<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/24/gov-pillen-outlines-some-funding-levers-in-his-quest-to-lower-nebraska-property-taxes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

BEATRICE — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said Friday he hopes to trim state spending by at least $500 million in the next couple of years and capture more federal dollars for property tax relief.

Pillen made those commitments at the third of his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/03/pillens-property-tax-road-show-targets-possible-yes-votes/">property tax town halls</a>, echoing a previous plan for tax relief that failed to garner enough senators’ support this spring. The town halls are designed to drum up enough support so at least 33 lawmakers will support the governor during an expected special session for property tax relief.

“Some have said, ‘Well, you know we’ve been talking about property tax for 60 years and it’s the same old song,’” Pillen told the roughly three dozen people at the &nbsp;public library in Beatrice. “No, this song’s different.”

The Governor’s Office on Friday announced the second leg of Pillen’s property tax town halls for next Thursday and Friday:

When Pillen came into office, he said, he walked into a situation that “scared the bejesus” out of him, where the state’s revenue coffers were plentiful but agencies wanted to increase spending.&nbsp;

This set him on a path to reduce 40% in property taxes, or about $2 billion.

Lawmakers nearly took another major step in April, but State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, Revenue Committee chair,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/18/stunning-last-minute-defeat-for-pillen-tax-shift-bill-likely-ensures-special-session/">pulled</a>&nbsp;her&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=49980">Legislative Bill 388</a>&nbsp;after it appeared to have fewer than 33 senators in support. That’s the minimum number of votes required to end debate on heated measures.

“I’ve already told the Revenue Committee that we’re going to be working this summer,” she told the Nebraska Examiner&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/18/nebraska-lawmakers-adjourn-but-break-will-be-short-lived-as-special-session-looms-this-summer/">after that vote</a>.

The governor remained committed to calling for hard caps on local spending, at about 2% or 3%, and to front-load property tax credits, allowing taxpayers to capitalize immediately rather than applying later for credits based on how much income tax they pay.

To fund his ideas, Pillen wants to trim about $500 million in state funding in the next couple of years that he said would enhance but not reduce state services. The state contracted with a Utah-based firm seeking to find similar efficiencies.

“We’re just doing business practices of improving processes, streamlining, looking at things as a systems approach and making a difference,” Pillen told reporters.

Pillen is also looking at about&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revenue.nebraska.gov/about/information-guides/nebraska-sales-tax-exemptions">120 sales tax exemptions</a>&nbsp;that “pick winners and losers” and reviewing which should be eliminated, such as exemptions on pop and candy that were part of the latest tax package.

State Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth, who lives 10 miles east of Beatrice, gave his support for looking at sales tax exemptions, adding Nebraska leads nationwide in those carve-outs.

“The sky is not going to fall if we take this stuff,” Brandt said of the exemption on pop and candy.

Filling in for State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams, who represents Beatrice but had a prior obligation, Brandt attended the town hall and said he trusts that the “49 personalities in the Legislature” will find a common sense solution for a governor who is “on the right track.”

“I’m fully in support of whatever we come up with, and I appreciate that the governor is asking you for input,” Brandt said.

In part, Pillen wants to reduce state government spending to what it was around 2012, during a deflationary period, and “correct those sins” when lawmakers increased obligations.

Another funding suggestion is a philosophical change away from what Pillen said is “goober politics” where some lawmakers believe they must curry political favors for reelection.

“There’s some senators who think their job is to take money to their community — that’s not Nebraska,” Pillen said. “That’s a different vision, different view.”

Federal funding, increased tax obligations

The governor is also seeking to increase how many federal dollars the state draws down, building off some successes in the past two years, including State Sens. Mike Jacobson of North Platte for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/16/health-care-proposals-will-top-nebraska-lawmakers-spending-in-2024/">hospital assessments</a>; Anna Wishart of Lincoln for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics; and Dorn for nursing home assessments.

“Green light, pedal to the metal,” Pillen recalled telling his cabinet members on securing such funding this week. “No strings attached, but we have to get more than our fair share.”

“Sin taxes” might be increased, such as those on tobacco, vaping products or alcohol, as well as on agriculture inputs, Pillen said.

The governor also suggested a future plan could be the state taking on more,&nbsp;or all,&nbsp;of local obligations to fund K-12 education, similar to what happened with community colleges in 2023.

One man in the audience, who said he lives close to the Kansas border, said he’s worried Pillen’s 40% reduction to property taxes still wouldn’t be enough.

“Yeah, that helps, but it’s still not in the range of being competitive with our next-door neighbors,” the man said.

Pillen responded that he overall wants to decrease state taxes, noting that for surrounding states with no income or property taxes, they might have higher sales taxes as a tradeoff.

“Operation Clean the Closets Out” is also on the table, which Pillen described as outlining what unfunded mandates exist for county and city governments and undoing those. Pillen said approximately 22% of county government costs come from unfunded mandates.

“We have to get the unfunded mandates out, and same for cities,” Pillen said. “We have to say no. We have to clean up government.”

State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue, who ran against Pillen for governor two years ago, has tried for years to tackle unfunded and underfunded mandates, proposing a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50026">constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;that would let Nebraskans vote on ending future obligations unless they come with funding.

Blood said Friday that Pillen hasn’t reached out to her on the mandates. She said a list of them already exists because of previous legislative studies.&nbsp;

At a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/Transcripts/Government/2023-02-24.pdf">2023 hearing</a>, she pointed to many such mandates, including supervision and transportation of juvenile offenders, election ballot printing and autopsy or grand jury costs after a prisoner’s death.

“We know it’s a good idea, but nobody, nobody would listen to us,” Blood said.

She said the Legislature had a chance to act sooner but put good ideas “in the dumpster,” which is part of the reason she’s not willing to go into a special session.

“They say they want our ideas, but they don’t really,” Blood said. “I’m not going to have them shove something down my throat that I know is just going to make it harder for the middle class and people that are struggling financially.”

Special sessions cost thousands of dollars each day, which Blood said might be one reason to wait on proposals that might not be guaranteed to pass. Pillen dodged a question on special session costs, stating that “really good savings” could come from senators introducing fewer bills.

Asked why he thinks the town halls would change the spring outcome, Pillen told reporters he understands he faces a game of “33-17,” needing at least 33 votes but failing if 17 or more senators are opposed.

However, he said, he believes in the people of Nebraska and believes they must be part of a solution, which comes at the same time as an election year for some key senators who Pillen might need to support his tax proposals.

“If the citizens of Nebraska aren’t engaged with the members of the Unicameral, they can be rest assured special interest groups are, and they don’t have the citizens of Nebraska’s backs,” Pillen said.

Pillen said he expects to call a special session before school starts in August, scheduling around a summer trade mission to Indonesia.

