Lincoln, Neb. April 22, 2024 —&nbsp;For the past 17 years, Terry Hejny has regularly traveled Nebraska, from the Missouri River to the Panhandle, on an important mission. As director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://unl233.lt.acemlnb.com/Prod/link-tracker?redirectUrl=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&amp;sig=2G2yZN5uw6FK87Kom5imBrS7cBNd3AMW3JDEAFriJYkc&amp;iat=1713787316&amp;a=%7C%7C68108822%7C%7C&amp;account=unl233%2Eactivehosted%2Ecom&amp;email=BPo1RoxZzQ0%2FsiMm32qZNdVnQcmToqecy0M41HdaTWjPozY82MWzPIM%3D%3AlY69lZ%2ByXl6NnCNnRDUitZ1ygEdhxkfX&amp;s=073f67d35943f6c01a66f2eac84e284e&amp;i=744A845A50A15490" target="_blank">Nebraska LEAD Program</a>, he spearheads activities and experiences that help LEAD fellows understand the breadth of the state, preparing them for future leadership in agriculture and agribusiness.

“I always say that LEAD is a transformational travel and experiential development program. It’s full of experiences and opportunities,” said Hejny, who grew up on a diversified crop and livestock farm in Seward County and has headed the program since 2007.The two-year LEAD experience includes detailed looks at Nebraska’s agriculture, economics, health care, education, community development and government, and includes travel to Washington, D.C., and overseas.

“We have something for everyone,” Hejny said. “We help them become passionate about issues and where they want to put their advocacy as they go through this program.”

LEAD, a part of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s&nbsp;<a href="https://unl233.lt.acemlnb.com/Prod/link-tracker?redirectUrl=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&amp;sig=DrLbNSMfi3WgC3cVTCSWuqnX3CP58Qrq6w3K924yXZRH&amp;iat=1713787316&amp;a=%7C%7C68108822%7C%7C&amp;account=unl233%2Eactivehosted%2Ecom&amp;email=BPo1RoxZzQ0%2FsiMm32qZNdVnQcmToqecy0M41HdaTWjPozY82MWzPIM%3D%3AlY69lZ%2ByXl6NnCNnRDUitZ1ygEdhxkfX&amp;s=073f67d35943f6c01a66f2eac84e284e&amp;i=744A845A50A15484" target="_blank">Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources</a>, has been in place since 1981. Over the decades, its alumni have gone on to provide important leadership in production agriculture and agribusiness, including on grower associations and commodity boards, as well as on town councils, school boards, natural resource district boards and the State Legislature.

LEAD’s 12 in-state seminars over two years are “the building blocks of the program,” Hejny said. The sessions take LEAD fellows to every region of the state and help them understand Nebraska’s diversity in topography, climate, economics and culture. Those experiences encourage an important sense of connection and understanding among Nebraskans.

“That is a key thing that has made our program successful,” Hejny said. “We connect people.”

Hejny, who was a member of LEAD 20 class during 2000-02, will retire from his LEAD director position at the end of June. He also will retire as president and chief operating officer of the nonprofit Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council, which governs the LEAD program in cooperation with IANR and support from 13 other institutions of higher education throughout the state.

A retirement reception for Hejny will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. May 9 in the Nebraska East Union, in the third-floor Prairie Suite. Husker faculty, staff and students, as well as LEAD graduates and anyone else who would like to wish him well, are invited to attend.

Hejny’s greatest satisfaction has been working with so many talented Nebraskans over the years and seeing LEAD Fellows develop their leadership skills.

“I’ve been blessed to have those experiences to see that personal and professional development happen,” Hejny said. “It’s a beautiful process.”

The decades of support from IANR have been particularly important for the program, he said.

Hejny, who earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from UNL, feels a strong connection to LEAD’s tradition due to his ties both to the program’s founding director, James Horner, and his successor, Allen Blezek. Both were faculty members in UNL’s Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication.

Horner’s class on program development helped Hejny understand principles he’s used throughout his career as a high school agriculture teacher in Geneva, Extension educator in Fillmore and Cass counties, and LEAD program director.

Similarly, he said, “I learned everything I needed to know about how to teach from Professor Blezek.”After becoming LEAD director in 2007, Hejny earned a doctorate in human sciences with a specialization in leadership studies. What are the elements of constructive leadership? It’s a long list, Hejny said, but five key components are integrity; trustworthiness; instilling a sense of ethics; fairness; and ensuring transparency.

“Leaders have to model those behaviors,” said Hejny, who also was a high school coach. “They always represent high standards, high expectations.”

LEAD stands out for the breadth of support it receives from institutions, communities, corporations and individuals across the state.

“That’s what makes me feel very blessed,” Hejny said. “That support means that people have ownership of the program, which means they want it to succeed.”

Mark McHargue, president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau, said the LEAD Program “stands as a top leadership development initiative in the state for agricultural stakeholders, fostering well-informed, ready and enthusiastic leaders from various sectors of the agriculture industry across Nebraska.

”The farm bureau has long been a steadfast supporter of the program, McHargue said.“I appreciate Dr. Hejny’s guidance in steering this vital program over the last several years,” he said. “His legacy will endure through the service and leadership of LEAD graduates from across Nebraska for years to come.”

Kelly Brunkhorst, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Board, said Hejny “has continued to build upon the foundation of his predecessors in expanding the LEAD program into the premier leadership program across the state. It is a model for other states to build upon.

” As his retirement from LEAD approaches, Hejny is working with the program’s staff members Shana Gerdes and Irene Malzer to enable a smooth transition for his successor.

“Dr. Blezek had it ready to roll when I took over,” Hejny said, “and I’m going to do the same thing for the next person.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713791238737.jpeg" alt="(Courtesy of UNL)" />
 <figcaption>(Courtesy of UNL)</figcaption>
 </figure>Geitner Simmons&nbsp;Lincoln, Neb. April 22, 2024 —&nbsp;For the past 17 years, Terry Hejny has regularly traveled Nebraska, from the Missouri River to the Panhandle, on an important mission. As director of the&nbsp;<a href="https://unl233.lt.acemlnb.com/Prod/link-tracker?redirectUrl=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&amp;sig=2G2yZN5uw6FK87Kom5imBrS7cBNd3AMW3JDEAFriJYkc&amp;iat=1713787316&amp;a=%7C%7C68108822%7C%7C&amp;account=unl233%2Eactivehosted%2Ecom&amp;email=BPo1RoxZzQ0%2FsiMm32qZNdVnQcmToqecy0M41HdaTWjPozY82MWzPIM%3D%3AlY69lZ%2ByXl6NnCNnRDUitZ1ygEdhxkfX&amp;s=073f67d35943f6c01a66f2eac84e284e&amp;i=744A845A50A15490" target="_blank">Nebraska LEAD Program</a>, he spearheads activities and experiences that help LEAD fellows understand the breadth of the state, preparing them for future leadership in agriculture and agribusiness.“I always say that LEAD is a transformational travel and experiential development program. It’s full of experiences and opportunities,” said Hejny, who grew up on a diversified crop and livestock farm in Seward County and has headed the program since 2007.The two-year LEAD experience includes detailed looks at Nebraska’s agriculture, economics, health care, education, community development and government, and includes travel to Washington, D.C., and overseas.“We have something for everyone,” Hejny said. “We help them become passionate about issues and where they want to put their advocacy as they go through this program.”LEAD, a part of the University of Nebraska–Lincoln’s&nbsp;<a href="https://unl233.lt.acemlnb.com/Prod/link-tracker?redirectUrl=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&amp;sig=DrLbNSMfi3WgC3cVTCSWuqnX3CP58Qrq6w3K924yXZRH&amp;iat=1713787316&amp;a=%7C%7C68108822%7C%7C&amp;account=unl233%2Eactivehosted%2Ecom&amp;email=BPo1RoxZzQ0%2FsiMm32qZNdVnQcmToqecy0M41HdaTWjPozY82MWzPIM%3D%3AlY69lZ%2ByXl6NnCNnRDUitZ1ygEdhxkfX&amp;s=073f67d35943f6c01a66f2eac84e284e&amp;i=744A845A50A15484" target="_blank">Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources</a>, has been in place since 1981. Over the decades, its alumni have gone on to provide important leadership in production agriculture and agribusiness, including on grower associations and commodity boards, as well as on town councils, school boards, natural resource district boards and the State Legislature.LEAD’s 12 in-state seminars over two years are “the building blocks of the program,” Hejny said. The sessions take LEAD fellows to every region of the state and help them understand Nebraska’s diversity in topography, climate, economics and culture. Those experiences encourage an important sense of connection and understanding among Nebraskans.“That is a key thing that has made our program successful,” Hejny said. “We connect people.”Hejny, who was a member of LEAD 20 class during 2000-02, will retire from his LEAD director position at the end of June. He also will retire as president and chief operating officer of the nonprofit Nebraska Agricultural Leadership Council, which governs the LEAD program in cooperation with IANR and support from 13 other institutions of higher education throughout the state.A retirement reception for Hejny will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. May 9 in the Nebraska East Union, in the third-floor Prairie Suite. Husker faculty, staff and students, as well as LEAD graduates and anyone else who would like to wish him well, are invited to attend.Hejny’s greatest satisfaction has been working with so many talented Nebraskans over the years and seeing LEAD Fellows develop their leadership skills.“I’ve been blessed to have those experiences to see that personal and professional development happen,” Hejny said. “It’s a beautiful process.”The decades of support from IANR have been particularly important for the program, he said.Hejny, who earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural education from UNL, feels a strong connection to LEAD’s tradition due to his ties both to the program’s founding director, James Horner, and his successor, Allen Blezek. Both were faculty members in UNL’s Department of Agricultural Leadership, Education and Communication.Horner’s class on program development helped Hejny understand principles he’s used throughout his career as a high school agriculture teacher in Geneva, Extension educator in Fillmore and Cass counties, and LEAD program director.Similarly, he said, “I learned everything I needed to know about how to teach from Professor Blezek.”After becoming LEAD director in 2007, Hejny earned a doctorate in human sciences with a specialization in leadership studies. What are the elements of constructive leadership? It’s a long list, Hejny said, but five key components are integrity; trustworthiness; instilling a sense of ethics; fairness; and ensuring transparency.“Leaders have to model those behaviors,” said Hejny, who also was a high school coach. “They always represent high standards, high expectations.”LEAD stands out for the breadth of support it receives from institutions, communities, corporations and individuals across the state.“That’s what makes me feel very blessed,” Hejny said. “That support means that people have ownership of the program, which means they want it to succeed.”Mark McHargue, president of the Nebraska Farm Bureau, said the LEAD Program “stands as a top leadership development initiative in the state for agricultural stakeholders, fostering well-informed, ready and enthusiastic leaders from various sectors of the agriculture industry across Nebraska.”The farm bureau has long been a steadfast supporter of the program, McHargue said.“I appreciate Dr. Hejny’s guidance in steering this vital program over the last several years,” he said. “His legacy will endure through the service and leadership of LEAD graduates from across Nebraska for years to come.”Kelly Brunkhorst, executive director of the Nebraska Corn Board, said Hejny “has continued to build upon the foundation of his predecessors in expanding the LEAD program into the premier leadership program across the state. It is a model for other states to build upon.” As his retirement from LEAD approaches, Hejny is working with the program’s staff members Shana Gerdes and Irene Malzer to enable a smooth transition for his successor.“Dr. Blezek had it ready to roll when I took over,” Hejny said, “and I’m going to do the same thing for the next person.”

