LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen hosted the Missouri River Summit, bringing together governors, representatives of the U.S. Corps of Engineers and other state water experts – for a discussion about water management and related issues as well as steps to mitigate future events.

“The importance of the Missouri River is undisputed. From Great Falls, Montana to St. Louis, Missouri, we rely on it for our agriculture, transportation, hydroelectricity, wildlife habitat and more,” said Gov. Pillen. “We must all work together, and we must act proactively. For those reasons, it is important as states that we continue to have open dialogue with each other and with the U.S. Corps of Engineers.”

Gov. Pillen was joined by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Missouri Governor Mike Parson for the meeting at the Kiewit Luminarium in Omaha.

Collaboration among states was one of the top takeaways in the aftermath of river flooding in 2019. From that effort, work began on the Lower Missouri River Flood Risk and Resiliency Plan – a document that is designed to streamline project planning at the local, state and federal levels.

“Prior to 2019, work through the Corps was primarily reactive to an event,” said Gov. Pillen. “Since then, the focus has shifted to how we can jointly be proactive and stave off a water-related event, before it becomes catastrophic.”

Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NDRC) Director Tom Riley, who also attended the summit, agreed.

“Redefining our process -- by having states work in conjunction with the Corps, has allowed us to move at a pace much faster than we could have without that collaboration,” said Riley. “I think we all agree, we need to have action. This is a much better way to do business and develop solutions that will have a meaningful impact.”

At the summit, Gov. Pillen shared his expectations for managing river flooding and low flows. In December of 2022, ice jams along the Missouri near Omaha impacted utility operations and caused concern for both the Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) and the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD). Gov. Pillen challenged the Corps to improve communication, which might allow low flows and subsequent ice jams to be averted. He also called for updating the management plan for winter ice events, which after several decades, is significantly outdated.

In a matter unrelated to Missouri river management, Gov. Pillen complimented members of the Corps for making strides in processing permit applications necessary for dredge and fill projects.

“This has absolved the state for having to assume that responsibility,” said Gov. Pillen. “It is a great example of how improvements by the Corps have reduced those timelines, allowing projects to be completed without unnecessary delays.”

The Corps receives the majority of its management directives from Congress, through the bi-annual Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). The next bill is scheduled for introduction in 2024, and would provide authorizations for flood control studies and project funding, setting and/or removing regulatory limitations, as well as giving direction to various Corps activities across the nation.

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen hosted the Missouri River Summit, bringing together governors, representatives of the U.S. Corps of Engineers and other state water experts – for a discussion about water management and related issues as well as steps to mitigate future events.“The importance of the Missouri River is undisputed. From Great Falls, Montana to St. Louis, Missouri, we rely on it for our agriculture, transportation, hydroelectricity, wildlife habitat and more,” said Gov. Pillen. “We must all work together, and we must act proactively. For those reasons, it is important as states that we continue to have open dialogue with each other and with the U.S. Corps of Engineers.”Gov. Pillen was joined by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Missouri Governor Mike Parson for the meeting at the Kiewit Luminarium in Omaha.Collaboration among states was one of the top takeaways in the aftermath of river flooding in 2019. From that effort, work began on the Lower Missouri River Flood Risk and Resiliency Plan – a document that is designed to streamline project planning at the local, state and federal levels.“Prior to 2019, work through the Corps was primarily reactive to an event,” said Gov. Pillen. “Since then, the focus has shifted to how we can jointly be proactive and stave off a water-related event, before it becomes catastrophic.”Nebraska Department of Natural Resources (NDRC) Director Tom Riley, who also attended the summit, agreed.“Redefining our process -- by having states work in conjunction with the Corps, has allowed us to move at a pace much faster than we could have without that collaboration,” said Riley. “I think we all agree, we need to have action. This is a much better way to do business and develop solutions that will have a meaningful impact.”At the summit, Gov. Pillen shared his expectations for managing river flooding and low flows. In December of 2022, ice jams along the Missouri near Omaha impacted utility operations and caused concern for both the Omaha Public Power District (OPPD) and the Nebraska Public Power District (NPPD). Gov. Pillen challenged the Corps to improve communication, which might allow low flows and subsequent ice jams to be averted. He also called for updating the management plan for winter ice events, which after several decades, is significantly outdated.In a matter unrelated to Missouri river management, Gov. Pillen complimented members of the Corps for making strides in processing permit applications necessary for dredge and fill projects.“This has absolved the state for having to assume that responsibility,” said Gov. Pillen. “It is a great example of how improvements by the Corps have reduced those timelines, allowing projects to be completed without unnecessary delays.”The Corps receives the majority of its management directives from Congress, through the bi-annual Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). The next bill is scheduled for introduction in 2024, and would provide authorizations for flood control studies and project funding, setting and/or removing regulatory limitations, as well as giving direction to various Corps activities across the nation.

Gov. Pillen Brings Together Governors and Corps for Missouri River Summit 

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels slammed into a cargo ship Friday in the Red Sea near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, following another attack only hours earlier that struck a separate vessel, authorities said.

The missile attack on the MSC Palatium III and the earlier assault on the Al Jasrah&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-ship-attack-missile-israel-hamas-war-gaza-strip-b2478db9aaad81ca447e6a393480f9a8">escalate a maritime campaign</a>&nbsp;by the Iranian-backed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Houthis</a>. The attacks also endanger ships traveling through a vital corridor for cargo and energy shipments for both Europe and Asia from the Suez Canal out to the Indian Ocean.

The Houthis say their attacks aim to end the pounding Israeli air-and-ground offensive targeting the Gaza Strip amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-14-2023-a9d904ed51ea5cfa98966c8f203cbc45">that country's war on Hamas</a>. However, the links to the ships targeted in the rebel assaults have grown more tenuous as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-yemen-houthis-attack-ships-f67d941c260528ac40315ecab4c34ca3">the attacks continue</a>.

“The Yemeni armed forces confirm they will continue to prevent all ships heading to Israeli ports from navigating in the (Red Sea) until they bring in the food and medicine that our steadfast brothers in the Gaza Strip need,” the Houthi military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, said in a statement claiming responsibility for Friday's attacks.

Meanwhile, hijackers, likely from Somalia, separately seized a Bulgarian ship in the Arabian Sea.

A U.S. defense official and the private intelligence firm Ambrey said the MSC Palatium III, a Liberian-flagged container ship, caught fire after the strike.&nbsp;

Two missiles were fired in the attack, likely trying to hit the Al Jasrah, the U.S. official said. One went wide and splashed down in the water, the other slammed into the Palatium, the official said.

The Palatium turned around after the attack and was now trying to head south, tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press showed.

The Switzerland-based MSC, or Mediterranean Shipping Co., earlier had another vessel, the MSC Alanya, warned by the Houthis around the Bab el-Mandeb, Ambrey said. “The parent company had cooperated with Israel, and this was likely the reason why she was threatened.”

The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters. MSC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In the earlier Al Jasrah attack, it remained unclear if it was a missile or drone that hit the vessel, the official said. Ambrey and the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which monitors Mideast shipping lanes, also confirmed that attack.

“The projectile reportedly hit the port side of the vessel and one container fell overboard due to the impact,” Ambrey said. “The projectile caused a ‘fire on deck’ which was broadcast via” radio.

The Al Jasrah is operated by German-based shipper Hapag-Lloyd, which said no crew member had been hurt in the attack.

“Hapag-Lloyd will take additional measures to secure the safety of our crews,” the company said, without elaborating.

Ambrey noted that Hapag-Lloyd “is known to have offices in the Israeli ports of Ashdod, Haifa and Tel Aviv.”

In his statement, military spokesman Saree claimed the Houthis targeted the Palatium III and the Alanya — not the Al Jasrah. It wasn't immediately clear why he erroneously identified the second ship.

The attacks Friday further escalate a campaign by the Houthi rebels, who have claimed responsibility for a series of missile assaults in recent days that just missed shipping in the Red Sea and its strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

On Thursday, the Houthis fired a ballistic missile that missed a container ship traveling through the strait.

The day before that, two missiles fired from Houthi-held territory&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-ship-attacks-us-navy-1727df3d95e548c6e4d20b51f096268f">missed a commercial tanker loaded with Indian-manufactured jet fuel</a>&nbsp;near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Also near the strait, a missile fired by Houthis on Monday night slammed into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-ship-attack-houthi-rebels-red-sea-946b40e6393af6216c0b6ef734311be9">a Norwegian-flagged tanker in the Red Sea</a>.

Global shipping has increasingly been targeted as the Israel-Hamas war threatens to become a wider regional conflict — even during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-what-to-know-af1cfbc9dcaa1485ed7a9efaca7ec2b7">brief pause in fighting</a>&nbsp;during which Hamas exchanged hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The collapse of the truce has raised the risk of more sea attacks.

The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is only 29 kilometers (18 miles) wide at its narrowest point, limiting traffic to two channels for inbound and outbound shipments, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Nearly 10% of all oil traded at sea passes through it. An estimated $1 trillion in goods pass through the strait annually.

In November, Houthis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-red-sea-ship-yemen-houthis-65b611ff878a411900037e7c9a8ee17b">seized a vehicle transport ship</a>&nbsp;linked to Israel in the Red Sea off Yemen. The rebels still hold the vessel near the port city of Hodeida. Separately, a container ship owned by an Israeli billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-ship-drone-attack-symi-39929cae42a191b2f242896a053123a7">came under attack</a>&nbsp;by a suspected Iranian drone in the Indian Ocean.

A separate, tentative cease-fire between the Houthis and a Saudi-led coalition fighting on behalf of Yemen’s exiled government has held for months despite that country’s long war. That’s raised concerns that any wider conflict in the sea — or a potential reprisal strike from Western forces — could reignite those tensions in the Arab world’s poorest nation.

Also Thursday, unknown attackers boarded the Malta-flagged bulk carrier Ruen, managed by Navigation Maritime Bulgare, in the Arabian Sea off the Yemeni island of Socotra, Ambrey and the UKMTO said. Bulgarian authorities said the ship’s 18-member crew hailed from Angola, Bulgaria and Myanmar.

“The necessary steps have been taken to pass the information on to all foreign partners and institutions that we will count on to provide assistance,” Bulgarian Foreign Minister Maria Gabriel told reporters Friday.

