NEW YORK (AP) — Americans for Prosperity, the political arm of the powerful Koch network, formally endorsed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nikki-haley">Nikki Haley's presidential campaign</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, promising to commit its nationwide coalition of activists — and virtually unlimited funds — to helping Haley defeat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">former President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in the GOP primary contest.

“AFP Action is proud to throw our full support behind Nikki Haley, who offers America the opportunity to turn the page on the current political era, to win the Republican primary and defeat Joe Biden next November,” AFP president and CEO Emily Seidel wrote in a memo announcing the group's decision.

“She has what it takes to lead a policy agenda to take on our nation’s biggest challenges and help ensure our country’s best days are ahead. With the grassroots and data capability we bring to bear in this race, no other organization is better equipped to help her do it.”

The endorsement may help Haley address one of her biggest strategic liabilities.

Despite seizing some polling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-president-republican-desantis-trump-c93fa155032fc7e3607a54816163f2b2">momentum</a>&nbsp;in recent months, especially in early primary states, the former United Nations ambassador's campaign has been lacking significant resources on the ground to ensure her supporters turn out to vote. But now, she inherits the organizational heft of what may be the most powerful conservative grassroots organization in the nation. The Koch network, previously referred to as the Koch Brothers, has been building a network of paid conservative activists and volunteers in key states for several years.

Through last summer and the fall alone, Americans for Prosperity activists communicated with 6 million primary voters, either in person at their doors or on the phone, Seidel said.

The endorsement marks a particularly painful blow to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ron-desantis">Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis</a>, who had championed conservative priorities in Florida, but struggled to emerge as the clear Trump alternative in the 2024 GOP primary contest. It's unclear, however, whether the endorsement can help weaken Trump's grip on the Republican presidential nomination given his commanding lead over DeSantis and Haley in virtually every poll.

Back in the spring, the Koch network began running ads across Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina — the first three states on the GOP’s presidential primary calendar — focusing on questions about Trump’s electability in next fall’s general election against Biden. And still, Trump remains the overwhelming front-runner in the race.

Seidel said Tuesday that Americans for Prosperity would immediately begin refocusing its efforts on boosting Haley’s primary and general election campaigns with strategic advertising investments, mailers and voter contacts through the group’s network of thousands of conservative activists, which has spent recent months collecting information from Republican primary voters to determine the most effective arguments against Trump.

At the same time, Seidel said that her organization would focus on persuading reliable general election voters, who typically don’t vote in primaries, to show up for Haley in this year’s fast-approaching nomination contests.

Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung dismissed Americans for Prosperity as “the political arm of the China-first, America-last movement.”

“No amount of shady money from George Soros, Democrats and Never-Trump RINOs in partnership with endless-war swamp creatures in Washington will stop the MAGA movement or President Trump from being the Republican nominee and defeating Crooked Joe Biden,” Cheung wrote in a statement responding to the Haley endorsement.

The feud between Trump and the Koch network has been years in the making.

The Kochs, long demonized by Democrats for having outsize influence in Washington, refused to support Trump's reelection in 2020. The group’s leaders argued that his populist policies, especially on trade, didn’t adhere to traditional conservative values, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f548cc23360542578829834b9cc015c8">decrying</a>&nbsp;his divisive leadership style.

News of the endorsement Tuesday quickly rippled across the political world.

Speaking in Washington, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney predicted it would be a “huge boost” to Haley’s campaign.

Romney, a vocal Trump critic, said Haley has proved naysayers wrong before “and she’s doing it again." He added: "I think it’s a huge boost for her campaign and may create the kind of momentum she needs.”

In a statement, DeSantis spokesperson Andrew Romeo likened the Koch endorsement to a contribution to the Trump campaign.

“Congratulations to Donald Trump on securing the Koch endorsement. Like clockwork, the pro-open borders, pro-jail break bill establishment is lining up behind a moderate who has no mathematical pathway of defeating the former president,” Romeo wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Every dollar spent on Nikki Haley’s candidacy should be reported as an in-kind to the Trump campaign. No one has a stronger record of beating the establishment than Ron DeSantis, and this time will be no different.”

Yet the Koch network is convinced that Haley is better positioned to defeat Trump — and Biden — than DeSantis.

In a polling memo, senior adviser Michael Palmer highlighted Haley's “sustained momentum in recent months,” while noting that many primary voters in Iowa and New Hampshire are only just beginning to pay close attention to the contest.

“Gov. DeSantis has been a tremendous leader of the state of Florida," Seidel said in a Tuesday conference call. "But all of the evidence we’ve already shared on this call point to the fact that Nikki Haley is the strongest candidate in this race and that’s why we decided to support her.”

Meanwhile, Haley said she was honored to have the support of Americans for Prosperity, “including its millions of grassroots members all across the country.”

“AFP Action’s members know that there is too much at stake in this election to sit on the sidelines," she said in a statement. "This is a choice between freedom and socialism, individual liberty and big government, fiscal responsibility and spiraling debt. We have a country to save, and I’m grateful to have AFP Action by our side.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691516540473.png" alt=" Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, speaks at U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson’s annual BBQ Bash in Cedar Rapids&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;photo by Jay Waagmeester/Iowa Capital Dispatch" />
 <figcaption> Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley, a 2024 Republican presidential candidate, speaks at U.S. Rep. Ashley Hinson’s annual BBQ Bash in Cedar Rapids&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;photo by Jay Waagmeester/Iowa Capital Dispatch</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Americans for Prosperity, the political arm of the powerful Koch network, formally endorsed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/nikki-haley">Nikki Haley's presidential campaign</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday, promising to commit its nationwide coalition of activists — and virtually unlimited funds — to helping Haley defeat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">former President Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;in the GOP primary contest.“AFP Action is proud to throw our full support behind Nikki Haley, who offers America the opportunity to turn the page on the current political era, to win the Republican primary and defeat Joe Biden next November,” AFP president and CEO Emily Seidel wrote in a memo announcing the group's decision.“She has what it takes to lead a policy agenda to take on our nation’s biggest challenges and help ensure our country’s best days are ahead. With the grassroots and data capability we bring to bear in this race, no other organization is better equipped to help her do it.”The endorsement may help Haley address one of her biggest strategic liabilities.Despite seizing some polling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nikki-haley-president-republican-desantis-trump-c93fa155032fc7e3607a54816163f2b2">momentum</a>&nbsp;in recent months, especially in early primary states, the former United Nations ambassador's campaign has been lacking significant resources on the ground to ensure her supporters turn out to vote. But now, she inherits the organizational heft of what may be the most powerful conservative grassroots organization in the nation. The Koch network, previously referred to as the Koch Brothers, has been building a network of paid conservative activists and volunteers in key states for several years.Through last summer and the fall alone, Americans for Prosperity activists communicated with 6 million primary voters, either in person at their doors or on the phone, Seidel said.The endorsement marks a particularly painful blow to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ron-desantis">Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis</a>, who had championed conservative priorities in Florida, but struggled to emerge as the clear Trump alternative in the 2024 GOP primary contest. It's unclear, however, whether the endorsement can help weaken Trump's grip on the Republican presidential nomination given his commanding lead over DeSantis and Haley in virtually every poll.Back in the spring, the Koch network began running ads across Iowa, New Hampshire and South Carolina — the first three states on the GOP’s presidential primary calendar — focusing on questions about Trump’s electability in next fall’s general election against Biden. And still, Trump remains the overwhelming front-runner in the race.Seidel said Tuesday that Americans for Prosperity would immediately begin refocusing its efforts on boosting Haley’s primary and general election campaigns with strategic advertising investments, mailers and voter contacts through the group’s network of thousands of conservative activists, which has spent recent months collecting information from Republican primary voters to determine the most effective arguments against Trump.At the same time, Seidel said that her organization would focus on persuading reliable general election voters, who typically don’t vote in primaries, to show up for Haley in this year’s fast-approaching nomination contests.Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung dismissed Americans for Prosperity as “the political arm of the China-first, America-last movement.”“No amount of shady money from George Soros, Democrats and Never-Trump RINOs in partnership with endless-war swamp creatures in Washington will stop the MAGA movement or President Trump from being the Republican nominee and defeating Crooked Joe Biden,” Cheung wrote in a statement responding to the Haley endorsement.The feud between Trump and the Koch network has been years in the making.The Kochs, long demonized by Democrats for having outsize influence in Washington, refused to support Trump's reelection in 2020. The group’s leaders argued that his populist policies, especially on trade, didn’t adhere to traditional conservative values, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f548cc23360542578829834b9cc015c8">decrying</a>&nbsp;his divisive leadership style.News of the endorsement Tuesday quickly rippled across the political world.Speaking in Washington, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney predicted it would be a “huge boost” to Haley’s campaign.Romney, a vocal Trump critic, said Haley has proved naysayers wrong before “and she’s doing it again." He added: "I think it’s a huge boost for her campaign and may create the kind of momentum she needs.”The DeSantis camp was not pleased.In a statement, DeSantis spokesperson Andrew Romeo likened the Koch endorsement to a contribution to the Trump campaign.“Congratulations to Donald Trump on securing the Koch endorsement. Like clockwork, the pro-open borders, pro-jail break bill establishment is lining up behind a moderate who has no mathematical pathway of defeating the former president,” Romeo wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Every dollar spent on Nikki Haley’s candidacy should be reported as an in-kind to the Trump campaign. No one has a stronger record of beating the establishment than Ron DeSantis, and this time will be no different.”Yet the Koch network is convinced that Haley is better positioned to defeat Trump — and Biden — than DeSantis.In a polling memo, senior adviser Michael Palmer highlighted Haley's “sustained momentum in recent months,” while noting that many primary voters in Iowa and New Hampshire are only just beginning to pay close attention to the contest.“Gov. DeSantis has been a tremendous leader of the state of Florida," Seidel said in a Tuesday conference call. "But all of the evidence we’ve already shared on this call point to the fact that Nikki Haley is the strongest candidate in this race and that’s why we decided to support her.”Meanwhile, Haley said she was honored to have the support of Americans for Prosperity, “including its millions of grassroots members all across the country.”“AFP Action’s members know that there is too much at stake in this election to sit on the sidelines," she said in a statement. "This is a choice between freedom and socialism, individual liberty and big government, fiscal responsibility and spiraling debt. We have a country to save, and I’m grateful to have AFP Action by our side.”

Nikki Haley wins backing from Koch network as she aims to take on Trump

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/governor-chokes-up-with-emotion-urges-nebraskans-to-adopt-children-or-become-foster-parents/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen choked up with emotion momentarily Monday as he related his own family’s experience with adopting a child.

Pillen called the adoption of his now 19-year-old son, Izic, “the greatest gift of grace that Suzanne and I and our family could ever” experience.

