ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A second man has been charged in connection with the 2005 theft of a pair of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in “The Wizard of Oz," according to an indictment made public Sunday.

Jerry Hal Saliterman, 76, of Crystal, Minnesota, was charged with theft of a major artwork and witness tampering. He did not enter a plea when he made his first appearance Friday in U.S. District Court in St. Paul.

The slippers, adorned with sequins and glass beads, were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in the late actor's hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, nearly 20 years ago and their whereabouts remained a mystery until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5f15402e28f04341b6a25d179b070fc5">the FBI recovered them in 2018</a>.

The indictment says that from August 2005 to July 2018 Saliterman “received, concealed, and disposed of an object of cultural heritage" — specifically, "an authentic pair of ‘ruby slippers’ worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 movie ‘The Wizard of Oz.’" The indictment says Saliterman knew they were stolen, and that he threatened to release a sex tape of a woman and “take her down with him” if she didn’t keep her mouth shut about the slippers.

Saliterman was in a wheelchair and on supplemental oxygen during his Friday court appearance. His oxygen machine hummed throughout the hearing and he bounced his knee nervously during breaks in the proceedings. He responded with “yes,” when U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright asked whether he understood the charges against him, but he said nothing about the allegations.

The case was not openly discussed in court. The magistrate ordered Friday that the indictment be unsealed, but it did not become publicly available until Sunday.

Saliterman’s attorney, John Brink, said after Friday's hearing that he couldn’t say much about the case, but: “He’s not guilty. He hasn’t done anything wrong.” Saliterman, who was released on his own recognizance, declined to comment to The Associated Press outside the courthouse.

The man who stole the slippers, Terry Jon Martin, 76,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wizard-oz-stolen-ruby-slippers-judy-garland-f2bd6d4455a9821c311d1d0a03f6d77a">pleaded guilty in October</a>&nbsp;to theft of a major artwork, admitting to using a hammer to smash the glass of the museum's door and display case in what his attorney said was an attempt to pull off “one last score” after turning away from a life of crime. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oz-stolen-ruby-slippers-sentencing-2479d587123b97eda5c47672322d2d6e">sentenced in January</a>&nbsp;to time served because of his poor health.

Martin’s lawyer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stolen-ruby-slippers-judy-garland-wizard-oz-f93b3da8331f050cc81bf7f1f79877e8">said in court documents</a>&nbsp;that an old associate of Martin's with connections to the mob told him the shoes had to be adorned with real jewels to justify their $1 million insured value.

Martin, who lives near Grand Rapids, said at an October hearing that he hoped to take what he thought were real rubies from the shoes and sell them. But a person who deals in stolen goods, known as a fence, informed him the rubies weren’t real, Martin said. So he got rid of the slippers.

Defense attorney Dane DeKrey wrote in court documents that Martin’s unidentified former associate persuaded him to steal the slippers as “one last score,” even though Martin had seemed to have “finally put his demons to rest” after finishing his last prison term nearly 10 years earlier.

“But old habits die hard, and the thought of a ‘final score’ kept him up at night,” DeKrey wrote.

According to DeKrey’s memo, Martin had no idea about the cultural significance of the ruby slippers and had never seen “The Wizard of Oz.”

The documents unsealed Sunday do not indicate how Martin and Saliterman may have been connected.

In the classic 1939 musical, Garland’s character, Dorothy, had to click the heels of her ruby slippers three times and repeat, “There’s no place like home,” to return to Kansas from Oz. She wore several pairs during filming, but only four authentic pairs are known to remain.

The FBI never disclosed exactly how it tracked down the slippers. The bureau said a man approached the insurer in 2017 and claimed he could help recover them but demanded more than the $200,000 reward being offered. The slippers were recovered during an FBI sting in Minneapolis the next year. Federal prosecutors have put the slippers’ market value at about $3.5 million.

Hollywood memorabilia collector Michael Shaw had loaned the pair to the museum before Martin stole them. The other pairs are held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.si.edu/object/dorothys-ruby-slippers:nmah_670130">Smithsonian Museum of American History</a>&nbsp;and a private collector. According to John Kelsh, founding director of the museum, the slippers were returned to Shaw and are being held by an auction house that plans to sell them.

Garland was born Frances Gumm in 1922. She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/16889e9c55dd4728a45ee11a783b74de">lived in Grand Rapids</a>, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of Minneapolis, until she was 4, when her family moved to Los Angeles. She died in 1969. The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.judygarlandmuseum.com/">Judy Garland Museum,</a>&nbsp;which includes the house where she lived, says it has the world’s largest collection of Garland and “Wizard of Oz” memorabilia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684352824766.png" alt="FILE - A pair of ruby slippers once worn by actress Judy Garland in the "The Wizard of Oz" sit on display at a news conference on Sept. 4, 2018, at the FBI office in Brooklyn Center, Minn. Federal prosecutors say a man has been indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, on charges of stealing a pair of ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz.” The FBI recovered the slippers in 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - A pair of ruby slippers once worn by actress Judy Garland in the "The Wizard of Oz" sit on display at a news conference on Sept. 4, 2018, at the FBI office in Brooklyn Center, Minn. Federal prosecutors say a man has been indicted by a grand jury on Tuesday, May 16, 2023, on charges of stealing a pair of ruby red slippers worn by Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz.” The FBI recovered the slippers in 2018. (AP Photo/Jeff Baenen, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A second man has been charged in connection with the 2005 theft of a pair of ruby slippers that Judy Garland wore in “The Wizard of Oz," according to an indictment made public Sunday.Jerry Hal Saliterman, 76, of Crystal, Minnesota, was charged with theft of a major artwork and witness tampering. He did not enter a plea when he made his first appearance Friday in U.S. District Court in St. Paul.The slippers, adorned with sequins and glass beads, were stolen from the Judy Garland Museum in the late actor's hometown of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, nearly 20 years ago and their whereabouts remained a mystery until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/5f15402e28f04341b6a25d179b070fc5">the FBI recovered them in 2018</a>.The indictment says that from August 2005 to July 2018 Saliterman “received, concealed, and disposed of an object of cultural heritage" — specifically, "an authentic pair of ‘ruby slippers’ worn by Judy Garland in the 1939 movie ‘The Wizard of Oz.’" The indictment says Saliterman knew they were stolen, and that he threatened to release a sex tape of a woman and “take her down with him” if she didn’t keep her mouth shut about the slippers.Saliterman was in a wheelchair and on supplemental oxygen during his Friday court appearance. His oxygen machine hummed throughout the hearing and he bounced his knee nervously during breaks in the proceedings. He responded with “yes,” when U.S. Magistrate Judge Elizabeth Cowan Wright asked whether he understood the charges against him, but he said nothing about the allegations.The case was not openly discussed in court. The magistrate ordered Friday that the indictment be unsealed, but it did not become publicly available until Sunday.Saliterman’s attorney, John Brink, said after Friday's hearing that he couldn’t say much about the case, but: “He’s not guilty. He hasn’t done anything wrong.” Saliterman, who was released on his own recognizance, declined to comment to The Associated Press outside the courthouse.The man who stole the slippers, Terry Jon Martin, 76,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wizard-oz-stolen-ruby-slippers-judy-garland-f2bd6d4455a9821c311d1d0a03f6d77a">pleaded guilty in October</a>&nbsp;to theft of a major artwork, admitting to using a hammer to smash the glass of the museum's door and display case in what his attorney said was an attempt to pull off “one last score” after turning away from a life of crime. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oz-stolen-ruby-slippers-sentencing-2479d587123b97eda5c47672322d2d6e">sentenced in January</a>&nbsp;to time served because of his poor health.Martin’s lawyer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stolen-ruby-slippers-judy-garland-wizard-oz-f93b3da8331f050cc81bf7f1f79877e8">said in court documents</a>&nbsp;that an old associate of Martin's with connections to the mob told him the shoes had to be adorned with real jewels to justify their $1 million insured value.Martin, who lives near Grand Rapids, said at an October hearing that he hoped to take what he thought were real rubies from the shoes and sell them. But a person who deals in stolen goods, known as a fence, informed him the rubies weren’t real, Martin said. So he got rid of the slippers.Defense attorney Dane DeKrey wrote in court documents that Martin’s unidentified former associate persuaded him to steal the slippers as “one last score,” even though Martin had seemed to have “finally put his demons to rest” after finishing his last prison term nearly 10 years earlier.“But old habits die hard, and the thought of a ‘final score’ kept him up at night,” DeKrey wrote.According to DeKrey’s memo, Martin had no idea about the cultural significance of the ruby slippers and had never seen “The Wizard of Oz.”The documents unsealed Sunday do not indicate how Martin and Saliterman may have been connected.In the classic 1939 musical, Garland’s character, Dorothy, had to click the heels of her ruby slippers three times and repeat, “There’s no place like home,” to return to Kansas from Oz. She wore several pairs during filming, but only four authentic pairs are known to remain.The FBI never disclosed exactly how it tracked down the slippers. The bureau said a man approached the insurer in 2017 and claimed he could help recover them but demanded more than the $200,000 reward being offered. The slippers were recovered during an FBI sting in Minneapolis the next year. Federal prosecutors have put the slippers’ market value at about $3.5 million.Hollywood memorabilia collector Michael Shaw had loaned the pair to the museum before Martin stole them. The other pairs are held by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.si.edu/object/dorothys-ruby-slippers:nmah_670130">Smithsonian Museum of American History</a>&nbsp;and a private collector. According to John Kelsh, founding director of the museum, the slippers were returned to Shaw and are being held by an auction house that plans to sell them.Garland was born Frances Gumm in 1922. She&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/16889e9c55dd4728a45ee11a783b74de">lived in Grand Rapids</a>, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of Minneapolis, until she was 4, when her family moved to Los Angeles. She died in 1969. The&nbsp;<a href="http://www.judygarlandmuseum.com/">Judy Garland Museum,</a>&nbsp;which includes the house where she lived, says it has the world’s largest collection of Garland and “Wizard of Oz” memorabilia.

