WASHINGTON (AP) —Honda is recalling more than 330,000 vehicles because heating pads behind both side-view mirrors may not be bonded properly, which could lead to the mirror glass falling out and increase the risk of a crash.

Vehicles included in the recall are 2020-2022 Odyssey, 2020-2022 Passport, 2020-2021 Pilot and 2020-2021 Ridgeline.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that the vehicles don't comply with the necessary rear visibility requirements.

Honda dealers will replace the side-view mirrors on impacted vehicles free of charge.

Owner notification letters are expected to be sent out on May 8. Vehicle owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

WASHINGTON (AP) —Honda is recalling more than 330,000 vehicles because heating pads behind both side-view mirrors may not be bonded properly, which could lead to the mirror glass falling out and increase the risk of a crash.Vehicles included in the recall are 2020-2022 Odyssey, 2020-2022 Passport, 2020-2021 Pilot and 2020-2021 Ridgeline.The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said that the vehicles don't comply with the necessary rear visibility requirements.Honda dealers will replace the side-view mirrors on impacted vehicles free of charge.Owner notification letters are expected to be sent out on May 8. Vehicle owners may contact Honda customer service at 1-888-234-2138 or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236.

Honda recalls vehicles due to mirror issue

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The former student who shot through the doors of a Christian elementary school in Nashville and killed three children and three adults had drawn a detailed map of the school, including potential entry points, and conducted surveillance of the building before carrying out the massacre.

Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake did not say exactly what drove the shooter to open fire Monday morning at The Covenant School before being killed by police. But he provided chilling examples of the shooter’s elaborate planning for the targeted attack, the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country that has grown increasingly unnerved by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-mass-school-shooting-database-columbine-uvalde-1c82749f7236752a2e621f402489b357">bloodshed in schools</a>.

“We have a manifesto, we have some writings that we’re going over that pertain to this date, the actual incident,” he told reporters. “We have a map drawn out of how this was all going to take place.”

He said in an interview with NBC News that investigators believe the shooter had “some resentment for having to go to that school.”

Rachel Dibble, who was at a nearby church where children were taken to be reunited with their parents, described the scene as everyone being in “complete shock.”

“People were involuntarily trembling,” she said. “The children … started their morning in their cute little uniforms, they probably had some Froot Loops and now their whole lives changed today.”

Police initially gave unclear information on the gender of the shooter. For hours, police identified the shooter as a 28-year-old woman and eventually identified the person as Audrey Elizabeth Hale. Then at a late afternoon press conference, the police chief said that Hale was transgender. After the news conference, police spokesperson Don Aaron declined to elaborate on how Hale currently identified.

Authorities said Hale was armed with two “assault-style” weapons as well as a handgun. At least two of them were believed to have been obtained legally in the Nashville area, according to the chief. Police said a search of Hale’s home turned up a sawed-off shotgun, a second shotgun and other unspecified evidence.

The victims were identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney, all 9 years old, and adults Cynthia Peak, 61; Katherine Koonce, 60; and Mike Hill, 61.

The website of The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school founded in 2001, lists a Katherine Koonce as the head of the school. Her LinkedIn profile says she has led the school since July 2016. Peak was a substitute teacher and Hill was a custodian, according to investigators.

Founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church, The Covenant School is located in the affluent Green Hills neighborhood just south of downtown Nashville that is home to the famed Bluebird Café – a spot typically beloved by musicians and songwriters.

The school has about 200 students from preschool through sixth grade, as well as roughly 50 staff members.

“Our community is heartbroken,” a statement from the school said. “We are grieving tremendous loss and are in shock coming out of the terror that shattered our school and church. We are focused on loving our students, our families, our faculty and staff and beginning the process of healing.”

Before Monday’s violence in Nashville, there had been seven mass killings at K-12 schools since 2006 in which four or more people were killed within a 24-hour period, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://cssh.northeastern.edu/sccj/mass-killing-database/">database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University</a>. In all of them, the shooters were males.

The database does not include school shootings in which fewer than four people were killed, which have become far more common in recent years. Just last week alone, for example, school shootings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-east-high-school-shooting-9cbd699b2dd3a31015d4a22ebf30d912">happened in Denver</a>&nbsp;and the Dallas-area within two days of each other.

Monday’s tragedy unfolded over roughly 14 minutes. Police received the initial call about an active shooter at 10:13 a.m.

Officers began clearing the first story of the school when they heard gunshots coming from the second level, Aaron said. Police later said the shooter fired at arriving officers from a second-story window and had come armed with significant ammunition.

Two officers from a five-member team opened fire in response, killing the suspect at 10:27 a.m., Aaron said.

Late Monday night, police released approximately two minutes of edited surveillance video showing the shooter’s car driving up to the school from multiple angles, including one in which children can be seen playing on swings in the background. Next an interior view shows glass doors to the school being shot out and the shooter ducking through one of the shattered doors.

More footage from inside shows the shooter walking through a school corridor holding a gun with a long barrel and walking into a room labeled “church office,” then coming back out. In the final part of the footage, the shooter can be seen walking down another long corridor with the gun drawn. The shooter is not seen interacting with anyone else on the video, which has no sound.

Aaron said there were no police officers present or assigned to the school at the time of the shooting because it is a church-run school.

President Joe Biden, speaking at the White House on Monday, called the shooting a “family’s worst nightmare” and implored Congress again to pass a ban on certain semi-automatic weapons.

A reeling city mourned during multiple vigils Monday evening. At Belmont United Methodist Church, teary sniffling filled the background as vigil attendees sang, knelt in prayer and lit candles. They lamented the national cycle of violent and deadly shootings.

“We need to step back. We need to breathe. We need to grieve,” said Paul Purdue, the church’s senior pastor. “We need to remember. We need to make space for others who are grieving. We need to hear the cries of our neighbors.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679962479830.png" alt="Dr. Katherine Koonce, the school's administrator, died on Monday- courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Katherine Koonce, the school's administrator, died on Monday- courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — The former student who shot through the doors of a Christian elementary school in Nashville and killed three children and three adults had drawn a detailed map of the school, including potential entry points, and conducted surveillance of the building before carrying out the massacre.Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake did not say exactly what drove the shooter to open fire Monday morning at The Covenant School before being killed by police. But he provided chilling examples of the shooter’s elaborate planning for the targeted attack, the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country that has grown increasingly unnerved by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-mass-school-shooting-database-columbine-uvalde-1c82749f7236752a2e621f402489b357">bloodshed in schools</a>.“We have a manifesto, we have some writings that we’re going over that pertain to this date, the actual incident,” he told reporters. “We have a map drawn out of how this was all going to take place.”He said in an interview with NBC News that investigators believe the shooter had “some resentment for having to go to that school.”Rachel Dibble, who was at a nearby church where children were taken to be reunited with their parents, described the scene as everyone being in “complete shock.”“People were involuntarily trembling,” she said. “The children … started their morning in their cute little uniforms, they probably had some Froot Loops and now their whole lives changed today.”Police initially gave unclear information on the gender of the shooter. For hours, police identified the shooter as a 28-year-old woman and eventually identified the person as Audrey Elizabeth Hale. Then at a late afternoon press conference, the police chief said that Hale was transgender. After the news conference, police spokesperson Don Aaron declined to elaborate on how Hale currently identified.Authorities said Hale was armed with two “assault-style” weapons as well as a handgun. At least two of them were believed to have been obtained legally in the Nashville area, according to the chief. Police said a search of Hale’s home turned up a sawed-off shotgun, a second shotgun and other unspecified evidence.The victims were identified as Evelyn Dieckhaus, Hallie Scruggs, and William Kinney, all 9 years old, and adults Cynthia Peak, 61; Katherine Koonce, 60; and Mike Hill, 61.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679998313873.png" alt="In a 2018 photo, Hallie Scruggs (center) who died in the shooting, is shown with her family. Her father was PCA minister Rev. Chad Scruggs, the senior minister at Covenant Presbyterian Church, the overseeing church of Covenant School. -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>In a 2018 photo, Hallie Scruggs (center) who died in the shooting, is shown with her family. Her father was PCA minister Rev. Chad Scruggs, the senior minister at Covenant Presbyterian Church, the overseeing church of Covenant School. -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The website of The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school founded in 2001, lists a Katherine Koonce as the head of the school. Her LinkedIn profile says she has led the school since July 2016. Peak was a substitute teacher and Hill was a custodian, according to investigators.Founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church, The Covenant School is located in the affluent Green Hills neighborhood just south of downtown Nashville that is home to the famed Bluebird Café – a spot typically beloved by musicians and songwriters.The school has about 200 students from preschool through sixth grade, as well as roughly 50 staff members.“Our community is heartbroken,” a statement from the school said. “We are grieving tremendous loss and are in shock coming out of the terror that shattered our school and church. We are focused on loving our students, our families, our faculty and staff and beginning the process of healing.”Before Monday’s violence in Nashville, there had been seven mass killings at K-12 schools since 2006 in which four or more people were killed within a 24-hour period, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://cssh.northeastern.edu/sccj/mass-killing-database/">database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University</a>. In all of them, the shooters were males.The database does not include school shootings in which fewer than four people were killed, which have become far more common in recent years. Just last week alone, for example, school shootings&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-east-high-school-shooting-9cbd699b2dd3a31015d4a22ebf30d912">happened in Denver</a>&nbsp;and the Dallas-area within two days of each other.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679935165685.png" alt="Photo courtesy Metro Nashville Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Metro Nashville Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Monday’s tragedy unfolded over roughly 14 minutes. Police received the initial call about an active shooter at 10:13 a.m.Officers began clearing the first story of the school when they heard gunshots coming from the second level, Aaron said. Police later said the shooter fired at arriving officers from a second-story window and had come armed with significant ammunition.Two officers from a five-member team opened fire in response, killing the suspect at 10:27 a.m., Aaron said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Active shooter Audrey Elizabeth Hale drove to Covenant Church/School in her Honda Fit this morning, parked, and shot her way into the building. She was armed with 2 assault-type guns and a 9 millimeter pistol. <a href="https://t.co/mIk2pDmCwQ">pic.twitter.com/mIk2pDmCwQ</a>&mdash; Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) <a href="https://twitter.com/MNPDNashville/status/1640545519511404546?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Late Monday night, police released approximately two minutes of edited surveillance video showing the shooter’s car driving up to the school from multiple angles, including one in which children can be seen playing on swings in the background. Next an interior view shows glass doors to the school being shot out and the shooter ducking through one of the shattered doors.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679998977060.png" alt="Image from security cameras provided by Metro Nashville PD" />
 <figcaption>Image from security cameras provided by Metro Nashville PD</figcaption>
 </figure>More footage from inside shows the shooter walking through a school corridor holding a gun with a long barrel and walking into a room labeled “church office,” then coming back out. In the final part of the footage, the shooter can be seen walking down another long corridor with the gun drawn. The shooter is not seen interacting with anyone else on the video, which has no sound.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Hale fired a number of rounds inside the Covenant Church/School building. She was armed with these 3 guns and significant ammunition. <a href="https://t.co/3LYOU2r0sh">pic.twitter.com/3LYOU2r0sh</a>&mdash; Metro Nashville PD (@MNPDNashville) <a href="https://twitter.com/MNPDNashville/status/1640521034594918400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Aaron said there were no police officers present or assigned to the school at the time of the shooting because it is a church-run school.President Joe Biden, speaking at the White House on Monday, called the shooting a “family’s worst nightmare” and implored Congress again to pass a ban on certain semi-automatic weapons.A reeling city mourned during multiple vigils Monday evening. At Belmont United Methodist Church, teary sniffling filled the background as vigil attendees sang, knelt in prayer and lit candles. They lamented the national cycle of violent and deadly shootings.“We need to step back. We need to breathe. We need to grieve,” said Paul Purdue, the church’s senior pastor. “We need to remember. We need to make space for others who are grieving. We need to hear the cries of our neighbors.”-------