No group immediately claimed responsibility for the assault. However, suspicion immediately fell on pirates from Somalia. Somali piracy had dropped in recent years, but there has been growing concern it could resume amid the wider chaos of the Houthi attacks and the political uncertainty gripping the east African nation.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A ballistic missile fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels slammed into a cargo ship Friday in the Red Sea near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait, following another attack only hours earlier that struck a separate vessel, authorities said.The missile attack on the MSC Palatium III and the earlier assault on the Al Jasrah&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-ship-attack-missile-israel-hamas-war-gaza-strip-b2478db9aaad81ca447e6a393480f9a8">escalate a maritime campaign</a>&nbsp;by the Iranian-backed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/houthis">Houthis</a>. The attacks also endanger ships traveling through a vital corridor for cargo and energy shipments for both Europe and Asia from the Suez Canal out to the Indian Ocean.The Houthis say their attacks aim to end the pounding Israeli air-and-ground offensive targeting the Gaza Strip amid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-12-14-2023-a9d904ed51ea5cfa98966c8f203cbc45">that country's war on Hamas</a>. However, the links to the ships targeted in the rebel assaults have grown more tenuous as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/red-sea-yemen-houthis-attack-ships-f67d941c260528ac40315ecab4c34ca3">the attacks continue</a>.“The Yemeni armed forces confirm they will continue to prevent all ships heading to Israeli ports from navigating in the (Red Sea) until they bring in the food and medicine that our steadfast brothers in the Gaza Strip need,” the Houthi military spokesman, Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree, said in a statement claiming responsibility for Friday's attacks.Meanwhile, hijackers, likely from Somalia, separately seized a Bulgarian ship in the Arabian Sea.A U.S. defense official and the private intelligence firm Ambrey said the MSC Palatium III, a Liberian-flagged container ship, caught fire after the strike.&nbsp;Two missiles were fired in the attack, likely trying to hit the Al Jasrah, the U.S. official said. One went wide and splashed down in the water, the other slammed into the Palatium, the official said.The Palatium turned around after the attack and was now trying to head south, tracking data analyzed by The Associated Press showed.The Switzerland-based MSC, or Mediterranean Shipping Co., earlier had another vessel, the MSC Alanya, warned by the Houthis around the Bab el-Mandeb, Ambrey said. “The parent company had cooperated with Israel, and this was likely the reason why she was threatened.”The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence matters. MSC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.In the earlier Al Jasrah attack, it remained unclear if it was a missile or drone that hit the vessel, the official said. Ambrey and the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations, which monitors Mideast shipping lanes, also confirmed that attack.“The projectile reportedly hit the port side of the vessel and one container fell overboard due to the impact,” Ambrey said. “The projectile caused a ‘fire on deck’ which was broadcast via” radio.The Al Jasrah is operated by German-based shipper Hapag-Lloyd, which said no crew member had been hurt in the attack.“Hapag-Lloyd will take additional measures to secure the safety of our crews,” the company said, without elaborating.Ambrey noted that Hapag-Lloyd “is known to have offices in the Israeli ports of Ashdod, Haifa and Tel Aviv.”In his statement, military spokesman Saree claimed the Houthis targeted the Palatium III and the Alanya — not the Al Jasrah. It wasn't immediately clear why he erroneously identified the second ship.The attacks Friday further escalate a campaign by the Houthi rebels, who have claimed responsibility for a series of missile assaults in recent days that just missed shipping in the Red Sea and its strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.On Thursday, the Houthis fired a ballistic missile that missed a container ship traveling through the strait.The day before that, two missiles fired from Houthi-held territory&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebels-ship-attacks-us-navy-1727df3d95e548c6e4d20b51f096268f">missed a commercial tanker loaded with Indian-manufactured jet fuel</a>&nbsp;near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Also near the strait, a missile fired by Houthis on Monday night slammed into&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-ship-attack-houthi-rebels-red-sea-946b40e6393af6216c0b6ef734311be9">a Norwegian-flagged tanker in the Red Sea</a>.Global shipping has increasingly been targeted as the Israel-Hamas war threatens to become a wider regional conflict — even during a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-ceasefire-what-to-know-af1cfbc9dcaa1485ed7a9efaca7ec2b7">brief pause in fighting</a>&nbsp;during which Hamas exchanged hostages for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. The collapse of the truce has raised the risk of more sea attacks.The Bab el-Mandeb Strait is only 29 kilometers (18 miles) wide at its narrowest point, limiting traffic to two channels for inbound and outbound shipments, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. Nearly 10% of all oil traded at sea passes through it. An estimated $1 trillion in goods pass through the strait annually.In November, Houthis&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-red-sea-ship-yemen-houthis-65b611ff878a411900037e7c9a8ee17b">seized a vehicle transport ship</a>&nbsp;linked to Israel in the Red Sea off Yemen. The rebels still hold the vessel near the port city of Hodeida. Separately, a container ship owned by an Israeli billionaire&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-ship-drone-attack-symi-39929cae42a191b2f242896a053123a7">came under attack</a>&nbsp;by a suspected Iranian drone in the Indian Ocean.A separate, tentative cease-fire between the Houthis and a Saudi-led coalition fighting on behalf of Yemen’s exiled government has held for months despite that country’s long war. That’s raised concerns that any wider conflict in the sea — or a potential reprisal strike from Western forces — could reignite those tensions in the Arab world’s poorest nation.Also Thursday, unknown attackers boarded the Malta-flagged bulk carrier Ruen, managed by Navigation Maritime Bulgare, in the Arabian Sea off the Yemeni island of Socotra, Ambrey and the UKMTO said. Bulgarian authorities said the ship’s 18-member crew hailed from Angola, Bulgaria and Myanmar.“The necessary steps have been taken to pass the information on to all foreign partners and institutions that we will count on to provide assistance,” Bulgarian Foreign Minister Maria Gabriel told reporters Friday.No group immediately claimed responsibility for the assault. However, suspicion immediately fell on pirates from Somalia. Somali piracy had dropped in recent years, but there has been growing concern it could resume amid the wider chaos of the Houthi attacks and the political uncertainty gripping the east African nation.

U.S. warships monitor more ballistic missile attacks in Red Sea

LOS ANGELES (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/matthew-perry-dead-drowning-friends-f2963e83691d2bd2a8626d85a69c73cb">Matthew Perry</a>&nbsp;died from the acute effects of the anesthetic ketamine, according to the results of an autopsy on the 54-year-old “Friends” actor released Friday.

The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner said in the autopsy report that Perry also drowned in “the heated end of his pool,” but that it was a secondary factor in his Oct. 28 death, deemed an accident.

The report says coronary artery disease and buprenorphine, which is used to treat opioid use disorder, also contributed.

Perry was declared dead after being found unresponsive at his home in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. Investigators performed the autopsy the following day.

The actor had taken drugs in the past but had been “reportedly clean for 19 months," according to the report. The coroner said he was reported to have been having ketamine infusion therapy to deal with depression and anxiety, and his last treatment was 1 1/2 weeks before his death.

Perry had played pickleball earlier in the day, the report says, and his assistant, who lives with him, found him face down in the pool after returning from errands.

The assistant told investigators Perry had not been sick, had not made any health complaints, and had not shown evidence of recent alcohol or drug use.

Perry was open about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/matthew-perry-foundation-death-addiction-aa74b3e424c652a4325166231057ecd4">discussing his struggles with addiction</a>&nbsp;dating back to his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/matthew-perry-china-friends-fandom-0876bc8bf20b613c336d8c684eb5524f">time on “Friends”</a>&nbsp;in the 1990s.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698541233773.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/matthew-perry-dead-drowning-friends-f2963e83691d2bd2a8626d85a69c73cb">Matthew Perry</a>&nbsp;died from the acute effects of the anesthetic ketamine, according to the results of an autopsy on the 54-year-old “Friends” actor released Friday.The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner said in the autopsy report that Perry also drowned in “the heated end of his pool,” but that it was a secondary factor in his Oct. 28 death, deemed an accident.The report says coronary artery disease and buprenorphine, which is used to treat opioid use disorder, also contributed.Perry was declared dead after being found unresponsive at his home in the Pacific Palisades area of Los Angeles. Investigators performed the autopsy the following day.The actor had taken drugs in the past but had been “reportedly clean for 19 months," according to the report. The coroner said he was reported to have been having ketamine infusion therapy to deal with depression and anxiety, and his last treatment was 1 1/2 weeks before his death.Perry had played pickleball earlier in the day, the report says, and his assistant, who lives with him, found him face down in the pool after returning from errands.The assistant told investigators Perry had not been sick, had not made any health complaints, and had not shown evidence of recent alcohol or drug use.Perry was open about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/matthew-perry-foundation-death-addiction-aa74b3e424c652a4325166231057ecd4">discussing his struggles with addiction</a>&nbsp;dating back to his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/matthew-perry-china-friends-fandom-0876bc8bf20b613c336d8c684eb5524f">time on “Friends”</a>&nbsp;in the 1990s.

Medical examiner reports cause of death for Matthew Perry

WASHINGTON (AP) — A jury awarded $148 million in damages on Friday to two former Georgia election workers who sued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giuliani-trump-election-indictments-georgia-eb2ff2ca7a94f9f80e95e897584c8e7d">Rudy Giuliani</a>, the former New York mayor, who was one referred to as 'America's Mayor,&nbsp;for defamation over lies he spread about them in 2020 that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rudy-giuliani-georgia-election-workers-defamation-trial-0151222465923e9dcad489adb7661f0a">upended their lives</a>&nbsp;with racist threats and harassment.

The damages verdict follows emotional testimony from Wandrea “Shaye” Moss and her mother, Ruby Freeman, who tearfully described becoming the target of a false conspiracy theory pushed by Giuliani and other Republicans as they tried to keep then-President Donald Trump in power after he lost the 2020 election.

Giuliani&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giuliani-georgia-election-workers-defamation-lawsuit-9b561a195fb74d991abc89d1b6587d66">had already been found liable</a>&nbsp;in the case and previously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giuliani-georgia-election-workers-lawsuit-false-statements-afc64a565ee778c6914a1a69dc756064">conceded in court documents</a>&nbsp;that he falsely accused the women of ballot fraud. Even so, the former New York City mayor continued to repeat his baseless allegations about the women in comments to reporters outside the Washington, D.C., courthouse this week.

Giuliani’s lawyer acknowledged that his client was wrong but insisted that Giuliani was not fully responsible for the vitriol the women faced. The defense sought to largely pin the blame on a right-wing website that published the surveillance video of the two women counting ballots.

