WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Monday confirmed that a U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan this weekend killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri, declaring “justice has been delivered.”

(click below to watch the President's statement)

“This terrorist leader is no more,” Biden said in an evening speech from the White House.

Biden said U.S. intelligence officials tracked al-Zawahri to a home in downtown Kabul where he was hiding out with his family. The president approved the operation last week and it was carried out on Sunday.

CAIRO, Egypt (AP) — Ayman al-Zawahri, an Egyptian surgeon who became a mastermind of jihad against the West and who took over as al-Qaida leader after Osama bin Laden’s death in a U.S. raid, has been killed. He was 71.

Five people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that a CIA drone strike killed al-Zawahri over the weekend in Afghanistan. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter.

His death is likely to lead to greater disarray within the organization than bin Laden’s death in May 2011 did, since it is far less clear who his successor at the head of the terror network would be.

Al-Zawahri more than anyone shaped al-Qaida, first as bin Laden’s deputy since 1998, then as his successor. Together, he and bin Laden turned the jihadi movement’s guns to target the United States, carrying out the deadliest attack ever on American soil — the Sept. 11, 2001, suicide hijackings.

The attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon made bin Laden America’s Enemy No. 1. But he likely could never have carried it out without his deputy. Bin Laden provided al-Qaida with charisma and money, but al-Zawahri brought tactics and organizational skills needed to forge militants into a network of cells in countries around the world.

Their bond was forged in the late 1980s, when al-Zawahri reportedly treated the Saudi millionaire bin Laden in the caves of Afghanistan as Soviet bombardment shook the mountains around them.

“Al-Zawahri was always bin Laden’s mentor, bin Laden always looked up to him,” says terrorism expert Bruce Hoffman of Georgetown University. Al-Zawahri “spent time in an Egyptian prison, he was tortured. He was a jihadi from the time he was a teenager.”

When the 2001 U.S. invasion of Afghanistan demolished al-Qaida’s safe haven and scattered, killed and captured its members, al-Zawahri ensured al-Qaida’s survival. He rebuilt its leadership in the Afghan-Pakistan border region and installed allies as lieutenants in key positions.

He also reshaped the organization from a centralized planner of terror attacks into the head of a franchise chain. He led the assembling of a network of autonomous branches around the region, including in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, North Africa, Somalia, Yemen and Asia. Over the next decade, al-Qaida inspired or had a direct hand in attacks in all those areas as well as Europe, Pakistan and Turkey, including the 2004 train bombings in Madrid and the 2005 transit bombings in London. Twice, the al-Qaida affiliate in Yemen tried to attack on U.S. soil with an attempted 2009 bombing of an American passenger jet and an attempted package bomb the following year.

But even before bin Laden’s death, al-Zawahri was struggling to maintain al-Qaida’s relevance in a changing Middle East.

He tried with little success to coopt the wave of uprisings that spread across the Arab world starting in 2011, urging Islamic hard-liners to take over in the nations where leaders had fallen. But while Islamists gained prominence in many places, they have stark ideological differences with al-Qaida and reject its agenda and leadership.

As al-Qaida's leader, al-Zawahri also faced the challenge of the explosive rise of the Islamic State group, an even more radical rival that drew away recruits with its dramatic capture of much of Syria and Iraq. IS's “caliphate” was brought down by a U.S.-led campaign after years of fighting, but the jihadist movement was irrevocably splintered and al-Qaida lost much of its luster in radicals' eyes.

Al-Zawahri was also a more divisive figure than his predecessor. Many militants described the soft-spoken bin Laden in adoring and almost spiritual terms.

In contrast, al-Zawahri was notoriously prickly and pedantic. He picked ideological fights with critics within the jihadi camp, wagging his finger scoldingly in his videos. Even some key figures in al-Qaida’s central leadership were put off, calling him overly controlling, secretive and divisive.

Some militants whose association with bin Laden predated al-Zawahri’s always saw him as an arrogant intruder.

“I have never taken orders from al-Zawahri,” Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, one of the network’s top figures in East Africa until his 2011 death, sneered in a memoir posted on line in 2009. “We don’t take orders from anyone but our historical leadership.”

