OMAHA, NE — The Platte Institute today announced the release of a new tax policy study titled "<a href="https://platteinstitute.org/nebraskas-path-to-the-top-ten-four-more-years-of-tax-reform/" target="_blank">Nebraska’s Path to the Top Ten; Four More Years of Tax Reform</a><a href="https://platteinstitute.org/nebraskas-path-to-the-top-ten-four-more-years-of-tax-reform/" target="_blank">.</a>" This comprehensive study outlines a forward-looking approach for continuing Nebraska's trajectory towards a more competitive tax environment after the significant tax cuts implemented over the last two years.&nbsp;

Building on the momentum of recent reforms, the study advocates for a four-year plan of thoughtful, pro-growth tax policies, aimed at modernizing Nebraska's tax code while allowing the 2022-2023 reforms to phase in effectively. "This study sets the stage for another leap in Nebraska's journey towards excellence," stated&nbsp;Jim Vokal, Chief Executive Officer of the Platte Institute. "We are focused&nbsp;on sustaining the progress we've made and ensuring long-term benefits for every Nebraskan."&nbsp;

The Platte Institute's study highlights the achievements of Nebraska's tax transformation over the last two years, including significant cuts in individual and corporate income taxes and substantial property tax relief. Looking ahead, the study&nbsp;emphasizes the need for continued fiscal restraint, additional&nbsp;property tax reforms,&nbsp;repealing the inheritance tax,&nbsp;and a range of innovative measures like the introduction of a two-tier property tax cap and safe harbor provisions to attract remote workers&nbsp;to Nebraska.&nbsp;

"Nebraska has made commendable strides, but there's more work to be done," Vokal added. "Our recommendations are designed to maintain Nebraska’s competitive edge, encourage investment, and provide tangible benefits to our citizens."&nbsp;

The study also calculates that if these recommended reforms, along with the 2022 and 2023 changes, were fully implemented&nbsp;today,&nbsp;Nebraska's ranking in the Tax Foundation’s State Business Tax Climate Index would be #8 rather than #30 nationally. While these rankings will certainly change in coming years, Nebraska now has a pathway to a top-10 tax code. &nbsp;

For more information on the study or to schedule an interview, please contact Ryan Kopsa at (402) 366-4432 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rkopsa@platteinstitute.org" target="_blank">rkopsa@platteinstitute.org</a>.&nbsp;

The Platte Institute is committed to advancing policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. Visit PlatteInstitute.org to access the&nbsp;<a href="https://platteinstitute.org/nebraskas-path-to-the-top-ten-four-more-years-of-tax-reform/" target="_blank">full study</a>&nbsp;and for more information on our initiatives.&nbsp;

Platte InstituteOMAHA, NE — The Platte Institute today announced the release of a new tax policy study titled "<a href="https://platteinstitute.org/nebraskas-path-to-the-top-ten-four-more-years-of-tax-reform/" target="_blank">Nebraska’s Path to the Top Ten; Four More Years of Tax Reform</a><a href="https://platteinstitute.org/nebraskas-path-to-the-top-ten-four-more-years-of-tax-reform/" target="_blank">.</a>" This comprehensive study outlines a forward-looking approach for continuing Nebraska's trajectory towards a more competitive tax environment after the significant tax cuts implemented over the last two years.&nbsp;Building on the momentum of recent reforms, the study advocates for a four-year plan of thoughtful, pro-growth tax policies, aimed at modernizing Nebraska's tax code while allowing the 2022-2023 reforms to phase in effectively. "This study sets the stage for another leap in Nebraska's journey towards excellence," stated&nbsp;Jim Vokal, Chief Executive Officer of the Platte Institute. "We are focused&nbsp;on sustaining the progress we've made and ensuring long-term benefits for every Nebraskan."&nbsp;The Platte Institute's study highlights the achievements of Nebraska's tax transformation over the last two years, including significant cuts in individual and corporate income taxes and substantial property tax relief. Looking ahead, the study&nbsp;emphasizes the need for continued fiscal restraint, additional&nbsp;property tax reforms,&nbsp;repealing the inheritance tax,&nbsp;and a range of innovative measures like the introduction of a two-tier property tax cap and safe harbor provisions to attract remote workers&nbsp;to Nebraska.&nbsp;"Nebraska has made commendable strides, but there's more work to be done," Vokal added. "Our recommendations are designed to maintain Nebraska’s competitive edge, encourage investment, and provide tangible benefits to our citizens."&nbsp;The study also calculates that if these recommended reforms, along with the 2022 and 2023 changes, were fully implemented&nbsp;today,&nbsp;Nebraska's ranking in the Tax Foundation’s State Business Tax Climate Index would be #8 rather than #30 nationally. While these rankings will certainly change in coming years, Nebraska now has a pathway to a top-10 tax code. &nbsp;For more information on the study or to schedule an interview, please contact Ryan Kopsa at (402) 366-4432 or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:rkopsa@platteinstitute.org" target="_blank">rkopsa@platteinstitute.org</a>.&nbsp;The Platte Institute is committed to advancing policies that remove barriers to growth and opportunity in Nebraska. Visit PlatteInstitute.org to access the&nbsp;<a href="https://platteinstitute.org/nebraskas-path-to-the-top-ten-four-more-years-of-tax-reform/" target="_blank">full study</a>&nbsp;and for more information on our initiatives.&nbsp;

Platte Institute Unveils New Tax Policy Study, Shows Potential to Move Nebraska from #30 to top 10 for Tax Climate 

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/warning-issued-after-highly-contagious-avian-flu-detected-in-flock-in-nebraska-flu-caused-spike-in-egg-prices-in-2022/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — State officials are urging vigilance after a strain of deadly avian flu was discovered in a small backyard flock in Colfax County.

The warning from the Nebraska Department of Agriculture comes amid several confirmed cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the nearby states of Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota.

The deadly flu forced the slaughter of nearly 58 million birds last year,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-ohio-egg-farm-usda-d873383dd0927f8ebbdd850a6eebb9a5">according to the Associated Press</a>, though the death toll has been much smaller this year.

The loss of laying hens caused a spike in egg prices, which more than doubled in 2022.

“Poultry producers need to continue to be vigilant in protecting their flocks,” said State Veterinarian Dr. Roger Dudley in a press release.

He urged good biosecurity measures to help prevent the spread of the disease.

Avian flu spreads easily among birds, according to the Ag Department, through nasal and eye secretions, as well as manure. Wild birds, through contact with infected poultry, can spread the virus to domestic flocks, but it can also spread via equipment, and clothing and shoes of caretakers.

Wild birds can carry the virus without becoming sick, the department said. while domesticated birds can become very sick and die. HPAI can survive for weeks in contaminated environments.

Poultry producers can get more information at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nda.nebraska.gov/animal/avian/index.html">https://nda.nebraska.gov/animal/avian/index.html</a>&nbsp;which includes an updated map of HPAI cases in Nebraska.

Signs of HPAI or unusual deaths should be reported to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at 402-471-2351 or the USDA at 866-536-7593.

Paul Hammel<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/warning-issued-after-highly-contagious-avian-flu-detected-in-flock-in-nebraska-flu-caused-spike-in-egg-prices-in-2022/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — State officials are urging vigilance after a strain of deadly avian flu was discovered in a small backyard flock in Colfax County.The warning from the Nebraska Department of Agriculture comes amid several confirmed cases of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) in the nearby states of Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota.The deadly flu forced the slaughter of nearly 58 million birds last year,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://apnews.com/article/bird-flu-ohio-egg-farm-usda-d873383dd0927f8ebbdd850a6eebb9a5">according to the Associated Press</a>, though the death toll has been much smaller this year.The loss of laying hens caused a spike in egg prices, which more than doubled in 2022.“Poultry producers need to continue to be vigilant in protecting their flocks,” said State Veterinarian Dr. Roger Dudley in a press release.He urged good biosecurity measures to help prevent the spread of the disease.Avian flu spreads easily among birds, according to the Ag Department, through nasal and eye secretions, as well as manure. Wild birds, through contact with infected poultry, can spread the virus to domestic flocks, but it can also spread via equipment, and clothing and shoes of caretakers.Wild birds can carry the virus without becoming sick, the department said. while domesticated birds can become very sick and die. HPAI can survive for weeks in contaminated environments.Poultry producers can get more information at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nda.nebraska.gov/animal/avian/index.html">https://nda.nebraska.gov/animal/avian/index.html</a>&nbsp;which includes an updated map of HPAI cases in Nebraska.Signs of HPAI or unusual deaths should be reported to the Nebraska Department of Agriculture at 402-471-2351 or the USDA at 866-536-7593.

Warning issued after highly contagious avian flu detected in flock in Nebraska; flu caused spike in egg prices in 2022

LINCOLN – The University of Nebraska Board of Regents will consider a proposal at its meeting on Friday (Dec. 1) to name the Rural Health Education Complex at the University of Nebraska at Kearney in honor of Chancellor Douglas Kristensen.

Subject to regents approval, the complex on UNK’s west campus will be named the Douglas A. Kristensen Rural Health Education Complex. The complex includes an existing building, which was completed in 2015, and the Rural Health Education Building currently under construction. The complex is the result of a highly successful partnership between UNK and the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

University of Nebraska System President Ted Carter and UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey Gold recommended the complex be named for Kristensen following the wishes of the project’s lead philanthropic supporter.

The William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation is serving as the lead donor to the project.

Kristensen has served as UNK’s chancellor since July 1, 2002. He has been instrumental in bringing UNMC programs to the UNK campus, garnering support for the initial UNMC construction and ongoing expansion.

The agenda item states: “Chancellor Kristensen has been an ardent champion for Greater Nebraska – especially the health sciences workforce needed to keep communities across our state vibrant.”

In the existing Health Science Education Complex, students pursue degrees in professional programs such as cardiovascular interventional technology, diagnostic medical sonography, magnetic resonance imaging, medical laboratory science, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant and radiography.

The Rural Health Education Building, the result of a public-private partnership, is targeted for completion in late 2025 with occupancy in early 2026. The $95 million project will allow UNMC to expand the presence of its allied health and nursing programs in Kearney while launching new programs to train physicians, pharmacists and public health professionals on the UNK campus.