The judgment adds to growing financial and legal peril for Giuliani, who was among the loudest proponents of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">Trump’s false claims</a>&nbsp;of election fraud that are now a key part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">criminal cases against the former president</a>.

Giuliani had already been showing signs of financial strain as he defends himself against costly lawsuits and investigations stemming from his representation of Trump. His lawyer suggested that the defamation case could financially ruin the former mayor, saying “it would be the end of Mr. Giuliani.”

And Giuliani is still facing his biggest test yet: fighting criminal charges in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-indictment-arraignment-trump-giuliani-c5abbd260f44947a1c01211136108bfe">the Georgia case</a>&nbsp;accusing Trump and 18 others of working to subvert the results of the 2020 election, won by Democrat Joe Biden, in that state. Giuliani has pleaded not guilty and characterized the case as politically motivated.

Jurors in the defamation case heard recordings of Giuliani falsely accusing the election workers of sneaking in ballots in suitcases, counting ballots multiple times and tampering with voting machines. Trump also repeated the conspiracy theories through his social media accounts. Lawyers for Moss and Freeman, who are Black, also played for jurors&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giuliani-georgia-election-workers-moss-freeman-defamation-19fbeae3f5231654b4625787a78419e0">audio recordings of the graphic and racist threats</a>&nbsp;the women received.

The women’s lawyers asked for at least $24 million for each woman in defamation damages alone. They also sought compensation for their emotional harm and punitive damages.

On the witness stand, Moss and Freeman described fearing for their lives as hateful messages poured in. Moss told jurors she tried to change her appearance, seldom leaves her home and suffers from panic attacks. Her mother described strangers banging on her door and recounted fleeing her home after people came with bullhorns and the FBI told her she wasn’t safe.

“It’s so scary, anytime I go somewhere, if I have to use my name,” Freeman said, gasping through her tears to get her words out. “I miss my old neighborhood because I was me, I could introduce myself. Now I don’t have a name, really.”

Defense attorney Joseph Sibley told jurors they should compensate the women for what they are owed, but he urged them to “remember this is a great man.”

An attorney for Moss and Freeman, in his closing argument, highlighted how Giuliani has not stopped repeating the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rudy-giuliani-georgia-election-workers-defamation-trial-0151222465923e9dcad489adb7661f0a">false conspiracy theory</a>&nbsp;asserting the workers interfered in the November 2020 presidential election. Attorney Michael Gottlieb played a video of Giuliani outside the courthouse on Monday, in which Giuliani falsely claimed the women were “engaged in changing votes.”

“Mr. Giuliani has shown over and over again he will not take our client’s names out of his mouth,” Gottlieb said. “Facts will not stop him. He says he isn’t sorry and he’s telegraphing he will do this again. Believe him.”

The judge overseeing the election workers’ lawsuit had already ordered Giuliani and his business entities to pay tens of thousands of dollars in attorneys’ fees. In holding Giuliani liable, the judge ruled that the former mayor gave “only lip service” to complying with his legal obligations while trying to portray himself as the victim in the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692827609455.png" alt="Giuliani photo Fulton County" />
 <figcaption>Giuliani photo Fulton County</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A jury awarded $148 million in damages on Friday to two former Georgia election workers who sued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giuliani-trump-election-indictments-georgia-eb2ff2ca7a94f9f80e95e897584c8e7d">Rudy Giuliani</a>, the former New York mayor, who was one referred to as 'America's Mayor,&nbsp;for defamation over lies he spread about them in 2020 that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rudy-giuliani-georgia-election-workers-defamation-trial-0151222465923e9dcad489adb7661f0a">upended their lives</a>&nbsp;with racist threats and harassment.The damages verdict follows emotional testimony from Wandrea “Shaye” Moss and her mother, Ruby Freeman, who tearfully described becoming the target of a false conspiracy theory pushed by Giuliani and other Republicans as they tried to keep then-President Donald Trump in power after he lost the 2020 election.Giuliani&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giuliani-georgia-election-workers-defamation-lawsuit-9b561a195fb74d991abc89d1b6587d66">had already been found liable</a>&nbsp;in the case and previously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giuliani-georgia-election-workers-lawsuit-false-statements-afc64a565ee778c6914a1a69dc756064">conceded in court documents</a>&nbsp;that he falsely accused the women of ballot fraud. Even so, the former New York City mayor continued to repeat his baseless allegations about the women in comments to reporters outside the Washington, D.C., courthouse this week.Giuliani’s lawyer acknowledged that his client was wrong but insisted that Giuliani was not fully responsible for the vitriol the women faced. The defense sought to largely pin the blame on a right-wing website that published the surveillance video of the two women counting ballots.The judgment adds to growing financial and legal peril for Giuliani, who was among the loudest proponents of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">Trump’s false claims</a>&nbsp;of election fraud that are now a key part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">criminal cases against the former president</a>.Giuliani had already been showing signs of financial strain as he defends himself against costly lawsuits and investigations stemming from his representation of Trump. His lawyer suggested that the defamation case could financially ruin the former mayor, saying “it would be the end of Mr. Giuliani.”And Giuliani is still facing his biggest test yet: fighting criminal charges in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-indictment-arraignment-trump-giuliani-c5abbd260f44947a1c01211136108bfe">the Georgia case</a>&nbsp;accusing Trump and 18 others of working to subvert the results of the 2020 election, won by Democrat Joe Biden, in that state. Giuliani has pleaded not guilty and characterized the case as politically motivated.Jurors in the defamation case heard recordings of Giuliani falsely accusing the election workers of sneaking in ballots in suitcases, counting ballots multiple times and tampering with voting machines. Trump also repeated the conspiracy theories through his social media accounts. Lawyers for Moss and Freeman, who are Black, also played for jurors&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/giuliani-georgia-election-workers-moss-freeman-defamation-19fbeae3f5231654b4625787a78419e0">audio recordings of the graphic and racist threats</a>&nbsp;the women received.The women’s lawyers asked for at least $24 million for each woman in defamation damages alone. They also sought compensation for their emotional harm and punitive damages.On the witness stand, Moss and Freeman described fearing for their lives as hateful messages poured in. Moss told jurors she tried to change her appearance, seldom leaves her home and suffers from panic attacks. Her mother described strangers banging on her door and recounted fleeing her home after people came with bullhorns and the FBI told her she wasn’t safe.“It’s so scary, anytime I go somewhere, if I have to use my name,” Freeman said, gasping through her tears to get her words out. “I miss my old neighborhood because I was me, I could introduce myself. Now I don’t have a name, really.”Defense attorney Joseph Sibley told jurors they should compensate the women for what they are owed, but he urged them to “remember this is a great man.”An attorney for Moss and Freeman, in his closing argument, highlighted how Giuliani has not stopped repeating the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rudy-giuliani-georgia-election-workers-defamation-trial-0151222465923e9dcad489adb7661f0a">false conspiracy theory</a>&nbsp;asserting the workers interfered in the November 2020 presidential election. Attorney Michael Gottlieb played a video of Giuliani outside the courthouse on Monday, in which Giuliani falsely claimed the women were “engaged in changing votes.”“Mr. Giuliani has shown over and over again he will not take our client’s names out of his mouth,” Gottlieb said. “Facts will not stop him. He says he isn’t sorry and he’s telegraphing he will do this again. Believe him.”The judge overseeing the election workers’ lawsuit had already ordered Giuliani and his business entities to pay tens of thousands of dollars in attorneys’ fees. In holding Giuliani liable, the judge ruled that the former mayor gave “only lip service” to complying with his legal obligations while trying to portray himself as the victim in the case.___

'America's Mayor' ordered to pay $148M to election workers he defamed

JERUSALEM (AP)—The Israeli military on Friday mistakenly killed three Israeli hostages during its ground operation in the Gaza Strip, military officials said.

The army’s chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said Israeli troops found the hostages and erroneously identified them as a threat. He said it was not clear if they had escaped their captors or been abandoned.

The deaths occurred in the Gaza City area of Shijaiyah, where troops have engaged in fierce battles against Hamas militants in recent days. He said the army expressed “deep sorrow” and was investigating.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian president was set to meet Friday with U.S. officials to discuss postwar arrangements for Gaza that could include reactivating Palestinian security forces driven out by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-gaza-palestinian-authority-israel-war-ed7018dbaae09b81513daf3bda38109a">Hamas</a>&nbsp;in its 2007 takeover of the territory.

Any role for Palestinian security forces in Gaza is bound to elicit strong opposition from Israel, which seeks to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-overall-security-responsibility-gaza-b86055806b733f41b6d7b4e2f0974985">maintain an open-ended security presence</a>&nbsp;there. The Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank but is deeply unpopular with Palestinians.

While Israel has vowed to keep fighting until it wipes out Gaza's Hamas rulers, the international call for a cease-fire has grown in volume. Israel has drawn international outrage and rare&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-oct-7-44c4229d4c1270d9cfa484b664a22071">criticism from the U.S.</a>&nbsp;— its main ally — over the killing of civilians.

