OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A man from Gary, Indiana, could face up to 100 years in prison after pleading guilty to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-93c9f1f061126bbb83f285e05684def8">shooting that badly wounded</a>&nbsp;an Omaha police officer.

Kenya Jenkins, 24, pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree assault of an officer and use of a firearm to commit a felony. In exchange for the guilty plea, prosecutors dismissed three other charges, the&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/crime-courts/omaha-man-pleads-guilty-to-2021-shooting-of-police-officer-at-westroads-mall/article_6308867a-e0ae-11ee-ac71-bf4e06a137f9.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">Omaha World-Herald</a>&nbsp;reported.

The shooting happened in March 2021 after Jenkins was detained by a loss prevention officer at Westroads Mall who accused him of shoplifting a pack of T-shirts. Officer Jeffrey Wittstruck responded and was trying to put Jenkins in handcuffs when a struggle began.

During the struggle, Jenkins pulled out a gun and shot Wittstruck four times, hitting the officer in the face and neck.

Jenkins fled in a stolen BMW, leading officers on a chase that reached 140 mph (225 kph) that ended in Lincoln, Nebraska.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A man from Gary, Indiana, could face up to 100 years in prison after pleading guilty to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-93c9f1f061126bbb83f285e05684def8">shooting that badly wounded</a>&nbsp;an Omaha police officer.Kenya Jenkins, 24, pleaded guilty Tuesday to first-degree assault of an officer and use of a firearm to commit a felony. In exchange for the guilty plea, prosecutors dismissed three other charges, the&nbsp;<a href="https://omaha.com/news/local/crime-courts/omaha-man-pleads-guilty-to-2021-shooting-of-police-officer-at-westroads-mall/article_6308867a-e0ae-11ee-ac71-bf4e06a137f9.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">Omaha World-Herald</a>&nbsp;reported.The shooting happened in March 2021 after Jenkins was detained by a loss prevention officer at Westroads Mall who accused him of shoplifting a pack of T-shirts. Officer Jeffrey Wittstruck responded and was trying to put Jenkins in handcuffs when a struggle began.During the struggle, Jenkins pulled out a gun and shot Wittstruck four times, hitting the officer in the face and neck.Jenkins fled in a stolen BMW, leading officers on a chase that reached 140 mph (225 kph) that ended in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Man pleads guilty to a shooting that badly wounded Omaha police officer

WASHINGTON (AP) —Robert F. Kennedy Jr.&nbsp;plans to announce a running mate for his independent presidential campaign on March 26 in Oakland, California, his campaign said Tuesday.

The campaign did not say whom Kennedy will pick, but he told The New York Times this week that NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura are among the frontrunners.

Kennedy is making an unusually early announcement because of ballot access rules in many states that require independent candidates to name their vice presidential nominees before they can begin the process. Ballot access for independent candidates is an expensive and time-consuming endeavor, with rules varying vastly across states.

Kennedy's father was attorney general for the candidate's uncle, President John F. Kennedy. He began his presidential campaign as a primary challenge to Democratic President Joe Biden but later changed gears to run as an independent. His bid for the presidency, along with his embrace of conspiracy theories and views on vaccines that aren't supported by scientific consensus, have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-kennedy-joe-biden-2024-democrat-super-bowl-e4dee4be456e643be11735c6e4029377">angered</a>&nbsp;many of his famous relatives.

Kennedy is a lawyer and environmental activist who has found a loyal following among people who believe vaccines are harmful. He's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/politics/election-2024-0000018ca126d7a5a79da57ef5030000">energized supporters</a>&nbsp;alienated from the political system and distrustful of the government, corporations and media.

Candidates from outside the Republican and Democratic parties rarely make a splash, if they can make the ballot to begin with. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/whos-running-for-president-2024-f3555069195ad71e466646f826dad779">third-party candidates</a>&nbsp;don’t usually carry a famous last name like Kennedy’s, or his existing network of supporters.

Rodgers, the longtime Green Bay Packers quarterback who now plays for the New York Jets, shares Kennedy’s distrust of vaccine mandates and, like Kennedy, is a fixture on anti-establishment podcasts. Ventura, a former professional wrestler, shocked observers when he won the race for Minnesota governor as an independent candidate in 1998.

WASHINGTON (AP) —<a href="https://apnews.com/politics/election-2024-0000018ca126d7a5a79da57ef5030000">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;is having conversations with vice presidential candidates as he gets closer to announcing his running mate for his independent presidential bid.

Kennedy told The New York Times that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/aaron-rodgers">NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers</a>&nbsp;and former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura are at the top of his list. Stefanie Spear, a campaign spokesperson, confirmed the Times report and said there are other names on Kennedy's short list.

Kennedy, a scion of one of the nation's most prominent political families, has focused on getting access to the ballot, an expensive and time-consuming process that he has said will require him to collect more than a million signatures in a state-by-state effort.

Many states require independent candidates to name a running mate before they can seek access to the ballot, a factor driving the early push for Kennedy to make a pick. Major party candidates generally don't pick vice presidential nominees until closer to their summer conventions.

Kennedy is a lawyer and environmental activist who has become a leading figure in the movement that rejects the scientific consensus around vaccines. and a vocal critic of the public health establishment.

After originally running as a Democrat, he refocused his efforts around an independent campaign last year, spooking loyalists of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden, who worry he'll pick up supporters who would otherwise back one of the major party candidates.

Rodgers, the longtime Green Bay Packers quarterback who now plays for the New York Jets, shares Kennedy's distrust of vaccine mandates and, like Kennedy, is a fixture on anti-establishment podcasts. Ventura, a former professional wrestler, shocked observers when he won the race for Minnesota governor as an independent candidate in 1998.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696873934428.png" alt="Kennedy is making an unusually early announcement because of ballot access rules in many states that require independent candidates to name their vice presidential nominees before they can begin the process.-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kennedy is making an unusually early announcement because of ballot access rules in many states that require independent candidates to name their vice presidential nominees before they can begin the process.-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —Robert F. Kennedy Jr.&nbsp;plans to announce a running mate for his independent presidential campaign on March 26 in Oakland, California, his campaign said Tuesday.The campaign did not say whom Kennedy will pick, but he told The New York Times this week that NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers and former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura are among the frontrunners.Kennedy is making an unusually early announcement because of ballot access rules in many states that require independent candidates to name their vice presidential nominees before they can begin the process. Ballot access for independent candidates is an expensive and time-consuming endeavor, with rules varying vastly across states.Kennedy's father was attorney general for the candidate's uncle, President John F. Kennedy. He began his presidential campaign as a primary challenge to Democratic President Joe Biden but later changed gears to run as an independent. His bid for the presidency, along with his embrace of conspiracy theories and views on vaccines that aren't supported by scientific consensus, have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-kennedy-joe-biden-2024-democrat-super-bowl-e4dee4be456e643be11735c6e4029377">angered</a>&nbsp;many of his famous relatives.Kennedy is a lawyer and environmental activist who has found a loyal following among people who believe vaccines are harmful. He's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/politics/election-2024-0000018ca126d7a5a79da57ef5030000">energized supporters</a>&nbsp;alienated from the political system and distrustful of the government, corporations and media.Candidates from outside the Republican and Democratic parties rarely make a splash, if they can make the ballot to begin with. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/whos-running-for-president-2024-f3555069195ad71e466646f826dad779">third-party candidates</a>&nbsp;don’t usually carry a famous last name like Kennedy’s, or his existing network of supporters.Rodgers, the longtime Green Bay Packers quarterback who now plays for the New York Jets, shares Kennedy’s distrust of vaccine mandates and, like Kennedy, is a fixture on anti-establishment podcasts. Ventura, a former professional wrestler, shocked observers when he won the race for Minnesota governor as an independent candidate in 1998.-----------------------WASHINGTON (AP) —<a href="https://apnews.com/politics/election-2024-0000018ca126d7a5a79da57ef5030000">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>&nbsp;is having conversations with vice presidential candidates as he gets closer to announcing his running mate for his independent presidential bid.Kennedy told The New York Times that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/aaron-rodgers">NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers</a>&nbsp;and former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura are at the top of his list. Stefanie Spear, a campaign spokesperson, confirmed the Times report and said there are other names on Kennedy's short list.Kennedy, a scion of one of the nation's most prominent political families, has focused on getting access to the ballot, an expensive and time-consuming process that he has said will require him to collect more than a million signatures in a state-by-state effort.Many states require independent candidates to name a running mate before they can seek access to the ballot, a factor driving the early push for Kennedy to make a pick. Major party candidates generally don't pick vice presidential nominees until closer to their summer conventions.Kennedy is a lawyer and environmental activist who has become a leading figure in the movement that rejects the scientific consensus around vaccines. and a vocal critic of the public health establishment.After originally running as a Democrat, he refocused his efforts around an independent campaign last year, spooking loyalists of both Donald Trump and Joe Biden, who worry he'll pick up supporters who would otherwise back one of the major party candidates.Rodgers, the longtime Green Bay Packers quarterback who now plays for the New York Jets, shares Kennedy's distrust of vaccine mandates and, like Kennedy, is a fixture on anti-establishment podcasts. Ventura, a former professional wrestler, shocked observers when he won the race for Minnesota governor as an independent candidate in 1998.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. forced to name vice presidential running mate early

LINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen announced the retirement of Jim Macy, director of the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE). His last day will be April 19.

Gov. Pillen thanked Dir. Macy for his nine years of public service and wished him well in all future endeavors.

Thad Fineran will serve as interim director of NDEE starting April 1. He is currently chief of staff to Major General Craig Strong, adjutant general for the Nebraska National Guard. Fineran will continue as interim director until Gov. Pillen makes a permanent appointment. A national recruitment firm has been enlisted to conduct the search for a new director.

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE&nbsp;– Governor Jim Pillen announced the retirement of Jim Macy, director of the Nebraska Department of Environment and Energy (NDEE). His last day will be April 19.Gov. Pillen thanked Dir. Macy for his nine years of public service and wished him well in all future endeavors.Thad Fineran will serve as interim director of NDEE starting April 1. He is currently chief of staff to Major General Craig Strong, adjutant general for the Nebraska National Guard. Fineran will continue as interim director until Gov. Pillen makes a permanent appointment. A national recruitment firm has been enlisted to conduct the search for a new director.