The Board of Regents will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Friday at Varner Hall, 3835 Holdrege St. in Lincoln. The meeting is open to the public and will also be livestreamed at&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.edu/">www.nebraska.edu</a>. A detailed agenda for the meeting is available&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.edu/news-and-events/events/2023/12/board-of-regents-meeting-december-1">here</a>.

Todd GottulaUNK CommunicationsLINCOLN – The University of Nebraska Board of Regents will consider a proposal at its meeting on Friday (Dec. 1) to name the Rural Health Education Complex at the University of Nebraska at Kearney in honor of Chancellor Douglas Kristensen.Subject to regents approval, the complex on UNK’s west campus will be named the Douglas A. Kristensen Rural Health Education Complex. The complex includes an existing building, which was completed in 2015, and the Rural Health Education Building currently under construction. The complex is the result of a highly successful partnership between UNK and the University of Nebraska Medical Center.University of Nebraska System President Ted Carter and UNMC Chancellor Jeffrey Gold recommended the complex be named for Kristensen following the wishes of the project’s lead philanthropic supporter.The William and Ruth Scott Family Foundation is serving as the lead donor to the project.Kristensen has served as UNK’s chancellor since July 1, 2002. He has been instrumental in bringing UNMC programs to the UNK campus, garnering support for the initial UNMC construction and ongoing expansion.The agenda item states: “Chancellor Kristensen has been an ardent champion for Greater Nebraska – especially the health sciences workforce needed to keep communities across our state vibrant.”In the existing Health Science Education Complex, students pursue degrees in professional programs such as cardiovascular interventional technology, diagnostic medical sonography, magnetic resonance imaging, medical laboratory science, nursing, occupational therapy, physical therapy, physician assistant and radiography.The Rural Health Education Building, the result of a public-private partnership, is targeted for completion in late 2025 with occupancy in early 2026. The $95 million project will allow UNMC to expand the presence of its allied health and nursing programs in Kearney while launching new programs to train physicians, pharmacists and public health professionals on the UNK campus.The Board of Regents will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Friday at Varner Hall, 3835 Holdrege St. in Lincoln. The meeting is open to the public and will also be livestreamed at&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.edu/">www.nebraska.edu</a>. A detailed agenda for the meeting is available&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraska.edu/news-and-events/events/2023/12/board-of-regents-meeting-december-1">here</a>.

NU Board of Regents to consider naming rural health complex after UNK Chancellor Doug Kristensen

NEW YORK (AP) — Have a Google account you haven’t used in a while? If you want to keep it from disappearing, you should sign in immediately.

Under Google’s updated inactive-account policy, which the tech giant announced back in May, accounts that haven’t been used in at least two years could be deleted. Accounts deemed inactive will be erased in a phased-approach beginning Friday.

If you have an account that’s at risk for deletion, you should receive multiple notices from Google sent to the email affiliated with that account and its recovery address (if one exits). But if you’re still catching up on this new policy — and want to ensure that your content on Google Drive, Docs, Gmail and more is saved — here’s what you need to know.

WHY IS GOOGLE DELETING INACTIVE ACCOUNTS?

In May’s&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.google/technology/safety-security/updating-our-inactive-account-policies/" target="_blank">announcement</a>, Google attributed its inactive-account update to security issues.

Accounts that haven’t been used for a long time are more likely to be compromised, the company said, noting that “forgotten or unattended accounts” typically have old passwords, often lack two-factor authentication and receive fewer security checks. As a result, these accounts could be hijacked and used for spam or other malicious content, as well as identity theft.

HOW CAN I PREVENT MY ACCOUNT FROM BEING DELETED?

The easiest way to keep your Google account active (and thus prevent it from being deleted) is to sign in at least once every two years.

Other actions that fulfill account activity requirements include sending or scrolling through emails, using Google search and watching YouTube videos (YouTube is owned by Google) all while signed into your Google account. Existing subscriptions set up through your Google account, including profiles for third-party apps and publications, can also account for activity.

Preserving content on Google Photos requires a specific sign-in. As&nbsp;<a href="https://support.google.com/photos/answer/10100180" target="_blank">previously announced</a>&nbsp;by Google, Photos content may be similarly deleted after two years of inactivity — meaning you should open the application every so often to keep images from going into the trash.

Only personal Google accounts that haven’t been used for two years or more will be impacted under this inactive-account update. Accounts made for organizations, like schools or companies, will not be affected, Google says.

Per Google’s&nbsp;<a href="https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/12418290?hl=en#zippy=" target="_blank">online policy</a>, other exceptions include Google accounts that manage active minor accounts, accounts containing a gift card balance as well as those that have been used to purchase Google products, apps or subscriptions that are ongoing.

There are also no plans to delete accounts with YouTube videos at this time, a Google spokesperson confirmed to The Associated Press Monday.

Beyond keeping your Google account active, there’s a few tools to help manage and backup your data.

<a href="https://takeout.google.com/?pli=1" target="_blank">Google Takeout</a>, for example, allows users to download and export account data outside of Google at any time. And its&nbsp;<a href="https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3036546?hl=en" target="_blank">Inactive Account Manager</a>&nbsp;lets you choose what would happen to your account and data if it becomes inactive — including options to send select files to trusted contacts or delete the account entirely. Google’s&nbsp;<a href="https://support.google.com/accounts/troubleshooter/6357590?hl=en" target="_blank">online policy</a>&nbsp;also says the company can work with immediate family to close the account of a deceased loved one and/or provide some account content — without sharing login credentials — on a case-by-case basis.

Google asks users to provide and update a recovery email for their account — which is also helpful for sending inactive account notices and other communications.

NEW YORK (AP) — Have a Google account you haven’t used in a while? If you want to keep it from disappearing, you should sign in immediately.Under Google’s updated inactive-account policy, which the tech giant announced back in May, accounts that haven’t been used in at least two years could be deleted. Accounts deemed inactive will be erased in a phased-approach beginning Friday.If you have an account that’s at risk for deletion, you should receive multiple notices from Google sent to the email affiliated with that account and its recovery address (if one exits). But if you’re still catching up on this new policy — and want to ensure that your content on Google Drive, Docs, Gmail and more is saved — here’s what you need to know.<h2>WHY IS GOOGLE DELETING INACTIVE ACCOUNTS?</h2>In May’s&nbsp;<a href="https://blog.google/technology/safety-security/updating-our-inactive-account-policies/" target="_blank">announcement</a>, Google attributed its inactive-account update to security issues.Accounts that haven’t been used for a long time are more likely to be compromised, the company said, noting that “forgotten or unattended accounts” typically have old passwords, often lack two-factor authentication and receive fewer security checks. As a result, these accounts could be hijacked and used for spam or other malicious content, as well as identity theft.<h2>HOW CAN I PREVENT MY ACCOUNT FROM BEING DELETED?</h2>The easiest way to keep your Google account active (and thus prevent it from being deleted) is to sign in at least once every two years.Other actions that fulfill account activity requirements include sending or scrolling through emails, using Google search and watching YouTube videos (YouTube is owned by Google) all while signed into your Google account. Existing subscriptions set up through your Google account, including profiles for third-party apps and publications, can also account for activity.Preserving content on Google Photos requires a specific sign-in. As&nbsp;<a href="https://support.google.com/photos/answer/10100180" target="_blank">previously announced</a>&nbsp;by Google, Photos content may be similarly deleted after two years of inactivity — meaning you should open the application every so often to keep images from going into the trash.<h2>ARE THERE ANY EXCEPTIONS TO THIS POLICY?</h2>Only personal Google accounts that haven’t been used for two years or more will be impacted under this inactive-account update. Accounts made for organizations, like schools or companies, will not be affected, Google says.Per Google’s&nbsp;<a href="https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/12418290?hl=en#zippy=" target="_blank">online policy</a>, other exceptions include Google accounts that manage active minor accounts, accounts containing a gift card balance as well as those that have been used to purchase Google products, apps or subscriptions that are ongoing.There are also no plans to delete accounts with YouTube videos at this time, a Google spokesperson confirmed to The Associated Press Monday.<h2>CAN I SAVE DATA FROM MY GOOGLE ACCOUNT?</h2>Beyond keeping your Google account active, there’s a few tools to help manage and backup your data.<a href="https://takeout.google.com/?pli=1" target="_blank">Google Takeout</a>, for example, allows users to download and export account data outside of Google at any time. And its&nbsp;<a href="https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/3036546?hl=en" target="_blank">Inactive Account Manager</a>&nbsp;lets you choose what would happen to your account and data if it becomes inactive — including options to send select files to trusted contacts or delete the account entirely. Google’s&nbsp;<a href="https://support.google.com/accounts/troubleshooter/6357590?hl=en" target="_blank">online policy</a>&nbsp;also says the company can work with immediate family to close the account of a deceased loved one and/or provide some account content — without sharing login credentials — on a case-by-case basis.Google asks users to provide and update a recovery email for their account — which is also helpful for sending inactive account notices and other communications.

Google to begin deleting ‘inactive’ accounts starting Friday

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. Navy warship sailing near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait shot down a drone launched from Yemen on Wednesday, the U.S. military said, in the latest in a string of threats from Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.

U.S. Central Command said the USS Carney, a Navy destroyer, downed the drone — an Iranian-made KAS-04 — which was launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen and was heading toward the warship.

The ship was operating in the the southern Red Sea and was moving toward the strait. At the time of the morning shootdown, the Carney was escorting the USNS Supply, a Military Sealift Command fast combat supply ship, as well as another U.S. flagged and crewed ship carrying military equipment to the region. There were no injuries to U.S. personnel and no damage to the ships, the command said in a statement.

The shootdown came a day after a Iranian drone flew within 1,500 yards (1,370 meters) of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier as it was conducting flight operations in international waters.

Navy Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, said that drone “violated safety precautions” by not staying more than 10 nautical miles (18.5 kilometers) from the ship. The drone ignored multiple warnings but eventually turned away.

“This unsafe, unprofessional, and irresponsible behavior by Iran risks U.S. and partner nation lives and needs to cease immediately,” Cooper said.

Iranian state television earlier aired footage from the drone that trailed the carrier, which included data suggesting it filmed the vessel in the Persian Gulf’s narrow mouth, the Strait of Hormuz, this weekend.

Aircraft can be seen on the Eisenhower’s deck in the footage. Iranian drone surveillance has become common when American aircraft carriers enter the Gulf.

