Full coverage of the Chesapeake Walmart and Colorado Springs shootings, and more of the week's top news

A massive storm dumped several feet of snow in the areas ringing Lake Erie and Lake Ontario, causing at least three deaths, forcing an NFL game to be moved and creating gridlock as tractor-trailers detoured onto smaller roads to avoid a closure of part of Interstate 90 in western New York.

The lake-effect storm had produced more than 6 feet of snow in some areas by Saturday morning. The Buffalo metro area was hit particularly hard, with some areas south of the city bearing the brunt. The front had begun to move northward from Buffalo by Saturday, but forecasts called for more snow as Monday approached.

According to the National Weather Service, the suburb of Orchard Park, home to the NFL's Buffalo Bills, reported 77 inches by early Saturday.

Read more here from the Associated Press and the Buffalo News:

A game of inches (or feet): Bills fans dig players out for Detroit trip

• By Matt Glynn and Tim O'Shei News Staff Reporters

Travel ban for all of Buffalo, bus service suspended after 1 to 2 feet of overnight snow

• By Maki Becker News Staff Reporter

Photos: Western New York snow scenes

Snowy morning in Buffalo

Downtown Buffalo

November snowstorm

Lots of snow

A snow-covered road

Snow crews at work

Cleaning out

Roof raking

Making a path

More snow

Not road ready

A peaceful scene

Snow cycle

Hamburg snow

Lake-effect clouds

Elmwood Village in snow

A workout

Snow clouds

Snow fort weather

Cleaning out fire hydrants

Welcome to Buffalo Street

Stopping at Beerz

Bills weather

Cleaning the driveway

Snow day

November snow

Getting a car out

Plows at work

A snowy walk

Fleeing geese

David Niedbala: Eyes on the sky

Snowy city

Working to clear the driveway

Buried bison in Buffalo

Walking home in a snow globe

Snow clearing at Larkin at Exchange

Stuck at Bailey and William

Good Samaritans

Getting a tire replaced before more snow

Alone in a snowy neighborhood

Lake-effect snow hits the city of Buffalo

Little explorer

Playful neighbors

Hotel Henry through the snow

Coating of leaves

Disgruntled lion

Driving ban

Pup enthusiasm

Clearing the walk

Wind-whipped trees

Shovel spray

Snowy flora

Statuesque in snow

Clearing the car

Snowmobile ramp

A good neighbor

Buried cars

Hot Off The Wire: The latest episode

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — The man suspected of killing five people and injuring others at a gay bar in Colorado Springs is facing murder and hate crime charges, according to online court records obtained Monday.

Anderson Lee Aldrich, 22, faces five murder charges and five charges of committing a bias-motivated crime causing bodily injury, the records show.

A law enforcement official said the suspect used an AR-15-style semiautomatic weapon in Saturday night's attack, but a handgun and additional ammunition magazines also were recovered. The official could not discuss details of the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

Information on a lawyer who could speak on Aldrich's behalf wasn't immediately available Monday.

Club Q on its Facebook page thanked the "quick reactions of heroic customers that subdued the gunman and ended this hate attack."

Already questions were being raised about why authorities didn't seek to take Aldrich's guns away from him in 2021, when he was arrested after his mother reported he threatened her with a homemade bomb and other weapons.

Though authorities at the time said no explosives were found, gun control advocates are asking why police didn't try to trigger Colorado's "red flag" law, which would have allowed authorities to seize the weapons his mother says he had. There's also no public record prosecutors ever moved forward with felony kidnapping and menacing charges against Aldrich.

Mayor John Suthers said on NBC's "Today" that the district attorney would file motions in court Monday to allow law enforcement to talk more about any criminal history "that this individual might have had."

Of the 25 injured at Club Q, at least seven were in critical condition, authorities said. Some were hurt trying to flee, and it was unclear if all of them were shot, a police spokesperson said. Suthers told The Associated Press there was "reason to hope" all of those hospitalized would recover. Full story:

President Joe Biden turns 80 years old on Sunday, becoming the first octogenarian to ever serve in the highest office of the United States.