School administrator among victims in Nashville school tragedy

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A female shooter wielding two “assault-style” rifles and a pistol killed three students and three adults at a private Christian school in Nashville on Monday in the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country growing increasingly unnerved by bloodshed in schools.

(Click below to watch the President's comments)

Police said they believe the 28-year-old female shooter was a former student at The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school founded in 2001. Police shot and killed her. Investigators were searching her Nashville-area home.

The attack at The Covenant School — which has about 200 students from preschool through sixth grade, as well as roughly 50 staff members — comes as communities around the nation are reeling from a spate of school violence, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-mass-shootings-texas-police-9f38cce8fb09d3b88de3f41cdad96bd9">massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas</a>, last year; a first grader who shot&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-shoots-teacher-newport-news-ebba31cb2d9064e9475c49f7fe7452df">his teacher in Virginia</a>; and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-east-high-school-shooting-9cbd699b2dd3a31015d4a22ebf30d912">shooting last week in Denver</a>&nbsp;that wounded two administrators.

“I was literally moved to tears to see this and the kids as they were being ushered out of the building,” Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake said at an afternoon news conference.

The identities of the deceased and the suspect have not been released. The shooter's motive was also not immediately clear.

President Joe Biden, speaking at an unrelated event at the White House on Monday, called the shooting a “family’s worst nightmare” and implored Congress again to pass a ban on certain semi-automatic weapons.

“It’s ripping at the soul of this nation, ripping at the very soul of this nation,” Biden said.

The suspect’s identity as a woman surprised experts on mass shootings. Female shooters make up only about 5% to 8% of all mass shooters, said Adam Lankford, a criminal justice professor at the University of Alabama who has closely studied the psychology and behavior of mass shooters.

Researchers believe there are three main explanations for why men commit more shootings than women, according to Jonathan Metzl, a professor of sociology and psychiatry at Vanderbilt University who has studied mass shootings for more than a decade.

Metzl listed those explanations as: Men have more testosterone, are socialized to be engaged in violence and own more guns than women.

“There is some story we don’t know here,” Metzl said of the suspected female shooter in Nashville. “From school shootings historically, very often we think that people have some historical connection or emotional connection to the school. There’s an untold story here.”

Monday's tragedy unfolded over roughly 14 minutes. Police received the initial call about an active shooter at 10:13 a.m.

Officers began clearing the first story of the school when they heard gunshots coming from the second level, police spokesperson Don Aaron said during a news briefing.

Two officers from a five-member team opened fire in response, fatally shooting the suspect at 10:27 a.m., Aaron said. He said there were no police officers present or assigned to the school at the time of the shooting because it is a church-run school.

The Covenant School's victims were pronounced dead at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. One officer had a hand wound from cut glass.

Other students walked to safety Monday, holding hands as they left their school surrounded by police cars, to a nearby church to be reunited with their parents.

Rachel Dibble, who was at the church as families reunited in the nearby church, described the scene as everyone being in “complete shock.”

“People were involuntarily trembling,” said Dibble, whose children attend a different private school in Nashville. “The children … started their morning in their cute little uniforms they probably had some Froot Loops and now their whole lives changed today.”

Dr. Shamendar Talwar, a social psychologist from the United Kingdom who is working on an unrelated mental health project in Nashville, raced to the church as soon as he heard news of the shooting to offer help. He said he was one of several chaplains, psychologists, life coaches and clergy inside supporting the families.

“All you can show is that the human spirit that basically that we are all hear together … and hold their hand more than anything else,” he said.

Jozen Reodica heard the police sirens and fire trucks blaring from outside her office building nearby. As her building was placed under lockdown, she took out her phone and recorded the chaos.

“I thought I would just see this on TV,” she said. “And right now, it’s real.”

The Covenant School was founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church, according to the school’s website. The school is located in the affluent Green Hills neighborhood just south of downtown Nashville, situated close to the city's top universities and home to the famed Bluebird Café – a beloved spot for musicians and song writers.

Top legislative leaders announced Monday that the GOP-dominant Statehouse would meet briefly later in the evening and delay taking up any legislation.

“In a tragic morning, Nashville joined the dreaded, long list of communities to experience a school shooting,” Mayor John Cooper wrote on Twitter.