“We will get it fixed, but we need your help,” Pillen told the Beatrice.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716904581882.jpeg" alt="Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen greets attendees at one of his property tax town halls Friday, May 24, 2024, in Beatrice. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen greets attendees at one of his property tax town halls Friday, May 24, 2024, in Beatrice. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/24/gov-pillen-outlines-some-funding-levers-in-his-quest-to-lower-nebraska-property-taxes/">Nebraska Examiner</a>BEATRICE — Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said Friday he hopes to trim state spending by at least $500 million in the next couple of years and capture more federal dollars for property tax relief.Pillen made those commitments at the third of his&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/05/03/pillens-property-tax-road-show-targets-possible-yes-votes/">property tax town halls</a>, echoing a previous plan for tax relief that failed to garner enough senators’ support this spring. The town halls are designed to drum up enough support so at least 33 lawmakers will support the governor during an expected special session for property tax relief.“Some have said, ‘Well, you know we’ve been talking about property tax for 60 years and it’s the same old song,’” Pillen told the roughly three dozen people at the &nbsp;public library in Beatrice. “No, this song’s different.”The Governor’s Office on Friday announced the second leg of Pillen’s property tax town halls for next Thursday and Friday:<ul>
 <li>May 30 at noon —&nbsp;SCC Learning Center, 537 Main St., Plattsmouth.</li><li>May 31 at 11:30 a.m. —&nbsp;Seward Memorial Library, 233 S. Fifth St., Seward.</li><li>May 31 at 2 p.m. —&nbsp;Holthus Convention Center, Room I, 3130 Holen Ave., York.</li>
 </ul><h2>Reduction goal: $2 billion</h2>When Pillen came into office, he said, he walked into a situation that “scared the bejesus” out of him, where the state’s revenue coffers were plentiful but agencies wanted to increase spending.&nbsp;This set him on a path to reduce 40% in property taxes, or about $2 billion.Lawmakers nearly took another major step in April, but State Sen. Lou Ann Linehan of Elkhorn, Revenue Committee chair,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/18/stunning-last-minute-defeat-for-pillen-tax-shift-bill-likely-ensures-special-session/">pulled</a>&nbsp;her&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=49980">Legislative Bill 388</a>&nbsp;after it appeared to have fewer than 33 senators in support. That’s the minimum number of votes required to end debate on heated measures.“I’ve already told the Revenue Committee that we’re going to be working this summer,” she told the Nebraska Examiner&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/18/nebraska-lawmakers-adjourn-but-break-will-be-short-lived-as-special-session-looms-this-summer/">after that vote</a>.The governor remained committed to calling for hard caps on local spending, at about 2% or 3%, and to front-load property tax credits, allowing taxpayers to capitalize immediately rather than applying later for credits based on how much income tax they pay.<h2>State spending and sales taxes</h2>To fund his ideas, Pillen wants to trim about $500 million in state funding in the next couple of years that he said would enhance but not reduce state services. The state contracted with a Utah-based firm seeking to find similar efficiencies.“We’re just doing business practices of improving processes, streamlining, looking at things as a systems approach and making a difference,” Pillen told reporters.Pillen is also looking at about&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://revenue.nebraska.gov/about/information-guides/nebraska-sales-tax-exemptions">120 sales tax exemptions</a>&nbsp;that “pick winners and losers” and reviewing which should be eliminated, such as exemptions on pop and candy that were part of the latest tax package.State Sen. Tom Brandt of Plymouth, who lives 10 miles east of Beatrice, gave his support for looking at sales tax exemptions, adding Nebraska leads nationwide in those carve-outs.“The sky is not going to fall if we take this stuff,” Brandt said of the exemption on pop and candy.Filling in for State Sen. Myron Dorn of Adams, who represents Beatrice but had a prior obligation, Brandt attended the town hall and said he trusts that the “49 personalities in the Legislature” will find a common sense solution for a governor who is “on the right track.”“I’m fully in support of whatever we come up with, and I appreciate that the governor is asking you for input,” Brandt said.In part, Pillen wants to reduce state government spending to what it was around 2012, during a deflationary period, and “correct those sins” when lawmakers increased obligations.Another funding suggestion is a philosophical change away from what Pillen said is “goober politics” where some lawmakers believe they must curry political favors for reelection.“There’s some senators who think their job is to take money to their community — that’s not Nebraska,” Pillen said. “That’s a different vision, different view.”<h2>Federal funding, increased tax obligations</h2>The governor is also seeking to increase how many federal dollars the state draws down, building off some successes in the past two years, including State Sens. Mike Jacobson of North Platte for&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2024/04/16/health-care-proposals-will-top-nebraska-lawmakers-spending-in-2024/">hospital assessments</a>; Anna Wishart of Lincoln for Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics; and Dorn for nursing home assessments.“Green light, pedal to the metal,” Pillen recalled telling his cabinet members on securing such funding this week. “No strings attached, but we have to get more than our fair share.”“Sin taxes” might be increased, such as those on tobacco, vaping products or alcohol, as well as on agriculture inputs, Pillen said.The governor also suggested a future plan could be the state taking on more,&nbsp;or all,&nbsp;of local obligations to fund K-12 education, similar to what happened with community colleges in 2023.One man in the audience, who said he lives close to the Kansas border, said he’s worried Pillen’s 40% reduction to property taxes still wouldn’t be enough.“Yeah, that helps, but it’s still not in the range of being competitive with our next-door neighbors,” the man said.Pillen responded that he overall wants to decrease state taxes, noting that for surrounding states with no income or property taxes, they might have higher sales taxes as a tradeoff.<h2>Unfunded and underfunded mandates</h2>“Operation Clean the Closets Out” is also on the table, which Pillen described as outlining what unfunded mandates exist for county and city governments and undoing those. Pillen said approximately 22% of county government costs come from unfunded mandates.“We have to get the unfunded mandates out, and same for cities,” Pillen said. “We have to say no. We have to clean up government.”State Sen. Carol Blood of Bellevue, who ran against Pillen for governor two years ago, has tried for years to tackle unfunded and underfunded mandates, proposing a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskalegislature.gov/bills/view_bill.php?DocumentID=50026">constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;that would let Nebraskans vote on ending future obligations unless they come with funding.Blood said Friday that Pillen hasn’t reached out to her on the mandates. She said a list of them already exists because of previous legislative studies.&nbsp;At a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/108/PDF/Transcripts/Government/2023-02-24.pdf">2023 hearing</a>, she pointed to many such mandates, including supervision and transportation of juvenile offenders, election ballot printing and autopsy or grand jury costs after a prisoner’s death.“We know it’s a good idea, but nobody, nobody would listen to us,” Blood said.She said the Legislature had a chance to act sooner but put good ideas “in the dumpster,” which is part of the reason she’s not willing to go into a special session.“They say they want our ideas, but they don’t really,” Blood said. “I’m not going to have them shove something down my throat that I know is just going to make it harder for the middle class and people that are struggling financially.”<h2>Summer special session goal</h2>Special sessions cost thousands of dollars each day, which Blood said might be one reason to wait on proposals that might not be guaranteed to pass. Pillen dodged a question on special session costs, stating that “really good savings” could come from senators introducing fewer bills.Asked why he thinks the town halls would change the spring outcome, Pillen told reporters he understands he faces a game of “33-17,” needing at least 33 votes but failing if 17 or more senators are opposed.However, he said, he believes in the people of Nebraska and believes they must be part of a solution, which comes at the same time as an election year for some key senators who Pillen might need to support his tax proposals.“If the citizens of Nebraska aren’t engaged with the members of the Unicameral, they can be rest assured special interest groups are, and they don’t have the citizens of Nebraska’s backs,” Pillen said.Pillen said he expects to call a special session before school starts in August, scheduling around a summer trade mission to Indonesia.“We will get it fixed, but we need your help,” Pillen told the Beatrice.

Gov. Pillen outlines some funding levers in his quest to lower Nebraska property taxes

Drug Enforcement Administration - Omaha Division

<a>OMAHA, NE&nbsp;</a>–&nbsp;Overdose trends in Omaha have dropped nearly 40 percent since the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division Overdose Response Task Force (ODRTF) began making arrests in January 2023. For their efforts,&nbsp;the eight-person team&nbsp;was presented with the Midwest Region High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Overdose Reduction Award.

Since its inception, ODRTF investigations have led to 41 arrests for drug trafficking, including 19 federal charges for distribution resulting in death or serious bodily injury. These investigations resulted in the closure of more than 17 death investigations, several of which occurred years earlier. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska played a pivotal role in the success of the task force.

“We will leverage any tool necessary to spare families from suffering the devastating loss of life to a drug poisoning or overdose,” DEA Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Steven T. Bell said. “This task force has proven that the combined efforts of state, local and federal partners can make immediate and impactful results in our communities.”

<a>Omaha, like many other cities across the nation, faced a spiraling overdose trend, with Omaha Police Department (OPD) officers getting called to roughly five overdoses a week in the three years leading up to September 2022. Conversations began between DEA and OPD in September to form a task force assigned specifically to overdose investigations. Within weeks, an Omaha Overdose Response Task Force was formed combining investigators from the DEA, OPD, Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO).</a>

"Receiving national recognition from HIDTA is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the Overdose Response Task Force,” OPD Chief Todd Schmaderer said. “The collaborative efforts within the Omaha Metro Area have been crucial in addressing and mitigating the impact of the opioid crisis. This acknowledgment highlights the importance of our ongoing commitment to innovative strategies and partnerships aimed at saving lives and enhancing community safety."

<a></a><a>Since January 2023, the ODRTF has seized approximately 345 fake fentanyl pills and more than 1,000 grams of fentanyl powder. While these seizures may seem small, they combine for nearly 98,000 deadly doses seized in Omaha alone.</a>

Drug Enforcement Administration - Omaha Division<a>OMAHA, NE&nbsp;</a>–&nbsp;Overdose trends in Omaha have dropped nearly 40 percent since the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) Omaha Division Overdose Response Task Force (ODRTF) began making arrests in January 2023. For their efforts,&nbsp;the eight-person team&nbsp;was presented with the Midwest Region High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area (HIDTA) Overdose Reduction Award.Since its inception, ODRTF investigations have led to 41 arrests for drug trafficking, including 19 federal charges for distribution resulting in death or serious bodily injury. These investigations resulted in the closure of more than 17 death investigations, several of which occurred years earlier. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Nebraska played a pivotal role in the success of the task force.“We will leverage any tool necessary to spare families from suffering the devastating loss of life to a drug poisoning or overdose,” DEA Omaha Division Special Agent in Charge Steven T. Bell said. “This task force has proven that the combined efforts of state, local and federal partners can make immediate and impactful results in our communities.”<a>Omaha, like many other cities across the nation, faced a spiraling overdose trend, with Omaha Police Department (OPD) officers getting called to roughly five overdoses a week in the three years leading up to September 2022. Conversations began between DEA and OPD in September to form a task force assigned specifically to overdose investigations. Within weeks, an Omaha Overdose Response Task Force was formed combining investigators from the DEA, OPD, Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO).</a>"Receiving national recognition from HIDTA is a testament to the dedication and hard work of the Overdose Response Task Force,” OPD Chief Todd Schmaderer said. “The collaborative efforts within the Omaha Metro Area have been crucial in addressing and mitigating the impact of the opioid crisis. This acknowledgment highlights the importance of our ongoing commitment to innovative strategies and partnerships aimed at saving lives and enhancing community safety."<a></a><a>Since January 2023, the ODRTF has seized approximately 345 fake fentanyl pills and more than 1,000 grams of fentanyl powder. While these seizures may seem small, they combine for nearly 98,000 deadly doses seized in Omaha alone.</a>

Overdoses Drop Nearly 40 Percent Since Formation of Omaha Task Force

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s campaign on Tuesday showed up outside former President Donald Trump’s New York City&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-jury-hush-money-stormy-daniels-e262d1fe4a9ca624f2f983ca1000eb55">criminal hush money trial</a>&nbsp;with actor Robert De Niro and a pair of former police officers in an effort to refocus the presidential race on the former president’s role in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol insurrection</a>.

It was a sharp about-face for Biden’s team, which had largely ignored the trial since it began six weeks ago and is now looking to capitalize on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-stormy-daniels-cohen-a1984e2353de3df5d0520e4f0705f7f8">its drama-filled closing moments</a>, sending the “Goodfellas” actor and the first responders who were at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Biden’s campaign had been wary about feeding into Trump’s argument that his criminal trials were the result of politically motivated prosecutions, but ultimately it decided to engage because its message about the stakes of the election was struggling to break through the intense focus on the trial.

A top Biden adviser said they weren’t there to talk about the trial — and De Niro and the officers didn’t reference the sordid criminal case directly — rather to exploit the large media focus on the legal proceedings. But Trump advisers argued in a dueling press conference that the Biden team’s presence validated the Republican former president’s claims that his prosecutions are being driven by politics.

“We’re not here today because of what’s going on over there,” Biden campaign communication director Michael Tyler told reporters, gesturing toward the courthouse. “We’re here today because you all are here.”

The back-to-back press conferences were a side show to the main event playing out inside the courthouse, where closing arguments were under way in the only Trump trial likely to surface before the November election. There are two others directly related to the Republican’s efforts to undo his 2020 loss to Biden, a Democrat: A federal case in Washington is related to his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, and a state case in Georgia accuses him of election interference. He has pleaded not guilty in those cases.

The Biden campaign last week released a new ad that was narrated by De Niro sharply criticizing Trump’s presidency and plans if he’s reelected.

“I don’t mean to scare you. No, wait, maybe I do mean to scare you,” De Niro told reporters. “If Trump returns to the White House, you can kiss these freedoms goodbye that we all take for granted.”

The actor cast himself as the true New Yorker and mocked Trump’s history of sometimes-unsuccessful business ventures and self-promotion, saying Trump was looking to “destroy” the city.

“We New Yorkers used to tolerate him when he was just another crappy real estate hustler masquerading as a big shot,” De Niro said. “I love this city. I don’t want to destroy it. Donald Trump wants to destroy not only the city but the country, and, eventually, he could destroy the world.”