People in their 80s lead countries, create majestic art and perform feats of endurance, one even scaling Mount Everest. It's soon time for Joe Biden, 80 on Sunday, to decide whether he has one more mountain to climb — the one to a second term as president.

Questions swirl now about whether he's got what it takes to go for the summit again. The oldest president in U.S. history, Biden hits his milestone birthday at a crossroads, as he and his family face a decision in the coming months on whether he should announce for reelection.

Biden aides and allies say he intends to run. Yet the president himself can sound equivocal. “My intention is that I run again,” he said at a news conference this month. ”But I’m a great respecter of fate."

The president is celebrating his birthday in Washington with a brunch hosted by first lady Jill Biden, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre. Members of Biden's family already in town celebrating his granddaughter's wedding at the White House on Saturday are expected to be in attendance.

Here's a look back at his life and political career thus far.

ATLANTA (AP) — Reality TV stars Todd and Julie Chrisley were sentenced Monday to lengthy prison terms after being convicted earlier this year on charges including bank fraud and tax evasion.

U.S. District Judge Eleanor Ross in Atlanta gave Todd Chrisley 12 years in prison, while Julie Chrisley got seven years behind bars, according to the U.S. attorney's office in Atlanta. Each is to serve three years supervised release afterward, and Ross also ordered them to pay restitution in an amount to be determined later.

The Chrisleys gained fame with their show "Chrisley Knows Best," which follows their tight-knit, boisterous family. Federal prosecutors said the couple engaged in an extensive bank fraud scheme and then hid their wealth from tax authorities while flaunting their lavish lifestyle.

"The Chrisleys have built an empire based on the lie that their wealth came from dedication and hard work," prosecutors wrote in a pre-sentencing court filing. "The jury's unanimous verdict sets the record straight: Todd and Julie Chrisley are career swindlers who have made a living by jumping from one fraud scheme to another, lying to banks, stiffing vendors, and evading taxes at every corner."

Keep scrolling for a ranking of the 50 highest-rated reality TV shows

Attorneys for Todd Chrisley, 54, had argued in a court filing that he should not face more than nine years in prison. Lawyers for Julie Chrisley, 49, said a reasonable sentence for her would be probation with special conditions and no prison time.

The Chrisleys were convicted in June on charges of bank fraud, tax evasion and conspiring to defraud the IRS. Julie Chrisley was also convicted of wire fraud and obstruction of justice.

Peter Tarantino, 60, an accountant hired by the couple, was found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the IRS and willfully filing false tax returns. He was sentenced Monday to three years in prison followed by three years of supervised release.

Prosecutors have said the Chrisleys submitted fake documents to banks and managed to secure more than $30 million in fraudulent loans. Once that scheme fell apart, they walked away from their responsibility to repay the loans when Todd Chrisley declared bankruptcy. While in bankruptcy, they started their reality show and "flaunted their wealth and lifestyle to the American public," prosecutors wrote, and then hid the millions they made from the show from the IRS.

The Chrisleys also submitted a false document to a grand jury that was investigating their crimes and then convinced friends and family members to lie under oath during their trial, prosecutors argued. Neither has shown any remorse and they have, instead, blamed others for their criminal conduct, prosecutors wrote.

"The Chrisleys are unique given the varied and wide-ranging scope of their fraudulent conduct and the extent to which they engaged in fraud and obstructive behavior for a prolonged period of time," prosecutors said.

Todd Chrisley's lawyers said in a filing that the government never produced any evidence that he meant to defraud the banks, and that the loss amount calculated was incorrect. They also noted that the offenses were committed a long time ago and said he has no serious criminal history and has medical conditions that "would make imprisonment disproportionately harsh."

His lawyers had also submitted letters from friends and business associates that show "a history of good deeds and striving to help others." People who rely on Chrisley — including his mother and the many people employed by his television shows — will be harmed while he's in prison, they argued.