NDEE Director Jim Macy Retires from State Government next month

KANSAS CITY (AP) —Dollar Tree will close nearly 1,000 stores and swung to a surprise fourth quarter loss as the discount retailer took a related $1.07 billion goodwill impairment charge.

Shares tumbled 15% before the opening bell Wednesday.

Dollar Tree plans to close about 600 Family Dollar stores in the first half of this year and 370 Family Dollar and 30 Dollar Tree stores over the next several years.

Dollar Tree&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a315fcf8a1264ed7bb38ede89611202f">acquired Family Dollar for more than $8 billion</a>&nbsp;almost a decade ago after a bidding war with rival Dollar General, but it has had difficulty absorbing the chain.

“This dramatic cull is the coup de grâce in the rather botched acquisition of the Family Dollar chain, which has caused Dollar Tree nothing but hassle since it was completed back in 2015,” wrote Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData. “Basically, almost ten years on, Dollar Tree is still sifting through the mess it inherited and has not been able to completely turn around,” Saunders said.

Saunders said in an emailed statement that nearly 12% of current Family Dollar stores will be closing over the next three years.

For the three months ended Feb. 3, Dollar Tree lost $1.71 billion, or $7.85 per share. A year earlier the Chesapeake, Virginia, company earned $452.2 million, or $2.04 per share.

Stripping out certain items, earnings were $2.55 per share, which is still short of the per-share earnings of $2.67 expected on Wall Street, according to a survey by Zacks Investment Research.

Revenue climbed to $8.64 billion from $7.72 billion, a bit below Wall Street’s estimate of $8.67 billion.

Dollar Tree has been attracting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-consumers-price-gouging-spending-economy-999e81e2f869a0151e2ee6bbb63370af">consumers</a>&nbsp;that have been stung by inflation as they seek to cut spending. During the quarter, sales at Dollar Tree stores open at least a year climbed 6.3%, with traffic up 7.1%. While more shoppers were heading to stores, they were closely watching how much they spent, with average ticket down 0.7%.

At Family Dollar, sales at stores open at least a year slipped 1.2%. Traffic edged up 0.7%, but average ticket fell 2%.

For fiscal 2024, Dollar Tree anticipates earnings between $6.70 and $7.30 per share. Revenue is expected in a range of $31 billion to $32 billion.

Analysts polled by FactSet expect full-year earnings of $7.04 on revenue of $31.68 billion.

Dollar Tree expects first-quarter earnings of $1.33 to $1.48 per share on revenue in a range of $7.6 billion to $7.9 billion.

Wall Street anticipates first-quarter earnings of $1.70 on revenue of $7.68 billion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710339881014.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —Dollar Tree will close nearly 1,000 stores and swung to a surprise fourth quarter loss as the discount retailer took a related $1.07 billion goodwill impairment charge.Shares tumbled 15% before the opening bell Wednesday.Dollar Tree plans to close about 600 Family Dollar stores in the first half of this year and 370 Family Dollar and 30 Dollar Tree stores over the next several years.Dollar Tree&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a315fcf8a1264ed7bb38ede89611202f">acquired Family Dollar for more than $8 billion</a>&nbsp;almost a decade ago after a bidding war with rival Dollar General, but it has had difficulty absorbing the chain.“This dramatic cull is the coup de grâce in the rather botched acquisition of the Family Dollar chain, which has caused Dollar Tree nothing but hassle since it was completed back in 2015,” wrote Neil Saunders, managing director of GlobalData. “Basically, almost ten years on, Dollar Tree is still sifting through the mess it inherited and has not been able to completely turn around,” Saunders said.Saunders said in an emailed statement that nearly 12% of current Family Dollar stores will be closing over the next three years.For the three months ended Feb. 3, Dollar Tree lost $1.71 billion, or $7.85 per share. A year earlier the Chesapeake, Virginia, company earned $452.2 million, or $2.04 per share.Stripping out certain items, earnings were $2.55 per share, which is still short of the per-share earnings of $2.67 expected on Wall Street, according to a survey by Zacks Investment Research.Revenue climbed to $8.64 billion from $7.72 billion, a bit below Wall Street’s estimate of $8.67 billion.Dollar Tree has been attracting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-consumers-price-gouging-spending-economy-999e81e2f869a0151e2ee6bbb63370af">consumers</a>&nbsp;that have been stung by inflation as they seek to cut spending. During the quarter, sales at Dollar Tree stores open at least a year climbed 6.3%, with traffic up 7.1%. While more shoppers were heading to stores, they were closely watching how much they spent, with average ticket down 0.7%.At Family Dollar, sales at stores open at least a year slipped 1.2%. Traffic edged up 0.7%, but average ticket fell 2%.For fiscal 2024, Dollar Tree anticipates earnings between $6.70 and $7.30 per share. Revenue is expected in a range of $31 billion to $32 billion.Analysts polled by FactSet expect full-year earnings of $7.04 on revenue of $31.68 billion.Dollar Tree expects first-quarter earnings of $1.33 to $1.48 per share on revenue in a range of $7.6 billion to $7.9 billion.Wall Street anticipates first-quarter earnings of $1.70 on revenue of $7.68 billion.

Dollar Tree, Family Dollar to close nearly 1,000 stores

LINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen issued the following statement upon the Nebraska Legislature taking up a vote to override LB 307, introduced by Senator Megan Hunt. The body voted to sustain the Governor’s veto, 27-20.

“I appreciate that state senators took the time to evaluate LB 307 and took due notice of concerns that caused me to veto the bill. We need to invest in less harmful ways to combat drug usage and disease transmission that are in line with Nebraska values. I look forward to working with our state senators on those strategies in the next session.”

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE – Governor Jim Pillen issued the following statement upon the Nebraska Legislature taking up a vote to override LB 307, introduced by Senator Megan Hunt. The body voted to sustain the Governor’s veto, 27-20.“I appreciate that state senators took the time to evaluate LB 307 and took due notice of concerns that caused me to veto the bill. We need to invest in less harmful ways to combat drug usage and disease transmission that are in line with Nebraska values. I look forward to working with our state senators on those strategies in the next session.”

Gov. Pillen Statement to Sustained Veto on LB 307

MOSCOW (AP) —President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons if its sovereignty or independence is threatened, issuing another blunt warning to the West just days before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-election-ukraine-war-crackdown-dfd4d290bf6a08192eb53068e08f0783">an election</a>&nbsp;in which he’s all but certain to secure another six-year term.

The Russian leader has repeatedly talked about his readiness to use nuclear weapons since launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. The most recent such threat came in his state-of-the-nation address last month, when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-state-nation-ukraine-war-security-b7f3e66caf093f405f8bbc278d9ca581">warned the West</a>&nbsp;that deepening its involvement in the fighting in Ukraine would risk a nuclear war.

Asked in an interview with Russian state television released early Wednesday if he has ever considered using battlefield nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Putin responded that there has been no need for that. He also noted that he doesn’t think that the world is heading for a nuclear war, describing U.S. President Joe Biden as a veteran politician who fully understands the possible dangers of escalation.

Still, the remarks appeared to be a message to the West that he's prepared to use all means to protect his gains in Ukraine.

Putin said that in line with the country’s security doctrine, Moscow is ready to use nuclear weapons in case of a threat to “the existence of the Russian state, our sovereignty and independence.”

“All that is written in our strategy, we haven’t changed it,” he said.

In an apparent reference to NATO allies that support Kyiv, he also declared that “the nations that say they have no red lines regarding Russia should realize that Russia won’t have any red lines regarding them either.”

Lithuania's foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, recently lamented that the West too often constrains itself with self-imposed “red lines” regarding Russia. He also welcomed a comment by French President Emmanuel Macron that the possibility of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paris-conference-support-ukraine-zelenskyy-c458a1df3f9a7626128cdeb84050d469">Western troops being sent to Ukraine</a>&nbsp;couldn't be ruled out.

In the wake of recent battlefield gains, Putin argued that Ukraine and its Western allies will eventually have to accept a deal to end the war on Russian terms.

“It shouldn't be a break for the enemy to rearm, but a serious talk involving the guarantees of security for the Russian Federation,” he said.

Putin said that a recent spike in Ukrainian drone attacks deep inside Russia is part of efforts to derail the country's three-day presidential election, which starts Friday and which he's set to win by a landslide, given his near total crackdown on dissent and tight control over Russia's political system.

Russian authorities reported another major attack by Ukrainian drones early Wednesday. The Defense Ministry said air defenses downed 58 drones over six regions. One of the drones hit an oil refinery in the Ryazan region, injuring at least two people and sparking a fire. Another was downed as it was approaching a refinery near St. Petersburg.

Ukraine, meanwhile, reported more Russian attacks early Wednesday.

A Russian strike killed two people and wounded another five in the town of Myrnohrad in the eastern region of Donetsk, about 30 kilometers (about 20 miles) from the front line, according to Gov. Vadym Filashkin. Local rescuers managed to pull a 13-year-old girl out of the rubble of an apartment building.

A five-story building in the northern city of Sumy was struck by a drone launched from Russia overnight, killing two people and wounding eight, according to the regional administration.

In Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's hometown, the death toll from a Russian missile attack the previous night rose to five, Gov. Serhii Lysak said. He said that 43 people were wounded in Kryvyi Rih, including 12 children, the youngest a 2-month-old infant.