Nashville has seen its share of mass violence in recent years, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tn-state-wire-nashville-bombings-lifestyle-2d5ebd11211a2dc93ed48c0de46507a3">Christmas Day 2020</a>&nbsp;attack where a recreational vehicle was intentionally detonated in the heart of Music City’s historic downtown, killing the bomber, injuring three others and forcing more than 60 businesses to close.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679948973192.png" alt="President Biden called the shooting a “family’s worst nightmare” and implored Congress again to pass a ban on certain semi-automatic weapons." />
 <figcaption>President Biden called the shooting a “family’s worst nightmare” and implored Congress again to pass a ban on certain semi-automatic weapons.</figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A female shooter wielding two “assault-style” rifles and a pistol killed three students and three adults at a private Christian school in Nashville on Monday in the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country growing increasingly unnerved by bloodshed in schools.(Click below to watch the President's comments)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F235714862148090%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=573" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Police said they believe the 28-year-old female shooter was a former student at The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school founded in 2001. Police shot and killed her. Investigators were searching her Nashville-area home.The attack at The Covenant School — which has about 200 students from preschool through sixth grade, as well as roughly 50 staff members — comes as communities around the nation are reeling from a spate of school violence, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-mass-shootings-texas-police-9f38cce8fb09d3b88de3f41cdad96bd9">massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas</a>, last year; a first grader who shot&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-shoots-teacher-newport-news-ebba31cb2d9064e9475c49f7fe7452df">his teacher in Virginia</a>; and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-east-high-school-shooting-9cbd699b2dd3a31015d4a22ebf30d912">shooting last week in Denver</a>&nbsp;that wounded two administrators.“I was literally moved to tears to see this and the kids as they were being ushered out of the building,” Metropolitan Nashville Police Chief John Drake said at an afternoon news conference.The identities of the deceased and the suspect have not been released. The shooter's motive was also not immediately clear.President Joe Biden, speaking at an unrelated event at the White House on Monday, called the shooting a “family’s worst nightmare” and implored Congress again to pass a ban on certain semi-automatic weapons.“It’s ripping at the soul of this nation, ripping at the very soul of this nation,” Biden said.The suspect’s identity as a woman surprised experts on mass shootings. Female shooters make up only about 5% to 8% of all mass shooters, said Adam Lankford, a criminal justice professor at the University of Alabama who has closely studied the psychology and behavior of mass shooters.Researchers believe there are three main explanations for why men commit more shootings than women, according to Jonathan Metzl, a professor of sociology and psychiatry at Vanderbilt University who has studied mass shootings for more than a decade.Metzl listed those explanations as: Men have more testosterone, are socialized to be engaged in violence and own more guns than women.“There is some story we don’t know here,” Metzl said of the suspected female shooter in Nashville. “From school shootings historically, very often we think that people have some historical connection or emotional connection to the school. There’s an untold story here.”Monday's tragedy unfolded over roughly 14 minutes. Police received the initial call about an active shooter at 10:13 a.m.Officers began clearing the first story of the school when they heard gunshots coming from the second level, police spokesperson Don Aaron said during a news briefing.Two officers from a five-member team opened fire in response, fatally shooting the suspect at 10:27 a.m., Aaron said. He said there were no police officers present or assigned to the school at the time of the shooting because it is a church-run school.The Covenant School's victims were pronounced dead at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. One officer had a hand wound from cut glass.Other students walked to safety Monday, holding hands as they left their school surrounded by police cars, to a nearby church to be reunited with their parents.Rachel Dibble, who was at the church as families reunited in the nearby church, described the scene as everyone being in “complete shock.”“People were involuntarily trembling,” said Dibble, whose children attend a different private school in Nashville. “The children … started their morning in their cute little uniforms they probably had some Froot Loops and now their whole lives changed today.”Dr. Shamendar Talwar, a social psychologist from the United Kingdom who is working on an unrelated mental health project in Nashville, raced to the church as soon as he heard news of the shooting to offer help. He said he was one of several chaplains, psychologists, life coaches and clergy inside supporting the families.“All you can show is that the human spirit that basically that we are all hear together … and hold their hand more than anything else,” he said.Jozen Reodica heard the police sirens and fire trucks blaring from outside her office building nearby. As her building was placed under lockdown, she took out her phone and recorded the chaos.“I thought I would just see this on TV,” she said. “And right now, it’s real.”The Covenant School was founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church, according to the school’s website. The school is located in the affluent Green Hills neighborhood just south of downtown Nashville, situated close to the city's top universities and home to the famed Bluebird Café – a beloved spot for musicians and song writers.Top legislative leaders announced Monday that the GOP-dominant Statehouse would meet briefly later in the evening and delay taking up any legislation.“In a tragic morning, Nashville joined the dreaded, long list of communities to experience a school shooting,” Mayor John Cooper wrote on Twitter.Nashville has seen its share of mass violence in recent years, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tn-state-wire-nashville-bombings-lifestyle-2d5ebd11211a2dc93ed48c0de46507a3">Christmas Day 2020</a>&nbsp;attack where a recreational vehicle was intentionally detonated in the heart of Music City’s historic downtown, killing the bomber, injuring three others and forcing more than 60 businesses to close.

🎥Biden addresses deadly school shooting in Nashville

WASHINGTON –&nbsp; U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, John Cornyn (R-TX), and Joni Ernst (R-IA) are set to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn President Biden’s student loan cancelation scheme, according to a media release from the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.&nbsp; Kansas Senator Roger Marshall is also a member of the committee.

Biden's forgiveness plan would transfer up to $20,000 in student loan debt per borrower onto taxpayers, costing an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/58494">estimated $400 billion</a>. This comes after the Government Accountability Office (GAO)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/b-334644">confirmed</a>&nbsp;that the student loan policy is classified as a rule and can be overturned under the CRA.

Recently, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the cases&nbsp;Biden v. Nebraska&nbsp;and&nbsp;Department of Education v. Brown&nbsp;on whether the student cancelation program is unconstitutional and violates President Biden’s executive authority. The Supreme Court is expected to issue an opinion on the policy this summer.

“President Biden’s student loan scheme does not ‘forgive’ debt, it just transfers the burden from those who willingly took out loans to those who never went to college, or sacrificed to pay their loans off,”&nbsp;said Dr. Cassidy. “Where is the relief for the man who skipped college but is paying off his work truck, or the woman who paid off her loans and is now struggling to afford her mortgage? This resolution prevents these Americans, whose debts look different from the favored group the Biden administration has selected, from picking up the bill for this irresponsible and unfair policy.”

“The Biden administration’s tuition bailout is bad public policy, and it's unfair to people who've paid their college debt off by working multiple jobs or consciously meeting their obligations,”&nbsp;said Senator Cornyn.&nbsp;“This would block President Biden’s political gambit from driving up inflation, incentivizing universities to raise tuition, and forcing hardworking Texans to pay off the debts of wealthy graduates.”

“President Biden’s unfair attempt to transfer nearly half a trillion dollars in student debt to American taxpayers only helps the wealthy and hurts working families. Why should Iowans who chose to go straight into the workforce or pay for their own education foot the bill? Despite the administration’s attempts at avoiding Congressional oversight, we’re working to protect hardworking Americans and put a stop to the president’s reckless actions,”&nbsp;said Senator Ernst.

Last month, Cassidy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/ranking-member-cassidy-colleagues-file-amicus-brief-rebuking-bidens-student-loan-forgiveness">joined</a>&nbsp;U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and 41 other senators in filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court challenging the Biden administration’s student loan cancelation program, which they say circumvents the authority of Congress.

Additionally, Cassidy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/cassidy-foxx-colleagues-urge-biden-administration-to-revoke-their-reckless-student-loan-scheme">called out</a>&nbsp;President Biden’s reckless&nbsp;<a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2023-OPE-0004-0001">income-driven repayment (IDR) rule</a>, which would result in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/Few%20College%20Students%20Will%20Repay%20Student%20Loans%20under%20the%20Biden%20Administrations%20Proposal.pdf">majority of bachelor’s degree holders</a>&nbsp;not having to repay their loans and will cost taxpayers an estimated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/cbo-bidens-backup-student-loan-scheme-will-cost-taxpayers-__">$230 billion</a>. Cassidy also joined U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD) in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/ranking-member-cassidy-thune-colleagues-reintroduce-bill-to-end-bidens-student-loan-pause">introducing</a>&nbsp;the Stop Reckless Student Loan Actions Act, which would end President Biden’s current student loan pause that has cost Americans $195 billion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673377040107.png" alt="White House image" />
 <figcaption>White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON –&nbsp; U.S. Senators Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), ranking member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, John Cornyn (R-TX), and Joni Ernst (R-IA) are set to introduce a Congressional Review Act (CRA) resolution to overturn President Biden’s student loan cancelation scheme, according to a media release from the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.&nbsp; Kansas Senator Roger Marshall is also a member of the committee.Biden's forgiveness plan would transfer up to $20,000 in student loan debt per borrower onto taxpayers, costing an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cbo.gov/publication/58494">estimated $400 billion</a>. This comes after the Government Accountability Office (GAO)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gao.gov/products/b-334644">confirmed</a>&nbsp;that the student loan policy is classified as a rule and can be overturned under the CRA.Recently, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments in the cases&nbsp;Biden v. Nebraska&nbsp;and&nbsp;Department of Education v. Brown&nbsp;on whether the student cancelation program is unconstitutional and violates President Biden’s executive authority. The Supreme Court is expected to issue an opinion on the policy this summer.“President Biden’s student loan scheme does not ‘forgive’ debt, it just transfers the burden from those who willingly took out loans to those who never went to college, or sacrificed to pay their loans off,”&nbsp;said Dr. Cassidy. “Where is the relief for the man who skipped college but is paying off his work truck, or the woman who paid off her loans and is now struggling to afford her mortgage? This resolution prevents these Americans, whose debts look different from the favored group the Biden administration has selected, from picking up the bill for this irresponsible and unfair policy.”“The Biden administration’s tuition bailout is bad public policy, and it's unfair to people who've paid their college debt off by working multiple jobs or consciously meeting their obligations,”&nbsp;said Senator Cornyn.&nbsp;“This would block President Biden’s political gambit from driving up inflation, incentivizing universities to raise tuition, and forcing hardworking Texans to pay off the debts of wealthy graduates.”“President Biden’s unfair attempt to transfer nearly half a trillion dollars in student debt to American taxpayers only helps the wealthy and hurts working families. Why should Iowans who chose to go straight into the workforce or pay for their own education foot the bill? Despite the administration’s attempts at avoiding Congressional oversight, we’re working to protect hardworking Americans and put a stop to the president’s reckless actions,”&nbsp;said Senator Ernst.Last month, Cassidy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/ranking-member-cassidy-colleagues-file-amicus-brief-rebuking-bidens-student-loan-forgiveness">joined</a>&nbsp;U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and 41 other senators in filing an amicus brief to the Supreme Court challenging the Biden administration’s student loan cancelation program, which they say circumvents the authority of Congress.Additionally, Cassidy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/cassidy-foxx-colleagues-urge-biden-administration-to-revoke-their-reckless-student-loan-scheme">called out</a>&nbsp;President Biden’s reckless&nbsp;<a href="https://www.regulations.gov/document/ED-2023-OPE-0004-0001">income-driven repayment (IDR) rule</a>, which would result in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/2023-01/Few%20College%20Students%20Will%20Repay%20Student%20Loans%20under%20the%20Biden%20Administrations%20Proposal.pdf">majority of bachelor’s degree holders</a>&nbsp;not having to repay their loans and will cost taxpayers an estimated&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/cbo-bidens-backup-student-loan-scheme-will-cost-taxpayers-__">$230 billion</a>. Cassidy also joined U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD) in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/ranking/newsroom/press/ranking-member-cassidy-thune-colleagues-reintroduce-bill-to-end-bidens-student-loan-pause">introducing</a>&nbsp;the Stop Reckless Student Loan Actions Act, which would end President Biden’s current student loan pause that has cost Americans $195 billion.