More than 18,700 Palestinians have been killed since Israel declared war on Hamas, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>, which does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Israel says 116 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive after Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">raided southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-b6ffc286ca7d4b48caaada43e9c6e411">about 240 hostages</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701204582165.png" alt="File photo Israeli soldiers look at photos of people killed and taken captive by Hamas militants during their violent rampage through the Nova music festival in southern Israel, which are displayed at the site of the event(AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)" />
 <figcaption>File photo Israeli soldiers look at photos of people killed and taken captive by Hamas militants during their violent rampage through the Nova music festival in southern Israel, which are displayed at the site of the event(AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP)—The Israeli military on Friday mistakenly killed three Israeli hostages during its ground operation in the Gaza Strip, military officials said.The army’s chief spokesman, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, said Israeli troops found the hostages and erroneously identified them as a threat. He said it was not clear if they had escaped their captors or been abandoned.The deaths occurred in the Gaza City area of Shijaiyah, where troops have engaged in fierce battles against Hamas militants in recent days. He said the army expressed “deep sorrow” and was investigating.Meanwhile, the Palestinian president was set to meet Friday with U.S. officials to discuss postwar arrangements for Gaza that could include reactivating Palestinian security forces driven out by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hamas-gaza-palestinian-authority-israel-war-ed7018dbaae09b81513daf3bda38109a">Hamas</a>&nbsp;in its 2007 takeover of the territory.Any role for Palestinian security forces in Gaza is bound to elicit strong opposition from Israel, which seeks to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-overall-security-responsibility-gaza-b86055806b733f41b6d7b4e2f0974985">maintain an open-ended security presence</a>&nbsp;there. The Palestinian Authority, led by President Mahmoud Abbas, administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank but is deeply unpopular with Palestinians.While Israel has vowed to keep fighting until it wipes out Gaza's Hamas rulers, the international call for a cease-fire has grown in volume. Israel has drawn international outrage and rare&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-israel-hamas-oct-7-44c4229d4c1270d9cfa484b664a22071">criticism from the U.S.</a>&nbsp;— its main ally — over the killing of civilians.More than 18,700 Palestinians have been killed since Israel declared war on Hamas, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Gaza</a>, which does not differentiate between civilian and combatant deaths. Israel says 116 of its soldiers have died in its ground offensive after Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">raided southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, killing about 1,200 people — mostly civilians — and taking&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-b6ffc286ca7d4b48caaada43e9c6e411">about 240 hostages</a>.----------

Israeli military: 3 hostages mistakenly killed in Gaza

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/state-auditor-slams-riverboat-gamble-with-defunct-red-way-airline-saying-the-deal-clearly-violated-law-drained-700000-in-taxpayer-funds/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — State Auditor Mike Foley, in a forensic audit released Thursday, slammed a “riverboat gamble” Lincoln officials made with the now-defunct Red Way Airlines, saying it cost local taxpayers $700,000 and that ticket holders still haven’t been reimbursed for cancelled flights.

The Lincoln Airport Authority had contracted with Red Way to provide new destinations from the Lincoln Airport, pledging, with approval of the Lincoln City Council and Lancaster County Board, $3 million in pandemic-related, federal American Rescue Plan Act funds for the venture.

But the Colorado-based startup shut down in August after only three months of operation, after flights drew far fewer passengers than projected, despite offering one-way tickets for as little as $9.

Foley, in an<a target="_blank" href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2023/OE550201-12142023-December_14_2023_Lincoln_Airport_Authority_Letter.pdf">&nbsp;84-page report</a>&nbsp;to the Airport Authority, said that Red Way “clearly violated” federal regulations by draining a $1.5 million escrow account intended to repay customers for tickets purchased on flights that were cancelled.

The audit also estimated that, despite earlier news reports, Red Way probably still owes jilted customers more than $100,000.

Overall, Foley said that the Lincoln Airport Authority provided more than $700,000 in local public funds under its control to assist Red Way, as well as waiving tens of thousands of dollars in fees that the airline would have been obligated to pay.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“In the final analysis, Red Way was a failed riverboat gamble bankrolled by taxpayers,” the auditor said in a press release.&nbsp;&nbsp;

“Had the Red Way business plan been prepared for the eyes of a reputable commercial bank lender, its proponents would not have gotten past the junior teller,” Foley added. “The cavalier treatment of government funds as monopoly money paved the way for the plan to be sold as a worthy risk to elected officials, who accepted it with few questions asked.”

In September, the Lincoln Airport Authority told&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://journalstar.com/news/local/business/inside-look-at-red-way-airlines-failure/article_5a9fb522-4814-11ee-9dc2-976ab4feea49.html">the Lincoln Journal-Star</a>&nbsp;that the Red Way deal was a risk, to expand service at the airport, that didn’t work out. Officials there set up an interview with the Examiner later Thursday.

Calls and an email to Red Way CEO Nick Wangler were not immediately returned on Thursday afternoon. Wangler formed Fly Next LLC, of which Red Way was its trade name, in February.

Initially, Red Way offered flights to Orlando, Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Atlanta, Georgia; Dallas/Fort Worth and Austin, Texas; Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota; and Nashville, Tennessee.

Instead of owning its own aircraft, Red Way leased planes from an Florida company, Global Crossing. According to the audit, Red Way paid that firm $4.3 million by September 12.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702589121988.jpeg" alt=" The Lincoln Airport’s “Red Way Airlines” is the subject of a state audity. Red Way shut down Aug. 31 after just three months of service. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption> The Lincoln Airport’s “Red Way Airlines” is the subject of a state audity. Red Way shut down Aug. 31 after just three months of service. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/state-auditor-slams-riverboat-gamble-with-defunct-red-way-airline-saying-the-deal-clearly-violated-law-drained-700000-in-taxpayer-funds/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — State Auditor Mike Foley, in a forensic audit released Thursday, slammed a “riverboat gamble” Lincoln officials made with the now-defunct Red Way Airlines, saying it cost local taxpayers $700,000 and that ticket holders still haven’t been reimbursed for cancelled flights.The Lincoln Airport Authority had contracted with Red Way to provide new destinations from the Lincoln Airport, pledging, with approval of the Lincoln City Council and Lancaster County Board, $3 million in pandemic-related, federal American Rescue Plan Act funds for the venture.But the Colorado-based startup shut down in August after only three months of operation, after flights drew far fewer passengers than projected, despite offering one-way tickets for as little as $9.Foley, in an<a target="_blank" href="https://auditors.nebraska.gov/APA_Reports/2023/OE550201-12142023-December_14_2023_Lincoln_Airport_Authority_Letter.pdf">&nbsp;84-page report</a>&nbsp;to the Airport Authority, said that Red Way “clearly violated” federal regulations by draining a $1.5 million escrow account intended to repay customers for tickets purchased on flights that were cancelled.The audit also estimated that, despite earlier news reports, Red Way probably still owes jilted customers more than $100,000.Overall, Foley said that the Lincoln Airport Authority provided more than $700,000 in local public funds under its control to assist Red Way, as well as waiving tens of thousands of dollars in fees that the airline would have been obligated to pay.&nbsp;&nbsp;“In the final analysis, Red Way was a failed riverboat gamble bankrolled by taxpayers,” the auditor said in a press release.&nbsp;&nbsp;“Had the Red Way business plan been prepared for the eyes of a reputable commercial bank lender, its proponents would not have gotten past the junior teller,” Foley added. “The cavalier treatment of government funds as monopoly money paved the way for the plan to be sold as a worthy risk to elected officials, who accepted it with few questions asked.”In September, the Lincoln Airport Authority told&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://journalstar.com/news/local/business/inside-look-at-red-way-airlines-failure/article_5a9fb522-4814-11ee-9dc2-976ab4feea49.html">the Lincoln Journal-Star</a>&nbsp;that the Red Way deal was a risk, to expand service at the airport, that didn’t work out. Officials there set up an interview with the Examiner later Thursday.Calls and an email to Red Way CEO Nick Wangler were not immediately returned on Thursday afternoon. Wangler formed Fly Next LLC, of which Red Way was its trade name, in February.Initially, Red Way offered flights to Orlando, Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Atlanta, Georgia; Dallas/Fort Worth and Austin, Texas; Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota; and Nashville, Tennessee.Instead of owning its own aircraft, Red Way leased planes from an Florida company, Global Crossing. According to the audit, Red Way paid that firm $4.3 million by September 12.

State auditor slams ‘riverboat gamble’ with defunct Red Way Airline, saying the deal ‘clearly violated’ law, drained $700,000 in taxpayer funds

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress was departing Washington on Thursday without a deal to pass wartime support for Ukraine, but Senate negotiators and President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;administration were still racing to wrap up a border security compromise to unlock the stalemate before the end of the year.

The Senate planned to come back next week in hopes of passing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">$110 billion package of aid</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and other national security and finalizing a deal to place new restrictions on asylum claims at the U.S. border. But the House showed no sign of returning to push the legislation through the full Congress.

Lawmakers leaving the impasse unresolved through the holidays would mean the Biden administration would have to rely on a dwindling supply of funds for Ukraine. The wartime aid has so far been vital to Ukraine’s defending against Russia’s invasion, but an emboldened Russian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-russia-press-conference-moscow-ukraine-ef4e88fda50e6ad75b8a1979b95d9fcc">Vladimir Putin earlier Thursday</a>&nbsp;recommitted to his goals in the war.

Repelling Russia has been one of Biden’s chief foreign policy goals. But the Democratic president is facing stiff opposition from Republicans in Congress — both from populist conservatives who no longer want to fund the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">nearly two-year-old conflict</a>&nbsp;and GOP senators who have been traditional allies to Ukraine’s defense but insist that the U.S. also enact policies aimed at cutting the historic number of migrants who are arriving at the U.S. border with Mexico.

Top administration officials, including White House chief of staff Jeff Zients and Biden’s legislative affairs director Shuwanza Goff, met with Senate negotiators Thursday evening. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, rescheduled the Senate to return to Washington on Monday to give negotiators more time to reach the framework of a deal.

“We have to get this done,” Schumer said, adding that he would push for a Senate vote on the funding package next week even if an agreement is not in place.

In an earlier speech on the Senate floor, Schumer said that the deadlock in Congress has left “Putin mocking our resolve.” He cast the decisions facing lawmakers as a potential turning point of history: “There is too much on the line for Ukraine, for America, for Western democracy, to throw in the towel right now.”

But the House ended work and departed for the holidays, with Republican Speaker Mike Johnson showing no sign he will have members return until the second week of January.

In fact, Johnson’s office sent around a clip from a Zelenskyy interview suggesting aid could wait until the new year.

Senate Republicans also expressed doubt there was time left this year to both reach an agreement and work through writing the text of legislation, with Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio saying there would be a “revolt” by Republicans if they were forced into a quick vote.

A core group of Senate negotiators and Biden administration officials were expected to work through the weekend narrowing a list of priorities aimed at curtailing the number of migrants applying for asylum at the U.S. border.

“We are making progress, I feel more confident today than I did yesterday,” Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent who has often been central to Senate deal-making, told The Associated Press.

Faced with historic numbers of migrants at the U.S. border with Mexico, the White House has negotiated a change to the law that would allow Homeland Security officials to stop migrants from applying for asylum if the number of total crossings exceeded a certain capacity.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-israel-funding-us-mexico-border-e1da808689aeef52308d19010a5e3cfa">Negotiators have also considered several other policies</a>&nbsp;that resemble those pursued under former President Donald Trump’s administration, including detaining people who claim asylum at the border and granting nationwide authority to quickly remove migrants who have been in the U.S. for less than two years.