“Every day our cities and villages suffer similar attacks. Every day Ukraine loses people because of Russian evil,” Zelenskyy said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663760963726.jpeg" alt="File photo (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)" />
 <figcaption>File photo (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>MOSCOW (AP) —President Vladimir Putin said Wednesday that Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons if its sovereignty or independence is threatened, issuing another blunt warning to the West just days before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-election-ukraine-war-crackdown-dfd4d290bf6a08192eb53068e08f0783">an election</a>&nbsp;in which he’s all but certain to secure another six-year term.The Russian leader has repeatedly talked about his readiness to use nuclear weapons since launching a full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022. The most recent such threat came in his state-of-the-nation address last month, when he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-state-nation-ukraine-war-security-b7f3e66caf093f405f8bbc278d9ca581">warned the West</a>&nbsp;that deepening its involvement in the fighting in Ukraine would risk a nuclear war.Asked in an interview with Russian state television released early Wednesday if he has ever considered using battlefield nuclear weapons in Ukraine, Putin responded that there has been no need for that. He also noted that he doesn’t think that the world is heading for a nuclear war, describing U.S. President Joe Biden as a veteran politician who fully understands the possible dangers of escalation.Still, the remarks appeared to be a message to the West that he's prepared to use all means to protect his gains in Ukraine.Putin said that in line with the country’s security doctrine, Moscow is ready to use nuclear weapons in case of a threat to “the existence of the Russian state, our sovereignty and independence.”“All that is written in our strategy, we haven’t changed it,” he said.In an apparent reference to NATO allies that support Kyiv, he also declared that “the nations that say they have no red lines regarding Russia should realize that Russia won’t have any red lines regarding them either.”Lithuania's foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, recently lamented that the West too often constrains itself with self-imposed “red lines” regarding Russia. He also welcomed a comment by French President Emmanuel Macron that the possibility of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paris-conference-support-ukraine-zelenskyy-c458a1df3f9a7626128cdeb84050d469">Western troops being sent to Ukraine</a>&nbsp;couldn't be ruled out.In the wake of recent battlefield gains, Putin argued that Ukraine and its Western allies will eventually have to accept a deal to end the war on Russian terms.“It shouldn't be a break for the enemy to rearm, but a serious talk involving the guarantees of security for the Russian Federation,” he said.Putin said that a recent spike in Ukrainian drone attacks deep inside Russia is part of efforts to derail the country's three-day presidential election, which starts Friday and which he's set to win by a landslide, given his near total crackdown on dissent and tight control over Russia's political system.Russian authorities reported another major attack by Ukrainian drones early Wednesday. The Defense Ministry said air defenses downed 58 drones over six regions. One of the drones hit an oil refinery in the Ryazan region, injuring at least two people and sparking a fire. Another was downed as it was approaching a refinery near St. Petersburg.Ukraine, meanwhile, reported more Russian attacks early Wednesday.A Russian strike killed two people and wounded another five in the town of Myrnohrad in the eastern region of Donetsk, about 30 kilometers (about 20 miles) from the front line, according to Gov. Vadym Filashkin. Local rescuers managed to pull a 13-year-old girl out of the rubble of an apartment building.A five-story building in the northern city of Sumy was struck by a drone launched from Russia overnight, killing two people and wounding eight, according to the regional administration.In Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's hometown, the death toll from a Russian missile attack the previous night rose to five, Gov. Serhii Lysak said. He said that 43 people were wounded in Kryvyi Rih, including 12 children, the youngest a 2-month-old infant.“Every day our cities and villages suffer similar attacks. Every day Ukraine loses people because of Russian evil,” Zelenskyy said.

Putin warns again that Russia is ready to use nuclear weapons

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-ranked-fifth-in-the-nation-for-low-unemployment-rate/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraska’s latest available 2.5% unemployment rate remained steady compared to the month before, while the nation’s clocked in at 3.7%, according to data released Monday.

Nationally, Nebraska was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm">ranked fifth among states</a>&nbsp;for low unemployment, behind North Dakota, which had a 1.9% rate; South Dakota, 2.1%; and Maryland and Vermont, both 2.3%.

The latest data, which is seasonally adjusted,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dol.nebraska.gov/infolink">tracked activity in January.</a>&nbsp;The Labor Bureau’s release was delayed due to the annual benchmarking revision process. February data is to be released later this month.

For January, the state’s 2.5% unemployment rate was unchanged from the revised rate a month previously, but it was up from the 2.1% rate recorded a year ago in January.

Meanwhile, the national seasonally adjusted and preliminary 3.7% unemployment rate for January also was reported to be unchanged from December, but it was up from 3.4% the previous January.

Nebraska Labor Commissioner John Albin said the state’s labor force — which includes all people 16 and older who are either working or actively looking for work —&nbsp;grew by about 5,111 in the year from January 2023 to January 2024 to about 1.05 million people.

“The number of employed workers increased by 1,019 over the year,” he said.

The number of filled nonfarm jobs was 1.038 million in January, down about 23,840 over the month before, the state’s media release reported. Private industries with the most month-to-month growth turned up to be those tied to financial and information services.

The counts of employed and unemployed in the labor force are based on a Census Bureau survey regarding employment status. Individuals who are claiming unemployment benefits, as well as those who are not claiming them, can be counted as unemployed based on their response to the survey.

Those who are not working and are not seeking work are not considered part of the labor force and aren’t included in the unemployment calculation.

Cindy Gonzalez<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-ranked-fifth-in-the-nation-for-low-unemployment-rate/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraska’s latest available 2.5% unemployment rate remained steady compared to the month before, while the nation’s clocked in at 3.7%, according to data released Monday.Nationally, Nebraska was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm">ranked fifth among states</a>&nbsp;for low unemployment, behind North Dakota, which had a 1.9% rate; South Dakota, 2.1%; and Maryland and Vermont, both 2.3%.The latest data, which is seasonally adjusted,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://dol.nebraska.gov/infolink">tracked activity in January.</a>&nbsp;The Labor Bureau’s release was delayed due to the annual benchmarking revision process. February data is to be released later this month.For January, the state’s 2.5% unemployment rate was unchanged from the revised rate a month previously, but it was up from the 2.1% rate recorded a year ago in January.Meanwhile, the national seasonally adjusted and preliminary 3.7% unemployment rate for January also was reported to be unchanged from December, but it was up from 3.4% the previous January.Nebraska Labor Commissioner John Albin said the state’s labor force — which includes all people 16 and older who are either working or actively looking for work —&nbsp;grew by about 5,111 in the year from January 2023 to January 2024 to about 1.05 million people.“The number of employed workers increased by 1,019 over the year,” he said.The number of filled nonfarm jobs was 1.038 million in January, down about 23,840 over the month before, the state’s media release reported. Private industries with the most month-to-month growth turned up to be those tied to financial and information services.The counts of employed and unemployed in the labor force are based on a Census Bureau survey regarding employment status. Individuals who are claiming unemployment benefits, as well as those who are not claiming them, can be counted as unemployed based on their response to the survey.Those who are not working and are not seeking work are not considered part of the labor force and aren’t included in the unemployment calculation.

Nebraska ranked fifth in the nation for low unemployment rate

LINCOLN, NE –&nbsp;Governor Jim Pillen has approved regulations governing nonsurgical pharmaceutical gender altering treatments for individuals under nineteen years of age.

"Nebraska’s kids are our future. They deserve the opportunity to grow up and develop to their full, God-given potential,” said Gov. Pillen. “As a state, we must protect children from making potentially irreversible and regrettable decisions – decisions for which they may not completely understand the consequences. I extend my appreciation to the Legislature for the passage of LB 574 and to those at DHHS who worked swiftly and thoroughly to ensure completion of these important regulations.”

The Let Them Grow Act, LB 574 (2023), requires the Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) chief medical officer (CMO) to promulgate and adopt rules and regulations governing nonsurgical pharmaceutical gender altering treatments for individuals under nineteen years of age. This includes establishing&nbsp;specific criteria, obligations, or conditions regulating the administration, prescribing, delivery, sale, or use of puberty-blocking drugs, cross-sex hormones, or both.&nbsp;The&nbsp;regulations must include:

A patient is exempt from these requirements if:

The regulations were filed with the Secretary of State’s Office today, and they will take effect in five days.

Office of Governor Jim PillenLINCOLN, NE –&nbsp;Governor Jim Pillen has approved regulations governing nonsurgical pharmaceutical gender altering treatments for individuals under nineteen years of age."Nebraska’s kids are our future. They deserve the opportunity to grow up and develop to their full, God-given potential,” said Gov. Pillen. “As a state, we must protect children from making potentially irreversible and regrettable decisions – decisions for which they may not completely understand the consequences. I extend my appreciation to the Legislature for the passage of LB 574 and to those at DHHS who worked swiftly and thoroughly to ensure completion of these important regulations.”The Let Them Grow Act, LB 574 (2023), requires the Department of Health and Human Services’ (DHHS) chief medical officer (CMO) to promulgate and adopt rules and regulations governing nonsurgical pharmaceutical gender altering treatments for individuals under nineteen years of age. This includes establishing&nbsp;specific criteria, obligations, or conditions regulating the administration, prescribing, delivery, sale, or use of puberty-blocking drugs, cross-sex hormones, or both.&nbsp;The&nbsp;regulations must include:<ol>
 <li>The minimum number of gender-identity-focused therapeutic hours required prior to an individual receiving puberty-blocking drugs, cross-sex hormones, or both;</li><li>Patient advisory requirements necessary for a health care practitioner to obtain informed patient consent;</li><li>Patient medical record documentation requirements to ensure compliance with the act; and</li><li>A minimum waiting period between the time the health care practitioner obtains informed patient consent and the administration, prescribing, or delivery of puberty-blocking drugs, cross-sex hormones, or both to such patient.</li>
 </ol>The adopted regulations include:<ul>
 <li>The requirement that a patient receive a minimum of 40 gender-identity-focused contact hours of therapeutic treatment prior to receiving the prescribed medications;</li><li>Required procedures for obtaining and documenting a patient’s informed consent for treatment;</li><li>A minimum waiting period of seven calendar days between the informed patient consent and the time the drugs or hormones are prescribed, administered or delivered to the patient;</li><li>Requirements related to the labeling, administration of, and delivery of the puberty-blocking drugs and/or cross-sex hormones;</li><li>The requirement that a patient under the age of majority must receive at least one therapeutic contact hour every 90 days while the drugs or hormones are being administered to evaluate ongoing effects on the patient’s mental health;</li><li>Patient medial record documentation requirements for prescribing practitioners; and</li><li>The requirement that a health care practitioner obtain three hours of continuing education prior to prescribing drugs or cross-sex hormones.</li>
 </ul>A patient is exempt from these requirements if:<ul>
 <li>The patient began receiving the prescribed medication prior to October 1, 2023;</li><li>The medication is not being prescribed for the treatment of gender nonconformity or gender dysphoria</li><li>The patient has reached the age of 19.</li>
 </ul>The regulations were filed with the Secretary of State’s Office today, and they will take effect in five days.

