GEAR MAG

By Kirsty Needham

SYDNEY, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Hate speech and gun control laws proposed by the Australian government in the aftermath of the Bondi Beach mass shooting were criticised by conservative opposition and Greens parties on Thursday, putting in question whether ​they can pass.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has recalled Parliament from its summer break to sit next Monday and Tuesday with the hope ‌that a combined bill that authorises a gun buyback and lowers the bar for hate speech prosecutions would be voted on.

Albanese was criticised for not acting quickly enough in ‌announcing a public inquiry into the Bondi massacre, but has now been criticised for rushing complex legislation.

On Thursday, Liberal Party leader Sussan Ley, who previously urged Albanese to act quickly, said the bill was "unsalvageable" after prominent conservative lawmakers said it threatened free speech. She urged Albanese to allow more time to consider new laws.

The December 14 shooting in Sydney that killed 15 people at a Hanukkah celebration sparked nationwide calls to tackle antisemitism. Police say the alleged ⁠gunmen were inspired by the Islamic State militant ‌group.

Ley criticised the bill for not targeting "radical Islamic extremist hate preaching without impinging on free speech."

The bill exempts preachers who quote from or discuss religious texts, which the Executive Council of Australian Jewry said could pose a loophole that ‍allows antisemitism.

The National Party, which partners with the Liberals in opposition, criticised the government for combining gun control measures, which it opposed, and hate speech in the same bill.

"This should have been a moment of national unity," Albanese said in an Australian Broadcasting Corporation radio interview on Thursday. The government is prepared to consider ​amendments to the bill, he added.

Labor holds a majority in the lower house of Parliament and is negotiating with the Greens party for ‌support for the bill in the Senate.

The Greens said on Thursday it would not support the bill over concerns at the impact on political protest and changes to the migration act.

Greens leader Larissa Water said the party also wants hate speech protections broadened beyond race to cover Islamophobia.

"We need to ensure these laws cannot be weaponised to shut down legitimate political protest. Labor must make it crystal clear that criticism of Israel's actions, just like those of Russia, China or Australia, will not be criminalised," she said.

Universities, and a United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and Counter ⁠Terrorism, Ben Saul, have also raised concerns the bill could limit freedom of ​expression.

NEO-NAZI GROUP DISBANDS

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke said since the draft law was released on ​Tuesday, a neo-Nazi group that was flagged as a concern by intelligence agencies disbanded to avoid prosecution, which he said showed the effectiveness of the bill.

In addition, a Muslim prayer hall in Sydney linked to a cleric who was ‍found by a court to have made ⁠intimidating statements about Jewish people said it would shut down.

An expert in constitutional law, Anne Twomey, said the proposed law could be challenged in the High Court for impinging on political communication. The proposed offence of promoting racial hatred carries a five-year prison sentence.

Daniel ⁠Aghion, president of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, said the reform would make it easier to prosecute hate crimes because incitement of an audience would no longer need ‌to be proved in court.

In a statement, the council said the bill should be passed, even though it had "serious shortcomings."

(Reporting ‌by Kirsty Needham in Sydney; Editing by Thomas Derpinghaus and Michael Perry)

Christopher Parente wasn't shocked to learn that a federal immigration agent had shot and killed37-year-old Renee Goodin her car in Minneapolis.

Last fall, Parente defended in courtMarimar Martinez, a U.S. citizen who was shot five times by a Border Patrol agent in Chicago and survived. The news out of Minnesota, Parente said, served as a stark reminder of what happened to his client just months earlier.

"I was heartbroken," Parente, a defense attorney and former federal prosecutor, told USA TODAY, "but I wasn't surprised."

Thefatal shooting of Goodby a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent has put a spotlight on previous violent – and sometimes deadly – interactions involving federal agents carrying out theTrump administration's deportation agenda.

Immigration agents have fired upon at least 10 people since August, USA TODAY has found. In each case, agents shot at drivers or into moving cars – a practice that haslargely been discouraged by law enforcementbecause of risks to public safety.