Hejny has shown vision in directing LEAD Program’s ‘transformational’ mission

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump tried to illegally influence the 2016 presidential election by preventing damaging stories about his personal life from becoming public, a prosecutor told jurors Monday at the start of the former president's historic hush money trial.

A defense lawyer countered by saying that Trump was “innocent" and by attacking the integrity of the onetime Trump confidant who's now the government's star witness. Trump's attorney said the case should never have been brought.

The opening statements launched the first criminal trial of a former American president, a case unfolding against the backdrop of a closely contested White House race in which Trump is not only the presumptive Republican nominee but also a defendant facing the prospect of a felony conviction and prison.

The trial will offer weeks of salacious and unflattering testimony about an effort by the then-celebrity candidate to stifle story he feared could torpedo his candidacy, including a porn star's claims of an extramarital affair a decade earlier.

Prosecutors at the outset sought to elevate the gravity of the case, the first of four criminal prosecutions against Trump, to reach a jury, by framing it as about election interference. The depiction seemed intended to rebut criticism that the allegations at the heart of the case are less grievous than those of the three other cases, which center on charges of hoarding classified documents and subverting democracy.

“The defendant, Donald Trump, orchestrated a criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election. Then he covered up that criminal conspiracy by lying in his New York business records over and over and over again,” prosecutor Matthew Colangelo told jurors.

The statements offered the 12-person jury — and the voting public — a roadmap for how to view the allegations at the heart of the case.

They also served as an introduction to the colorful cast of characters that comprise the tawdry saga, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-manhattan-stormy-daniels-michael-cohen-b514cb52bb31a82579cb827c40166173">a porn actor who says she had a sexual encounter with Trump</a>; the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-cohen">lawyer who prosecutors say paid her to keep quiet about it</a>; and the tabloid publisher who agreed to function as the campaign's “eyes and ears.”

Trump faces&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">34 felony counts of falsifying business records</a>&nbsp;— a charge punishable by up to four years in prison — though it’s not clear if the judge would seek to put him behind bars. A conviction would not preclude Trump from becoming president again, but because it is a state case, he would not be able to attempt to pardon himself if found guilty. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

The case brought by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-manhattan-da-bragg-hush-money-trial-a164881f43b1d5064a528b36eada937e">Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg</a>&nbsp;revisits a chapter from Trump’s history when his celebrity past collided with his political ambitions and, prosecutors say, he scrambled to stifle stories that he feared could torpedo his campaign.

In his opening statements, Colangelo traced the origins of the effort to the emergence late in the 2016 campaign of the 2005 “Access Hollywood” recording in which Trump could be heard boasting about grabbing women sexually without their permission.

“The impact of that tape on the campaign was immediate and explosive,” Colangelo said, recounting for jurors how prominent Trump allies withdrew their endorsements and condemned his language.

The prosecutor said evidence will show the Republican National Committee even considered whether it was possible to replace Trump with another candidate.

Within days of the “Access Hollywood” tape becoming public, Colangelo told jurors that The National Enquirer alerted Cohen that porn actor Stormy Daniels was agitating to go public with her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006.

“At Trump’s direction, Cohen negotiated a deal to buy Ms. Daniels’ story to prevent American voters from hearing that story before Election Day,” Colangelo told jurors.

The prosecutor described other payments as well that were part of what's known in the tabloid industry as a “catch-and-kill” ploy — catching a potentially damaging story by buying the rights to it and then suppressing or killing it through agreements that prevent the paid person from telling the story to anyone else.

Colangelo also talked about arrangements made to pay a former Playboy model $150,000 to suppress her claims of a nearly yearlong affair with the married Trump. Colangelo said Trump “desperately did not want this information about Karen McDougal to become public because he was worried about its effect on the election.”

He told jurors they will hear a recording Cohen made in September 2016 of himself briefing Trump on the plan to buy McDougal’s story. The recording was made public in July 2018. Colangelo told jurors they hear Trump in his own voice, saying: “What do we got to pay for this? One-fifty?”

Trump arrived at the courthouse shortly before 9 a.m., minutes after castigating the case in capital letters on social media as “election interference” and a “witch hunt.”

The trial will require him to spend his days in a courtroom rather than on the campaign trail, a reality he complained about Monday when he lamented to reporters that he was “here instead of being able to be in Pennsylvania and Georgia and lots of other places campaigning, and it’s very unfair.”

Just as Trump sat through a jury selection process in which multiple prospective jurors expressed negative opinions about him, he will be forced to remain in court as salacious and potentially unflattering details about his personal life are shared with the jury.

Trump has nonetheless sought to turn his criminal defendant status into an asset for his campaign, fundraising off his legal jeopardy and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harlem-trial-bodega-909f0abee3f1951a2ffdabc8072d61a7">repeatedly railing against a justice system</a>&nbsp;that he has for years claimed is weaponized against him.

Hearing the case is a jury that includes, among others, multiple lawyers, a sales professional, an investment banker and an English teacher. As court began Monday, Judge Juan Merchan disclosed that one of the jurors selected for the case had conveyed reservations about participating, apparently because of the intense media attention. The juror was questioned privately but will remain on the case.

The case will test jurors' ability to set aside any bias but also Trump's ability to abide by the court's restrictions, such as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-gag-order-hush-money-juan-merchan-f182e7d5c27967b86a59277fd24743e4">gag order</a>&nbsp;that bars him from attacking witnesses. Prosecutors are seeking fines against him for alleged violations of that order.

Prosecutors say Trump obscured the true nature of the payments in internal records when his company reimbursed Cohen, who pleaded guilty to federal charges in 2018 and is expected to be a star witness for the prosecution.

Trump has denied having a sexual encounter with Daniels, and his lawyers argue that the payments to Cohen were legitimate legal expenses.

To convict Trump of a felony, prosecutors must show he not only falsified or caused business records to be entered falsely, which would be a misdemeanor,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/PEN/175.10">but that he did so to conceal another crime</a>.

The allegations don't accuse Trump of an egregious abuse of power like the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">federal case in Washington charging him with plotting to overturn the 2020 presidential election</a>, or of flouting national security protocols like the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">federal case in Florida charging him with hoarding classified documents.</a>

But the New York prosecution has taken on added importance because it may be the only one of the four cases against Trump that reaches trial before the November election.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/prosecuted-election-interference-april-immunity-claim-2020-election-7ddd54224350e0fbbf6b71a4461874c7">Appeals</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-election-indictment-fani-willis-trump-60b7dd9642fc9ef7c03d75980692334c">legal wrangling</a>&nbsp;have delayed the other three cases.

NEW YORK (AP) — For the first time in history, prosecutors will present a criminal case against a former American president to a jury Monday as they accuse&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-manhattan-stormy-daniels-michael-cohen-b514cb52bb31a82579cb827c40166173">hush money scheme</a>&nbsp;aimed at preventing damaging stories about his personal life from becoming public.

A 12-person jury in Manhattan is set to hear opening statements from prosecutors and defense lawyers in the first of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/">four criminal cases</a>&nbsp;against the presumptive Republican nominee to reach trial.

The statements are expected to give jurors and the voting public the clearest view yet of the allegations at the heart of the case, as well as insight into Trump's expected defense.

Attorneys will also introduce a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-criminal-trial-hush-money-stormy-daniels-5fdc819697a76536ed83cbf28d4a523c">colorful cast of characters</a>&nbsp;who are expected to testify about the made-for-tabloids saga, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-manhattan-stormy-daniels-michael-cohen-b514cb52bb31a82579cb827c40166173">a porn actor who says she had a sexual encounter with Trump</a>&nbsp;and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-cohen">lawyer who prosecutors say paid her to keep quiet about it</a>.

Trump is charged with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">34 felony counts of falsifying business records</a>&nbsp;and could face four years in prison if convicted, though it’s not clear if the judge would seek to put him behind bars. A conviction would not preclude Trump from becoming president again, but because it is a state case, he would not be able to attempt to pardon himself if found guilty. He has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Unfolding as Trump vies to reclaim the White House, the trial will require him to spend his days in a courtroom rather than the campaign trail. He will have to listen as witnesses recount salacious and potentially unflattering details about his private life.

Hearing the case is a jury that includes, among others, multiple lawyers, a sales professional, an investment banker and an English teacher.

The case brought by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-manhattan-da-bragg-hush-money-trial-a164881f43b1d5064a528b36eada937e">Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg</a>&nbsp;revisits a chapter from Trump’s history when his celebrity past collided with his political ambitions and, prosecutors say, he sought to prevent potentially damaging stories from surfacing through hush money payments.