 Gov. Pillen Approves LB 574 Regulations on Nonsurgical, Gender Altering Treatments

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Wednesday passed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-bill-divest-5b5a685e8f1e19d22182d62526bf19b8">a bill</a>&nbsp;that would lead to a nationwide ban of the popular video app TikTok if its China-based owner doesn't sell, as lawmakers acted on concerns that the company's current ownership structure is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-china-biden-administration-14ef5f93dc2114e4ade110b2e85433fd">a national security threat</a>.

The bill, passed by a vote of 352-65, now goes to the Senate, where its prospects are unclear.

TikTok, which has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-biden-bytedance-china-2acbaeb71e8bb0c6341f2bc55ba33e80">more than 150 million American users</a>, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd.

The lawmakers contend that ByteDance is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-china-bytedance-user-data-d257d98125f69ac80f983e6067a84911">beholden to the Chinese government</a>, which could demand access to the data of TikTok’s consumers in the U.S. any time it wants. The worry stems from a set of Chinese national security laws that compel organizations to assist with intelligence gathering.

“We have given TikTok a clear choice,” said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash. “Separate from your parent company ByteDance, which is beholden to the CCP (the Chinese Communist Party), and remain operational in the United States, or side with the CCP and face the consequences. The choice is TikTok's.”

House passage of the bill is only the first step. The Senate would also need to pass the measure for it to become law, and lawmakers in that chamber indicated it would undergo a thorough review. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he'll have to consult with relevant committee chairs to determine the bill's path.

President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has said if Congress passes the measure, he will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-tiktok-ban-house-china-aaa884d8c974f0a35856af5ee6aa4e99">sign it</a>.

The House vote is poised to open a new front in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-business-government-and-politics-f0f56ec111d85e5f70fe27bb5002e93f">the long-running feud between lawmakers and the tech industry</a>. Members of Congress have long been critical of tech platforms and their expansive influence, often clashing with executives over industry practices. But by targeting TikTok, lawmakers are singling out a platform popular with millions of people, many of whom skew younger, just months before an election.

Opposition to the bill was also bipartisan. Some Republicans said the U.S. should warn consumers if there are data privacy and propaganda concerns, while some Democrats voiced concerns about the impact a ban would have on its millions of users in the U.S., many of which are entrepreneurs and business owners.

“The answer to authoritarianism is not more authoritarianism,” said Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif. “The answer to CCP-style propaganda is not CCP-style oppression. Let us slow down before we blunder down this very steep and slippery slope.”

Ahead of the House vote, a top national security official in the Biden administration held a closed-door briefing Tuesday with lawmakers to discuss TikTok and the national security implications. Lawmakers are balancing those security concerns against a desire not to limit free speech online.

“What we've tried to do here is be very thoughtful and deliberate about the need to force a divestiture of TikTok without granting any authority to the executive branch to regulate content or go after any American company,” said Rep. Mike Gallagher, the bill's author, as he emerged from the briefing.

TikTok has long denied that it could be used as a tool of the Chinese government. The company has said it has never shared U.S. user data with Chinese authorities and won’t do so if it is asked. To date, the U.S. government also has not provided any evidence that shows TikTok shared such information with Chinese authorities. The platform has about 170 million users in the U.S.

The security briefing seemed to change few minds, instead solidifying the views of both sides.

“We have a national security obligation to prevent America's most strategic adversary from being so involved in our lives,” said Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y.

But Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said no information has been shared with him that convinces him TikTok is a national security threat. “My opinion, leaving that briefing, has not changed at all,” he said.

“This idea that we're going to ban, essentially, entrepreneurs, small business owners, the main way how young people actually communicate with each other is to me insane,” Garcia said.

“Not a single thing that we heard in today's classified briefing was unique to TikTok. It was things that happen on every single social media platform,” said Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif.

Republican leaders have moved quickly to bring up the bill after its introduction last week. A House committee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bill-support-congress-china-data-f1ec5b720bb68884c6423c62f314dcff">approved</a>&nbsp;the legislation unanimously, on a 50-vote, even after their offices were inundated with calls from TikTok users demanding they drop the effort. Some offices even shut off their phones because of the onslaught.

Lawmakers in both parties are anxious to confront China on a range of issues. The House formed a special committee to focus on China-related issues. And Schumer directed committee chairs to begin working with Republicans on a bipartisan China competition bill.

Senators are expressing an openness to the bill but suggested they don’t want to rush ahead.

“It is not for me a redeeming quality that you’re moving very fast in technology because the history shows you make a lot of mistakes,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore.

In pushing ahead with the legislation, House Republicans are also creating rare daylight between themselves and former President Donald Trump as he seeks another term in the White House.

Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-ban-biden-facebook-cnbc-tik-tok-72768a92439de45b38e88cc255504ab5">voiced opposition</a>&nbsp;to the effort. He said Monday that he still believes TikTok poses a national security risk but is opposed to banning the hugely popular app because doing so would help its rival, Facebook, which he continues to lambast over his 2020 election loss.

As president, Trump attempted to ban TikTok&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-trade-ap-top-news-politics-asia-business-719d8c83f689929c9c9d8c9aa5593fc8">through an executive order</a>&nbsp;that called “the spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in the People’s Republic of China (China)” a threat to “the national security, foreign policy and economy of the United States.” The courts, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-a526c144fad9f0ebc37bf2d49a97740a">blocked the action</a>&nbsp;after TikTok sued, arguing such actions would violate free speech and due process rights.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710340791449.png" alt="View of the House floor as the final TikTok bill vote count is announced-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>View of the House floor as the final TikTok bill vote count is announced-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House on Wednesday passed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-bill-divest-5b5a685e8f1e19d22182d62526bf19b8">a bill</a>&nbsp;that would lead to a nationwide ban of the popular video app TikTok if its China-based owner doesn't sell, as lawmakers acted on concerns that the company's current ownership structure is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-china-biden-administration-14ef5f93dc2114e4ade110b2e85433fd">a national security threat</a>.The bill, passed by a vote of 352-65, now goes to the Senate, where its prospects are unclear.TikTok, which has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-biden-bytedance-china-2acbaeb71e8bb0c6341f2bc55ba33e80">more than 150 million American users</a>, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd.The lawmakers contend that ByteDance is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-china-bytedance-user-data-d257d98125f69ac80f983e6067a84911">beholden to the Chinese government</a>, which could demand access to the data of TikTok’s consumers in the U.S. any time it wants. The worry stems from a set of Chinese national security laws that compel organizations to assist with intelligence gathering.“We have given TikTok a clear choice,” said Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, R-Wash. “Separate from your parent company ByteDance, which is beholden to the CCP (the Chinese Communist Party), and remain operational in the United States, or side with the CCP and face the consequences. The choice is TikTok's.”House passage of the bill is only the first step. The Senate would also need to pass the measure for it to become law, and lawmakers in that chamber indicated it would undergo a thorough review. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he'll have to consult with relevant committee chairs to determine the bill's path.President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;has said if Congress passes the measure, he will&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-tiktok-ban-house-china-aaa884d8c974f0a35856af5ee6aa4e99">sign it</a>.The House vote is poised to open a new front in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-technology-business-government-and-politics-f0f56ec111d85e5f70fe27bb5002e93f">the long-running feud between lawmakers and the tech industry</a>. Members of Congress have long been critical of tech platforms and their expansive influence, often clashing with executives over industry practices. But by targeting TikTok, lawmakers are singling out a platform popular with millions of people, many of whom skew younger, just months before an election.Opposition to the bill was also bipartisan. Some Republicans said the U.S. should warn consumers if there are data privacy and propaganda concerns, while some Democrats voiced concerns about the impact a ban would have on its millions of users in the U.S., many of which are entrepreneurs and business owners.“The answer to authoritarianism is not more authoritarianism,” said Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif. “The answer to CCP-style propaganda is not CCP-style oppression. Let us slow down before we blunder down this very steep and slippery slope.”Ahead of the House vote, a top national security official in the Biden administration held a closed-door briefing Tuesday with lawmakers to discuss TikTok and the national security implications. Lawmakers are balancing those security concerns against a desire not to limit free speech online.“What we've tried to do here is be very thoughtful and deliberate about the need to force a divestiture of TikTok without granting any authority to the executive branch to regulate content or go after any American company,” said Rep. Mike Gallagher, the bill's author, as he emerged from the briefing.TikTok has long denied that it could be used as a tool of the Chinese government. The company has said it has never shared U.S. user data with Chinese authorities and won’t do so if it is asked. To date, the U.S. government also has not provided any evidence that shows TikTok shared such information with Chinese authorities. The platform has about 170 million users in the U.S.The security briefing seemed to change few minds, instead solidifying the views of both sides.“We have a national security obligation to prevent America's most strategic adversary from being so involved in our lives,” said Rep. Nick LaLota, R-N.Y.But Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., said no information has been shared with him that convinces him TikTok is a national security threat. “My opinion, leaving that briefing, has not changed at all,” he said.“This idea that we're going to ban, essentially, entrepreneurs, small business owners, the main way how young people actually communicate with each other is to me insane,” Garcia said.“Not a single thing that we heard in today's classified briefing was unique to TikTok. It was things that happen on every single social media platform,” said Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif.Republican leaders have moved quickly to bring up the bill after its introduction last week. A House committee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bill-support-congress-china-data-f1ec5b720bb68884c6423c62f314dcff">approved</a>&nbsp;the legislation unanimously, on a 50-vote, even after their offices were inundated with calls from TikTok users demanding they drop the effort. Some offices even shut off their phones because of the onslaught.Lawmakers in both parties are anxious to confront China on a range of issues. The House formed a special committee to focus on China-related issues. And Schumer directed committee chairs to begin working with Republicans on a bipartisan China competition bill.Senators are expressing an openness to the bill but suggested they don’t want to rush ahead.“It is not for me a redeeming quality that you’re moving very fast in technology because the history shows you make a lot of mistakes,” said Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore.In pushing ahead with the legislation, House Republicans are also creating rare daylight between themselves and former President Donald Trump as he seeks another term in the White House.Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tiktok-ban-biden-facebook-cnbc-tik-tok-72768a92439de45b38e88cc255504ab5">voiced opposition</a>&nbsp;to the effort. He said Monday that he still believes TikTok poses a national security risk but is opposed to banning the hugely popular app because doing so would help its rival, Facebook, which he continues to lambast over his 2020 election loss.As president, Trump attempted to ban TikTok&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/global-trade-ap-top-news-politics-asia-business-719d8c83f689929c9c9d8c9aa5593fc8">through an executive order</a>&nbsp;that called “the spread in the United States of mobile applications developed and owned by companies in the People’s Republic of China (China)” a threat to “the national security, foreign policy and economy of the United States.” The courts, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-a526c144fad9f0ebc37bf2d49a97740a">blocked the action</a>&nbsp;after TikTok sued, arguing such actions would violate free speech and due process rights.