Earlier this month, another Navy destroyer, the USS Thomas Hudner,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-yemen-houthi-drone-red-sea-3f7cc856f608d0e963e82effbac328f6" target="_blank">shot down a drone</a>&nbsp;that was heading toward the ship as it sailed in the southern Red Sea. It also was near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and it shot down the drone over the water.

The Red Sea, stretching from Egypt’s Suez Canal to the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait separating the Arabian Peninsula from Africa, is a key trade route for global shipping and energy supplies. The U.S. Navy has stationed multiple ships in the sea since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, which has heightened tensions in the region.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A U.S. Navy warship sailing near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait shot down a drone launched from Yemen on Wednesday, the U.S. military said, in the latest in a string of threats from Iranian-backed Houthi rebels.U.S. Central Command said the USS Carney, a Navy destroyer, downed the drone — an Iranian-made KAS-04 — which was launched from a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen and was heading toward the warship.The ship was operating in the the southern Red Sea and was moving toward the strait. At the time of the morning shootdown, the Carney was escorting the USNS Supply, a Military Sealift Command fast combat supply ship, as well as another U.S. flagged and crewed ship carrying military equipment to the region. There were no injuries to U.S. personnel and no damage to the ships, the command said in a statement.The shootdown came a day after a Iranian drone flew within 1,500 yards (1,370 meters) of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier as it was conducting flight operations in international waters.Navy Vice Adm. Brad Cooper, commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command, said that drone “violated safety precautions” by not staying more than 10 nautical miles (18.5 kilometers) from the ship. The drone ignored multiple warnings but eventually turned away.“This unsafe, unprofessional, and irresponsible behavior by Iran risks U.S. and partner nation lives and needs to cease immediately,” Cooper said.Iranian state television earlier aired footage from the drone that trailed the carrier, which included data suggesting it filmed the vessel in the Persian Gulf’s narrow mouth, the Strait of Hormuz, this weekend.Aircraft can be seen on the Eisenhower’s deck in the footage. Iranian drone surveillance has become common when American aircraft carriers enter the Gulf.Earlier this month, another Navy destroyer, the USS Thomas Hudner,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-yemen-houthi-drone-red-sea-3f7cc856f608d0e963e82effbac328f6" target="_blank">shot down a drone</a>&nbsp;that was heading toward the ship as it sailed in the southern Red Sea. It also was near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait and it shot down the drone over the water.The Red Sea, stretching from Egypt’s Suez Canal to the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait separating the Arabian Peninsula from Africa, is a key trade route for global shipping and energy supplies. The U.S. Navy has stationed multiple ships in the sea since the start of the Israel-Hamas war on Oct. 7, which has heightened tensions in the region.<h2>___</h2>

US warship in Red Sea shoots down Iranian-produced drone

NEW YORK (AP) —Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, the diplomat with the thick glasses and gravelly voice who dominated foreign policy as the United States extricated itself from Vietnam and broke down barriers with China, died Wednesday, his consulting firm said. He was 100.

With his gruff yet commanding presence and behind-the-scenes manipulation of power, Kissinger exerted uncommon influence on global affairs under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, earning both vilification and the Nobel Peace Prize. Decades later, his name still provoked impassioned debate over foreign policy landmarks long past.

Kissinger’s power grew during the turmoil of Watergate, when the politically attuned diplomat assumed a role akin to co-president to the weakened Nixon.

“No doubt my vanity was piqued,” Kissinger later wrote of his expanding influence. “But the dominant emotion was a premonition of catastrophe.”

A Jew who fled Nazi Germany with his family in his teens, Kissinger in his later years cultivated the reputation of respected statesman, giving speeches, offering advice to Republicans and Democrats alike and managing a global consulting business. He turned up in President Donald Trump’s White House on multiple occasions. But Nixon-era documents and tapes, as they trickled out over the years, brought revelations — many in Kissinger’s own words — that sometimes cast him in a harsh light.

Never without his detractors, Kissinger after he left government was dogged by critics who argued that he should be called to account for his policies on Southeast Asia and support of repressive regimes in Latin America.

For eight restless years — first as national security adviser, later as secretary of state, and for a time in the middle holding both titles — Kissinger ranged across the breadth of major foreign policy issues. He conducted the first “shuttle diplomacy” in the quest for Middle East peace. He used secret channels to pursue ties between the United States and China, ending decades of isolation and mutual hostility.

He initiated the Paris negotiations that ultimately provided a face-saving means — a “decent interval,” he called it — to get the United States out of a costly war in Vietnam. Two years later, Saigon fell to the communists.

And he pursued a policy of detente with the Soviet Union that led to arms control agreements and raised the possibility that the tensions of the Cold War and its nuclear threat did not have to last forever.

At age 99, he was still out on tour for his book on leadership. Asked in July 2022 interview with ABC whether he wished he could take back any of his decisions, Kissinger demurred, saying: “I’ve been thinking about these problems all my life. It’s my hobby as well as my occupation. And so the recommendations I made were the best of which I was then capable.”

Even then, he had mixed thoughts on Nixon’s record, saying “his foreign policy has held up and he was quite effective in domestic policy” while allowing that the disgraced president had “permitted himself to be involved in a number of steps that were inappropriate for a president.”

As Kissinger turned 100 in May 2023, his son David wrote in The Washington Post that his father’s centenary “might have an air of inevitability for anyone familiar with his force of character and love of historical symbolism. Not only has he outlived most of his peers, eminent detractors and students, but he has also remained indefatigably active throughout his 90s.”

Asked during a CBS interview in the leadup to his 100th birthday about those who view his conduct of foreign policy over the years as a kind of “criminality,” Kissinger was nothing but dismissive.

“That’s a reflection of their ignorance,” Kissinger said. “It wasn’t conceived that way. It wasn’t conducted that way.”

Kissinger was a practitioner of realpolitik — using diplomacy to achieve practical objectives rather than advance lofty ideals. Supporters said his pragmatic bent served U.S. interests; critics saw a Machiavellian approach that ran counter to democratic ideals.

He was castigated for authorizing telephone wiretaps of reporters and his own National Security Council staff to plug news leaks in Nixon’s White House. He was denounced on college campuses for the bombing and allied invasion of Cambodia in April 1970, intended to destroy North Vietnamese supply lines to communist forces in South Vietnam.

That “incursion,” as Nixon and Kissinger called it, was blamed by some for contributing to Cambodia’s fall into the hands of Khmer Rouge insurgents who later slaughtered some 2 million Cambodians.

Kissinger, for his part, made it his mission to debunk what he referred to in 2007 as a “prevalent myth” — that he and Nixon had settled in 1972 for peace terms that had been available in 1969 and thus had needlessly prolonged the Vietnam War at the cost of tens of thousands of American lives.

He insisted that the only way to speed up the withdrawal would have been to agree to Hanoi’s demands that the U.S. overthrow the South Vietnamese government and replace it with communist-dominated leadership.

Pudgy and messy, Kissinger incongruously acquired a reputation as a ladies’ man in the staid Nixon administration. Kissinger, who had divorced his first wife in 1964, called women “a diversion, a hobby.” Jill St. John was a frequent companion. But it turned out his real love interest was Nancy Maginnes, a researcher for Nelson Rockefeller whom he married in 1974.

In a 1972 poll of Playboy Club Bunnies, the man dubbed “Super-K” by Newsweek finished first as “the man I would most like to go out on a date with.”

Kissinger’s explanation: “Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.”

Yet Kissinger was reviled by many Americans for his conduct of wartime diplomacy. He was still a lightning rod decades later: In 2015, an appearance by the 91-year-old Kissinger before the Senate Armed Services Committee was disrupted by protesters demanding his arrest for war crimes and calling out his actions in Southeast Asia, Chile and beyond.

Heinz Alfred Kissinger was born in the Bavarian city of Fuerth on May 27, 1923, the son of a schoolteacher. His family left Nazi Germany in 1938 and settled in Manhattan, where Heinz changed his name to Henry.