“I probably did not fully grasp and would sometimes say, ‘How can an adoptive parent love a child like their own?’ ” the governor said.

“Guess what — that was really, really shallow,” Pillen added.

During a press conference Monday to designate November as “Adoption Month” in the state, the governor urged other Nebraskans to “answer the calling” to adopt children or become foster parents.

“Every child, no matter their circumstance, deserves a loving, safe and caring home,” he said.

Izic, whom the Pillens took into their home at 4 months, was one of 331 children adopted in Nebraska so far this year.

But 200 other children are still waiting to be adopted, the governor said, including 27 under age 4.

“You will really, really understand that love conquers all,” he said.

State Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha revealed at the event that she has applied to become a foster parent.

She noted that the Legislature had updated state laws in recent years to make it easier for families to adopt.

“People in Nebraska care about adoption, and I think that’s wonderful,” DeBoer said.

Also joining the governor at the press conference was Laura Opfer, the deputy director of the Children and Family Services Division of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.

Opfer, the adoptive parent to three daughters, said there is also a need for relatives and foster parents to take in children.

There are 2,321 foster families in the state, she said.

The state’s top goal, Opfer said, is to reunify children with their parents after temporary placement with other family members. So far this year, 855 children have been reunified with their parents, she said.

Among others speaking at Monday’s press conference were Craig and Miranda Coleman, the adoptive parents of Malachi Coleman, a Nebraska football player who has established a foundation, “Fly Like Chi,” which encourages helping children in the foster care system.

The Colemans adopted Malachi and his sister, Nevaeh, at the ages of 10 and 7, respectively.

“The foster care system not only changed my life — it saved it. It gave me the beautiful family I have today and has given me a second chance at life,” Malachi said in a statement read by his mother.

She said that the children “have made us better humans, more compassionate neighbors, more confident advocates, and taught us how to live looking forward.”

Those speaking Monday emphasized that the state, through a contract with the Nebraska Children and Home Society, provides training and support for adoptive families and foster caregivers.

Persons interested in becoming foster or adoptive parents can call 1-800-772-7368 or access the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Adoption.aspx">DHHS adoption page</a>. The Nebraska Children’s Home Society also has information at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nchs.org/">www.nchs.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701181911002.jpeg" alt=" Gov. Jim Pillen, surrounded by advocates for child adoption and foster care, related his family’s personal experience with adoption on Monday. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Jim Pillen, surrounded by advocates for child adoption and foster care, related his family’s personal experience with adoption on Monday. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/governor-chokes-up-with-emotion-urges-nebraskans-to-adopt-children-or-become-foster-parents/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen choked up with emotion momentarily Monday as he related his own family’s experience with adopting a child.Pillen called the adoption of his now 19-year-old son, Izic, “the greatest gift of grace that Suzanne and I and our family could ever” experience.“I probably did not fully grasp and would sometimes say, ‘How can an adoptive parent love a child like their own?’ ” the governor said.“Guess what — that was really, really shallow,” Pillen added.<h2>‘Adoption month’</h2>During a press conference Monday to designate November as “Adoption Month” in the state, the governor urged other Nebraskans to “answer the calling” to adopt children or become foster parents.“Every child, no matter their circumstance, deserves a loving, safe and caring home,” he said.Izic, whom the Pillens took into their home at 4 months, was one of 331 children adopted in Nebraska so far this year.But 200 other children are still waiting to be adopted, the governor said, including 27 under age 4.“You will really, really understand that love conquers all,” he said.State Sen. Wendy DeBoer of Omaha revealed at the event that she has applied to become a foster parent.She noted that the Legislature had updated state laws in recent years to make it easier for families to adopt.“People in Nebraska care about adoption, and I think that’s wonderful,” DeBoer said.Also joining the governor at the press conference was Laura Opfer, the deputy director of the Children and Family Services Division of the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services.Opfer, the adoptive parent to three daughters, said there is also a need for relatives and foster parents to take in children.There are 2,321 foster families in the state, she said.The state’s top goal, Opfer said, is to reunify children with their parents after temporary placement with other family members. So far this year, 855 children have been reunified with their parents, she said.<h2>‘Saved’ my life</h2>Among others speaking at Monday’s press conference were Craig and Miranda Coleman, the adoptive parents of Malachi Coleman, a Nebraska football player who has established a foundation, “Fly Like Chi,” which encourages helping children in the foster care system.The Colemans adopted Malachi and his sister, Nevaeh, at the ages of 10 and 7, respectively.“The foster care system not only changed my life — it saved it. It gave me the beautiful family I have today and has given me a second chance at life,” Malachi said in a statement read by his mother.She said that the children “have made us better humans, more compassionate neighbors, more confident advocates, and taught us how to live looking forward.”Those speaking Monday emphasized that the state, through a contract with the Nebraska Children and Home Society, provides training and support for adoptive families and foster caregivers.Persons interested in becoming foster or adoptive parents can call 1-800-772-7368 or access the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dhhs.ne.gov/Pages/Adoption.aspx">DHHS adoption page</a>. The Nebraska Children’s Home Society also has information at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nchs.org/">www.nchs.org</a>.

Governor chokes up with emotion, urges Nebraskans to adopt children or become foster parents

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/27/pillen-stops-short-of-saying-no-state-funds-should-be-used-for-memorial-stadium-renovation/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen praised the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Athletic Department on Monday for being “self-funded” and operating without state funds.

But when asked whether that should continue and if no state money should be devoted to the $450 million renovation of Memorial Stadium, Pillen stopped short of agreeing.

The governor, a former NU football player, said providing state funding for the stadium renovation, as some have suggested, is a “discussion” but not his top priority.

“My focus right now is making sure the State of Nebraska can compete, and the first place we have to compete is in tax policy,” Pillen said. “We have to make sure we’re a fiscally conservative state and we have the courage to say ‘no.’ "

The governor’s comments to the Examiner, following a press conference Monday on a different subject, come as some athletic department donors and state senators are raising questions about the size and feasibility of the renovation project, which will be largely funded via private donors.

The concerns also come as&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/18/a-cost-we-cant-afford-faculty-blast-state-for-not-investing-in-university/">UNL faces a $58 million budget shortfall,</a>&nbsp;forcing proposed cuts in staff and academic programs, and just after private donors ponied up most of the $165 million needed for a new football performance and training table facility.

While private donors to UNL declined to be quoted by name, State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard said what many were thinking — that the optics aren’t good when you’re seeking nearly a half-billion dollars for a football field and at the same time cutting university programs and raising tuition.

As one donor told the Examiner, the 100-year-old stadium needs improved seating with backs to replace the current benches, but $450 million for a lot of other things is a stretch.

Pillen, in comments Monday, said Nebraskans “don’t do enough bragging about the extraordinary things” in the state, and that includes the “self-funded” UNL athletic program.

It is among the top three programs nationally in financial strength, he said, and contributes $10 million of its surplus funds each year to UNL academic programs.

That is unlike most Division I athletic programs, which need state funds to function.

“We have been self-supporting because of the great Nebraska fans. There’s never been a tax dollar used, there’s never been a fee used,” Pillen said.

(Cigarette smokers might disagree — the construction of the Devaney Sports Center, which opened in 1976 at a cost of $13 million, was financed via state tobacco tax revenue.)

The proposed funding for the Memorial Stadium renovation has a $125 million hole, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://omaha.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/should-nebraska-state-tax-dollars-help-plug-gap-in-450-million-memorial-stadium-renovation/article_00fe27a0-81cc-5e9d-b052-22b9e2604d8d.html">Omaha World-Herald reported.&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;The $450 million project includes $225 million in private donations and $100 million from the athletic department, making it $125 million short.

A key question facing state lawmakers is whether they can say “no” to a request for state funds for the UNL stadium — famous for being the state’s third-largest city on game days — after recently granting $30 million for a new baseball field for Creighton University and providing state sales taxes for numerous youth soccer and baseball complexes.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701120040077.jpeg" alt=" Renovation of Memorial Stadium will include demolition and replacement of the South Stadium (in red) as well as enhancements in other areas of the structure, first used 100 years ago. (Courtesy of the University of Nebraska)" />
 <figcaption> Renovation of Memorial Stadium will include demolition and replacement of the South Stadium (in red) as well as enhancements in other areas of the structure, first used 100 years ago. (Courtesy of the University of Nebraska)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/27/pillen-stops-short-of-saying-no-state-funds-should-be-used-for-memorial-stadium-renovation/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Gov. Jim Pillen praised the University of Nebraska-Lincoln Athletic Department on Monday for being “self-funded” and operating without state funds.But when asked whether that should continue and if no state money should be devoted to the $450 million renovation of Memorial Stadium, Pillen stopped short of agreeing.The governor, a former NU football player, said providing state funding for the stadium renovation, as some have suggested, is a “discussion” but not his top priority.<h2>Have the courage to say ‘no’</h2>“My focus right now is making sure the State of Nebraska can compete, and the first place we have to compete is in tax policy,” Pillen said. “We have to make sure we’re a fiscally conservative state and we have the courage to say ‘no.’ "The governor’s comments to the Examiner, following a press conference Monday on a different subject, come as some athletic department donors and state senators are raising questions about the size and feasibility of the renovation project, which will be largely funded via private donors.The concerns also come as&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/18/a-cost-we-cant-afford-faculty-blast-state-for-not-investing-in-university/">UNL faces a $58 million budget shortfall,</a>&nbsp;forcing proposed cuts in staff and academic programs, and just after private donors ponied up most of the $165 million needed for a new football performance and training table facility.While private donors to UNL declined to be quoted by name, State Sen. Steve Erdman of Bayard said what many were thinking — that the optics aren’t good when you’re seeking nearly a half-billion dollars for a football field and at the same time cutting university programs and raising tuition.As one donor told the Examiner, the 100-year-old stadium needs improved seating with backs to replace the current benches, but $450 million for a lot of other things is a stretch.Pillen, in comments Monday, said Nebraskans “don’t do enough bragging about the extraordinary things” in the state, and that includes the “self-funded” UNL athletic program.It is among the top three programs nationally in financial strength, he said, and contributes $10 million of its surplus funds each year to UNL academic programs.That is unlike most Division I athletic programs, which need state funds to function.“We have been self-supporting because of the great Nebraska fans. There’s never been a tax dollar used, there’s never been a fee used,” Pillen said.(Cigarette smokers might disagree — the construction of the Devaney Sports Center, which opened in 1976 at a cost of $13 million, was financed via state tobacco tax revenue.)The proposed funding for the Memorial Stadium renovation has a $125 million hole, the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://omaha.com/news/state-regional/government-politics/should-nebraska-state-tax-dollars-help-plug-gap-in-450-million-memorial-stadium-renovation/article_00fe27a0-81cc-5e9d-b052-22b9e2604d8d.html">Omaha World-Herald reported.&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;The $450 million project includes $225 million in private donations and $100 million from the athletic department, making it $125 million short.A key question facing state lawmakers is whether they can say “no” to a request for state funds for the UNL stadium — famous for being the state’s third-largest city on game days — after recently granting $30 million for a new baseball field for Creighton University and providing state sales taxes for numerous youth soccer and baseball complexes.