House passes bill that would lead to a TikTok ban if Chinese owner doesn't sell

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have officially secured the requisite numbers of delegates to be considered their parties' presumptive nominees.

It was a foreseeable outcome. Biden faced token opposition in the Democratic primary. Several high-profile Republicans ran against Trump but didn't come close to knocking him off course in his third straight Republican bid.

Here is a look at what that means, what's changed, and what still needs to happen before Biden and Trump can drop “presumptive” and just be their parties' official standard-bearers:

‘Presumptive nominee:’ What does it mean?

The Associated Press only uses the “presumptive nominee” designation once a candidate has captured the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-election-2024-delegate-tracker">delegates needed</a>&nbsp;to win a majority vote at the national party convention this summer. For Republicans, that number this year is 1.215. On the Democratic side of things, it's 1,968.

The marker essentially ends the presidential primary season, though both Biden and Trump have been largely focusing their energies on each other for months already.

Do the political parties function any differently?

Generally, the national Democratic and Republican parties start coordinating directly with their presumptive nominees once their status is clear, although there have been some exceptions.

Last week, the Republican National Committee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-national-committee-trump-whatley-legal-fees-53402f8e8ac845db3cf4ab82c882ea74">ushered in new leadership</a>&nbsp;handpicked by Trump, in the form of a new chairman, co-chair and party chief of staff. Trump's installed leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-national-committee-trump-staffing-cuts-46bc8afcc152aecfd471161a59b74005">then moved to fire dozens of RNC staff</a>.

After Trump won both the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary — but still faced GOP opponents — an RNC member who is a longtime Trump ally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rnc-trump-presumptive-nominee-haley-2024-campaign-74c529ab8d3804622276f8e197cd3a5c">floated a resolution</a>&nbsp;that would have allowed the party to consider him its “presumptive nominee” and allowed some of that coordination earlier.

Trump actually spoke out against the measure — although he said it likely would have succeeded — which was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-haley-rnc-republican-mcdaniel-99230edb3e2f5c41dc7ceb11a8a0ba6a">ultimately withdrawn</a>.

As for the Democratic National Committee, Biden is the de facto leader of the party, although any official leadership changes have to go through structured channels. During the 2020 campaign, the DNC shuffled its leadership and entered into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dedbc5ec18de9e503c56f0a7de45fba7">joint fundraising agreement</a>&nbsp;with Biden in April, even though the candidate didn’t&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bb261be1a4ca285b9422b2f6b93d8d75">clinch the Democratic nomination</a>&nbsp;until June.

When do presumptive nominees become official?

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/presidential-candidates-2024-301db5ce310cafc97025682b39ceac6e">A presidential candidate</a>&nbsp;doesn’t officially become the Republican or Democratic nominee until winning the vote on the floor of the nominating convention, which takes place this summer. Delegates' casting of votes is mostly a ceremonial procedure, but it hasn’t always been this way.

Decades ago, presidential candidates might have run in primaries and caucuses, but the eventual nominees weren’t known until delegates and party bosses hashed things out themselves at the conventions.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;clinched their parties' presidential nominations Tuesday with decisive victories in a slate of low-profile primaries, setting up a general election rematch that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-2024-campaign-democrats-republicans-440088966619e68dbf89f745788bb372">many voters do not want</a>.

The outcome of contests across Georgia, Mississippi and Washington state was never in doubt. Neither Biden, a Democrat, nor Trump, a Republican, faced major opposition. But the magnitude of their wins gave each man the delegate majority he needed to claim his party's nomination at the summertime national conventions.

Not even halfway through the presidential primary calendar, Tuesday marked a crystalizing moment for a nation uneasy with its choices in 2024.

There is no longer any doubt that the fall election will feature a rematch between two flawed and unpopular presidents. At 81, Biden is already the oldest president in U.S. history, while the 77-year-old Trump is facing decades in prison as a defendant in four criminal cases. Their rematch — the first featuring two U.S. presidents since 1912 — will almost certainly deepen the nation’s searing political and cultural divides over the eight-month grind that lies ahead.

In a statement, Biden celebrated the nomination while casting Trump as a serious threat to democracy.

Trump, Biden said, “is running a campaign of resentment, revenge, and retribution that threatens the very idea of America.”

He continued, “I am honored that the broad coalition of voters representing the rich diversity of the Democratic Party across the country have put their faith in me once again to lead our party — and our country — in a moment when the threat Trump poses is greater than ever.”

Trump, in a video posted on social media, celebrated what he called “a great day of victory.”

“But now we have to get back to work because we have the worst president in the history of our country,” Trump said of Biden. “So, we're not going to take time to celebrate. We'll celebrate in eight months when the election is over."

Both candidates dominated Tuesday's primaries in swing-state Georgia, deep-red Mississippi and Democratic-leaning Washington. Trump also won Hawaii's Republican caucus.

Despite their tough talk, the road ahead will not be easy for either presumptive nominee.

Trump is facing 91 felony counts in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictments-election-january-6-classified-documents-5cb04868bb1cdf91c19eafdb882af8c0">four criminal cases</a>&nbsp;involving his handling of classified documents and his attempt to overturn the 2020 election, among other alleged crimes. He’s also facing increasingly pointed questions about his policy plans and relationships with some of the world's most dangerous dictators. Trump met privately on Friday with Hungarian Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-orban-hungary-conservatives-autocrats-biden-97d6998f747d3543f2f1df069b0f9165">Viktor Orbán</a>, who has rolled back democracy in his country.

Biden, who would be 86 years old at the end of his next term, is working to assure a skeptical electorate that he’s still physically and mentally able to thrive in the world’s most important job. Voters in both parties are unhappy with his handling of immigration and inflation.

And he's dealing with additional dissension within his party’s progressive base, furious that he hasn’t done more to stop&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war against Hamas</a>&nbsp;in Gaza. Activists and religious leaders in Washington encouraged Democrats to vote “uncommitted” to signal their outrage.

In Seattle, 26-year-old voter Bella Rivera said they hoped their “uncommitted” vote would would serve as a wakeup call for the Democratic party.

“If you really want our votes, if you want to win this election, you’re going to have to show a little bit more either support of Palestinian liberation — that’s something that’s very important to us — and ceasing funds to Israel,” said Rivera, a preschool teacher who uses they/them pronouns.

Almost 3,000 miles away in Georgia, retiree Donna Graham said she would have preferred another Republican nominee over Trump, but she said there's no way she'd ever vote for Biden in the general election.