Former Washington, D.C., police officer Michael Fanone and former Capitol police officer Harry Dunn spoke of their personal experiences on Jan. 6, with Fanone describing his injuries suffered at the hands of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the mob of Trump supporters</a>&nbsp;seeking to halt Congress’ certification of Biden’s 2020 presidential victory.

“I came here today to remind Americans of what Donald Trump is capable of and the violence that he unleashed on all of Americans on Jan. 6, 2021,” Fanone said.

The two former officers were also witnesses during a congressional investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Hundreds of law enforcement officers were beaten and bloodied in the attack by Trump supporters, who descended after a rally and smashed into the Capitol while Trump remained silent for hours.

“Americans need to wake up. This is not a drill,” said Harry Dunn, a former Capitol police officer who ran unsuccessfully for office in Maryland.

“We can’t count on these institutions to stop Donald Trump,” he added. “It’s going to take us Americans at the ballot box to defeat him once and for all.”

Trump’s campaign staffers held their own news conference at the same spot outside the courthouse to respond to De Niro, the Jan. 6 officers and the Biden campaign.

Trump’s senior campaign adviser, Jason Miller, called De Niro — who won Oscars for his roles in “The Godfather: Part II” and “Raging Bull” — “a washed-up actor” and said the Biden news conference proved Trump’s arguments that the trial, like the others the former president is facing, was motivated by politics.

“After months of saying politics had nothing to do with this trial, they showed up and made a campaign event out of a lower Manhattan trial day for President Trump,” Miller said.

Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s press secretary, called the Biden campaign “desperate and failing” and “pathetic” and said its event outside the trial was “a full-blown concession that this trial is a witch hunt that comes from the top.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s campaign on Tuesday showed up outside former President Donald Trump’s New York City&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-jury-hush-money-stormy-daniels-e262d1fe4a9ca624f2f983ca1000eb55">criminal hush money trial</a>&nbsp;with actor Robert De Niro and a pair of former police officers in an effort to refocus the presidential race on the former president’s role in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol insurrection</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Actor Robert De Niro in New York City: &quot;I love this city. I don&#39;t want to destroy it. Donald Trump wants to destroy not only the city, but the country and eventually he could destroy the world.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/FxiEdPeKHI">pic.twitter.com/FxiEdPeKHI</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1795479989799854330?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It was a sharp about-face for Biden’s team, which had largely ignored the trial since it began six weeks ago and is now looking to capitalize on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-hush-money-stormy-daniels-cohen-a1984e2353de3df5d0520e4f0705f7f8">its drama-filled closing moments</a>, sending the “Goodfellas” actor and the first responders who were at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Biden’s campaign had been wary about feeding into Trump’s argument that his criminal trials were the result of politically motivated prosecutions, but ultimately it decided to engage because its message about the stakes of the election was struggling to break through the intense focus on the trial.A top Biden adviser said they weren’t there to talk about the trial — and De Niro and the officers didn’t reference the sordid criminal case directly — rather to exploit the large media focus on the legal proceedings. But Trump advisers argued in a dueling press conference that the Biden team’s presence validated the Republican former president’s claims that his prosecutions are being driven by politics.“We’re not here today because of what’s going on over there,” Biden campaign communication director Michael Tyler told reporters, gesturing toward the courthouse. “We’re here today because you all are here.”The back-to-back press conferences were a side show to the main event playing out inside the courthouse, where closing arguments were under way in the only Trump trial likely to surface before the November election. There are two others directly related to the Republican’s efforts to undo his 2020 loss to Biden, a Democrat: A federal case in Washington is related to his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, and a state case in Georgia accuses him of election interference. He has pleaded not guilty in those cases.The Biden campaign last week released a new ad that was narrated by De Niro sharply criticizing Trump’s presidency and plans if he’s reelected.“I don’t mean to scare you. No, wait, maybe I do mean to scare you,” De Niro told reporters. “If Trump returns to the White House, you can kiss these freedoms goodbye that we all take for granted.”The actor cast himself as the true New Yorker and mocked Trump’s history of sometimes-unsuccessful business ventures and self-promotion, saying Trump was looking to “destroy” the city.“We New Yorkers used to tolerate him when he was just another crappy real estate hustler masquerading as a big shot,” De Niro said. “I love this city. I don’t want to destroy it. Donald Trump wants to destroy not only the city but the country, and, eventually, he could destroy the world.”Former Washington, D.C., police officer Michael Fanone and former Capitol police officer Harry Dunn spoke of their personal experiences on Jan. 6, with Fanone describing his injuries suffered at the hands of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the mob of Trump supporters</a>&nbsp;seeking to halt Congress’ certification of Biden’s 2020 presidential victory.“I came here today to remind Americans of what Donald Trump is capable of and the violence that he unleashed on all of Americans on Jan. 6, 2021,” Fanone said.The two former officers were also witnesses during a congressional investigation of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot. Hundreds of law enforcement officers were beaten and bloodied in the attack by Trump supporters, who descended after a rally and smashed into the Capitol while Trump remained silent for hours.“Americans need to wake up. This is not a drill,” said Harry Dunn, a former Capitol police officer who ran unsuccessfully for office in Maryland.“We can’t count on these institutions to stop Donald Trump,” he added. “It’s going to take us Americans at the ballot box to defeat him once and for all.”Trump’s campaign staffers held their own news conference at the same spot outside the courthouse to respond to De Niro, the Jan. 6 officers and the Biden campaign.Trump’s senior campaign adviser, Jason Miller, called De Niro — who won Oscars for his roles in “The Godfather: Part II” and “Raging Bull” — “a washed-up actor” and said the Biden news conference proved Trump’s arguments that the trial, like the others the former president is facing, was motivated by politics.“After months of saying politics had nothing to do with this trial, they showed up and made a campaign event out of a lower Manhattan trial day for President Trump,” Miller said.Karoline Leavitt, the Trump campaign’s press secretary, called the Biden campaign “desperate and failing” and “pathetic” and said its event outside the trial was “a full-blown concession that this trial is a witch hunt that comes from the top.”

 🎥Biden campaign sends Robert De Niro to Trump's trial

LINCOLN, Neb. (May 28, 2024)&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen is declaring May 29, 2024, as National 529 Day in Nebraska. This proclamation calls attention to the opportunity families have to start investing in their&nbsp;loved ones’&nbsp;futures, helping Nebraska’s next generation&nbsp;soar&nbsp;toward their personal and career goals.

“The future of our great state and country is with our youth,” said Governor Pillen. “NEST 529 Education Savings Plans are proven to help these students reach their dreams, so I’m proud to declare May 29, 2024, as National 529 Day in Nebraska.”

Post-secondary education costs like tuition and books continue to rise at, and above, the rate of inflation, making it imperative for families to start saving earlier and more consistently. Once students are ready to pursue higher education,&nbsp;529 funds can be used toward technical and trade schools, junior colleges, or universities.

“National 529 Day is one of the many great ways we can highlight the importance of investing in our children,” Nebraska Treasurer Tom Briese said. “We appreciate Governor Pillen’s support and hope parents and guardians throughout the state will evaluate the opportunity to save money and help their loved ones soar.”

Launched in 2001, Nebraska’s 529 Education Savings Plans have nearly 300,000 accounts with more than $6.9 billion in assets, as of March 31, 2024. Today, there are more than 100,000 NEST 529 accounts owned by Nebraska residents.

A&nbsp;NEST 529&nbsp;plan is a&nbsp;tax-advantaged savings account for higher education expenses.&nbsp;Tax-advantaged savings include a Nebraska state tax deduction, tax-deferred growth, and tax-free qualified withdrawals.1&nbsp;Account Owners in Nebraska are eligible for an annual state income tax deduction of up to $10,000 for NEST 529 contributions or $5,000 if married filing separately.2&nbsp;NEST 529 College Savings Plans can be used for everything from four-year universities to two-year technical schools. Opening a NEST 529 account doesn’t require a minimum deposit to get started, and contributions can be managed online. NEST 529 plans give families the ability to start investing in their loved one’s future, so they can soar to their goals and become who they want to be as adults.

The Nebraska State Treasurer serves as the Program Trustee. All investments, including the portfolio structure offered through the NEST 529 program, are vetted and approved by the Nebraska Investment Council.

Nebraska State Treasurer OfficeLINCOLN, Neb. (May 28, 2024)&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen is declaring May 29, 2024, as National 529 Day in Nebraska. This proclamation calls attention to the opportunity families have to start investing in their&nbsp;loved ones’&nbsp;futures, helping Nebraska’s next generation&nbsp;soar&nbsp;toward their personal and career goals.“The future of our great state and country is with our youth,” said Governor Pillen. “NEST 529 Education Savings Plans are proven to help these students reach their dreams, so I’m proud to declare May 29, 2024, as National 529 Day in Nebraska.”Post-secondary education costs like tuition and books continue to rise at, and above, the rate of inflation, making it imperative for families to start saving earlier and more consistently. Once students are ready to pursue higher education,&nbsp;529 funds can be used toward technical and trade schools, junior colleges, or universities.“National 529 Day is one of the many great ways we can highlight the importance of investing in our children,” Nebraska Treasurer Tom Briese said. “We appreciate Governor Pillen’s support and hope parents and guardians throughout the state will evaluate the opportunity to save money and help their loved ones soar.”Launched in 2001, Nebraska’s 529 Education Savings Plans have nearly 300,000 accounts with more than $6.9 billion in assets, as of March 31, 2024. Today, there are more than 100,000 NEST 529 accounts owned by Nebraska residents.About NEST 529 PlansA&nbsp;NEST 529&nbsp;plan is a&nbsp;tax-advantaged savings account for higher education expenses.&nbsp;Tax-advantaged savings include a Nebraska state tax deduction, tax-deferred growth, and tax-free qualified withdrawals.1&nbsp;Account Owners in Nebraska are eligible for an annual state income tax deduction of up to $10,000 for NEST 529 contributions or $5,000 if married filing separately.2&nbsp;NEST 529 College Savings Plans can be used for everything from four-year universities to two-year technical schools. Opening a NEST 529 account doesn’t require a minimum deposit to get started, and contributions can be managed online. NEST 529 plans give families the ability to start investing in their loved one’s future, so they can soar to their goals and become who they want to be as adults.The Nebraska State Treasurer serves as the Program Trustee. All investments, including the portfolio structure offered through the NEST 529 program, are vetted and approved by the Nebraska Investment Council.

Nebraska Governor Pillen Declares National 529 Day

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis apologized Tuesday after he was quoted using a vulgar and derogatory term about gay men to reaffirm the Catholic Church’s ban on gay priests.