One such payment was a $130,000 sum that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-cohen">Michael Cohen</a>, Trump’s former lawyer and personal fixer, gave to porn actor Stormy Daniels to prevent her claims of a sexual encounter with Trump from emerging into public shortly before the 2016 election.

Here's a look at the key players in the historic first criminal trial of a former U.S. president:

DONALD TRUMP — The former president of the United States and the presumptive Republican nominee, who parlayed his success as reality television star and celebrity businessman and won the presidential election in 2016, becoming America’s 45th president. The trial involves allegations that he falsified his company’s records&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-cohen-stormy-daniels-e40532d3bce7768e296fdaf9591ef05b">to hide the true nature of payments</a>&nbsp;to Cohen, who helped bury negative stories about him during the 2016 presidential campaign. He’s pleaded not guilty.

MICHAEL COHEN — Trump’s former lawyer and fixer. He was once a fierce Trump ally, but now he’s a key prosecution witness against his former boss. Cohen worked for the Trump Organization from 2006 to 2017. He later went to federal prison after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-us-news-ap-top-news-michael-cohen-74aaf72511d64fceb1d64529207bde64">pleading guilty to campaign finance violations</a>&nbsp;relating to the hush money arrangements and other, unrelated crimes.

STORMY DANIELS — The porn actor who received a $130,000 payment from Cohen as part of his hush-money efforts. Cohen&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-cohen-stormy-daniels-grand-jury-d48153fc2d3fe7a656e8a24ad1acd082">paid Daniels to keep quiet</a>&nbsp;about what she says was a sexual encounter with Trump years earlier. Trump denies having sex with Daniels.

KAREN MCDOUGAL — A former Playboy model who said she had a 10-month affair with Trump in the mid-2000s. She was paid $150,000 in 2016 by the parent company of the National Enquirer for the rights to her story about the alleged relationship. Trump denies having sex with McDougal.

DAVID PECKER — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amazoncom-inc-donald-trump-jeff-bezos-business-ad911dcfadb4441fc3e7d9e0018c1dec">National Enquirer’s former publisher</a>&nbsp;and a longtime Trump friend. Prosecutors say he met with Trump and Cohen at Trump Tower in August 2015 and agreed to help Trump’s campaign identify negative stories about him.

HOPE HICKS — Trump’s former White House communications director. Prosecutors say she spoke with Trump by phone during a frenzied effort to keep allegations of his marital infidelity out of the press after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-access-hollywood-hush-money-new-york-2c52279a45ede2a111ff1fe447d2fdac">infamous “Access Hollywood” tape</a>&nbsp;leaked weeks before the 2016 election. In the tape, from 2005, Trump boasted about grabbing women without permission.

ALVIN BRAGG — A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-manhattan-da-bragg-hush-money-trial-a164881f43b1d5064a528b36eada937e">former civil rights lawyer and law professor</a>, Bragg is a Democrat in his first term as Manhattan’s district attorney. He inherited the Trump investigation when he took office in 2021. He oversaw the prosecution of Trump’s company in an unrelated tax fraud case before moving to indict Trump last year.

MATTHEW COLANGELO — A former high-ranking Justice Department official who was hired by Bragg in 2022 to lead the Trump investigation. They previously worked together on Trump-related matters at the New York attorney general’s office.

JOSHUA STEINGLASS — A Manhattan prosecutor for more than 25 years, he has worked on some of the office’s more high-profile cases, including the Trump Organization's tax fraud conviction in 2022, and cases involving violent crimes.

SUSAN HOFFINGER — The chief of the district attorney's Investigation Division, she returned to the office in 2022 after more than 20 years in private practice with her sister, Fran. She worked with Steinglass on the Trump Organization tax fraud prosecution.

TODD BLANCHE — A former federal prosecutor, Blanche previously represented Trump’s former campaign chairman,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/paul-manafort">Paul Manafort</a>, in a mortgage fraud case — and got it thrown out. Blanche successfully argued that the case, brought by the same prosecutor’s office now taking on Trump, was too similar to one that landed Manafort in federal prison and therefore amounted to double jeopardy.

SUSAN NECHELES — A former Brooklyn prosecutor, Necheles is a respected New York City defense lawyer who represented Trump’s company at its tax fraud trial last year. In the past she served as counsel to the late Genovese crime family underboss Venero Mangano, known as Benny Eggs, and defended John Gotti’s lawyer, Bruce Cutler, in the early 90s.

EMIL BOVE — A star college lacrosse player, Bove was a veteran federal prosecutor in the Southern District of New York. He was involved in multiple high-profile prosecutions, including a drug-trafficking case against the former Honduran president’s brother, a man who set off a pressure cooker device in Manhattan and a man who sent dozens of mail bombs to prominent targets across the country.

JUAN M. MERCHAN — The judge presiding over the case. He was also the judge in the Trump Organization’s tax fraud trial in 2022 and is overseeing a border wall fraud case against longtime Trump ally Steve Bannon. Merchan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-juan-manuel-merchan-recusal-manhattan-e6ea9180af83bf47443b752fec2c518c">has twice denied requests</a>&nbsp;by Trump’s lawyers that he step aside from the case. They contend he is biased because his daughter runs a political consulting firm that has worked for Democrats, including President Joe Biden. Merchan has said he is certain of his “ability to be fair and impartial.”

History: Opening statements in 1st criminal trial of a former U.S. President

WASHINGTON– The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for ground beef products that may be contaminated with&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;O157:H7, according to a statement from the USDA.

FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers are aware that these products should not be consumed. A recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase.

The raw ground beef items were produced on March 28, 2024. The products have a “Use/Freeze by” date of April 22, 2024, and packaging date of “032824.”&nbsp;

The products subject to the public health alert bear establishment number “EST. 960A” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to food service institutions and retail locations nationwide.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;

The problem was discovered by the establishment while conducting an inventory of product that was on hold because it was found positive for&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;O157:H7. The company notified FSIS that they inadvertently used a portion of the contaminated beef to produce ground beef products that they subsequently shipped into commerce.

There have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.

E. coli&nbsp;O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2–8 days (3–4 days, on average) after exposure the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ and food service institutions’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them and food service institutions are urged not to serve these products. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart</a>.

Consumers and members of the media with questions about the public health alert can contact Gina Adami, Greater Omaha Packing Co., Inc. Representative, at 402-575-4702 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:gadami@gmail.com">gadami@gmail.com</a>.

Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:MPHotline@usda.gov">MPHotline@usda.gov</a>. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at&nbsp;<a href="https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/">https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713781901871.png" alt="-GOHERF GB Rib Brisket Chuck Burger Ground Beef 5 lb.-USDA image" />
 <figcaption>-GOHERF GB Rib Brisket Chuck Burger Ground Beef 5 lb.-USDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON– The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) is issuing a public health alert for ground beef products that may be contaminated with&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;O157:H7, according to a statement from the USDA.FSIS is issuing this public health alert to ensure that consumers are aware that these products should not be consumed. A recall was not requested because the products are no longer available for purchase.The raw ground beef items were produced on March 28, 2024. The products have a “Use/Freeze by” date of April 22, 2024, and packaging date of “032824.”&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713782031696.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The products subject to the public health alert bear establishment number “EST. 960A” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to food service institutions and retail locations nationwide.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;The problem was discovered by the establishment while conducting an inventory of product that was on hold because it was found positive for&nbsp;E. coli&nbsp;O157:H7. The company notified FSIS that they inadvertently used a portion of the contaminated beef to produce ground beef products that they subsequently shipped into commerce.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713781856190.png" alt="USDA image" />
 <figcaption>USDA image</figcaption>
 </figure>There have been no confirmed reports of illness due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an illness should contact a healthcare provider.E. coli&nbsp;O157:H7 is a potentially deadly bacterium that can cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramps 2–8 days (3–4 days, on average) after exposure the organism. While most people recover within a week, some develop a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS). This condition can occur among persons of any age but is most common in children under 5-years old and older adults. It is marked by easy bruising, pallor, and decreased urine output. Persons who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.FSIS is concerned that some product may be in consumers’ and food service institutions’ freezers. Consumers who have purchased these products are urged not to consume them and food service institutions are urged not to serve these products. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.FSIS advises all consumers to safely prepare their raw meat products, including fresh and frozen, and only consume ground beef that has been cooked to a temperature of 160 F. The only way to confirm that ground beef is cooked to a temperature high enough to kill harmful bacteria is to use a food thermometer that measures internal temperature,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart">https://www.fsis.usda.gov/safetempchart</a>.Consumers and members of the media with questions about the public health alert can contact Gina Adami, Greater Omaha Packing Co., Inc. Representative, at 402-575-4702 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:gadami@gmail.com">gadami@gmail.com</a>.Consumers with food safety questions can call the toll-free USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854) or send a question via email to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:MPHotline@usda.gov">MPHotline@usda.gov</a>. For consumers that need to report a problem with a meat, poultry, or egg product, the online Electronic Consumer Complaint Monitoring System can be accessed 24 hours a day at&nbsp;<a href="https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/">https://foodcomplaint.fsis.usda.gov/eCCF/.</a>

Nationwide alert issued for ground beef over potential E. coli risk

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed legislation Saturday that would ban&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-bill-divest-5b5a685e8f1e19d22182d62526bf19b8">TikTok</a>&nbsp;in the United States if the popular social media platform's China-based owner doesn’t sell its stake within a year, but don't expect the app to go away anytime soon.

The decision by House Republicans to include TikTok as part of a larger foreign aid package, a priority for President Joe Biden with broad congressional support for Ukraine and Israel, fast-tracked the ban after an earlier version had stalled in the Senate. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-house-vote-china-national-security-8fa7258fae1a4902d344c9d978d58a37">standalone bill</a>&nbsp;with a shorter, six-month selling deadline passed the House in March by an overwhelming bipartisan vote as both Democrats and Republicans voiced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-china-biden-administration-14ef5f93dc2114e4ade110b2e85433fd">national security</a>&nbsp;concerns about the app’s owner, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-unitedstates-tiktok-chew-2d851c716d6454d7c87762a056604c7a">Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd</a>.