“He wasn’t my first choice, but he’s the next best thing,” Graham said of Trump. “It’s sad that it’s the same old matchup as four years ago."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710295653190.png" alt="File photo Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>File photo Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump have officially secured the requisite numbers of delegates to be considered their parties' presumptive nominees.It was a foreseeable outcome. Biden faced token opposition in the Democratic primary. Several high-profile Republicans ran against Trump but didn't come close to knocking him off course in his third straight Republican bid.Here is a look at what that means, what's changed, and what still needs to happen before Biden and Trump can drop “presumptive” and just be their parties' official standard-bearers:‘Presumptive nominee:’ What does it mean?The Associated Press only uses the “presumptive nominee” designation once a candidate has captured the number of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ap-election-2024-delegate-tracker">delegates needed</a>&nbsp;to win a majority vote at the national party convention this summer. For Republicans, that number this year is 1.215. On the Democratic side of things, it's 1,968.The marker essentially ends the presidential primary season, though both Biden and Trump have been largely focusing their energies on each other for months already.Do the political parties function any differently?Sort of.Generally, the national Democratic and Republican parties start coordinating directly with their presumptive nominees once their status is clear, although there have been some exceptions.Last week, the Republican National Committee&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-national-committee-trump-whatley-legal-fees-53402f8e8ac845db3cf4ab82c882ea74">ushered in new leadership</a>&nbsp;handpicked by Trump, in the form of a new chairman, co-chair and party chief of staff. Trump's installed leaders&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/republican-national-committee-trump-staffing-cuts-46bc8afcc152aecfd471161a59b74005">then moved to fire dozens of RNC staff</a>.After Trump won both the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary — but still faced GOP opponents — an RNC member who is a longtime Trump ally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rnc-trump-presumptive-nominee-haley-2024-campaign-74c529ab8d3804622276f8e197cd3a5c">floated a resolution</a>&nbsp;that would have allowed the party to consider him its “presumptive nominee” and allowed some of that coordination earlier.Trump actually spoke out against the measure — although he said it likely would have succeeded — which was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-haley-rnc-republican-mcdaniel-99230edb3e2f5c41dc7ceb11a8a0ba6a">ultimately withdrawn</a>.As for the Democratic National Committee, Biden is the de facto leader of the party, although any official leadership changes have to go through structured channels. During the 2020 campaign, the DNC shuffled its leadership and entered into a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dedbc5ec18de9e503c56f0a7de45fba7">joint fundraising agreement</a>&nbsp;with Biden in April, even though the candidate didn’t&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bb261be1a4ca285b9422b2f6b93d8d75">clinch the Democratic nomination</a>&nbsp;until June.When do presumptive nominees become official?<a href="https://apnews.com/article/presidential-candidates-2024-301db5ce310cafc97025682b39ceac6e">A presidential candidate</a>&nbsp;doesn’t officially become the Republican or Democratic nominee until winning the vote on the floor of the nominating convention, which takes place this summer. Delegates' casting of votes is mostly a ceremonial procedure, but it hasn’t always been this way.Decades ago, presidential candidates might have run in primaries and caucuses, but the eventual nominees weren’t known until delegates and party bosses hashed things out themselves at the conventions.----------------WASHINGTON (AP) — President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;clinched their parties' presidential nominations Tuesday with decisive victories in a slate of low-profile primaries, setting up a general election rematch that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-trump-2024-campaign-democrats-republicans-440088966619e68dbf89f745788bb372">many voters do not want</a>.The outcome of contests across Georgia, Mississippi and Washington state was never in doubt. Neither Biden, a Democrat, nor Trump, a Republican, faced major opposition. But the magnitude of their wins gave each man the delegate majority he needed to claim his party's nomination at the summertime national conventions.Not even halfway through the presidential primary calendar, Tuesday marked a crystalizing moment for a nation uneasy with its choices in 2024.There is no longer any doubt that the fall election will feature a rematch between two flawed and unpopular presidents. At 81, Biden is already the oldest president in U.S. history, while the 77-year-old Trump is facing decades in prison as a defendant in four criminal cases. Their rematch — the first featuring two U.S. presidents since 1912 — will almost certainly deepen the nation’s searing political and cultural divides over the eight-month grind that lies ahead.In a statement, Biden celebrated the nomination while casting Trump as a serious threat to democracy.Trump, Biden said, “is running a campaign of resentment, revenge, and retribution that threatens the very idea of America.”He continued, “I am honored that the broad coalition of voters representing the rich diversity of the Democratic Party across the country have put their faith in me once again to lead our party — and our country — in a moment when the threat Trump poses is greater than ever.”Trump, in a video posted on social media, celebrated what he called “a great day of victory.”“But now we have to get back to work because we have the worst president in the history of our country,” Trump said of Biden. “So, we're not going to take time to celebrate. We'll celebrate in eight months when the election is over."Both candidates dominated Tuesday's primaries in swing-state Georgia, deep-red Mississippi and Democratic-leaning Washington. Trump also won Hawaii's Republican caucus.Despite their tough talk, the road ahead will not be easy for either presumptive nominee.Trump is facing 91 felony counts in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictments-election-january-6-classified-documents-5cb04868bb1cdf91c19eafdb882af8c0">four criminal cases</a>&nbsp;involving his handling of classified documents and his attempt to overturn the 2020 election, among other alleged crimes. He’s also facing increasingly pointed questions about his policy plans and relationships with some of the world's most dangerous dictators. Trump met privately on Friday with Hungarian Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-orban-hungary-conservatives-autocrats-biden-97d6998f747d3543f2f1df069b0f9165">Viktor Orbán</a>, who has rolled back democracy in his country.Biden, who would be 86 years old at the end of his next term, is working to assure a skeptical electorate that he’s still physically and mentally able to thrive in the world’s most important job. Voters in both parties are unhappy with his handling of immigration and inflation.And he's dealing with additional dissension within his party’s progressive base, furious that he hasn’t done more to stop&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel’s war against Hamas</a>&nbsp;in Gaza. Activists and religious leaders in Washington encouraged Democrats to vote “uncommitted” to signal their outrage.In Seattle, 26-year-old voter Bella Rivera said they hoped their “uncommitted” vote would would serve as a wakeup call for the Democratic party.“If you really want our votes, if you want to win this election, you’re going to have to show a little bit more either support of Palestinian liberation — that’s something that’s very important to us — and ceasing funds to Israel,” said Rivera, a preschool teacher who uses they/them pronouns.Almost 3,000 miles away in Georgia, retiree Donna Graham said she would have preferred another Republican nominee over Trump, but she said there's no way she'd ever vote for Biden in the general election.“He wasn’t my first choice, but he’s the next best thing,” Graham said of Trump. “It’s sad that it’s the same old matchup as four years ago."___

Election rematch: Biden and Trump clinch nominations

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon will rush about $300 million in weapons to Ukraine after finding some cost savings in its contracts, even though the military remains deeply overdrawn and needs at least $10 billion to replenish all the weapons it has pulled from its stocks to help Kyiv in its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-avdiivka-2e827b4cae4698b3f6b80a421447fab8">desperate fight</a>&nbsp;against Russia, the White House announced Tuesday. The U.S. will also provide a $2 billion loan to Poland.

It's the Pentagon's first announced security package for Ukraine since December, when it acknowledged it was out of replenishment funds. It wasn't until recent days that officials publicly acknowledged they weren't just out of money to buy replacement weapons, they are $10 billion overdrawn.

The announcement comes as Ukraine is running dangerously low on munitions and efforts to get fresh funds for weapons have stalled in the House because of Republican opposition. U.S. officials have insisted for months that the United States wouldn’t be able to resume weapons deliveries until Congress provided the additional replenishment funds, which are part of the stalled supplemental spending bill.

The replenishment funds have allowed the Pentagon to pull existing munitions, air defense systems and other weapons from its reserve inventories under presidential drawdown authority, or PDA, to send to Ukraine and then sign contracts to order replacements, which are needed to maintain U.S. military readiness.

“When Russian troops advance and its guns fire, Ukraine does not have enough ammunition to fire back,” said national security adviser Jake Sullivan in announcing the $300 million in additional aid.

The Pentagon also has had a separate Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, or USAI, which has allowed it to fund longer-term contracts with industry to produce new weapons for Ukraine.

Senior defense officials who briefed reporters said the Pentagon was able to get cost savings in some of those longer-term contracts of roughly $300 million and, given the battlefield situation, decided to use those savings to send more weapons. The officials said the cost savings basically offset the new package and keep the replenishment spending underwater at $10 billion.

One of the officials said the package represented a “one time shot” — unless Congress passes the supplemental spending bill, which includes roughly $60 billion in military aid for Ukraine, or more cost savings are found. It is expected to include anti-aircraft missiles, artillery rounds and armor systems, the official said.

“This is not a sustainable way to support Ukraine,” said Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, calling it a “one time good deal" that officials can't plan on occurring again.

The aid announcement came as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poland-us-ukraine-biden-white-house-66b04d8c3917be6fe5b9ea5e016f7f5b">Polish leaders were in Washington</a>&nbsp;to press the U.S. to break its impasse over funds for Ukraine at a critical moment in the war. Polish President Andrzej Duda met Tuesday with President Joe Biden after meeting with Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and Senate earlier in the day.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has so far refused to bring the $95 billion package, which includes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, to the floor. Seeking to put pressure on the Republican speaker, House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-israel-taiwan-5cc94d69691ed8f26d6e4ff614cf12fc">Democrats have launched a long-shot effort</a>&nbsp;to force a vote through a discharge petition. The seldom-successful procedure would require support from a majority of lawmakers, or 218 members, to move the aid package to a vote.

Ukraine's situation has become more dire, with units on the front line&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-resupply-aid-republicans-53db93c5db8ab249503e93b558da5bd8">rationing munitions</a>&nbsp;as they face a vastly better supplied Russian force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly implored Congress for help, but House Republican leadership has not been willing to bring the Ukraine aid to the floor for a vote, saying any aid must first address border security needs.

Pentagon officials said Monday during budget briefings that they were counting on the supplemental to cover the $10 billion replenishment hole.

“If we don’t get the $10 billion we would have to find other means,” Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said. “Right now we’re very much focused on the need for that supplemental.”

This is the second time in less than nine months that the Pentagon has “found” money to use for additional weapons shipments to Ukraine. Last June, defense officials said they had overestimated the value of the weapons the U.S. had sent to Ukraine by $6.2 billion over the past two years.

At the time, Pentagon officials said a review found that the military services used replacement costs rather than the book value of equipment that was pulled from Pentagon stocks and sent to Ukraine. The discovery resulted in a surplus that the department used for presidential drawdown packages until the end of December.

The United States has committed more than $44.9 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden administration, including more than $44.2 billion since the beginning of Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.

The Pentagon is $10 billion overdrawn in the replenishment account in part due to inflationary pressures, and in part because the new systems the Pentagon is seeking to replace the old systems with cost more, such as the upcoming Precision Strike Missile, or PrSM, which the Army is buying to replace the long-range Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS.

The vast majority of those munitions have come from Army stockpiles due to the nature of the conventional land war in Ukraine.

The months without further shipments of U.S. support have hurt operations, and Ukrainian troops withdrew from the eastern city of Avdiivka last month, where outnumbered defenders had withheld a Russian assault for four months.