Pillen stops short of saying no state funds should be used for Memorial Stadium renovation

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel and Hamas agreed to extend their cease-fire for two more days past Monday, raising the prospect of further exchanges of militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel and a longer halt to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">their deadliest and most destructive war</a>.

(Click below to watch White House spokesman John Kirby's comments on American hostages)

Eleven Israeli women and children, freed by Hamas, entered Israel Monday night after more than seven weeks in captivity in Gaza in the fourth swap under the original four-day truce, which began Friday and was due to run out. Thirty-three Palestinian prisoners released by Israel arrived early Tuesday in east Jerusalem and the West Bank town of Ramallah. The prisoners were greeted by loud cheers as their bus made its way through the streets of Ramallah.

The deal for two additional days of cease-fire, announced by Qatar, raised hopes for further extensions, which also allow more aid into Gaza. Conditions there have remained dire for 2.3 million Palestinians, battered by weeks of Israeli bombardment and a ground offensive that have driven three-quarters of the population from their homes.

Israel has said it would extend the cease-fire by one day for every 10 additional hostages released. After the announcement by Qatar —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-israel-hamas-war-hostage-qatar-0126c6443a9b3b32fe97032b81eaa515">a key mediator in the conflict,</a>&nbsp;along with the United States and Egypt — Hamas confirmed it had agreed to a two-day extension “under the same terms.”

But Israel says it remains committed to crushing Hamas’ military capabilities and ending its 16-year rule over Gaza after its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-war-hamas-attack-border-wall-aa0b0f5f3613b6c6882cf37168e8e8ed">Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel</a>. That would likely mean&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-humanitarian-shifa-29388314e3286b2b0f1152f7d15e2d7b">expanding a ground offensive</a>&nbsp;from devastated northern Gaza to the south.

Monday’s releases bring to 51 the number of Israelis freed under the truce, along with 19 hostages of other nationalities. So far, 150 Palestinians have been released from Israeli prisons.

After weeks of national trauma over the roughly 240 people abducted by Hamas and other militants, scenes of the women and children reuniting with families have rallied Israelis behind calls to return those who remain in captivity.

“We can get all hostages back home. We have to keep pushing,” two relatives of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/children-hostages-israel-palestinians-gaza-orphan-c8e9f6dd703a9c14161eeb6ca9e25417">Abigail Edan</a>, a 4-year-old girl and dual Israeli-American citizen who was released Sunday, said in a statement.

Hamas and other militants could still be holding up to 175 hostages, enough to potentially extend the cease-fire for two and a half weeks. But those include a number of soldiers, and Hamas is likely to make much greater demands for their release.

The newly released hostages included three women and nine children — including 3-year-old twin girls and their mother — from the kibbutz Nir Oz, a community near Gaza that was hard hit in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. The kibbutz said 49 of its residents remain in captivity, including the father of the twins. The Israeli military said late Monday that the hostages were undergoing initial medical checks in Israel before being reunited with their families.

Most of the hostages freed so far have appeared to be physically well. But 84-year-old Elma Avraham, released Sunday, was airlifted to Israel’s Soroka Medical Center in life-threatening condition because of inadequate care, the hospital said.

Avraham’s daughter, Tali Amano, said her mother was “hours from death” when she was brought to the hospital. Avraham is currently sedated and has a breathing tube, but Amano said she told her of a new great-grandchild who was born while she was in captivity.

Avraham suffered from several chronic conditions that required regular medications but was stable before she was kidnapped, Amano said Monday.

So far, 19 people of other nationalities have been freed during the truce, mostly Thai nationals. Eight or nine Americans remain as hostages, according to&nbsp;White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.

Many&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-war-thai-workers-dd03c7a7d133eacacf314668b4dee493">Thais work in Israel</a>, largely as farm laborers.

France said three of the hostages released Monday were French-Israeli dual citizens, two 12-year-olds and one 16-year-old. The French government is ‘’working tirelessly’’ to free five other French citizens held hostage, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.

The Palestinian prisoners released so far have been mostly teenagers accused of throwing stones and firebombs during confrontations with Israeli forces, or of less-serious offenses. But some were convicted in alleged attempts to carry out stabbings, bombings and shootings. Many Palestinians view&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-israel-prisons-arrests-west-bank-fc894c6f56318fb6fb2f080555b40b6f">prisoners held by Israel</a>, including those implicated in attacks, as heroes resisting occupation.

The freed hostages have mostly stayed out of the public eye, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hostages-hamas-war-israel-gaza-captivity-militants-612542191742082f330d55433c012a05">details of their captivity</a>&nbsp;have started to trickle out.

Merav Raviv, whose three relatives were released Friday, said they had been fed irregularly and lost weight. One reported eating mainly bread and rice and sleeping on a makeshift bed of chairs pushed together. Hostages sometimes had to wait for hours to use the bathroom, she said.

In Washington, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby welcomed the extension of the truce.

“We would, of course, hope to see the pause extended further, and that will depend upon Hamas continuing to release hostages,” Kirby told reporters.

More than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, roughly two-thirds of them women and minors, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza</a>, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. More than 1,200 people have been killed on the Israeli side, mostly civilians killed in the initial attack. At least 77 soldiers have been killed in Israel’s ground offensive.

The calm from the truce allowed glimpses of the destruction wreaked by weeks of Israeli bombardment that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-gaza-israel-bombing-destruction-hamas-reconstruction-f299a28410b70ee05dd764df97d8d3a0">leveled entire neighborhoods</a>.

Footage showed a complex of several dozen multistory residential buildings that had been pummeled into a landscape of wreckage in the northern town of Beit Hanoun. Nearly every building was destroyed or severely damaged, some reduced to concrete frames half-slumped over. At a nearby U.N. school, the buildings were intact but partially burned and riddled with holes.

The Israeli assault has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-israel-airstrikes-gaza-hamas-war-702f447ff7e52b03476555ec2513008b">driven three-quarters of Gaza’s population</a>&nbsp;from their homes, and now most of its 2.3 million people are crowded into the south. More than 1 million are living in U.N. shelters. The Israeli military has barred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/northern-gaza-palestinians-israel-hamas-war-36109635f7bc90f403f0383d53a352e9">hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who fled south</a>&nbsp;from returning north.

Rain and wind added to the hardship of displaced Palestinians sheltering in the compound of Al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza. Palestinians in coats baked flatbreads over a makeshift fire among tents set up on the muddy grounds.

Alaa Mansour said the conditions are simply horrendous.

“My clothes are all wet, and I am unable to change them.” said Mansour, who is disabled. “I have not drunk water for two days, and there’s no bathroom to use.”

The U.N. says the truce made it possible to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-palestinians-truce-red-cross-crescent-14cd8cae0f6e064484167c66bbcecf8f">scale up the delivery</a>&nbsp;of food, water and medicine to the largest volume since the start of the war. But the 160 to 200 trucks a day is still less than half what Gaza was importing before the fighting, even as humanitarian needs have soared.

Long lines formed outside stations distributing cooking fuel, allowed in for the first time. Fuel for generators has been brought for key service providers, including hospitals and water and sanitation facilities, but bakeries have been unable to resume work, the U.N. said.

Iyad Ghafary, a vendor in the urban Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, said many families were still unable to retrieve the dead from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-buried-rubble-airstrikes-89c0e8d0934d573d94d2fbfeba44d933">under the rubble</a>&nbsp;left by Israeli airstrikes, and that local authorities weren’t equipped to deal with the level of destruction.

Amani Taha, a widow and mother of three who fled northern Gaza, said she had only managed to get one canned meal from a U.N. distribution center since the cease-fire began.

She said the crowds have overwhelmed local markets and gas stations as people try to stock up on basics. “People were desperate and went out to buy whenever they could,” she said. “They are extremely worried that the war will return.”