They urged the judge to give him a prison sentence below the guideline range followed by supervised release and restitution.

Julie Chrisley's lawyers contended that she played a minimal role in the conspiracy and was not involved when the loans discussed in sentencing documents were obtained. She has no prior convictions, is an asset to her community and has "extraordinary family obligations," her lawyers wrote, as they asked for a sentence of probation, restitution and community service.

The Chrisleys have three children together, including one who is 16, and also full custody of the 10-year-old daughter of Todd Chrisley's son from a prior marriage. Julie Chrisley is the primary caregiver to her ailing mother-in-law, according to the filing.

Her lawyers also submitted letters from character witnesses describing her as "hard-working, unfailingly selfless, devoted to her family and friend, highly respected by all who know her, and strong of character."

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — A 22-year-old gunman opened fire in a gay nightclub in Colorado Springs, killing five people and injuring 18 before he was subdued by “heroic” patrons and arrested by police who were on the scene within minutes, authorities said Sunday.

Two firearms, including a “long rifle,” were found at Club Q after the Saturday night shooting, said Police Chief Adrian Vasquez.

Investigators were still determining a motive, and the attack was being investigated to see if it rises to the level of a hate crime, said El Paso County District Attorney Michael Allen.

Police identified the gunman as Anderson Lee Aldrich, who was in custody and being treated for injuries. A man with the same name and age was arrested in 2021 after his mother reported he threatened her with “a homemade bomb, multiple weapons and ammunition,” according to authorities.

Police did not confirm whether it was the same person, saying they were investigating whether the suspect had been arrested before.

Get more updates here:

Interactive: Find out more about mass killings in the U.S.

And here are the latest photos from the region:

Photos: Western New York snow scenes

Snowy morning in Buffalo

Downtown Buffalo

November snowstorm

Lots of snow

A snow-covered road

Snow crews at work

Cleaning out

Roof raking

Making a path

More snow

Not road ready

A peaceful scene

Snow cycle

Hamburg snow

Lake-effect clouds

Elmwood Village in snow

A workout

Snow clouds

Snow fort weather

Cleaning out fire hydrants

Welcome to Buffalo Street

Stopping at Beerz

Bills weather

Cleaning the driveway

Snow day

November snow

Getting a car out

Plows at work

A snowy walk

Fleeing geese

David Niedbala: Eyes on the sky

Snowy city

Working to clear the driveway

Buried bison in Buffalo

Walking home in a snow globe

Snow clearing at Larkin at Exchange

Stuck at Bailey and William

Good Samaritans

Getting a tire replaced before more snow

Alone in a snowy neighborhood

Lake-effect snow hits the city of Buffalo

Little explorer

Playful neighbors

Hotel Henry through the snow

Coating of leaves

Disgruntled lion

Driving ban

Pup enthusiasm

Clearing the walk

Wind-whipped trees

Shovel spray

Snowy flora

Statuesque in snow

Clearing the car

Snowmobile ramp

A good neighbor

Buried cars

Babies should sleep on their back on a firm, flat surface. mdphoto16/E+ via Getty Images

Each year, about 3,400 U.S. infants die suddenly and unexpectedly while sleeping, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On Oct. 12, 2022, SciLine interviewed Dr. Rachel Moon, professor of pediatrics at the University of Virginia and the chair of the American Academy of Pediatrics Task Force on Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Moon discussed the best ways for babies to sleep safely and the recent media reports heralding a study on “the cause” of SIDS.

Dr. Rachel Moon discusses SIDS — sudden infant death syndrome.

Below are some highlights from the discussion. Answers have been edited for brevity and clarity.

What is SIDS?

Rachel Moon: It stands for sudden infant death syndrome, and it is a term that describes when babies die suddenly and unexpectedly. It has been superseded by a more comprehensive term called sudden and unexpected infant death, which encompasses SIDS and then other sleep-related deaths (such as accidental suffocation) and deaths that occur when a baby is sleeping or in a sleep environment.