CIA Director William Burns told Congress that entire Ukrainian units have told him in recent days of being down to their last few dozen artillery shells and other ammunition. Burns called the retreat from Avdiivka a failure of ammunition resupply, not a failure of Ukrainian will.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710267271851.png" alt="Soldiers in an M1A2 SEPV3 Abrams tank assigned to the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division fires conduct a Combined Arms Live-Fire exercise at Trzebien, Poland, Feb. 12, 2024. The 3rd Infantry Division’s mission in Europe is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, working alongside NATO Allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, America’s forward deployed corps in Europe.&nbsp;&nbsp;Photo By:Army Spc. Bernabe Lopez III" />
 <figcaption>Soldiers in an M1A2 SEPV3 Abrams tank assigned to the U.S. Army's 3rd Infantry Division fires conduct a Combined Arms Live-Fire exercise at Trzebien, Poland, Feb. 12, 2024. The 3rd Infantry Division’s mission in Europe is to engage in multinational training and exercises across the continent, working alongside NATO Allies and regional security partners to provide combat-credible forces to V Corps, America’s forward deployed corps in Europe.&nbsp;&nbsp;Photo By:Army Spc. Bernabe Lopez III</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon will rush about $300 million in weapons to Ukraine after finding some cost savings in its contracts, even though the military remains deeply overdrawn and needs at least $10 billion to replenish all the weapons it has pulled from its stocks to help Kyiv in its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-avdiivka-2e827b4cae4698b3f6b80a421447fab8">desperate fight</a>&nbsp;against Russia, the White House announced Tuesday. The U.S. will also provide a $2 billion loan to Poland.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">National Security Adviser <a href="https://twitter.com/JakeSullivan46?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JakeSullivan46</a> announces $2 billion loan to Poland and $300 million in weapons and equipment to Ukraine amid Russia&#39;s war. He says the new aid to Ukraine is not meant to replace the supplemental bill. <a href="https://t.co/J2tMq5S7AI">pic.twitter.com/J2tMq5S7AI</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1767619413652488492?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>It's the Pentagon's first announced security package for Ukraine since December, when it acknowledged it was out of replenishment funds. It wasn't until recent days that officials publicly acknowledged they weren't just out of money to buy replacement weapons, they are $10 billion overdrawn.The announcement comes as Ukraine is running dangerously low on munitions and efforts to get fresh funds for weapons have stalled in the House because of Republican opposition. U.S. officials have insisted for months that the United States wouldn’t be able to resume weapons deliveries until Congress provided the additional replenishment funds, which are part of the stalled supplemental spending bill.The replenishment funds have allowed the Pentagon to pull existing munitions, air defense systems and other weapons from its reserve inventories under presidential drawdown authority, or PDA, to send to Ukraine and then sign contracts to order replacements, which are needed to maintain U.S. military readiness.“When Russian troops advance and its guns fire, Ukraine does not have enough ammunition to fire back,” said national security adviser Jake Sullivan in announcing the $300 million in additional aid.The Pentagon also has had a separate Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, or USAI, which has allowed it to fund longer-term contracts with industry to produce new weapons for Ukraine.Senior defense officials who briefed reporters said the Pentagon was able to get cost savings in some of those longer-term contracts of roughly $300 million and, given the battlefield situation, decided to use those savings to send more weapons. The officials said the cost savings basically offset the new package and keep the replenishment spending underwater at $10 billion.One of the officials said the package represented a “one time shot” — unless Congress passes the supplemental spending bill, which includes roughly $60 billion in military aid for Ukraine, or more cost savings are found. It is expected to include anti-aircraft missiles, artillery rounds and armor systems, the official said.“This is not a sustainable way to support Ukraine,” said Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon press secretary, calling it a “one time good deal" that officials can't plan on occurring again.The aid announcement came as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/poland-us-ukraine-biden-white-house-66b04d8c3917be6fe5b9ea5e016f7f5b">Polish leaders were in Washington</a>&nbsp;to press the U.S. to break its impasse over funds for Ukraine at a critical moment in the war. Polish President Andrzej Duda met Tuesday with President Joe Biden after meeting with Democratic and Republican leaders in the House and Senate earlier in the day.House Speaker Mike Johnson has so far refused to bring the $95 billion package, which includes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, to the floor. Seeking to put pressure on the Republican speaker, House&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-israel-taiwan-5cc94d69691ed8f26d6e4ff614cf12fc">Democrats have launched a long-shot effort</a>&nbsp;to force a vote through a discharge petition. The seldom-successful procedure would require support from a majority of lawmakers, or 218 members, to move the aid package to a vote.Ukraine's situation has become more dire, with units on the front line&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-resupply-aid-republicans-53db93c5db8ab249503e93b558da5bd8">rationing munitions</a>&nbsp;as they face a vastly better supplied Russian force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has repeatedly implored Congress for help, but House Republican leadership has not been willing to bring the Ukraine aid to the floor for a vote, saying any aid must first address border security needs.Pentagon officials said Monday during budget briefings that they were counting on the supplemental to cover the $10 billion replenishment hole.“If we don’t get the $10 billion we would have to find other means,” Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said. “Right now we’re very much focused on the need for that supplemental.”This is the second time in less than nine months that the Pentagon has “found” money to use for additional weapons shipments to Ukraine. Last June, defense officials said they had overestimated the value of the weapons the U.S. had sent to Ukraine by $6.2 billion over the past two years.At the time, Pentagon officials said a review found that the military services used replacement costs rather than the book value of equipment that was pulled from Pentagon stocks and sent to Ukraine. The discovery resulted in a surplus that the department used for presidential drawdown packages until the end of December.The United States has committed more than $44.9 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of the Biden administration, including more than $44.2 billion since the beginning of Russia’s invasion on Feb. 24, 2022.The Pentagon is $10 billion overdrawn in the replenishment account in part due to inflationary pressures, and in part because the new systems the Pentagon is seeking to replace the old systems with cost more, such as the upcoming Precision Strike Missile, or PrSM, which the Army is buying to replace the long-range Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMS.The vast majority of those munitions have come from Army stockpiles due to the nature of the conventional land war in Ukraine.The months without further shipments of U.S. support have hurt operations, and Ukrainian troops withdrew from the eastern city of Avdiivka last month, where outnumbered defenders had withheld a Russian assault for four months.CIA Director William Burns told Congress that entire Ukrainian units have told him in recent days of being down to their last few dozen artillery shells and other ammunition. Burns called the retreat from Avdiivka a failure of ammunition resupply, not a failure of Ukrainian will.___

🎥U.S. will rush $300 million in weapons to Ukraine; $2 billion loan to Poland  

WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers turned a Tuesday hearing on President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents into a proxy battle between the Democratic president and Republican front-runner Donald Trump, as&nbsp;a newly released transcript of Biden’s testimony&nbsp;last fall showed that he repeatedly insisted he never meant to retain classified information after he left the vice presidency.

<a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24476201/biden1-copy.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;day 1 interview with President Biden.

<a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24476203/biden-2-copy.pdf">Click here to read </a>day 2 interview with President Biden

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/storage/report-from-special-counsel-robert-k-hur-february-2024.pdf">Click here to read </a>the 345 page report following the interview

Special counsel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-hur-biden-special-counsel-classified-documents-0f8e4a9d99f8b7d035f75f78e9b8d3d3">Robert Hur</a>, testifying for more than four hours before the House Judiciary Committee, stood steadfastly by the assessments in his 345-page report that questioned Biden’s age and mental competence but recommended no criminal charges for the 81-year-old president, finding insufficient evidence to make a case stand up in court.

“What I wrote is what I believe the evidence shows, and what I expect jurors would perceive and believe," Hur said. "I did not sanitize my explanation. Nor did I disparage the president unfairly.”

The transcript of hours of interviews between Biden and the special counsel released Tuesday provide a more textured picture of the roughly year-long investigation, filling in some of the gaps left by Hur’s and Biden's accounting of the exchanges. But there was no guarantee the hearing or transcript would alter preconceived notions about the president, the special counsel who investigated him, or Trump, particularly in a hard-fought election year.

While Biden was adamant that he treated classified information seriously, the transcript shows that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-memory-age-special-counsel-report-doj-f4232bc8316e556ed467185b67c3e0a8">he was at times fuzzy about dates and details</a>&nbsp;and he said he was unfamiliar with the paper trail for some of the sensitive documents he handled.

The hearing played out as both Biden and Trump were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-primary-georgia-washington-mississippi-hawaii-15bb0084ad656903ffef14cfae822abd">on the cusp of claiming their parties' nominations</a>, and the party lines calcified almost immediately over which leader meant to hang on to classified documents, or rather, who “willfully” retained them — and who didn't. And Hur was the rare witness vilified all around, by Republicans angry over his decision not to charge the president, and by Democrats for his unflattering commentary about Biden.

Republicans argued Biden was being given a pass by his own Justice Department and that Trump had been unfairly victimized by prosecutors. Democrats, for their part, stressed Biden’s cooperation in the investigation and strongly contrasted that with the separate criminal case against Trump, who refused to return classified documents requested by the National Archives that he had at his Florida estate.

Democrats started off their questioning by hitting hard at the contrast between Biden and Trump, focusing more on the latter's criminal case. Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, the ranking Democrat, asked whether Biden's willingness to comply with investigators and turn over documents contributed to the decision not to charge him.

“That was a factor in our analysis," Hur said.

But the Democrats quickly bored into Hur, who was handpicked by Biden’s own attorney general, suggesting he was a political partisan doing Republican bidding via his written slights about Biden’s age and memory. Hur took issue with the characterization.

“Politics played no part whatsoever in my investigative steps, my decisions and the words that I put in my report,” Hur responded.

Republicans, meanwhile, insisted Trump was being unfairly singled out and vilified, questioning how the two cases were really all that different.

Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., called it a “glaring double standard.”

“Donald Trump’s being prosecuted for exactly the same act that you documented Joe Biden committed,” he told Hur.

But there were major differences between the two probes. Biden’s team returned the documents after they were discovered, and the president cooperated with the investigation by voluntarily sitting for an interview and consenting to searches of his homes. Trump, by contrast, is accused of enlisting the help of aides and lawyers to conceal the documents from the government and seeking to have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-justice-department-special-counsel-2025feb3f0f4e3820d14387c67ce4316">potentially incriminating evidence</a>&nbsp;destroyed.

Hur’s report cited evidence that Biden willfully held on to highly classified information and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ghostwriter-mark-zwonitzer-classified-documents-case-8ad6e560c2eb54e25db149a2d01ad545">shared it with a ghostwriter,</a>&nbsp;based on audio of the conversations between the two men in which Biden said he had just come across some classified documents at his home.

According to the transcript, Biden told Hur he did not recall the exchange, or that he had actually discovered any documents. He said if he had discussed anything questionable with the ghostwriter, it was in referring to a 20-page sensitive memo he had written to then-President Barack Obama in 2009 arguing against surging troops in Afghanistan that he wanted to ensure didn't make it into publication.

Hur said he was aware of the need to explain in great detail why he’d decided not to charge the president and why the case didn't meet the standard for criminal charges. Such explanations are common but usually kept confidential.

But there's a tradition at the Justice Department to release such documents publicly and so as Hur was working on his report, he almost certainly would have understood that the document was going to see the light of the day.

“The need to show my work was especially strong here,” Hur said. “The attorney general had appointed me to investigate the actions of the attorney general’s boss, the sitting president of the United States. I knew that for my decision to be credible, I could not simply announce that I recommended no criminal charges and leave it at that. I needed to explain why.”

He added that “the evidence and the president himself put his memory squarely at issue.”

In his interviews, Biden repeatedly told prosecutors that he did not know how classified documents ended up at his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-812ef44a5333f6d93423a67a683fa024">home and former Penn Biden Center office in Washington</a>.

He also insisted that had he known they were there, he would have returned them to the government.

