those have been in Syria.Diplomacy to deescalate the exchange appeared to begin immediately. The foreign minister of Qatar spoke by phone with U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan as well as Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, the Qatari state news agency report. Doha has been an interlocutor between Iran and the U.S. recently amid tensions over Tehran’s nuclear program.Austin said he authorized the retaliatory strikes at the direction of President Joe Biden.“As President Biden has made clear, we will take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing,” Austin said. “No group will strike our troops with impunity.”The U.S. under Biden has struck Syria previously over tensions with Iran — in February and June of 2021, as well as August 2022.Dareen Khalifa, a senior Syria analyst with the Brussels-based International Crisis Group, said that while Thursday’s exchange of strikes comes at a sensitive political moment due to the “overall deterioration of U.S.-Iran relations and the stalling of the nuclear talks,” she does not expect a significant escalation.“These tit-for-tat strikes have been ongoing for a long time,” Khalifa said, although she noted that they usually do not result in casualties.While “the risk of an escalatory cycle is there,” she said, “I think the Biden administration won’t be eager to escalate in Syria now and will instead have a relatively measured response.”Since the U.S. drone strike that killed Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020, Iran has sought “to make life difficult for U.S. forces stationed east of the Euphrates,” said Hamidreza Azizi, an expert with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs.“Iran increased its support for local proxies in Deir el-Zour while trying to ally with the tribal forces in the area,” Azizi wrote in a recent analysis. “Due to the geographical proximity, Iraqi groups also intensified their activities in the border strip with Syria and in the Deir el-Zour province.”The strikes come during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.Syria’s war began with the 2011 Arab Spring protests that roiled the wider Middle East and toppled governments in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen. It later morphed into a regional proxy conflict that has seen Russia and Iran back Assad. The United Nations estimates over 300,000 civilians have been killed in the war. Those figures do not include soldiers and insurgents killed in the conflict; their numbers are believed to be in the tens of thousands.--------------BEIRUT (AP) — A strike Thursday by a suspected Iranian-made drone killed a U.S. contractor and wounded five American troops and another contractor in northeast Syria, the Pentagon said. American forces said they retaliated soon after with "precision airstrikes" in Syria targeting facilities used by groups affiliated with Iran's Revolutionary Guard, with activist groups saying they killed at least four people.The attack and the U.S. response threaten to upend recent efforts to deescalate tensions across the wider Middle East, whose rival powers have made steps toward détente in recent days after years of turmoil.U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said in a statement that the American intelligence community had determined the drone was of Iranian origin, but offered no other immediate evidence to support the claim."The airstrikes were conducted in response to today's attack as well as a series of recent attacks against coalition forces in Syria" by groups affiliated with the Revolutionary Guard, Austin said.Iran relies on a network of proxy forces through the Mideast to counter the U.S. and Israel, its arch regional enemy.The Pentagon said two of the wounded service members were treated on-site, while three others and the injured contractor were transported to medical facilities in Iraq.Overnight, videos on social media purported to show explosions in Syria's Deir el-Zour, a strategic province that borders Iraq and contains oil fields. Iran-backed militia groups and Syrian forces control the area, which also has seen suspected airstrikes by Israel in recent months allegedly targeting Iranian supply routes.Iran and Syria did not immediately acknowledge the strikes, nor did their officials at the United Nations in New York respond to requests for comment from The Associated Press.The activist group Deir Ezzor 24 put the death toll from the American strikes at four people. Deir Ezzor 24, which covers news in Deir el-Zour province, said the strikes hit the city of Deir el-Zour as well as militiamen posts near Mayadeen and Boukamal. It said the strikes also wounded people, including Iraqis.The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, reported that the American strikes killed six Iranian-backed fighters at an arms depot in the Harabesh neighborhood in the city of Deir el-Zour. The Observatory, which relies on a network of local contacts in Syria, said U.S. bombing at a post near the town of Mayadeen killed two fighters.A separate American strike hit a military post near the town of Boukamal along the border with Iraq, killing another three fighters, the Observatory said.The AP could not immediately independently confirm the activist reports.Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has been suspected of carrying out attacks with bomb-carrying drones across the wider Middle East.In recent months, Russia has begun using Iranian drones in its attacks on sites across Ukraine as part of its war on Kyiv. Iran has issued a series of conflicting denials about its drones being used in the war, though Western nations and experts have tied components in the drones back to Tehran.The exchange of strikes came as Saudi Arabia and Iran have been working toward reopening embassies in each other's countries. The kingdom also acknowledged efforts to reopen a Saudi embassy in Syria, whose embattled President Bashar Assad has been backed by Iran in his country's long war.U.S. Army Gen. Michael "Erik" Kurilla, the head of the American military's Central Command, warned that American forces could carry out additional strikes if needed. "We are postured for scalable options in the face of any additional Iranian attacks," Kurilla said in a statement.Addressing the U.S. House Armed Services Committee on Thursday, Kurilla warned lawmakers that the "Iran of today is exponentially more militarily capable than it was even five years ago." He pointed to Iran's arsenal of ballistic missiles and bomb-carrying drones.Kurilla also alleged that Iran had launched some 78 attacks on U.S. positions in Syria since January 2021."What Iran does to hide its hand is they use Iranian proxies," Kurilla said.Diplomacy to deescalate the crisis appeared to begin immediately around the strikes. Qatar's state-run news agency reported a call between its foreign minister and Jake Sullivan, the U.S. national security adviser. Doha has been an interlocutor between Iran and the U.S. recently amid tensions over Tehran's nuclear program.Qatar's foreign minister also spoke around the same time with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.Austin said he authorized the retaliatory strikes at the direction of President Joe Biden."As President Biden has made clear, we will take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing," Austin said. "No group will strike our troops with impunity."The U.S. under Biden has struck Syria previously over tensions with Iran. In February and June of 2021, as well as August 2022, Biden launched attacks there.U.S. forces entered Syria in 2015, backing allied forces in their fight against the Islamic State group. The U.S. still maintains the base near Hasakah in northeast Syria where Thursday's drone strike happened. There are roughly 900 U.S. troops, and even more contractors, in Syria, including in the north and farther south and east.Since the U.S. drone strike that killed Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani in 2020, Iran has sought "to make life difficult for U.S. forces stationed east of the Euphrates," said Hamidreza Azizi, an expert with the German Institute for International and Security Affairs."Iran increased its support for local proxies in Deir el-Zour while trying to ally with the tribal forces in the area," Azizi wrote in a recent analysis. "Due to the geographical proximity, Iraqi groups also intensified their activities in the border strip with Syria and in the Deir el-Zour province."The strikes come during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.Syria's war began with the 2011 Arab Spring protests that roiled the wider Middle East and toppled governments in Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Yemen. It later morphed into a regional proxy conflict that has seen Russia and Iran back Assad. The United Nations estimates over 300,000 civilians have been killed in the war. Those figures do not include soldiers and insurgents killed in the conflict; their numbers are believed to be in the tens of thousands.__Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Kesten reported from Washington.