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel and Hamas agreed to extend their cease-fire for two more days past Monday, raising the prospect of further exchanges of militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel and a longer halt to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">their deadliest and most destructive war</a>.(Click below to watch White House spokesman John Kirby's comments on American hostages)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F362152339550909%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=839" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Eleven Israeli women and children, freed by Hamas, entered Israel Monday night after more than seven weeks in captivity in Gaza in the fourth swap under the original four-day truce, which began Friday and was due to run out. Thirty-three Palestinian prisoners released by Israel arrived early Tuesday in east Jerusalem and the West Bank town of Ramallah. The prisoners were greeted by loud cheers as their bus made its way through the streets of Ramallah.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We will not stop working until we bring the hostages being held by Hamas home.&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1729512069458690115?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The deal for two additional days of cease-fire, announced by Qatar, raised hopes for further extensions, which also allow more aid into Gaza. Conditions there have remained dire for 2.3 million Palestinians, battered by weeks of Israeli bombardment and a ground offensive that have driven three-quarters of the population from their homes.Israel has said it would extend the cease-fire by one day for every 10 additional hostages released. After the announcement by Qatar —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-israel-hamas-war-hostage-qatar-0126c6443a9b3b32fe97032b81eaa515">a key mediator in the conflict,</a>&nbsp;along with the United States and Egypt — Hamas confirmed it had agreed to a two-day extension “under the same terms.”But Israel says it remains committed to crushing Hamas’ military capabilities and ending its 16-year rule over Gaza after its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-war-hamas-attack-border-wall-aa0b0f5f3613b6c6882cf37168e8e8ed">Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel</a>. That would likely mean&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-humanitarian-shifa-29388314e3286b2b0f1152f7d15e2d7b">expanding a ground offensive</a>&nbsp;from devastated northern Gaza to the south.Monday’s releases bring to 51 the number of Israelis freed under the truce, along with 19 hostages of other nationalities. So far, 150 Palestinians have been released from Israeli prisons.After weeks of national trauma over the roughly 240 people abducted by Hamas and other militants, scenes of the women and children reuniting with families have rallied Israelis behind calls to return those who remain in captivity.“We can get all hostages back home. We have to keep pushing,” two relatives of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/children-hostages-israel-palestinians-gaza-orphan-c8e9f6dd703a9c14161eeb6ca9e25417">Abigail Edan</a>, a 4-year-old girl and dual Israeli-American citizen who was released Sunday, said in a statement.Hamas and other militants could still be holding up to 175 hostages, enough to potentially extend the cease-fire for two and a half weeks. But those include a number of soldiers, and Hamas is likely to make much greater demands for their release.FOURTH RELEASEThe newly released hostages included three women and nine children — including 3-year-old twin girls and their mother — from the kibbutz Nir Oz, a community near Gaza that was hard hit in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack. The kibbutz said 49 of its residents remain in captivity, including the father of the twins. The Israeli military said late Monday that the hostages were undergoing initial medical checks in Israel before being reunited with their families.Most of the hostages freed so far have appeared to be physically well. But 84-year-old Elma Avraham, released Sunday, was airlifted to Israel’s Soroka Medical Center in life-threatening condition because of inadequate care, the hospital said.Avraham’s daughter, Tali Amano, said her mother was “hours from death” when she was brought to the hospital. Avraham is currently sedated and has a breathing tube, but Amano said she told her of a new great-grandchild who was born while she was in captivity.Avraham suffered from several chronic conditions that required regular medications but was stable before she was kidnapped, Amano said Monday.So far, 19 people of other nationalities have been freed during the truce, mostly Thai nationals. Eight or nine Americans remain as hostages, according to&nbsp;White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby.Many&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-war-thai-workers-dd03c7a7d133eacacf314668b4dee493">Thais work in Israel</a>, largely as farm laborers.France said three of the hostages released Monday were French-Israeli dual citizens, two 12-year-olds and one 16-year-old. The French government is ‘’working tirelessly’’ to free five other French citizens held hostage, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement.The Palestinian prisoners released so far have been mostly teenagers accused of throwing stones and firebombs during confrontations with Israeli forces, or of less-serious offenses. But some were convicted in alleged attempts to carry out stabbings, bombings and shootings. Many Palestinians view&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-israel-prisons-arrests-west-bank-fc894c6f56318fb6fb2f080555b40b6f">prisoners held by Israel</a>, including those implicated in attacks, as heroes resisting occupation.The freed hostages have mostly stayed out of the public eye, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hostages-hamas-war-israel-gaza-captivity-militants-612542191742082f330d55433c012a05">details of their captivity</a>&nbsp;have started to trickle out.Merav Raviv, whose three relatives were released Friday, said they had been fed irregularly and lost weight. One reported eating mainly bread and rice and sleeping on a makeshift bed of chairs pushed together. Hostages sometimes had to wait for hours to use the bathroom, she said.In Washington, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby welcomed the extension of the truce.“We would, of course, hope to see the pause extended further, and that will depend upon Hamas continuing to release hostages,” Kirby told reporters.RESPITE IN GAZAMore than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, roughly two-thirds of them women and minors, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza</a>, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. More than 1,200 people have been killed on the Israeli side, mostly civilians killed in the initial attack. At least 77 soldiers have been killed in Israel’s ground offensive.The calm from the truce allowed glimpses of the destruction wreaked by weeks of Israeli bombardment that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-gaza-israel-bombing-destruction-hamas-reconstruction-f299a28410b70ee05dd764df97d8d3a0">leveled entire neighborhoods</a>.Footage showed a complex of several dozen multistory residential buildings that had been pummeled into a landscape of wreckage in the northern town of Beit Hanoun. Nearly every building was destroyed or severely damaged, some reduced to concrete frames half-slumped over. At a nearby U.N. school, the buildings were intact but partially burned and riddled with holes.The Israeli assault has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-israel-airstrikes-gaza-hamas-war-702f447ff7e52b03476555ec2513008b">driven three-quarters of Gaza’s population</a>&nbsp;from their homes, and now most of its 2.3 million people are crowded into the south. More than 1 million are living in U.N. shelters. The Israeli military has barred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/northern-gaza-palestinians-israel-hamas-war-36109635f7bc90f403f0383d53a352e9">hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who fled south</a>&nbsp;from returning north.Rain and wind added to the hardship of displaced Palestinians sheltering in the compound of Al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza. Palestinians in coats baked flatbreads over a makeshift fire among tents set up on the muddy grounds.Alaa Mansour said the conditions are simply horrendous.“My clothes are all wet, and I am unable to change them.” said Mansour, who is disabled. “I have not drunk water for two days, and there’s no bathroom to use.”The U.N. says the truce made it possible to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-palestinians-truce-red-cross-crescent-14cd8cae0f6e064484167c66bbcecf8f">scale up the delivery</a>&nbsp;of food, water and medicine to the largest volume since the start of the war. But the 160 to 200 trucks a day is still less than half what Gaza was importing before the fighting, even as humanitarian needs have soared.Long lines formed outside stations distributing cooking fuel, allowed in for the first time. Fuel for generators has been brought for key service providers, including hospitals and water and sanitation facilities, but bakeries have been unable to resume work, the U.N. said.Iyad Ghafary, a vendor in the urban Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, said many families were still unable to retrieve the dead from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-buried-rubble-airstrikes-89c0e8d0934d573d94d2fbfeba44d933">under the rubble</a>&nbsp;left by Israeli airstrikes, and that local authorities weren’t equipped to deal with the level of destruction.Many say the aid is not nearly enough.Amani Taha, a widow and mother of three who fled northern Gaza, said she had only managed to get one canned meal from a U.N. distribution center since the cease-fire began.She said the crowds have overwhelmed local markets and gas stations as people try to stock up on basics. “People were desperate and went out to buy whenever they could,” she said. “They are extremely worried that the war will return.”

🎥White House: 8 or 9 Americans still held hostage in Gaza

By&nbsp;<a href="http://www.defense.gov/News/Author/42773/c-todd-lopez/">C. Todd Lopez</a>, Department of Defense

On Sunday, the USS Mason and partner nation naval vessels responded to a distress call from the commercial shipping vessel M/V Central Park, which had been boarded by five armed individuals while in transit in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen, said the Pentagon press secretary

"[The Central Park] was boarded by these five individuals. They attempted to access the crew cabin," Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said this morning during a meeting with the Pentagon press corps. "The crew, essentially, [was] able to lock themselves into a safe haven. These individuals attempted to access and take control of the ship."&nbsp;

The crew of the Central Park issued the distress call on the evening of Nov. 26. The distress call was responded to by the USS Mason, allied ships and associated aircraft which are part of Combined Task Force 151. That task force conducts counter-piracy missions.&nbsp;

After the arrival of the USS Mason and partners with CTF 151, task force personnel demanded the release of the Central Park, Ryder said. The five armed individuals then disembarked the vessel and fled in a small boat.&nbsp;

"After the five individuals fled, the Mason sent out a visit, board, search and seizure team on the water that stopped the small boat. They detained the individuals, and then ... the VBSS team boarded the Central Park and cleared the vessel," Ryder said, adding that the Central Park crew was found to be safe following the incident.&nbsp;

While the identity of the five armed attackers was not yet confirmed, Ryder said initial indications are that the individuals are Somali. All five are currently being held aboard the USS Mason.&nbsp;

Hours later, early in the morning of Nov. 27, Yemen time, two ballistic missiles were fired toward the general location of the Mason and the Central Park.&nbsp;

"Initial indications were that two ballistic missiles were fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, toward the general location of the Mason and the Central Park," Ryder said. "The missiles landed in the Gulf of Aden, approximately 10 nautical miles from the ships. It is not clear at this time what they were targeting."&nbsp;

Ryder said that neither the USS Mason nor the Central Park were damaged by the missiles and that the Central Park is now back under power and on its way.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701138062166.png" alt="The guided-missile destroyer USS Mason steams away from the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Joshua Humphreys after completing an underway replenishment-at-sea in the Atlantic Ocean, July 17, 2021. The Mason responded to a distress call from a commercial vessel, Nov. 27, 2023." />
 <figcaption>The guided-missile destroyer USS Mason steams away from the fleet replenishment oiler USNS Joshua Humphreys after completing an underway replenishment-at-sea in the Atlantic Ocean, July 17, 2021. The Mason responded to a distress call from a commercial vessel, Nov. 27, 2023.</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="http://www.defense.gov/News/Author/42773/c-todd-lopez/">C. Todd Lopez</a>, Department of DefenseOn Sunday, the USS Mason and partner nation naval vessels responded to a distress call from the commercial shipping vessel M/V Central Park, which had been boarded by five armed individuals while in transit in the Gulf of Aden near Yemen, said the Pentagon press secretary"[The Central Park] was boarded by these five individuals. They attempted to access the crew cabin," Air Force Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said this morning during a meeting with the Pentagon press corps. "The crew, essentially, [was] able to lock themselves into a safe haven. These individuals attempted to access and take control of the ship."&nbsp;The crew of the Central Park issued the distress call on the evening of Nov. 26. The distress call was responded to by the USS Mason, allied ships and associated aircraft which are part of Combined Task Force 151. That task force conducts counter-piracy missions.&nbsp;After the arrival of the USS Mason and partners with CTF 151, task force personnel demanded the release of the Central Park, Ryder said. The five armed individuals then disembarked the vessel and fled in a small boat.&nbsp;"After the five individuals fled, the Mason sent out a visit, board, search and seizure team on the water that stopped the small boat. They detained the individuals, and then ... the VBSS team boarded the Central Park and cleared the vessel," Ryder said, adding that the Central Park crew was found to be safe following the incident.&nbsp;While the identity of the five armed attackers was not yet confirmed, Ryder said initial indications are that the individuals are Somali. All five are currently being held aboard the USS Mason.&nbsp;Hours later, early in the morning of Nov. 27, Yemen time, two ballistic missiles were fired toward the general location of the Mason and the Central Park.&nbsp;"Initial indications were that two ballistic missiles were fired from Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, toward the general location of the Mason and the Central Park," Ryder said. "The missiles landed in the Gulf of Aden, approximately 10 nautical miles from the ships. It is not clear at this time what they were targeting."&nbsp;Ryder said that neither the USS Mason nor the Central Park were damaged by the missiles and that the Central Park is now back under power and on its way.&nbsp;

Pentagon IDs nation of origin of hijackers held by the U.S. Navy

The Omaha Police Department (OPD) along with multiple local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies responded to Omaha South High School, 4519 S 24th Street, Monday afternoon for a report of a shooting inside the school. This report was ultimately determined to be false and no one was harmed. 

Shortly after 2 p.m. Monday, Omaha Police received a call that a student had been shot in the school and the suspect was still inside. The OPD school resource officer assigned to the high school immediately began searching for the victim and suspect as other law enforcement personnel were responding. Multiple systematic searches were done by law enforcement inside the school where no victims or suspects were found. Students were slowly released by each classroom and directed to the school football stadium to be picked up by family or guardians. 