Federal agents continue surge of immigration enforcement in Minnesota

Footage of the incidents shows agents swarming vehicles, smashing windows and trying to pry open car doors within seconds of approaching drivers. On multiple occasions, body camera video and cellphone footage has contradicted federal officials' initial claims about the shootings.

The Department of Homeland Security and federal prosecutors defended the agents and accused drivers of trying to run them over. Of the four drivers charged by federal prosecutors, three have had their charges dropped, court records show.

Similarities between the various shootings have raised concerns among public officials, judges and policing experts over the aggressive tactics used by federal agents nationwide.

"There seems to be a pattern of shoot into vehicles and then justify it by saying the vehicles are trying to run them over," said Geoffrey Alpert, a professor of criminology at the University of South Carolina who specializes in the use of deadly force.

Each year, local police officers stop tens of millions of drivers on American streets, leading to a wealth of best practices and common procedures aimed at mitigating risk to officers and the public.

Alpert and former law enforcement officials said many of the tactics being used by federal agents – from reaching into vehicles to stepping into the path of cars – are in stark contrast to well-known policing standards.

"The growing number of incidents where we see agents resorting to deadly force without any reasonable basis is a recipe for disaster," said David Harris, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania who focuses on police procedure. "These actions," he added, "don't reflect the current thinking of law enforcement generally or best practices."

In a statement, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said "The pattern is not of law enforcement using deadly force. It's a pattern of vehicles being used as weapons by violent agitators to attack our law enforcement."

"When faced with dangerous circumstances, DHS law enforcement used their training to protect themselves, their fellow officers, and the public," she said, adding, "The brave men and women of DHS will not be deterred and will continue arresting the worst of the worst criminal illegal aliens. Anyone who attacks law enforcement will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

What happened to Renee Good?

An ICE agent shot and killed Good on Jan. 7 in a suburban neighborhood south of downtown Minneapolis. Videos show multiple agents approaching her SUV as it idled on a residential road, with one of the officers yelling "get out of the (expletive) car."

Within seconds of approaching her, an agent tried to open Good's door. She reversed briefly before moving forward with her wheels turned away from the agents. When her car began to lurch forward, an agent near the front left-side of the SUV drew his gun and shot her at close range.

Videoanalysis by USA TODAYand other outlets shows the agent appeared to be standing just beside the SUV, out of the vehicle's path, when he opened fire.

Aseparate video from the officerwho pulled the trigger shows the agent walking around Good's vehicle before stopping near the front of the SUV. The last thing Good – a U.S. citizen with no criminal history – could be heard saying is "That's fine, dude. I'm not mad at you."

The Trump administration saidthe agent, Jonathan Ross,acted in self-defense andaccused Good of engaging in "domestic terrorism."Trump administration officials – including Vice PresidentJD Vance– pointed to the agent's video to justify their position that he acted appropriately.

Minnesota state and local officials vehemently disputed those claims, calling them "propaganda" and "BS."

While use of force and policing experts called for a full investigation into the shooting, several criticized the agent's actions.

"The officer is moving away from the vehicle as the car slowly turns to the right, away from the direction he's moving," Harris said. "Given what I saw, the use of deadly force is not reasonable."

Feds allege car ramming, appear quick to use 'domestic terrorist' label

In many ways, the deadly shooting in Minneapolis resembles Martinez's shooting in Chicago by a Border Patrol agent. In that October case, DHS officials said Martinez "ambushed" federal agents and "rammed" officers with her car.

Like the shooting in Minneapolis, agency officials within hours described Martinez, who has no criminal history, and another person initially charged in the incident as "domestic terrorists."

"We will not allow domestic terrorists to attack our law enforcement," McLaughlin said ina statement at the time. "If you lay a hand on law enforcement, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

But after a few weeks in court, the case fell apart, leading the Justice Department to drop the charges. The case was ultimately dismissed in November.

In court, the agent walked back the Department of Homeland Security's initial claims that the officers were "rammed" by Martinez."To me, ramming is the front of a vehicle striking another vehicle. And that is not what happened," the agent said, according to a transcript of an evidentiary hearing on Nov. 5.