The modified measure, passed by a 360-58 vote, now goes to the Senate after negotiations that lengthened the timeline for the company to sell to nine months, with a possible additional three months if a sale is in progress.

Legal challenges could extend that timeline even further. The company has indicated that it would likely go to court to try and block the law if it passes, arguing it would deprive the app’s millions of users of their First Amendment rights.

TikTok has lobbied hard against the legislation, pushing the app’s 170 million U.S. users — many of whom are young —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bill-bytedance-divest-house-3f7dd623cbdce8b04af5cc483be9daa2">to call Congress and voice opposition</a>. But the ferocity of the pushback angered lawmakers on Capitol Hill, where there is broad concern about Chinese threats to the U.S. and where few members use the platform themselves.

“We will not stop fighting and advocating for you,” TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said in a video that was posted on the platform last month and directed toward the app’s users. “We will continue to do all we can, including exercising our legal rights, to protect this amazing platform that we have built with you.”

The bill’s quick path through Congress is extraordinary because it targets one company and because Congress has taken a hands-off approach to tech regulation for decades. Lawmakers had failed to act despite efforts to protect children online, safeguard users’ privacy and make companies more liable for content posted on their platforms, among other measures. But the TikTok ban reflects widespread concerns from lawmakers about China.

Members of both parties, along with intelligence officials, have worried that Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over American user data or direct the company to suppress or boost TikTok content favorable to its interests. TikTok has denied assertions that it could be used as a tool of the Chinese government and has said it has not shared U.S. user data with Chinese authorities.

The U.S. government has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-tiktok-security-technology-social-media-2245e433b5854010ebd99b7987fc78ca">not publicly provided</a>&nbsp;evidence that shows TikTok shared U.S. user data with the Chinese government or tinkered with the company’s popular algorithm, which influences what Americans see.

The company has good reason to think a legal challenge could be successful, having seen some success in previous legal fights over its operations in the U.S.. In November,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/montana-tiktok-ban-25c561396e85fee8926309daf4ad4b4f">a federal judge blocked a Montana law</a>&nbsp;that would ban TikTok use across the state after the company and five content creators who use the platform sued.

In 2020, federal courts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-a526c144fad9f0ebc37bf2d49a97740a">blocked</a>&nbsp;an executive order issued by then-President Donald Trump to ban TikTok after the company sued on the grounds that the order violated free speech and due process rights. His administration brokered a deal that would have had U.S. corporations Oracle and Walmart take a large stake in TikTok. The sale never went through for a number of reasons; one was China, which imposed stricter export controls on its technology providers.

Dozens of states and the federal government have put in place TikTok bans on government devices. Texas’ ban was challenged last year by The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, which argued in a lawsuit that the policy was impeding academic freedom because it extended to public universities. In December, a federal judge ruled in favor of the state.

Organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union have backed the app. “Congress cannot take away the rights of over 170 million Americans who use TikTok to express themselves, engage in political advocacy, and access information from around the world,” said Jenna Leventoff, a lawyer for the group.

Since mid-March, TikTok has spent $5 million on TV ads opposing the legislation, according to AdImpact, an advertising tracking firm. The ads have included a range of content creators, including a nun, extolling the positive impacts of the platform on their lives and arguing a ban would trample on the First Amendment. The company has also encouraged its users to contact Congress, and some lawmakers have received&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-tiktok-ban-lobbying-congress-china-a340cf30b05343816380793af1c5d186">profanity-laced calls</a>.

“It is unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate 7 million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the U.S. economy, annually,” said Alex Haurek, a spokesman for the company.

California Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democrat, voted against the legislation. He said he thinks there could have been less restrictive ways to go after the company that wouldn't result in a total ban or threaten free speech.

“I think it’s not going to be well received,” Khanna said. “It’s a sign of the Beltway being out of touch with where voters are.”

Nadya Okamoto, a content creator who has roughly 4 million followers on TikTok, said she has been having conversations with other creators who are experiencing “so much anger and anxiety” about the bill and how it’s going to impact their lives. The 26-year-old, whose company “August” sells menstrual products and is known for her advocacy around destigmatizing menstrual periods, makes most of her income from TikTok.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed legislation Saturday that would ban&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-bill-divest-5b5a685e8f1e19d22182d62526bf19b8">TikTok</a>&nbsp;in the United States if the popular social media platform's China-based owner doesn’t sell its stake within a year, but don't expect the app to go away anytime soon.The decision by House Republicans to include TikTok as part of a larger foreign aid package, a priority for President Joe Biden with broad congressional support for Ukraine and Israel, fast-tracked the ban after an earlier version had stalled in the Senate. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-house-vote-china-national-security-8fa7258fae1a4902d344c9d978d58a37">standalone bill</a>&nbsp;with a shorter, six-month selling deadline passed the House in March by an overwhelming bipartisan vote as both Democrats and Republicans voiced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bytedance-china-biden-administration-14ef5f93dc2114e4ade110b2e85433fd">national security</a>&nbsp;concerns about the app’s owner, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-unitedstates-tiktok-chew-2d851c716d6454d7c87762a056604c7a">Chinese technology firm ByteDance Ltd</a>.The modified measure, passed by a 360-58 vote, now goes to the Senate after negotiations that lengthened the timeline for the company to sell to nine months, with a possible additional three months if a sale is in progress.Legal challenges could extend that timeline even further. The company has indicated that it would likely go to court to try and block the law if it passes, arguing it would deprive the app’s millions of users of their First Amendment rights.TikTok has lobbied hard against the legislation, pushing the app’s 170 million U.S. users — many of whom are young —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-bill-bytedance-divest-house-3f7dd623cbdce8b04af5cc483be9daa2">to call Congress and voice opposition</a>. But the ferocity of the pushback angered lawmakers on Capitol Hill, where there is broad concern about Chinese threats to the U.S. and where few members use the platform themselves.“We will not stop fighting and advocating for you,” TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew said in a video that was posted on the platform last month and directed toward the app’s users. “We will continue to do all we can, including exercising our legal rights, to protect this amazing platform that we have built with you.”The bill’s quick path through Congress is extraordinary because it targets one company and because Congress has taken a hands-off approach to tech regulation for decades. Lawmakers had failed to act despite efforts to protect children online, safeguard users’ privacy and make companies more liable for content posted on their platforms, among other measures. But the TikTok ban reflects widespread concerns from lawmakers about China.Members of both parties, along with intelligence officials, have worried that Chinese authorities could force ByteDance to hand over American user data or direct the company to suppress or boost TikTok content favorable to its interests. TikTok has denied assertions that it could be used as a tool of the Chinese government and has said it has not shared U.S. user data with Chinese authorities.The U.S. government has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-tiktok-security-technology-social-media-2245e433b5854010ebd99b7987fc78ca">not publicly provided</a>&nbsp;evidence that shows TikTok shared U.S. user data with the Chinese government or tinkered with the company’s popular algorithm, which influences what Americans see.The company has good reason to think a legal challenge could be successful, having seen some success in previous legal fights over its operations in the U.S.. In November,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/montana-tiktok-ban-25c561396e85fee8926309daf4ad4b4f">a federal judge blocked a Montana law</a>&nbsp;that would ban TikTok use across the state after the company and five content creators who use the platform sued.In 2020, federal courts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-a526c144fad9f0ebc37bf2d49a97740a">blocked</a>&nbsp;an executive order issued by then-President Donald Trump to ban TikTok after the company sued on the grounds that the order violated free speech and due process rights. His administration brokered a deal that would have had U.S. corporations Oracle and Walmart take a large stake in TikTok. The sale never went through for a number of reasons; one was China, which imposed stricter export controls on its technology providers.Dozens of states and the federal government have put in place TikTok bans on government devices. Texas’ ban was challenged last year by The Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University, which argued in a lawsuit that the policy was impeding academic freedom because it extended to public universities. In December, a federal judge ruled in favor of the state.Organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union have backed the app. “Congress cannot take away the rights of over 170 million Americans who use TikTok to express themselves, engage in political advocacy, and access information from around the world,” said Jenna Leventoff, a lawyer for the group.Since mid-March, TikTok has spent $5 million on TV ads opposing the legislation, according to AdImpact, an advertising tracking firm. The ads have included a range of content creators, including a nun, extolling the positive impacts of the platform on their lives and arguing a ban would trample on the First Amendment. The company has also encouraged its users to contact Congress, and some lawmakers have received&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/senate-tiktok-ban-lobbying-congress-china-a340cf30b05343816380793af1c5d186">profanity-laced calls</a>.“It is unfortunate that the House of Representatives is using the cover of important foreign and humanitarian assistance to once again jam through a ban bill that would trample the free speech rights of 170 million Americans, devastate 7 million businesses, and shutter a platform that contributes $24 billion to the U.S. economy, annually,” said Alex Haurek, a spokesman for the company.California Rep. Ro Khanna, a Democrat, voted against the legislation. He said he thinks there could have been less restrictive ways to go after the company that wouldn't result in a total ban or threaten free speech.“I think it’s not going to be well received,” Khanna said. “It’s a sign of the Beltway being out of touch with where voters are.”Nadya Okamoto, a content creator who has roughly 4 million followers on TikTok, said she has been having conversations with other creators who are experiencing “so much anger and anxiety” about the bill and how it’s going to impact their lives. The 26-year-old, whose company “August” sells menstrual products and is known for her advocacy around destigmatizing menstrual periods, makes most of her income from TikTok.

Possible U.S. TikTok ban moves another step closer

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mary-j-blige">Mary J. Blige,</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/cher-interview-christmas-album-aba5f7731a645c502fb4a97d86a69c7c">Cher,</a>&nbsp;Foreigner, A Tribe Called Quest, Kool &amp; The Gang and Ozzy Osbourne have been inducted into the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rockhall.com/">Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame</a>, a class that also includes folk-rockers Dave Matthews Band and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-book-reviews-peter-frampton-509b7f44f64e5b8740ba2eac2177b0dd">singer-guitarist Peter Frampton</a>.