The president did acknowledge that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hur-biden-trump-presidential-records-diaries-ada4f47bc6c69321f6ed9b3d4f9466c1">intentionally held on to his personal diaries</a>&nbsp;— which officials said contained classified information. Biden insisted were his own property, a claim also asserted by previous presidents and vice presidents, and that he had a right to keep them.

He also acknowledged that he was “never that organized,” as prosecutors pressed him on why some of the documents were located in different places.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673546739694.png" alt="Biden backing his Corvette into the garage next to stacks of boxes where classified documents were found-image from a 2020 Biden for President campaign ad" />
 <figcaption>Biden backing his Corvette into the garage next to stacks of boxes where classified documents were found-image from a 2020 Biden for President campaign ad</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Lawmakers turned a Tuesday hearing on President Joe Biden’s handling of classified documents into a proxy battle between the Democratic president and Republican front-runner Donald Trump, as&nbsp;a newly released transcript of Biden’s testimony&nbsp;last fall showed that he repeatedly insisted he never meant to retain classified information after he left the vice presidency.<a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24476201/biden1-copy.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;day 1 interview with President Biden.<a href="https://s3.documentcloud.org/documents/24476203/biden-2-copy.pdf">Click here to read </a>day 2 interview with President Biden<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former Special Counsel Hur: &quot;My assessment in the report about the relevance of the president&#39;s memory was necessary and accurate and fair...I did not sanitize my explanation nor did I disparage the president unfairly.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/vEfUTuTU3z">pic.twitter.com/vEfUTuTU3z</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1767564395436011628?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://www.justice.gov/storage/report-from-special-counsel-robert-k-hur-february-2024.pdf">Click here to read </a>the 345 page report following the interview<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707478982378.png" alt="Page from the special counsel's report that highlight's Biden's memory challenges.- U.S. Department of Justice" />
 <figcaption>Page from the special counsel's report that highlight's Biden's memory challenges.- U.S. Department of Justice</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710256853789.png" alt="Special Counsel Robert Hur during his opening statement Tuesday image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Special Counsel Robert Hur during his opening statement Tuesday image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Special counsel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-hur-biden-special-counsel-classified-documents-0f8e4a9d99f8b7d035f75f78e9b8d3d3">Robert Hur</a>, testifying for more than four hours before the House Judiciary Committee, stood steadfastly by the assessments in his 345-page report that questioned Biden’s age and mental competence but recommended no criminal charges for the 81-year-old president, finding insufficient evidence to make a case stand up in court.“What I wrote is what I believe the evidence shows, and what I expect jurors would perceive and believe," Hur said. "I did not sanitize my explanation. Nor did I disparage the president unfairly.”The transcript of hours of interviews between Biden and the special counsel released Tuesday provide a more textured picture of the roughly year-long investigation, filling in some of the gaps left by Hur’s and Biden's accounting of the exchanges. But there was no guarantee the hearing or transcript would alter preconceived notions about the president, the special counsel who investigated him, or Trump, particularly in a hard-fought election year.While Biden was adamant that he treated classified information seriously, the transcript shows that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-memory-age-special-counsel-report-doj-f4232bc8316e556ed467185b67c3e0a8">he was at times fuzzy about dates and details</a>&nbsp;and he said he was unfamiliar with the paper trail for some of the sensitive documents he handled.The hearing played out as both Biden and Trump were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-primary-georgia-washington-mississippi-hawaii-15bb0084ad656903ffef14cfae822abd">on the cusp of claiming their parties' nominations</a>, and the party lines calcified almost immediately over which leader meant to hang on to classified documents, or rather, who “willfully” retained them — and who didn't. And Hur was the rare witness vilified all around, by Republicans angry over his decision not to charge the president, and by Democrats for his unflattering commentary about Biden.Republicans argued Biden was being given a pass by his own Justice Department and that Trump had been unfairly victimized by prosecutors. Democrats, for their part, stressed Biden’s cooperation in the investigation and strongly contrasted that with the separate criminal case against Trump, who refused to return classified documents requested by the National Archives that he had at his Florida estate.Democrats started off their questioning by hitting hard at the contrast between Biden and Trump, focusing more on the latter's criminal case. Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, the ranking Democrat, asked whether Biden's willingness to comply with investigators and turn over documents contributed to the decision not to charge him.“That was a factor in our analysis," Hur said.But the Democrats quickly bored into Hur, who was handpicked by Biden’s own attorney general, suggesting he was a political partisan doing Republican bidding via his written slights about Biden’s age and memory. Hur took issue with the characterization.“Politics played no part whatsoever in my investigative steps, my decisions and the words that I put in my report,” Hur responded.Republicans, meanwhile, insisted Trump was being unfairly singled out and vilified, questioning how the two cases were really all that different.Rep. Tom McClintock, R-Calif., called it a “glaring double standard.”“Donald Trump’s being prosecuted for exactly the same act that you documented Joe Biden committed,” he told Hur.But there were major differences between the two probes. Biden’s team returned the documents after they were discovered, and the president cooperated with the investigation by voluntarily sitting for an interview and consenting to searches of his homes. Trump, by contrast, is accused of enlisting the help of aides and lawyers to conceal the documents from the government and seeking to have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-justice-department-special-counsel-2025feb3f0f4e3820d14387c67ce4316">potentially incriminating evidence</a>&nbsp;destroyed.Hur’s report cited evidence that Biden willfully held on to highly classified information and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ghostwriter-mark-zwonitzer-classified-documents-case-8ad6e560c2eb54e25db149a2d01ad545">shared it with a ghostwriter,</a>&nbsp;based on audio of the conversations between the two men in which Biden said he had just come across some classified documents at his home.According to the transcript, Biden told Hur he did not recall the exchange, or that he had actually discovered any documents. He said if he had discussed anything questionable with the ghostwriter, it was in referring to a 20-page sensitive memo he had written to then-President Barack Obama in 2009 arguing against surging troops in Afghanistan that he wanted to ensure didn't make it into publication.Hur said he was aware of the need to explain in great detail why he’d decided not to charge the president and why the case didn't meet the standard for criminal charges. Such explanations are common but usually kept confidential.But there's a tradition at the Justice Department to release such documents publicly and so as Hur was working on his report, he almost certainly would have understood that the document was going to see the light of the day.“The need to show my work was especially strong here,” Hur said. “The attorney general had appointed me to investigate the actions of the attorney general’s boss, the sitting president of the United States. I knew that for my decision to be credible, I could not simply announce that I recommended no criminal charges and leave it at that. I needed to explain why.”He added that “the evidence and the president himself put his memory squarely at issue.”In his interviews, Biden repeatedly told prosecutors that he did not know how classified documents ended up at his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-812ef44a5333f6d93423a67a683fa024">home and former Penn Biden Center office in Washington</a>.“I have no idea,” he said.He also insisted that had he known they were there, he would have returned them to the government.The president did acknowledge that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hur-biden-trump-presidential-records-diaries-ada4f47bc6c69321f6ed9b3d4f9466c1">intentionally held on to his personal diaries</a>&nbsp;— which officials said contained classified information. Biden insisted were his own property, a claim also asserted by previous presidents and vice presidents, and that he had a right to keep them.He also acknowledged that he was “never that organized,” as prosecutors pressed him on why some of the documents were located in different places.Hur, in his report, detailed how his findings about Biden were far different from those of special counsel Jack Smith about Trump, who has been charged with willfully retaining classified documents.Trump hyped Tuesday as a “Big day in Congress for the Biden Documents Hoax,” while casting himself as being unfairly targeted. “The DOJ gave Biden, and virtually every other person and President, a free pass," he said. "Me, I’m still fighting!!!"<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-mar-a-lago-government-and-politics-9e8d683afe87389407950af7ccfdbdd6">FBI agents searched Trump’s Florida estate in 2022</a>&nbsp;and removed boxes of documents marked as classified after he refused multiple requests from the National Archives to return them.Biden, by his own admission in the interviews, has retained such a sprawling assortment of photos, documents and artifacts from his more than 50 years in public life that he can’t keep track of everything.When asked if first lady Jill Biden kept her things with his, he said, "She wants nothing to do with my filing system.” He added, to laughs from the lawyers, “not even kidding.”The transcript also offered a rare window into the mind of a sitting president, revealing his his humor and his obsessions — including his beloved Corvette and his keen interest in construction work at his home in Wilmington — as well as the rigors of the presidency and international crises.Biden first sat down with Hur during a time of crisis, one day after the devastating Hamas attack on Israel on Oct. 7.He entered the first day of the interview having just gotten off the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, part of a series of calls meant to prevent the attack from spiraling into a wider regional confrontation. At multiple points, when Hur suggested a pause, Biden encouraged prosecutors to keep going, saying, “I'll go all night if we get this done.”Biden said that he left it to his staff to safeguard classified information that was presented to him, often leaving papers on his desk in heaps for aides to sort through and secure.“I never asked anybody,” Biden said. He noted that much of his staff had worked with him for years, to the point where they didn't need direction from him. "It just - it just got done. I don’t know. I can’t remember who.”Confusion over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-beau-special-counsel-80eaaee6de62c0c7b455c03d39502ecb">the timing of the death of Biden's adult son Beau</a>&nbsp;— who died May 30, 2015 — was highlighted by Hur in his report as an example of the president's memory lapses. But the transcript shows that Hur never asked Biden about his son specifically, as a visibly angry Biden had suggested in comments to reporters the day the report was released.“How in the hell dare he raise that,” Biden said of Hur. "Frankly, when I was asked the question, I thought to myself it wasn’t any of their damn business.”But the transcript suggests that the exchange was less revealing about Biden's memory than Hur let on, and that Biden's recollection of it during his emotional White House remarks was incorrect.Hur asked Biden about where he kept the things that he was "actively working on" while he was living in a rental home in Virginia immediately after leaving the vice presidency in January 2017. And in that context, it was Biden himself who brought up Beau's illness and death as he talked about a book he'd published later in 2017 about that painful time.“What month did Beau die?” Biden mused, adding, “Oh God, May 30th.”A White House lawyer then chimed in with the year, 2015.“Was it 2015 he died?” Biden asked again.Biden went on to recount in detail the story contained in his book, “Promise Me, Dad,” of how his late son had encouraged him to remain engaged in public life after the Obama administration ended.