🎥US airstrikes on Iran facilities in Syria after drone kills US worker

WASHINGTON&nbsp;–&nbsp;U.S. Senator Jerry Moran– member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Committee on Commerce – joined U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) to introduce the&nbsp;Restricting theEmergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology (RESTRICT) Act. This legislation will comprehensively address the ongoing threat posed by technology from foreign adversaries by further empowering the Department of Commerce to review, prevent and mitigate information communications and technology transactions that pose undue risk to America’s national security.

“Foreign adversaries are increasingly using products and services to collect information on American citizens, posing a threat to our national security,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“This legislation would give the Department of Commerce the authority to help prevent adversarial governments from controlling harmful products and services in the U.S., providing us the long-term tools necessary to combat the infiltration of our information and communications systems. The government needs to be vigilant against these threats, but a comprehensive data privacy law is needed to ensure Americans are able to control who accesses their data and for what purpose.” The&nbsp;RESTRICT Act&nbsp;establishes a risk-based process, tailored to the rapidly changing technology and threat environment, by directing the Department of Commerce to identify and mitigate foreign threats to information and communications technology products and services. This legislation is also cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679687962394.png" alt="The&nbsp;RESTRICT Act&nbsp;establishes a risk-based process, tailored to the rapidly changing technology and threat environment, by directing the Department of Commerce to identify and mitigate foreign threats to information and communications technology products and services.-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>The&nbsp;RESTRICT Act&nbsp;establishes a risk-based process, tailored to the rapidly changing technology and threat environment, by directing the Department of Commerce to identify and mitigate foreign threats to information and communications technology products and services.-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp;–&nbsp;U.S. Senator Jerry Moran– member of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and the Senate Committee on Commerce – joined U.S. Sens. Mark R. Warner (D-Va.) and John Thune (R-S.D.) to introduce the&nbsp;Restricting theEmergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology (RESTRICT) Act. This legislation will comprehensively address the ongoing threat posed by technology from foreign adversaries by further empowering the Department of Commerce to review, prevent and mitigate information communications and technology transactions that pose undue risk to America’s national security.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MvzraSkXlhI?start=2" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div> “Foreign adversaries are increasingly using products and services to collect information on American citizens, posing a threat to our national security,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran.&nbsp;“This legislation would give the Department of Commerce the authority to help prevent adversarial governments from controlling harmful products and services in the U.S., providing us the long-term tools necessary to combat the infiltration of our information and communications systems. The government needs to be vigilant against these threats, but a comprehensive data privacy law is needed to ensure Americans are able to control who accesses their data and for what purpose.” The&nbsp;RESTRICT Act&nbsp;establishes a risk-based process, tailored to the rapidly changing technology and threat environment, by directing the Department of Commerce to identify and mitigate foreign threats to information and communications technology products and services. This legislation is also cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Martin Heinrich (D-N.M.) and Mitt Romney (R-Utah).