2nd man charged for theft of ruby slippers worn in 'The Wizard of Oz'

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lori Shelton can't fathom ever having the money to buy a home — and that's a major reason why so many voters feel down on the economy ahead of this year's presidential election.

Shelton, 67, drives an Uber to help pay rent in Aurora, Colorado. An advance on her pay covered her apartment's security deposit. But it also cut into her next paycheck, leaving her bank account dangerously low when the rent was due — a cycle that never seems to end.

“I'm always one step behind,” said Shelton, her voice choking up. “It’s a nightmare, it’s a freaking nightmare right now.”

The United States is slogging through a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-affordability-century-21-ceo-b60d7bf34139334a843f9760a976f33c">housing affordability crisis</a>&nbsp;that was decades in the making. At the root of this problem: America failed to build enough homes for its growing population. The shortage strikes at the heart of the American dream of homeownership — dampening President Joe Biden's assurances that the U.S. economy is strong and underscoring the degree to which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Republican Donald Trump</a>, the former president and presumptive GOP nominee for 2024, has largely overlooked the shortage.

The lack of housing has caused a record number of renters to devote an excessive amount of income to housing, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/affordable-housing-rent-eviction-price-harvard-congress-f5411012e10fa78d0257c137e60c1be3">Harvard University analysis</a>. Not enough homes are for sale or being built, keeping prices elevated. Average mortgage rates have more than doubled and further worsened affordability.

In fact, the Census Bureau reported that homeownership fell slightly at the end of last year in an otherwise solid economy. If it wasn’t for shelter costs, inflation — Biden’s most pronounced economic problem — would be running at a healthy and stable 1.8%. Instead, it's hovering around 3.2%.

Administration officials are confident that shelter inflation will soon cool, but the damage across several years is apparent to advocates and economists.

“I’ve been doing housing work for 30 years — the housing affordability challenge is the worst I've ever seen in my career,” said Shaun Donovan, a former secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Obama years who now leads the nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners.

Donovan noted that this is an increasingly bipartisan challenge that could bring the political parties together. Expensive housing was once the domain of Democratic areas such as New York City and San Francisco. It's now moved into Republican states as places such as Boise, Idaho, grapple with higher prices.

“It is a first-tier issue almost everywhere,” he said. “And that is changing the national politics around it in a way that I think is quite different than I’ve ever seen.”

Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, said that the outcome of the November election could ultimately depend on the path of 30-year mortgage rates.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-loan-530356e889579526a953e46dcd8ca7d1">Rates currently average about 6.74%.</a>&nbsp;If they dropped closer to 6%, the odds of a Biden victory would increase. But rates moving near 8% might enable Trump to prevail, Zandi said.

“Given the current housing affordability crisis, higher rates will make owning a home completely out of reach for nearly all potential first-time homebuyers,” he said. “Since homeownership is a key part of the American dream, if it appears unattainable, this will deeply impact voters’ sense of the economy.”

Biden, a Democrat, acknowledged the pain many are feeling in his State of the Union address earlier this month and in his budget proposal released on Monday.

The president wants to fund the building and preservation of 2 million housing units — a meaningful sum, but not enough to solve the shortage. He also proposed a tax credit worth up to $10,000 to homebuyers. Over the past three years, he has increased rental assistance to 100,000 households.

“The bottom line is we have to build, build, build,” Biden said Monday in a speech to the National League of Cities. “That’s how we bring down housing costs for good.”

Rapidly climbing home prices were also a festering problem under Trump, who first achieved celebrity status as a real estate developer. While president, Trump called for limiting construction in the suburbs. He claimed during the 2020 election that Biden's policies to spur building and affordability would “destroy your neighborhood.”

During the 2018 to 2020 years of Trump's presidency, the country’s housing shortage surged 52% to 3.8 million units, according to the mortgage company Freddie Mac.

The Associated Press contacted Trump's campaign for his policy plans but did not get a response. The America First Policy Institute, a think tank promoting Trump's vision, said the key is to cut government borrowing to reduce mortgage rates. The former president has pledged to reduce deficits, but an analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget shows that his policies in office will have likely added&nbsp;<a href="https://www.crfb.org/blogs/how-much-did-president-trump-add-debt">more than $8 trillion to the national debt.</a>

“The best way for us to improve access to homeownership for young people is to get interest rates back down, not to provide subsidies that cause housing unaffordability to worsen,” said Mike Faulkender, chief economist at the institute.

Lower rates might play well with voters, but most economists say they would at best offer temporary financial relief. Purchase prices would likely adjust upward in response to greater demand from falling rates.

Construction, the more enduring solution, would take years to achieve and require&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-land-use-law-urban-growth-boundary-housing-d85c2413f169cd02cbf6b15fd9c95329">new rules by states and cities</a>. The administration is trying to incentivize zoning changes, but the major choices are outside the White House's control.

“Even as incomes are going up and the economy is doing well and inflation is coming down, people can’t buy homes,” said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at the brokerage Redfin. “That’s like the biggest problem for Biden because it’s not one that he can solve.”

The general rule of thumb is that people should pay no more than 30% of their income on rent or a mortgage. A typical household looking to buy a home would have to devote 41% of its income to mortgage payments, according to Redfin.

There are far-reaching economic risks because of this. High housing costs can lead people to cut back spending elsewhere. Advocates said it enables landlords to neglect their properties since there is always a ready tenant.

Evictions can worsen health and educational outcomes for children and exact an even wider cost on society, said Zach Neumann, a Denver-based lawyer who provides more than $30 million annually in rental assistance through the nonprofit Community Economic Defense Project.

The cumulative costs of evicting poorer renters are "$20,000 to $30,000 a year when you include shelter nights and emergency room visits,” Neumann said. “It’s really overwhelming when you think about the total numbers and these folks are fighting to have a roof over their heads.”

While there is bipartisan agreement on the need for more housing, there has yet to be a significant plan that has passed the House and Senate. Biden has proposed housing aid throughout his administration that never materialized.

“Had Congress passed some of the investments that the president has called for since the beginning of the administration, had they done that three years ago, as he was advocating, we’d have affordable units coming online right now," said Daniel Hornung, deputy director of the White House National Economic Council.

But Mark Calabria, who was director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency during the Trump administration, said that many of the federal tools to increase housing such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit could further push up demand without adding enough construction.

“My worry would be we’ve done a number of things that increased demand when the problem is supply,” said Calabria, now an adviser with the libertarian Cato Institute.

But for renters such as Lori Shelton in Colorado, the debate about how to add housing supply is cold comfort when she owes rent now. She's previously dealt with the threat of eviction and late fees. She gets some rent money from her son, but she has also relied at times on her church to cover the $2,399 a month.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lori Shelton can't fathom ever having the money to buy a home — and that's a major reason why so many voters feel down on the economy ahead of this year's presidential election.Shelton, 67, drives an Uber to help pay rent in Aurora, Colorado. An advance on her pay covered her apartment's security deposit. But it also cut into her next paycheck, leaving her bank account dangerously low when the rent was due — a cycle that never seems to end.“I'm always one step behind,” said Shelton, her voice choking up. “It’s a nightmare, it’s a freaking nightmare right now.”The United States is slogging through a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-affordability-century-21-ceo-b60d7bf34139334a843f9760a976f33c">housing affordability crisis</a>&nbsp;that was decades in the making. At the root of this problem: America failed to build enough homes for its growing population. The shortage strikes at the heart of the American dream of homeownership — dampening President Joe Biden's assurances that the U.S. economy is strong and underscoring the degree to which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Republican Donald Trump</a>, the former president and presumptive GOP nominee for 2024, has largely overlooked the shortage.The lack of housing has caused a record number of renters to devote an excessive amount of income to housing, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/affordable-housing-rent-eviction-price-harvard-congress-f5411012e10fa78d0257c137e60c1be3">Harvard University analysis</a>. Not enough homes are for sale or being built, keeping prices elevated. Average mortgage rates have more than doubled and further worsened affordability.In fact, the Census Bureau reported that homeownership fell slightly at the end of last year in an otherwise solid economy. If it wasn’t for shelter costs, inflation — Biden’s most pronounced economic problem — would be running at a healthy and stable 1.8%. Instead, it's hovering around 3.2%.Administration officials are confident that shelter inflation will soon cool, but the damage across several years is apparent to advocates and economists.“I’ve been doing housing work for 30 years — the housing affordability challenge is the worst I've ever seen in my career,” said Shaun Donovan, a former secretary of Housing and Urban Development in the Obama years who now leads the nonprofit Enterprise Community Partners.Donovan noted that this is an increasingly bipartisan challenge that could bring the political parties together. Expensive housing was once the domain of Democratic areas such as New York City and San Francisco. It's now moved into Republican states as places such as Boise, Idaho, grapple with higher prices.“It is a first-tier issue almost everywhere,” he said. “And that is changing the national politics around it in a way that I think is quite different than I’ve ever seen.”Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, said that the outcome of the November election could ultimately depend on the path of 30-year mortgage rates.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mortgage-rates-housing-interest-financing-home-loan-530356e889579526a953e46dcd8ca7d1">Rates currently average about 6.74%.</a>&nbsp;If they dropped closer to 6%, the odds of a Biden victory would increase. But rates moving near 8% might enable Trump to prevail, Zandi said.“Given the current housing affordability crisis, higher rates will make owning a home completely out of reach for nearly all potential first-time homebuyers,” he said. “Since homeownership is a key part of the American dream, if it appears unattainable, this will deeply impact voters’ sense of the economy.”Biden, a Democrat, acknowledged the pain many are feeling in his State of the Union address earlier this month and in his budget proposal released on Monday.The president wants to fund the building and preservation of 2 million housing units — a meaningful sum, but not enough to solve the shortage. He also proposed a tax credit worth up to $10,000 to homebuyers. Over the past three years, he has increased rental assistance to 100,000 households.“The bottom line is we have to build, build, build,” Biden said Monday in a speech to the National League of Cities. “That’s how we bring down housing costs for good.”Rapidly climbing home prices were also a festering problem under Trump, who first achieved celebrity status as a real estate developer. While president, Trump called for limiting construction in the suburbs. He claimed during the 2020 election that Biden's policies to spur building and affordability would “destroy your neighborhood.”During the 2018 to 2020 years of Trump's presidency, the country’s housing shortage surged 52% to 3.8 million units, according to the mortgage company Freddie Mac.The Associated Press contacted Trump's campaign for his policy plans but did not get a response. The America First Policy Institute, a think tank promoting Trump's vision, said the key is to cut government borrowing to reduce mortgage rates. The former president has pledged to reduce deficits, but an analysis by the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget shows that his policies in office will have likely added&nbsp;<a href="https://www.crfb.org/blogs/how-much-did-president-trump-add-debt">more than $8 trillion to the national debt.</a>“The best way for us to improve access to homeownership for young people is to get interest rates back down, not to provide subsidies that cause housing unaffordability to worsen,” said Mike Faulkender, chief economist at the institute.Lower rates might play well with voters, but most economists say they would at best offer temporary financial relief. Purchase prices would likely adjust upward in response to greater demand from falling rates.Construction, the more enduring solution, would take years to achieve and require&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oregon-land-use-law-urban-growth-boundary-housing-d85c2413f169cd02cbf6b15fd9c95329">new rules by states and cities</a>. The administration is trying to incentivize zoning changes, but the major choices are outside the White House's control.“Even as incomes are going up and the economy is doing well and inflation is coming down, people can’t buy homes,” said Daryl Fairweather, chief economist at the brokerage Redfin. “That’s like the biggest problem for Biden because it’s not one that he can solve.”The general rule of thumb is that people should pay no more than 30% of their income on rent or a mortgage. A typical household looking to buy a home would have to devote 41% of its income to mortgage payments, according to Redfin.There are far-reaching economic risks because of this. High housing costs can lead people to cut back spending elsewhere. Advocates said it enables landlords to neglect their properties since there is always a ready tenant.Evictions can worsen health and educational outcomes for children and exact an even wider cost on society, said Zach Neumann, a Denver-based lawyer who provides more than $30 million annually in rental assistance through the nonprofit Community Economic Defense Project.The cumulative costs of evicting poorer renters are "$20,000 to $30,000 a year when you include shelter nights and emergency room visits,” Neumann said. “It’s really overwhelming when you think about the total numbers and these folks are fighting to have a roof over their heads.”While there is bipartisan agreement on the need for more housing, there has yet to be a significant plan that has passed the House and Senate. Biden has proposed housing aid throughout his administration that never materialized.“Had Congress passed some of the investments that the president has called for since the beginning of the administration, had they done that three years ago, as he was advocating, we’d have affordable units coming online right now," said Daniel Hornung, deputy director of the White House National Economic Council.But Mark Calabria, who was director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency during the Trump administration, said that many of the federal tools to increase housing such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit could further push up demand without adding enough construction.“My worry would be we’ve done a number of things that increased demand when the problem is supply,” said Calabria, now an adviser with the libertarian Cato Institute.But for renters such as Lori Shelton in Colorado, the debate about how to add housing supply is cold comfort when she owes rent now. She's previously dealt with the threat of eviction and late fees. She gets some rent money from her son, but she has also relied at times on her church to cover the $2,399 a month.