This incident is still under investigation to determine where the call originated and who was responsible for making the false emergency call. We want to thank the Omaha Fire Department, various law enforcement agencies, Omaha South High School administration and staff for their quick response today.&nbsp;

Omaha Police DepartmentThe Omaha Police Department (OPD) along with multiple local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies responded to Omaha South High School, 4519 S 24th Street, Monday afternoon for a report of a shooting inside the school. This report was ultimately determined to be false and no one was harmed. Shortly after 2 p.m. Monday, Omaha Police received a call that a student had been shot in the school and the suspect was still inside. The OPD school resource officer assigned to the high school immediately began searching for the victim and suspect as other law enforcement personnel were responding. Multiple systematic searches were done by law enforcement inside the school where no victims or suspects were found. Students were slowly released by each classroom and directed to the school football stadium to be picked up by family or guardians. This incident is still under investigation to determine where the call originated and who was responsible for making the false emergency call. We want to thank the Omaha Fire Department, various law enforcement agencies, Omaha South High School administration and staff for their quick response today.&nbsp;<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FOmahaPoliceDepartment%2Fposts%2Fpfbid02s4W8HVpWQnZMenTenWNEiTFdpKYuCHB3JPYHjoxSQuiiEb9YbpcGx5imxzE6UwTPl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="532" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>

Omaha Police investigate false emergency call to Omaha South High School

WASHINGTON (AP) — Step inside the White House during the holidays by walking beneath the branches of a Christmas tree. Stroll along a hallway decorated with oversized holiday candy and other sweets. See Santa’s sleigh and his eight reindeer suspended above the grand foyer in dramatic fashion.

Jill Biden wants everyone who visits the White House through Christmas to feel like a kid again.

“Each room on display is designed to capture the pure, unfiltered delight and imagination of our childhoods, to see this time of year through the wondrous, sparkling eyes of children,” the first lady says. She’s playing host for a reception on Monday to formally unveil the décor and thank some 300 designers and decorators who volunteered to spend the past week transforming the executive mansion.

“Magic, Wonder and Joy” is the theme this year, the Bidens’ third in the White House.

The whimsical set of oversized decorations is meant to inspire the feelings that put children on joyful edge at this time of the year, White House aides said.

Throughout two public floors of the White House, the décor features numerous nods to the 200th anniversary of the publication of the poem and book commonly known as “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” (The official title is “A Visit from St. Nicholas.”)

The Library of Congress provided samples of editions of the book from the past 200 years that are on display in protective cases along the ground floor corridor. The traditional gingerbread White House includes a large sugar cookie replica of the book opened to a page that says “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.” Santa’s sleigh and reindeer fly above the cookie White House.

The White House released a fact sheet and allowed the news media to see the trees, lights and other decorations before the first lady’s unveiling. National Guard families, who were invited as part of Joining Forces, her White House initiative to show appreciation for military families, will be among the first members of the public to see the decorations.

Children of these and other military families were also being treated to an afternoon performance by the cast of the North American tour of the Disney musical “Frozen.”

One of the first Christmas trees visitors will see upon entering the White House is decorated with wooden gold star ornaments engraved with the names of fallen service members.

The official White House Christmas tree, an 18.5-foot-tall (5.6-meter-tall) Fraser fir, stands in its usual place in the Blue Room. The massive tree highlights cheerful scenes, landscapes and neighborhoods from across the country. A toy train runs around its base.

The State Dining Room has been transformed into Santa’s workshop, with elves’ workbenches, stools and ladders circling Christmas trees, and tools and gifts-in-progress rounding out the décor.

The dining room is the customary stage for the gingerbread White House, which was assembled using 40 sheets of sugar cookie dough for the book and 40 sheets of gingerbread dough for the house, 90 pounds (41 kilograms) of pastillage, a cake decorating paste, 30 pounds (14 kilograms) of chocolate and 50 pounds (23 kilograms) of royal icing.

The library honors the tradition of bedtime stories with dangling golden moons and shimmering stars;, the China Room has been turned into a sweet shop featuring baked goodies, and the Vermeil Room celebrates music with a display of rotating big Marine Band figurines with trumpets.

Glowing candles and stained glass in the Green Room celebrate faith, and holiday craft-making is the theme in the Red Room, where a tradition of featuring cranberries continues.

The official White House Menorah is on display in the Cross Hall connecting the State Dining Room and the East Room, which is decorated with trees and various advent calendars.

In her prepared remarks, the first lady says she knows that magic, wonder and joy can be hard to find, especially as the days grow shorter, the weather turns colder “and our hearts grow heavy in the face of a tumultuous world.”

“But it’s in these times, when we are searching for hope and healing, that we need those points of light the most, that we need each other the most,” she says. “It’s in these times that I hope you remember, if even just for a moment or a season, how you saw the world as a child.”

Ninety-eight Christmas trees, nearly 34,000 ornaments, over 22,000 bells and more than 350 candles were used in the decor, according to the White House. Nearly 142,500 lights illuminate trees, garlands, wreaths and other displays, and nearly 15,000 feet (4,600 meters) of ribbon are part of it all.

Seventy-two wreaths sporting red ribbons adorn the north and south exteriors of the building.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701105376075.png" alt="White House Photos" />
 <figcaption>White House Photos</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Step inside the White House during the holidays by walking beneath the branches of a Christmas tree. Stroll along a hallway decorated with oversized holiday candy and other sweets. See Santa’s sleigh and his eight reindeer suspended above the grand foyer in dramatic fashion.Jill Biden wants everyone who visits the White House through Christmas to feel like a kid again.“Each room on display is designed to capture the pure, unfiltered delight and imagination of our childhoods, to see this time of year through the wondrous, sparkling eyes of children,” the first lady says. She’s playing host for a reception on Monday to formally unveil the décor and thank some 300 designers and decorators who volunteered to spend the past week transforming the executive mansion.“Magic, Wonder and Joy” is the theme this year, the Bidens’ third in the White House.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701105420227.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The whimsical set of oversized decorations is meant to inspire the feelings that put children on joyful edge at this time of the year, White House aides said.Throughout two public floors of the White House, the décor features numerous nods to the 200th anniversary of the publication of the poem and book commonly known as “’Twas the Night Before Christmas.” (The official title is “A Visit from St. Nicholas.”)<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We look forward to welcoming thousands of visitors to the White House — “The People’s House” — during the holidays. May the memories made this holiday season remind us all of the blessing that is our Nation.&mdash; Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/1729114894652624937?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Library of Congress provided samples of editions of the book from the past 200 years that are on display in protective cases along the ground floor corridor. The traditional gingerbread White House includes a large sugar cookie replica of the book opened to a page that says “Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.” Santa’s sleigh and reindeer fly above the cookie White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It’s Christmastime in the Oval. <a href="https://t.co/Px6PN19Yht">pic.twitter.com/Px6PN19Yht</a>&mdash; President Biden (@POTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS/status/1729282045338177690?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The White House released a fact sheet and allowed the news media to see the trees, lights and other decorations before the first lady’s unveiling. National Guard families, who were invited as part of Joining Forces, her White House initiative to show appreciation for military families, will be among the first members of the public to see the decorations.Children of these and other military families were also being treated to an afternoon performance by the cast of the North American tour of the Disney musical “Frozen.”One of the first Christmas trees visitors will see upon entering the White House is decorated with wooden gold star ornaments engraved with the names of fallen service members.The official White House Christmas tree, an 18.5-foot-tall (5.6-meter-tall) Fraser fir, stands in its usual place in the Blue Room. The massive tree highlights cheerful scenes, landscapes and neighborhoods from across the country. A toy train runs around its base.The State Dining Room has been transformed into Santa’s workshop, with elves’ workbenches, stools and ladders circling Christmas trees, and tools and gifts-in-progress rounding out the décor.The dining room is the customary stage for the gingerbread White House, which was assembled using 40 sheets of sugar cookie dough for the book and 40 sheets of gingerbread dough for the house, 90 pounds (41 kilograms) of pastillage, a cake decorating paste, 30 pounds (14 kilograms) of chocolate and 50 pounds (23 kilograms) of royal icing.The library honors the tradition of bedtime stories with dangling golden moons and shimmering stars;, the China Room has been turned into a sweet shop featuring baked goodies, and the Vermeil Room celebrates music with a display of rotating big Marine Band figurines with trumpets.Glowing candles and stained glass in the Green Room celebrate faith, and holiday craft-making is the theme in the Red Room, where a tradition of featuring cranberries continues.The official White House Menorah is on display in the Cross Hall connecting the State Dining Room and the East Room, which is decorated with trees and various advent calendars.In her prepared remarks, the first lady says she knows that magic, wonder and joy can be hard to find, especially as the days grow shorter, the weather turns colder “and our hearts grow heavy in the face of a tumultuous world.”“But it’s in these times, when we are searching for hope and healing, that we need those points of light the most, that we need each other the most,” she says. “It’s in these times that I hope you remember, if even just for a moment or a season, how you saw the world as a child.”Ninety-eight Christmas trees, nearly 34,000 ornaments, over 22,000 bells and more than 350 candles were used in the decor, according to the White House. Nearly 142,500 lights illuminate trees, garlands, wreaths and other displays, and nearly 15,000 feet (4,600 meters) of ribbon are part of it all.Seventy-two wreaths sporting red ribbons adorn the north and south exteriors of the building.

First lady Jill Biden wants holiday visitors to feel like kids again

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/25/state-prisons-launching-new-holistic-approach-to-prepare-inmates-for-reentry-into-society/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — &nbsp;State prisons are launching a new, “holistic” approach in mentally preparing inmates for their return to society, using fellow inmates as guides.

A&nbsp;three-year initiative, started with an anonymous grant of nearly $900,000, seeks to better make ready inmates for reentry by focusing on things like&nbsp;healthy thinking, positive relationships and meaningful work.

The “5-Keys for Wellbeing Development” program replaces two existing classes, called “Thinking for a Change” and “Moral Reconation Therapy,” with an overall goal of preventing a return to criminal behavior and to prison.

“Our goal is to approach reentry from that holistic sense of looking at the whole person, and not focusing on just one area,” said Dawn Renee Smith, the deputy director of Nebraska Corrections.

Rob Jeffreys, the state’s corrections director, called the 5-Keys program an “innovative” approach.

“Successful reentry preparation is about providing the right tools and getting the right person in the right program at the right time,” Jeffreys said.

Currently, about 28% of Nebraska prison inmates return to prison within three years, the state’s so-called “recidivism rate.”

That rate has hovered between 27% and 32% over the last eight years, and dropped from 31% three years ago.

But state leaders have often stated a goal of improving rehabilitation and reentry programs to further reduce the recidivism rate, with a larger objective of helping to reduce spending on and overcrowding of Nebraska prisons. They rank&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/02/will-nebraska-need-not-one-but-two-new-prisons-at-a-cost-of-nearly-500-million/">among the nation’s most crowded</a>, housing about 1,700 more inmates than state prisons were designed to hold.