What exactly causes these babies to die?

Rachel Moon: Ultimately what happens is that, for most babies, there is a lack of arousal. They can’t wake up to respond when they are not getting enough oxygen or there’s too much carbon dioxide in their system. This is not something that you can see in a lab test or blood test or any kind of test. We only find out when the baby has died.

What is the safest way for babies to sleep, and why?

Rachel Moon: We want every baby to sleep on their back on a surface that is firm and flat, which means not inclined, and safety-approved. So, ideally a crib, a bassinet, a playpen or another product that is approved by the CPSC, the Consumer Product Safety Commission. And then nothing should be in that area but the baby. We also want babies to be in a smoke-free environment and ideally to get as much human milk, breast milk, as possible.

What sleeping situations are dangerous for babies?

Rachel Moon: Babies should never, ever, ever sleep on couches, sofas or stuffed armchairs.

What is known about the safety of letting a baby nap in a sling or baby carrier?

Rachel Moon: The thing that we worry about is that when a baby is in that kind of device, the baby’s body position can be such that it blocks their airway or that their face is up against something that can obstruct their airway.

So it’s fine for the baby to be in a carrier or a sling, but we recommend that the baby be upright so that the head and neck are straight and that the airway is straight. And then we also recommend that the baby’s head and neck be above the top of the carrier so that you can always see the baby’s face and that there’s no obstruction of the nose and the mouth.

What is known about the safety of letting a baby nap in a car seat?

Rachel Moon: If you are traveling, a car seat is absolutely the safest place for your baby to be. However, when you get to where you’re going, then it is best if you take the baby out of the car seat and then put the baby on a flat, firm surface.

When babies are at an incline, it’s actually harder for them to keep their airway straight. Their heads are really big and heavy for the size of their bodies. And so it takes a lot more work when they are at an angle than if they’re flat on their back. They can develop muscle fatigue, and that can actually be dangerous for them. … There is actually some really compelling biomechanical data that led to the CPSC, the Consumer Product Safety Commission, restricting and hopefully banning inclined sleep products such as rockers and similar products.

What is the evidence on the safety of ‘co-sleeping,’ where babies sleep in bed with their parents?

Rachel Moon: The safest place for your baby to sleep is in a crib or bassinet or another safety-approved device that is next to your bed. We know that babies who sleep in the same bed as their parents are at higher risk for death.

We recommend for the space to be right next to your bed because that makes it easy for you to turn and pick up the baby or comfort the baby or bring the baby into bed for feeding. If you do bring the baby into the bed for feeding, that’s fine. But when you or the baby gets ready to fall asleep, then just move the baby back into the crib.

What should parents and other caregivers know about the recent headlines claiming a study had found ‘the cause’ of SIDS?

Rachel Moon: These researchers — they looked at dried blood samples. And these are the tests that are done on your baby when your baby is born to look for genetic diseases.

They took these dried blood samples and looked for a particular chemical that’s in the body called butyrylcholinesterase. And they found it to be at a different level in babies who died from SIDS than babies who did not die from SIDS … While I think it’s an interesting result, and while it may lead to other tests and other studies, at this point, it is not the be-all and end-all.

We don’t have a test that can diagnose who is going to die from SIDS and who’s not. And so you still have to follow the safe sleep guidelines.

Watch the full interview to hear about how to prevent SIDS.

SciLine is a free service based at the nonprofit American Association for the Advancement of Science that helps journalists include scientific evidence and experts in their news stories.

Rachel Moon receives funding from the National Institutes of Health and the American SIDS Institute. She is affiliated with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the International Society for the Prevention of Perinatal and Infant Death.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license.

On Thanksgiving Day homes across the United States will be full of two things: food and football. The National Football League's annual Thanksgiving Day triple-header returns for what is sure to be an exciting slate of showdowns.

This year features the Buffalo Bills meeting the Lions for Detroit's 83rd Thanksgiving Day game, an NFC East rivalry match-up between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys and a primetime battle between the New England Patriots and Minnesota Vikings. All six teams are vying for playoff positioning at a crucial point of the NFL season.