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni issued a statement acknowledging the media storm that erupted about Francis’ comments, which were delivered behind closed doors to Italian bishops on May 20.

Italian media on Monday had quoted unnamed Italian bishops in reporting that Francis jokingly used the term “faggotness” while speaking in Italian during the encounter. He had used the term in reaffirming the Vatican’s ban on allowing gay men to enter seminaries and be ordained priests.

Bruni said Francis was aware of the reports and recalled that the Argentine pope, who has made outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics a hallmark of his papacy, has long insisted there was “room for everyone” in the Catholic Church.

“The pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he extends his apologies to those who were offended by the use of a term that was reported by others,” Bruni said.

With the statement, Bruni carefully avoided an outright confirmation that the pope had indeed used the term, in keeping with the Vatican's tradition of not revealing what the pope says behind closed doors. But Bruni also didn't deny that Francis had used the term and acknowledged that some people had been offended by it.

Francis was addressing an assembly of the Italian bishops conference, which recently approved a new document outlining training for Italian seminarians. The document, which hasn’t been published pending review by the Holy See, reportedly sought to open some wiggle room in the Vatican’s absolute ban on gay priests by introducing the issue of celibacy as the primary requirement for priests, gay or straight.

The Vatican ban was articulated in a 2005 document from the Congregation for Catholic Education, and later repeated in a subsequent document in 2016, which said the church cannot admit to seminaries or ordain men who “practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called gay culture.”

The position has long been criticized as homophobic and hypocritical for an institution that certainly counts gay priests in its ranks. The late psychotherapist Richard Sipe, a onetime Benedictine monk who taught in U.S. seminaries, estimated in the early 2000s that as many as 30% of the U.S. clergy was homosexually oriented.

The late Rev. Donald Cozzens, a seminary rector, said the percentage was even higher, and asserted in his book “The Changing Face of The Priesthood” that the U.S. priesthood was increasingly becoming a gay profession since so many heterosexual men had left the priesthood to marry and have families.

Priests in the Latin rite Catholic Church cannot marry, while those in eastern rite churches may.

Francis strongly reaffirmed the Vatican ban on gay priests in his May 20 meeting with the Italian bishops, joking that “there is already an air of faggotness” in seminaries, the Italian media reported, after initial reporting from gossip site Dagospia.

Italian is not Francis’ mother tongue language, and the Argentine pope has made linguistic gaffes in the past that raised eyebrows. The 87-year-old Argentine pope often speaks informally, jokes using slang and even curses in private.

He has been known for his outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics, however, starting from his famous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-7b465b60945f40deb3a68b3de742f84a">“Who am I to judge</a>&nbsp;” comment in 2013 about a priest who purportedly had a gay lover in his past. He has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-transgender-lgbtq-b3d67868504ba701cce09da9ecc94de0">ministered to transgender Catholics</a>, allowed priests to bless same-sex couples and called for an end to anti-gay legislation, saying in a 2023 interview with The Associated Press that “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">Being homosexual is not a crime.</a>&nbsp;”

However, he has occasionally offended LGBTQ+ people and their advocates, including in that same interview where he implied that while homosexuality wasn't a crime, it was a sin. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-lgbtq-people-religion-marriage-862075728690d103bd99bbe8e1e65aba">later clarified</a>&nbsp;that he was referring to sexual activity, and that any sex outside marriage between a man and a woman was sinful in the eyes of the church.

And most recently, he signed off on a Vatican document asserting that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-gender-surrogacy-abortion-pope-3f84d8eb97f045b0cfb0ec1efa4e614e">gender-affirming surgery was a grave violation of human dignity.</a>

New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics, welcomed Francis' apology Tuesday and said it confirmed that the "use of the slur was a careless colloquialism." But the group's director Francis DeBernardo questioned the underlying content of the pope's comments and the overall ban on gays in the priesthood.

“Without a clarification, his words will be interpreted as a blanket ban on accepting any gay man to a seminary,” DeBernardo said in a release, asking for a clearer statement on Francis' views about gay priests “so many of whom faithfully serve the people of God each day.”

Francis strongly reaffirmed that position in his May 20 meeting with the Italian bishops, joking that “there is already an air of faggotness” in seminaries, the Italian media reported, after initial reporting from gossip site Dagospia.

He has been known for his outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics, however, starting from his famous “Who am I to judge” comment in 2013 about a priest who purportedly had a gay lover in his past.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615845367722.png" alt="Italian media on Monday had quoted unnamed Italian bishops in reporting that Francis jokingly used the term “faggotness” while speaking in Italian during the encounter.-File photo CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Italian media on Monday had quoted unnamed Italian bishops in reporting that Francis jokingly used the term “faggotness” while speaking in Italian during the encounter.-File photo CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis apologized Tuesday after he was quoted using a vulgar and derogatory term about gay men to reaffirm the Catholic Church’s ban on gay priests.Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni issued a statement acknowledging the media storm that erupted about Francis’ comments, which were delivered behind closed doors to Italian bishops on May 20.Italian media on Monday had quoted unnamed Italian bishops in reporting that Francis jokingly used the term “faggotness” while speaking in Italian during the encounter. He had used the term in reaffirming the Vatican’s ban on allowing gay men to enter seminaries and be ordained priests.Bruni said Francis was aware of the reports and recalled that the Argentine pope, who has made outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics a hallmark of his papacy, has long insisted there was “room for everyone” in the Catholic Church.“The pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he extends his apologies to those who were offended by the use of a term that was reported by others,” Bruni said.With the statement, Bruni carefully avoided an outright confirmation that the pope had indeed used the term, in keeping with the Vatican's tradition of not revealing what the pope says behind closed doors. But Bruni also didn't deny that Francis had used the term and acknowledged that some people had been offended by it.Francis was addressing an assembly of the Italian bishops conference, which recently approved a new document outlining training for Italian seminarians. The document, which hasn’t been published pending review by the Holy See, reportedly sought to open some wiggle room in the Vatican’s absolute ban on gay priests by introducing the issue of celibacy as the primary requirement for priests, gay or straight.The Vatican ban was articulated in a 2005 document from the Congregation for Catholic Education, and later repeated in a subsequent document in 2016, which said the church cannot admit to seminaries or ordain men who “practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called gay culture.”The position has long been criticized as homophobic and hypocritical for an institution that certainly counts gay priests in its ranks. The late psychotherapist Richard Sipe, a onetime Benedictine monk who taught in U.S. seminaries, estimated in the early 2000s that as many as 30% of the U.S. clergy was homosexually oriented.The late Rev. Donald Cozzens, a seminary rector, said the percentage was even higher, and asserted in his book “The Changing Face of The Priesthood” that the U.S. priesthood was increasingly becoming a gay profession since so many heterosexual men had left the priesthood to marry and have families.Priests in the Latin rite Catholic Church cannot marry, while those in eastern rite churches may.Francis strongly reaffirmed the Vatican ban on gay priests in his May 20 meeting with the Italian bishops, joking that “there is already an air of faggotness” in seminaries, the Italian media reported, after initial reporting from gossip site Dagospia.Italian is not Francis’ mother tongue language, and the Argentine pope has made linguistic gaffes in the past that raised eyebrows. The 87-year-old Argentine pope often speaks informally, jokes using slang and even curses in private.He has been known for his outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics, however, starting from his famous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-7b465b60945f40deb3a68b3de742f84a">“Who am I to judge</a>&nbsp;” comment in 2013 about a priest who purportedly had a gay lover in his past. He has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-transgender-lgbtq-b3d67868504ba701cce09da9ecc94de0">ministered to transgender Catholics</a>, allowed priests to bless same-sex couples and called for an end to anti-gay legislation, saying in a 2023 interview with The Associated Press that “&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-gay-rights-ap-interview-1359756ae22f27f87c1d4d6b9c8ce212">Being homosexual is not a crime.</a>&nbsp;”However, he has occasionally offended LGBTQ+ people and their advocates, including in that same interview where he implied that while homosexuality wasn't a crime, it was a sin. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-lgbtq-people-religion-marriage-862075728690d103bd99bbe8e1e65aba">later clarified</a>&nbsp;that he was referring to sexual activity, and that any sex outside marriage between a man and a woman was sinful in the eyes of the church.And most recently, he signed off on a Vatican document asserting that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-gender-surrogacy-abortion-pope-3f84d8eb97f045b0cfb0ec1efa4e614e">gender-affirming surgery was a grave violation of human dignity.</a>New Ways Ministry, which advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics, welcomed Francis' apology Tuesday and said it confirmed that the "use of the slur was a careless colloquialism." But the group's director Francis DeBernardo questioned the underlying content of the pope's comments and the overall ban on gays in the priesthood.“Without a clarification, his words will be interpreted as a blanket ban on accepting any gay man to a seminary,” DeBernardo said in a release, asking for a clearer statement on Francis' views about gay priests “so many of whom faithfully serve the people of God each day.”The Vatican ban was articulated in a 2005 document from the Congregation for Catholic Education, and later repeated in a subsequent document in 2016, which said the church cannot admit to seminaries or ordain men who “practice homosexuality, present deep-seated homosexual tendencies or support the so-called gay culture.”Francis strongly reaffirmed that position in his May 20 meeting with the Italian bishops, joking that “there is already an air of faggotness” in seminaries, the Italian media reported, after initial reporting from gossip site Dagospia.Italian is not Francis’ mother tongue language, and the Argentine pope has made linguistic gaffes in the past that raised eyebrows. The 87-year-old Argentine pope often speaks informally, jokes using slang and even curses in private.He has been known for his outreach to LGBTQ+ Catholics, however, starting from his famous “Who am I to judge” comment in 2013 about a priest who purportedly had a gay lover in his past.

Pope Francis apologizes after quoted using homophobic slur

OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (AP) — Generations of American families have grown up not knowing exactly what happened to their loved ones who died while serving their country in World War II and other conflicts.

But a federal lab tucked away above the bowling alley at Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha and a sister lab in Hawaii are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f18def51817489a80ec461a84299604">steadily answering those lingering questions</a>, aiming to offer 200 families per year the chance to honor their relatives with a proper burial.

“They may not even have been alive when that service member was alive, but that story gets carried down through the generations," said Carrie Brown, a Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lab manager at Offutt. "They may have seen on the mantle a picture of that person when they were little and not really understood or known who they were.”