Kissinger had two children, Elizabeth and David, from his first marriage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701312233277.png" alt="For eight restless years — first as national security adviser, later as secretary of state, and for a time in the middle holding both titles — Kissinger ranged across the breadth of major foreign policy issues-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>For eight restless years — first as national security adviser, later as secretary of state, and for a time in the middle holding both titles — Kissinger ranged across the breadth of major foreign policy issues-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, the diplomat with the thick glasses and gravelly voice who dominated foreign policy as the United States extricated itself from Vietnam and broke down barriers with China, died Wednesday, his consulting firm said. He was 100.With his gruff yet commanding presence and behind-the-scenes manipulation of power, Kissinger exerted uncommon influence on global affairs under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, earning both vilification and the Nobel Peace Prize. Decades later, his name still provoked impassioned debate over foreign policy landmarks long past.Kissinger’s power grew during the turmoil of Watergate, when the politically attuned diplomat assumed a role akin to co-president to the weakened Nixon.“No doubt my vanity was piqued,” Kissinger later wrote of his expanding influence. “But the dominant emotion was a premonition of catastrophe.”A Jew who fled Nazi Germany with his family in his teens, Kissinger in his later years cultivated the reputation of respected statesman, giving speeches, offering advice to Republicans and Democrats alike and managing a global consulting business. He turned up in President Donald Trump’s White House on multiple occasions. But Nixon-era documents and tapes, as they trickled out over the years, brought revelations — many in Kissinger’s own words — that sometimes cast him in a harsh light.Never without his detractors, Kissinger after he left government was dogged by critics who argued that he should be called to account for his policies on Southeast Asia and support of repressive regimes in Latin America.For eight restless years — first as national security adviser, later as secretary of state, and for a time in the middle holding both titles — Kissinger ranged across the breadth of major foreign policy issues. He conducted the first “shuttle diplomacy” in the quest for Middle East peace. He used secret channels to pursue ties between the United States and China, ending decades of isolation and mutual hostility.He initiated the Paris negotiations that ultimately provided a face-saving means — a “decent interval,” he called it — to get the United States out of a costly war in Vietnam. Two years later, Saigon fell to the communists.And he pursued a policy of detente with the Soviet Union that led to arms control agreements and raised the possibility that the tensions of the Cold War and its nuclear threat did not have to last forever.At age 99, he was still out on tour for his book on leadership. Asked in July 2022 interview with ABC whether he wished he could take back any of his decisions, Kissinger demurred, saying: “I’ve been thinking about these problems all my life. It’s my hobby as well as my occupation. And so the recommendations I made were the best of which I was then capable.”Even then, he had mixed thoughts on Nixon’s record, saying “his foreign policy has held up and he was quite effective in domestic policy” while allowing that the disgraced president had “permitted himself to be involved in a number of steps that were inappropriate for a president.”As Kissinger turned 100 in May 2023, his son David wrote in The Washington Post that his father’s centenary “might have an air of inevitability for anyone familiar with his force of character and love of historical symbolism. Not only has he outlived most of his peers, eminent detractors and students, but he has also remained indefatigably active throughout his 90s.”Asked during a CBS interview in the leadup to his 100th birthday about those who view his conduct of foreign policy over the years as a kind of “criminality,” Kissinger was nothing but dismissive.“That’s a reflection of their ignorance,” Kissinger said. “It wasn’t conceived that way. It wasn’t conducted that way.”Kissinger was a practitioner of realpolitik — using diplomacy to achieve practical objectives rather than advance lofty ideals. Supporters said his pragmatic bent served U.S. interests; critics saw a Machiavellian approach that ran counter to democratic ideals.He was castigated for authorizing telephone wiretaps of reporters and his own National Security Council staff to plug news leaks in Nixon’s White House. He was denounced on college campuses for the bombing and allied invasion of Cambodia in April 1970, intended to destroy North Vietnamese supply lines to communist forces in South Vietnam.That “incursion,” as Nixon and Kissinger called it, was blamed by some for contributing to Cambodia’s fall into the hands of Khmer Rouge insurgents who later slaughtered some 2 million Cambodians.Kissinger, for his part, made it his mission to debunk what he referred to in 2007 as a “prevalent myth” — that he and Nixon had settled in 1972 for peace terms that had been available in 1969 and thus had needlessly prolonged the Vietnam War at the cost of tens of thousands of American lives.He insisted that the only way to speed up the withdrawal would have been to agree to Hanoi’s demands that the U.S. overthrow the South Vietnamese government and replace it with communist-dominated leadership.Pudgy and messy, Kissinger incongruously acquired a reputation as a ladies’ man in the staid Nixon administration. Kissinger, who had divorced his first wife in 1964, called women “a diversion, a hobby.” Jill St. John was a frequent companion. But it turned out his real love interest was Nancy Maginnes, a researcher for Nelson Rockefeller whom he married in 1974.In a 1972 poll of Playboy Club Bunnies, the man dubbed “Super-K” by Newsweek finished first as “the man I would most like to go out on a date with.”Kissinger’s explanation: “Power is the ultimate aphrodisiac.”Yet Kissinger was reviled by many Americans for his conduct of wartime diplomacy. He was still a lightning rod decades later: In 2015, an appearance by the 91-year-old Kissinger before the Senate Armed Services Committee was disrupted by protesters demanding his arrest for war crimes and calling out his actions in Southeast Asia, Chile and beyond.Heinz Alfred Kissinger was born in the Bavarian city of Fuerth on May 27, 1923, the son of a schoolteacher. His family left Nazi Germany in 1938 and settled in Manhattan, where Heinz changed his name to Henry.Kissinger had two children, Elizabeth and David, from his first marriage.

Henry Kissinger, American diplomat, Nobel winner, dead at 100

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Daryl Hall has accused his longtime music partner John Oates of committing the “ultimate partnership betrayal” by planning to sell his share of the Hall &amp; Oates duo's joint venture without the other's permission, Hall said in a court declaration supporting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hall-oates-lawsuit-42fb0a9ec7252414d4d1b2a592b021d9">his lawsuit to keep the transaction paused</a>.

In the declaration filed Wednesday in a Nashville chancery court, Hall also lamented the deterioration of his relationship with and trust in his musical partner of more than a half-century. The joint venture in question includes Hall &amp; Oates trademarks, personal name and likeness rights, record royalty income and website and social media assets, the declaration states.

A judge has issued a temporarily restraining order blocking the sale of Oates' share of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-business-music-arts-and-entertainment-7415d6f92abc4c788339e88671c76dcc">Whole Oats Enterprises LLP</a>&nbsp;to Primary Wave IP Investment Management LLC while legal proceedings and a previously initiated arbitration continue.

A court hearing is scheduled Thursday in the case. Hall is seeking further court action to keep the transaction on hold.

“While falsely contending over the last several months that the Oates Trust wanted to maintain ownership in WOE, John Oates and the Co-Trustees engaged in the ultimate partnership betrayal," Hall said in a declaration. "They surreptitiously sought to sell half of the WOE assets without obtaining my written approval.”

Derek Crownover, an attorney representing Oates, has previously said the musician's "team will work toward a resolution that makes sense for all involved, but for now we plan to let the facts, law and courts play this one out.”

He said Wednesday that the legal team will file a declaration by Oates soon as well.

A Nashville chancery court judge issued the temporary restraining order on Nov. 16, the same day Hall filed his lawsuit, writing that Oates and others involved in his trust can’t move to close the sale of their share until an arbitrator in a separately filed case weighs in on the deal, or until the judge’s order expires — typically within 15 days, unless a judge extends the deadline. Hall's declaration was initially filed in the arbitration case.

The lawsuit contends that Hall opened an arbitration process on Nov. 9 against Oates and the other defendants in the lawsuit, Oates’ wife, Aimee Oates, and Richard Flynn, in their roles as co-trustees of Oates’ trust. Hall was seeking an order preventing them from selling their part in Whole Oats Enterprises to Primary Wave Music.

Primary Wave has already owned “significant interest” in Hall and Oates’ song catalog for more than 15 years.

The lawsuit says Oates’ team entered into a letter of intent with Primary Wave Music for the sale, and alleges further that the letter makes clear that the music duo’s business agreement was disclosed to Primary Wave Music in violation of a confidentiality provision. Additionally, Hall said in his declaration he would not approve such a sale and doesn't agree with Primary Wave's business model.

Hall said he was blindsided by Oates’ plan to sell his part of Whole Oates Enterprises.

“I am deeply troubled by the deterioration of my relationship with, and trust in, John Oates,” Hall said in the declaration.

Hall said in his declaration that the ordeal has unfolded while he's been on tour throughout the U.S. West Coast, Japan and Manila. Hall said he believes Oates timed the sale “to create the most harm to me.”

Hall accused Oates of becoming “adversarial and aggressive instead of professional and courteous” toward him in the last several years. As part of a proposed “global divorce,” Hall said he was entertaining Oates' idea to dissolve their touring entity and a separate partnership related to their musical compositions and publishing, while Hall raised the idea of dissolving Whole Oats Enterprises.

Daryl Hall and John Oates got their start as Temple University students before signing with Atlantic Records in 1972. In the decades since, they have achieved six platinum albums and many more Top 10 singles with their unique approach to blue-eyed soul. Hall &amp; Oates was inducted into the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 and the duo's latest album, “Home for Christmas,” was released in 2006. The pair continued to perform as of last year.

“We have this incredibly good problem of having so many hits,” Oates told The Associated Press in 2021, just before resuming a national tour that had been delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic. “Believe me, it’s not a chore to play those songs because they are really great.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701307096018.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Daryl Hall has accused his longtime music partner John Oates of committing the “ultimate partnership betrayal” by planning to sell his share of the Hall &amp; Oates duo's joint venture without the other's permission, Hall said in a court declaration supporting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hall-oates-lawsuit-42fb0a9ec7252414d4d1b2a592b021d9">his lawsuit to keep the transaction paused</a>.In the declaration filed Wednesday in a Nashville chancery court, Hall also lamented the deterioration of his relationship with and trust in his musical partner of more than a half-century. The joint venture in question includes Hall &amp; Oates trademarks, personal name and likeness rights, record royalty income and website and social media assets, the declaration states.A judge has issued a temporarily restraining order blocking the sale of Oates' share of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-business-music-arts-and-entertainment-7415d6f92abc4c788339e88671c76dcc">Whole Oats Enterprises LLP</a>&nbsp;to Primary Wave IP Investment Management LLC while legal proceedings and a previously initiated arbitration continue.A court hearing is scheduled Thursday in the case. Hall is seeking further court action to keep the transaction on hold.“While falsely contending over the last several months that the Oates Trust wanted to maintain ownership in WOE, John Oates and the Co-Trustees engaged in the ultimate partnership betrayal," Hall said in a declaration. "They surreptitiously sought to sell half of the WOE assets without obtaining my written approval.”Derek Crownover, an attorney representing Oates, has previously said the musician's "team will work toward a resolution that makes sense for all involved, but for now we plan to let the facts, law and courts play this one out.”He said Wednesday that the legal team will file a declaration by Oates soon as well.A Nashville chancery court judge issued the temporary restraining order on Nov. 16, the same day Hall filed his lawsuit, writing that Oates and others involved in his trust can’t move to close the sale of their share until an arbitrator in a separately filed case weighs in on the deal, or until the judge’s order expires — typically within 15 days, unless a judge extends the deadline. Hall's declaration was initially filed in the arbitration case.The lawsuit contends that Hall opened an arbitration process on Nov. 9 against Oates and the other defendants in the lawsuit, Oates’ wife, Aimee Oates, and Richard Flynn, in their roles as co-trustees of Oates’ trust. Hall was seeking an order preventing them from selling their part in Whole Oats Enterprises to Primary Wave Music.Primary Wave has already owned “significant interest” in Hall and Oates’ song catalog for more than 15 years.The lawsuit says Oates’ team entered into a letter of intent with Primary Wave Music for the sale, and alleges further that the letter makes clear that the music duo’s business agreement was disclosed to Primary Wave Music in violation of a confidentiality provision. Additionally, Hall said in his declaration he would not approve such a sale and doesn't agree with Primary Wave's business model.Hall said he was blindsided by Oates’ plan to sell his part of Whole Oates Enterprises.“I am deeply troubled by the deterioration of my relationship with, and trust in, John Oates,” Hall said in the declaration.Hall said in his declaration that the ordeal has unfolded while he's been on tour throughout the U.S. West Coast, Japan and Manila. Hall said he believes Oates timed the sale “to create the most harm to me.”Hall accused Oates of becoming “adversarial and aggressive instead of professional and courteous” toward him in the last several years. As part of a proposed “global divorce,” Hall said he was entertaining Oates' idea to dissolve their touring entity and a separate partnership related to their musical compositions and publishing, while Hall raised the idea of dissolving Whole Oats Enterprises.Daryl Hall and John Oates got their start as Temple University students before signing with Atlantic Records in 1972. In the decades since, they have achieved six platinum albums and many more Top 10 singles with their unique approach to blue-eyed soul. Hall &amp; Oates was inducted into the Rock &amp; Roll Hall of Fame in 2014 and the duo's latest album, “Home for Christmas,” was released in 2006. The pair continued to perform as of last year.“We have this incredibly good problem of having so many hits,” Oates told The Associated Press in 2021, just before resuming a national tour that had been delayed because of the coronavirus pandemic. “Believe me, it’s not a chore to play those songs because they are really great.”