Why are so many voters frustrated by the US economy? Home prices

NEW YORK (AP) — Artificial intelligence is supercharging the threat of election&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-elections-social-media-technology-4086949d878336f8ea6daa4dee725d94">disinformation</a>&nbsp;worldwide, making it easy for anyone with a smartphone and a devious imagination to create fake – but convincing – content aimed at fooling voters.

It marks a quantum leap from a few years ago, when creating phony photos, videos or audio clips required&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c737b8bd4d24487db64194d95ec4d5f0">teams of people</a>&nbsp;with time, technical skill and money. Now, using free and low-cost generative artificial intelligence services from companies like Google and OpenAI, anyone can create high-quality “deepfakes” with just a simple text prompt.

A wave of AI deepfakes tied to elections in Europe and Asia has coursed through social media for months, serving as a warning for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-elections-2024-preview-cb77b0940964c5c95a9affc8ebb6f0b7">more than 50 countries heading to the polls</a>&nbsp;this year.

“You don’t need to look far to see some people ... being clearly confused as to whether something is real or not,” said Henry Ajder, a leading expert in generative AI based in Cambridge, England.

The question is no longer whether AI deepfakes could affect elections, but how influential they will be, said Ajder, who runs a consulting firm called Latent Space Advisory.

As the U.S. presidential race heats up, FBI Director Christopher Wray recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-election-interference-wray-2024-campaign-ai-a0c4a95c818839b18f919c6d648c4dcf">warned about the growing threat</a>, saying generative AI makes it easy for "foreign adversaries to engage in malign influence.”

With AI deepfakes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/deepfake-trump-ai-biden-tiktok-72194f59823037391b3888a1720ba7c2">a candidate’s image</a>&nbsp;can be smeared, or softened. Voters can be steered toward or away from candidates — or even to avoid the polls altogether. But perhaps the greatest threat to democracy, experts say, is that a surge of AI deepfakes could erode the public’s trust in what they see and hear.

Some recent examples of AI deepfakes include:

— A video of Moldova's pro-Western president throwing her support behind a political party friendly to Russia.

— Audio clips of Slovakia's liberal party leader discussing vote rigging and raising the price of beer.

— A video of an opposition lawmaker in Bangladesh — a conservative Muslim majority nation — wearing a bikini.

The novelty and sophistication of the technology makes it hard to track who is behind AI deepfakes. Experts say governments and companies are not yet capable of stopping the deluge, nor are they moving fast enough to solve the problem.

As the technology improves, “definitive answers about a lot of the fake content are going to be hard to come by,” Ajder said.

Some AI deepfakes aim to sow doubt about candidates' allegiances.

In Moldova, an Eastern European country bordering Ukraine, pro-Western President Maia Sandu has been a frequent target. One AI deepfake that circulated shortly before local elections depicted her endorsing a Russian-friendly party and announcing plans to resign.

Officials in Moldova believe the Russian government is behind the activity. With presidential elections this year, the deepfakes aim “to erode trust in our electoral process, candidates and institutions — but also to erode trust between people,” said Olga Rosca, an adviser to Sandu. The Russian government declined to comment for this story.

China has also been accused of weaponizing generative AI for political purposes.

In Taiwan, a self-ruled island that China claims as its own, an AI deepfake gained attention earlier this year by stirring concerns about U.S. interference in local politics.

The fake clip circulating on TikTok showed U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman, vice chairman of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, promising stronger U.S. military support for Taiwan if the incumbent party's candidates were elected in January.

Wittman blamed the Chinese Communist Party for trying to meddle in Taiwanese politics, saying it uses TikTok — a Chinese-owned company — to spread “propaganda.”

A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, Wang Wenbin, said his government doesn't comment on fake videos and that it opposes interference in other countries' internal affairs. The Taiwan election, he stressed, “is a local affair of China.”

Audio-only deepfakes are especially hard to verify because, unlike photos and videos, they lack telltale signs of manipulated content.

In Slovakia, another country overshadowed by Russian influence, audio clips resembling the voice of the liberal party chief were shared widely on social media just days before parliamentary elections. The clips purportedly captured him talking about hiking beer prices and rigging the vote.

It's understandable that voters might fall for the deception, Ajder said, because humans are “much more used to judging with our eyes than with our ears.”

In the U.S., robocalls impersonating U.S. President Joe Biden urged voters in New Hampshire to abstain from voting in January's primary election. The calls were later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-robocall-biden-new-hampshire-primary-2024-f94aa2d7f835ccc3cc254a90cd481a99">traced to a political consultant</a>&nbsp;who said he was trying to publicize the dangers of AI deepfakes.

In poorer countries, where media literacy lags, even low-quality AI fakes can be effective.

Such was the case last year in Bangladesh, where opposition lawmaker Rumeen Farhana — a vocal critic of the ruling party — was falsely depicted wearing a bikini. The viral video sparked outrage in the conservative, majority-Muslim nation.

“They trust whatever they see on Facebook,” Farhana said.

Experts are particularly concerned about upcoming elections in India, the world’s largest democracy and where social media platforms are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/misinformation-surges-india-covid-c52d04de1c3b2332d572736ee069a495">breeding grounds for disinformation</a>.

Some political campaigns are using generative AI to bolster their candidate’s image.

In Indonesia, the team that ran&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indonesia-president-election-prabowo-subianto-dce462b4c334cd4fb92f95de0ddc3804">the presidential campaign of Prabowo Subianto</a>&nbsp;deployed a simple mobile app to build a deeper connection with supporters across the vast island nation. The app enabled voters to upload photos and make AI-generated images of themselves with Subianto.

As the types of AI deepfakes multiply, authorities around the world are scrambling to come up with guardrails.

The European Union already requires social media platforms to cut the risk of spreading disinformation or “election manipulation.” It will mandate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-act-european-union-chatbots-155157e2be2e42d0f1acca33983d8c82">special labeling of AI deepfakes</a>&nbsp;starting next year, too late for the EU's parliamentary elections in June. Still, the rest of the world is a lot further behind.

The world's biggest tech companies recently — and voluntarily — signed a pact to prevent AI tools from disrupting elections. For example, the company that owns Instagram and Facebook has said it will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/meta-adds-labels-to-ai-imagery-deepfakes-415163d053ed915042a04f1ec3d9eafa">start labeling</a>&nbsp;deepfakes that appear on its platforms.

But deepfakes are harder to rein in on apps like the Telegram chat service, which did not sign the voluntary pact and uses encrypted chats that can be difficult to monitor.

Some experts worry that efforts to rein in AI deepfakes could have unintended consequences.

Well-meaning governments or companies might trample on the sometimes “very thin” line between political commentary and an “illegitimate attempt to smear a candidate,” said Tim Harper, a senior policy analyst at the Center for Democracy and Technology in Washington.

Major generative AI services have rules to limit political disinformation. But experts say it remains too easy to outwit the platforms' restrictions or use alternative services that don't have the same safeguards.