Student loan forgiveness program faces new threat 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A woman wielding two “assault-style” rifles and a pistol killed three students and three adults at a private Christian school in Nashville on Monday in the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country growing increasingly unnerved by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-mass-school-shooting-database-columbine-uvalde-1c82749f7236752a2e621f402489b357">bloodshed in schools.</a>

Police said they believe the 28-year-old shooter was a former student at The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school founded in 2001. Police shot and killed her. Investigators were searching her Nashville-area home.

The identities of the deceased and the suspect have not been released. The shooter’s motive was also not immediately clear.

The Covenant School was founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church. The affluent Green Hills neighborhood just south of downtown Nashville, where the Covenant School is located, is home to the famed Bluebird Café – a beloved spot for musicians and song writers.

There have been seven mass killings at U.S. schools since 2006, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://cssh.northeastern.edu/sccj/mass-killing-database/">database maintained by The Associated Press and USA Today in partnership with Northeastern University</a>. In all of them, the shooters were males who killed four or more people within a 24-hour time frame at K-12 school.

“From school shootings historically, very often we think that people have some historical connection or emotional connection to the school," he said, calling the Nashville shooting “an untold story.”

Two officers from a five-member team opened fire in response, fatally shooting the suspect at 10:27 a.m., Aaron said. One officer had a hand wound from cut glass.

Rachel Dibble, who was at the church as families found their children, described the scene as everyone being in “complete shock.”

“All you can show is that the human spirit that basically that we are all here together … and hold their hand more than anything else,” he said.

Police said they believe the 28-year-old female shooter was a former student at The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school founded in 2001. She also died after being shot by police.

The violence at the school — which has about 200 students from preschool through sixth grade — comes as communities around the nation are reeling from a spate of school violence, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-mass-shootings-texas-police-9f38cce8fb09d3b88de3f41cdad96bd9">massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas</a>, last year; a first grader who shot&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-shoots-teacher-newport-news-ebba31cb2d9064e9475c49f7fe7452df">his teacher in Virginia</a>; and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-east-high-school-shooting-9cbd699b2dd3a31015d4a22ebf30d912">shooting last week in Denver</a>&nbsp;that wounded two administrators.

Authorities said the suspect was from the Nashville area, but her name has not been released and her motive in the attack has not been determined.

The Covenant School was founded as a ministry of Covenant Presbyterian Church in 2001, according to the school’s website. The school is located in the affluent Green Hills neighborhood just south of downtown Nashville, situated close to the city's top universities and home to the famed Bluebird Café – a beloved spot for musicians and song writers.

The grade school has roughly 50 staff members. The school’s website features the motto “Shepherding Hearts, Empowering Minds, Celebrating Childhood.”

Nashville has seen its share of mass violence in recent years.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tn-state-wire-nashville-bombings-lifestyle-2d5ebd11211a2dc93ed48c0de46507a3">On Christmas Day 2020</a>, a recreational vehicle was intentionally detonated in the heart of Music City’s historic downtown, killing the bomber, injuring three others and forcing more than 60 businesses to close.

A man shot and killed four people at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nashville-travis-reinking-6839ec09d4c4a743bc5c31c54b918290">Nashville Waffle House in April 2018.</a>&nbsp;He was sentenced in February 2022 to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-us-news-religion-tennessee-nashville-f56b445a4e54468caff28c1844c55aa4">In September 2017, a masked gunman opened fire</a>&nbsp;at the Burnette Chapel Church of Christ, walking silently down the aisle as he shot unsuspecting congregants. One person was killed and seven others were wounded. The gunman was sentenced in 2019 to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — A female shooter wielding two “assault-style” rifles and a pistol killed three students and three adults at a private Christian school in Nashville on Monday in what marks the latest in a series of mass shootings in a country growing increasingly unnerved by bloodshed in schools.

The suspect also died after being shot by police following the violence at The Covenant School, a Presbyterian school for about 200 students from preschool through sixth grade. Police said the shooter was a 28-year-old woman from Nashville, after initially saying she appeared to be in her teens.

Authorities were working to identify her and whether she had a connection to the school.

The killings come as communities around the nation are reeling from a spate of school violence, including the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uvalde-mass-shootings-texas-police-9f38cce8fb09d3b88de3f41cdad96bd9">massacre at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas</a>, last year; a first grader who shot&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-shoots-teacher-newport-news-ebba31cb2d9064e9475c49f7fe7452df">his teacher in Virginia</a>; and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/denver-east-high-school-shooting-9cbd699b2dd3a31015d4a22ebf30d912">shooting last week in Denver</a>&nbsp;that wounded two administrators.

President Joe Biden called on Congress again to pass his assault weapons ban in the wake of the Nashville shooting.

“It’s heartbreaking, a family’s worst nightmare,” he said.

First lady Jill Biden also spoke about the slayings on Monday.

“I am truly without words. And our children deserve better,” she said during a National League of Cities conference in Washington. “We stand – all of us, we stand – with Nashville in prayer.”

The tragedy unfolded over roughly 14 minutes. Police received the initial call about an active shooter at 10:13 a.m.

“In a tragic morning, Nashville joined the dreaded, long list of communities to experience a school shooting,” Mayor John Cooper wrote on Twitter. “My heart goes out to the families of the victims. Our entire city stands with you.”

On WTVF TV, reporter Hannah McDonald said that her mother-in-law works at the front desk at The Covenant School. The woman had stepped outside for a break Monday morning and was coming back when she heard gunshots, McDonald said during a live broadcast. The reporter said she has not been able to speak with her mother-in-law but said her husband had.

Republican Gov. Bill Lee said he was “closely monitoring” the situation, while Democratic state Rep. Bob Freeman, whose district includes The Covenant School, called Monday’s shooting an “unimaginable tragedy.”

“I live around the corner from Covenant and pass by it often. I have friends who attend both church and school there,” Freeman said in a statement. “I have also visited the church in the past. It tears my heart apart to see this.”

The Nashville victims were pronounced dead upon arrival at the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital and Vanderbilt University Medical Center. One officer had a hand wound from cut glass.

“In a tragic morning, Nashville joined the dreaded, long list of communities to experience a school shooting,” Nashville Mayor John Cooper tweeted, thanking first responders and medical professionals. “My heart goes out to the families of the victims. Our entire city stands with you.”

The grade school has 33 teachers, the website said. The school’s website features the motto “Shepherding Hearts, Empowering Minds, Celebrating Childhood.”

The shooter entered the school through a side entrance and went to the second story, police spokesperson Don Aaron said during a news briefing.

Democratic state Rep. Bob Freeman, whose district includes The Covenant School, called Monday’s shooting an “unimaginable tragedy.”

Woman kills 3 kids, 3 adults at a Nashville Christian school

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

SALINA, Kan. — A badly decomposing body was found hanging from a tree south of Salina early Saturday afternoon.

Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said this morning that deputies were sent to the 1100 block of W. Farrelly Road just before 1 p.m. Saturday for the report of a body found.

A man who lives in the area and a friend from out of town were on a UTV attempting to locate where beavers had downed trees along Dry Creek when they spotted a shirt hanging back in the trees. They went closer and discovered the body hanging from the tree. Soldan said the body was approximately 100 yards from the road.

The body, believed to be that of a male, had been there for some time based on its decomposition, Soldan said. An identification of the body will not be possible until after an autopsy is performed. Soldan said he hopes to have preliminary autopsy results by the end of the week.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679934491434.jpeg" alt="The body was found approximately 100 yards from the road in the 1100 block of W. Farrelly Road. Map courtesy Saline County" />
 <figcaption>The body was found approximately 100 yards from the road in the 1100 block of W. Farrelly Road. Map courtesy Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostSALINA, Kan. — A badly decomposing body was found hanging from a tree south of Salina early Saturday afternoon.Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan said this morning that deputies were sent to the 1100 block of W. Farrelly Road just before 1 p.m. Saturday for the report of a body found.A man who lives in the area and a friend from out of town were on a UTV attempting to locate where beavers had downed trees along Dry Creek when they spotted a shirt hanging back in the trees. They went closer and discovered the body hanging from the tree. Soldan said the body was approximately 100 yards from the road.The body, believed to be that of a male, had been there for some time based on its decomposition, Soldan said. An identification of the body will not be possible until after an autopsy is performed. Soldan said he hopes to have preliminary autopsy results by the end of the week.