It was during his years leading Egypt’s Islamic Jihad militant group in the 1990s that al-Zawahri honed the skills he would bring to al-Qaida.

He was born June 19, 1951, the son of an upper-middle-class family of doctors and scholars in the Cairo suburb of Maadi. His father was a pharmacology professor at Cairo University’s medical school and his grandfather, Rabia al-Zawahri, was the grand imam of Al-Azhar University, a premier center of religious study.

From an early age, al-Zawahri was enflamed by the radical writings of Sayed Qutb, the Egyptian Islamist who taught that Arab regimes were “infidel” and should be replaced by Islamic rule. He began his life of militancy at age 15, when he created an underground cell of high school students to oppose the government.

In the 1970s, as he earned his medical degree as a surgeon, he was active in militant circles. He and others formed Islamic Jihad and began trying to infiltrate the military. At one point, he even stored weapons in his private medical clinic.

As he has told it in his writings, his first trip to Afghanistan in 1980 to treat Islamic fighters battling Soviet forces opened his eyes to new possibilities.

He called that Afghan war “the training course preparing Muslim mujahedeen youth to launch their upcoming battle with the great power that would rule the world: America.”

Then came the 1981 assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat by Islamic Jihad militants. The slaying was carried out by a different cell in the group — and al-Zawahri has written that he learned of the plot only hours before the assassination.

But he was arrested along with hundreds of other militants and served three years in prison. During his imprisonment, he was reportedly tortured heavily, a factor some cite as turning him more violently radical.

After his release in 1984, al-Zawahri returned to Afghanistan and joined militants from across the Middle East fighting alongside the Afghans against the Soviets. He courted bin Laden, who became a heroic figure for his financial support of the mujahedeen.

Al-Zawahri followed bin Laden to his new base in Sudan, and from there he led a reassembled Islamic Jihad in a violent campaign of bombing attacks aimed at toppling Egypt’s U.S.-allied government.

In the most daring attack, Jihad and other militants tried to assassinate Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak during a 1995 visit to Ethiopia. Mubarak escaped the hail of gunfire on his motorcade, and his security forces all but crushed the militant movement in Egypt in the crackdown that followed.

Although the Egyptian movement failed, its tactics lived on in al-Zawahri.

He promoted the use of suicide bombings, to become al-Qaida’s hallmark. He plotted a 1995 suicide car bombing of Egypt’s embassy in Islamabad that killed 16 people — presaging the more devastating 1998 al-Qaida bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed more than 200, an attack al-Zawahri was indicted for in the United States.

In 1996, Sudan expelled bin Laden, who took his fighters back to Afghanistan, where they found a safe haven under the radical Taliban regime. Once more, al-Zawahri followed.

Their bond was sealed when bin Laden, al-Zawahri and other militant leaders issued the “Declaration of Jihad against Jews and Crusaders,” announcing the United States was Islam’s top enemy and instructing Muslims it was their religious duty to “kill the Americans and their allies.”

A series of spectacular attacks followed: the bombings of U.S. embassies in Africa, the 2000 suicide bombing of the USS Cole off Yemen, and finally the 9/11 attacks.

When the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in retaliation, al-Zawahri and bin Laden fled into Pakistan. A U.S. airstrike killed al-Zawahri’s wife and at least two of their six children in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. The CIA came tantalizingly close to possibly capturing al-Zawahri in 2003 and killing him in 2004. The CIA thought it finally had al-Zawahri in its sights in 2009, only to be tricked by a double agent who blew himself up, killing seven agency employees and wounding six more in Khost, Afghanistan.

But ultimately, al-Zawahri never reached his long-term goals for jihad that he outlined in his writings — to hurt the U.S. with “as many casualties as possible” while seizing control of a country from which to establish a “caliphate” across the Muslim world.

Al-Qaida attacks that killed Muslims turned off many in the Arab world, attacks that killed Americans never gained it deep popularity, and the group never gained widespread popular support beyond a fringe of radical sympathizers.

Still, he vowed to continue hitting Americans in the video eulogy to his slain boss.