Nebraska will be the first state to try the 5-Keys program within its prison system. Officials have been working over the past year with faculty at Florida State University and a 2-year-old, Florida-based think tank called Well-Being and Equity Innovation Inc. The program will be launched full bore next year at seven state prisons.

The preliminary work has focused on training dozens of prison inmates as “peers,” who will present the four, four-week-long, two-hour-a-week classes to fellow inmates along with prison staffers. Those classes are: Unlocking Your Thinking, Ideas for Better Communication, Understanding and Reducing Angry Feelings and Building Social Networks.

Smith, who works with reentry programs, said the idea is to build on inmates’ strengths, giving them a healthier mindset when they step back into society — and more than 90% of the state’s 5,700 prison inmates will ultimately leave prison.

She said the Nebraska prison system has been using inmate peers as “co-facilitators” of rehabilitation programming for the past couple of years and has found success with the concept.

Fellow inmates have ‘built-in credibility’

“(Fellow inmates) really come in with built-in credibility — they have lived experience,” Smith said.&nbsp;

The 5-Keys classes should be shorter and easier to manage than the previous reentry programs, she said, and will focus on five areas: healthy thinking patterns, positive relationships, positive social engagement, meaningful work trajectories and effective coping strategies.

A study by the University of Nebraska at Omaha Center for Justice Research,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-public-affairs-and-community-service/nebraska-center-for-justice-research/documents/evidence-based-inventory-report-web.pdf">released in February</a>, concluded that “only a small minority of programs” run by Nebraska corrections to turn inmates into law-abiding citizens were evidence-based.

State prison officials, in a press release, said that the 5-Keys programming is “evidence-based” and a “packaged approach” to preparing inmates for reentry.

“This model works because these are things that all of us need to be healthier,” Smith said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701122294439.png" alt="The Nebraska Department of Corrections is launching a new program to better prepare inmates for reentry into society using inmates to teach other inmates. Currently, the department employs about 200 inmates in peer support roles. (Courtesy of Nebraska Department of Corrections)" />
 <figcaption>The Nebraska Department of Corrections is launching a new program to better prepare inmates for reentry into society using inmates to teach other inmates. Currently, the department employs about 200 inmates in peer support roles. (Courtesy of Nebraska Department of Corrections)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/25/state-prisons-launching-new-holistic-approach-to-prepare-inmates-for-reentry-into-society/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — &nbsp;State prisons are launching a new, “holistic” approach in mentally preparing inmates for their return to society, using fellow inmates as guides.A&nbsp;three-year initiative, started with an anonymous grant of nearly $900,000, seeks to better make ready inmates for reentry by focusing on things like&nbsp;healthy thinking, positive relationships and meaningful work.The “5-Keys for Wellbeing Development” program replaces two existing classes, called “Thinking for a Change” and “Moral Reconation Therapy,” with an overall goal of preventing a return to criminal behavior and to prison.“Our goal is to approach reentry from that holistic sense of looking at the whole person, and not focusing on just one area,” said Dawn Renee Smith, the deputy director of Nebraska Corrections.<h2>‘Innovative’ approach</h2>Rob Jeffreys, the state’s corrections director, called the 5-Keys program an “innovative” approach.“Successful reentry preparation is about providing the right tools and getting the right person in the right program at the right time,” Jeffreys said.Currently, about 28% of Nebraska prison inmates return to prison within three years, the state’s so-called “recidivism rate.”That rate has hovered between 27% and 32% over the last eight years, and dropped from 31% three years ago.But state leaders have often stated a goal of improving rehabilitation and reentry programs to further reduce the recidivism rate, with a larger objective of helping to reduce spending on and overcrowding of Nebraska prisons. They rank&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/01/02/will-nebraska-need-not-one-but-two-new-prisons-at-a-cost-of-nearly-500-million/">among the nation’s most crowded</a>, housing about 1,700 more inmates than state prisons were designed to hold.<h2>First state to try program</h2>Nebraska will be the first state to try the 5-Keys program within its prison system. Officials have been working over the past year with faculty at Florida State University and a 2-year-old, Florida-based think tank called Well-Being and Equity Innovation Inc. The program will be launched full bore next year at seven state prisons.The preliminary work has focused on training dozens of prison inmates as “peers,” who will present the four, four-week-long, two-hour-a-week classes to fellow inmates along with prison staffers. Those classes are: Unlocking Your Thinking, Ideas for Better Communication, Understanding and Reducing Angry Feelings and Building Social Networks.Smith, who works with reentry programs, said the idea is to build on inmates’ strengths, giving them a healthier mindset when they step back into society — and more than 90% of the state’s 5,700 prison inmates will ultimately leave prison.She said the Nebraska prison system has been using inmate peers as “co-facilitators” of rehabilitation programming for the past couple of years and has found success with the concept.<h2>Fellow inmates have ‘built-in credibility’</h2>“(Fellow inmates) really come in with built-in credibility — they have lived experience,” Smith said.&nbsp;The 5-Keys classes should be shorter and easier to manage than the previous reentry programs, she said, and will focus on five areas: healthy thinking patterns, positive relationships, positive social engagement, meaningful work trajectories and effective coping strategies.A study by the University of Nebraska at Omaha Center for Justice Research,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.unomaha.edu/college-of-public-affairs-and-community-service/nebraska-center-for-justice-research/documents/evidence-based-inventory-report-web.pdf">released in February</a>, concluded that “only a small minority of programs” run by Nebraska corrections to turn inmates into law-abiding citizens were evidence-based.State prison officials, in a press release, said that the 5-Keys programming is “evidence-based” and a “packaged approach” to preparing inmates for reentry.“This model works because these are things that all of us need to be healthier,” Smith said.

Nebraska prisons launching new, ‘holistic’ approach to prepare inmates for reentry into society

Eleven Israeli women and children, freed by Hamas, entered Israel Monday night in the fourth swap under the original four-day truce, which began Friday and had been due to run out. No Americans were included among the hostages released on Monday, according to the White House.

 Qatar said Israel was to release 33 Palestinians from its prisons, mostly teenagers.&nbsp;

The deal for two additional days of cease-fire, announced by Qatar, raises hopes for further extensions, which also allow more aid into Gaza. Conditions there have remained dire for 2.3 million Palestinians, battered by weeks of Israeli bombardment and a ground offensive that have driven three-quarters of the population from their homes.

Monday’s releases bring to 50 the number of Israelis freed under the truce, along with 19 hostages of other nationalities. So far, 117 Palestinians have been released from Israeli prisons.

The newly released hostages included two women and nine children — including 3-year-old twin girls and their mother — from the kibbutz Nir Oz, a community near Gaza that was hard hit in Hamas' Oct. 7 attack. The kibbutz said 49 of its residents remain in captivity, including the father of the twins. The Israeli military said late Monday that the hostages were undergoing initial medical checks in Israel before being reunited with their families.

So far, 19 people of other nationalities have been freed during the truce, mostly Thai nationals. Many&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-war-thai-workers-dd03c7a7d133eacacf314668b4dee493">Thais work in Israel</a>, largely as farm laborers.

The Palestinian prisoners released so far have been mostly teenagers accused of throwing stones and firebombs during confrontations with Israeli forces, or of less-serious offenses. Many Palestinians view&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-israel-prisons-arrests-west-bank-fc894c6f56318fb6fb2f080555b40b6f">prisoners held by Israel</a>, including those implicated in attacks, as heroes resisting occupation.

In Washington, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby welcomed the extension of the truce,