Even without bad intentions, the rising use of AI is problematic. Many popular AI-powered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-chatbots-elections-artificial-intelligence-chatgpt-falsehoods-cc50dd0f3f4e7cc322c7235220fc4c69?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">chatbots are still spitting out false and misleading information</a>&nbsp;that threatens to disenfranchise voters.

And software isn't the only threat. Candidates could try to deceive voters by claiming that real events portraying them in an unfavorable light were manufactured by AI.

“A world in which everything is suspect — and so everyone gets to choose what they believe — is also a world that’s really challenging for a flourishing democracy,” said Lisa Reppell, a researcher at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems in Arlington, Virginia.

Swenson reported from New York. Associated Press writers Julhas Alam in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Krutika Pathi in New Delhi, Huizhong Wu in Bangkok, Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia, Dake Kang in Beijing, and Stephen McGrath in Bucharest, Romania, contributed to this report.

By ALI SWENSON and KELVIN CHAN&nbsp;NEW YORK (AP) — Artificial intelligence is supercharging the threat of election&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-ap-top-news-elections-social-media-technology-4086949d878336f8ea6daa4dee725d94">disinformation</a>&nbsp;worldwide, making it easy for anyone with a smartphone and a devious imagination to create fake – but convincing – content aimed at fooling voters.It marks a quantum leap from a few years ago, when creating phony photos, videos or audio clips required&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c737b8bd4d24487db64194d95ec4d5f0">teams of people</a>&nbsp;with time, technical skill and money. Now, using free and low-cost generative artificial intelligence services from companies like Google and OpenAI, anyone can create high-quality “deepfakes” with just a simple text prompt.A wave of AI deepfakes tied to elections in Europe and Asia has coursed through social media for months, serving as a warning for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-elections-2024-preview-cb77b0940964c5c95a9affc8ebb6f0b7">more than 50 countries heading to the polls</a>&nbsp;this year.“You don’t need to look far to see some people ... being clearly confused as to whether something is real or not,” said Henry Ajder, a leading expert in generative AI based in Cambridge, England.The question is no longer whether AI deepfakes could affect elections, but how influential they will be, said Ajder, who runs a consulting firm called Latent Space Advisory.As the U.S. presidential race heats up, FBI Director Christopher Wray recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-election-interference-wray-2024-campaign-ai-a0c4a95c818839b18f919c6d648c4dcf">warned about the growing threat</a>, saying generative AI makes it easy for "foreign adversaries to engage in malign influence.”With AI deepfakes,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/deepfake-trump-ai-biden-tiktok-72194f59823037391b3888a1720ba7c2">a candidate’s image</a>&nbsp;can be smeared, or softened. Voters can be steered toward or away from candidates — or even to avoid the polls altogether. But perhaps the greatest threat to democracy, experts say, is that a surge of AI deepfakes could erode the public’s trust in what they see and hear.Some recent examples of AI deepfakes include:— A video of Moldova's pro-Western president throwing her support behind a political party friendly to Russia.— Audio clips of Slovakia's liberal party leader discussing vote rigging and raising the price of beer.— A video of an opposition lawmaker in Bangladesh — a conservative Muslim majority nation — wearing a bikini.The novelty and sophistication of the technology makes it hard to track who is behind AI deepfakes. Experts say governments and companies are not yet capable of stopping the deluge, nor are they moving fast enough to solve the problem.As the technology improves, “definitive answers about a lot of the fake content are going to be hard to come by,” Ajder said.ERODING TRUSTSome AI deepfakes aim to sow doubt about candidates' allegiances.In Moldova, an Eastern European country bordering Ukraine, pro-Western President Maia Sandu has been a frequent target. One AI deepfake that circulated shortly before local elections depicted her endorsing a Russian-friendly party and announcing plans to resign.Officials in Moldova believe the Russian government is behind the activity. With presidential elections this year, the deepfakes aim “to erode trust in our electoral process, candidates and institutions — but also to erode trust between people,” said Olga Rosca, an adviser to Sandu. The Russian government declined to comment for this story.China has also been accused of weaponizing generative AI for political purposes.In Taiwan, a self-ruled island that China claims as its own, an AI deepfake gained attention earlier this year by stirring concerns about U.S. interference in local politics.The fake clip circulating on TikTok showed U.S. Rep. Rob Wittman, vice chairman of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, promising stronger U.S. military support for Taiwan if the incumbent party's candidates were elected in January.Wittman blamed the Chinese Communist Party for trying to meddle in Taiwanese politics, saying it uses TikTok — a Chinese-owned company — to spread “propaganda.”A spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, Wang Wenbin, said his government doesn't comment on fake videos and that it opposes interference in other countries' internal affairs. The Taiwan election, he stressed, “is a local affair of China.”BLURRING REALITYAudio-only deepfakes are especially hard to verify because, unlike photos and videos, they lack telltale signs of manipulated content.In Slovakia, another country overshadowed by Russian influence, audio clips resembling the voice of the liberal party chief were shared widely on social media just days before parliamentary elections. The clips purportedly captured him talking about hiking beer prices and rigging the vote.It's understandable that voters might fall for the deception, Ajder said, because humans are “much more used to judging with our eyes than with our ears.”In the U.S., robocalls impersonating U.S. President Joe Biden urged voters in New Hampshire to abstain from voting in January's primary election. The calls were later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-robocall-biden-new-hampshire-primary-2024-f94aa2d7f835ccc3cc254a90cd481a99">traced to a political consultant</a>&nbsp;who said he was trying to publicize the dangers of AI deepfakes.In poorer countries, where media literacy lags, even low-quality AI fakes can be effective.Such was the case last year in Bangladesh, where opposition lawmaker Rumeen Farhana — a vocal critic of the ruling party — was falsely depicted wearing a bikini. The viral video sparked outrage in the conservative, majority-Muslim nation.“They trust whatever they see on Facebook,” Farhana said.Experts are particularly concerned about upcoming elections in India, the world’s largest democracy and where social media platforms are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/misinformation-surges-india-covid-c52d04de1c3b2332d572736ee069a495">breeding grounds for disinformation</a>.A CHALLENGE TO DEMOCRACYSome political campaigns are using generative AI to bolster their candidate’s image.In Indonesia, the team that ran&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/indonesia-president-election-prabowo-subianto-dce462b4c334cd4fb92f95de0ddc3804">the presidential campaign of Prabowo Subianto</a>&nbsp;deployed a simple mobile app to build a deeper connection with supporters across the vast island nation. The app enabled voters to upload photos and make AI-generated images of themselves with Subianto.As the types of AI deepfakes multiply, authorities around the world are scrambling to come up with guardrails.The European Union already requires social media platforms to cut the risk of spreading disinformation or “election manipulation.” It will mandate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-act-european-union-chatbots-155157e2be2e42d0f1acca33983d8c82">special labeling of AI deepfakes</a>&nbsp;starting next year, too late for the EU's parliamentary elections in June. Still, the rest of the world is a lot further behind.The world's biggest tech companies recently — and voluntarily — signed a pact to prevent AI tools from disrupting elections. For example, the company that owns Instagram and Facebook has said it will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/meta-adds-labels-to-ai-imagery-deepfakes-415163d053ed915042a04f1ec3d9eafa">start labeling</a>&nbsp;deepfakes that appear on its platforms.But deepfakes are harder to rein in on apps like the Telegram chat service, which did not sign the voluntary pact and uses encrypted chats that can be difficult to monitor.Some experts worry that efforts to rein in AI deepfakes could have unintended consequences.Well-meaning governments or companies might trample on the sometimes “very thin” line between political commentary and an “illegitimate attempt to smear a candidate,” said Tim Harper, a senior policy analyst at the Center for Democracy and Technology in Washington.Major generative AI services have rules to limit political disinformation. But experts say it remains too easy to outwit the platforms' restrictions or use alternative services that don't have the same safeguards.Even without bad intentions, the rising use of AI is problematic. Many popular AI-powered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ai-chatbots-elections-artificial-intelligence-chatgpt-falsehoods-cc50dd0f3f4e7cc322c7235220fc4c69?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">chatbots are still spitting out false and misleading information</a>&nbsp;that threatens to disenfranchise voters.And software isn't the only threat. Candidates could try to deceive voters by claiming that real events portraying them in an unfavorable light were manufactured by AI.“A world in which everything is suspect — and so everyone gets to choose what they believe — is also a world that’s really challenging for a flourishing democracy,” said Lisa Reppell, a researcher at the International Foundation for Electoral Systems in Arlington, Virginia.__Swenson reported from New York. Associated Press writers Julhas Alam in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Krutika Pathi in New Delhi, Huizhong Wu in Bangkok, Edna Tarigan in Jakarta, Indonesia, Dake Kang in Beijing, and Stephen McGrath in Bucharest, Romania, contributed to this report.__

 AI created election disinformation already deceiving voters

VATICAN CITY (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;says he has no plans to resign and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-health-italy-6bcbbd81b293d03ea57ca1c597aba4fb">isn’t suffering from any health problems</a>&nbsp;that would require doing so, saying in a new memoir he still has “many projects to bring to fruition.”

Francis, 87, made the comments in an autobiography, “Life: My Story Through History,” which is being published Tuesday, the 11th&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-15a1f30a5ae64cf992ee71e028283229">anniversary of his installation as pope</a>. Extensive excerpts were published Thursday in the Italian daily Corriere della Sera.

In the memoir, written with Italian journalist Fabio Marchese Ragona, Francis traces key moments of his life and their intersection with world events (World War II, Argentina’s military dictatorship and Vatican intrigue) and how they together inform his priorities as pope.

Significantly, he addresses recurring speculation about his health problems,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-conservatives-abortion-us-bbfc346c117bd9ae68a1963478bea6b3">criticism from conservatives</a>&nbsp;and what both may mean for the future of his pontificate. Such questions have always surrounded the papacy but the prospect of a papal resignation only became a reality with the late&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-dead-9d486fd9b12eab1177b9eb8ab7be22f4">Pope Benedict XVI</a>&nbsp;'s historic 2013 retirement.