Sinema declined to discuss details of the talks but said her aim was to craft a package that has both the policy and funding to “create an orderly, safe, secure and humane process” for seeking asylum or immigrating for “other legal reasons.” She added that negotiators understand they will lose support from wings of both conservatives and progressives, but were aiming to pass the package in the Senate with majorities of both parties.

“There will probably be folks on the edges of the political spectrum who are not happy with a solution that secures our border, brings order and is humane,” Sinema said.

In one friction point in talks, the White House has resisted Republican demands to curtail&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-biden-haiti-cuba-nicaragua-venezuela-trial-982e96527e266b46dc95388f31a93824">a humanitarian parole program</a>&nbsp;that has allowed tens of thousands of migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to enter the U.S., often at ports of entry other than the border, according to several people familiar with the talks who discussed them only on the condition of anonymity.

Still, immigration advocates have been dismayed at the White House’s concessions in the talks.

Sen. Alex Padilla, the California Democrat who has spearheaded Senate resistance to the plans, said he has told Biden “to be careful because Republicans are hellbent on dragging us into harmful policy territory.”

Congress has struggled for decades to find any agreement on border and immigration policy, yet Republicans argue that the Biden administration opened the door for a policy negotiation both by including border-related funding in the national security package and openly calling for Congress to take up reforms.

But the complicated and contentious nature of the issue prompted many GOP senators to conclude that there would be no deal for Ukraine aid this year, even as they pledged to prove Putin wrong for doubting U.S. support for Ukraine.

“Sometimes democracies take a little more time, but the resolve is real,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D.

Some Democrats fretted that leaving the funding deadlock hanging for weeks could precipitate the deal’s collapse.

“Actions speak louder than words,” said Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702600274009.png" alt="Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says there will be a vote next week on the national security supplemental aid request for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, as well as border security.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says there will be a vote next week on the national security supplemental aid request for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, as well as border security.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress was departing Washington on Thursday without a deal to pass wartime support for Ukraine, but Senate negotiators and President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;administration were still racing to wrap up a border security compromise to unlock the stalemate before the end of the year.The Senate planned to come back next week in hopes of passing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-ukraine-israel-budget-3762a0bdf00653e3c8a38175d3c3d3cb">$110 billion package of aid</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and other national security and finalizing a deal to place new restrictions on asylum claims at the U.S. border. But the House showed no sign of returning to push the legislation through the full Congress.Lawmakers leaving the impasse unresolved through the holidays would mean the Biden administration would have to rely on a dwindling supply of funds for Ukraine. The wartime aid has so far been vital to Ukraine’s defending against Russia’s invasion, but an emboldened Russian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-russia-press-conference-moscow-ukraine-ef4e88fda50e6ad75b8a1979b95d9fcc">Vladimir Putin earlier Thursday</a>&nbsp;recommitted to his goals in the war.Repelling Russia has been one of Biden’s chief foreign policy goals. But the Democratic president is facing stiff opposition from Republicans in Congress — both from populist conservatives who no longer want to fund the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">nearly two-year-old conflict</a>&nbsp;and GOP senators who have been traditional allies to Ukraine’s defense but insist that the U.S. also enact policies aimed at cutting the historic number of migrants who are arriving at the U.S. border with Mexico.Top administration officials, including White House chief of staff Jeff Zients and Biden’s legislative affairs director Shuwanza Goff, met with Senate negotiators Thursday evening. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, rescheduled the Senate to return to Washington on Monday to give negotiators more time to reach the framework of a deal.“We have to get this done,” Schumer said, adding that he would push for a Senate vote on the funding package next week even if an agreement is not in place.In an earlier speech on the Senate floor, Schumer said that the deadlock in Congress has left “Putin mocking our resolve.” He cast the decisions facing lawmakers as a potential turning point of history: “There is too much on the line for Ukraine, for America, for Western democracy, to throw in the towel right now.”But the House ended work and departed for the holidays, with Republican Speaker Mike Johnson showing no sign he will have members return until the second week of January.In fact, Johnson’s office sent around a clip from a Zelenskyy interview suggesting aid could wait until the new year.Senate Republicans also expressed doubt there was time left this year to both reach an agreement and work through writing the text of legislation, with Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio saying there would be a “revolt” by Republicans if they were forced into a quick vote.A core group of Senate negotiators and Biden administration officials were expected to work through the weekend narrowing a list of priorities aimed at curtailing the number of migrants applying for asylum at the U.S. border.“We are making progress, I feel more confident today than I did yesterday,” Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona independent who has often been central to Senate deal-making, told The Associated Press.Faced with historic numbers of migrants at the U.S. border with Mexico, the White House has negotiated a change to the law that would allow Homeland Security officials to stop migrants from applying for asylum if the number of total crossings exceeded a certain capacity.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-israel-funding-us-mexico-border-e1da808689aeef52308d19010a5e3cfa">Negotiators have also considered several other policies</a>&nbsp;that resemble those pursued under former President Donald Trump’s administration, including detaining people who claim asylum at the border and granting nationwide authority to quickly remove migrants who have been in the U.S. for less than two years.Sinema declined to discuss details of the talks but said her aim was to craft a package that has both the policy and funding to “create an orderly, safe, secure and humane process” for seeking asylum or immigrating for “other legal reasons.” She added that negotiators understand they will lose support from wings of both conservatives and progressives, but were aiming to pass the package in the Senate with majorities of both parties.“There will probably be folks on the edges of the political spectrum who are not happy with a solution that secures our border, brings order and is humane,” Sinema said.In one friction point in talks, the White House has resisted Republican demands to curtail&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-biden-haiti-cuba-nicaragua-venezuela-trial-982e96527e266b46dc95388f31a93824">a humanitarian parole program</a>&nbsp;that has allowed tens of thousands of migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to enter the U.S., often at ports of entry other than the border, according to several people familiar with the talks who discussed them only on the condition of anonymity.Still, immigration advocates have been dismayed at the White House’s concessions in the talks.Sen. Alex Padilla, the California Democrat who has spearheaded Senate resistance to the plans, said he has told Biden “to be careful because Republicans are hellbent on dragging us into harmful policy territory.”Congress has struggled for decades to find any agreement on border and immigration policy, yet Republicans argue that the Biden administration opened the door for a policy negotiation both by including border-related funding in the national security package and openly calling for Congress to take up reforms.But the complicated and contentious nature of the issue prompted many GOP senators to conclude that there would be no deal for Ukraine aid this year, even as they pledged to prove Putin wrong for doubting U.S. support for Ukraine.“Sometimes democracies take a little more time, but the resolve is real,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D.Some Democrats fretted that leaving the funding deadlock hanging for weeks could precipitate the deal’s collapse.“Actions speak louder than words,” said Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado.

Senators delay holiday to work on $110B funding for Ukraine, Israel

FORT CALHOUN, Neb. (AP) — The suspect in the stabbing death of a Catholic priest in eastern Nebraska had no connection to the priest or the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-catholic-priest-killed-gutgsell-e634b68f496074893b58eb45229805ed">small town where the stabbing occurred</a>&nbsp;last week, prosecutors said during a court hearing Thursday.

Kierre Williams, 43, was ordered held without bond while he awaits trial on first-degree murder, burglary and two felony weapons counts in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-catholic-priest-stabbed-rectory-gutgsell-c48a12fd9ad044709e8ebbb8f53e4eab">Sunday killing</a>&nbsp;of the Rev. Stephen Gutgsell in the rectory next door to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Calhoun.

The 65-year-old priest called 911 before dawn Sunday to report that a man had broken into the rectory and was in his kitchen holding a knife. When a deputy arrived at the home minutes later, he said he found Gutgsell lying near the kitchen, bleeding profusely from stab wounds. Gutgsell was rushed to a hospital in nearby Omaha, where he died of his wounds.

The murder charge alone carries a possible death penalty, the judge noted.

Williams, who attended the hearing via video conference wearing a jail-issued orange jumpsuit, appeared taken aback by the mention of the murder charge being a capital punishment crime. He said he was told by his lawyer, Brian Craig of the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy, that he faced a sentence of life in prison if convicted of the murder charge.

County Attorney Scott VanderSchaaf, the lead prosecutor in the case, did not immediately return phone and email messages Thursday asking whether he intends to seek the death penalty or when that decision will be made.

Gutgsell’s stabbing is the second killing this year in the normally quiet Omaha bedroom community of Fort Calhoun, home to about 1,000 people. Investigators have said both killings happened during break-ins where there was no clear connection between the intruders and the victims.

FORT CALHOUN, Neb. (AP) — The suspect in the stabbing death of a Catholic priest in eastern Nebraska had no connection to the priest or the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-catholic-priest-killed-gutgsell-e634b68f496074893b58eb45229805ed">small town where the stabbing occurred</a>&nbsp;last week, prosecutors said during a court hearing Thursday.Kierre Williams, 43, was ordered held without bond while he awaits trial on first-degree murder, burglary and two felony weapons counts in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nebraska-catholic-priest-stabbed-rectory-gutgsell-c48a12fd9ad044709e8ebbb8f53e4eab">Sunday killing</a>&nbsp;of the Rev. Stephen Gutgsell in the rectory next door to St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Calhoun.The 65-year-old priest called 911 before dawn Sunday to report that a man had broken into the rectory and was in his kitchen holding a knife. When a deputy arrived at the home minutes later, he said he found Gutgsell lying near the kitchen, bleeding profusely from stab wounds. Gutgsell was rushed to a hospital in nearby Omaha, where he died of his wounds.The murder charge alone carries a possible death penalty, the judge noted.Williams, who attended the hearing via video conference wearing a jail-issued orange jumpsuit, appeared taken aback by the mention of the murder charge being a capital punishment crime. He said he was told by his lawyer, Brian Craig of the Nebraska Commission on Public Advocacy, that he faced a sentence of life in prison if convicted of the murder charge.County Attorney Scott VanderSchaaf, the lead prosecutor in the case, did not immediately return phone and email messages Thursday asking whether he intends to seek the death penalty or when that decision will be made.Gutgsell’s stabbing is the second killing this year in the normally quiet Omaha bedroom community of Fort Calhoun, home to about 1,000 people. Investigators have said both killings happened during break-ins where there was no clear connection between the intruders and the victims.

Suspect in stabbing death of eastern Nebraska priest had no connection to priest, prosecutor says

MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A federal grand jury in Montana has indicted two men accused of killing about 3,600 birds, including bald eagles and golden eagles, and selling them on the black market.