Alexis Korner, John Mayall and Big Mama Thornton earned the Musical Influence Award, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/obituary-jimmy-buffett-4295f355b39237f40663d485c4c6d557">the late Jimmy Buffett,</a>&nbsp;MC5, Dionne Warwick and Norman Whitfield will get the Musical Excellence Award. Pioneering music executive Suzanne de Passe won the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

“Rock ‘n’ roll is an ever-evolving amalgam of sounds that impacts culture and moves generations,” John Sykes, chairman of the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said in a statement. “This diverse group of inductees each broke down musical barriers and influenced countless artists that followed in their footsteps.”

The induction ceremony will be held Oct. 19 at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio. It will stream live on Disney+ with an airing on ABC at a later date and available on Hulu the next day.

Those music acts nominated this year but didn't make the cut included Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, the late&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sinead-oconnor-dies-62b6187073b349d3ab6bfb65b2a14292">Sinéad O’Connor</a>, soul-pop singer Sade, Britpoppers Oasis, hip-hop duo Eric B. &amp; Rakim and alt-rockers Jane’s Addiction.

There had been a starry push to get Foreigner — with the hits “Urgent” and Hot Blooded" — into the hall, with Mark Ronson, Jack Black, Slash, Dave Grohl and Paul McCartney all&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnEAviLX-zw">publicly backing the move.</a>&nbsp;Ronson's stepfather is Mick Jones, Foreigner's founding member, songwriter and lead guitarist.

Osbourne, who led many parents in the 1980s to clutch their pearls with his devil imagery and sludgy music, goes in as a solo artist, having already been inducted into the hall with metal masters Black Sabbath.

Four of the eight nominees — Cher, Foreigner, Frampton and Kool &amp; the Gang — were on the ballot for the first time.

Cher — the only artist to have a No. 1 song in each of the past six decades — and Blige, with eight multi-platinum albums and nine Grammy Awards, will help boost the number of women in the hall, which critics say is too low.

Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction.

Nominees were voted on by more than 1,000 artists, historians and music industry professionals. Fans voted online or in person at the museum, with the top five artists picked by the public making up a “fans’ ballot” that was tallied with the other professional ballots.

Last year, Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Chaka Khan, “Soul Train” creator Don Cornelius, Kate Bush and the late George Michael&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rock-roll-hall-fame-2023-ceremony-f8c111337f7c2f6e2477a015369462f9">were some of the artists who got into the hall</a>.

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mary-j-blige">Mary J. Blige,</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/cher-interview-christmas-album-aba5f7731a645c502fb4a97d86a69c7c">Cher,</a>&nbsp;Foreigner, A Tribe Called Quest, Kool &amp; The Gang and Ozzy Osbourne have been inducted into the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rockhall.com/">Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame</a>, a class that also includes folk-rockers Dave Matthews Band and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-music-arts-and-entertainment-book-reviews-peter-frampton-509b7f44f64e5b8740ba2eac2177b0dd">singer-guitarist Peter Frampton</a>.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Frockandrollhalloffame%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0bxq6b1B2eQn8gsSQNMJrL4ezGQgQSiPaVA13DZW2SGSr27HSGcwBr41BqkGMyC4Gl&show_text=true&width=500&is_preview=true" width="500" height="629" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Alexis Korner, John Mayall and Big Mama Thornton earned the Musical Influence Award, while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/obituary-jimmy-buffett-4295f355b39237f40663d485c4c6d557">the late Jimmy Buffett,</a>&nbsp;MC5, Dionne Warwick and Norman Whitfield will get the Musical Excellence Award. Pioneering music executive Suzanne de Passe won the Ahmet Ertegun Award.“Rock ‘n’ roll is an ever-evolving amalgam of sounds that impacts culture and moves generations,” John Sykes, chairman of the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, said in a statement. “This diverse group of inductees each broke down musical barriers and influenced countless artists that followed in their footsteps.”The induction ceremony will be held Oct. 19 at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio. It will stream live on Disney+ with an airing on ABC at a later date and available on Hulu the next day.Those music acts nominated this year but didn't make the cut included Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, the late&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sinead-oconnor-dies-62b6187073b349d3ab6bfb65b2a14292">Sinéad O’Connor</a>, soul-pop singer Sade, Britpoppers Oasis, hip-hop duo Eric B. &amp; Rakim and alt-rockers Jane’s Addiction.There had been a starry push to get Foreigner — with the hits “Urgent” and Hot Blooded" — into the hall, with Mark Ronson, Jack Black, Slash, Dave Grohl and Paul McCartney all&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnEAviLX-zw">publicly backing the move.</a>&nbsp;Ronson's stepfather is Mick Jones, Foreigner's founding member, songwriter and lead guitarist.Osbourne, who led many parents in the 1980s to clutch their pearls with his devil imagery and sludgy music, goes in as a solo artist, having already been inducted into the hall with metal masters Black Sabbath.Four of the eight nominees — Cher, Foreigner, Frampton and Kool &amp; the Gang — were on the ballot for the first time.Cher — the only artist to have a No. 1 song in each of the past six decades — and Blige, with eight multi-platinum albums and nine Grammy Awards, will help boost the number of women in the hall, which critics say is too low.Artists must have released their first commercial recording at least 25 years before they’re eligible for induction.Nominees were voted on by more than 1,000 artists, historians and music industry professionals. Fans voted online or in person at the museum, with the top five artists picked by the public making up a “fans’ ballot” that was tallied with the other professional ballots.Last year, Missy Elliott, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow, Chaka Khan, “Soul Train” creator Don Cornelius, Kate Bush and the late George Michael&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rock-roll-hall-fame-2023-ceremony-f8c111337f7c2f6e2477a015369462f9">were some of the artists who got into the hall</a>.___

Rock Hall of Fame: Cher,  Ozzy Osbourne and Foreigner among 2024 inductees

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Terry Anderson, the globe-trotting Associated Press correspondent who became one of America’s longest-held hostages after he was snatched from a street in war-torn Lebanon in 1985 and held for nearly seven years, has died at 76.

Anderson, who chronicled his abduction and torturous imprisonment by Islamic militants in his best-selling 1993 memoir “Den of Lions,” died on Sunday at his home in Greenwood Lake, New York, said his daughter, Sulome Anderson.

The cause of death was unknown, though his daughter said Anderson recently had heart surgery.

“He never liked to be called a hero, but that’s what everyone persisted in calling him,” said Sulome Anderson. “I saw him a week ago and my partner asked him if he had anything on his bucket list, anything that he wanted to do. He said, ‘I’ve lived so much and I’ve done so much. I’m content.’”

After returning to the United States in 1991, Anderson led a peripatetic life, giving public speeches, teaching journalism at several prominent universities and, at various times, operating a blues bar, Cajun restaurant, horse ranch and gourmet restaurant.

He also struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder, won millions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets after a federal court concluded that country played a role in his capture, then lost most of it to bad investments. He filed for bankruptcy in 2009.

Upon retiring from the University of Florida in 2015, Anderson settled on a small horse farm in a quiet, rural section of northern Virginia he had discovered while camping with friends. `

“I live in the country and it’s reasonably good weather and quiet out here and a nice place, so I’m doing all right,” he said with a chuckle during a 2018 interview with The Associated Press.

In 1985 he became one of several Westerners abducted by members of the Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah during a time of war that had plunged Lebanon into chaos.

After his release, he returned to a hero’s welcome at AP’s New York headquarters.

As the AP’s chief Middle East correspondent, Anderson had been reporting for several years on the rising violence gripping Lebanon as the country fought a war with Israel, while Iran funded militant groups trying to topple its government.

On March 16, 1985, a day off, he had taken a break to play tennis with former AP photographer Don Mell and was dropping Mell off at his home when gun-toting kidnappers dragged him from his car.

He was likely targeted, he said, because he was one of the few Westerners still in Lebanon and because his role as a journalist aroused suspicion among members of Hezbollah.

“Because in their terms, people who go around asking questions in awkward and dangerous places have to be spies,“ he told the Virginia newspaper The Review of Orange County in 2018.

What followed was nearly seven years of brutality during which he was beaten, chained to a wall, threatened with death, often had guns held to his head and often was kept in solitary confinement for long periods of time.

Anderson was the longest held of several Western hostages Hezbollah abducted over the years, including Terry Waite, the former envoy to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who had arrived to try to negotiate his release.

By his and other hostages’ accounts, he was also their most hostile prisoner, constantly demanding better food and treatment, arguing religion and politics with his captors, and teaching other hostages sign language and where to hide messages so they could communicate privately.

He managed to retain a quick wit and biting sense of humor during his long ordeal. On his last day in Beirut he called the leader of his kidnappers into his room to tell him he’d just heard an erroneous radio report saying he’d been freed and was in Syria.

“I said, ‘Mahmound, listen to this, I’m not here. I’m gone, babes. I’m on my way to Damascus.’ And we both laughed,” he told Giovanna DellÓrto, author of “AP Foreign Correspondents in Action: World War II to the Present.”

He learned later his release was delayed when a third party who his kidnappers planned to turn him over to left for a tryst with the party's mistress and they had to find someone else.

Anderson’s humor often hid the PTSD he acknowledged suffering for years afterward.

“The AP got a couple of British experts in hostage decompression, clinical psychiatrists, to counsel my wife and myself and they were very useful,” he said in 2018. “But one of the problems I had was I did not recognize sufficiently the damage that had been done.

“So, when people ask me, you know, 'Are you over it?’ Well, I don’t know. No, not really. It’s there. I don’t think about it much these days, it’s not central to my life. But it’s there.”

At the time of his abduction, Anderson was engaged to be married and his future wife was six months pregnant with their daughter, Sulome.

The couple married soon after his release but divorced a few years later, and although they remained on friendly terms Anderson and his daughter were estranged for years.

“I love my dad very much. My dad has always loved me. I just didn’t know that because he wasn’t able to show it to me,” Sulome Anderson told the AP in 2017.

Father and daughter reconciled after the publication of her critically acclaimed 2017 book, “The Hostage’s Daughter,” in which she told of traveling to Lebanon to confront and eventually forgive one of her father’s kidnappers.