Here are previews of what to expect as you tune in with your turkey.

Bonus: While you're watching, follow our live commentary and scoring updates on this site starting at 11:30 a.m. central today.

NEW YORK (AP) — Forty-game winner Amy Schneider capped her big year by winning a hard-fought "Jeopardy!" tournament of champions in an episode that aired Monday.

Schneider, a writer from Oakland, California, won three games in the tournament finals, narrowly beating Andrew He, a software developer from neighboring San Francisco, who won two games. The third contestant, Sam Buttrey, was another Californian who won one game.

Schneider had a 40-game winning streak earlier this year, the second longest in the game show's history, which began when she defeated He.

She said she both wanted to compete again with He, known for his cold-blooded big bets on the show's Daily Doubles, and feared him.

"He was definitely someone that I knew could beat me because he very nearly did before, and he did a couple of times here as well," Schneider said. "Any of the three of us really could have won if a very small number of things had gone differently."

Schneider led He by $1,400 going into Final Jeopardy, where the prompt was: "The January 12, 1864 Washington Evening Star reported on a performance of this 'dashing comedy' to 'a full and delighted house.'"

The correct response: "What is 'Our American Cousin?'"

Schneider and He both answered correctly, but Schneider made the bigger bet. She won the $250,000 grand prize, He won $100,000 for second place and Buttrey won $50,000.

On April 14, 1865, President Abraham Lincoln was shot and mortally wounded by John Wilkes Booth during a performance of "Our American Cousin" at Ford's Theatre in Washington.

***

Photos: Looking back at the life and career of Alex Trebek

An adopted Texas boy's father texted "I'm going to end up kill him" days before the 7-year-old was found dead inside a washing machine, according to court documents.

Jemaine Thomas, 42, on Tuesday was arrested and charged with capital murder in the death of Troy Koehler, Harris County Sheriff Ed Gonzalez said. His wife, Tiffany Thomas, 35, was arrested and charged with injury to a child by omission.

According to charging documents, the parents exchanged text messages blaming Troy for eating their "oatmeal cream pies" and "donut sticks" before the young boy's body was found in a washing machine in the couple's garage in the Birnam Wood subdivision on July 28.

In one of the text messages, Tiffany Thomas told Jemaine Thomas that Troy only admitted to eating her oatmeal cream pies because she "threatened to put him in the stove and turn it on." After learning that Troy ate donut sticks without permission, Jemaine Thomas texted his wife that he "need to get the locks."

"I'm going to end up kill him," Jemaine Thomas' text message said. "You going to come home and he going to be hang from the f--- tree outside."

Tiffany Thomas texted her husband on July 7 and said "F* that. I'm for not doing sh*— for (Troy's) birthday."

On July 25, three days before Troy was found dead, Tiffany Thomas texted "This boy got life f*---- up. Why I come out the restroom from taking my shower and his funky a*— in the living room watching TV."

Reported as 'Missing Child'

Before finding the child at the Thomas' home July 28 in the 4400 block of Rosegate Drive, the couple initially reported Troy as a "Missing Child" around 5:20 a.m., court documents show. When deputies arrived at 8:29 a.m. they searched the home and neighborhood for an hour for the boy who Jemaine Thomas told authorities he last saw at 4 a.m.

Deputies searched inside the home again at 7:10 a.m. and that's when Troy was found dead in the top-loading washing machine. Once the authorities discovered the body, Jemaine Thomas pushed a deputy out of the way, reached into the washing machine and pulled Troy out of the washer, according to court documents.

A deputy instructed Jemaine Thomas to place Troy on the floor, while other deputies performed CPR on the boy. Jemaine and Tiffany Thomas were removed from the home by law enforcement.

Troy's legs were bruised and warm to the touch, his torso was cold and he had blood around his nose and a large bump on his forehead, court records show. The boy's clothing was also damp and he had a urine smell emanating from his body.