Daryl Hall accuses John Oates of 'ultimate partnership betrayal' 

NOVEMBER 29, 2023 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol removed from the road 27 impaired drivers during the busy Thanksgiving travel weekend.

Thanksgiving weekend coincided with the annual&nbsp;Buckle Up, Every Trip, Every Time&nbsp;national campaign. Troopers and dispatchers worked overtime throughout the weekend across the state.

“Last weekend kicked off what will be a busy holiday travel season,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “With a blast of winter weather mixed in the middle, our troopers were busy throughout the state.”

In addition to the 27 arrests for driving under the influence, troopers issued citations for speeding (407), 93 of which were for speeds of 90 miles per hour or higher. Troopers also issued citations for no seat belt (12), improper child restraint (5), open alcohol container (11), minor in possession of alcohol (8), and driving under suspension (33).

The weekend also brought the first dose of severe winter weather for much of the state. Between Wednesday and Sunday, troopers responded to 85 crashes across the state and performed another 191 motorist assists.

With the arrival of winter weather, NSP urges all motorists to be prepared for adverse driving conditions. Before you begin your trip, check the Nebraska 511 Advanced Traveler System by visiting&nbsp;<a>511.Nebraska.gov</a>&nbsp;or downloading the Nebraska 511 app. Have a passenger in your vehicle check 511 periodically throughout your trip for any updates that may be issued due to road closures or crash responses.

If you do become stranded, call the NSP Highway Helpline at *55 or 800-525-5555. NSP dispatchers are prepared to take your call 24/7 and route the nearest trooper in your direction to provide help.

NSP’s portion of&nbsp;Buckle Up, Every Trip, Every Time,&nbsp;was made possible thanks in part to grant funding from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701289355941.jpeg" alt="NSP cruiser/Photo provided by NSP" />
 <figcaption>NSP cruiser/Photo provided by NSP</figcaption>
 </figure>Cody ThomasNebraska State PatrolNOVEMBER 29, 2023 (LINCOLN, NEB.)&nbsp;&nbsp;— Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol removed from the road 27 impaired drivers during the busy Thanksgiving travel weekend.Thanksgiving weekend coincided with the annual&nbsp;Buckle Up, Every Trip, Every Time&nbsp;national campaign. Troopers and dispatchers worked overtime throughout the weekend across the state.“Last weekend kicked off what will be a busy holiday travel season,” said Colonel John Bolduc, Superintendent of the Nebraska State Patrol. “With a blast of winter weather mixed in the middle, our troopers were busy throughout the state.”In addition to the 27 arrests for driving under the influence, troopers issued citations for speeding (407), 93 of which were for speeds of 90 miles per hour or higher. Troopers also issued citations for no seat belt (12), improper child restraint (5), open alcohol container (11), minor in possession of alcohol (8), and driving under suspension (33).The weekend also brought the first dose of severe winter weather for much of the state. Between Wednesday and Sunday, troopers responded to 85 crashes across the state and performed another 191 motorist assists.With the arrival of winter weather, NSP urges all motorists to be prepared for adverse driving conditions. Before you begin your trip, check the Nebraska 511 Advanced Traveler System by visiting&nbsp;<a>511.Nebraska.gov</a>&nbsp;or downloading the Nebraska 511 app. Have a passenger in your vehicle check 511 periodically throughout your trip for any updates that may be issued due to road closures or crash responses.If you do become stranded, call the NSP Highway Helpline at *55 or 800-525-5555. NSP dispatchers are prepared to take your call 24/7 and route the nearest trooper in your direction to provide help.NSP’s portion of&nbsp;Buckle Up, Every Trip, Every Time,&nbsp;was made possible thanks in part to grant funding from the Nebraska Department of Transportation – Highway Safety Office.

Thanksgiving in the Rear View, Holiday Travel Season is Underway

JERUSALEM (AP) — Hamas released 16 hostages late Wednesday in the last swap for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel under the current&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Gaza truce,</a>&nbsp;as international mediators raced to seal another extension to allow further exchanges and prolong the halt of Israel’s air and ground offensive.

The Israeli military said a group of 10 Israeli women and children and four Thai nationals had been freed by Hamas and exited Gaza. Earlier, two Russian-Israeli women were freed by Hamas in a separate release. Israel was set to free 30 Palestinian prisoners in return.

Among the hostages exchanged for the Palestinian prisoners was 49-year-old Liat Atzili, an American-Israeli dual national.

Negotiators were working down to the wire to hammer out details for a further extension of the truce beyond its deadline of early Thursday. The talks appear to be growing tougher as most of the women and children held by Hamas are freed, and the militants are expected to seek greater releases in return for freeing men and soldiers.

International pressure has mounted for the cease-fire to continue as long as possible after nearly eight weeks of Israeli bombardment and a ground campaign in Gaza that has killed thousands of Palestinians, uprooted three quarters of the population of 2.3 million and led to a humanitarian crisis. Israel has welcomed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hostage-gaza-freed-israel-captive-408f65fcc1b8f016f3735cd5022163eb">release of dozens of hostages</a>&nbsp;in recent days and says it will maintain the truce if Hamas keeps freeing captives.

Still, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underscored on Wednesday that Israel will resume its campaign to eliminate Hamas, which has ruled Gaza for 16 years and orchestrated the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-war-hamas-attack-border-wall-aa0b0f5f3613b6c6882cf37168e8e8ed">deadly attack on Israel that triggered the war</a>

“After this phase of returning our abductees is exhausted, will Israel return to fighting? So my answer is an unequivocal yes,” he said. “There is no way we are not going back to fighting until the end.”

He spoke ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-nato-ukraine-russia-balkans-blinken-69ecd14aed1962e1283965cc80879234">a visit to the region planned this week</a>&nbsp;by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to press for further extensions of the truce and hostage releases.

In the West Bank, Israeli troops killed two Palestinian boys — an 8-year-old an a 15-year-old — during a raid on the town of Jenin, Palestinian health officials said. Security footage showed a group of boys in the street who start to run, except for one who falls to the ground, bleeding.

The Israeli military said its troops fired on people who threw explosives at them but did not specify it was referring to the boys, who are not seen throwing anything. Separately, the military said its troops killed two Islamic Jihad militants during the raid.

So far, the Israeli onslaught in Gaza seems to have had little effect on Hamas’ rule, evidenced by its ability to conduct complex negotiations, enforce the cease-fire among other armed groups, and orchestrate the release of hostages. Hamas leaders, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-leader-gaza-war-sinwar-7359ae98217aa11aa7c20c2780d5d350">Yehya Sinwar,</a>&nbsp;have likely relocated to the south.

With Israeli troops holding much of northern Gaza, a ground invasion south will likely bring an escalating cost in Palestinian lives and destruction.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-israel-airstrikes-gaza-hamas-war-702f447ff7e52b03476555ec2513008b">Most of Gaza’s population is now crammed into the south.</a>&nbsp;The truce has brought them relief from bombardment, but the days of calm have been taken up in a frenzied rush to obtain supplies to feed their families as aid enters in greater, but still insufficient, amounts.

United States, Israel’s main ally, has shown greater reticence over the impact of the war in Gaza. The Biden administration has told Israel that if it launches an offensive in the south,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-displacement-south-operation-biden-788b05c51b5582b39aeb2466b7825525">it must operate with far greater precision</a>.

The plight of the captives and shock from the Oct. 7 attack have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-palestinians-war-mood-0cebcbcf0550ee08c0d757334f69851d">galvanized Israeli support for the war</a>. But Netanyahu is under pressure to bring the hostages home and could find it difficult to resume the offensive if there’s a prospect for more releases.

Since the initial truce began on Friday, both sides have been releasing women and children in their exchanges. After Friday’s releases, Gaza militants still hold around 20 women, according to Israeli officials. IF the truce continues at the current rate, they would be out in a few days.

After that, keeping the truce going depends on tougher negotiations over the release of around 126 men Israel says are held captive – including several dozen soldiers.

For men — and especially soldiers — Hamas is expected to push for comparable releases of Palestinian men or prominent detainees, a deal Israel may resist.

An Israeli official involved in hostage negotiations said talks on a further extension for release of civilian males and soldiers were still preliminary, and a deal would not be considered until all the women and children are out. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because negotiations were ongoing.

With Wednesday's releases, a total of 73 Israelis, including dual nationals, have been freed during the six-day truce, most of whom&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hostage-gaza-freed-israel-captive-408f65fcc1b8f016f3735cd5022163eb">appear physically well but shaken</a>. Another 24 hostages — 23 Thais and one Filipino — have also been released. Before the cease-fire, Hamas released four hostages, and the Israeli army rescued one. Two others were found dead in Gaza.

So far, most of the 180 Palestinians freed from Israeli prisons have been teenagers accused of throwing stones and firebombs during confrontations with Israeli forces. Several were women convicted by Israeli military courts of attempting to attack soldiers.

Palestinians have celebrated the release of people they see as having resisted Israel’s decades-long military occupation of lands they want for a future state.

The war began with Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel, in which it killed over 1,200 people, mostly civilians. The militants kidnapped some 240 people back into Gaza, including babies, children, women, soldiers, older adults and Thai farm laborers.

Israel’s bombardment and ground invasion in Gaza have killed more than 13,300 Palestinians, roughly two-thirds of them women and minors, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza</a>, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.

The toll is likely much higher, as officials have only sporadically updated the count since Nov. 11 due to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-israel-health-ministry-gaza-hamas-fe30cbc76479fa437d5f5a0e96c36e52">the breakdown of services in the north</a>. The ministry says thousands more people are missing and feared dead under the rubble.