🎥 Moran introduces bill to tackle security threats from foreign tech

BARTON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 3p.m. Thursday in Barton County.&nbsp;

According to Sheriff Brian Bellendir, a 1993 Ford Ranger driven by 84-year-old Ronald Kelly of Ellinwood was eastbound&nbsp; in the 900 block of E. Barton County Road&nbsp;just east of the junction of U.S. 56.

The pickup left the roadway, struck a farm driveway, became airborne, vaulted over the drive, landed in the field on the other side and overturned. 

Kelly was trapped in the vehicle. Personnel from the Ellinwood Fire Department and EMS Service extracted him from the vehicle and transported him to Ellinwood District Hospital. He was then flown to a Wichita area hospital where he died, according to Bellendir.

Kelly was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the possibility the driver had a medical incident prior to the collision.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679676127333.jpeg" alt="Photo Barton Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Barton Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 3p.m. Thursday in Barton County.&nbsp;According to Sheriff Brian Bellendir, a 1993 Ford Ranger driven by 84-year-old Ronald Kelly of Ellinwood was eastbound&nbsp; in the 900 block of E. Barton County Road&nbsp;just east of the junction of U.S. 56.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679677978849.jpeg" alt="Photo Barton Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Barton Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>The pickup left the roadway, struck a farm driveway, became airborne, vaulted over the drive, landed in the field on the other side and overturned. Kelly was trapped in the vehicle. Personnel from the Ellinwood Fire Department and EMS Service extracted him from the vehicle and transported him to Ellinwood District Hospital. He was then flown to a Wichita area hospital where he died, according to Bellendir.Kelly was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident. The Sheriff’s Office is investigating the possibility the driver had a medical incident prior to the collision.

Sheriff: Kansas man dies after violent rollover crash

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans on Friday narrowly passed legislation that would fulfill a campaign promise to give parents a role in what's taught in public schools. It has little chance in the Democrat-run Senate and critics said it would propel a far-right movement that has led to book bans, restrictions aimed at transgender students and raucous school board meetings across the country.

Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. who made the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/parents-rights-schools-woke-mccarthy-congress-f4643fa74dc4d82067c339fe950c3080">Parents’ Bill of Rights Act</a>&nbsp;a priority during the early weeks of his tenure, said Republicans were "keeping our promise, our commitment to America, that parents will have a say in their kids’ education.” The bill passed 213-208, with five Republicans — mostly members of the House Freedom Caucus — voting against it.

It would require schools to publish course studies and a list of books kept in libraries, as well as affirm parents' ability to meet with educators, speak at school board meetings and examine school budgets.

In the Senate, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., promised that the legislation would face a “dead end.” He said it was further evidence that the House GOP had been overtaken by “hard right MAGA ideologues” — referencing former President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan.

The bill was an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-republican-party-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-b9fcfd11427a695fe2eb49e36988f1a0">early test of unity</a>&nbsp;for the 222 House Republicans and their thin majority. The measure showed how the adoption of an open amendment process in the House —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-kevin-mccarthy-house-of-representatives-4922d22689eb79d5d05c1b49ca733123">a concession McCarthy</a>&nbsp;made to win hard-line conservatives’ support for his speakership — holds the potential to send legislation down unpredictable twists and turns.

Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., successfully added amendments that would require schools to report when transgender girls join girls' athletics teams and if trans girls are allowed to use girls’ school restrooms or locker rooms. The bill would also require elementary and middle schools get parents' consent to change a child’s gender designation, pronouns or name.

Advocates for LGBTQ people said the proposal poses a threat to LGBTQ students by potentially forcing them to come out to their families, which can sometimes lead to abuse or abandonment.

“It’s part of a pattern of attempts we’re seeing where the right wing of the Republican Party is really trying to marginalize LGBTQ people,” said David Stacy, the government affairs director for Human Rights Campaign.