Bin Laden “terrified America in his life,” he said, and “will continue to terrify it after his death.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659397002084.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Monday confirmed that a U.S. drone strike in Afghanistan this weekend killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri, declaring “justice has been delivered.”(click below to watch the President's statement)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/1iahTXDhpI8?start=1112" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>“This terrorist leader is no more,” Biden said in an evening speech from the White House.Biden said U.S. intelligence officials tracked al-Zawahri to a home in downtown Kabul where he was hiding out with his family. The president approved the operation last week and it was carried out on Sunday.------------CAIRO, Egypt (AP) — Ayman al-Zawahri, an Egyptian surgeon who became a mastermind of jihad against the West and who took over as al-Qaida leader after Osama bin Laden’s death in a U.S. raid, has been killed. He was 71.Five people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that a CIA drone strike killed al-Zawahri over the weekend in Afghanistan. They spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the matter.His death is likely to lead to greater disarray within the organization than bin Laden’s death in May 2011 did, since it is far less clear who his successor at the head of the terror network would be.Al-Zawahri more than anyone shaped al-Qaida, first as bin Laden’s deputy since 1998, then as his successor. Together, he and bin Laden turned the jihadi movement’s guns to target the United States, carrying out the deadliest attack ever on American soil — the Sept. 11, 2001, suicide hijackings.The attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon made bin Laden America’s Enemy No. 1. But he likely could never have carried it out without his deputy. Bin Laden provided al-Qaida with charisma and money, but al-Zawahri brought tactics and organizational skills needed to forge militants into a network of cells in countries around the world.Their bond was forged in the late 1980s, when al-Zawahri reportedly treated the Saudi millionaire bin Laden in the caves of Afghanistan as Soviet bombardment shook the mountains around them.“Al-Zawahri was always bin Laden’s mentor, bin Laden always looked up to him,” says terrorism expert Bruce Hoffman of Georgetown University. Al-Zawahri “spent time in an Egyptian prison, he was tortured. He was a jihadi from the time he was a teenager.”When the 2001 U.S. invasion of Afghanistan demolished al-Qaida’s safe haven and scattered, killed and captured its members, al-Zawahri ensured al-Qaida’s survival. He rebuilt its leadership in the Afghan-Pakistan border region and installed allies as lieutenants in key positions.He also reshaped the organization from a centralized planner of terror attacks into the head of a franchise chain. He led the assembling of a network of autonomous branches around the region, including in Iraq, Saudi Arabia, North Africa, Somalia, Yemen and Asia. Over the next decade, al-Qaida inspired or had a direct hand in attacks in all those areas as well as Europe, Pakistan and Turkey, including the 2004 train bombings in Madrid and the 2005 transit bombings in London. Twice, the al-Qaida affiliate in Yemen tried to attack on U.S. soil with an attempted 2009 bombing of an American passenger jet and an attempted package bomb the following year.But even before bin Laden’s death, al-Zawahri was struggling to maintain al-Qaida’s relevance in a changing Middle East.He tried with little success to coopt the wave of uprisings that spread across the Arab world starting in 2011, urging Islamic hard-liners to take over in the nations where leaders had fallen. But while Islamists gained prominence in many places, they have stark ideological differences with al-Qaida and reject its agenda and leadership.As al-Qaida's leader, al-Zawahri also faced the challenge of the explosive rise of the Islamic State group, an even more radical rival that drew away recruits with its dramatic capture of much of Syria and Iraq. IS's “caliphate” was brought down by a U.S.-led campaign after years of fighting, but the jihadist movement was irrevocably splintered and al-Qaida lost much of its luster in radicals' eyes.Al-Zawahri was also a more divisive figure than his predecessor. Many militants described the soft-spoken bin Laden in adoring and almost spiritual terms.In contrast, al-Zawahri was notoriously prickly and pedantic. He picked ideological fights with critics within the jihadi camp, wagging his finger scoldingly in his videos. Even some key figures in al-Qaida’s central leadership were put off, calling him overly controlling, secretive and divisive.Some militants whose association with bin Laden predated al-Zawahri’s always saw him as an arrogant intruder.