Kansas sheriff: Decomposing body found hanging in tree

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Fighter jets roared off the USS Nimitz as the nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier and its battle group began exercises with South Korean warships on Monday, hours after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles in an apparent protest of the allies’ expanding drills.

The seventh missile test this month underscored&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-north-korea-south-nuclear-weapons-f409b488bb38ad3cfc37d1f8d29a6857">heightening tensions in the region</a>&nbsp;as both the North’s weapons tests and the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises have intensified in a cycle of tit-for-tat.

The launches may have been timed for the arrival of the USS Nimitz and its strike group, including a guided missile cruiser and two destroyers, which engaged in air defense exercises and other drills with South Korean warships in waters near Jeju island.

Jang Do Young, a South Korean navy spokesperson, said the drills were aimed at sharpening joint operational capabilities and demonstrating the U.S. commitment to defend its ally with the full range of options, including nuclear, in face of the North’s “escalating nuclear and missile threats.”

The Nimitz strike group was expected to arrive at the South Korean mainland port of Busan on Tuesday.

“The United States has deployable strategic assets at the ready on every day,” said Rear Adm. Christopher Sweeney, commander of Carrier Strike Group Eleven. “We can continue to deploy those assets and we will.”

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the two North Korean missiles were fired from a western inland area south of the North's capital of Pyongyang from around 7:47 a.m. to 8 a.m. and traveled around 370 kilometers (229 miles) before landing at sea. Japan’s military said the missiles, which landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, flew on an irregular trajectory and reached a maximum altitude of 50 kilometers (31 miles).

Japan has previously used similar language to describe a North Korean solid-fuel missile apparently modeled after Russia’s Iskander mobile ballistic system, which is designed to be maneuverable in low-altitude flight to better evade South Korean missile defenses. North Korea also has another short-range system with similar characteristics that resembles the U.S. MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System.

Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said North Korea may dial up its testing activity further with more missile launches or even conducting its first nuclear test since September 2017.

The South Korean and Japanese militaries denounced the latest launches as a serious provocation threatening regional peace and said they were working with the United States to analyze the missiles further. The U.S. Indo Pacific Command said the launches did not pose an immediate threat to the United States or its allies, but still highlighted the “destabilizing impact” of North Korea's illicit nuclear weapons and missiles programs.

North Korea, which has weathered tightened U.N. Security Council sanctions since 2016 over its nuclear developments, didn't immediately comment on the launches.

The United States and South Korea completed their biggest springtime exercises in years last week, which had included both computer simulations and live-fire field exercises. But the allies have continued their field training in a show of force against the North's rising threats.

North Korea had also fired a short-range missile when the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-north-ronald-reagan-government-and-politics-27b1aaea7df51e52d39e0465ea18d4dd">USS Ronald Reagan and its battle group arrived for joint drills with South Korea in September,</a>&nbsp;which was the last time the United States sent an aircraft carrier to waters near the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea has launched more than 20 ballistic and cruise missiles on 11 occasions this year as it tries to force the United States to accept its nuclear status and negotiate a removal of sanctions from a position of strength.

The weapons tested this month included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-kim-jong-un-icbm-nuclear-3e30acae3ddc537add6b33dab96410e5">an intercontinental ballistic missile</a>&nbsp;and a series of short-range missiles intended to overwhelm South Korean defenses as North Korea tries to demonstrate an ability to conduct nuclear strikes on both South Korea and the U.S. mainland.

The North last week carried out what it described as a three-day exercise that simulated nuclear attacks on South Korean targets.

The country's leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-north-korea-south-895fb34033780fdafd5bf925b376a2c6">Kim Jong Un</a>&nbsp;has condemned the U.S.-South Korean joint military drills as invasion rehearsals. The allies say the exercises are defensive in nature.

The tests also included a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-nuclear-simulation-kim-jong-un-f9bc2d9f4fbcb9b5eaba339b441a02ad">purported nuclear-capable underwater drone</a>&nbsp;that the North claimed can set off a huge “radioactive tsunami” and destroy naval vessels and ports. Analysts were skeptical whether such a device was a major new threat and Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement Monday that it considers the North Korean claims likely to be “exaggerated and fabricated.”

North Korea, following some of its ballistic and cruise missile tests this month, also claimed that those weapons were tipped with mock nuclear warheads that detonated 600 to 800 meters (1,960 to 2,600 feet) above their sea targets, communicating them as heights that would maximize damage.

North Korea already is coming off a record year in weapons testing, launching more than 70 missiles in 2022. It had set into law an escalatory nuclear doctrine that authorizes pre-emptive nuclear strikes in a broad range of scenarios where it may perceive its leadership as under threat.

“It appears North Korea might be practicing, or signaling that it’s practicing, the use of nuclear strikes, both preemptive and retaliatory, in a range of scenarios that are authorized in its nuclear doctrine,” said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at the Center for a New American Security.

“The problem is that continued testing helps Pyongyang perfect its technology, strengthen its nuclear weapons capability that threatens South Korea and Japan, increase the likelihood of miscalculation that could lead to inadvertent conflict, and accumulate political leverage ahead of future diplomatic talks with Washington.”

Following the North’s announcement of the drone test on Friday, South Korea’s air force released details of a five-day joint drill with the United States last week that included live-fire demonstrations of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons.

The air force said the exercise was aimed at verifying precision strike capabilities and reaffirming the credibility of Seoul’s “three-axis” strategy against North Korean nuclear threats — preemptively striking sources of attacks, intercepting incoming missiles and neutralizing the North’s leadership and key military facilities.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667483523229.png" alt="A TV screen showing a news program reporting about North Korea's missile launch with file footage is seen at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022.&nbsp; (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)" />
 <figcaption>A TV screen showing a news program reporting about North Korea's missile launch with file footage is seen at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022.&nbsp; (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)</figcaption>
 </figure>SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Fighter jets roared off the USS Nimitz as the nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier and its battle group began exercises with South Korean warships on Monday, hours after North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles in an apparent protest of the allies’ expanding drills.The seventh missile test this month underscored&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-north-korea-south-nuclear-weapons-f409b488bb38ad3cfc37d1f8d29a6857">heightening tensions in the region</a>&nbsp;as both the North’s weapons tests and the U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises have intensified in a cycle of tit-for-tat.The launches may have been timed for the arrival of the USS Nimitz and its strike group, including a guided missile cruiser and two destroyers, which engaged in air defense exercises and other drills with South Korean warships in waters near Jeju island.Jang Do Young, a South Korean navy spokesperson, said the drills were aimed at sharpening joint operational capabilities and demonstrating the U.S. commitment to defend its ally with the full range of options, including nuclear, in face of the North’s “escalating nuclear and missile threats.”The Nimitz strike group was expected to arrive at the South Korean mainland port of Busan on Tuesday.“The United States has deployable strategic assets at the ready on every day,” said Rear Adm. Christopher Sweeney, commander of Carrier Strike Group Eleven. “We can continue to deploy those assets and we will.”South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said the two North Korean missiles were fired from a western inland area south of the North's capital of Pyongyang from around 7:47 a.m. to 8 a.m. and traveled around 370 kilometers (229 miles) before landing at sea. Japan’s military said the missiles, which landed outside Japan's exclusive economic zone, flew on an irregular trajectory and reached a maximum altitude of 50 kilometers (31 miles).Japan has previously used similar language to describe a North Korean solid-fuel missile apparently modeled after Russia’s Iskander mobile ballistic system, which is designed to be maneuverable in low-altitude flight to better evade South Korean missile defenses. North Korea also has another short-range system with similar characteristics that resembles the U.S. MGM-140 Army Tactical Missile System.Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said North Korea may dial up its testing activity further with more missile launches or even conducting its first nuclear test since September 2017.The South Korean and Japanese militaries denounced the latest launches as a serious provocation threatening regional peace and said they were working with the United States to analyze the missiles further. The U.S. Indo Pacific Command said the launches did not pose an immediate threat to the United States or its allies, but still highlighted the “destabilizing impact” of North Korea's illicit nuclear weapons and missiles programs.North Korea, which has weathered tightened U.N. Security Council sanctions since 2016 over its nuclear developments, didn't immediately comment on the launches.The United States and South Korea completed their biggest springtime exercises in years last week, which had included both computer simulations and live-fire field exercises. But the allies have continued their field training in a show of force against the North's rising threats.North Korea had also fired a short-range missile when the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/south-korea-north-ronald-reagan-government-and-politics-27b1aaea7df51e52d39e0465ea18d4dd">USS Ronald Reagan and its battle group arrived for joint drills with South Korea in September,</a>&nbsp;which was the last time the United States sent an aircraft carrier to waters near the Korean Peninsula.North Korea has launched more than 20 ballistic and cruise missiles on 11 occasions this year as it tries to force the United States to accept its nuclear status and negotiate a removal of sanctions from a position of strength.The weapons tested this month included&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-kim-jong-un-icbm-nuclear-3e30acae3ddc537add6b33dab96410e5">an intercontinental ballistic missile</a>&nbsp;and a series of short-range missiles intended to overwhelm South Korean defenses as North Korea tries to demonstrate an ability to conduct nuclear strikes on both South Korea and the U.S. mainland.The North last week carried out what it described as a three-day exercise that simulated nuclear attacks on South Korean targets.The country's leader&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-north-korea-south-895fb34033780fdafd5bf925b376a2c6">Kim Jong Un</a>&nbsp;has condemned the U.S.-South Korean joint military drills as invasion rehearsals. The allies say the exercises are defensive in nature.The tests also included a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-korea-nuclear-simulation-kim-jong-un-f9bc2d9f4fbcb9b5eaba339b441a02ad">purported nuclear-capable underwater drone</a>&nbsp;that the North claimed can set off a huge “radioactive tsunami” and destroy naval vessels and ports. Analysts were skeptical whether such a device was a major new threat and Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement Monday that it considers the North Korean claims likely to be “exaggerated and fabricated.”North Korea, following some of its ballistic and cruise missile tests this month, also claimed that those weapons were tipped with mock nuclear warheads that detonated 600 to 800 meters (1,960 to 2,600 feet) above their sea targets, communicating them as heights that would maximize damage.North Korea already is coming off a record year in weapons testing, launching more than 70 missiles in 2022. It had set into law an escalatory nuclear doctrine that authorizes pre-emptive nuclear strikes in a broad range of scenarios where it may perceive its leadership as under threat.“It appears North Korea might be practicing, or signaling that it’s practicing, the use of nuclear strikes, both preemptive and retaliatory, in a range of scenarios that are authorized in its nuclear doctrine,” said Duyeon Kim, a senior analyst at the Center for a New American Security.“The problem is that continued testing helps Pyongyang perfect its technology, strengthen its nuclear weapons capability that threatens South Korea and Japan, increase the likelihood of miscalculation that could lead to inadvertent conflict, and accumulate political leverage ahead of future diplomatic talks with Washington.”Following the North’s announcement of the drone test on Friday, South Korea’s air force released details of a five-day joint drill with the United States last week that included live-fire demonstrations of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons.The air force said the exercise was aimed at verifying precision strike capabilities and reaffirming the credibility of Seoul’s “three-axis” strategy against North Korean nuclear threats — preemptively striking sources of attacks, intercepting incoming missiles and neutralizing the North’s leadership and key military facilities.