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701122401234.png" alt="photo courtesy International Committee of the Red Cross" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy International Committee of the Red Cross</figcaption>
 </figure>TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israel and Hamas agreed to extend their cease-fire for two more days past Monday, raising the prospect of further exchanges of militant-held hostages for Palestinians imprisoned by Israel and a longer halt to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">their deadliest and most destructive war</a>.Eleven Israeli women and children, freed by Hamas, entered Israel Monday night in the fourth swap under the original four-day truce, which began Friday and had been due to run out. No Americans were included among the hostages released on Monday, according to the White House. Qatar said Israel was to release 33 Palestinians from its prisons, mostly teenagers.&nbsp;The deal for two additional days of cease-fire, announced by Qatar, raises hopes for further extensions, which also allow more aid into Gaza. Conditions there have remained dire for 2.3 million Palestinians, battered by weeks of Israeli bombardment and a ground offensive that have driven three-quarters of the population from their homes.Israel has said it would extend the cease-fire by one day for every 10 additional hostages released. After the announcement by Qatar —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-israel-hamas-war-hostage-qatar-0126c6443a9b3b32fe97032b81eaa515">a key mediator in the conflict,</a>&nbsp;along with the United States and Egypt — Hamas confirmed it had agreed to a two-day extension “under the same terms.”But Israel says it remains committed to crushing Hamas’ military capabilities and ending its 16-year rule over Gaza after its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-war-hamas-attack-border-wall-aa0b0f5f3613b6c6882cf37168e8e8ed">Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel</a>. That would likely mean&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-gaza-war-humanitarian-shifa-29388314e3286b2b0f1152f7d15e2d7b">expanding a ground offensive</a>&nbsp;from devastated northern Gaza to the south.Monday’s releases bring to 50 the number of Israelis freed under the truce, along with 19 hostages of other nationalities. So far, 117 Palestinians have been released from Israeli prisons.After weeks of national trauma over the roughly 240 people abducted by Hamas and other militants, scenes of the women and children reuniting with families have rallied Israelis behind calls to return those who remain in captivity.“We can get all hostages back home. We have to keep pushing,” two relatives of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/children-hostages-israel-palestinians-gaza-orphan-c8e9f6dd703a9c14161eeb6ca9e25417">Abigail Edan</a>, a 4-year-old girl and dual Israeli-American citizen who was released Sunday, said in a statement.Hamas and other militants could still be holding up to 175 hostages, enough to potentially extend the cease-fire for two and a half weeks. But those include a number of soldiers, and Hamas is likely to make much greater demands for their release.FOURTH RELEASEThe newly released hostages included two women and nine children — including 3-year-old twin girls and their mother — from the kibbutz Nir Oz, a community near Gaza that was hard hit in Hamas' Oct. 7 attack. The kibbutz said 49 of its residents remain in captivity, including the father of the twins. The Israeli military said late Monday that the hostages were undergoing initial medical checks in Israel before being reunited with their families.Most of the hostages freed so far have appeared to be physically well. But 84-year-old Elma Avraham, released Sunday, was airlifted to Israel’s Soroka Medical Center in life-threatening condition because of inadequate care, the hospital said.Avraham’s daughter, Tali Amano, said her mother was “hours from death” when she was brought to the hospital. Avraham is currently sedated and has a breathing tube, but Amano said she told her of a new great-grandchild who was born while she was in captivity.Avraham suffered from several chronic conditions that required regular medications but was stable before she was kidnapped, Amano said Monday.So far, 19 people of other nationalities have been freed during the truce, mostly Thai nationals. Many&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-war-thai-workers-dd03c7a7d133eacacf314668b4dee493">Thais work in Israel</a>, largely as farm laborers.The Palestinian prisoners released so far have been mostly teenagers accused of throwing stones and firebombs during confrontations with Israeli forces, or of less-serious offenses. Many Palestinians view&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-israel-prisons-arrests-west-bank-fc894c6f56318fb6fb2f080555b40b6f">prisoners held by Israel</a>, including those implicated in attacks, as heroes resisting occupation.The freed hostages have mostly stayed out of the public eye, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hostages-hamas-war-israel-gaza-captivity-militants-612542191742082f330d55433c012a05">details of their captivity</a>&nbsp;have started to trickle out.Merav Raviv, whose three relatives were released Friday, said they had been fed irregularly and lost weight. One reported eating mainly bread and rice and sleeping on a makeshift bed of chairs pushed together. Hostages sometimes had to wait for hours to use the bathroom, she said.In Washington, White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby welcomed the extension of the truce,“We would, of course, hope to see the pause extended further, and that will depend upon Hamas continuing to release hostages,” Kirby told reporters.RESPITE IN GAZAMore than 13,300 Palestinians have been killed since the war began, roughly two-thirds of them women and minors, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza</a>, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants. More than 1,200 people have been killed on the Israeli side, mostly civilians killed in the initial attack. At least 77 soldiers have been killed in Israel’s ground offensive.The calm from the truce allowed glimpses of the destruction wreaked by weeks of Israeli bombardment that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-gaza-israel-bombing-destruction-hamas-reconstruction-f299a28410b70ee05dd764df97d8d3a0">leveled entire neighborhoods</a>.Footage showed a complex of several dozen multistory residential buildings that had been pummeled into a landscape of wreckage in the northern town of Beit Hanoun. Nearly every building was destroyed or severely damaged, some reduced to concrete frames half-slumped over. At a nearby U.N. school, the buildings were intact but partially burned and riddled with holes.The Israeli assault has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-israel-airstrikes-gaza-hamas-war-702f447ff7e52b03476555ec2513008b">driven three-quarters of Gaza’s population</a>&nbsp;from their homes, and now most of its 2.3 million people are crowded into the south. More than 1 million are living in U.N. shelters. The Israeli military has barred&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/northern-gaza-palestinians-israel-hamas-war-36109635f7bc90f403f0383d53a352e9">hundreds of thousands of Palestinians who fled south</a>&nbsp;from returning north.Rain and wind added to the hardship of displaced Palestinians sheltering in the compound of Al-Aqsa hospital in central Gaza. Palestinians in coats baked flatbreads over a makeshift fire among tents set up on the muddy grounds.Alaa Mansour said the conditions are simply horrendous.“My clothes are all wet, and I am unable to change them.” said Mansour, who is disabled. “I have not drunk water for two days, and there’s no bathroom to use.”The U.N. says the truce made it possible to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-palestinians-truce-red-cross-crescent-14cd8cae0f6e064484167c66bbcecf8f">scale up the delivery</a>&nbsp;of food, water and medicine to the largest volume since the start of the war. But the 160 to 200 trucks a day is still less than half what Gaza was importing before the fighting, even as humanitarian needs have soared.Long lines formed outside stations distributing cooking fuel, allowed in for the first time. Fuel for generators has been brought for key service providers, including hospitals and water and sanitation facilities, but bakeries have been unable to resume work, the U.N. said.Iyad Ghafary, a vendor in the urban Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza, said many families were still unable to retrieve the dead from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-buried-rubble-airstrikes-89c0e8d0934d573d94d2fbfeba44d933">under the rubble</a>&nbsp;left by Israeli airstrikes, and that local authorities weren’t equipped to deal with the level of destruction.Many say the aid is not nearly enough.Amani Taha, a widow and mother of three who fled northern Gaza, said she had only managed to get one canned meal from a U.N. distribution center since the cease-fire began.She said the crowds have overwhelmed local markets and gas stations as people try to stock up on basics. “People were desperate and went out to buy whenever they could,” she said. “They are extremely worried that the war will return.”

Fourth hostage release: 2 women, 9 children; no Americans included

NOVEMBER 27, 2023 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Two teenagers are in custody following a pursuit with a stolen vehicle in Lincoln Sunday night.

At approximately 9:30 p.m. Sunday, the Lincoln Police Department received a report that a Hyundai Elantra had just been stolen from the area of 17th&nbsp;and South Streets. Approximately 30 minutes later, a trooper located the vehicle as it was traveling westbound on Superior Street.

As the vehicle turned northbound onto 14th&nbsp;Street, the trooper attempted a traffic stop. The driver immediately accelerated and fled. The trooper initiated a pursuit. The vehicle turned into a residential area near 14th&nbsp;and Julesburg Drive and continued to flee. The vehicle drove through the residential neighborhood and eventually returned to 14th&nbsp;Street and began driving southbound in the northbound lanes.

The vehicle then turned eastbound onto Fletcher and increased speed to over 70 miles per hour. As the vehicle approached 27th&nbsp;Street at a high rate of speed, the trooper backed off. The trooper then observed the vehicle run a red light at 27th&nbsp;Street, lose control, and crash into a pole. The entire pursuit lasted approximately three minutes.

The driver, identified as a 13-year-old female, and passenger, identified as a 17-year-old female, were both transported to Bryan Medical Center West Campus with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver was then lodged in a youth detention facility for theft by unlawful taking - $5,000+, flight to avoid arrest, and no operator’s license. Once released from the hospital, the passenger will be cited for aiding and abetting.

The Lincoln Police Department is handling the stolen vehicle investigation.

Cody ThomasNebraska State PatrolNOVEMBER 27, 2023 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Two teenagers are in custody following a pursuit with a stolen vehicle in Lincoln Sunday night.At approximately 9:30 p.m. Sunday, the Lincoln Police Department received a report that a Hyundai Elantra had just been stolen from the area of 17th&nbsp;and South Streets. Approximately 30 minutes later, a trooper located the vehicle as it was traveling westbound on Superior Street.As the vehicle turned northbound onto 14th&nbsp;Street, the trooper attempted a traffic stop. The driver immediately accelerated and fled. The trooper initiated a pursuit. The vehicle turned into a residential area near 14th&nbsp;and Julesburg Drive and continued to flee. The vehicle drove through the residential neighborhood and eventually returned to 14th&nbsp;Street and began driving southbound in the northbound lanes.The vehicle then turned eastbound onto Fletcher and increased speed to over 70 miles per hour. As the vehicle approached 27th&nbsp;Street at a high rate of speed, the trooper backed off. The trooper then observed the vehicle run a red light at 27th&nbsp;Street, lose control, and crash into a pole. The entire pursuit lasted approximately three minutes.The driver, identified as a 13-year-old female, and passenger, identified as a 17-year-old female, were both transported to Bryan Medical Center West Campus with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver was then lodged in a youth detention facility for theft by unlawful taking - $5,000+, flight to avoid arrest, and no operator’s license. Once released from the hospital, the passenger will be cited for aiding and abetting.The Lincoln Police Department is handling the stolen vehicle investigation.

13-Year-Old in Custody After Stolen Vehicle Pursuit

&nbsp;WASHINGTON —Transportation Security officers screened over 2.9 million passengers at airport security checkpoints on Sunday, according to&nbsp; Transportation Security Administrator David. Pekoske. This is the most ever screened on record.&nbsp;

&nbsp;TSA screened just over 2.9M individuals at airports nationwide, which represents an agency record – the busiest day ever for air travel. 

As the holiday travel season continues, the TSA reminded passengers to please arrive at the airport early.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701114749135.png" alt="Photo TSA" />
 <figcaption>Photo TSA</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;WASHINGTON —Transportation Security officers screened over 2.9 million passengers at airport security checkpoints on Sunday, according to&nbsp; Transportation Security Administrator David. Pekoske. This is the most ever screened on record.&nbsp;&nbsp;TSA screened just over 2.9M individuals at airports nationwide, which represents an agency record – the busiest day ever for air travel. 

As the holiday travel season continues, the TSA reminded passengers to please arrive at the airport early.

TSA breaks record on Sunday for number of passengers screened

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/27/unl-proposes-restructuring-slashing-budget-of-diversity-and-inclusion-office/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —&nbsp;While the University of Nebraska says it is seeking a president committed to advancing&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nu-president-leadership-profile-released-applications-due-jan-1/">diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging</a>, its flagship campus has proposed slashing the budget of its Office of Diversity and Inclusion.

University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Rodney Bennett has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.unl.edu/chancellor/budget-reduction-proposals">proposed budget cuts</a>&nbsp;totaling $12 million, which is part of the NU system’s&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/22/university-of-nebraska-president-details-five-point-plan-to-get-nu-back-on-offense/">$58 million shortfall</a>&nbsp;projected over the next two years. The University of Nebraska at Kearney finalized&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/central-nebraskas-unk-finalizes-2-3-million-in-proposed-academic-cuts/">$2.3 million in academic cuts</a>&nbsp;Nov. 20 as faculty across NU have blasted state leaders for&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/18/a-cost-we-cant-afford-faculty-blast-state-for-not-investing-in-university/">not investing enough in NU</a>.

In a statement to the Nebraska Examiner, Bennett said all those engaged with the budget process “recognize its significant effect on UNL faculty, students and staff.”

“The university has no choice but to make difficult decisions to address a structural budget deficit, and we are proceeding in a manner that allows us to continue to fulfill our mission as Nebraska’s land-grant and flagship university and remains consistent with our status as a Carnegie R1 institution,” Bennett said.

One major proposal would cut $800,000 from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and would restructure it from a central hub for DEI to a role primarily supporting university-wide priorities or initiatives. DEI work would instead be focused within smaller colleges, departments or units.

Marco Barker, UNL’s vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion, described the cuts last week as disappointing in an email to the UNL National Diversity Advisory Board obtained by the Examiner.

“But we understand the many external pressures impacting higher education and diversity and inclusion that are outside of our control,” Barker said. “Still, ODI will work to discern and reimagine the best strategies and structures possible to preserve and build on the progress we’ve made thus far.”

Bennett’s recommendations, explained in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.unl.edu/chancellor/budget-reduction-proposals-nov-21-update">more granular detail</a>&nbsp;in a Nov. 21 update, also call for:

Those figures do not include the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, which would absorb $1.15 million of the proposed cuts.