Israel says 77 of its soldiers have been killed in the ground offensive. It claims to have killed thousands of militants, without providing evidence.

For Palestinians in Gaza, the truce’s calm has been overwhelmed by the search for aid and by horror as they see the extent of destruction.

In the north, residents described entire residential blocks leveled to the ground in Gaza City and surrounding areas. The smell of decomposing bodies trapped under collapsed buildings fills the air, said Mohmmed Mattar, a 29-year-old resident of Gaza City who along with other volunteers searches for the dead under rubble or left in the streets.

They have found and buried 46 so far during the truce, he said. Most were unidentified. More bodies remain inside rubble but can’t be reached without heavy equipment, or are left on streets that are unapproachable because of Israeli troops nearby, Mattar said.

In the south, the truce has allowed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-palestinians-truce-red-cross-crescent-14cd8cae0f6e064484167c66bbcecf8f">more aid to be delivered</a>&nbsp;from Egypt, up to 200 trucks a day. But aid officials say it is not enough, given that most now depend on outside aid. Overwhelmed U.N.-run shelters house more than 1 million displaced people, with many sleeping outside in cold, rainy weather.

At a distribution center in Rafah, large crowds line daily up for newly arrived bags of flour. But supplies run out quickly before many can get their share.

“We’ve been searching for bread for our children,” said one woman in line, Nawal Abu Namous. “Every day, we come here … we spend money on transportation to get here, just to go home with nothing.”

Some markets and shops have reopened, but prices for the few items in stock have skyrocketed. Winter clothes are unavailable. One clothes shop owner in Deir al-Balah told The Associated Press that he hates opening his doors in the morning, knowing he’ll spend most of the day apologizing to customers for not having winter items.

The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said some 111,000 people have respiratory infections and 75,000 have diarrhea, more than half of them under 5 years old. “More people could die from disease than bombings.”

“We are fed up,” said Omar al-Darawi, who works at the overwhelmed Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in central Gaza. “We want this war to stop.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701295331170.png" alt="49-year-old&nbsp; Liat Atzili Beinin photo courtesy Hostages and Missing Families Forum" />
 <figcaption>49-year-old&nbsp; Liat Atzili Beinin photo courtesy Hostages and Missing Families Forum</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — Hamas released 16 hostages late Wednesday in the last swap for Palestinian prisoners held by Israel under the current&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Gaza truce,</a>&nbsp;as international mediators raced to seal another extension to allow further exchanges and prolong the halt of Israel’s air and ground offensive.The Israeli military said a group of 10 Israeli women and children and four Thai nationals had been freed by Hamas and exited Gaza. Earlier, two Russian-Israeli women were freed by Hamas in a separate release. Israel was set to free 30 Palestinian prisoners in return.Among the hostages exchanged for the Palestinian prisoners was 49-year-old Liat Atzili, an American-Israeli dual national.Negotiators were working down to the wire to hammer out details for a further extension of the truce beyond its deadline of early Thursday. The talks appear to be growing tougher as most of the women and children held by Hamas are freed, and the militants are expected to seek greater releases in return for freeing men and soldiers.International pressure has mounted for the cease-fire to continue as long as possible after nearly eight weeks of Israeli bombardment and a ground campaign in Gaza that has killed thousands of Palestinians, uprooted three quarters of the population of 2.3 million and led to a humanitarian crisis. Israel has welcomed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hostage-gaza-freed-israel-captive-408f65fcc1b8f016f3735cd5022163eb">release of dozens of hostages</a>&nbsp;in recent days and says it will maintain the truce if Hamas keeps freeing captives.Still, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underscored on Wednesday that Israel will resume its campaign to eliminate Hamas, which has ruled Gaza for 16 years and orchestrated the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-war-hamas-attack-border-wall-aa0b0f5f3613b6c6882cf37168e8e8ed">deadly attack on Israel that triggered the war</a>“After this phase of returning our abductees is exhausted, will Israel return to fighting? So my answer is an unequivocal yes,” he said. “There is no way we are not going back to fighting until the end.”He spoke ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-nato-ukraine-russia-balkans-blinken-69ecd14aed1962e1283965cc80879234">a visit to the region planned this week</a>&nbsp;by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to press for further extensions of the truce and hostage releases.In the West Bank, Israeli troops killed two Palestinian boys — an 8-year-old an a 15-year-old — during a raid on the town of Jenin, Palestinian health officials said. Security footage showed a group of boys in the street who start to run, except for one who falls to the ground, bleeding.The Israeli military said its troops fired on people who threw explosives at them but did not specify it was referring to the boys, who are not seen throwing anything. Separately, the military said its troops killed two Islamic Jihad militants during the raid.So far, the Israeli onslaught in Gaza seems to have had little effect on Hamas’ rule, evidenced by its ability to conduct complex negotiations, enforce the cease-fire among other armed groups, and orchestrate the release of hostages. Hamas leaders, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-leader-gaza-war-sinwar-7359ae98217aa11aa7c20c2780d5d350">Yehya Sinwar,</a>&nbsp;have likely relocated to the south.With Israeli troops holding much of northern Gaza, a ground invasion south will likely bring an escalating cost in Palestinian lives and destruction.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-israel-airstrikes-gaza-hamas-war-702f447ff7e52b03476555ec2513008b">Most of Gaza’s population is now crammed into the south.</a>&nbsp;The truce has brought them relief from bombardment, but the days of calm have been taken up in a frenzied rush to obtain supplies to feed their families as aid enters in greater, but still insufficient, amounts.United States, Israel’s main ally, has shown greater reticence over the impact of the war in Gaza. The Biden administration has told Israel that if it launches an offensive in the south,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-gaza-displacement-south-operation-biden-788b05c51b5582b39aeb2466b7825525">it must operate with far greater precision</a>.ISRAEL’S HOSTAGE DILEMMAThe plight of the captives and shock from the Oct. 7 attack have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-hamas-palestinians-war-mood-0cebcbcf0550ee08c0d757334f69851d">galvanized Israeli support for the war</a>. But Netanyahu is under pressure to bring the hostages home and could find it difficult to resume the offensive if there’s a prospect for more releases.Since the initial truce began on Friday, both sides have been releasing women and children in their exchanges. After Friday’s releases, Gaza militants still hold around 20 women, according to Israeli officials. IF the truce continues at the current rate, they would be out in a few days.After that, keeping the truce going depends on tougher negotiations over the release of around 126 men Israel says are held captive – including several dozen soldiers.For men — and especially soldiers — Hamas is expected to push for comparable releases of Palestinian men or prominent detainees, a deal Israel may resist.An Israeli official involved in hostage negotiations said talks on a further extension for release of civilian males and soldiers were still preliminary, and a deal would not be considered until all the women and children are out. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because negotiations were ongoing.With Wednesday's releases, a total of 73 Israelis, including dual nationals, have been freed during the six-day truce, most of whom&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hostage-gaza-freed-israel-captive-408f65fcc1b8f016f3735cd5022163eb">appear physically well but shaken</a>. Another 24 hostages — 23 Thais and one Filipino — have also been released. Before the cease-fire, Hamas released four hostages, and the Israeli army rescued one. Two others were found dead in Gaza.So far, most of the 180 Palestinians freed from Israeli prisons have been teenagers accused of throwing stones and firebombs during confrontations with Israeli forces. Several were women convicted by Israeli military courts of attempting to attack soldiers.Palestinians have celebrated the release of people they see as having resisted Israel’s decades-long military occupation of lands they want for a future state.The war began with Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack into southern Israel, in which it killed over 1,200 people, mostly civilians. The militants kidnapped some 240 people back into Gaza, including babies, children, women, soldiers, older adults and Thai farm laborers.Israel’s bombardment and ground invasion in Gaza have killed more than 13,300 Palestinians, roughly two-thirds of them women and minors, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Hamas-ruled Gaza</a>, which does not differentiate between civilians and combatants.The toll is likely much higher, as officials have only sporadically updated the count since Nov. 11 due to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-israel-health-ministry-gaza-hamas-fe30cbc76479fa437d5f5a0e96c36e52">the breakdown of services in the north</a>. The ministry says thousands more people are missing and feared dead under the rubble.Israel says 77 of its soldiers have been killed in the ground offensive. It claims to have killed thousands of militants, without providing evidence.TENSE CALM IN GAZAFor Palestinians in Gaza, the truce’s calm has been overwhelmed by the search for aid and by horror as they see the extent of destruction.In the north, residents described entire residential blocks leveled to the ground in Gaza City and surrounding areas. The smell of decomposing bodies trapped under collapsed buildings fills the air, said Mohmmed Mattar, a 29-year-old resident of Gaza City who along with other volunteers searches for the dead under rubble or left in the streets.They have found and buried 46 so far during the truce, he said. Most were unidentified. More bodies remain inside rubble but can’t be reached without heavy equipment, or are left on streets that are unapproachable because of Israeli troops nearby, Mattar said.In the south, the truce has allowed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-palestinians-truce-red-cross-crescent-14cd8cae0f6e064484167c66bbcecf8f">more aid to be delivered</a>&nbsp;from Egypt, up to 200 trucks a day. But aid officials say it is not enough, given that most now depend on outside aid. Overwhelmed U.N.-run shelters house more than 1 million displaced people, with many sleeping outside in cold, rainy weather.At a distribution center in Rafah, large crowds line daily up for newly arrived bags of flour. But supplies run out quickly before many can get their share.“We’ve been searching for bread for our children,” said one woman in line, Nawal Abu Namous. “Every day, we come here … we spend money on transportation to get here, just to go home with nothing.”Some markets and shops have reopened, but prices for the few items in stock have skyrocketed. Winter clothes are unavailable. One clothes shop owner in Deir al-Balah told The Associated Press that he hates opening his doors in the morning, knowing he’ll spend most of the day apologizing to customers for not having winter items.The head of the World Health Organization, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said some 111,000 people have respiratory infections and 75,000 have diarrhea, more than half of them under 5 years old. “More people could die from disease than bombings.”“We are fed up,” said Omar al-Darawi, who works at the overwhelmed Al-Aqsa Martyrs hospital in central Gaza. “We want this war to stop.”______

Sixth hostage release includes American woman

WASHINGTON (AP) — The National Christmas Tree in front of the White House fell down during high winds but later was hoisted back upright, and its lighting ceremony will go ahead as scheduled.