“I think she did some extraordinary things, went on a very difficult personal journey, but also accomplished a pretty important piece of journalism doing it,” Anderson said. “She’s now a better journalist than I ever was.”

Terry Alan Anderson was born Oct. 27, 1947. He spent his early childhood years in the small Lake Erie town of Vermilion, Ohio, where his father was a police officer.

After graduating from high school, he turned down a scholarship to the University of Michigan in favor of enlisting in the Marines, where he rose to the rank of staff sergeant while seeing combat during the Vietnam War.

After returning home, he enrolled at Iowa State University where he graduated with a double major in journalism and political science and soon after went to work for the AP. He reported from Kentucky, Japan and South Africa before arriving in Lebanon in 1982, just as the country was descending into chaos.

“Actually, it was the most fascinating job I’ve ever had in my life,” he told The Review. “It was intense. War’s going on — it was very dangerous in Beirut. Vicious civil war, and I lasted about three years before I got kidnapped.”

Anderson was married and divorced three times. In addition to his daughter, he is survived by another daughter, Gabrielle Anderson, from his first marriage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713736544611.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Terry Anderson, the globe-trotting Associated Press correspondent who became one of America’s longest-held hostages after he was snatched from a street in war-torn Lebanon in 1985 and held for nearly seven years, has died at 76.Anderson, who chronicled his abduction and torturous imprisonment by Islamic militants in his best-selling 1993 memoir “Den of Lions,” died on Sunday at his home in Greenwood Lake, New York, said his daughter, Sulome Anderson.The cause of death was unknown, though his daughter said Anderson recently had heart surgery.“He never liked to be called a hero, but that’s what everyone persisted in calling him,” said Sulome Anderson. “I saw him a week ago and my partner asked him if he had anything on his bucket list, anything that he wanted to do. He said, ‘I’ve lived so much and I’ve done so much. I’m content.’”After returning to the United States in 1991, Anderson led a peripatetic life, giving public speeches, teaching journalism at several prominent universities and, at various times, operating a blues bar, Cajun restaurant, horse ranch and gourmet restaurant.He also struggled with post-traumatic stress disorder, won millions of dollars in frozen Iranian assets after a federal court concluded that country played a role in his capture, then lost most of it to bad investments. He filed for bankruptcy in 2009.Upon retiring from the University of Florida in 2015, Anderson settled on a small horse farm in a quiet, rural section of northern Virginia he had discovered while camping with friends. `“I live in the country and it’s reasonably good weather and quiet out here and a nice place, so I’m doing all right,” he said with a chuckle during a 2018 interview with The Associated Press.In 1985 he became one of several Westerners abducted by members of the Shiite Muslim group Hezbollah during a time of war that had plunged Lebanon into chaos.After his release, he returned to a hero’s welcome at AP’s New York headquarters.As the AP’s chief Middle East correspondent, Anderson had been reporting for several years on the rising violence gripping Lebanon as the country fought a war with Israel, while Iran funded militant groups trying to topple its government.On March 16, 1985, a day off, he had taken a break to play tennis with former AP photographer Don Mell and was dropping Mell off at his home when gun-toting kidnappers dragged him from his car.He was likely targeted, he said, because he was one of the few Westerners still in Lebanon and because his role as a journalist aroused suspicion among members of Hezbollah.“Because in their terms, people who go around asking questions in awkward and dangerous places have to be spies,“ he told the Virginia newspaper The Review of Orange County in 2018.What followed was nearly seven years of brutality during which he was beaten, chained to a wall, threatened with death, often had guns held to his head and often was kept in solitary confinement for long periods of time.Anderson was the longest held of several Western hostages Hezbollah abducted over the years, including Terry Waite, the former envoy to the Archbishop of Canterbury, who had arrived to try to negotiate his release.By his and other hostages’ accounts, he was also their most hostile prisoner, constantly demanding better food and treatment, arguing religion and politics with his captors, and teaching other hostages sign language and where to hide messages so they could communicate privately.He managed to retain a quick wit and biting sense of humor during his long ordeal. On his last day in Beirut he called the leader of his kidnappers into his room to tell him he’d just heard an erroneous radio report saying he’d been freed and was in Syria.“I said, ‘Mahmound, listen to this, I’m not here. I’m gone, babes. I’m on my way to Damascus.’ And we both laughed,” he told Giovanna DellÓrto, author of “AP Foreign Correspondents in Action: World War II to the Present.”He learned later his release was delayed when a third party who his kidnappers planned to turn him over to left for a tryst with the party's mistress and they had to find someone else.Anderson’s humor often hid the PTSD he acknowledged suffering for years afterward.“The AP got a couple of British experts in hostage decompression, clinical psychiatrists, to counsel my wife and myself and they were very useful,” he said in 2018. “But one of the problems I had was I did not recognize sufficiently the damage that had been done.“So, when people ask me, you know, 'Are you over it?’ Well, I don’t know. No, not really. It’s there. I don’t think about it much these days, it’s not central to my life. But it’s there.”At the time of his abduction, Anderson was engaged to be married and his future wife was six months pregnant with their daughter, Sulome.The couple married soon after his release but divorced a few years later, and although they remained on friendly terms Anderson and his daughter were estranged for years.“I love my dad very much. My dad has always loved me. I just didn’t know that because he wasn’t able to show it to me,” Sulome Anderson told the AP in 2017.Father and daughter reconciled after the publication of her critically acclaimed 2017 book, “The Hostage’s Daughter,” in which she told of traveling to Lebanon to confront and eventually forgive one of her father’s kidnappers.“I think she did some extraordinary things, went on a very difficult personal journey, but also accomplished a pretty important piece of journalism doing it,” Anderson said. “She’s now a better journalist than I ever was.”Terry Alan Anderson was born Oct. 27, 1947. He spent his early childhood years in the small Lake Erie town of Vermilion, Ohio, where his father was a police officer.After graduating from high school, he turned down a scholarship to the University of Michigan in favor of enlisting in the Marines, where he rose to the rank of staff sergeant while seeing combat during the Vietnam War.After returning home, he enrolled at Iowa State University where he graduated with a double major in journalism and political science and soon after went to work for the AP. He reported from Kentucky, Japan and South Africa before arriving in Lebanon in 1982, just as the country was descending into chaos.“Actually, it was the most fascinating job I’ve ever had in my life,” he told The Review. “It was intense. War’s going on — it was very dangerous in Beirut. Vicious civil war, and I lasted about three years before I got kidnapped.”Anderson was married and divorced three times. In addition to his daughter, he is survived by another daughter, Gabrielle Anderson, from his first marriage.

Terry Anderson, AP reporter held hostage for 7 years, has died

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Stung by paying billions of dollars for settlements and trials, chemical giant Bayer has been lobbying lawmakers in three states to pass bills providing it a legal shield from lawsuits that claim its popular weedkiller Roundup causes cancer.

Nearly identical bills introduced in Iowa, Missouri and Idaho this year — with wording supplied by Bayer — would protect pesticide companies from claims they failed to warn that their product causes cancer, if their labels otherwise complied with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s regulations.

But legal experts warn the legislation could have broader consequences — extending to any product liability claim or, in Iowa’s case, providing immunity from lawsuits of any kind. Critics say it could spread nationwide.

"It’s just not good government to give a company immunity for things that they’re not telling their consumers,” said Matt Clement, a Jefferson City, Missouri, attorney who represents people suing Bayer. “If they’re successful in getting this passed in Missouri, I think they’ll be trying to do this all over the country.”

Bayer described the legislation as one strategy to address the “headwinds” it faces. About 167,000&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a12603a80c8238d1f7af3705cfec610a">legal claims</a>&nbsp;against Bayer assert Roundup causes a cancer called non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which Bayer disputes. The company has won some cases, settled many others but also has suffered several losses in which juries awarded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/weed-killer-roundup-philadelphia-verdict-cancer-6c777d7fd4e7c38ec8fe28a6f1566d24?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">huge initial judgments</a>. It has paid about $10 billion while thousands of claims linger in court.

Though some studies associate Roundup's key ingredient with cancer, the EPA has regularly concluded it is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans when used as directed.

The costs of “defending a safe, approved product” are unsustainable, said Jess Christiansen, head of communications for Bayer's crop science division.

The legislation was introduced in targeted states pivotal to Bayer's Roundup operations and is at a different stage in each. It&nbsp;<a href="https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/billTracking/billHistory?billName=SF%202412&amp;ga=90">passed the Iowa Senate</a>, is awaiting debate in the&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?year=2024&amp;bill=HB2763&amp;code=R%20&amp;cal=1">Missouri House</a>&nbsp;and was&nbsp;<a href="https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2024/legislation/S1245/">defeated in Idaho</a>, where this year's legislative session ended.

Farmers overwhelmingly rely on Roundup, which was introduced 50 years ago as a more efficient way to control weeds and reduce tilling and soil erosion. For crops like corn, soybeans and cotton, it’s designed to work with genetically modified seeds that resist Roundup’s deadly effect.

Missouri state Rep. Dane Diehl, a farmer who worked with Bayer to sponsor the legislation, cited concerns that costly lawsuits could force Bayer to pull Roundup from the U.S. market, leaving farmers to depend on alternative chemicals from China.

“This product, ultimately, is a tool that we need," said Diehl, a Republican.

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, said in an email the legislation maintains the integrity of the regulatory process and, without it, “Iowa risks losing hundreds of jobs” in Muscatine, an eastern Iowa city where Roundup is mostly produced.

The Associated Press is seeking public records on Bayer’s communications with Reynolds’ office.

Bayer, like other companies, hires lobbyists in states to advocate for its interests. The company backs this legislation in the states where “we have a big, direct economic impact,” Christiansen said.

Roundup’s key ingredient, glyphosate, is derived from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-phosphate-mine-bayer-roundup-1d15250044d8894f347f3094c20c2c66">phosphate mined in Idaho</a>. And St. Louis is the headquarters of its North America crop science division, acquired in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/87401fb0464a40e7877b20389a4c083d">its 2018 purchase of Monsanto</a>. Because of that, many of the lawsuits are filed in Missouri.