Francis, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has been battling bronchitis, the flu and a cold on and off this winter and for the past two weeks has asked an aide to read most of his speeches. He had a chunk of his large intestine removed in 2021 and was hospitalized three times last year, including once to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-health-758c3d7b07e6d6f242c4a5ea6f2de154">remove intestinal scar tissue</a>&nbsp;from previous surgeries to address diverticulosis, or bulges in his intestinal wall.

In his memoir, he stressed that the papacy is a job for life but that “if a serious physical impediment” occurs, he has already penned a letter of resignation that is being held in the Secretariat of State.

“But this is, I repeat, a distant possibility, because I truly do not have any cause serious enough to make me think of resigning,” he said. “Some people may have hoped that sooner or later, perhaps after a stay in the hospital, I might make an announcement of that kind, but there is no risk of it: Thanks be to God, I enjoy good health, and as I have said, there are many projects to bring to fruition, God willing."

Francis acknowledged that critics inside the Vatican and out have accused him of destroying the papacy and have tried to block the reforms that he was mandated by cardinals to enact as a result of his 2013 election.

“There was a strong desire to change things, to abandon certain attitudes, which, sadly, have proved difficult to eradicate,” he said. “Needless to say, there are always some who wish to put the brakes on reform, who want things always to stay as they were during the days of pope kings.”

In the memoir, Francis doubled down on his recent decision to allow Catholic priests to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-blessing-africa-france-12ede13dec72ecdd9f6da1dd1877d7e5">bless same-sex couples</a>&nbsp;and denied that the criticism that erupted could split the church.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-blessing-africa-france-12ede13dec72ecdd9f6da1dd1877d7e5">Africa’s bishops as a whole</a>, as well as individual conservative bishops around the world, have said they would not follow the new directive.

“I just want to say that God loves everyone, especially sinners. And if my brother bishops, according to their discernment, decide not to follow this path it doesn’t mean that this is the antechamber to schism, because the church’s doctrine is not brought into question,” Francis said.

He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-civil-union-comment-8f53e237da41da9891564268f1a2e66a">reaffirmed his support for civil unions</a>&nbsp;while ruling out gay marriage, saying “it is right that these people who experience the gift of love should have the same legal protections as everyone else.”

He reasoned that Jesus spent time with people who lived on the margins of society “and that is what the church should be doing today with members of the LGBTQ+ community.”

“Make them feel at home, especially those who have been baptized and are in every respect among God’s people," he said. "And those who have not been baptized and would like to be, or who would like to be godfathers or godmothers: let them be welcomed, please; let them follow a careful pathway to personal discernment.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710452214314.png" alt="The book is set for release on Tuesday" />
 <figcaption>The book is set for release on Tuesday</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pope-francis">Pope Francis</a>&nbsp;says he has no plans to resign and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-francis-health-italy-6bcbbd81b293d03ea57ca1c597aba4fb">isn’t suffering from any health problems</a>&nbsp;that would require doing so, saying in a new memoir he still has “many projects to bring to fruition.”Francis, 87, made the comments in an autobiography, “Life: My Story Through History,” which is being published Tuesday, the 11th&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-15a1f30a5ae64cf992ee71e028283229">anniversary of his installation as pope</a>. Extensive excerpts were published Thursday in the Italian daily Corriere della Sera.In the memoir, written with Italian journalist Fabio Marchese Ragona, Francis traces key moments of his life and their intersection with world events (World War II, Argentina’s military dictatorship and Vatican intrigue) and how they together inform his priorities as pope.Significantly, he addresses recurring speculation about his health problems,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-conservatives-abortion-us-bbfc346c117bd9ae68a1963478bea6b3">criticism from conservatives</a>&nbsp;and what both may mean for the future of his pontificate. Such questions have always surrounded the papacy but the prospect of a papal resignation only became a reality with the late&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-benedict-xvi-dead-9d486fd9b12eab1177b9eb8ab7be22f4">Pope Benedict XVI</a>&nbsp;'s historic 2013 retirement.Francis, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has been battling bronchitis, the flu and a cold on and off this winter and for the past two weeks has asked an aide to read most of his speeches. He had a chunk of his large intestine removed in 2021 and was hospitalized three times last year, including once to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-pope-health-758c3d7b07e6d6f242c4a5ea6f2de154">remove intestinal scar tissue</a>&nbsp;from previous surgeries to address diverticulosis, or bulges in his intestinal wall.In his memoir, he stressed that the papacy is a job for life but that “if a serious physical impediment” occurs, he has already penned a letter of resignation that is being held in the Secretariat of State.“But this is, I repeat, a distant possibility, because I truly do not have any cause serious enough to make me think of resigning,” he said. “Some people may have hoped that sooner or later, perhaps after a stay in the hospital, I might make an announcement of that kind, but there is no risk of it: Thanks be to God, I enjoy good health, and as I have said, there are many projects to bring to fruition, God willing."Francis acknowledged that critics inside the Vatican and out have accused him of destroying the papacy and have tried to block the reforms that he was mandated by cardinals to enact as a result of his 2013 election.“There was a strong desire to change things, to abandon certain attitudes, which, sadly, have proved difficult to eradicate,” he said. “Needless to say, there are always some who wish to put the brakes on reform, who want things always to stay as they were during the days of pope kings.”In the memoir, Francis doubled down on his recent decision to allow Catholic priests to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-blessing-africa-france-12ede13dec72ecdd9f6da1dd1877d7e5">bless same-sex couples</a>&nbsp;and denied that the criticism that erupted could split the church.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-blessing-africa-france-12ede13dec72ecdd9f6da1dd1877d7e5">Africa’s bishops as a whole</a>, as well as individual conservative bishops around the world, have said they would not follow the new directive.“I just want to say that God loves everyone, especially sinners. And if my brother bishops, according to their discernment, decide not to follow this path it doesn’t mean that this is the antechamber to schism, because the church’s doctrine is not brought into question,” Francis said.He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-civil-union-comment-8f53e237da41da9891564268f1a2e66a">reaffirmed his support for civil unions</a>&nbsp;while ruling out gay marriage, saying “it is right that these people who experience the gift of love should have the same legal protections as everyone else.”He reasoned that Jesus spent time with people who lived on the margins of society “and that is what the church should be doing today with members of the LGBTQ+ community.”“Make them feel at home, especially those who have been baptized and are in every respect among God’s people," he said. "And those who have not been baptized and would like to be, or who would like to be godfathers or godmothers: let them be welcomed, please; let them follow a careful pathway to personal discernment.”

Pope Francis reveals in autobiography his plans for the future

LANGLEY, VIRGINIA — U.S. Army Vessels (USAV SP4 James A. Loux (LSV-6), USAV Monterrey (LCU30), USAV Matamoros (LCU26), and USAV Wilson Warf (LCU11) from the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary), 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, XVIII Airborne Corps, departed Joint Base Langley-Eustis are en route to the Eastern Mediterranean to establish a roll-on, roll-off dock capability that allows ship to shore humanitarian assistance to Gaza, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

SP4 James A. Loux, Monterrey, Matamoros, and Wilson Warf are carrying equipment and supplies needed to establish a temporary pier to deliver vital humanitarian supplies.

The seaborne delivery will complement other means of getting essential supplies to Gazans. The United States is also air-dropping food and supplies to Gaza and the U.S. Agency for International Development is working to get land routes open to those who need the supplies. &nbsp;

A look at what’s known about the operation temporary pier.

In the five months since Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage, Israel's military has battered the territory, killing more than 30,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The result of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;is a devastating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">humanitarian catastrophe</a>.

The U.N. says virtually all of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are struggling to find food, and more than a half-million&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-malnutrition-famine-children-dying-israel-palestinians-2f938b1a82d7822c7da67cc162da1a37">currently face starvation.</a>&nbsp;Many people have been reduced to eating animal fodder to survive.

Getting in food, medical supplies and other aid has been difficult, if not impossible at times, due to the ongoing hostilities and struggles to coordinate with the Israeli military, which has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-rafah-aid-us-senators-2bc2a3c5e5f8af8e2d3f0b7242c1a885">blocked routes and slowed deliveries</a>&nbsp;due to inspections.

Trucks carrying humanitarian aid have to drive from the Rafah crossing with Egypt or the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel, both on the southern edge of Gaza, through the conflict zone to reach the largely cut-off areas in the north.

It's been frustrating for the Biden administration as its efforts to step up aid to Gaza have been impeded by the obstacles posed by Israel, its close ally.

Last week, the U.S. began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airdrops-israel-gaza-palestinians-biden-9e6cfb3a2c7d909ca2a8a2abd25793ca">airdrops</a>&nbsp;of aid for Gaza. But that can provide only a limited amount of aid and may not reach those who need it.

In his address Thursday, Biden directed the military to construct a temporary pier on Gaza's coast "that can receive large ships carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters.”

Biden said the pier will “enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day.”

According to defense officials, the 7th Transportation Brigade based at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia is already starting to pull together what's called the Joint Logistics Over The Shore (JLOTS) equipment and watercraft.

It's like a huge LEGO system — an array of 40-foot-long (12-meter-long) pieces of steel that can be locked together to form a pier and causeway. The causeway would be up to 1,800 feet (nearly 550 meters) long and two lanes wide.

And in the coming days, U.S. troops will begin loading the equipment onto a large Military Sealift Command vessel. The equipment will include the steel pieces and smaller tug vessels that can help move things into place.

That loading isn't likely to start until sometime next week, and once done the ship will set off across the Atlantic Ocean with members of the 7th Transportation Brigade aboard. A number of other military units from the U.S. and abroad will also be participating in the mission.

Ryder said the troops will build an offshore pier where large ships can offload food and supplies. Then smaller military vessels will transport that aid from the floating pier to the temporary causeway that will be driven into the ground at the shoreline.

Biden said Thursday that there will be no U.S. forces on the ground in Gaza for the mission, which will likely involve other allies, contractors and aid agencies.

A key question will be what Israel is prepared to do to support the aid delivery effort.

The U.S. airdrops have been an unusual workaround by the Biden administration, which for months has appealed to Israel to increase the delivery of aid to Gaza and provide access and protection for trucks carrying the goods.