Memorial Day and the upcoming 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6 are reminders of the urgency of Brown's work. The forensic anthropologists, medical examiners and historians who work together to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medal-of-honor-remains-identified-korea-d27e7c4be23a29e48a63652a29b19202">identify lost soldiers</a>&nbsp;are in a race against time as remains buried on battlefields around the globe deteriorate.

But advances in DNA technology, combined with innovative techniques including comparing bones to chest X-rays taken by the military, mean the labs can identify more of the missing soldiers every year. Some 72,000 World War II soldiers remain unaccounted for, along with roughly 10,000 more from all the conflicts since. The experts believe about half of those are recoverable.

The agency identified 59 servicemembers in 2013, when the Offutt lab first opened. That number has steadily risen — 159 service members last year, up from 134 in 2022 — and the labs have a goal of 200 identifications annually.

The labs' work allowed Donna Kennedy to bury her cousin, Cpl. Charles Ray Patten, with full military honors this month in the same Lawson, Missouri, cemetery where his father and grandfather are buried. Patten died 74 years ago during the Korean War, but spent decades buried as an unknown in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.

“I just I ached. I mean, it hurt. You know, I just felt so bad. Even though I didn’t know him, I loved him,” Kennedy said.

Patten's funeral was a simple affair with just a few family members. But often when veterans who fought decades earlier are identified, people waving flags and holding signs line the streets of their hometowns to herald the return of their remains.

“This work is important first and foremost because these are individuals that gave their lives to protect our freedom, and they paid the ultimate sacrifice. So we’re here holding that promise that we’ll return them home to their families,” Brown said.

"It’s important for their families to show them that we’ll never stop, no matter what,” she said.

Often there are compelling details, Brown said.

One of her first cases involved the intact remains of a World War I Marine found in a forest in France with his wallet still in his pocket. The wallet, initialed G.H., contained a New York Times article describing plans for the offensive in which he ultimately died. He also had an infantryman badge with his name and the year he received it on the back.

Before leaving France with the remains, the team visited a local cemetery where other soldiers were buried and learned there were only two missing soldiers with the initials G.H.

Brown had a fair idea who that soldier was before his remains even arrived in the lab. That veteran was buried in Arlington National Cemetery and Brown often visits his grave when she is in Washington D.C.

The experts who work at the lab must piece together identities by looking at historical records about where the remains were found and which soldiers were in the area. They then consult the list of possible names and use the bones, objects found with them, military medical records and DNA to confirm their identities. They focus on battles and plane crashes where they have the greatest chance of success because of available information.

But their work can be complicated if soldiers were buried in a temporary cemetery and moved when a unit was forced to retreat. And unidentified soldiers were often buried together.

When remains are brought to the lab, they sometimes include an extra bone. Experts then spend months or even years matching the bones and waiting for DNA and other test results to confirm their identities.

One test even can identify if the soldier grew up primarily eating rice or a corn-based diet.

The lab also compares specific traits of collar bones to the chest X-rays the military routinely took of soldiers before they were deployed. It helps that the military keeps extensive records of all soldiers.

Those clues help the experts put together the puzzle of someone's identity.

“It’s not always easy. It’s certainly not instantaneous,” Brown said. “Some of the cases, we really have to fight to get to that spot, because some of them have been gone for 80 years.”

Associated PressOFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. (AP) — Generations of American families have grown up not knowing exactly what happened to their loved ones who died while serving their country in World War II and other conflicts.But a federal lab tucked away above the bowling alley at Offutt Air Force Base near Omaha and a sister lab in Hawaii are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f18def51817489a80ec461a84299604">steadily answering those lingering questions</a>, aiming to offer 200 families per year the chance to honor their relatives with a proper burial.“They may not even have been alive when that service member was alive, but that story gets carried down through the generations," said Carrie Brown, a Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency lab manager at Offutt. "They may have seen on the mantle a picture of that person when they were little and not really understood or known who they were.”Memorial Day and the upcoming 80th anniversary of D-Day on June 6 are reminders of the urgency of Brown's work. The forensic anthropologists, medical examiners and historians who work together to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medal-of-honor-remains-identified-korea-d27e7c4be23a29e48a63652a29b19202">identify lost soldiers</a>&nbsp;are in a race against time as remains buried on battlefields around the globe deteriorate.But advances in DNA technology, combined with innovative techniques including comparing bones to chest X-rays taken by the military, mean the labs can identify more of the missing soldiers every year. Some 72,000 World War II soldiers remain unaccounted for, along with roughly 10,000 more from all the conflicts since. The experts believe about half of those are recoverable.The agency identified 59 servicemembers in 2013, when the Offutt lab first opened. That number has steadily risen — 159 service members last year, up from 134 in 2022 — and the labs have a goal of 200 identifications annually.The labs' work allowed Donna Kennedy to bury her cousin, Cpl. Charles Ray Patten, with full military honors this month in the same Lawson, Missouri, cemetery where his father and grandfather are buried. Patten died 74 years ago during the Korean War, but spent decades buried as an unknown in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.“I just I ached. I mean, it hurt. You know, I just felt so bad. Even though I didn’t know him, I loved him,” Kennedy said.Patten's funeral was a simple affair with just a few family members. But often when veterans who fought decades earlier are identified, people waving flags and holding signs line the streets of their hometowns to herald the return of their remains.“This work is important first and foremost because these are individuals that gave their lives to protect our freedom, and they paid the ultimate sacrifice. So we’re here holding that promise that we’ll return them home to their families,” Brown said."It’s important for their families to show them that we’ll never stop, no matter what,” she said.Often there are compelling details, Brown said.One of her first cases involved the intact remains of a World War I Marine found in a forest in France with his wallet still in his pocket. The wallet, initialed G.H., contained a New York Times article describing plans for the offensive in which he ultimately died. He also had an infantryman badge with his name and the year he received it on the back.Before leaving France with the remains, the team visited a local cemetery where other soldiers were buried and learned there were only two missing soldiers with the initials G.H.Brown had a fair idea who that soldier was before his remains even arrived in the lab. That veteran was buried in Arlington National Cemetery and Brown often visits his grave when she is in Washington D.C.Most cases aren’t that easy.The experts who work at the lab must piece together identities by looking at historical records about where the remains were found and which soldiers were in the area. They then consult the list of possible names and use the bones, objects found with them, military medical records and DNA to confirm their identities. They focus on battles and plane crashes where they have the greatest chance of success because of available information.But their work can be complicated if soldiers were buried in a temporary cemetery and moved when a unit was forced to retreat. And unidentified soldiers were often buried together.When remains are brought to the lab, they sometimes include an extra bone. Experts then spend months or even years matching the bones and waiting for DNA and other test results to confirm their identities.One test even can identify if the soldier grew up primarily eating rice or a corn-based diet.The lab also compares specific traits of collar bones to the chest X-rays the military routinely took of soldiers before they were deployed. It helps that the military keeps extensive records of all soldiers.Those clues help the experts put together the puzzle of someone's identity.“It’s not always easy. It’s certainly not instantaneous,” Brown said. “Some of the cases, we really have to fight to get to that spot, because some of them have been gone for 80 years.”

Military labs do the detective work to identify soldiers decades after they died in World War II

WASHINGTON (AP) —When Balu Natarajan became the first Indian American champion of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 1985, a headline on an Associated Press article read, “Immigrants’ son wins National Spelling Bee,” with the first paragraph noting the champion “speaks his parents’ native Indian language at home.”

Those details would hardly be newsworthy today after a quarter-century of Indian American spelling champs, most of them the offspring of parents who arrived in the United States on student or work visas.

<a href="https://www.spellingbee.com/meet-the-spellers">This year's bee</a>&nbsp;is scheduled to begin Tuesday at a convention center outside Washington and, as usual, many of the expected contenders are Indian American, including Shradha Rachamreddy, Aryan Khedkar, Bruhat Soma and Ishika Varipilli.&nbsp;Sarah Grace Fernandes, 12, 6th grader at St. Stephan the Martyr Catholic School, Omaha, is representing the state of Nebraska.

Nearly 70% of Indian-born U.S. residents arrived after 2000, according to census data, and that dovetails with the surge in Indian American spelling bee champions. There were two Indian American Scripps winners before 1999. Of the 34 since, 28 have been Indian American, including three straight years of Indian American co-champions and one year (2019)&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/31123142c2dd4349b7e11649270dc3e6">when eight champions were declared</a>, seven of Indian ancestry.

The experiences of first-generation Indian Americans and their spelling bee champion children illustrate the economic success and cultural impact of the nation's second-largest immigrant group.

As of 2022, there were 3.1 million Indian-born people living in the U.S., and Indian American households had a median income of $147,000, more than twice the median income of all U.S. households, according to census data. Indian Americans also were more than twice as likely to have college degrees.

Indians received 74% of the H-1B visas for specialized occupations approved in fiscal 2021, and a record total of nearly 269,000 students from India were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-international-students-india-china-8104695e27ca9d035ce6f15ad52f1bc5">enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities</a>&nbsp;in 2022-23, according to the Institute of International Education.

Those numbers paint a picture of a high-achieving demographic that is well-suited for success in academic competitions.

Ganesh Dasari, whose daughter and son each made multiple appearances at the Scripps bee, holds a doctorate in civil engineering from the University of Cambridge and was recruited to the U.S. to work for ExxonMobil on an H-1B visa. He quickly obtained a green card.

“Me and my wife, we came from a similar background. We both benefited from having the education ... so we put a lot of emphasis on educating our kids,” Dasari said. “We basically introduced them to anything academic, and a couple of sports, but clearly there was a bias in our thinking that education is a higher priority than sports.”

In his 2016 address to Congress, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4602630/user-clip-prime-minister-modi-recognizes-spelling-bee-champions&amp;fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2lootutnJhPs7C1561fSwH8AA1V-aXNWkRDAps6nBbPs6TaHriQ5RzIck_aem_AWa0ZNDhtefFWp29EG2jb2Y1EgWh_6jZsbmYSnD9jgTSUlLGGn7RVXYH44hhAFIBqY4EHk5NMcIpvSF_QLSKJYyK">mentioned “spelling bee champions”</a>&nbsp;among his country's contributions to the U.S. while that year's co-champs, Nihar Janga and Jairam Hathwar, watched from the gallery.

Even among Indian American spellers, a particular subgroup is overrepresented: families from the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where Telugu is the primary language. Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana, is India's information-technology hub and the region supplies many H-1B visa recipients.

“Whenever we go to the spelling bee events, everybody speaks that language,” Dasari said. “We realized there are so many people from the same state.”