The Harris County Medical Examiner's office determined Troy had multiple bruises and patterned scars all over his body, along with facial injuries. Blood was also visible around the boy's mouth and nostrils. An autopsy performed July 29 ruled Troy's death as a homicide due to "homicidal violence" caused by asphyxiation and possible drowning.

A door frame and cardboard box lid within the kitchen had blood transfer stains, but DNA analysis results are pending, court documents state.

Inconsistent stories to authorities

Tiffany Thomas told authorities she made sure Troy had dinner July 27 before leaving for work in a Lyft. She also said the doors were locked when she left the home. But around 1 a.m. on July 28, she received a text from Jemaine Thomas saying that Troy was gone and the door was open when he got home.

Unable to reach Jemaine Thomas until 4 a.m., Tiffany Thomas caught a ride with a co-worker and arrived at the home at 5 a.m. She called 911 once inside the home, court documents show.

Jemaine Thomas told authorities he went to work on July 27 around 5 a.m. before going to his second job at 3 p.m. He said he worked his second job until 11 p.m. before heading home. When he entered the home, he yelled for Troy but did not hear a response. After looking for him around the home, he sent a text message to Tiffany Thomas asking about the boy's whereabouts. He searched for Troy for a couple of more minutes before changing clothes and going to sleep.

Once Jemaine Thomas woke up at 4 a.m., he continued to search for Troy until Tiffany Thomas arrived at the home at 5 a.m.

During an interview on July 28, Jemaine Thomas told law enforcement he struck Troy with an open hand on the buttocks five times on July 24. During the "disciplining," Jemaine Thomas hit Troy in the back by accident due to the boy jumping around. He said he stopped the discipline after hitting his son in the back.

Authorities found out about two prior Child Protective Services investigations that were initiated by school personnel who saw Troy with blackened eyes and facial bruising.

A 911 call made by Tiffany Thomas showed inconsistencies in her and Jemaine Thomas' stories. During the call, Tiffany Thomas said Jemaine Thomas saw Troy watching TV in the living room when he got home from work at 11 p.m. on July 27. He told authorities he couldn't find Troy when he arrived home from work.

Video shows Troy alive on July 27

Authorities also spoke to LG Electronics, who told them their washing machine's lids don't lock until someone lowers them and presses the "start" button.

Surveillance video of neighboring homes did not show any activity outside of the home until law enforcement's arrival. Nobody walked inside or outside of the home except Jemaine and Tiffany Thomas between 6 p.m. on July 27 and 5 a.m. on July 28.

The investigation also determined Troy was alive and well on the evening of July 27, when last seen on video at 8:35 p.m. By 7:10 a.m. on July 28, the boy was dead.

25 best true crime documentaries

25 best true crime documentaries

#25. Roll Red Roll (2018)

#24. Bus 174 (2002)

#23. 13th (2016)

#22. Tales of the Grim Sleeper (2014)

#21. Athlete A (2020)

#20. Paradise Lost 3: Purgatory (2011)

#19. Strong Island (2017)

#18. The Murder of Fred Hampton (1971)

#17. Deliver Us from Evil (2006)

#16. The Fog of War (2003)

#15. Crime + Punishment (2018)

#14. 4 Little Girls (1997)

#13. Citizenfour (2014)

#12. Inside Job (2010)

#11. Big Men (2013)

#10. I Called Him Morgan (2016)

#9. Capturing the Friedmans (2003)

#8. Graves Without a Name (2018)

#7. Time (2020)

#6. The Act of Killing (2012)

#5. Let It Fall: Los Angeles 1982-1992 (2017)

#4. Tower (2016)

#3. The Look of Silence (2014)

#2. Brother's Keeper (1992)

#1. Collective (2019)

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Elon Musk reinstated Donald Trump's account on Twitter on Saturday, reversing a ban that has kept the former president off the social media site since a pro-Trump mob attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, as Congress was poised to certify Joe Biden's election victory.