According to Biden, the Israeli government will maintain security at the pier and protect it from any attacks by Hamas. And there may also be a need for crowd control, in case residents try to storm the pier to get the desperately needed food.

While officials said they don't likely need security on the sea route to Israel there will be a requirement for allies and private ships to deliver the aid along the maritime corridor.

It is also unclear who will be unloading the aid at the dock and moving it to shore.

Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides offered the use of his country’s port in Larnaca months ago for a possible sea route for aid deliveries to Gaza, a 230-mile (370-kilometer) journey. Cyprus invited authorities from Israel, the U.S. and other European countries to join Cypriot agents in vetting all shipments so nothing could be used by Hamas against Israel. The offer received strong interest from the Americans, Europeans and others, and extended planning followed.

The European Commission said Friday that a ship bearing humanitarian aid was preparing to leave Cyprus and head for Gaza.

The vessel belonging to Spain’s Open Arms aid group will make a pilot voyage to test the maritime corridor in the coming days. The ship has been waiting at Larnaca for permission to deliver food aid from World Central Kitchen, a U.S. charity founded by celebrity chef José Andrés.

The UAE ambassador to the U.S., Yousef Al Otaiba, told the AP the exact timing of the pilot shipment by sea depended on conditions, but said Sunday looked favorable. The UAE funded the operation and worked directly with the Israelis in getting the shipment ready without issues, he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710291193776.png" alt="Photos U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photos U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>LANGLEY, VIRGINIA — U.S. Army Vessels (USAV SP4 James A. Loux (LSV-6), USAV Monterrey (LCU30), USAV Matamoros (LCU26), and USAV Wilson Warf (LCU11) from the 7th Transportation Brigade (Expeditionary), 3rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command, XVIII Airborne Corps, departed Joint Base Langley-Eustis are en route to the Eastern Mediterranean to establish a roll-on, roll-off dock capability that allows ship to shore humanitarian assistance to Gaza, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.SP4 James A. Loux, Monterrey, Matamoros, and Wilson Warf are carrying equipment and supplies needed to establish a temporary pier to deliver vital humanitarian supplies.The seaborne delivery will complement other means of getting essential supplies to Gazans. The United States is also air-dropping food and supplies to Gaza and the U.S. Agency for International Development is working to get land routes open to those who need the supplies. &nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710291319858.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>A look at what’s known about the operation temporary pier.WHY BUILD A FLOATING PIER?In the five months since Hamas militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people and taking 250 others hostage, Israel's military has battered the territory, killing more than 30,000 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry. The result of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;is a devastating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">humanitarian catastrophe</a>.The U.N. says virtually all of Gaza’s 2.3 million people are struggling to find food, and more than a half-million&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-malnutrition-famine-children-dying-israel-palestinians-2f938b1a82d7822c7da67cc162da1a37">currently face starvation.</a>&nbsp;Many people have been reduced to eating animal fodder to survive.Getting in food, medical supplies and other aid has been difficult, if not impossible at times, due to the ongoing hostilities and struggles to coordinate with the Israeli military, which has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-rafah-aid-us-senators-2bc2a3c5e5f8af8e2d3f0b7242c1a885">blocked routes and slowed deliveries</a>&nbsp;due to inspections.Trucks carrying humanitarian aid have to drive from the Rafah crossing with Egypt or the Kerem Shalom crossing with Israel, both on the southern edge of Gaza, through the conflict zone to reach the largely cut-off areas in the north.It's been frustrating for the Biden administration as its efforts to step up aid to Gaza have been impeded by the obstacles posed by Israel, its close ally.Last week, the U.S. began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airdrops-israel-gaza-palestinians-biden-9e6cfb3a2c7d909ca2a8a2abd25793ca">airdrops</a>&nbsp;of aid for Gaza. But that can provide only a limited amount of aid and may not reach those who need it.In his address Thursday, Biden directed the military to construct a temporary pier on Gaza's coast "that can receive large ships carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters.”Biden said the pier will “enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day.”ASSEMBLED LIKE LEGOSAccording to defense officials, the 7th Transportation Brigade based at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia is already starting to pull together what's called the Joint Logistics Over The Shore (JLOTS) equipment and watercraft.It's like a huge LEGO system — an array of 40-foot-long (12-meter-long) pieces of steel that can be locked together to form a pier and causeway. The causeway would be up to 1,800 feet (nearly 550 meters) long and two lanes wide.And in the coming days, U.S. troops will begin loading the equipment onto a large Military Sealift Command vessel. The equipment will include the steel pieces and smaller tug vessels that can help move things into place.That loading isn't likely to start until sometime next week, and once done the ship will set off across the Atlantic Ocean with members of the 7th Transportation Brigade aboard. A number of other military units from the U.S. and abroad will also be participating in the mission.Ryder said the troops will build an offshore pier where large ships can offload food and supplies. Then smaller military vessels will transport that aid from the floating pier to the temporary causeway that will be driven into the ground at the shoreline.Biden said Thursday that there will be no U.S. forces on the ground in Gaza for the mission, which will likely involve other allies, contractors and aid agencies.WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES?A key question will be what Israel is prepared to do to support the aid delivery effort.The U.S. airdrops have been an unusual workaround by the Biden administration, which for months has appealed to Israel to increase the delivery of aid to Gaza and provide access and protection for trucks carrying the goods.According to Biden, the Israeli government will maintain security at the pier and protect it from any attacks by Hamas. And there may also be a need for crowd control, in case residents try to storm the pier to get the desperately needed food.While officials said they don't likely need security on the sea route to Israel there will be a requirement for allies and private ships to deliver the aid along the maritime corridor.It is also unclear who will be unloading the aid at the dock and moving it to shore.WHAT ARE OTHER NATIONS AID GROUPS DOING?Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides offered the use of his country’s port in Larnaca months ago for a possible sea route for aid deliveries to Gaza, a 230-mile (370-kilometer) journey. Cyprus invited authorities from Israel, the U.S. and other European countries to join Cypriot agents in vetting all shipments so nothing could be used by Hamas against Israel. The offer received strong interest from the Americans, Europeans and others, and extended planning followed.The European Commission said Friday that a ship bearing humanitarian aid was preparing to leave Cyprus and head for Gaza.The vessel belonging to Spain’s Open Arms aid group will make a pilot voyage to test the maritime corridor in the coming days. The ship has been waiting at Larnaca for permission to deliver food aid from World Central Kitchen, a U.S. charity founded by celebrity chef José Andrés.The UAE ambassador to the U.S., Yousef Al Otaiba, told the AP the exact timing of the pilot shipment by sea depended on conditions, but said Sunday looked favorable. The UAE funded the operation and worked directly with the Israelis in getting the shipment ready without issues, he said.

Assembled like legos: U.S. to build a temporary port in Gaza 

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — If you're feeling some St. Patrick's Day magic, you might want to buy a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/largest-lottery-jackpots-mega-millions-powerball-cb473805c48cd3b74a84d7ee4127450d">lottery ticket</a>. Mega Millions and Powerball have racked up some massive jackpots after weeks of rollovers.

The Mega Millions jackpot is already estimated at a whopping $875 million for Tuesday night's drawing after no tickets matched all six numbers drawn on Friday night. Saturday night's Powerball jackpot is $600 million.

Just keep in mind that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-mega-millions-winning-odds-numbers-a3e5a8e8e7ed15d7500c1d6acdab6785">odds of winning any lottery jackpot are very slim</a>. Mega Millions players have a 1 in 302.6 million chance of taking home the top prize. And it's not much easier to win a Powerball jackpot with the odds near 1 in 292.2 million.

This is just the sixth time in the nearly 22-year history of the Mega Millions game that the jackpot has been this large, and five of those six jackpots exceeded $1 billion, according to a Mega Millions statement. The winning tickets were sold in South Carolina, Michigan, Illinois,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-hampshire-4e71682820c68ec218a93311769fca2b">Maine</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mega-millions-jackpot-lottery-8397543de852fc4c716cc2ce940d9eac">Florida</a>.

There was one big winner in Friday night's Mega Millions drawing. A ticket in New York matched all five white balls drawn, and will win $1 million.

The Mega Millions jackpot has rolled over 28 times since Dec. 8, when two winning tickets were drawn in California, lottery officials said. Mega Millions drawings occur every Tuesday and Friday night.

Mega Millions isn't the only current multi-million dollar jackpot. Saturday night's Powerball jackpot is estimated to be $600 million after no one matched all six numbers on Wednesday, officials said.

It was the 32nd rollover for Powerball since Jan. 1, when a ticket in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-winner-michigan-new-years-day-247f720c4248e9b0fa3bc73caaf9af9f">Michigan</a>&nbsp;won a prize worth $842.4 million. Powerball is drawn three times weekly, on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

If you are lucky enough to win either of the large jackpots, Robert Pagliarini, the president and chief financial adviser for Pacifica Wealth Advisors, Inc. in Irvine, California, offered some advice.

“Take a deep breath,” Pagliarini told The Associated Press. “You will be faced with numerous tax, legal, and financial decisions so I want you to stay grounded, because when you are calm you can make much better decisions.”

Pagliarini suggested building a team to help with decisions, including an attorney, tax expert and financial adviser experienced in handling windfalls.