House Freedom Caucus members unsuccessfully tried to add provisions that called for abolishing Department of Education programs in schools and endorsed vouchers that would send public funds to private schools.

Rep. Thomas Massie, R—Kentucky, pointed to the 100-plus Republicans who supported his amendment to terminate the department's authority and said “it adds a lot of momentum.”

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and racial justice protests, conservatives’ intense focus on parental control over public school classrooms has migrated from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-school-boards-e41350b7d9e3662d279c2dad287f7009">local school board fights</a>&nbsp;to Republican-held statehouses and now to the floor of the U.S. House.

“Parents want schools focused on reading, writing and math, not woke politics,” Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., said during earlier debate.

Public school education in the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-education-gender-identity-0e2ca2cf0ef7d7bc6ef5b125f1ee0969">has long invited concern</a>&nbsp;among some parents — usually conservative — over what children are taught. Historically, the term “parents' rights” has been used in schoolhouse debates over homeschooling, sex education and even the teaching of languages other than English.

Recently, Republicans have tapped into frustrations over remote learning and mask mandates in schools, as well as social conservatives' opposition to certain teachings on race that are broadly labeled as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-critical-race-theory-08f5d0a0489c7d6eab7d9a238365d2c1">critical race theory</a>, a way of thinking about America’s history through the lens of racism.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-school-boards-1e1f556e51de3f25c6f6eedb6f7a0ebe">Republican Glenn Youngkin</a>&nbsp;was elected as Virginia's governor in 2021 on the slogan “Parents matter" and political action committees have poured millions of dollars into school board races nationwide.

McCarthy made the bill a big part of his 2022 election pitch to voters to give Republicans a House majority. But the GOP's expectation of a sweeping victory never materialized, and even in school board races, conservative groups' goal of electing hundreds of “parents’ rights” activists&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-education-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-school-boards-bed36a1460957cb6be4df9d18583a765">largely fell short</a>.

But McCarthy pressed ahead with the bill, making&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/parents-rights-schools-woke-mccarthy-congress-f4643fa74dc4d82067c339fe950c3080">a public appeal</a>&nbsp;earlier this month at an event that featured a chalkboard, schoolchildren and parents who have been on the frontlines of the cause.

When asked about the five Republican votes against the bill, McCarthy contended that “Democrats are too extreme to believe that parents should have a say” in their children's education.

Democrats said they want to foster parental involvement, but said the bill caters to a vocal minority set on controlling and politicizing classrooms. They derided it as the “Politics over Parents Act."