Deval Shah, the father of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2023-spelling-bee-finals-updates-1b09d39ba7631d26f3a3c833f7aeefea">last year's champion, Dev Shah</a>, grew up in the northwestern state of Gujarat and proudly noted Dev was the first spelling bee champion of Gujarati descent. The parents of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-san-antonio-education-cf165d27b93b784ab7fb7c0f9e7ecbf0">the 2022 winner, Harini Logan</a>, are from Chennai in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Shah is an engineer, his wife is a physician, and both of Harini's parents were trained as software engineers.

Indian-born parents of kids with an affinity for spelling have a network of similar families to provide guidance and support, as well as access to organizations like the North South Foundation, which offers academic competitions aimed at the Indian diaspora.

“The reason Indian American immigrants really dominate, the main reason is the North South Foundation,” Shah said.

When Harini won her first NSF spelling competition, Ganesh Dasari was one of the judges, and “he was literally chasing us down” to tell them “Harini has tremendous potential to be on the national stage,” said Rampriya Logan, Harini's mother.

Ishika, a 13-year-old from Spring, Texas, who will be competing at Scripps this year for the third time, woke her parents at 6 a.m. the day after she lost a third-grade classroom spelling bee, saying she wanted to participate in more bees. Her mother, an IT manager who immigrated to the U.S. in 2006, then reached out to ask advice from other families from the Houston area whose children were high-level spellers.

The relative wealth and stability of Indian American households could lead observers to conclude their children are benefiting primarily from a privileged upbringing. The truth is more nuanced, said Devesh Kapur, a professor of South Asian Studies at Johns Hopkins University and a co-author of “The Other One Percent: Indians in America.”

“It is important to note that the children participating in the spelling bee competition come from striving middle-class immigrant families, often in occupations like IT, and not from wealthier Indian American households in finance or tech start-ups or consulting,” Kapur said.

Natarajan, a Chicago-based physician and health care executive, now serves as the volunteer president of the NSF, and he experienced the spelling bee as a parent when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/df3754d09535412781362fd907ec9023">his son, Atman Balakrishnan, competed</a>. He said he sometimes feels out of place because he was born in the U.S. and he admires the grit of Indian-born parents and their children.

“It’s hard to describe, but it’s a very specific mindset that just drives effort and in many ways drives outcomes and sustainable success,” Natarajan said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716913401526.png" alt="Sarah Grace Fernandes, 12, 6th grade, St. Stephan the Martyr Catholic School, Omaha-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Sarah Grace Fernandes, 12, 6th grade, St. Stephan the Martyr Catholic School, Omaha-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —When Balu Natarajan became the first Indian American champion of the Scripps National Spelling Bee in 1985, a headline on an Associated Press article read, “Immigrants’ son wins National Spelling Bee,” with the first paragraph noting the champion “speaks his parents’ native Indian language at home.”Those details would hardly be newsworthy today after a quarter-century of Indian American spelling champs, most of them the offspring of parents who arrived in the United States on student or work visas.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716911963934.png" alt="Emory Jobe, 14, 8th Grade, Mission Trail Middle School in Olathe, Kansas -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Emory Jobe, 14, 8th Grade, Mission Trail Middle School in Olathe, Kansas -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.spellingbee.com/meet-the-spellers">This year's bee</a>&nbsp;is scheduled to begin Tuesday at a convention center outside Washington and, as usual, many of the expected contenders are Indian American, including Shradha Rachamreddy, Aryan Khedkar, Bruhat Soma and Ishika Varipilli.&nbsp;Sarah Grace Fernandes, 12, 6th grader at St. Stephan the Martyr Catholic School, Omaha, is representing the state of Nebraska.Nearly 70% of Indian-born U.S. residents arrived after 2000, according to census data, and that dovetails with the surge in Indian American spelling bee champions. There were two Indian American Scripps winners before 1999. Of the 34 since, 28 have been Indian American, including three straight years of Indian American co-champions and one year (2019)&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/31123142c2dd4349b7e11649270dc3e6">when eight champions were declared</a>, seven of Indian ancestry.The experiences of first-generation Indian Americans and their spelling bee champion children illustrate the economic success and cultural impact of the nation's second-largest immigrant group.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716912172264.png" alt="Carey Chebii Chesire , 13, Andover Middle School, Andover, Kansas -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Carey Chebii Chesire , 13, Andover Middle School, Andover, Kansas -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>As of 2022, there were 3.1 million Indian-born people living in the U.S., and Indian American households had a median income of $147,000, more than twice the median income of all U.S. households, according to census data. Indian Americans also were more than twice as likely to have college degrees.Indians received 74% of the H-1B visas for specialized occupations approved in fiscal 2021, and a record total of nearly 269,000 students from India were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/college-international-students-india-china-8104695e27ca9d035ce6f15ad52f1bc5">enrolled at U.S. colleges and universities</a>&nbsp;in 2022-23, according to the Institute of International Education.Those numbers paint a picture of a high-achieving demographic that is well-suited for success in academic competitions.Ganesh Dasari, whose daughter and son each made multiple appearances at the Scripps bee, holds a doctorate in civil engineering from the University of Cambridge and was recruited to the U.S. to work for ExxonMobil on an H-1B visa. He quickly obtained a green card.“Me and my wife, we came from a similar background. We both benefited from having the education ... so we put a lot of emphasis on educating our kids,” Dasari said. “We basically introduced them to anything academic, and a couple of sports, but clearly there was a bias in our thinking that education is a higher priority than sports.”In his 2016 address to Congress, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi&nbsp;<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4602630/user-clip-prime-minister-modi-recognizes-spelling-bee-champions&amp;fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR2lootutnJhPs7C1561fSwH8AA1V-aXNWkRDAps6nBbPs6TaHriQ5RzIck_aem_AWa0ZNDhtefFWp29EG2jb2Y1EgWh_6jZsbmYSnD9jgTSUlLGGn7RVXYH44hhAFIBqY4EHk5NMcIpvSF_QLSKJYyK">mentioned “spelling bee champions”</a>&nbsp;among his country's contributions to the U.S. while that year's co-champs, Nihar Janga and Jairam Hathwar, watched from the gallery.Even among Indian American spellers, a particular subgroup is overrepresented: families from the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, where Telugu is the primary language. Hyderabad, the capital of Telangana, is India's information-technology hub and the region supplies many H-1B visa recipients.“Whenever we go to the spelling bee events, everybody speaks that language,” Dasari said. “We realized there are so many people from the same state.”Deval Shah, the father of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2023-spelling-bee-finals-updates-1b09d39ba7631d26f3a3c833f7aeefea">last year's champion, Dev Shah</a>, grew up in the northwestern state of Gujarat and proudly noted Dev was the first spelling bee champion of Gujarati descent. The parents of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-san-antonio-education-cf165d27b93b784ab7fb7c0f9e7ecbf0">the 2022 winner, Harini Logan</a>, are from Chennai in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Shah is an engineer, his wife is a physician, and both of Harini's parents were trained as software engineers.Indian-born parents of kids with an affinity for spelling have a network of similar families to provide guidance and support, as well as access to organizations like the North South Foundation, which offers academic competitions aimed at the Indian diaspora.“The reason Indian American immigrants really dominate, the main reason is the North South Foundation,” Shah said.When Harini won her first NSF spelling competition, Ganesh Dasari was one of the judges, and “he was literally chasing us down” to tell them “Harini has tremendous potential to be on the national stage,” said Rampriya Logan, Harini's mother.Ishika, a 13-year-old from Spring, Texas, who will be competing at Scripps this year for the third time, woke her parents at 6 a.m. the day after she lost a third-grade classroom spelling bee, saying she wanted to participate in more bees. Her mother, an IT manager who immigrated to the U.S. in 2006, then reached out to ask advice from other families from the Houston area whose children were high-level spellers.The relative wealth and stability of Indian American households could lead observers to conclude their children are benefiting primarily from a privileged upbringing. The truth is more nuanced, said Devesh Kapur, a professor of South Asian Studies at Johns Hopkins University and a co-author of “The Other One Percent: Indians in America.”“It is important to note that the children participating in the spelling bee competition come from striving middle-class immigrant families, often in occupations like IT, and not from wealthier Indian American households in finance or tech start-ups or consulting,” Kapur said.Natarajan, a Chicago-based physician and health care executive, now serves as the volunteer president of the NSF, and he experienced the spelling bee as a parent when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/df3754d09535412781362fd907ec9023">his son, Atman Balakrishnan, competed</a>. He said he sometimes feels out of place because he was born in the U.S. and he admires the grit of Indian-born parents and their children.“It’s hard to describe, but it’s a very specific mindset that just drives effort and in many ways drives outcomes and sustainable success,” Natarajan said.

Nebraska 6th grader in the field at Scripps National Spelling Bee

Bird flu has been detected in beef for the first time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Friday, but officials said the meat from a single sickened dairy cow was not allowed to enter the nation's food supply and beef remains safe to eat.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock/h5n1-beef-safety-studies">USDA said</a>&nbsp;the virus was found as part of testing of 96 dairy cows that were diverted from the supply because federal inspectors noticed signs of illness during routine inspections of carcasses at meat processing plants. Bird flu was found in only one of those cows.

Bird flu has been confirmed in dairy cattle herds in nine states, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-raw-milk-h5n1-6398d2eda26eb41797ee2700cf9d036b">found in milk</a>&nbsp;and has prompted the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-outbreak-turkey-egg-chicken-prices-afca48e861a54091d0e224a5fcbed17b">slaughter of millions of chickens and turkeys</a>. But finding it in beef is a new development for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/disease-outbreaks-iowa-business-health-bird-flu-2c9ca4b3d04f3c0269a1fee233daa3a6">the outbreak</a>, which began in 2022.

The agency said last month that it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-cows-ground-beef-dairy-h5n1-testing-bb199d266b0004ec0a228afb70695ad8">test ground beef</a>&nbsp;for bird flu at retail stores, but it has yet to find any sign of the virus.

Even if bird flu were to end up in consumer beef, the USDA says, cooking the meat to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (73.9 Celsius) will kill it just like it kills E. coli and other viruses.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-cows-michigan-farmworker-cacf56984b328ff2b2f94883b20f5272">Two farmworkers at dairies</a>&nbsp;in Michigan and Texas were sickened by bird flu this spring. The danger to the public remains low, but farmworkers exposed to infected animals are at higher risk, health officials said.

Only one other human case of bird flu has been confirmed in the United States. In 2022, a prisoner in a work program&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-environment-colorado-b98906e0a1899bb1f92da30a7b1dbe28">picked it up</a>&nbsp;while killing infected birds at a poultry farm in Montrose County, Colorado. His only symptom was fatigue, and he recovered.