“I have never taken orders from al-Zawahri,” Fazul Abdullah Mohammed, one of the network’s top figures in East Africa until his 2011 death, sneered in a memoir posted on line in 2009. “We don’t take orders from anyone but our historical leadership.”It was during his years leading Egypt’s Islamic Jihad militant group in the 1990s that al-Zawahri honed the skills he would bring to al-Qaida.He was born June 19, 1951, the son of an upper-middle-class family of doctors and scholars in the Cairo suburb of Maadi. His father was a pharmacology professor at Cairo University’s medical school and his grandfather, Rabia al-Zawahri, was the grand imam of Al-Azhar University, a premier center of religious study.From an early age, al-Zawahri was enflamed by the radical writings of Sayed Qutb, the Egyptian Islamist who taught that Arab regimes were “infidel” and should be replaced by Islamic rule. He began his life of militancy at age 15, when he created an underground cell of high school students to oppose the government.In the 1970s, as he earned his medical degree as a surgeon, he was active in militant circles. He and others formed Islamic Jihad and began trying to infiltrate the military. At one point, he even stored weapons in his private medical clinic.As he has told it in his writings, his first trip to Afghanistan in 1980 to treat Islamic fighters battling Soviet forces opened his eyes to new possibilities.He called that Afghan war “the training course preparing Muslim mujahedeen youth to launch their upcoming battle with the great power that would rule the world: America.”Then came the 1981 assassination of Egyptian President Anwar Sadat by Islamic Jihad militants. The slaying was carried out by a different cell in the group — and al-Zawahri has written that he learned of the plot only hours before the assassination.But he was arrested along with hundreds of other militants and served three years in prison. During his imprisonment, he was reportedly tortured heavily, a factor some cite as turning him more violently radical.After his release in 1984, al-Zawahri returned to Afghanistan and joined militants from across the Middle East fighting alongside the Afghans against the Soviets. He courted bin Laden, who became a heroic figure for his financial support of the mujahedeen.Al-Zawahri followed bin Laden to his new base in Sudan, and from there he led a reassembled Islamic Jihad in a violent campaign of bombing attacks aimed at toppling Egypt’s U.S.-allied government.In the most daring attack, Jihad and other militants tried to assassinate Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak during a 1995 visit to Ethiopia. Mubarak escaped the hail of gunfire on his motorcade, and his security forces all but crushed the militant movement in Egypt in the crackdown that followed.Although the Egyptian movement failed, its tactics lived on in al-Zawahri.He promoted the use of suicide bombings, to become al-Qaida’s hallmark. He plotted a 1995 suicide car bombing of Egypt’s embassy in Islamabad that killed 16 people — presaging the more devastating 1998 al-Qaida bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania that killed more than 200, an attack al-Zawahri was indicted for in the United States.In 1996, Sudan expelled bin Laden, who took his fighters back to Afghanistan, where they found a safe haven under the radical Taliban regime. Once more, al-Zawahri followed.Their bond was sealed when bin Laden, al-Zawahri and other militant leaders issued the “Declaration of Jihad against Jews and Crusaders,” announcing the United States was Islam’s top enemy and instructing Muslims it was their religious duty to “kill the Americans and their allies.”A series of spectacular attacks followed: the bombings of U.S. embassies in Africa, the 2000 suicide bombing of the USS Cole off Yemen, and finally the 9/11 attacks.When the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in retaliation, al-Zawahri and bin Laden fled into Pakistan. A U.S. airstrike killed al-Zawahri’s wife and at least two of their six children in the southern Afghan city of Kandahar. The CIA came tantalizingly close to possibly capturing al-Zawahri in 2003 and killing him in 2004. The CIA thought it finally had al-Zawahri in its sights in 2009, only to be tricked by a double agent who blew himself up, killing seven agency employees and wounding six more in Khost, Afghanistan.But ultimately, al-Zawahri never reached his long-term goals for jihad that he outlined in his writings — to hurt the U.S. with “as many casualties as possible” while seizing control of a country from which to establish a “caliphate” across the Muslim world.Al-Qaida attacks that killed Muslims turned off many in the Arab world, attacks that killed Americans never gained it deep popularity, and the group never gained widespread popular support beyond a fringe of radical sympathizers.Still, he vowed to continue hitting Americans in the video eulogy to his slain boss.Bin Laden “terrified America in his life,” he said, and “will continue to terrify it after his death.”