The indictment returned in U.S. District Court last week charges Simon Paul and Travis John Branson with 13 counts of unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles and one count each of conspiracy and violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits trafficking of illegally taken wildlife.

“The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act was enacted in 1940 to protect the bald eagle, recognizing that the bald eagle is not merely a bird of biological interest, but this country’s national symbol which reflects America’s ideals of freedom,” the indictment states. The act was extended in 1962 to include golden eagles.

Branson, Paul and others hunted and killed thousands of birds, including eagles, on the Flathead Indian Reservation and elsewhere, then illegally sold them for significant sums of cash across the United States and elsewhere, the indictment states.

Investigators found messages from Branson and others describing the illegal taking of eagles, saying he was “committing felonies” and telling buyers he was “on a killing spree” to collect more eagle tail feathers for future sales, according to the indictment.

The indictment alleges that Paul and Branson conspired to kill and sell the eagles illegally near Ronan, Montana, from 2015 and 2021. From 2019 and 2021, Branson traveled from Washington state to the reservation to shoot the eagles, and Paul, who lived near the reservation, was a shooter and shipper for Branson.

“When Branson arrived on the Flathead Indian Reservation, Paul would meet and help kill, transport, and ship bald and golden eagles for future sales on the black market,” the indictment states.

Paul and Branson were issued summons to appear for arraignments on Jan. 8.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670010827440.jpeg" alt="photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A federal grand jury in Montana has indicted two men accused of killing about 3,600 birds, including bald eagles and golden eagles, and selling them on the black market.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702572574202.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The indictment returned in U.S. District Court last week charges Simon Paul and Travis John Branson with 13 counts of unlawful trafficking of bald and golden eagles and one count each of conspiracy and violating the Lacey Act, which prohibits trafficking of illegally taken wildlife.“The Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act was enacted in 1940 to protect the bald eagle, recognizing that the bald eagle is not merely a bird of biological interest, but this country’s national symbol which reflects America’s ideals of freedom,” the indictment states. The act was extended in 1962 to include golden eagles.Branson, Paul and others hunted and killed thousands of birds, including eagles, on the Flathead Indian Reservation and elsewhere, then illegally sold them for significant sums of cash across the United States and elsewhere, the indictment states.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702572624186.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Investigators found messages from Branson and others describing the illegal taking of eagles, saying he was “committing felonies” and telling buyers he was “on a killing spree” to collect more eagle tail feathers for future sales, according to the indictment.The indictment alleges that Paul and Branson conspired to kill and sell the eagles illegally near Ronan, Montana, from 2015 and 2021. From 2019 and 2021, Branson traveled from Washington state to the reservation to shoot the eagles, and Paul, who lived near the reservation, was a shooter and shipper for Branson.“When Branson arrived on the Flathead Indian Reservation, Paul would meet and help kill, transport, and ship bald and golden eagles for future sales on the black market,” the indictment states.Paul and Branson were issued summons to appear for arraignments on Jan. 8.

Two charged with killing, selling bald and golden eagles

WASHINGTON — First lady Jill Biden shared a unique video on social media Wednesday featuring the Dorrance Dance talented tappers at the White House with "their playful interpretation of The Nutcracker Suite."

&nbsp;Viewers shared a variety of positive and negative reviews of the "bit of magic, wonder, and joy,”&nbsp; as described by the first lady.&nbsp; She hopes viewers enjoy it.

WASHINGTON — First lady Jill Biden shared a unique video on social media Wednesday featuring the Dorrance Dance talented tappers at the White House with "their playful interpretation of The Nutcracker Suite."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">A bit of magic, wonder, and joy brought to you by the talented tappers of Dorrance Dance, performing their playful interpretation of The Nutcracker Suite. Enjoy! 💕 <a href="https://t.co/qXtCm4t37o">pic.twitter.com/qXtCm4t37o</a>&mdash; Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/1735074586721468855?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;Viewers shared a variety of positive and negative reviews of the "bit of magic, wonder, and joy,”&nbsp; as described by the first lady.&nbsp; She hopes viewers enjoy it.

🎥First lady shares unusual White House Christmas video

OMAHA, NE&nbsp;— Today,&nbsp;the Platte Institute&nbsp;released a new episode of the Nebraskanomics&nbsp;podcast featuring three former state senators&nbsp;who are on Platte’s&nbsp;staff;&nbsp;Jim Smith, Chief Strategy Officer, Laura Ebke, Senior Fellow, and Nicole Fox, Director of Government Relations. During the episode,&nbsp;the three former senators along with host of Nebraskanomics, Jim Vokal,&nbsp;discuss Platte’s priorities going into 2024, expectations from the legislative body, and potential challenges to overcome. &nbsp;

“Having three former state senators on Platte’s staff is an invaluable resource that comes with a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge” said Jim Vokal, Chief Executive Officer of Platte Institute. “I am excited to share some of this experience with our listeners&nbsp;as they hear our conversation&nbsp;and learn more about what we expect from this upcoming session.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

Heading into the 2024 Legislative Session, Platte’s&nbsp;top priorities are:&nbsp;

“Given the turbulence that we all watched this year&nbsp;during the longer 90-day session,&nbsp;I think there&nbsp;is a big question mark surrounding whether the body will be as successful as it was&nbsp;in its’ first session. We believe it can and will be.” added Vokal.&nbsp;“Our team remains focused and ready to support legislators as we work to keep up the momentum heading into 2024.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

To&nbsp;listen to the latest episode of Nebraskanomics, click&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/7sdjwHnGJr5xQDEetH5H2m?si=fb42068dd90049f9" target="_blank">here</a>. For more information on this&nbsp;episode, Platte’s priorities&nbsp;heading into 2024, or to schedule an interview, please contact Ryan Kopsa at (402) 366-4432 or write to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rkopsa@platteinstitute.org" target="_blank">rkopsa@platteinstitute.org</a>.&nbsp;

The Platte Institute advances policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. Discover more about our policies, initiatives, and resources at PlatteInstitute.org.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Platte Institute&nbsp;OMAHA, NE&nbsp;— Today,&nbsp;the Platte Institute&nbsp;released a new episode of the Nebraskanomics&nbsp;podcast featuring three former state senators&nbsp;who are on Platte’s&nbsp;staff;&nbsp;Jim Smith, Chief Strategy Officer, Laura Ebke, Senior Fellow, and Nicole Fox, Director of Government Relations. During the episode,&nbsp;the three former senators along with host of Nebraskanomics, Jim Vokal,&nbsp;discuss Platte’s priorities going into 2024, expectations from the legislative body, and potential challenges to overcome. &nbsp;“Having three former state senators on Platte’s staff is an invaluable resource that comes with a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge” said Jim Vokal, Chief Executive Officer of Platte Institute. “I am excited to share some of this experience with our listeners&nbsp;as they hear our conversation&nbsp;and learn more about what we expect from this upcoming session.” &nbsp;&nbsp;Heading into the 2024 Legislative Session, Platte’s&nbsp;top priorities are:&nbsp;<ul>
 <li>Removing workforce barriers and promoting entrepreneurship&nbsp;by passing universal recognition&nbsp;and expanding&nbsp;Nebraska’s&nbsp;cottage foods&nbsp;law.&nbsp;</li><li>Continued tax relief for economic competitiveness&nbsp;by ending the inheritance tax, adopting full expensing, improving the way we treat remote works, and strengthening Nebraska’s Truth in Taxation&nbsp;law. &nbsp;</li><li>Cutting regulations&nbsp;by passing legislation requiring state courts to interpret regulations based on legislative intent instead of deferring&nbsp;to regulators for clarity. &nbsp;</li>
 </ul>“Given the turbulence that we all watched this year&nbsp;during the longer 90-day session,&nbsp;I think there&nbsp;is a big question mark surrounding whether the body will be as successful as it was&nbsp;in its’ first session. We believe it can and will be.” added Vokal.&nbsp;“Our team remains focused and ready to support legislators as we work to keep up the momentum heading into 2024.” &nbsp;&nbsp;To&nbsp;listen to the latest episode of Nebraskanomics, click&nbsp;<a href="https://open.spotify.com/episode/7sdjwHnGJr5xQDEetH5H2m?si=fb42068dd90049f9" target="_blank">here</a>. For more information on this&nbsp;episode, Platte’s priorities&nbsp;heading into 2024, or to schedule an interview, please contact Ryan Kopsa at (402) 366-4432 or write to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rkopsa@platteinstitute.org" target="_blank">rkopsa@platteinstitute.org</a>.&nbsp;The Platte Institute advances policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. Discover more about our policies, initiatives, and resources at PlatteInstitute.org.&nbsp;

 Platte Institute Releases New Episode of Nebraskanomics Podcast; Former State Senators Give Insight into 2024 Session 

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-lawmaker-and-spouse-create-unl-scholarship-for-lgbtqa-champions/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — A Nebraska lawmaker and his husband have created an annual endowed scholarship to support “LGBTQA+ champions” at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha and Jeff Formanek announced the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://gsc.unl.edu/scholarships">Fredrickson-Formanek Scholars Fund</a>&nbsp;on Thursday. The fund will provide permanent financial support to first-year UNL students who are champions and supporters of LGBTQA+ causes and rights.

The couple created the scholarship in an effort to combat divisive rhetoric surrounding&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/01/lgbtq-protections-at-crossroads-in-nebraska-legislature/">LGBTQ issues</a>, according to a news release.&nbsp;

“Nebraska’s state motto is ‘Equality before the law,’” Fredrickson said in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/johnforne/status/1735297438372561242?s=46&amp;t=nEvCDsjpl9tOsLlqg0nx9A">video announcing the scholarship</a>. “We feel so fortunate that this new program will have a real impact on building a brighter future for Nebraska and Nebraskans.”

A $2,000 scholarship —&nbsp;split evenly over a fall and spring semester —&nbsp;will be awarded to a student beginning in fall 2024 through UNL’s Gender and Sexuality Center. The scholarship is available through the annual scholarship application process.

Recipients must carry at least 12 credit hours per semester while the scholarship is provided.

Preference may be given to students who are Nebraska high school graduates or who demonstrate financial need.

Pat Tetreault, director of the Gender and Sexuality Center, said they are grateful for the leadership and generosity through the gift. It demonstrates the support, recognition and commitment the center offers at UNL, she added.