Musk made the announcement in the evening after holding a poll that asked Twitter users to click “yes” or “no” on whether Trump's account should be restored. The “yes” vote won, with 51.8%.

"The people have spoken. Trump will be reinstated. Vox Populi, Vox Dei," Musk tweeted, using a Latin phrase meaning "the voice of the people, the voice of God."

Shortly afterward Trump's account, which had earlier appeared as suspended, reappeared on the platform complete with his former tweets, more than 59,000 of them. However his followers were gone, at least initially.

It is not clear whether Trump would actually return to Twitter. An irrepressible tweeter before he was banned, Trump has said in the past that he would not rejoin even if his account was reinstated. He has been relying on his own, much smaller social media site, Truth Social, which he launched after being blocked from Twitter.

On Saturday, during a video speech to a Republican Jewish group meeting in Las Vegas, Trump said that he was aware of Musk's poll but that he saw "a lot of problems at Twitter," according to Bloomberg.

"I hear we're getting a big vote to also go back on Twitter. I don't see it because I don't see any reason for it," Trump was quoted as saying by Bloomberg. "It may make it, it may not make it," he added, apparently referring to Twitter's recent internal upheavals.

The prospect of restoring Trump's presence to the platform follows Musk's purchase last month of Twitter — an acquisition that has fanned widespread concern that the billionaire owner will allow purveyors of lies and misinformation to flourish on the site. Musk has frequently expressed his belief that Twitter had become too restrictive of freewheeling speech.

His efforts to reshape the site have been both swift and chaotic. Musk has fired many of the company's 7,500 full-time workers and an untold number of contractors who are responsible for content moderation and other crucial responsibilities. His demand that remaining employees pledge to "extremely hardcore" work triggered a wave of resignations, including hundreds of software engineers.

Users have reported seeing increased spam and scams on their feeds and in their direct messages, among other glitches, in the aftermath of the mass layoffs and worker exodus. Some programmers who were fired or resigned this week warned that Twitter may soon fray so badly it could actually crash.

Musk's online survey, which ran for 24 hours before ending Saturday evening, concluded with 51.2% of more than 15 million votes favoring the restoration of Trump's Twitter' account. It comes four days after Trump announced his candidacy for the presidency in 2024.

Trump lost his access to Twitter two days after his supporters stormed the Capitol, soon after the former president had exhorted them to "fight like hell." Twitter dropped his account after Trump wrote a pair of tweets that the company said cast further doubts on the legitimacy of the presidential election and raised risks for the Biden presidential inauguration.

After the Jan. 6 attack, Trump was also kicked off Facebook and Instagram, which are owned by Meta Platforms, and Snapchat. His ability to post videos to his YouTube channel was also suspended. Facebook is set to reconsider Trump's account suspension in January.

Throughout his tenure as president, Trump's use of social media posed a significant challenge to major social media platforms that sought to balance the public's interest in hearing from public officials with worries about misinformation, bigotry, harassment and incitement of violence.

But in a speech at an auto conference in May, Musk asserted that Twitter's ban of Trump was a "morally bad decision" and "foolish in the extreme."

Earlier this month, Musk, who completed the $44 billion takeover of Twitter in late October, declared that the company wouldn't let anyone who had been kicked off the site return until Twitter had established procedures on how to do so, including forming a "content moderation council."

On Friday, Musk tweeted that the suspended Twitter accounts for the comedian Kathy Griffin, the Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson and the conservative Christian news satire website Babylon Bee had been reinstated. He added that a decision on Trump had not yet been made. He also responded "no" when someone on Twitter asked him to reinstate the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones' account.

In a tweet Friday, the Tesla CEO described the company's new content policy as "freedom of speech, but not freedom of reach."

He explained that a tweet deemed to be "negative" or to include "hate" would be allowed on the site but would be visible only to users who specifically searched for it. Such tweets also would be "demonetized, so no ads or other revenue to Twitter," Musk said.

Photos: Elon Musk through the years