“Lastly, even though you have professionals guiding you, do not forget that this is your money and you are in charge — they work for you. Ask questions and make them explain things so you understand them. The goal is to turn your sudden wealth into lasting wealth,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1690365684963.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — If you're feeling some St. Patrick's Day magic, you might want to buy a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/largest-lottery-jackpots-mega-millions-powerball-cb473805c48cd3b74a84d7ee4127450d">lottery ticket</a>. Mega Millions and Powerball have racked up some massive jackpots after weeks of rollovers.The Mega Millions jackpot is already estimated at a whopping $875 million for Tuesday night's drawing after no tickets matched all six numbers drawn on Friday night. Saturday night's Powerball jackpot is $600 million.Just keep in mind that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-mega-millions-winning-odds-numbers-a3e5a8e8e7ed15d7500c1d6acdab6785">odds of winning any lottery jackpot are very slim</a>. Mega Millions players have a 1 in 302.6 million chance of taking home the top prize. And it's not much easier to win a Powerball jackpot with the odds near 1 in 292.2 million.But the excitement remains.This is just the sixth time in the nearly 22-year history of the Mega Millions game that the jackpot has been this large, and five of those six jackpots exceeded $1 billion, according to a Mega Millions statement. The winning tickets were sold in South Carolina, Michigan, Illinois,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-hampshire-4e71682820c68ec218a93311769fca2b">Maine</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mega-millions-jackpot-lottery-8397543de852fc4c716cc2ce940d9eac">Florida</a>.There was one big winner in Friday night's Mega Millions drawing. A ticket in New York matched all five white balls drawn, and will win $1 million.The Mega Millions jackpot has rolled over 28 times since Dec. 8, when two winning tickets were drawn in California, lottery officials said. Mega Millions drawings occur every Tuesday and Friday night.Mega Millions isn't the only current multi-million dollar jackpot. Saturday night's Powerball jackpot is estimated to be $600 million after no one matched all six numbers on Wednesday, officials said.It was the 32nd rollover for Powerball since Jan. 1, when a ticket in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/powerball-winner-michigan-new-years-day-247f720c4248e9b0fa3bc73caaf9af9f">Michigan</a>&nbsp;won a prize worth $842.4 million. Powerball is drawn three times weekly, on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.If you are lucky enough to win either of the large jackpots, Robert Pagliarini, the president and chief financial adviser for Pacifica Wealth Advisors, Inc. in Irvine, California, offered some advice.“Take a deep breath,” Pagliarini told The Associated Press. “You will be faced with numerous tax, legal, and financial decisions so I want you to stay grounded, because when you are calm you can make much better decisions.”Pagliarini suggested building a team to help with decisions, including an attorney, tax expert and financial adviser experienced in handling windfalls.“Lastly, even though you have professionals guiding you, do not forget that this is your money and you are in charge — they work for you. Ask questions and make them explain things so you understand them. The goal is to turn your sudden wealth into lasting wealth,” he said.

Mega Millions jackpot soars to $875 million; Powerball $600 million

ATLANTA (AP) — Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis can prosecute&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-grand-jury-willis-d39562cedfc60d64948708de1b011ed3">Donald Trump on charges that he interfered with Georgia's 2020 election</a>&nbsp;now that a special prosecutor with whom she had a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-willis-wade-georgia-election-5d76abb5578308317306e7b2e610ac91">romantic relationship</a>&nbsp;has withdrawn from the case.

But the long-term impacts of allegations of impropriety that have roiled the case for weeks remain to be seen, with Trump and his allies certain to continue to attack the legitimacy of the prosecution against the former president and 18 others.

Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled Friday that Willis could stay if special prosecutor Nathan Wade left. That was a partial victory for Willis, whom defense attorneys had pushed to have removed from the case over her relationship Wade.

But the judge also rebuked Willis for her “tremendous” lapse in judgment and questioned the truthfulness of Wade's and her testimony about the timing of their relationship.

It's an extraordinary decision in a case that in recent weeks has taken on a soap opera atmosphere as the prosecutors who pledged to hold Trump accountable had their own personal lives thrust into the spotlight.

Here are some major takeaways from the judge's ruling:

<a href="https://justthenews.com/sites/default/files/2024-03/JudgeRuling_0.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the full ruling

The judge's ruling threw it to Willis to decide whether she — and her entire office — would step aside or whether Wade would withdraw from the case. The judge said the prosecution couldn't move forward until one of those two actions was taken.

Several hours after the ruling came down, Wade offered his resignation and Willis accepted it.

If Willis had instead opted to step aside, the case would have been referred to the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council — a nonpartisan association of Georgia district attorneys — to be assigned to a different prosecutor.

That could have upended the entire prosecution. Another prosecutor could have continued on the track that Willis has taken, could have chosen to pursue only some charges or could have dropped the case altogether.

The defense attorney who first revealed the romantic relationship, Ashleigh Merchant, alleged that Willis paid Wade large sums for his work and then improperly benefited from the prosecution of the case when Wade used his earnings to pay for vacations for the two of them.

Willis and Wade argued that the district attorney received no financial benefit from the relationship and that she either paid for things herself or used cash to reimburse Wade for travel expenses.

Judge McAfee called it “concerning” that there were no documents to corroborate Willis' claim that she paid Wade back. But he said Willis' testimony “withstood direct contradiction” and was corroborated by other evidence, including her purchase of a flight for two in 2022. That led the judge to conclude that the claim “was not so incredible as to be inherently unbelievable.”

The judge said there was no way no know for sure that Willis and Wade's expenses were split evenly — and Willis “may well have received a net benefit of several hundred dollars.” But, McAfee said the defendants didn't provide sufficient evidence to prove that Willis financially benefited from hiring Wade.

Furthermore, McAfee concluded that enriching herself through her relationship with Wade was not a motivating factor in Willis' decision to bring the case.

The judge noted that Willis was not “financially destitute throughout this time or in any great need,” but was making more than $200,000 per year. He also said there was no indication she was trying to prolong the case to rake in more money, noting that prosecutors had initially wanted the case to go to trial less than six months after they brought the indictment.

Attorneys for Trump and others said Willis’ public statements about the case veered into the realm of misconduct, saying she expressed her belief in the guilt of the defendants.

McAfee noted that he had to consider whether the remarks were “part of a calculated plan” to prejudice the defendants in the minds of future jurors. He said the comments must be “egregiously” improper to justify disqualification.

The judge found that statements Willis made describing the charges in the indictment, her office’s conviction rates and personal anecdotes were not disqualifying. That extended to her “unorthodox decision” to speak on the record to authors of a book about the special grand jury investigation that preceded the indictment, he wrote.

A speech she gave at a historic Black church in Atlanta less than a week after the allegations of her relationship with Wade surfaced was a different matter, the judge wrote. Willis complained in those remarks that people had questioned her decision to hire Wade and questioned his qualifications, seeming to suggest the criticism arose from the fact that she and Wade are Black.

McAfee noted that the speech did not mention any defendant by name and did not address the merits of the charges in the case or disclose any sensitive or confidential evidence. He said he didn’t find that it crossed the line to the point that the defendants couldn’t have a fair trial.

“But it was still legally improper,” he wrote. “Providing this type of public comment creates dangerous waters for the District Attorney to wade further into.”

He noted that it may well be time for an order preventing prosecutors from mentioning a case in public to prevent prejudicial pretrial publicity, but he said that was not the issue currently before him.

McAfee has recently made his own public statements about the case.

He said in an interview on WSB Radio last week that he’d had a rough draft of his ruling ready before he knew that anyone planned to challenge him in a May election and that “the result is not going to change because of politics.” When a WSB-TV reporter snagged him on the sidelines of a Rotary Club lunch Thursday, McAfee said the ruling would be out Friday and that “no ruling of mine is ever going to be based on politics.”

McAfee was appointed to his seat by Georgia's Republican governor and faces two challengers in a May election. The race is nonpartisan, but Fulton County is a Democratic stronghold.

Wade was questioned on the stand about statements he had made in his divorce case that he hadn’t been romantically involved with anyone other than his wife during their marriage. His “patently unpersuasive explanation” for those inaccuracies “indicates a willingness on his part to wrongly conceal his relationship with the District Attorney,” McAfee wrote.

McAfee also found himself unable to determine the answer to a central question in the evidentiary hearing: whether Willis and Wade began their romantic relationship before she hired him. Neither side provided sufficient evidence to make a conclusive determination, he wrote.