UNL’s Academic Planning Committee is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.unl.edu/apc/apc-feedback-submission">seeking feedback</a>&nbsp;on the proposals, which remain flexible until plans are finalized sometime in December.

ODI, created in 2018 under Barker’s inaugural vice chancellor role, has worked to promote “inclusive excellence” and uplift the “power of every person.”

In 2021, Barker joined&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/30/retiring-unl-chancellor-reflects-on-seven-years-of-challenges-and-opportunities/">former UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green</a>&nbsp;in creating an anti-racism and racial equity plan, which&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/students-faculty-staff-detail-importance-of-unl-s-anti-racism-plan/article_71717a18-59d9-11ec-9baa-7fddd9376807.html">students and faculty rallied behind</a>&nbsp;in the face of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/regents-pillen-schafer-kenney-urge-quick-end-to-unl-s-anti-racism-journey/article_b4be4ad2-5482-11ec-ae37-23310f0a0152.html">political backlash</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701104115526.jpeg" alt="University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Rodney Bennett meets with UNL students in June prior to being confirmed as chancellor later that month. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Rodney Bennett meets with UNL students in June prior to being confirmed as chancellor later that month. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/27/unl-proposes-restructuring-slashing-budget-of-diversity-and-inclusion-office/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —&nbsp;While the University of Nebraska says it is seeking a president committed to advancing&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nu-president-leadership-profile-released-applications-due-jan-1/">diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging</a>, its flagship campus has proposed slashing the budget of its Office of Diversity and Inclusion.University of Nebraska-Lincoln Chancellor Rodney Bennett has&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.unl.edu/chancellor/budget-reduction-proposals">proposed budget cuts</a>&nbsp;totaling $12 million, which is part of the NU system’s&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/22/university-of-nebraska-president-details-five-point-plan-to-get-nu-back-on-offense/">$58 million shortfall</a>&nbsp;projected over the next two years. The University of Nebraska at Kearney finalized&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/central-nebraskas-unk-finalizes-2-3-million-in-proposed-academic-cuts/">$2.3 million in academic cuts</a>&nbsp;Nov. 20 as faculty across NU have blasted state leaders for&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/18/a-cost-we-cant-afford-faculty-blast-state-for-not-investing-in-university/">not investing enough in NU</a>.In a statement to the Nebraska Examiner, Bennett said all those engaged with the budget process “recognize its significant effect on UNL faculty, students and staff.”“The university has no choice but to make difficult decisions to address a structural budget deficit, and we are proceeding in a manner that allows us to continue to fulfill our mission as Nebraska’s land-grant and flagship university and remains consistent with our status as a Carnegie R1 institution,” Bennett said.One major proposal would cut $800,000 from the Office of Diversity and Inclusion and would restructure it from a central hub for DEI to a role primarily supporting university-wide priorities or initiatives. DEI work would instead be focused within smaller colleges, departments or units.Marco Barker, UNL’s vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion, described the cuts last week as disappointing in an email to the UNL National Diversity Advisory Board obtained by the Examiner.“But we understand the many external pressures impacting higher education and diversity and inclusion that are outside of our control,” Barker said. “Still, ODI will work to discern and reimagine the best strategies and structures possible to preserve and build on the progress we’ve made thus far.”<h2>Faculty, staff and student positions</h2>Bennett’s recommendations, explained in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.unl.edu/chancellor/budget-reduction-proposals-nov-21-update">more granular detail</a>&nbsp;in a Nov. 21 update, also call for:<ul>
 <li>Reducing state-aided funding for graduate and undergraduate student teaching assistants ($923,816) and temporary lecturers ($515,829).&nbsp;</li><li>Eliminating an unspecified number of vacant faculty positions ($2.5 million), 14.76 vacant staff positions ($943,819) and nine filled staff positions ($777,024), three of whom work in diversity and inclusion.&nbsp;</li><li>Finding alternative funding for graduate student assistants, 20.34 staff positions and 0.93 faculty positions (totalling $2.1 million).</li>
 </ul>Those figures do not include the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, which would absorb $1.15 million of the proposed cuts.UNL’s Academic Planning Committee is&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.unl.edu/apc/apc-feedback-submission">seeking feedback</a>&nbsp;on the proposals, which remain flexible until plans are finalized sometime in December.<h2>‘A proud Husker’</h2>ODI, created in 2018 under Barker’s inaugural vice chancellor role, has worked to promote “inclusive excellence” and uplift the “power of every person.”In 2021, Barker joined&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/30/retiring-unl-chancellor-reflects-on-seven-years-of-challenges-and-opportunities/">former UNL Chancellor Ronnie Green</a>&nbsp;in creating an anti-racism and racial equity plan, which&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/students-faculty-staff-detail-importance-of-unl-s-anti-racism-plan/article_71717a18-59d9-11ec-9baa-7fddd9376807.html">students and faculty rallied behind</a>&nbsp;in the face of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/regents-pillen-schafer-kenney-urge-quick-end-to-unl-s-anti-racism-journey/article_b4be4ad2-5482-11ec-ae37-23310f0a0152.html">political backlash</a>.​​“I used to always tell people like I’m going to graduate and I’m gonna lie about where I went to undergrad because of how terrible my experiences were here,” former UNL Student Regent Batool Ibrahim told The Daily Nebraskan at the time. “But now, I’m gonna be able to be like, ‘I was a Husker, and I was a proud Husker.’”ODI has a budget of just over $1.1 million, according to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraska.edu/-/media/projects/unca/offices-policies/business-and-finance-office/docs/budget-salary-information/2023-2024/2023-2024-budget-by-department_volume-1_unl.pdf">UNL’s 2023-24 operating budget</a>, while the adjacent Office of Academic Success and Intercultural Services has a budget of $581,455. Together, they have operating expenses of&nbsp;$253,504, according to a university spokesperson, which would be reduced by $172,689 under the proposal.The proposed cuts would reduce the combined budgets of ODI and OASIS by more than 46%, though how the cuts would be divided and whether the areas are impacted through any other proposals is unclear.My hope is that all Nebraskans are able to see just how important that is, again, not only for the university but also for the state to thrive, whether that’s socially or economically.– UNL Vice Chancellor for Diversity and Inclusion Marco BarkerJulia Schleck, vice chair of UNL’s Department of English and an associate professor of English, told the Examiner that once cuts are implemented, the work will fall back primarily on faculty of color on campus, who she says could be less inclined to stay.It could also lead to a more racially and ethnically homogenous state and campus, she added.“The end result of this is to push away everybody who might be contributing in their life experience and their critique and all the things that a diverse population brings to our campus,” Schleck said.<h2>DEI in the crosshairs</h2>UNL’s work around diversity, equity and inclusion has in the past drawn the ire of some state lawmakers in a national climate that has called into question DEI efforts, including in neighboring Iowa.NU has been in the crosshairs of the criticism, including:<ul>
 <li>Then-Regent and now-Gov. Jim Pillen unsuccessfully trying to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/nu-board-of-regents-vote-against-critical-race-theory-resolution/article_6fe06b6e-fc91-11eb-a105-0bf286e0dc74.html">ban the imposition of critical race theory</a>&nbsp;at NU.</li><li>State Sens. Steve Halloran and Steve Erdman calling for the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/state-senators-call-for-green-s-resignation-over-anti-racism-plan/article_79768cd6-5172-11ec-81f6-57f14d457abe.html">resignation</a>&nbsp;of former Chancellor Green over UNL’s&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.dailynebraskan.com/news/unl-announces-commitment-to-action-steps-for-anti-racism-racial-equity-journey/article_e9edc7d4-47b0-11ec-8a17-b323c7d06bab.html">anti-racism and racial equity plan</a>.</li><li>State Sen. Ben Hansen of Blair seeking to block&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://update.legislature.ne.gov/?p=31789">racial or sex scapegoating and stereotyping</a>&nbsp;in postsecondary institutions and public schools.</li><li>Charles Herbster’s campaign for governor in 2022 running ads using NU imagery, including an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.omahadailyrecord.com/content/u-nebraska-asks-governor-hopefuls-stop-using-images">official photo of Barker</a>, against Pillen as the two vied for the Republican nomination.</li>
 </ul>In other states, Florida lawmakers banned public colleges or universities from&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/2023/05/15/1176210007/florida-ron-desantis-dei-ban-diversity#:~:text=Florida%20Gov.-,Ron%20DeSantis%2C%20pictured%20here%20on%20April%2021%2C%202023%2C%20signed,initiatives%20in%20his%20state's%20universities.&amp;text=Alex%20Brandon%2FAP-,Florida%20Gov.,diversity%2C%20equity%20and%20inclusion%20programs.">spending money on DEI programs</a>&nbsp;this year, while Texas lawmakers&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.texastribune.org/2023/09/22/texas-universities-chancellors-diversity/">banned DEI offices</a>&nbsp;at public institutions, starting in 2024.&nbsp;Last week, Iowa’s Board of Regents voted to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/11/16/regents-approve-dei-study-group-recommendations-on-diversity-inclusion-programs/">eliminate DEI programming</a>&nbsp;unless necessary for accreditation or compliance.<h2>Bennett previously committed to DEI</h2>Bennett, who became UNL’s first chancellor of color July 1 with a&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-regents-to-vote-on-next-unl-chancellor-37-pay-bump/">salary boost of 37%</a>, about $200,000 more than his predecessor, committed to DEI efforts before taking the job.Bennett told attendees at an&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/06/unl-chancellor-candidate-addresses-diversity-equity-inclusion-at-tuesday-forum/">Office of Diversity and Inclusion forum</a>&nbsp;in June that he would always use the chancellor’s position to “move the needle forward” and would never sit silent and not speak up.“I’m on board with doing all that I can do as chancellor of the university to take forward the narrative and the message of, ‘This is something that we absolutely need to be committed to,’” Bennett said of DEI work.Bennett added that he believes educators have an obligation to put in front of students many scenarios where they may not be comfortable so they can become familiar with what they’ll face later in life.That same week, Bennett said he&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/06/05/unl-chancellor-candidate-previews-research-economic-development-vision-for-nebraska/">dealt with budget cuts</a>&nbsp;every year at the University of Southern Mississippi during his nearly 10 years as president. While he never saw increased university funding, Bennett said, USM still thrived.Barker told the Examiner that whatever the work is ultimately called, it’s important that UNL lives up to its&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://n2025.unl.edu/">N2025 Strategic Plan</a>&nbsp;that “every person and every interaction matters.”“My hope is that all Nebraskans are able to see just how important that is, again, not only for the university but also for the state to thrive, whether that’s socially or economically,” Barker said. “It’s going to depend on us being able to work together collectively.”