Exhibits presented in court show the Border Patrol agent, Charles Exum, apparently bragging about the shooting in a Signal group chat with other federal officers.

"I fired 5 rounds and she had 7 holes. Put that in your book boys," Exum wrote. In court he explained the text by saying "I'm a firearms instructor. And I take pride in my shooting skills," according to a transcript of an evidentiary hearing in November.

In reaction to being deployed to another city, Exum wrote in another chat, "Cool. I'm up for another round of '(f---) around and find out'" – a reference to FAFO, internet slang that's become a fixture ofsocial media postsand statements by officials in the Trump administration.

When asked about the meaning of that text, which was sent less than 72 hours after the shooting, the agent told the court, "I would be up for another round of ... that means illegal actions have legal consequences."

"And you're up for it?" asked Parente.

"That's my job," Exum replied.

Videos show agents firing at moving vehicles

Several incidents raised concerns about immigration agents firing at moving vehicles, a major safety hazard that's been increasingly prohibited by law enforcement agencies nationwide.

In August in San Bernardino, California, multiple immigration officers swarmed the vehicle of Francisco Javier Longoria, an undocumented immigrant. Videos show he drove away from agents after one began smashing his driver's side window. Seconds after his truck started moving forward, multiple shots can be heard.

The truck had bullet holes on the passenger side where Longoria's 18-year-old son, a U.S. citizen, was seated, videos show. Harris, the law professor, watched footage of the incident and said it's "by sheer luck that the passenger was not killed."

A similar incident unfolded in Franklin Park, Illinois, the next month, and ended with the death of a civilian.

Federal agents shot and killed Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, a 38-year-old Mexican immigrant, after they say he resisted arrest and "dragged" an agent with his car. Video evidence from the scene shows the agent describe his wounds as "nothing major."

Videos also show one of the agents reaching into the vehicle just before Villegas-Gonzalez steps on the gas – a move that is not in accordance with longstanding police procedures.

"That's a huge no-no," said Seth Stoughton, a former Tallahassee police officer and law professor at the University of South Carolina. "The tactical approach that policing has emphasized for decades is: 'don't reach into a car, don't overextend, don't reach for the keys.'"

Police department and federal agencies also discourage officers from shooting at moving vehicles. Astudy commissionedby U.S. Customs and Border Protection in 2013 recommended the agency prohibit officers from shooting at moving cars unless "deadly physical force is being used … by means other than a moving vehicle."

The authors of the report reviewed 15 cases in which agents shot at moving cars and found that officers had often put themselves in harm's way, "exposing themselves to additional risk and creating justification for the use of deadly force," the report said.

According to its latest policy document, the Department of Homeland Security allows agents to shoot at vehicles if there's an "imminent threat of death or serious bodily injury," including from the vehicles themselves.

Immigrant fatally shot after dragging ICE agent with car: See photos from the scene

Former law enforcement officers say shooting at a driver poses a risk to public safety because, if a driver is incapacitated, the vehicle can become an "unguided missile."

In the Minneapolis and Franklin Park shootings, the drivers were killed and their vehicles continued careening down public roads before crashing into other cars. There were no reports of injuries from the collisions.

Agent shoots TikTok creator, US Marshal injured by gunfire

In December, a federal judge dismissed charges against a Los Angeles-based TikTok creator who was shot by a federal agent. In that case, prosecutors accused Carlitos Ricardo Parias, a Mexican national, of ramming into law enforcement vehicles in an "attempt to dislodge his car during an immigration arrest."

During the incident, a federal agent opened fire, wounding Parias as well as a deputy U.S. Marshal who was struck by a ricochet bullet, prosecutors said.

Body camera footage obtained by theLos Angeles Timesraised serious questions about the agent's conduct.

The footage shows the ICE agent holding a gun in one hand as he smashes Parias' passenger-side window, the outlet reported. As the agent attempts to open the passenger door, he moves the gun into his other hand before firing. The Times reported that at the time, Parias' car did not appear to be moving and other agents could be seen near the driver's side door.

Similar to the shootings in Minneapolis, Chicago and San Bernardino, video of the incident challenged the initial claims by federal prosecutors and Department of Homeland Security officials.