The five lobbyists registered for Bayer in Iowa and three in Idaho is largely consistent with recent years, but the number working in Missouri this year ballooned from four to nine. Lobbyist expenditures exceeded $8,000 in Idaho this year; similar information was not available in Iowa or Missouri.

Led by Bayer, a coalition of agricultural organizations called Modern Ag Alliance also is spending tens of thousands of dollars on radio and print advertisements claiming that trial lawyers and litigation threaten the availability of glyphosate.

On its website, the group asserts that at risk are 500 jobs connected to glyphosate production in Iowa, and 800 jobs in Idaho.

Bayer stopped short of threatening closures. The Iowa facilities, including in Muscatine, “are very critical facilities to our business, so we'll remain at some sort of support level,” Christiansen said.

At issue in the lawsuits and legislation is how Bayer – and any other pesticide company — communicates with consumers about the safety of its products.

Companies are required to register products with the EPA, which evaluates — and then reevaluates every 15 years — a pesticide and its label. The EPA reiterated in 2020 that glyphosate used as directed posed no health risks to humans. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-climate-and-environment-government-politics-cancer-e1d47c554bc97537880f22c26c2eb229">a federal appeals court panel</a>&nbsp;in 2022 ruled that decision “was not supported by substantial evidence” and ordered the EPA to review further.

The debate over glyphosate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-congress-716e2a6e6ff14f1b8920c17e61c64353">escalated</a>&nbsp;when a 2015 report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, said it's “probably carcinogenic to humans" based on “limited” evidence of cancer in people and “sufficient” evidence in study animals.

Based on that international report,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-8671f0f2bd7b4c62b745b85c1cee66c2">California sought to add</a>&nbsp;a cancer warning label to products containing glyphosate. But a federal appeals court ruled against California last November, concluding such a warning wasn't factual.

Christiansen emphasized that many regulatory agencies worldwide agree with the EPA and insisted Bayer has to stick to EPA labeling to ensure it isn't providing false or misleading information. She added that the company is transparent in the information it does provide.

Critics of the legislation aren't convinced, citing examples such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/purdue-pharma-opioid-crisis-guilty-plea-5704ad896e964222a011f053949e0cc0">opioids</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-asbestos-cancer-brakes-biden-72b0fa8b36adedaff6000034d35c2acd">asbestos</a>&nbsp;that had been deemed safe for use as directed — until they weren't.

There also are concerns that the legislation could stifle any product liability claim since most rely on the argument that a company failed to warn, said Andrew Mertens, executive director of the Iowa Association for Justice, an organization for trial lawyers.

Jonathan Cardi, a product liability and torts expert at Wake Forest University School of Law, also said a strict reading of the Iowa legislation extends beyond liability claims, and “the way it’s drafted makes it interpretable to mean nobody could bring any suit.”

In lobbying lawmakers and in speaking with the AP, Bayer representatives disputed that the legislation would cut off other legal actions. Several legal experts said the legislation is unlikely to affect the 18,000 lawsuits already pending in Missouri’s capital of Jefferson City, and wouldn’t prevent similar claims in states that don’t adopt similar legislation.

In Idaho, the Republican-led Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2024/legislation/S1245/">narrowly defeated</a>&nbsp;the bill amid concerns about relying on federal agencies' safety standards and limiting the ability of harmed individuals to sue.

John Gilbert, who farms in Iowa Falls, Iowa, with limited use of Roundup, called Republicans hypocritical for attempting to protect corporate interests after campaigning on standing up for Iowans.

The bill “invites a lot of reckless disregard," said Gilbert, who is on the board for the Iowa Farmers Union. “No amount of perfume’s gonna make it anything but a skunk."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593022262288.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Stung by paying billions of dollars for settlements and trials, chemical giant Bayer has been lobbying lawmakers in three states to pass bills providing it a legal shield from lawsuits that claim its popular weedkiller Roundup causes cancer.Nearly identical bills introduced in Iowa, Missouri and Idaho this year — with wording supplied by Bayer — would protect pesticide companies from claims they failed to warn that their product causes cancer, if their labels otherwise complied with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s regulations.But legal experts warn the legislation could have broader consequences — extending to any product liability claim or, in Iowa’s case, providing immunity from lawsuits of any kind. Critics say it could spread nationwide."It’s just not good government to give a company immunity for things that they’re not telling their consumers,” said Matt Clement, a Jefferson City, Missouri, attorney who represents people suing Bayer. “If they’re successful in getting this passed in Missouri, I think they’ll be trying to do this all over the country.”Bayer described the legislation as one strategy to address the “headwinds” it faces. About 167,000&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a12603a80c8238d1f7af3705cfec610a">legal claims</a>&nbsp;against Bayer assert Roundup causes a cancer called non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which Bayer disputes. The company has won some cases, settled many others but also has suffered several losses in which juries awarded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/weed-killer-roundup-philadelphia-verdict-cancer-6c777d7fd4e7c38ec8fe28a6f1566d24?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">huge initial judgments</a>. It has paid about $10 billion while thousands of claims linger in court.Though some studies associate Roundup's key ingredient with cancer, the EPA has regularly concluded it is not likely to be carcinogenic to humans when used as directed.The costs of “defending a safe, approved product” are unsustainable, said Jess Christiansen, head of communications for Bayer's crop science division.The legislation was introduced in targeted states pivotal to Bayer's Roundup operations and is at a different stage in each. It&nbsp;<a href="https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/billTracking/billHistory?billName=SF%202412&amp;ga=90">passed the Iowa Senate</a>, is awaiting debate in the&nbsp;<a href="https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?year=2024&amp;bill=HB2763&amp;code=R%20&amp;cal=1">Missouri House</a>&nbsp;and was&nbsp;<a href="https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2024/legislation/S1245/">defeated in Idaho</a>, where this year's legislative session ended.Farmers overwhelmingly rely on Roundup, which was introduced 50 years ago as a more efficient way to control weeds and reduce tilling and soil erosion. For crops like corn, soybeans and cotton, it’s designed to work with genetically modified seeds that resist Roundup’s deadly effect.Missouri state Rep. Dane Diehl, a farmer who worked with Bayer to sponsor the legislation, cited concerns that costly lawsuits could force Bayer to pull Roundup from the U.S. market, leaving farmers to depend on alternative chemicals from China.“This product, ultimately, is a tool that we need," said Diehl, a Republican.Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, said in an email the legislation maintains the integrity of the regulatory process and, without it, “Iowa risks losing hundreds of jobs” in Muscatine, an eastern Iowa city where Roundup is mostly produced.The Associated Press is seeking public records on Bayer’s communications with Reynolds’ office.Bayer, like other companies, hires lobbyists in states to advocate for its interests. The company backs this legislation in the states where “we have a big, direct economic impact,” Christiansen said.Roundup’s key ingredient, glyphosate, is derived from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/idaho-phosphate-mine-bayer-roundup-1d15250044d8894f347f3094c20c2c66">phosphate mined in Idaho</a>. And St. Louis is the headquarters of its North America crop science division, acquired in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/87401fb0464a40e7877b20389a4c083d">its 2018 purchase of Monsanto</a>. Because of that, many of the lawsuits are filed in Missouri.The five lobbyists registered for Bayer in Iowa and three in Idaho is largely consistent with recent years, but the number working in Missouri this year ballooned from four to nine. Lobbyist expenditures exceeded $8,000 in Idaho this year; similar information was not available in Iowa or Missouri.Led by Bayer, a coalition of agricultural organizations called Modern Ag Alliance also is spending tens of thousands of dollars on radio and print advertisements claiming that trial lawyers and litigation threaten the availability of glyphosate.On its website, the group asserts that at risk are 500 jobs connected to glyphosate production in Iowa, and 800 jobs in Idaho.Bayer stopped short of threatening closures. The Iowa facilities, including in Muscatine, “are very critical facilities to our business, so we'll remain at some sort of support level,” Christiansen said.At issue in the lawsuits and legislation is how Bayer – and any other pesticide company — communicates with consumers about the safety of its products.Companies are required to register products with the EPA, which evaluates — and then reevaluates every 15 years — a pesticide and its label. The EPA reiterated in 2020 that glyphosate used as directed posed no health risks to humans. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-climate-and-environment-government-politics-cancer-e1d47c554bc97537880f22c26c2eb229">a federal appeals court panel</a>&nbsp;in 2022 ruled that decision “was not supported by substantial evidence” and ordered the EPA to review further.The debate over glyphosate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/united-states-congress-716e2a6e6ff14f1b8920c17e61c64353">escalated</a>&nbsp;when a 2015 report by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the World Health Organization, said it's “probably carcinogenic to humans" based on “limited” evidence of cancer in people and “sufficient” evidence in study animals.Based on that international report,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-8671f0f2bd7b4c62b745b85c1cee66c2">California sought to add</a>&nbsp;a cancer warning label to products containing glyphosate. But a federal appeals court ruled against California last November, concluding such a warning wasn't factual.Christiansen emphasized that many regulatory agencies worldwide agree with the EPA and insisted Bayer has to stick to EPA labeling to ensure it isn't providing false or misleading information. She added that the company is transparent in the information it does provide.Critics of the legislation aren't convinced, citing examples such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/purdue-pharma-opioid-crisis-guilty-plea-5704ad896e964222a011f053949e0cc0">opioids</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epa-asbestos-cancer-brakes-biden-72b0fa8b36adedaff6000034d35c2acd">asbestos</a>&nbsp;that had been deemed safe for use as directed — until they weren't.There also are concerns that the legislation could stifle any product liability claim since most rely on the argument that a company failed to warn, said Andrew Mertens, executive director of the Iowa Association for Justice, an organization for trial lawyers.Jonathan Cardi, a product liability and torts expert at Wake Forest University School of Law, also said a strict reading of the Iowa legislation extends beyond liability claims, and “the way it’s drafted makes it interpretable to mean nobody could bring any suit.”In lobbying lawmakers and in speaking with the AP, Bayer representatives disputed that the legislation would cut off other legal actions. Several legal experts said the legislation is unlikely to affect the 18,000 lawsuits already pending in Missouri’s capital of Jefferson City, and wouldn’t prevent similar claims in states that don’t adopt similar legislation.In Idaho, the Republican-led Senate&nbsp;<a href="https://legislature.idaho.gov/sessioninfo/2024/legislation/S1245/">narrowly defeated</a>&nbsp;the bill amid concerns about relying on federal agencies' safety standards and limiting the ability of harmed individuals to sue.John Gilbert, who farms in Iowa Falls, Iowa, with limited use of Roundup, called Republicans hypocritical for attempting to protect corporate interests after campaigning on standing up for Iowans.The bill “invites a lot of reckless disregard," said Gilbert, who is on the board for the Iowa Farmers Union. “No amount of perfume’s gonna make it anything but a skunk."