But he said, “an odor of mendacity remains.” He wrote that “reasonable questions” about whether Willis and Wade testified truthfully about that timing “further underpin the finding of an appearance of impropriety and the need to make proportional efforts to cure it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708029546187.png" alt="-Fulton County DA Fani Willis during the hearing in February-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>-Fulton County DA Fani Willis during the hearing in February-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) — Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis can prosecute&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-grand-jury-willis-d39562cedfc60d64948708de1b011ed3">Donald Trump on charges that he interfered with Georgia's 2020 election</a>&nbsp;now that a special prosecutor with whom she had a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-willis-wade-georgia-election-5d76abb5578308317306e7b2e610ac91">romantic relationship</a>&nbsp;has withdrawn from the case.But the long-term impacts of allegations of impropriety that have roiled the case for weeks remain to be seen, with Trump and his allies certain to continue to attack the legitimacy of the prosecution against the former president and 18 others.Fulton County Superior Court Judge Scott McAfee ruled Friday that Willis could stay if special prosecutor Nathan Wade left. That was a partial victory for Willis, whom defense attorneys had pushed to have removed from the case over her relationship Wade.But the judge also rebuked Willis for her “tremendous” lapse in judgment and questioned the truthfulness of Wade's and her testimony about the timing of their relationship.It's an extraordinary decision in a case that in recent weeks has taken on a soap opera atmosphere as the prosecutors who pledged to hold Trump accountable had their own personal lives thrust into the spotlight.Here are some major takeaways from the judge's ruling:<a href="https://justthenews.com/sites/default/files/2024-03/JudgeRuling_0.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the full ruling<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710529782555.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>THE JUDGE PUT THE BALL IN WILLIS' COURTThe judge's ruling threw it to Willis to decide whether she — and her entire office — would step aside or whether Wade would withdraw from the case. The judge said the prosecution couldn't move forward until one of those two actions was taken.Several hours after the ruling came down, Wade offered his resignation and Willis accepted it.If Willis had instead opted to step aside, the case would have been referred to the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Council — a nonpartisan association of Georgia district attorneys — to be assigned to a different prosecutor.That could have upended the entire prosecution. Another prosecutor could have continued on the track that Willis has taken, could have chosen to pursue only some charges or could have dropped the case altogether.FINANCIAL CONCERNSThe defense attorney who first revealed the romantic relationship, Ashleigh Merchant, alleged that Willis paid Wade large sums for his work and then improperly benefited from the prosecution of the case when Wade used his earnings to pay for vacations for the two of them.Willis and Wade argued that the district attorney received no financial benefit from the relationship and that she either paid for things herself or used cash to reimburse Wade for travel expenses.Judge McAfee called it “concerning” that there were no documents to corroborate Willis' claim that she paid Wade back. But he said Willis' testimony “withstood direct contradiction” and was corroborated by other evidence, including her purchase of a flight for two in 2022. That led the judge to conclude that the claim “was not so incredible as to be inherently unbelievable.”The judge said there was no way no know for sure that Willis and Wade's expenses were split evenly — and Willis “may well have received a net benefit of several hundred dollars.” But, McAfee said the defendants didn't provide sufficient evidence to prove that Willis financially benefited from hiring Wade.Furthermore, McAfee concluded that enriching herself through her relationship with Wade was not a motivating factor in Willis' decision to bring the case.The judge noted that Willis was not “financially destitute throughout this time or in any great need,” but was making more than $200,000 per year. He also said there was no indication she was trying to prolong the case to rake in more money, noting that prosecutors had initially wanted the case to go to trial less than six months after they brought the indictment.WILLIS’ PUBLIC STATEMENTSAttorneys for Trump and others said Willis’ public statements about the case veered into the realm of misconduct, saying she expressed her belief in the guilt of the defendants.McAfee noted that he had to consider whether the remarks were “part of a calculated plan” to prejudice the defendants in the minds of future jurors. He said the comments must be “egregiously” improper to justify disqualification.The judge found that statements Willis made describing the charges in the indictment, her office’s conviction rates and personal anecdotes were not disqualifying. That extended to her “unorthodox decision” to speak on the record to authors of a book about the special grand jury investigation that preceded the indictment, he wrote.A speech she gave at a historic Black church in Atlanta less than a week after the allegations of her relationship with Wade surfaced was a different matter, the judge wrote. Willis complained in those remarks that people had questioned her decision to hire Wade and questioned his qualifications, seeming to suggest the criticism arose from the fact that she and Wade are Black.McAfee noted that the speech did not mention any defendant by name and did not address the merits of the charges in the case or disclose any sensitive or confidential evidence. He said he didn’t find that it crossed the line to the point that the defendants couldn’t have a fair trial.“But it was still legally improper,” he wrote. “Providing this type of public comment creates dangerous waters for the District Attorney to wade further into.”He noted that it may well be time for an order preventing prosecutors from mentioning a case in public to prevent prejudicial pretrial publicity, but he said that was not the issue currently before him.McAfee has recently made his own public statements about the case.He said in an interview on WSB Radio last week that he’d had a rough draft of his ruling ready before he knew that anyone planned to challenge him in a May election and that “the result is not going to change because of politics.” When a WSB-TV reporter snagged him on the sidelines of a Rotary Club lunch Thursday, McAfee said the ruling would be out Friday and that “no ruling of mine is ever going to be based on politics.”McAfee was appointed to his seat by Georgia's Republican governor and faces two challengers in a May election. The race is nonpartisan, but Fulton County is a Democratic stronghold.LACK OF CANDORWade was questioned on the stand about statements he had made in his divorce case that he hadn’t been romantically involved with anyone other than his wife during their marriage. His “patently unpersuasive explanation” for those inaccuracies “indicates a willingness on his part to wrongly conceal his relationship with the District Attorney,” McAfee wrote.McAfee also found himself unable to determine the answer to a central question in the evidentiary hearing: whether Willis and Wade began their romantic relationship before she hired him. Neither side provided sufficient evidence to make a conclusive determination, he wrote.But he said, “an odor of mendacity remains.” He wrote that “reasonable questions” about whether Willis and Wade testified truthfully about that timing “further underpin the finding of an appearance of impropriety and the need to make proportional efforts to cure it.”

Read Judge's explosive ruling on DA in Trump's election fraud case

WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and allies warned Iran on Friday that major Western economies will pile new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-iran-missiles-biden-sanctions-7dfb927a055de1734108df8b8148ab9f">sanctions on Tehran</a>&nbsp;if it moves forward with an advancing plan to provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-iran-ballistic-missiles-f14501f6f9a6401af7f8835b2ddd01cf">ballistic missiles to Russia</a>&nbsp;for its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war with Ukraine</a>.

The Biden administration has raised alarms for months that Russia is seeking close-range ballistic missiles from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-iran-ballistic-missiles-f14501f6f9a6401af7f8835b2ddd01cf">Iran</a>&nbsp;as Moscow struggles to replenish its dwindling supplies.

The U.S. has yet to confirm that missiles have moved from Iran to Russia. But U.S. officials are alarmed by comments by Iranian officials that suggest that a deal is imminent.

One action that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/group-of-7">Group of Seven</a>&nbsp;countries are mulling is to prohibit Iran Air, the country's national air carrier, from flying to Europe, according to a senior Biden administration official. The official, who was not authorized to comment and insisted on anonymity, declined to preview other sanctions that the U.S. is mulling beyond describing the potential action as “significant measures.”

“Were Iran to proceed with providing ballistic missiles or related technology to Russia, we are prepared to respond swiftly and in a coordinated manner including with new and significant measures against Iran,” the G-7 leaders said in a statement.

Iran's U.N. Mission said last month that there are no legal restrictions to prevent it from making ballistic missile sales but that is “morally obligated to refrain from weapon transactions during the Russia-Ukraine conflict to prevent fueling the war.”

The U.S. and Europe already impose extensive sanctions against Iran targeting individuals as well as limiting the country's access to trade, financial services, energy, technology and other sectors. The sanctions on Iran are arguably the most extensive and comprehensive set of sanctions that the United States maintains on any country, with thousands of individuals and entities targeted.

The Democratic administration in January said that U.S. intelligence officials had determined a Russian-Iran deal had not been completed but that they were concerned that Russia’s negotiations to acquire missiles from Iran were actively advancing.

In September, according to the White House, Iran hosted Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to show off a range of ballistic missile systems — a moment that sparked U.S. concern that a deal could come together.

The U.S. and other countries have taken steps aimed at thwarting the supply, sale or transfer involving Iran and ballistic missile-related items, including issuing guidance to private companies about Iranian missile procurement practices to make sure they aren’t inadvertently supporting Iran’s development efforts.

"We’ve sent very clear messages to Iran not to do it, this is a subject of considerable conversation among a number of countries,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a news conference on Friday in Vienna.

The Biden administration has repeatedly sought to make the case that the Kremlin has become reliant on Iran and North Korea for the arms it needs to fight its war against Ukraine and has disclosed intelligence findings that it says show as much.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1708444671000.png" alt="The Biden administration has repeatedly sought to make the case that the Kremlin has become reliant on Iran and North Korea for the arms it needs to fight its war against Ukraine and has disclosed intelligence findings that it says show as much.-White House File photo&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The Biden administration has repeatedly sought to make the case that the Kremlin has become reliant on Iran and North Korea for the arms it needs to fight its war against Ukraine and has disclosed intelligence findings that it says show as much.-White House File photo&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The United States and allies warned Iran on Friday that major Western economies will pile new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-iran-missiles-biden-sanctions-7dfb927a055de1734108df8b8148ab9f">sanctions on Tehran</a>&nbsp;if it moves forward with an advancing plan to provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-iran-ballistic-missiles-f14501f6f9a6401af7f8835b2ddd01cf">ballistic missiles to Russia</a>&nbsp;for its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">war with Ukraine</a>.The Biden administration has raised alarms for months that Russia is seeking close-range ballistic missiles from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-iran-ballistic-missiles-f14501f6f9a6401af7f8835b2ddd01cf">Iran</a>&nbsp;as Moscow struggles to replenish its dwindling supplies.The U.S. has yet to confirm that missiles have moved from Iran to Russia. But U.S. officials are alarmed by comments by Iranian officials that suggest that a deal is imminent.One action that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/group-of-7">Group of Seven</a>&nbsp;countries are mulling is to prohibit Iran Air, the country's national air carrier, from flying to Europe, according to a senior Biden administration official. The official, who was not authorized to comment and insisted on anonymity, declined to preview other sanctions that the U.S. is mulling beyond describing the potential action as “significant measures.”“Were Iran to proceed with providing ballistic missiles or related technology to Russia, we are prepared to respond swiftly and in a coordinated manner including with new and significant measures against Iran,” the G-7 leaders said in a statement.Iran's U.N. Mission said last month that there are no legal restrictions to prevent it from making ballistic missile sales but that is “morally obligated to refrain from weapon transactions during the Russia-Ukraine conflict to prevent fueling the war.”The U.S. and Europe already impose extensive sanctions against Iran targeting individuals as well as limiting the country's access to trade, financial services, energy, technology and other sectors. The sanctions on Iran are arguably the most extensive and comprehensive set of sanctions that the United States maintains on any country, with thousands of individuals and entities targeted.The Democratic administration in January said that U.S. intelligence officials had determined a Russian-Iran deal had not been completed but that they were concerned that Russia’s negotiations to acquire missiles from Iran were actively advancing.In September, according to the White House, Iran hosted Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to show off a range of ballistic missile systems — a moment that sparked U.S. concern that a deal could come together.The U.S. and other countries have taken steps aimed at thwarting the supply, sale or transfer involving Iran and ballistic missile-related items, including issuing guidance to private companies about Iranian missile procurement practices to make sure they aren’t inadvertently supporting Iran’s development efforts."We’ve sent very clear messages to Iran not to do it, this is a subject of considerable conversation among a number of countries,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during a news conference on Friday in Vienna.The Biden administration has repeatedly sought to make the case that the Kremlin has become reliant on Iran and North Korea for the arms it needs to fight its war against Ukraine and has disclosed intelligence findings that it says show as much.Russia has acquired and used North Korean ballistic missiles against Ukraine. Ukrainian officials, however, say that North Korean missiles when deployed by Russian forces have frequently missed targets.Russia has received&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-iran-military-cooperation-d982dd3faf78fbb17dfc8b9c1cb9dae7">hundreds of one-way attack drones</a>, as well as drone production-related equipment, from Iran, according to the White House. The Biden administration also has accused Tehran of providing Russia with materials to build a drone manufacturing plant east of Moscow.Iran initially denied supplying drones to Russia. Tehran later only acknowledged providing a small number before Moscow launched its invasion of Ukraine—