“The generosity and courage of State Sen. Fredrickson and Mr. Formanek highlights the opportunities for LGBTQA+ youth to thrive at UNL and in Nebraska,” Tetreault said in a statement to the Nebraska Examiner.

The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nufoundation.org/fund/01164840/">endowed fund</a>&nbsp;is created through a $50,000 gift to the University of Nebraska Foundation. As the endowment grows, more than one annual scholarship may be available.

The gift is made as part of efforts to engage at least 150,000 benefactors to give $3 billion to support the University of Nebraska —&nbsp;“<a target="_blank" href="https://onlyinnebraska.org/">Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future</a>.” The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraska.edu/news-and-events/news/2022/11/university-of-nebraska-launches-only-in-nebraska-campaign-to-address-future-needs-of-the-state">campaign</a>&nbsp;has raised more than $2 billion from more than 130,000 unique donors.

Fredrickson, a mental health professional, is an Omaha native and the first openly gay and second openly LGBTQ state lawmaker in Nebraska history. Fredrickson and Formanek, director of the Royal Bank of Canada’s Capital Markets division, met while working in New York.

The couple decided to return to Fredrickson’s home state to raise their son.

“To the young LGBTQ people across Nebraska: We’re here. We see you,” Formanek said in the launch video. “And we want you to know that there are so many people who have your back and are investing in all the amazing possibilities that the future may hold for you.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702582979653.jpeg" alt=" State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha, at right, and his husband, Jeff Formanek, have created an annual endowed scholarship for first-year University of Nebraska-Lincoln students. (Courtesy of BCom in Lincoln)" />
 <figcaption> State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha, at right, and his husband, Jeff Formanek, have created an annual endowed scholarship for first-year University of Nebraska-Lincoln students. (Courtesy of BCom in Lincoln)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-lawmaker-and-spouse-create-unl-scholarship-for-lgbtqa-champions/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — A Nebraska lawmaker and his husband have created an annual endowed scholarship to support “LGBTQA+ champions” at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha and Jeff Formanek announced the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://gsc.unl.edu/scholarships">Fredrickson-Formanek Scholars Fund</a>&nbsp;on Thursday. The fund will provide permanent financial support to first-year UNL students who are champions and supporters of LGBTQA+ causes and rights.The couple created the scholarship in an effort to combat divisive rhetoric surrounding&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/03/01/lgbtq-protections-at-crossroads-in-nebraska-legislature/">LGBTQ issues</a>, according to a news release.&nbsp;“Nebraska’s state motto is ‘Equality before the law,’” Fredrickson said in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/johnforne/status/1735297438372561242?s=46&amp;t=nEvCDsjpl9tOsLlqg0nx9A">video announcing the scholarship</a>. “We feel so fortunate that this new program will have a real impact on building a brighter future for Nebraska and Nebraskans.”A $2,000 scholarship —&nbsp;split evenly over a fall and spring semester —&nbsp;will be awarded to a student beginning in fall 2024 through UNL’s Gender and Sexuality Center. The scholarship is available through the annual scholarship application process.Recipients must carry at least 12 credit hours per semester while the scholarship is provided.Preference may be given to students who are Nebraska high school graduates or who demonstrate financial need.Pat Tetreault, director of the Gender and Sexuality Center, said they are grateful for the leadership and generosity through the gift. It demonstrates the support, recognition and commitment the center offers at UNL, she added.“The generosity and courage of State Sen. Fredrickson and Mr. Formanek highlights the opportunities for LGBTQA+ youth to thrive at UNL and in Nebraska,” Tetreault said in a statement to the Nebraska Examiner.The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nufoundation.org/fund/01164840/">endowed fund</a>&nbsp;is created through a $50,000 gift to the University of Nebraska Foundation. As the endowment grows, more than one annual scholarship may be available.The gift is made as part of efforts to engage at least 150,000 benefactors to give $3 billion to support the University of Nebraska —&nbsp;“<a target="_blank" href="https://onlyinnebraska.org/">Only in Nebraska: A Campaign for Our University’s Future</a>.” The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraska.edu/news-and-events/news/2022/11/university-of-nebraska-launches-only-in-nebraska-campaign-to-address-future-needs-of-the-state">campaign</a>&nbsp;has raised more than $2 billion from more than 130,000 unique donors.Fredrickson, a mental health professional, is an Omaha native and the first openly gay and second openly LGBTQ state lawmaker in Nebraska history. Fredrickson and Formanek, director of the Royal Bank of Canada’s Capital Markets division, met while working in New York.The couple decided to return to Fredrickson’s home state to raise their son.“To the young LGBTQ people across Nebraska: We’re here. We see you,” Formanek said in the launch video. “And we want you to know that there are so many people who have your back and are investing in all the amazing possibilities that the future may hold for you.”

Nebraska lawmaker and spouse create UNL scholarship for ‘LGBTQA+ champions’

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed a defense policy bill Thursday that authorizes the biggest pay raise for troops in more than two decades, overcoming objections from some conservatives concerned the measure did not do enough to restrict the Pentagon's diversity initiatives, abortion travel policy and gender-affirming health care for transgender service members.

The $886 billion bill was approved by a vote of 310-118 and now goes to President Joe Biden after the Senate had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/defense-bill-pay-raise-abortion-transgender-21616bf1fd228c84d8d0046d25a19b01#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20The%20Senate,what%20is%20traditionally%20a%20strongly">overwhelmingly passed</a>&nbsp;it Wednesday. All members of the Nebraska delegation voted for the measure.

Kansas Representatives Ron Estes and Tracey Man voted against the bill. The rest of the Kansas delegation including Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted for the bill.

It is likely the last piece of major legislation Congress will consider before leaving for the holiday break, though negotiations continue on a bill to aid Ukraine and Israel and boost border security.

The spending called for represents about a 3% increase from the prior year. The bill serves as a blueprint for programs Congress will seek to fund through follow-up spending bills.

Lawmakers have been negotiating a final defense policy bill for months after each chamber passed strikingly different versions in July. Some of the priorities championed by social conservatives were a no-go for Democrats. Negotiators dropped them from the final version to get it over the finish line.

That did not go over well with some Republican lawmakers, though most did end up voting for a bill that traditionally has broad, bipartisan support. About twice as many Republicans voted for the bill as voted against it.

“You almost feel like a parent who's sent a child off to summer camp and they came back a monster,” Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said in opposing the bill. “That's what we've done. This bill came back in far worse shape.”

As an example, Gaetz said the House bill eliminated the position of the chief diversity officer at the Defense Department, but the final measure did not include that provision.

Washington Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, chided the bill's critics for what he described as an unwillingness to compromise.

“Apparently, you don't like democracy because that's what democracy is. You compromise and you work with people and you do it all the time,” Smith said.

Most notably, the bill does not include language sought by House Republicans to restrict gender-affirming health care for transgender service members and it does not block the Pentagon’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-lloyd-austin-government-and-politics-dc6a0317775596ffc7945acc79b7559e">abortion travel</a>&nbsp;policy, which allows reimbursement for travel expenses when a service member has to go out of state for an abortion or other reproductive care.

Republicans did win some concessions on diversity and inclusion training in the military. For example, the bill freezes hiring for such training until a full accounting of the programming and costs is completed and reported to Congress.

One of the most divisive aspects of the bill was a short-term extension of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-surveillance-fisa-702-congress-reform-7dc1b506b58ce74de0d7983dfba98909">surveillance program</a>&nbsp;aimed at preventing terrorism and catching spies. The program has detractors on both sides of the political aisle who view it as a threat to the privacy of ordinary Americans.

Some House Republicans were incensed that the extension was included in the defense policy bill and not voted upon separately through other legislation that included proposed changes to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA.

The extension continues a tool that permits the U.S. government to collect without a warrant the communications of non-Americans located outside the country, in an effort to gather foreign intelligence.

U.S. officials have said the tool, first authorized in 2008 and renewed several times since then, is crucial in disrupting terror attacks, cyber intrusions and other national security threats. It has produced vital intelligence that the U.S. has relied on for specific operations, such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-ayman-al-zawahri-qaida-biden-united-states-171556fce4719d012726fb979a14cc81">killing last year</a>&nbsp;of al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri.

But the administration’s efforts to secure reauthorization of the program have encountered strong bipartisan pushback. Lawmakers are demanding better privacy protections for those Americans caught up in the monitoring. They wanted a separate vote on legislation making changes to the program.

“The FBI under President Biden has been weaponized against the American people and major reform is needed,” said Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont. “FISA should not be combined with our national defense. And it is unacceptable that leadership is bypassing regular order to jam members by forcing them to vote on two unrelated bills with one vote.”

Matthew G. Olsen, an assistant attorney general at the Justice Department, praised the passage of the extension.

He said: “We cannot afford to be blinded to the many threats we face from foreign adversaries, including Iran and China, as well as terrorist organizations like Hamas and ISIS," or the Islamic State group.

Enough opposition to the bill had developed within the GOP ranks that it forced House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to tee up the defense policy bill for a vote through a process generally reserved for noncontroversial legislation.

Under that process, at least two-thirds of the House had to vote in favor of the legislation for it to pass, but going that route avoided the prospect of a small number of Republicans blocking it from the floor.

Consideration of the bill comes at a dangerous time for the world, with wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and as China increasingly flexes its military might in the South China Sea.

On Ukraine, the bill includes the creation of a special inspector general for Ukraine to address concerns about whether taxpayer dollars are being spent in Ukraine as intended. That’s on top of oversight work already being conducted by other agency watchdogs.

“We will continue to stay on top of this, but I want to assure my colleagues that there has been no evidence of diversion of weapons provided to Ukraine or any other assistance,” GOP Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, told lawmakers this week in advocating for the bill.