Weedkiller manufacturer working to squelch claims it failed to warn about cancer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House swiftly approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-israel-gaza-aid-speaker-johnson-9097da3511a7cd9b0e9a7b9ce52141b3">$95 billion in foreign aid</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies in a rare Saturday session as Democrats and Republicans banded together after months of hard-right resistance over renewed American support for repelling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s invasion.</a>

With an overwhelming vote 311-112, the $61 billion in aid for Ukraine passed in a matter of minutes, a strong showing as American lawmakers race to deliver a fresh round of U.S. support to the war-torn ally. All three members of the Nebraska House delegation voted in favor of funding for Ukraine.

After the vote count many Democrats cheered on the House floor and waved blue-and-yellow flags of Ukraine.&nbsp;

Aid to Israel and the other allies also won approval by healthy margins, as did a measure to clamp down on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-us-ban-sale-china-congress-de12b4d22aa8095e62cb0982a6e62235">the popular platform TikTok</a>, with unique coalitions forming to push the separate bills forward. The whole package will go to the Senate, which could pass it as soon as Tuesday. President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately.

“We did our work here, and I think history will judge it well,” said a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-ukraine-aid-speaker-ouster-c525efc953d532242d6d441c55724992">weary Speaker Mike Johnson</a>, R-La., who risked his own job to marshal the package to passage.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Biden, in a statement, thanked Johnson, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and the bipartisan coalition of lawmakers “who voted to put our national security first.”

“I urge the Senate to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs,” the president said.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said he was “grateful” to both parties in the House and “personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track,” he said on X, formerly Twitter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713638370235.png" alt="“We did our work here, and I think history will judge it well,” said a weary Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who risked his own job to marshal the package to passage.-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>“We did our work here, and I think history will judge it well,” said a weary Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., who risked his own job to marshal the package to passage.-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House swiftly approved&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-israel-gaza-aid-speaker-johnson-9097da3511a7cd9b0e9a7b9ce52141b3">$95 billion in foreign aid</a>&nbsp;for Ukraine, Israel and other U.S. allies in a rare Saturday session as Democrats and Republicans banded together after months of hard-right resistance over renewed American support for repelling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Russia’s invasion.</a><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a> (R-LA): &quot;I don’t walk around this building being worried about a motion to vacate. I have to do my job. We did. I&#39;ve done here what I believe to be the right thing and that is to allow the House to work its will.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Bmordvy1Zj">pic.twitter.com/Bmordvy1Zj</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1781757010230345924?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>With an overwhelming vote 311-112, the $61 billion in aid for Ukraine passed in a matter of minutes, a strong showing as American lawmakers race to deliver a fresh round of U.S. support to the war-torn ally. All three members of the Nebraska House delegation voted in favor of funding for Ukraine.After the vote count many Democrats cheered on the House floor and waved blue-and-yellow flags of Ukraine.&nbsp;Aid to Israel and the other allies also won approval by healthy margins, as did a measure to clamp down on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-us-ban-sale-china-congress-de12b4d22aa8095e62cb0982a6e62235">the popular platform TikTok</a>, with unique coalitions forming to push the separate bills forward. The whole package will go to the Senate, which could pass it as soon as Tuesday. President Joe Biden has promised to sign it immediately.“We did our work here, and I think history will judge it well,” said a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-ukraine-aid-speaker-ouster-c525efc953d532242d6d441c55724992">weary Speaker Mike Johnson</a>, R-La., who risked his own job to marshal the package to passage.&nbsp;&nbsp;Biden, in a statement, thanked Johnson, Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries and the bipartisan coalition of lawmakers “who voted to put our national security first.”“I urge the Senate to quickly send this package to my desk so that I can sign it into law and we can quickly send weapons and equipment to Ukraine to meet their urgent battlefield needs,” the president said.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said he was “grateful” to both parties in the House and “personally Speaker Mike Johnson for the decision that keeps history on the right track,” he said on X, formerly Twitter.“Thank you, America!” he said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Я вдячний Палаті представників Конгресу США, обом партіям і особисто спікеру Майку Джонсону за рішення, яке зберігає правильний хід історії. Демократія та свобода завжди матимуть значення у світі й ніколи не зазнають поразки, доки Америка допомагатиме їх захищати. Життєво…&mdash; Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) <a href="https://twitter.com/ZelenskyyUa/status/1781743035287531558?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The scene in Congress was a striking display of action after months of dysfunction and stalemate fueled by Republicans, who hold the majority but are deeply split over foreign aid, particularly for Ukraine.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-ukraine-aid-speaker-ouster-c525efc953d532242d6d441c55724992">Johnson</a>&nbsp;relied on Democrats to ensure the military and humanitarian funding — the first major package for Ukraine since December 2022 — won approval.The morning opened with a somber and serious debate and an unusual sense of purpose as Republican and Democratic leaders united to urge quick approval, saying that would ensure the United States supported its allies and remained a leader on the world stage. The House’s visitor galleries were crowded with onlookers.“The eyes of the world are upon us, and history will judge what we do here and now,” said Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs CommitteePassage through the House cleared away the biggest hurdle to Biden’s funding request, first made in October as Ukraine’s military supplies began to run low.The GOP-controlled House struggled for months over what to do, first demanding that any assistance for Ukraine be tied to policy changes at the U.S.-Mexico border, only to immediately reject a bipartisan Senate offer along those very lines.Reaching an endgame has been an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-israel-taiwan-congress-aid-house-speaker-21cc09d310a33d1d8ca88eadea896a36">excruciating lift for Johnson</a>&nbsp;that has tested both his resolve and his support among Republicans, with a small but growing number now openly urging his removal from the speaker’s office. Yet congressional leaders cast the votes as a turning point in history — an urgent sacrifice as U.S. allies are beleaguered by wars and threats from continental Europe to the Middle East to the Indo-Pacific.“Sometimes when you are living history, as we are today, you don’t understand the significance of the actions of the votes that we make on this House floor, of the effect that it will have down the road,” said New York Rep. Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee. “This is a historic moment.”Opponents, particularly the hard-right Republicans from Johnson’s majority, argued that the U.S. should focus on the home front, addressing domestic border security and the nation’s rising debt load, and they warned against spending more money, which largely flows to American defense manufacturers, to produce weaponry used overseas.Still, Congress has seen a stream of world leaders visit in recent months, from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;to Japanese Prime Minister&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/fumio-kishida">Fumio Kishida</a>, all but pleading with lawmakers to approve the aid. Globally, the delay left many questioning America’s commitment to its allies.At stake has been one of Biden’s top foreign policy priorities — halting Russian President Vladimir Putin’s advance in Europe. After engaging in quiet talks with Johnson, the president quickly endorsed Johnson’s plan, paving the way for Democrats to give their rare support to clear the procedural hurdles needed for a final vote.“We have a responsibility, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as Americans to defend democracy wherever it is at risk,” Jeffries said during the debate.While aid for Ukraine failed to win a majority of Republicans, several dozen progressive Democrats voted against the bill aiding Israel as they demanded an end to the bombardment of Gaza that has killed thousands of civilians. A group of roughly 20 hard-right Republicans voted against every portion of the aid package, including for allies like Israel and Taiwan that have traditionally enjoyed support from the GOP.At the same time, Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, has loomed large over the fight, weighing in from afar via social media statements and direct phone calls with lawmakers as he tilts the GOP to a more isolationist stance with his “America First” brand of politics.Ukraine’s defense once enjoyed robust, bipartisan support in Congress, but as the war enters its third year, a majority of Republicans opposed further aid. Trump ally Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., offered an amendment to zero out the money, but it was rejected.The ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus has derided the legislation as the “America Last” foreign wars package and urged lawmakers to defy Republican leadership and oppose it because the bills did not include border security measures.Johnson’s hold on the speaker’s gavel has also grown more tenuous in recent days as three Republicans, led by Greene, supported a “motion to vacate” that can lead to a vote on removing the speaker. Egged on by far-right personalities, she is also being joined by a growing number of lawmakers including Reps. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., and Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who is urging Johnson to voluntarily step aside.The package included several Republican priorities that Democrats endorsed, or at least are willing to accept. Those include proposals that allow the U.S. to seize frozen Russian central bank assets to rebuild Ukraine; impose sanctions on Iran, Russia, China and criminal organizations that traffic fentanyl; and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-house-vote-china-national-security-8fa7258fae1a4902d344c9d978d58a37">legislation</a>&nbsp;to require the China-based owner of the popular video app TikTok to sell its stake within a year or face a ban in the United States.Still, the all-out push to get the bills through Congress is a reflection not only of politics, but realities on the ground in Ukraine. Top lawmakers on national security committees, who are privy to classified briefings, have grown gravely concerned about the tide of the war as Russia pummels Ukrainian forces beset by a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-parliament-recruit-army-russia-war-5b7d9f58bb398b4ad1296311b8130b92">shortage of troops</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/italy-g7-ukraine-russia-israel-gaza-iran-73d2a4a62a0bbd5f6d60fb1b4338d207">ammunition</a>.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced the Senate would begin procedural votes on the package Tuesday, saying, “Our allies across the world have been waiting for this moment.”Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, as he prepared to overcome objections from his right flank next week, said, “The task before us is urgent. It is once again the Senate’s turn to make history.”