The tree, a 40-foot-tall&nbsp; Norway spruce from West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest, had been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/whho/learn/news/national-christmas-tree-replaced-in-president-s-park-in-time-for-this-year-s-lighting.htm">planted just two weeks ago</a>&nbsp;on the White House Ellipse, an area known as President's Park. According to the National Park Service, it fell over around 1 p.m. Tuesday during heavy wind gusts that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/whho/planyourvisit/conditions.htm">reached as high at 46 mph</a>&nbsp;at nearby Reagan National Airport.

NPS spokeswoman Jasmine Shanti said in an email that after “replacing a snapped cable,” the tree was back upright by 6 p.m. Tuesday.

The lighting of the tree is an annual White House holiday tradition with a countdown and musical performances. This year's tree is a new one, replacing an older tree that, according to the NPS, developed a fungal disease known as needle cast, which caused its needles to turn brown and fall off.

None of the 58 smaller trees that surround the National Christmas Tree was damaged. About 20 ornaments fell from the tree but did not break. The NPS announced Wednesday that crews are “installing concrete blocks and additional cables to further secure the tree.”

The annual tree-lighting ceremony will take place as scheduled Thursday at 6 p.m., the NPS said, with musical performances featuring Dionne Warwick and St. Vincent.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701293648285.png" alt="In this image made from video, the National Christmas Tree hangs from a crane in front of the White House as a crew works to lift it back up after it fell, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, amid high winter winds. (AP Video)" />
 <figcaption>In this image made from video, the National Christmas Tree hangs from a crane in front of the White House as a crew works to lift it back up after it fell, Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, amid high winter winds. (AP Video)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The National Christmas Tree in front of the White House fell down during high winds but later was hoisted back upright, and its lighting ceremony will go ahead as scheduled.The tree, a 40-foot-tall&nbsp; Norway spruce from West Virginia's Monongahela National Forest, had been&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/whho/learn/news/national-christmas-tree-replaced-in-president-s-park-in-time-for-this-year-s-lighting.htm">planted just two weeks ago</a>&nbsp;on the White House Ellipse, an area known as President's Park. According to the National Park Service, it fell over around 1 p.m. Tuesday during heavy wind gusts that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nps.gov/whho/planyourvisit/conditions.htm">reached as high at 46 mph</a>&nbsp;at nearby Reagan National Airport.NPS spokeswoman Jasmine Shanti said in an email that after “replacing a snapped cable,” the tree was back upright by 6 p.m. Tuesday.The lighting of the tree is an annual White House holiday tradition with a countdown and musical performances. This year's tree is a new one, replacing an older tree that, according to the NPS, developed a fungal disease known as needle cast, which caused its needles to turn brown and fall off.None of the 58 smaller trees that surround the National Christmas Tree was damaged. About 20 ornaments fell from the tree but did not break. The NPS announced Wednesday that crews are “installing concrete blocks and additional cables to further secure the tree.”The annual tree-lighting ceremony will take place as scheduled Thursday at 6 p.m., the NPS said, with musical performances featuring Dionne Warwick and St. Vincent.___

National Christmas tree secured after it blew down in the wind

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>

WASHINGTON — Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley moved one step closer Tuesday to becoming the next Social Security commissioner, a role that would become increasingly difficult as the program inches closer to insolvency during the next decade.

The U.S. Senate Finance Committee voted 17-10 to send O’Malley’s nomination to the floor, though it’s not clear how soon the entire chamber will vote on confirmation. All the panel’s Democrats and Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Thom Tillis of North Carolina voted to advance his nomination.

Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, said he was backing O’Malley because he’s the “right person for the job at the right time.”

“I base my support for Martin O’Malley on the fact that every single time we have talked, he has emphasized one matter and one matter only, and that is service above politics,” Wyden said.

Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo, the panel’s top Republican, opposed O’Malley’s nomination, citing President Joe Biden’s decision to remove former Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul before his term was set to expire in January 2025.

The Senate confirmed Saul, nominated by former President Donald Trump, in June 2019 following a 77-16 vote.

“When the Biden administration removed the last Senate confirmed commissioner prior to the completion of his six-year term, I expressed strong concern that this decision politicized the SSA to the detriment of Social Security beneficiaries,” Crapo said.

Future administrations could follow that precedent, Crapo said, limiting how long a Social Security commissioner has to implement change.

“Although I will not be voting in favor of Gov. O’Malley’s nomination today, we do share the goal of getting the Social Security Administration back on track so that it can provide the public with the level of service they expect and deserve,” Crapo said.

The White House said in a statement about the firing released in July 2021 that “Since taking office, Commissioner Saul has undermined and politicized Social Security disability benefits, terminated the agency’s telework policy that was utilized by up to 25 percent of the agency’s workforce, not repaired SSA’s relationships with relevant Federal employee unions including in the context of COVID-19 workplace safety planning, reduced due process protections for benefits appeals hearings, and taken other actions that run contrary to the mission of the agency and the President’s policy agenda,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/andrew-saul-social-security-/2021/07/09/c18a34fa-df99-11eb-a501-0e69b5d012e5_story.html">according to</a>&nbsp;the Washington Post.

Tillis supported O’Malley’s nomination in committee, saying he believes the former governor has “a very systematic method” of using data and analytics that “will serve him well in the Social Security Administration.”

Tillis noted that Congress will have to address the structure of the program within the next decade and that O’Malley would be in a good position to inform lawmakers as they draft legislation.

“We have a moral obligation to make sure the Social Security safety net exists. We have a moral obligation to recognize that at current course and speed, we’re going to break our promise seven to 10 years from now if we don’t figure out how to fix it,” Tillis said.

O’Malley: ‘urgent crisis’ in customer service

The latest Social Security trustees report,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/social-security-trustees-predict-benefit-cuts-2033-without-congressional-action">released in March</a>, said the program would be able to pay 100% of retirement benefits from the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund until 2033. After that, the program would be able to pay 77% of those benefits.

The date was one year earlier than previously expected.

While O’Malley would not be in “a position to change the structure of the Social Security system,” Tillis said he believes the former governor “will have the insight once he gets in there to understand that Congress needs to act.”

“And we need an expert there to help advise us on the best way to actually make sure that that promise gets fulfilled,” Tillis said.

O’Malley said during his confirmation hearing in early November that Social Security faces an “urgent crisis” addressing shortcomings in customer service and another problem on “the horizon with regard to solvency.”

But, he noted that Congress is in charge of setting the policy that determines how Social Security is structured and providing the funding to ensure a sufficient number of employees available to help people having issues with their Social Security.

“The truth is, today the Social Security Administration is serving 50% more customers and beneficiaries on the same staffing it had 20 years ago in 1995,” O’Malley said.

City councilman, mayor, governor, banjo player

O’Malley was a member of the Baltimore City Council from 1991 through December 1999, when he became the city’s mayor.

He would hold that job until January 2007, when he was sworn in as Maryland’s governor, a role he held for the maximum two four-year terms.

O’Malley would often play with his band,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.omalleysmarch.com/">O’Malley’s March</a>, during his time as governor and once&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MartinOMalley/status/471103802607538177">played the banjo</a>&nbsp;outside the Maryland State House in Annapolis.

“I love that as governor of MD I can still play street music in Annapolis,” he posted on Twitter with a photo of himself playing the instrument in a t-shirt, cargo shorts and flip-flops.

O’Malley ran for the Democratic nomination for president in the 2016 primary, though he withdrew from the race after the Iowa caucuses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701257420445.png" alt=" Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, nominee for Social Security commissioner, July 19, 2023 (Photo courtesy of the Executive Office of the Governor of Maryland)." />
 <figcaption> Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley, nominee for Social Security commissioner, July 19, 2023 (Photo courtesy of the Executive Office of the Governor of Maryland).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a>WASHINGTON — Former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley moved one step closer Tuesday to becoming the next Social Security commissioner, a role that would become increasingly difficult as the program inches closer to insolvency during the next decade.The U.S. Senate Finance Committee voted 17-10 to send O’Malley’s nomination to the floor, though it’s not clear how soon the entire chamber will vote on confirmation. All the panel’s Democrats and Republican Sens. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Thom Tillis of North Carolina voted to advance his nomination.Senate Finance Committee Chair Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, said he was backing O’Malley because he’s the “right person for the job at the right time.”“I base my support for Martin O’Malley on the fact that every single time we have talked, he has emphasized one matter and one matter only, and that is service above politics,” Wyden said.Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo, the panel’s top Republican, opposed O’Malley’s nomination, citing President Joe Biden’s decision to remove former Social Security Commissioner Andrew Saul before his term was set to expire in January 2025.The Senate confirmed Saul, nominated by former President Donald Trump, in June 2019 following a 77-16 vote.“When the Biden administration removed the last Senate confirmed commissioner prior to the completion of his six-year term, I expressed strong concern that this decision politicized the SSA to the detriment of Social Security beneficiaries,” Crapo said.Future administrations could follow that precedent, Crapo said, limiting how long a Social Security commissioner has to implement change.“Although I will not be voting in favor of Gov. O’Malley’s nomination today, we do share the goal of getting the Social Security Administration back on track so that it can provide the public with the level of service they expect and deserve,” Crapo said.The White House said in a statement about the firing released in July 2021 that “Since taking office, Commissioner Saul has undermined and politicized Social Security disability benefits, terminated the agency’s telework policy that was utilized by up to 25 percent of the agency’s workforce, not repaired SSA’s relationships with relevant Federal employee unions including in the context of COVID-19 workplace safety planning, reduced due process protections for benefits appeals hearings, and taken other actions that run contrary to the mission of the agency and the President’s policy agenda,”&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/andrew-saul-social-security-/2021/07/09/c18a34fa-df99-11eb-a501-0e69b5d012e5_story.html">according to</a>&nbsp;the Washington Post.Tillis supported O’Malley’s nomination in committee, saying he believes the former governor has “a very systematic method” of using data and analytics that “will serve him well in the Social Security Administration.”Tillis noted that Congress will have to address the structure of the program within the next decade and that O’Malley would be in a good position to inform lawmakers as they draft legislation.“We have a moral obligation to make sure the Social Security safety net exists. We have a moral obligation to recognize that at current course and speed, we’re going to break our promise seven to 10 years from now if we don’t figure out how to fix it,” Tillis said.<h2>O’Malley: ‘urgent crisis’ in customer service</h2>The latest Social Security trustees report,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/social-security-trustees-predict-benefit-cuts-2033-without-congressional-action">released in March</a>, said the program would be able to pay 100% of retirement benefits from the Old-Age and Survivors Insurance Trust Fund until 2033. After that, the program would be able to pay 77% of those benefits.The date was one year earlier than previously expected.While O’Malley would not be in “a position to change the structure of the Social Security system,” Tillis said he believes the former governor “will have the insight once he gets in there to understand that Congress needs to act.”“And we need an expert there to help advise us on the best way to actually make sure that that promise gets fulfilled,” Tillis said.O’Malley said during his confirmation hearing in early November that Social Security faces an “urgent crisis” addressing shortcomings in customer service and another problem on “the horizon with regard to solvency.”But, he noted that Congress is in charge of setting the policy that determines how Social Security is structured and providing the funding to ensure a sufficient number of employees available to help people having issues with their Social Security.“The truth is, today the Social Security Administration is serving 50% more customers and beneficiaries on the same staffing it had 20 years ago in 1995,” O’Malley said.<h2>City councilman, mayor, governor, banjo player</h2>O’Malley was a member of the Baltimore City Council from 1991 through December 1999, when he became the city’s mayor.He would hold that job until January 2007, when he was sworn in as Maryland’s governor, a role he held for the maximum two four-year terms.O’Malley would often play with his band,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.omalleysmarch.com/">O’Malley’s March</a>, during his time as governor and once&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/MartinOMalley/status/471103802607538177">played the banjo</a>&nbsp;outside the Maryland State House in Annapolis.“I love that as governor of MD I can still play street music in Annapolis,” he posted on Twitter with a photo of himself playing the instrument in a t-shirt, cargo shorts and flip-flops.O’Malley ran for the Democratic nomination for president in the 2016 primary, though he withdrew from the race after the Iowa caucuses.