On China, the bill establishes a new training program with Taiwan, requires a plan to accelerate deliveries of Harpoon anti-ship missiles to Taiwan, and approves&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-united-states-nuclear-submarines-biden-aukus-64a1d6c416ad9206153ad601c177869b">an agreement</a>&nbsp;that enables Australia to access nuclear-powered submarines, which are stealthier and more capable than conventionally powered vessels.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702582014813.png" alt="Kansas congressman Jake LaTurner presided over the House Floor Thursday during the vote on the National Defense Authorization Act." />
 <figcaption>Kansas congressman Jake LaTurner presided over the House Floor Thursday during the vote on the National Defense Authorization Act.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed a defense policy bill Thursday that authorizes the biggest pay raise for troops in more than two decades, overcoming objections from some conservatives concerned the measure did not do enough to restrict the Pentagon's diversity initiatives, abortion travel policy and gender-affirming health care for transgender service members.The $886 billion bill was approved by a vote of 310-118 and now goes to President Joe Biden after the Senate had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/defense-bill-pay-raise-abortion-transgender-21616bf1fd228c84d8d0046d25a19b01#:~:text=WASHINGTON%20(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20The%20Senate,what%20is%20traditionally%20a%20strongly">overwhelmingly passed</a>&nbsp;it Wednesday. All members of the Nebraska delegation voted for the measure.Kansas Representatives Ron Estes and Tracey Man voted against the bill. The rest of the Kansas delegation including Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted for the bill.It is likely the last piece of major legislation Congress will consider before leaving for the holiday break, though negotiations continue on a bill to aid Ukraine and Israel and boost border security.The spending called for represents about a 3% increase from the prior year. The bill serves as a blueprint for programs Congress will seek to fund through follow-up spending bills.Lawmakers have been negotiating a final defense policy bill for months after each chamber passed strikingly different versions in July. Some of the priorities championed by social conservatives were a no-go for Democrats. Negotiators dropped them from the final version to get it over the finish line.That did not go over well with some Republican lawmakers, though most did end up voting for a bill that traditionally has broad, bipartisan support. About twice as many Republicans voted for the bill as voted against it.“You almost feel like a parent who's sent a child off to summer camp and they came back a monster,” Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., said in opposing the bill. “That's what we've done. This bill came back in far worse shape.”As an example, Gaetz said the House bill eliminated the position of the chief diversity officer at the Defense Department, but the final measure did not include that provision.Washington Rep. Adam Smith, the ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee, chided the bill's critics for what he described as an unwillingness to compromise.“Apparently, you don't like democracy because that's what democracy is. You compromise and you work with people and you do it all the time,” Smith said.Most notably, the bill does not include language sought by House Republicans to restrict gender-affirming health care for transgender service members and it does not block the Pentagon’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-lloyd-austin-government-and-politics-dc6a0317775596ffc7945acc79b7559e">abortion travel</a>&nbsp;policy, which allows reimbursement for travel expenses when a service member has to go out of state for an abortion or other reproductive care.Republicans did win some concessions on diversity and inclusion training in the military. For example, the bill freezes hiring for such training until a full accounting of the programming and costs is completed and reported to Congress.One of the most divisive aspects of the bill was a short-term extension of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-surveillance-fisa-702-congress-reform-7dc1b506b58ce74de0d7983dfba98909">surveillance program</a>&nbsp;aimed at preventing terrorism and catching spies. The program has detractors on both sides of the political aisle who view it as a threat to the privacy of ordinary Americans.Some House Republicans were incensed that the extension was included in the defense policy bill and not voted upon separately through other legislation that included proposed changes to Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, or FISA.The extension continues a tool that permits the U.S. government to collect without a warrant the communications of non-Americans located outside the country, in an effort to gather foreign intelligence.U.S. officials have said the tool, first authorized in 2008 and renewed several times since then, is crucial in disrupting terror attacks, cyber intrusions and other national security threats. It has produced vital intelligence that the U.S. has relied on for specific operations, such as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-ayman-al-zawahri-qaida-biden-united-states-171556fce4719d012726fb979a14cc81">killing last year</a>&nbsp;of al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri.But the administration’s efforts to secure reauthorization of the program have encountered strong bipartisan pushback. Lawmakers are demanding better privacy protections for those Americans caught up in the monitoring. They wanted a separate vote on legislation making changes to the program.“The FBI under President Biden has been weaponized against the American people and major reform is needed,” said Rep. Matt Rosendale, R-Mont. “FISA should not be combined with our national defense. And it is unacceptable that leadership is bypassing regular order to jam members by forcing them to vote on two unrelated bills with one vote.”Matthew G. Olsen, an assistant attorney general at the Justice Department, praised the passage of the extension.He said: “We cannot afford to be blinded to the many threats we face from foreign adversaries, including Iran and China, as well as terrorist organizations like Hamas and ISIS," or the Islamic State group.Enough opposition to the bill had developed within the GOP ranks that it forced House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., to tee up the defense policy bill for a vote through a process generally reserved for noncontroversial legislation.Under that process, at least two-thirds of the House had to vote in favor of the legislation for it to pass, but going that route avoided the prospect of a small number of Republicans blocking it from the floor.Consideration of the bill comes at a dangerous time for the world, with wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, and as China increasingly flexes its military might in the South China Sea.On Ukraine, the bill includes the creation of a special inspector general for Ukraine to address concerns about whether taxpayer dollars are being spent in Ukraine as intended. That’s on top of oversight work already being conducted by other agency watchdogs.“We will continue to stay on top of this, but I want to assure my colleagues that there has been no evidence of diversion of weapons provided to Ukraine or any other assistance,” GOP Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, told lawmakers this week in advocating for the bill.On China, the bill establishes a new training program with Taiwan, requires a plan to accelerate deliveries of Harpoon anti-ship missiles to Taiwan, and approves&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/australia-united-states-nuclear-submarines-biden-aukus-64a1d6c416ad9206153ad601c177869b">an agreement</a>&nbsp;that enables Australia to access nuclear-powered submarines, which are stealthier and more capable than conventionally powered vessels.

Unanimous: Neb delegation votes for $886 billion defense bill 

Kearney Police Department has been actively investigating the attempted ATM theft that occurred at Heritage Bank and the related vehicle theft in July.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On Saturday, July 15, 2023 at approximately 7:30 a.m, Kearney Police Department Officers&nbsp; responded to Heritage Bank located at 315 West 60th Street, regarding a possible theft from&nbsp; the ATM. Responding Officers discovered the ATM machine had been ripped off its foundation in an attempt to steal the cash inside. The cash was accounted for inside the ATM and the&nbsp; suspects were not successful in taking any cash.&nbsp;&nbsp;

While Officers were investigating the scene, additional KPD officers located a 2006 GMC Sierra&nbsp; pickup at Sterling Apartments. Officers contacted the registered owner and it was determined&nbsp; the pickup had been stolen from Grandview Apartments earlier in the night. Evidence at the&nbsp; scene of the stolen pickup indicated the pickup had been used to pull the ATM off its pedestal.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Officers located four additional pickups damaged at Grandview Apartments during the same&nbsp; timeframe the recovered pickup was stolen. The damage to the other four pickups was&nbsp; indicative and consistent with attempts to steal the pickups.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Utilizing the city-wide FLOCK Safety Automated License Plate Reader system and area&nbsp; security cameras, Investigators identified another vehicle and license plate believed to be&nbsp; associated with the attempted ATM theft and theft of the 2006 GMC pickup.&nbsp;&nbsp;

A nationwide search of the FLOCK Safety Automated License Plate Reader system located&nbsp; the same vehicle in Ardmore, Oklahoma on July 13, 2023 when Ardmore Police Department&nbsp; had contact with the vehicle. The vehicle had also been located in Oklahoma City, and Houston,&nbsp; Texas during the same timeframe. Kearney Police Investigators worked with Ardmore&nbsp; Oklahoma Police Department, Oklahoma City Police Department, Houston Police Department&nbsp; and the Waukesha Wisconsin Police Department to identify the subjects who were in the&nbsp; additional vehicle associated with the stolen pickup and attempted ATM theft.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kearney Police DepartmentKearney Police Department has been actively investigating the attempted ATM theft that occurred at Heritage Bank and the related vehicle theft in July.&nbsp;&nbsp;On Saturday, July 15, 2023 at approximately 7:30 a.m, Kearney Police Department Officers&nbsp; responded to Heritage Bank located at 315 West 60th Street, regarding a possible theft from&nbsp; the ATM. Responding Officers discovered the ATM machine had been ripped off its foundation in an attempt to steal the cash inside. The cash was accounted for inside the ATM and the&nbsp; suspects were not successful in taking any cash.&nbsp;&nbsp;While Officers were investigating the scene, additional KPD officers located a 2006 GMC Sierra&nbsp; pickup at Sterling Apartments. Officers contacted the registered owner and it was determined&nbsp; the pickup had been stolen from Grandview Apartments earlier in the night. Evidence at the&nbsp; scene of the stolen pickup indicated the pickup had been used to pull the ATM off its pedestal.&nbsp;&nbsp;Officers located four additional pickups damaged at Grandview Apartments during the same&nbsp; timeframe the recovered pickup was stolen. The damage to the other four pickups was&nbsp; indicative and consistent with attempts to steal the pickups.&nbsp;&nbsp;Utilizing the city-wide FLOCK Safety Automated License Plate Reader system and area&nbsp; security cameras, Investigators identified another vehicle and license plate believed to be&nbsp; associated with the attempted ATM theft and theft of the 2006 GMC pickup.&nbsp;&nbsp;A nationwide search of the FLOCK Safety Automated License Plate Reader system located&nbsp; the same vehicle in Ardmore, Oklahoma on July 13, 2023 when Ardmore Police Department&nbsp; had contact with the vehicle. The vehicle had also been located in Oklahoma City, and Houston,&nbsp; Texas during the same timeframe. Kearney Police Investigators worked with Ardmore&nbsp; Oklahoma Police Department, Oklahoma City Police Department, Houston Police Department&nbsp; and the Waukesha Wisconsin Police Department to identify the subjects who were in the&nbsp; additional vehicle associated with the stolen pickup and attempted ATM theft.&nbsp;&nbsp;KPD investigators worked with the Buffalo County Attorney’s office, Ardmore Police&nbsp; Department, Oklahoma City Police Department, Houston Police Department and Waukesha&nbsp; Wisconsin Police Department to obtain an arrest warrant for Trevion Rayshad Jackson, a 27- year-old male from Houston, Texas for Theft by Unlawful Taking, a Class IIA Felony,&nbsp; Possession of Burglar’s Tools, a Class IV Felony, Criminal Mischief-Intentional Property&nbsp;Damage, a Class IV Felony and Attempted Theft by Unlawful Taking, a Class IIIA Felony.&nbsp;On Tuesday, December 12, 2023 Trevion Rayshad Jackson was located in Texas and arrested&nbsp; on the warrant. Trevion Jackson is currently being held in the Harris County Texas Sheriff’s&nbsp; Office Jail awaiting extradition.