North Korea fires 2 more missiles as US sends warship

DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co.'s electric vehicle business has lost $3 billion before taxes during the past two years and will lose a similar amount this year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ford-motor-co-michigan-detroit-business-e75de5b389687e7a3bbc248e83e23ac0">as the company invests heavily</a>&nbsp;in the new technology.

The figures were released Thursday as Ford rolled out a new way of reporting financial results. The new business structure separates electric vehicles, the profitable internal combustion and commercial vehicle operations into three operating units.

Company officials said the electric vehicle unit, called “Ford Model e,” will be profitable before taxes by late 2026 with an 8% pretax profit margin. But they wouldn't say exactly when it's expected to start making money.

Chief Financial Officer John Lawler said Model e should be viewed as a startup company within Ford.

“As everyone knows, EV startups lose money while they invest in capability, develop knowledge, build (sales) volume and gain (market) share,” he said.

Model e, he said, is working on second- and even third-generation electric vehicles. It currently offers three EVs for sale in the U.S.:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-detroit-business-taxes-29362a3adb2611e3360e16b3ff3021fa">the Mustang Mach E SUV</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-environment-and-nature-michigan-ed809bb0f237e4d3be7974936416f91e">F-150 Lightning pickup</a>&nbsp;and an electric Transit commercial van.

The new corporate reporting system, Lawler said, is designed to give investors more transparency than the old system of reporting results by geographic regions. The automaker calculated earnings for each of the three units during the past two calendar years.

Model e had pretax losses of $900 million in 2021 and $2.1 billion last year, and it is expected to lose $3 billion this year. In the past two years Ford has announced it would build four new battery factories and a new vehicle assembly plant as well as spending heavily to acquire raw materials to build electric vehicles.

By the end of this year, the company based in Dearborn, Michigan, expects to be building electric vehicles at a rate of 600,000 per year, reaching a rate of 2 million per year by the end of 2026.

Last year, the pretax profit margin for Model e was minus 40%, Lawler said. To get to a positive 8% by the end of 2026, the company expects economies of scale — spreading costs over more vehicles sold— to be worth 20 points of the improvement. Design and engineering improvements will bring 15 points, battery cost reductions 10 points and 3 points will come from other areas including federal tax incentives and raw material price reductions.

Wells Fargo analyst Colin Langan calculated that Ford would need $15,000 in cost savings to get to an 8% profit margin. He asked what gives Ford confidence it can reach that number. “It just seems like quite a big number,” he said.

Lawler replied that Ford is looking at a whole new way of designing vehicles, focusing on energy efficiency, including aerodynamics. “Every decision is about optimizing energy efficiency so that we can get the smallest battery possible to hit the range target that we have for that vehicle,” he said.

Ford also will simplify its manufacturing process, maximizing common parts in next generation of EVs, saving over the current generation of repurposed internal combustion vehicle underpinnings. “There is a significant amount of opportunity in there to identify efficiencies and drive those home,” he said.

Ford Blue, the unit that sells internal combustion and gas-electric hybrid vehicles, made just over $10 billion before taxes during the last two years. Ford Pro, the commercial vehicle unit, made $5.9 billion during those years, the company said.

For this year, Ford expects Ford Blue to post a $7 billion pretax profit, modestly better than last year. Ford Pro is expected to earn $6 billion before taxes, nearly double its earnings last year, Lawler said.

Ford was to present the new structure, announced last March, to analysts and investors on Thursday. Other business units include corporate, Ford Credit and Ford Next, a new business incubator. Shares of Ford rose 1.7% in Thursday midday trading.

Lawler said the company is changing the way it does business, not just doing an accounting exercise.

“After 120 years, we've essentially re-founded Ford,” he said. “We're embracing technology and competitive disruption in our industry, fundamentally changing how we're thinking, how we're making decisions, and how we're running the company.”

DETROIT (AP) — Ford Motor Co.'s electric vehicle business has lost $3 billion before taxes during the past two years and will lose a similar amount this year&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ford-motor-co-michigan-detroit-business-e75de5b389687e7a3bbc248e83e23ac0">as the company invests heavily</a>&nbsp;in the new technology.The figures were released Thursday as Ford rolled out a new way of reporting financial results. The new business structure separates electric vehicles, the profitable internal combustion and commercial vehicle operations into three operating units.Company officials said the electric vehicle unit, called “Ford Model e,” will be profitable before taxes by late 2026 with an 8% pretax profit margin. But they wouldn't say exactly when it's expected to start making money.Chief Financial Officer John Lawler said Model e should be viewed as a startup company within Ford.“As everyone knows, EV startups lose money while they invest in capability, develop knowledge, build (sales) volume and gain (market) share,” he said.Model e, he said, is working on second- and even third-generation electric vehicles. It currently offers three EVs for sale in the U.S.:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-detroit-business-taxes-29362a3adb2611e3360e16b3ff3021fa">the Mustang Mach E SUV</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-environment-and-nature-michigan-ed809bb0f237e4d3be7974936416f91e">F-150 Lightning pickup</a>&nbsp;and an electric Transit commercial van.The new corporate reporting system, Lawler said, is designed to give investors more transparency than the old system of reporting results by geographic regions. The automaker calculated earnings for each of the three units during the past two calendar years.Model e had pretax losses of $900 million in 2021 and $2.1 billion last year, and it is expected to lose $3 billion this year. In the past two years Ford has announced it would build four new battery factories and a new vehicle assembly plant as well as spending heavily to acquire raw materials to build electric vehicles.By the end of this year, the company based in Dearborn, Michigan, expects to be building electric vehicles at a rate of 600,000 per year, reaching a rate of 2 million per year by the end of 2026.Last year, the pretax profit margin for Model e was minus 40%, Lawler said. To get to a positive 8% by the end of 2026, the company expects economies of scale — spreading costs over more vehicles sold— to be worth 20 points of the improvement. Design and engineering improvements will bring 15 points, battery cost reductions 10 points and 3 points will come from other areas including federal tax incentives and raw material price reductions.Wells Fargo analyst Colin Langan calculated that Ford would need $15,000 in cost savings to get to an 8% profit margin. He asked what gives Ford confidence it can reach that number. “It just seems like quite a big number,” he said.Lawler replied that Ford is looking at a whole new way of designing vehicles, focusing on energy efficiency, including aerodynamics. “Every decision is about optimizing energy efficiency so that we can get the smallest battery possible to hit the range target that we have for that vehicle,” he said.Ford also will simplify its manufacturing process, maximizing common parts in next generation of EVs, saving over the current generation of repurposed internal combustion vehicle underpinnings. “There is a significant amount of opportunity in there to identify efficiencies and drive those home,” he said.Ford Blue, the unit that sells internal combustion and gas-electric hybrid vehicles, made just over $10 billion before taxes during the last two years. Ford Pro, the commercial vehicle unit, made $5.9 billion during those years, the company said.For this year, Ford expects Ford Blue to post a $7 billion pretax profit, modestly better than last year. Ford Pro is expected to earn $6 billion before taxes, nearly double its earnings last year, Lawler said.Ford was to present the new structure, announced last March, to analysts and investors on Thursday. Other business units include corporate, Ford Credit and Ford Next, a new business incubator. Shares of Ford rose 1.7% in Thursday midday trading.Lawler said the company is changing the way it does business, not just doing an accounting exercise.“After 120 years, we've essentially re-founded Ford,” he said. “We're embracing technology and competitive disruption in our industry, fundamentally changing how we're thinking, how we're making decisions, and how we're running the company.”