Attempted book bans and restrictions at school and public libraries surged to their highest number in 2022 since the American Library Association began keeping data 20 years ago,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/book-bans-american-library-association-f84ac6fe3f8e3238fc54931bc1a5e054">according to a new report</a>&nbsp;the organization released this week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679679549976.png" alt="House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, made the "parents' bill of rights” a plank in his midterm election pitch to voters to give Republicans a House majority-photo courtesy House Speaker's office" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, made the "parents' bill of rights” a plank in his midterm election pitch to voters to give Republicans a House majority-photo courtesy House Speaker's office</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans on Friday narrowly passed legislation that would fulfill a campaign promise to give parents a role in what's taught in public schools. It has little chance in the Democrat-run Senate and critics said it would propel a far-right movement that has led to book bans, restrictions aimed at transgender students and raucous school board meetings across the country.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">American schools 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 be accountable to American parents. RT if you agree. <a href="https://t.co/r1eyWbNF2G">pic.twitter.com/r1eyWbNF2G</a>&mdash; House Rules Committee (@RulesReps) <a href="https://twitter.com/RulesReps/status/1639258996967186439?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. who made the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/parents-rights-schools-woke-mccarthy-congress-f4643fa74dc4d82067c339fe950c3080">Parents’ Bill of Rights Act</a>&nbsp;a priority during the early weeks of his tenure, said Republicans were "keeping our promise, our commitment to America, that parents will have a say in their kids’ education.” The bill passed 213-208, with five Republicans — mostly members of the House Freedom Caucus — voting against it.It would require schools to publish course studies and a list of books kept in libraries, as well as affirm parents' ability to meet with educators, speak at school board meetings and examine school budgets.In the Senate, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., promised that the legislation would face a “dead end.” He said it was further evidence that the House GOP had been overtaken by “hard right MAGA ideologues” — referencing former President Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” campaign slogan.The bill was an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-us-republican-party-united-states-house-of-representatives-kevin-mccarthy-b9fcfd11427a695fe2eb49e36988f1a0">early test of unity</a>&nbsp;for the 222 House Republicans and their thin majority. The measure showed how the adoption of an open amendment process in the House —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-united-states-government-kevin-mccarthy-house-of-representatives-4922d22689eb79d5d05c1b49ca733123">a concession McCarthy</a>&nbsp;made to win hard-line conservatives’ support for his speakership — holds the potential to send legislation down unpredictable twists and turns.Rep. Lauren Boebert, R-Colo., successfully added amendments that would require schools to report when transgender girls join girls' athletics teams and if trans girls are allowed to use girls’ school restrooms or locker rooms. The bill would also require elementary and middle schools get parents' consent to change a child’s gender designation, pronouns or name.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The House has passed H.R. 5, the Parents Bill of Rights Act.<a href="https://twitter.com/HouseGOP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HouseGOP</a> is working to ensure better educational outcomes for our kids by embracing American parents, not casting them aside. <a href="https://t.co/Zfdu9kGj13">pic.twitter.com/Zfdu9kGj13</a>&mdash; House Rules Committee (@RulesReps) <a href="https://twitter.com/RulesReps/status/1639284734172831744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 24, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Advocates for LGBTQ people said the proposal poses a threat to LGBTQ students by potentially forcing them to come out to their families, which can sometimes lead to abuse or abandonment.“It’s part of a pattern of attempts we’re seeing where the right wing of the Republican Party is really trying to marginalize LGBTQ people,” said David Stacy, the government affairs director for Human Rights Campaign.House Freedom Caucus members unsuccessfully tried to add provisions that called for abolishing Department of Education programs in schools and endorsed vouchers that would send public funds to private schools.Rep. Thomas Massie, R—Kentucky, pointed to the 100-plus Republicans who supported his amendment to terminate the department's authority and said “it adds a lot of momentum.”In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and racial justice protests, conservatives’ intense focus on parental control over public school classrooms has migrated from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-education-coronavirus-pandemic-school-boards-e41350b7d9e3662d279c2dad287f7009">local school board fights</a>&nbsp;to Republican-held statehouses and now to the floor of the U.S. House.“Parents want schools focused on reading, writing and math, not woke politics,” Rep. Mary Miller, R-Ill., said during earlier debate.Public school education in the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-education-gender-identity-0e2ca2cf0ef7d7bc6ef5b125f1ee0969">has long invited concern</a>&nbsp;among some parents — usually conservative — over what children are taught. Historically, the term “parents' rights” has been used in schoolhouse debates over homeschooling, sex education and even the teaching of languages other than English.Recently, Republicans have tapped into frustrations over remote learning and mask mandates in schools, as well as social conservatives' opposition to certain teachings on race that are broadly labeled as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/what-is-critical-race-theory-08f5d0a0489c7d6eab7d9a238365d2c1">critical race theory</a>, a way of thinking about America’s history through the lens of racism.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-day-school-boards-1e1f556e51de3f25c6f6eedb6f7a0ebe">Republican Glenn Youngkin</a>&nbsp;was elected as Virginia's governor in 2021 on the slogan “Parents matter" and political action committees have poured millions of dollars into school board races nationwide.McCarthy made the bill a big part of his 2022 election pitch to voters to give Republicans a House majority. But the GOP's expectation of a sweeping victory never materialized, and even in school board races, conservative groups' goal of electing hundreds of “parents’ rights” activists&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elections-education-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-school-boards-bed36a1460957cb6be4df9d18583a765">largely fell short</a>.But McCarthy pressed ahead with the bill, making&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/parents-rights-schools-woke-mccarthy-congress-f4643fa74dc4d82067c339fe950c3080">a public appeal</a>&nbsp;earlier this month at an event that featured a chalkboard, schoolchildren and parents who have been on the frontlines of the cause.When asked about the five Republican votes against the bill, McCarthy contended that “Democrats are too extreme to believe that parents should have a say” in their children's education.Democrats said they want to foster parental involvement, but said the bill caters to a vocal minority set on controlling and politicizing classrooms. They derided it as the “Politics over Parents Act."Attempted book bans and restrictions at school and public libraries surged to their highest number in 2022 since the American Library Association began keeping data 20 years ago,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/book-bans-american-library-association-f84ac6fe3f8e3238fc54931bc1a5e054">according to a new report</a>&nbsp;the organization released this week.“We’ll fight against this legislation. We’ll fight against the banning of books, fight against the bullying of children from any community, and certainly from the LGBTQ+ community,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said.Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore. offered alternative legislation that she argued would foster parental involvement, encourage collaboration with educators and make schools welcoming places to families, including those with LGBTQ students.“We want parents to be involved — peacefully,” she said.