U.S. Senate panel advances nominee to lead Social Security

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/28/nebraskans-testify-largely-against-gender-care-regulations-ask-for-looser-restrictions/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN — Nebraskans weighed in Tuesday on the state’s proposed gender care regulations, with testifiers seeking fewer regulations outnumbered those supporting a full ban on such care, 25 to one.

By 2 p.m. — seven hours into the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services’&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/17/final-draft-regulations-for-nebraska-gender-care-law-released-ahead-of-november-hearing/">12-hour hearing</a>&nbsp;—&nbsp;the first supporter of stricter regulations spoke, following testimony from 49 others who included health care providers, clergy, transgender youths and parents.&nbsp;

<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/17/final-draft-regulations-for-nebraska-gender-care-law-released-ahead-of-november-hearing/">The regulations</a>, required under Legislative Bill 574 approved by the Legislature last spring, address puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. LB 574, when it took effect Oct. 1, also prohibited transition surgeries.&nbsp;

These guidelines set a new baseline for&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/07/05/you-need-to-know-us-trans-youths-describe-life-in-nebraska/">youths</a>&nbsp;seeking care, including 40 hours of gender-identity-focused therapy and a seven-day waiting period between informed patient consent and the dispersal of medications.

With the state’s current shortage of mental health providers, a requirement that youths cannot bank more than two hours of therapy in a week, combined with other financial or travel barriers, multiple testifiers said the regulations —&nbsp;as written —&nbsp;could act as a de facto ban for youths or prevent care for at least five to 10 months (with therapy once or twice a week) and possibly for several years.

“Would you want to be told that you could not get a life-saving medication because you had not had enough therapeutic sessions to meet the government’s requirements?” Jill Dibbern Manhart, an Omaha mother, testified. One of her children is trans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1701272346612.jpeg" alt="Isabella Manhart of Omaha, who is nonbinary, testifies on the state’s proposed gender care regulations Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, in Lincoln. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)" />
 <figcaption>Isabella Manhart of Omaha, who is nonbinary, testifies on the state’s proposed gender care regulations Tuesday, Nov. 28, 2023, in Lincoln. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner)</figcaption>
 </figure>Zach Wendling<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/11/28/nebraskans-testify-largely-against-gender-care-regulations-ask-for-looser-restrictions/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN — Nebraskans weighed in Tuesday on the state’s proposed gender care regulations, with testifiers seeking fewer regulations outnumbered those supporting a full ban on such care, 25 to one.By 2 p.m. — seven hours into the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services’&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/17/final-draft-regulations-for-nebraska-gender-care-law-released-ahead-of-november-hearing/">12-hour hearing</a>&nbsp;—&nbsp;the first supporter of stricter regulations spoke, following testimony from 49 others who included health care providers, clergy, transgender youths and parents.&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/10/17/final-draft-regulations-for-nebraska-gender-care-law-released-ahead-of-november-hearing/">The regulations</a>, required under Legislative Bill 574 approved by the Legislature last spring, address puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones. LB 574, when it took effect Oct. 1, also prohibited transition surgeries.&nbsp;These guidelines set a new baseline for&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/07/05/you-need-to-know-us-trans-youths-describe-life-in-nebraska/">youths</a>&nbsp;seeking care, including 40 hours of gender-identity-focused therapy and a seven-day waiting period between informed patient consent and the dispersal of medications.With the state’s current shortage of mental health providers, a requirement that youths cannot bank more than two hours of therapy in a week, combined with other financial or travel barriers, multiple testifiers said the regulations —&nbsp;as written —&nbsp;could act as a de facto ban for youths or prevent care for at least five to 10 months (with therapy once or twice a week) and possibly for several years.“Would you want to be told that you could not get a life-saving medication because you had not had enough therapeutic sessions to meet the government’s requirements?” Jill Dibbern Manhart, an Omaha mother, testified. One of her children is trans.<h2>‘Impugns the expertise’ of providers</h2>LaDonna Hart and Amy Arndt, nurse practitioners who co-own Hart &amp; Arndt Family Health in Lincoln, testified that a requirement that youths receive hormone injections in the doctor’s office differs from all other types of care.&nbsp;“Parents and guardians are partners in health care,” Arndt testified, noting they can be trained to give the medications at home, similar to Type 1 diabetes.Dr. Alex Dworak, a physician with OneWorld Community Health Centers, said no medical literature, including the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, includes a minimum requirement for therapy.“It impugns the expertise of Nebraska mental health professionals and the commitment of loving parents of trans youth,” Dworak said.Leslie Dvorak, a nurse practitioner from Omaha, said her most memorable patients have been trans youths and their families and said she was often told by parents, “thank you for giving me back my child.”Dana Maaske, whose teenage child is trans, testified in tears about the toll LB 574 and regulations have had on her and the experiences she had with state lawmakers this year.“I hope all the supporters of this bill will be remembered in history as the terrorizers of trans children and their families that they truly are,” Maaske said.<h2>Minimum regulations requirement</h2>LB 574 sets the following base level for regulations, with no additional guidance:<ul>
 <li>A minimum number of gender-identity-focused therapy hours.</li><li>A waiting period between consent and the administration, prescription and delivery of blockers or hormones.</li><li>Steps to obtain informed patient consent and to document patient medical records.</li>
 </ul>Dr. Timothy Tesmer, the state’s chief medical officer, wrote the guidelines and will finalize the regulations if any changes are needed. Substantive changes would require another hearing.Tesmer did not attend Tuesday’s hearing. Jeff Powell, a DHHS spokesperson, said Tesmer had a previously scheduled surgery and said that all comments, written or spoken, will be “equally reviewed.”&nbsp;The state’s temporary regulations will expire in December and could be extended once more, for a 90-day period, at which time DHHS anticipates final regulations to be approved by Attorney General Mike Hilgers and Gov. Jim Pillen.The number of individuals who submitted written comments was not immediately available. Written comments were being&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://dhhs.regulations@nebraska.gov/">accepted</a>&nbsp;through the end of the day Tuesday.<h2>Three speak in favor of a full ban</h2>In total, 77 people had testified, according to a count by the Examiner. Three advocated for a full ban, more in line with how LB 574 was initially introduced in January.Marilyn Asher of Omaha, a former state prison staff member and president of Nebraskans for Founders Values, equated the regulations to the story of a young prison inmate who had a lot of potential but had the numbers “1” and “8” tattooed on his face to show solidarity with his gang.&nbsp;“The change will be much more than cosmetic,” Asher said of puberty blockers, hormones or surgeries.Also in support of a full ban was Sherry Jones of Grand Island, a member of the State Board of Education and a retired teacher of 35 years.In her experience, Jones testified, youths need counseling, not gender care, and said that if they were given therapy, they would not pursue a gender treatments as adults. Medical professionals have testified this is not the case and have said youths know who they are. No medical providers testified in favor of the regulations.Asher and Jones told the Nebraska Examiner that the medical care in question requires an adult decision and said that while they may not agree with the care, people would be free to seek it after the age of 19.<h2>‘Our message remains simple’</h2>Those youths who testified Tuesday said they know who they are.Levi White said they grew up feeling like a “two-hearted creature” trying to blend in before they found the word “transgender” to describe their feelings.Aiden Whalen, a senior and student body president of Omaha Central High School, who is trans, testified with a request to those in favor of the regulations: “I want you to look me in the eyes, deep in my soul, and tell me why you are threatened by my joy.”“I want you to look into the eyes of 13-year-old me, curled up in his bedroom corner with a stomach full of pills because you wanted death to take him from from a state that did not, does not want him,” Whalen testified.“And I want you to tell him that the bill is ‘Let Them Grow’ —&nbsp;growing roots into the ground from inside a coffin … growing used to the lack of respect of basic human decency because your transgender identity means that while you are the child they claim to protect, claim to help grow, you are nothing more than a monster,” Whalen continued.Charlie Yale, also a senior at Omaha Central, shared a letter signed earlier this year by more than 400 K-12 and college students, health care providers and parents. According to a list of names provided to the Examiner, signatories ranged from 13- to 76-year-olds.The letter cites walkouts by hundreds of students in March and April in support of trans youths and calls for Gov. Jim Pillen to listen to trans voices when they say legislation will harm them.“Our message was simple then, and our message remains simple now: transgender youth deserve respect and dignity,” the letter states.Nebraska Examiner Senior Reporter Paul Hammel contributed to this report.