Ford losing billions on electric vehicle business

United States Catholic bishops have issued guidelines that seek to stop Catholic hospitals from providing gender transition care, a move LGBTQ advocates say could harm the physical and emotional health of transgender people within the church.

<a href="https://www.usccb.org/resources/Doctrinal%20Note%202023-03-20.pdf">Click here to read</a> the guidelines

The 14-page doctrinal note, titled “Moral Limits to the Technological Manipulation of the Human Body,” sets forth guidelines for changing a person’s sex, specifically with youth. The document, issued Monday, says Catholic hospitals “must not perform interventions, whether surgical or chemical, that aim to transform the sexual characteristics of a human body into those of the opposite sex, or take part in the development of such procedures.”

Transgender Catholics&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-united-states-gender-identity-marquette-e88473adf85944f912511fc85d542d29">have received a mixed response</a>&nbsp;across the U.S. church. Some have found acceptance in specific parishes and rejection in certain dioceses, including those that bar church personnel from using trans people’s preferred gender pronouns. The bishops’ latest guidance to Catholic medical centers could prevent trans people from getting the health care they need, said Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, which advocates for greater LGBTQ acceptance in the church.

Catholic hospitals make up a sizeable portion of the U.S. health care system and in some communities they are the only option. The Catholic Health Association, which comprises more than 600 hospitals and 1,400 long-term care and other health facilities in the United States, says more than one in seven U.S. hospital patients is cared for in a Catholic facility.

“These decisions are being made at a much higher level without knowing the individuals and individual cases involved,” DeBernardo said. “When transgender people are not permitted or restricted from transitioning in ways they feel are appropriate, it could end in depression, anxiety or even self harm, including suicide.”

The bishops’ guidelines “will not change much” when it comes to caring for transgender patients at Catholic hospitals, said the Rev. Charlie Bouchard, CHA’s senior director of theology and sponsorship. Transgender people will continue to always be accepted in Catholic hospitals and treated with dignity and respect, but might not receive all of the gender-affirming care they request because of the church's theological and moral teachings, he said.

“As we look at the document from the bishops, what we are mindful of is that we have a history of caring for the marginalized, and we see transgender people very much as a marginalized group,” he said.

Catholic hospitals see transgender patients with a variety of health care needs from broken bones to cancer treatment and heart attacks, Bouchard said, adding that the hospitals would not perform cosmetic procedures such as reconstructive surgeries, hysterectomies, or treatments such as sterilizations on request, unless there is a medical need for them.

He said Catholic hospitals are also training staff to be respectful of transgender patients: “When a patient checks in, we ask staff to be respectful in how they ask questions. We want to affirm transgender individuals as persons and provide them with spiritual care and psychological counseling.”

Bouchard said Catholic hospitals will “base health care on science and continue to follow the science when it comes to transgender people.”

“But we don’t treat ideology,” he said. “We treat patients who are really suffering. There are things out there about gender fluidity that we do not agree with. But as Catholic hospitals, we are held to the same standard of care as other hospitals.”

DeBernardo disagreed, saying the bishops’ doctrinal guidelines cause harm rather than heal people by not paying heed to science.

“The bishops’ unwillingness to counter any of the evidence from the scientific community or the experience of transgender people is neither good theology nor acceptable pastoral care,” he said.

DeBernardo said he sees hope with many more Catholics in the pews showing greater understanding of transgender people's lives. He noted cases where Catholic parents are supporting their transgender children against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/des-moines-gender-b67a28db1a2b04a3622cfcec649afade">restrictive policies in Catholic schools</a>, including barring puberty blockers and preferred pronouns on campuses and in parishes.

Christine Zuba, a transgender woman who lives in New Jersey, said she feels accepted at her local parish, but is upset that the national church “continues to deny our existence and our need for health care.” Zuba said she was disappointed to see that transgender people were not even mentioned in the 14-page document.

“In my parish, I feel accepted unconditionally for who I am,” she said. “But that is missing in our hierarchy. There is no willingness to engage with us and understand our lives.”

Zuba said she is happy to see more engagement and interaction in some dioceses. In Davenport, Iowa, Bishop Thomas Zinkula formed a Gender Committee calling Catholics to “listen to the people in the margins,” calling ministering to LGBTQ people – particularly trans people – as “a life issue.” In a column published in the Catholic Messenger, Zinkula said he has been haunted by the story of a transgender youth who attempted suicide after being denied Communion.

“This type of thing should never happen again,” he wrote.

Zuba said she would like to see that type of commitment to listen and learn in the upper echelons of the church.

“All we ask is listen to us as a group and as individuals,” she said. “Open your hearts and try to understand.”

By DEEPA BHARATH, Associated PressUnited States Catholic bishops have issued guidelines that seek to stop Catholic hospitals from providing gender transition care, a move LGBTQ advocates say could harm the physical and emotional health of transgender people within the church.<a href="https://www.usccb.org/resources/Doctrinal%20Note%202023-03-20.pdf">Click here to read</a> the guidelinesThe 14-page doctrinal note, titled “Moral Limits to the Technological Manipulation of the Human Body,” sets forth guidelines for changing a person’s sex, specifically with youth. The document, issued Monday, says Catholic hospitals “must not perform interventions, whether surgical or chemical, that aim to transform the sexual characteristics of a human body into those of the opposite sex, or take part in the development of such procedures.”Transgender Catholics&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-united-states-gender-identity-marquette-e88473adf85944f912511fc85d542d29">have received a mixed response</a>&nbsp;across the U.S. church. Some have found acceptance in specific parishes and rejection in certain dioceses, including those that bar church personnel from using trans people’s preferred gender pronouns. The bishops’ latest guidance to Catholic medical centers could prevent trans people from getting the health care they need, said Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, which advocates for greater LGBTQ acceptance in the church.Catholic hospitals make up a sizeable portion of the U.S. health care system and in some communities they are the only option. The Catholic Health Association, which comprises more than 600 hospitals and 1,400 long-term care and other health facilities in the United States, says more than one in seven U.S. hospital patients is cared for in a Catholic facility.“These decisions are being made at a much higher level without knowing the individuals and individual cases involved,” DeBernardo said. “When transgender people are not permitted or restricted from transitioning in ways they feel are appropriate, it could end in depression, anxiety or even self harm, including suicide.”The bishops’ guidelines “will not change much” when it comes to caring for transgender patients at Catholic hospitals, said the Rev. Charlie Bouchard, CHA’s senior director of theology and sponsorship. Transgender people will continue to always be accepted in Catholic hospitals and treated with dignity and respect, but might not receive all of the gender-affirming care they request because of the church's theological and moral teachings, he said.“As we look at the document from the bishops, what we are mindful of is that we have a history of caring for the marginalized, and we see transgender people very much as a marginalized group,” he said.Catholic hospitals see transgender patients with a variety of health care needs from broken bones to cancer treatment and heart attacks, Bouchard said, adding that the hospitals would not perform cosmetic procedures such as reconstructive surgeries, hysterectomies, or treatments such as sterilizations on request, unless there is a medical need for them.He said Catholic hospitals are also training staff to be respectful of transgender patients: “When a patient checks in, we ask staff to be respectful in how they ask questions. We want to affirm transgender individuals as persons and provide them with spiritual care and psychological counseling.”Bouchard said Catholic hospitals will “base health care on science and continue to follow the science when it comes to transgender people.”“But we don’t treat ideology,” he said. “We treat patients who are really suffering. There are things out there about gender fluidity that we do not agree with. But as Catholic hospitals, we are held to the same standard of care as other hospitals.”DeBernardo disagreed, saying the bishops’ doctrinal guidelines cause harm rather than heal people by not paying heed to science.“The bishops’ unwillingness to counter any of the evidence from the scientific community or the experience of transgender people is neither good theology nor acceptable pastoral care,” he said.DeBernardo said he sees hope with many more Catholics in the pews showing greater understanding of transgender people's lives. He noted cases where Catholic parents are supporting their transgender children against&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/des-moines-gender-b67a28db1a2b04a3622cfcec649afade">restrictive policies in Catholic schools</a>, including barring puberty blockers and preferred pronouns on campuses and in parishes.Christine Zuba, a transgender woman who lives in New Jersey, said she feels accepted at her local parish, but is upset that the national church “continues to deny our existence and our need for health care.” Zuba said she was disappointed to see that transgender people were not even mentioned in the 14-page document.“In my parish, I feel accepted unconditionally for who I am,” she said. “But that is missing in our hierarchy. There is no willingness to engage with us and understand our lives.”Zuba said she is happy to see more engagement and interaction in some dioceses. In Davenport, Iowa, Bishop Thomas Zinkula formed a Gender Committee calling Catholics to “listen to the people in the margins,” calling ministering to LGBTQ people – particularly trans people – as “a life issue.” In a column published in the Catholic Messenger, Zinkula said he has been haunted by the story of a transgender youth who attempted suicide after being denied Communion.“This type of thing should never happen again,” he wrote.Zuba said she would like to see that type of commitment to listen and learn in the upper echelons of the church.“All we ask is listen to us as a group and as individuals,” she said. “Open your hearts and try to understand.”