On other occasions, information from local police has challenged the Department of Homeland Security's accounts.

Last week, the agency walked back claims that two men in Maryland were inside a vehicle that allegedly rammed into federal officers, leading one agent to fire "defensive" shots. The change came after the Anne Arundel County Police Department announced that one of the two people was in ICE custody at the time of the shooting.

"It's unprofessional," said Alpert, pointing to what he described as a rush to judgment by federal law enforcement officials soon after the shootings. "How can you make these judgements without a thorough investigation? I think it's doing everyone a disservice."

Will the agents face any recourse for shootings?

After the Minneapolis shooting, Martinez called Parente in a panic.

"She called me from work, distraught and heartbroken," Parente said. "It could have easily been her had these bullets traveled an inch to either side."

The two discussed the similarities of the cases and what Parente described as the "nearly identical conduct" of the agents involved.

Like the ICE agent in Minneapolis, the Border Patrol officer who shot Martinez had worked for the Department of Homeland Security for over a decade, according to court records. The agent, Exum, was posted on the Canadian border in Maine before he was dispatched to Chicago.

After the shooting, Exum turned over his gun but was able to leave within days back to Maine. He was soon in conversations about being deployed to another U.S. city, court records show. When asked if he had ever faced suspension over the shooting in Chicago, he told the court he hadn't.

So far, none of the agents involved in the shootings has been publicly suspended or reprimanded. McLaughlin, a spokesperson for DHS, said shootings involving ICE agents are reviewed by an "appropriate investigative agency" as well as internally.

After the shooting in Minneapolis, Vice President JD Vance said the officer has"absolute immunity,"which legal experts have challenged. As Democrats and state officials call for independent investigations, former law enforcement agents and police experts say they're worried that without accountability more violence will follow.

"It's very concerning," Harris said. "Having this type of policing operation with a very strong willingness to use force is just a recipe for more of these shootings."

This story was updated to add comments from the Department of Homeland Security.Christopher Cann is a national breaking news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact him via email at ccann@usatoday.com.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:ICE, Border Patrol shootings fit pattern in Minneapolis, Chicago, LA

At least 45 people in nearly two dozen states have been sickened with salmonella food poisoning tied to the Super Greens brand of diet supplement powder, federal health officials said Wednesday.

Superfoods Inc., which makes Live it Up-brand Super Greens powder, recalled products including its original and wild berry flavors with expiration dates of August 2026 to January 2028. Consumers should not eat, sell or serve the products and should throw them away or return to the place of purchase.

lllnesses tied to the supplement were reported from Aug. 22 to Dec. 30, 2025. At least 12 people were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The products were distributed nationwide. Case have been reported in 21 states: Alabama, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin.

An FDA investigation is continuing and additional products could be contaminated, the agency said.

Symptoms of salmonella poisoning usually start within hours or days of eating a contaminated food product. They include diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps. Most people recover without treatment within a week, but infections can be serious in children younger than 5, adults 65 and older and people with weakened immune systems.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

Aday Mara scored 20 points on 10-of-11 shooting to lead No. 4 Michigan to an 82-72 victory over host Washington in Big Ten action Wednesday night at Seattle.

Morez Johnson Jr. recorded 16 points and a career-best 16 rebounds as the Wolverines (15-1, 5-1) bounced back from their first setback of the season, 91-88 to visiting Wisconsin on Saturday.

Yaxel Lendeborg added 14 points and seven rebounds for Michigan in the opener of a two-game West Coast trip that includes a visit to Oregon.

JJ Mandaquit scored 15 points, Quimari Peterson added 13 and Zoom Diallo had 12 for the Huskies (10-7, 2-4).

Hannes Steinbach had 11 points and 14 rebounds and Jacob Ognacevic had 10 points for Washington, which lost for the third time in the past four games.

Michigan connected on 46.4% of its shots, but was just 5 of 23 from 3-point range. Mara also blocked three shots.

The Huskies made 37.5% of their attempts and were 9 of 33 from behind the arc.

Washington trailed 59-53 after a 3-pointer by Ognacevic with 12:24 left in the contest.