Associated PressBird flu has been detected in beef for the first time, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Friday, but officials said the meat from a single sickened dairy cow was not allowed to enter the nation's food supply and beef remains safe to eat.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock/h5n1-beef-safety-studies">USDA said</a>&nbsp;the virus was found as part of testing of 96 dairy cows that were diverted from the supply because federal inspectors noticed signs of illness during routine inspections of carcasses at meat processing plants. Bird flu was found in only one of those cows.Bird flu has been confirmed in dairy cattle herds in nine states, has been&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-raw-milk-h5n1-6398d2eda26eb41797ee2700cf9d036b">found in milk</a>&nbsp;and has prompted the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-outbreak-turkey-egg-chicken-prices-afca48e861a54091d0e224a5fcbed17b">slaughter of millions of chickens and turkeys</a>. But finding it in beef is a new development for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/disease-outbreaks-iowa-business-health-bird-flu-2c9ca4b3d04f3c0269a1fee233daa3a6">the outbreak</a>, which began in 2022.The agency said last month that it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-cows-ground-beef-dairy-h5n1-testing-bb199d266b0004ec0a228afb70695ad8">test ground beef</a>&nbsp;for bird flu at retail stores, but it has yet to find any sign of the virus.Even if bird flu were to end up in consumer beef, the USDA says, cooking the meat to an internal temperature of 165 degrees Fahrenheit (73.9 Celsius) will kill it just like it kills E. coli and other viruses.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-cows-michigan-farmworker-cacf56984b328ff2b2f94883b20f5272">Two farmworkers at dairies</a>&nbsp;in Michigan and Texas were sickened by bird flu this spring. The danger to the public remains low, but farmworkers exposed to infected animals are at higher risk, health officials said.Only one other human case of bird flu has been confirmed in the United States. In 2022, a prisoner in a work program&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-health-environment-colorado-b98906e0a1899bb1f92da30a7b1dbe28">picked it up</a>&nbsp;while killing infected birds at a poultry farm in Montrose County, Colorado. His only symptom was fatigue, and he recovered.

Bird flu virus detected in beef from an ill dairy cow, but USDA says meat remains safe

VIENNA (AP) — Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, according to a confidential report on Monday by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the latest in Tehran's attempts to steadily exert pressure on the international community.

Iran is seeking to have economic sanctions imposed over the country's controversial nuclear program lifted in exchange for slowing the program down. The program — as all matters of state in Iran — are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-program-raisi-helicopter-crash-diplomacy-27de312812676e698219a38e69bb9233">under the guidance of Iran’s supreme leader</a>, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and that likely won’t change in the wake of last week's helicopter crash that killed Iran's president and foreign minister.

The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency also comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the wider Middle East over the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Israel and Iran have carried out direct strikes on each other’s territory for the first time last month.

The report, seen by The Associated Press, said that as of May 11, Iran has 142.1 kilograms (313.2 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% — an increase of 20.6 kilograms (45.4 pounds) since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-iaea-nuclear-quarterly-report-bca494913fbc8ccc1621466fe9c221e6">the last report by the U.N. watchdog in February</a>. Uranium enriched at 60% purity is just a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.

By IAEA’s definition, around 42 kilograms (92.5 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60% is the amount at which creating one atomic weapon is theoretically possible — if the material is enriched further, to 90%.

Also as of May 11, the report says Iran’s overall stockpile of enriched uranium stands at 6,201.3 kilograms (1,3671.5 pounds), which represents an increase of 675.8 kilograms (1,489.8 pounds) since the IAEA's previous report.

Iran has maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-iaea-nuclear-program-143e3e3c015dbf9c17316ad60ff989da">the IAEA chief, Rafael Mariano Grossi</a>, has previously warned that Tehran has enough uranium enriched to near-weapons-grade levels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-iran-politics-government-mahmoud-ahmadinejad-6acdb64d36fcbe05b3ee725d8a585d96">to make “several” nuclear bombs</a>&nbsp;if it chose to do so. He has acknowledged the U.N. agency cannot guarantee that none of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cop28-climate-talks-grossi-iaea-iran-nuclear-power-11a37c802d7e0bca6538d5c66a9ec6fd">Iran’s centrifuges may have been peeled away for clandestine enrichment</a>.

Tensions have grown between Iran and the IAEA since 2018, when then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers. Since then, Iran has abandoned all limits the deal put on its program and quickly stepped up enrichment.

Under the original nuclear deal, struck in 2015, Iran was allowed to enrich uranium only up to 3.67% purity, maintain a stockpile of about 300 kilograms and use only very basic IR-1 centrifuges — machines that spin uranium gas at high speed for enrichment purposes.

The 2015 deal saw Tehran agree to limit enrichment of uranium to levels necessary for generating nuclear power in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. At the time, U.N. inspectors were tasked with monitoring the program.

Monday's report also said that Tehran has not reconsidered its September 2023 decision to bar IAEA inspectors from further monitoring its nuclear program and added that it expects Iran “to do so in the context of the ongoing consultations between the (IAEA) agency and Iran.”

According to the report, Grossi “deeply regrets” Iran's decision to bar inspectors — and a reversal of that decision “remains essential to fully allow the agency to conduct its verification activities in Iran effectively.”

The deaths of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian have triggered a pause in the IAEA's talks with Tehran over improving cooperation, the report acknowledged.

Before the May 19 helicopter crash, Iran had agreed to hold technical negotiations with IAEA on May 20, following a visit by Grossi earlier in the month. But those meetings fell apart due to the crash. Iran then sent a letter on May 21, saying its nuclear team wants to continue discussions in Tehran "on an appropriate date that will be mutually agreed upon,” the report said.

The report also said Iran has still not provided answers to the IAEA's years-long investigation about the origin and current location of manmade uranium particles found at two locations that Tehran has failed to declare as potential nuclear sites, Varamin and Turquzabad.

It said the IAEA’s request need to be resolved, otherwise the the agency “will not be able to confirm the correctness an completeness of Iran’s declarations" under a safeguards agreement between Tehran and the nuclear watchdog.

The report also said there was no progress so far in reinstalling more monitoring equipment, including cameras, removed in June 2022. Since then, the only recorded data is that of IAEA cameras installed at a centrifuge workshop in the city of Isfahan in May 2023 — although Iran has not provided the IAEA with access to this data.

VIENNA (AP) — Iran has further increased its stockpile of uranium enriched to near weapons-grade levels, according to a confidential report on Monday by the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, the latest in Tehran's attempts to steadily exert pressure on the international community.Iran is seeking to have economic sanctions imposed over the country's controversial nuclear program lifted in exchange for slowing the program down. The program — as all matters of state in Iran — are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-nuclear-program-raisi-helicopter-crash-diplomacy-27de312812676e698219a38e69bb9233">under the guidance of Iran’s supreme leader</a>, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and that likely won’t change in the wake of last week's helicopter crash that killed Iran's president and foreign minister.The report by the International Atomic Energy Agency also comes against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the wider Middle East over the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Israel and Iran have carried out direct strikes on each other’s territory for the first time last month.The report, seen by The Associated Press, said that as of May 11, Iran has 142.1 kilograms (313.2 pounds) of uranium enriched up to 60% — an increase of 20.6 kilograms (45.4 pounds) since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-iaea-nuclear-quarterly-report-bca494913fbc8ccc1621466fe9c221e6">the last report by the U.N. watchdog in February</a>. Uranium enriched at 60% purity is just a short, technical step away from weapons-grade levels of 90%.By IAEA’s definition, around 42 kilograms (92.5 pounds) of uranium enriched to 60% is the amount at which creating one atomic weapon is theoretically possible — if the material is enriched further, to 90%.Also as of May 11, the report says Iran’s overall stockpile of enriched uranium stands at 6,201.3 kilograms (1,3671.5 pounds), which represents an increase of 675.8 kilograms (1,489.8 pounds) since the IAEA's previous report.Iran has maintained its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes only, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-iaea-nuclear-program-143e3e3c015dbf9c17316ad60ff989da">the IAEA chief, Rafael Mariano Grossi</a>, has previously warned that Tehran has enough uranium enriched to near-weapons-grade levels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-iran-politics-government-mahmoud-ahmadinejad-6acdb64d36fcbe05b3ee725d8a585d96">to make “several” nuclear bombs</a>&nbsp;if it chose to do so. He has acknowledged the U.N. agency cannot guarantee that none of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cop28-climate-talks-grossi-iaea-iran-nuclear-power-11a37c802d7e0bca6538d5c66a9ec6fd">Iran’s centrifuges may have been peeled away for clandestine enrichment</a>.Tensions have grown between Iran and the IAEA since 2018, when then-President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew the United States from Tehran’s nuclear deal with world powers. Since then, Iran has abandoned all limits the deal put on its program and quickly stepped up enrichment.Under the original nuclear deal, struck in 2015, Iran was allowed to enrich uranium only up to 3.67% purity, maintain a stockpile of about 300 kilograms and use only very basic IR-1 centrifuges — machines that spin uranium gas at high speed for enrichment purposes.The 2015 deal saw Tehran agree to limit enrichment of uranium to levels necessary for generating nuclear power in exchange for the lifting of economic sanctions. At the time, U.N. inspectors were tasked with monitoring the program.Monday's report also said that Tehran has not reconsidered its September 2023 decision to bar IAEA inspectors from further monitoring its nuclear program and added that it expects Iran “to do so in the context of the ongoing consultations between the (IAEA) agency and Iran.”According to the report, Grossi “deeply regrets” Iran's decision to bar inspectors — and a reversal of that decision “remains essential to fully allow the agency to conduct its verification activities in Iran effectively.”The deaths of Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian have triggered a pause in the IAEA's talks with Tehran over improving cooperation, the report acknowledged.Before the May 19 helicopter crash, Iran had agreed to hold technical negotiations with IAEA on May 20, following a visit by Grossi earlier in the month. But those meetings fell apart due to the crash. Iran then sent a letter on May 21, saying its nuclear team wants to continue discussions in Tehran "on an appropriate date that will be mutually agreed upon,” the report said.The report also said Iran has still not provided answers to the IAEA's years-long investigation about the origin and current location of manmade uranium particles found at two locations that Tehran has failed to declare as potential nuclear sites, Varamin and Turquzabad.It said the IAEA’s request need to be resolved, otherwise the the agency “will not be able to confirm the correctness an completeness of Iran’s declarations" under a safeguards agreement between Tehran and the nuclear watchdog.The report also said there was no progress so far in reinstalling more monitoring equipment, including cameras, removed in June 2022. Since then, the only recorded data is that of IAEA cameras installed at a centrifuge workshop in the city of Isfahan in May 2023 — although Iran has not provided the IAEA with access to this data.