U.S. Catholic bishops: New guidelines to limit trans health care

MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans on Saturday to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus, a warning to the West as it steps up military support for Ukraine.

Putin said the move was triggered by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/depleted-uranium-ukraine-russia-tanks-a92a4784dfcbd1ff221813154b7f3a8e">Britain’s decision</a>&nbsp;this past week to provide Ukraine with armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium.

Tactical nuclear weapons are intended for use on the battlefield and have a short range and a low yield compared with much more powerful nuclear warheads fitted to long-range missiles. Russia plans to maintain control over those it sends to Belarus, and construction of storage facilities for them will be completed by July 1, Putin said.

He didn’t say how many nuclear weapons Russia would keep in Belarus. The U.S. government believes Russia has about 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons, which include bombs that can be carried by tactical aircraft, warheads for short-range missiles and artillery rounds.

Putin argued that by deploying its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Russia was following the lead of the United States, noting that the U.S. has nuclear weapons based in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey.

“We are doing what they have been doing for decades, stationing them in certain allied countries, preparing the launch platforms and training their crews,” Putin said, speaking in an interview on state television that aired Saturday night. “We are going to do the same thing.”

Russia has stored its tactical nuclear weapons at dedicated depots on its territory, and moving part of the arsenal to a storage facility in Belarus would up the ante in the Ukrainian conflict by placing them closer to the Russian aircraft and missiles already stationed there.

Some hawkish commentators in Russia long have urged the Kremlin to put the tactical nuclear weapons close to the weapons to send a signal to the West about the readiness to use them.

The U.S. said it would “monitor the implications” of Putin's announcement.

“We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture nor any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon,” National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said. "We remain committed to the collective defense of the NATO alliance.”

Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine had Soviet nuclear weapons stationed on their territory but handed them over to Russia after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.

Putin said Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has long asked to have nuclear weapons in his country again as a counter to NATO. Belarus shares borders with three NATO members — Latvia, Lithuania and Poland — and Russia used its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drones-hit-kyiv-2a8d03f70dc20eab9a8c150df8c04b37">territory as a staging ground</a>&nbsp;to send troops into neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.

Putin noted that Russia helped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drones-hit-kyiv-2a8d03f70dc20eab9a8c150df8c04b37">modernize Belarusian military aircraft</a>&nbsp;last year to make them capable of carrying nuclear warheads. He said 10 such planes were ready to go. He said nuclear weapons also could be launched by the Iskander short-range missiles that Russia provided to Belarus last year.

Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who is living in exile, said the agreement to transfer the tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus “underlines the threat to regional security” from Lukashenko's regime.

“Europe won’t be safe until Belarus dictator is removed &amp; brought before tribunal to face justice for crimes against our country &amp; Ukraine," Tsikhanouskaya wrote in English on Twitter.

Lukashenko’s support of the war has drawn international criticism and sanctions. But he has publicly stood by Russia, which has pumped billions of dollars into shoring up his Soviet-style, state-controlled economy with cheap energy and loans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663760963726.jpeg" alt="Russia has stored its tactical nuclear weapons at dedicated depots on its territory, and moving part of the arsenal to a storage facility in Belarus would up the ante in the Ukrainian&nbsp; photo -Russian Presidential Press Service via AP" />
 <figcaption>Russia has stored its tactical nuclear weapons at dedicated depots on its territory, and moving part of the arsenal to a storage facility in Belarus would up the ante in the Ukrainian&nbsp; photo -Russian Presidential Press Service via AP</figcaption>
 </figure>MOSCOW (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin announced plans on Saturday to station tactical nuclear weapons in neighboring Belarus, a warning to the West as it steps up military support for Ukraine.Putin said the move was triggered by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/depleted-uranium-ukraine-russia-tanks-a92a4784dfcbd1ff221813154b7f3a8e">Britain’s decision</a>&nbsp;this past week to provide Ukraine with armor-piercing rounds containing depleted uranium.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679781807563.png" alt="Putin didn’t say how many nuclear weapons Russia would keep in Belarus. The U.S. government believes Russia has about 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons, which include bombs that can be carried by tactical aircraft, warheads for short-range missiles and artillery rounds.-Google map" />
 <figcaption>Putin didn’t say how many nuclear weapons Russia would keep in Belarus. The U.S. government believes Russia has about 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons, which include bombs that can be carried by tactical aircraft, warheads for short-range missiles and artillery rounds.-Google map</figcaption>
 </figure>Tactical nuclear weapons are intended for use on the battlefield and have a short range and a low yield compared with much more powerful nuclear warheads fitted to long-range missiles. Russia plans to maintain control over those it sends to Belarus, and construction of storage facilities for them will be completed by July 1, Putin said.He didn’t say how many nuclear weapons Russia would keep in Belarus. The U.S. government believes Russia has about 2,000 tactical nuclear weapons, which include bombs that can be carried by tactical aircraft, warheads for short-range missiles and artillery rounds.Putin argued that by deploying its tactical nuclear weapons in Belarus, Russia was following the lead of the United States, noting that the U.S. has nuclear weapons based in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey.“We are doing what they have been doing for decades, stationing them in certain allied countries, preparing the launch platforms and training their crews,” Putin said, speaking in an interview on state television that aired Saturday night. “We are going to do the same thing.”Russia has stored its tactical nuclear weapons at dedicated depots on its territory, and moving part of the arsenal to a storage facility in Belarus would up the ante in the Ukrainian conflict by placing them closer to the Russian aircraft and missiles already stationed there.Some hawkish commentators in Russia long have urged the Kremlin to put the tactical nuclear weapons close to the weapons to send a signal to the West about the readiness to use them.The U.S. said it would “monitor the implications” of Putin's announcement.“We have not seen any reason to adjust our own strategic nuclear posture nor any indications Russia is preparing to use a nuclear weapon,” National Security Council spokesperson Adrienne Watson said. "We remain committed to the collective defense of the NATO alliance.”Belarus, Kazakhstan and Ukraine had Soviet nuclear weapons stationed on their territory but handed them over to Russia after the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union.Putin said Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has long asked to have nuclear weapons in his country again as a counter to NATO. Belarus shares borders with three NATO members — Latvia, Lithuania and Poland — and Russia used its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drones-hit-kyiv-2a8d03f70dc20eab9a8c150df8c04b37">territory as a staging ground</a>&nbsp;to send troops into neighboring Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022.Putin noted that Russia helped&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-drones-hit-kyiv-2a8d03f70dc20eab9a8c150df8c04b37">modernize Belarusian military aircraft</a>&nbsp;last year to make them capable of carrying nuclear warheads. He said 10 such planes were ready to go. He said nuclear weapons also could be launched by the Iskander short-range missiles that Russia provided to Belarus last year.Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, who is living in exile, said the agreement to transfer the tactical nuclear weapons to Belarus “underlines the threat to regional security” from Lukashenko's regime.“Europe won’t be safe until Belarus dictator is removed &amp; brought before tribunal to face justice for crimes against our country &amp; Ukraine," Tsikhanouskaya wrote in English on Twitter.Lukashenko’s support of the war has drawn international criticism and sanctions. But he has publicly stood by Russia, which has pumped billions of dollars into shoring up his Soviet-style, state-controlled economy with cheap energy and loans.Putin had initially objected to the depleted uranium rounds that Britain promised to ship to Ukraine by making the false claim that they have nuclear components.He subsequently toned down his language, but insisted Saturday that the ammunition posed an additional danger to both troops and civilians in Ukraine by leaving a radioactive trace and contaminating agricultural land.“Those weapons are harmful not just for combatants, but also for the people living in those territories and for the environment,” he said.Putin added that Russia has vast stockpiles of similar ammunition but so far has refrained from using it.Depleted uranium is a byproduct of the uranium enrichment process needed to create nuclear weapons. The rounds can't generate a nuclear reaction but they do emit low levels of radiation. The U.N. nuclear watchdog has warned of the possible dangers of exposure.Such rounds were developed by the U.S. during the Cold War to destroy Soviet tanks, including the same T-72 tanks that Ukraine now faces in its push to break through a stalemate in the east.--------------