The Huskies again were within six four-plus minutes later on two free throws by Diallo.

Washington was within 69-63 with 6:57 left before Roddy Gayle Jr. scored five straight points and Lendeborg drove for a layup to give Michigan a 13-point lead with 4:23 remaining.

A short time later, Mara's dunk and Johnson's layup pushed the Wolverines' lead to 80-65 with three minutes left en route to closing out the Huskies.

Johnson collected 11 first-half rebounds and tied Mara for a team-high eight first-half points as the Wolverines led 39-30 at the break. Peterson scored nine points in the half for Washington.

Michigan rattled off 12 consecutive points to take a quick 12-3 lead. Mara ended the run with consecutive baskets.

Will Tschetter later scored five straight points to give the Wolverines a 22-11 advantage.

Michigan led by 12 before the Huskies scored 10 of the next 15 points. Peterson drained a 3-pointer to bring Washington within 33-26 with 2:27 left in the half.

--Field Level Media

INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Kawhi Leonard scored 33 points and James Harden added 22 points as the Los Angeles Clippers extended their winning streak to four games with a 119-105 victory over the Washington Wizards on Wednesday night.

Yanic Konan Niederhauser scored 16 points and Jordan Miller added 11 points with 10 rebounds as the Clippers improved to 11-2 since Dec. 20 after starting the season 6-21.

The victory came without starting center Ivica Zubac (ankle) and starting forward John Collins (groin), while Leonard (ankle) was on a minutes restriction. Leonard finished 7 of 11 from 3-point range in 30 minutes.

Kyshawn George scored 23 points and Khris Middleton added 17 for the Wizards who lost their fourth consecutive game and fell to 0-2 on a four-game road trip.

Marvin Bagley III scored 15 points with 11 rebounds for Washington, which remained short-handed after CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert were traded Friday and new addition Trae Young (knee, quad) remains out. Young will be reevaluated after the All-Star break.

The Wizards were further depleted when center Alex Sarr was ejected with 1:45 remaining before halftime after receiving his second technical foul of the game.

The Clippers led 37-22 after one quarter and were up by 20 at 54-34 with 6:47 remaining in the first half. Los Angeles led by 24 in the first half before settling into a 70-51 lead at halftime.

The Wizards went on a 30-13 run to open the second half and pull within 83-81 with 3:26 remaining in the third quarter. The Clippers pushed their advantage to 96-89 to start the fourth quarter.

Leonard scored 11 consecutive points for the Clippers early in the fourth quarter with his 3-pointer with 6:14 remaining giving Los Angeles a 110-95 lead.

Wizards: At Sacramento on Friday night.

Clippers: At Toronto on Friday night.

AP NBA:https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — When Fred Warner first went down with a dislocated and broken ankle in Week 6, the diagnosis was he would miss the rest of the season for the San Francisco 49ers.

An aggressive rehabilitation and surprising playoff run now have a return this season as a distinct possibility.

Warner resumed practice this weekfor first time since getting hurt on Oct. 12 and the four-time All-Pro linebacker is itching to get back on the field as soon as possible.

While coach Kyle Shanahan said after announcing that the team opened up Warner's practice window that the target date was the NFC championship game on Jan. 25, Warner didn't rule out the possibility that he could play on Saturday night when the 49ers (13-5) visit the Seattle Seahawks (14-3) in the divisional round.

"We're taking it day by day," Warner said Wednesday. "I think they said last week they weren't going to open my window and then my window is now open. So we're just taking it day by day."

Warner participated in a walk-through on Tuesday and had his first practice Wednesday since the injury.

None of that seemed realistic when he first got hurt. But the doctors first mentioned the possibility of a return a few weeks after his surgery and Warner has been working as hard as possible to make that a reality.

"When all this happened, I didn't really think about the possibility of returning in season," he said. "But the way things progressed, and being able to have this opportunity to be back with my teammates, and have a chance at helping them win this weekend, and so on and so forth, that's my only goal moving forward."

Warner said there are still more steps he needs to clear before doctors will allow him to play and said he won't play if it puts him at an added risk of injury.