Report: Iran's near-nuclear bomb-grade uranium stock grows

DENVER (AP) — The first attempts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-ai-explained-policy-technology-regulations-discrimination-d3226c9139d3d06af263e7ff467d0666">regulate artificial intelligence programs</a>&nbsp;that play a hidden role in hiring, housing and medical decisions for millions of Americans are facing pressure from all sides and floundering in statehouses nationwide.

Only one of seven bills aimed at preventing AI’s penchant to discriminate when making consequential decisions — including who gets hired, money for a home or medical care — has passed. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis hesitantly signed the bill on Friday.

Colorado’s bill and those that faltered in Washington, Connecticut and elsewhere faced battles on many fronts, including between civil rights groups and the tech industry, and lawmakers wary of wading into a technology few yet understand and governors worried about being the odd-state-out and spooking AI startups.

Polis signed Colorado’s bill “with reservations,” saying in an statement he was wary of regulations dousing AI innovation. The bill has a two-year runway and can be altered before it becomes law.

“I encourage (lawmakers) to significantly improve on this before it takes effect,” Polis wrote.

Colorado’s proposal, along with six sister bills, are complex, but will broadly require companies to assess the risk of discrimination from their AI and inform customers when AI was used to help make a consequential decision for them.

The bills are separate from more than 400 AI-related bills that have been debated this year. Most are aimed at slices of AI, such as the use of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/deepfake-images-taylor-swift-state-legislation-bffbc274dd178ab054426ee7d691df7e">deepfakes in elections</a>&nbsp;or to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-ai-connecticut-regulation-b004b4477ac20cc365317edff9f7351b">make pornography</a>.

The seven bills are more ambitious, applying across major industries and targeting discrimination, one of the technology’s most perverse and complex problems.

“We actually have no visibility into the algorithms that are used, whether they work or they don’t, or whether we’re discriminated against,” said Rumman Chowdhury, AI envoy for the U.S. Department of State who previously led Twitter’s AI ethics team.

While anti-discrimination laws are already on the books, those who study AI discrimination say it’s a different beast, which the U.S. is already behind in regulating.

“The computers are making biased decisions at scale,” said Christine Webber, a civil rights attorney who has worked on class action lawsuits over discrimination including against Boeing and Tyson Foods. Now, Webber is nearing final approval on one of the first-in-the-nation settlements in a class action over AI discrimination.

“Not, I should say, that the old systems were perfectly free from bias either,” said Webber. But “any one person could only look at so many resumes in the day. So you could only make so many biased decisions in one day and the computer can do it rapidly across large numbers of people.”

When you apply for a job, an apartment or a home loan, there’s a good chance AI is assessing your application: sending it up the line, assigning it a score or filtering it out. It’s estimated as many as 83% of employers use algorithms to help in hiring, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

AI itself doesn’t know what to look for in a job application, so it’s taught based on past resumes. The historical data that is used to train algorithms can smuggle in bias.

Amazon, for example, worked on a hiring algorithm that was trained on old resumes: largely male applicants. When assessing new applicants, it downgraded resumes with the word “women’s” or that listed women’s colleges because they were not represented in the historical data — the resumes — it had learned from. The project was scuttled.

Webber’s class action lawsuit alleges that an AI system that scores rental applications disproportionately assigned lower scores to Black or Hispanic applicants. A study found that an AI system built to assess medical needs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/racial-bias-in-health-care-software-aids-whites-over-blacks-b5fb4e1ae6e944fd979568df1fdb6df4">passed over Black patients</a>&nbsp;for special care.

Studies and lawsuits have allowed a glimpse under the hood of AI systems, but most algorithms remain veiled. Americans are largely unaware that these tools are being used, polling from Pew Research shows. Companies generally aren’t required to explicitly disclose that an AI was used.

“Just pulling back the curtain so that we can see who’s really doing the assessing and what tool is being used is a huge, huge first step,” said Webber. “The existing laws don’t work if we can’t get at least some basic information.”

That’s what Colorado’s bill, along with another surviving bill in California, are trying to change. The bills, including a flagship proposal in Connecticut that was killed under opposition from the governor, are largely similar.

Colorado’s bill will require companies using AI to help make consequential decisions for Americans to annually assess their AI for potential bias; implement an oversight program within the company; tell the state attorney general if discrimination was found; and inform to customers when an AI was used to help make a decision for them, including an option to appeal.

Labor unions and academics fear that a reliance on companies overseeing themselves means it'll be hard to proactively address discrimination in an AI system before it's done damage. Companies are fearful that forced transparency could reveal trade secrets, including in potential litigation, in this hyper-competitive new field.

DENVER (AP) — The first attempts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-ai-explained-policy-technology-regulations-discrimination-d3226c9139d3d06af263e7ff467d0666">regulate artificial intelligence programs</a>&nbsp;that play a hidden role in hiring, housing and medical decisions for millions of Americans are facing pressure from all sides and floundering in statehouses nationwide.Only one of seven bills aimed at preventing AI’s penchant to discriminate when making consequential decisions — including who gets hired, money for a home or medical care — has passed. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis hesitantly signed the bill on Friday.Colorado’s bill and those that faltered in Washington, Connecticut and elsewhere faced battles on many fronts, including between civil rights groups and the tech industry, and lawmakers wary of wading into a technology few yet understand and governors worried about being the odd-state-out and spooking AI startups.Polis signed Colorado’s bill “with reservations,” saying in an statement he was wary of regulations dousing AI innovation. The bill has a two-year runway and can be altered before it becomes law.“I encourage (lawmakers) to significantly improve on this before it takes effect,” Polis wrote.Colorado’s proposal, along with six sister bills, are complex, but will broadly require companies to assess the risk of discrimination from their AI and inform customers when AI was used to help make a consequential decision for them.The bills are separate from more than 400 AI-related bills that have been debated this year. Most are aimed at slices of AI, such as the use of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/deepfake-images-taylor-swift-state-legislation-bffbc274dd178ab054426ee7d691df7e">deepfakes in elections</a>&nbsp;or to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/artificial-intelligence-ai-connecticut-regulation-b004b4477ac20cc365317edff9f7351b">make pornography</a>.The seven bills are more ambitious, applying across major industries and targeting discrimination, one of the technology’s most perverse and complex problems.“We actually have no visibility into the algorithms that are used, whether they work or they don’t, or whether we’re discriminated against,” said Rumman Chowdhury, AI envoy for the U.S. Department of State who previously led Twitter’s AI ethics team.While anti-discrimination laws are already on the books, those who study AI discrimination say it’s a different beast, which the U.S. is already behind in regulating.“The computers are making biased decisions at scale,” said Christine Webber, a civil rights attorney who has worked on class action lawsuits over discrimination including against Boeing and Tyson Foods. Now, Webber is nearing final approval on one of the first-in-the-nation settlements in a class action over AI discrimination.“Not, I should say, that the old systems were perfectly free from bias either,” said Webber. But “any one person could only look at so many resumes in the day. So you could only make so many biased decisions in one day and the computer can do it rapidly across large numbers of people.”When you apply for a job, an apartment or a home loan, there’s a good chance AI is assessing your application: sending it up the line, assigning it a score or filtering it out. It’s estimated as many as 83% of employers use algorithms to help in hiring, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.AI itself doesn’t know what to look for in a job application, so it’s taught based on past resumes. The historical data that is used to train algorithms can smuggle in bias.Amazon, for example, worked on a hiring algorithm that was trained on old resumes: largely male applicants. When assessing new applicants, it downgraded resumes with the word “women’s” or that listed women’s colleges because they were not represented in the historical data — the resumes — it had learned from. The project was scuttled.Webber’s class action lawsuit alleges that an AI system that scores rental applications disproportionately assigned lower scores to Black or Hispanic applicants. A study found that an AI system built to assess medical needs&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/racial-bias-in-health-care-software-aids-whites-over-blacks-b5fb4e1ae6e944fd979568df1fdb6df4">passed over Black patients</a>&nbsp;for special care.Studies and lawsuits have allowed a glimpse under the hood of AI systems, but most algorithms remain veiled. Americans are largely unaware that these tools are being used, polling from Pew Research shows. Companies generally aren’t required to explicitly disclose that an AI was used.“Just pulling back the curtain so that we can see who’s really doing the assessing and what tool is being used is a huge, huge first step,” said Webber. “The existing laws don’t work if we can’t get at least some basic information.”That’s what Colorado’s bill, along with another surviving bill in California, are trying to change. The bills, including a flagship proposal in Connecticut that was killed under opposition from the governor, are largely similar.Colorado’s bill will require companies using AI to help make consequential decisions for Americans to annually assess their AI for potential bias; implement an oversight program within the company; tell the state attorney general if discrimination was found; and inform to customers when an AI was used to help make a decision for them, including an option to appeal.Labor unions and academics fear that a reliance on companies overseeing themselves means it'll be hard to proactively address discrimination in an AI system before it's done damage. Companies are fearful that forced transparency could reveal trade secrets, including in potential litigation, in this hyper-competitive new field.AI companies also pushed for, and generally received, a provision that only allows the attorney general, not citizens, to file lawsuits under the new law. Enforcement details have been left up to the attorney general.While larger AI companies have more or less been on board with these proposals, a group of smaller Colorado-based AI companies said the requirements might be manageable by behemoth AI companies, but not by budding startups.“We are in a brand new era of primordial soup,” said Logan Cerkovnik, founder of Thumper.ai, referring to the field of AI. “Having overly restrictive legislation that forces us into definitions and restricts our use of technology while this is forming is just going to be detrimental to innovation.”All agreed, along with many AI companies, that what’s formally called “algorithmic discrimination” is critical to tackle. But they said the bill as written falls short of that goal. Instead, they proposed beefing up existing anti-discrimination laws.Chowdhury worries that lawsuits are too costly and time consuming to be an effective enforcement tool, and laws should instead go beyond what even Colorado is proposing. Instead, Chowdhury and academics have proposed accredited, independent organization that can explicitly test for potential bias in an AI algorithm.“You can understand and deal with a single person who is discriminatory or biased,” said Chowdhury. “What do we do when it’s embedded into the entire institution?”___