Warner credited the doctors, the training staff and his wife, Sydney, who just gave birth to the couple's second child earlier this month after helping Warner get through the early days after surgery when he could only move around on a scooter.

"It truly did take an army to help me get to this point," he said.

The 49ers have made it this far despite losing their top two defensive players to injuries early in the season, with defensive end Nick Bosa going down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 3 and Warner getting hurt in Week 6.

Warner's return to practice has provided a lift for the Niners as they prepare for the Seahawks.

"Whether Fred takes the field in these playoffs or not, that's motivation," Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams said. "Having him near, just having his face in this locker room, it's motivation. It helps everybody."

Warner had been a first-team All-Pro three straight seasons from 2022-24 and made the squad in 2020. His 947 tackles are the second most for the team, behind Patrick Willis' 950, as far as records go back to 2000.

Warner had missed only one game in his eight-year career before this injury, sitting out in 2021 with a hamstring injury. He played most of last season with a broken bone in his ankle and still earned All-Pro honors.

"Fred's the ultimate energy giver, so just having him out there is awesome," defensive coordinator Robert Saleh said Wednesday. "Yesterday was a little bit more tempo down, but today obviously with higher tempo it'll be fun to get him out there and see him running around."

AP NFL:https://apnews.com/hub/nfl

BIG SUR, Calif. (AP) — A 90-mile (145-kilometer) section of California's Highway 1 along the famous Big Sur coast fully reopened Wednesday after three years of closures and repairs following a series of landslides and a roadway collapse that hampered tourism on the scenic route.

The reopening around midday came three months ahead of schedule, and business owners say that should give travelers plenty of time to plan their spring and summer road trips. The highway is famously a must for California visitors traveling between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

"Today is a monumental milestone for us," said a relieved Colin Twohig, general manager of the Big Sur River Inn. "We're hitting the light at the end of the tunnel after three long years."

The first shutdown came in January 2023 when a series of powerful atmospheric rivers triggered a major landslide. The highway was buried by mud and rocks again the following year during another wet winter, and a lane also collapsed down a cliff near the Rocky Creek Bridge.

The traffic stoppage between Carmel and Cambria cut off access to Big Sur, an isolated stretch of the state's central coast where misty, forested mountains rise up from the ocean. What used to be a short drive between the southern and northern sections — with tiny Big Sur Village roughly in the middle — became an eight-hour trek inland and then back toward the seashore.

The isolated area, home to fewer than 2,000 residents, is known for its panoramic hiking trails along high cliffs and craggy beaches where seals and sea lions sometimes sprawl out. The late "Tropic of Cancer" author Henry Miller lived there for nearly two decades starting in the 1940s, and there's now a library devoted to his work.

There were multiple closures at various locations throughout the past three years, and the last stretch that remained shut was a 7-mile (11-kilometer) span near Lucia, according to the California Department of Transportation, or Caltrans.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the opening on social media, thanking Caltrans for the speedy work in "reviving a vital economic lifeline for local business owners and residents affected by the closure."

Caltrans, which has called Highway 1 the jewel of the state highway system, deployed remotely operated bulldozers and excavators to safely remove tons of debris in steep terrain. Then crews drilled 4,600 steel bars into the slopes in a grid to patch layers of the hillside together and reduce the risk of future slides, the department said.

California Assemblymember Dawn Addis, a Democrat whose district includes Big Sur, said the restoration will provide a much-needed fiscal boost to the region.

"This turning point will help restore revenue, access to our state parks, support jobs, public safety, and economic stability for many of our residents," Addis said in a statement.

Twohig said he looks forward to seeing tourists in cars and motorhomes back on the road.

He estimated that his inn, with 22 guest rooms, a large restaurant and a general store, saw a 20% drop in business. He said the road closure directly following COVID-19 restrictions was a one-two punch. The inn spent the down time making improvements and marketing heavily to entice California residents to visit during the off-seasons.

"When you have a hospitality business, you really rely on the busy season, and when there is no busy season, it can be a hard pill to swallow," he said. "Having that lifeline back is huge."