🎥Biden: Justice delivered, Al-Qaida mastermind is no more

By SCOTT CARLSON North Platte Post

LINCOLN, Neb.-Two people have been arrested in a kidnapping investigation in Lincoln.

Police said on July 29, at around 8:30 a.m., the police department was contacted by investigators in Gage County who reported finding a man bound and walking down a rural road with obvious injuries.

Police made contact with the 26-year-old man, who reported that he had been kidnapped and beaten at a warehouse in Lincoln at 56th St. and I-80, before being transported to an unknown location in Gage County.

As police continued their investigation, they learned that a second victim, a female, had been kidnapped and assaulted, both physically and sexually.

The man told officers that Austin Widhalm, 26, and Tanner Danielson, 30, took him to an area he was unfamiliar with and tied him to a tree. The man said he was eventually able to free himself and began walking until he was found by a Gage County deputy. The deputy then transported him to a local hospital, where he was treated for his injuries.

A felony arrest warrant has been issued for Widhalm for kidnapping, 1st-degree assault, use of a weapon to commit a felony, and two counts of 1st-degree false imprisonment.

Danielson was arrested in Rapid City, South Dakota, on Monday by the U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force on suspicion of use of a weapon to commit a felony, 1st-degree false imprisonment, 1st-degree assault, and 1st-degree sexual assault.&nbsp;

Police did not release any further information on the female who was allegedly a victim as the investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Lincoln Police Department at 402.441.6000 or if they wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 402.475.3600.

<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659397957995.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By SCOTT CARLSON North Platte PostLINCOLN, Neb.-Two people have been arrested in a kidnapping investigation in Lincoln.Police said on July 29, at around 8:30 a.m., the police department was contacted by investigators in Gage County who reported finding a man bound and walking down a rural road with obvious injuries.Police made contact with the 26-year-old man, who reported that he had been kidnapped and beaten at a warehouse in Lincoln at 56th St. and I-80, before being transported to an unknown location in Gage County.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659397896813.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As police continued their investigation, they learned that a second victim, a female, had been kidnapped and assaulted, both physically and sexually.The man told officers that Austin Widhalm, 26, and Tanner Danielson, 30, took him to an area he was unfamiliar with and tied him to a tree. The man said he was eventually able to free himself and began walking until he was found by a Gage County deputy. The deputy then transported him to a local hospital, where he was treated for his injuries.A felony arrest warrant has been issued for Widhalm for kidnapping, 1st-degree assault, use of a weapon to commit a felony, and two counts of 1st-degree false imprisonment.Danielson was arrested in Rapid City, South Dakota, on Monday by the U.S. Marshal's Fugitive Task Force on suspicion of use of a weapon to commit a felony, 1st-degree false imprisonment, 1st-degree assault, and 1st-degree sexual assault.&nbsp;Police did not release any further information on the female who was allegedly a victim as the investigation is ongoing.Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Lincoln Police Department at 402.441.6000 or if they wish to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 402.475.3600.<a href="https://northplattepost.com/posts/2ddcec21-000f-4ace-b19e-4250120d6629">&nbsp;&nbsp;Download The Post app for iOs or Android</a><figure>
 <img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/4c2CmraD3QC6TZS9LTKQ2Mp0PXfvtMuqtPnS36ONechLD26DBEcSEkmZ4bJ3fTbzaDbyYGlvMdmpyWvMWaUdON8foU8YXrDPVATVBcE0IiaL3ebwHokDsn1sm6WdWhGlcPp5BBdVIfyoDkwggdbXbQ" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Lincoln police make arrest, issue warrant in kidnapping investigation

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Monday decried Beijing's rhetoric over an expected visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, vowing the United States “will not take the bait or engage in saber rattling” and has no interest in increasing tensions with China.

White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby underscored that the decision on whether to visit the self-ruled island that China claims as its own was ultimately Pelosi's. He noted that members of Congress have routinely visited Taiwan over the years.

Kirby said administration officials are concerned that Beijing could use the visit as an excuse to take provocative retaliatory steps, including military action such as firing missiles in the Taiwan Strait or around Taiwan, flying sorties into Taiwan's airspace and carrying out large-scale naval exercises in the strait.

“Put simply, there is no reason for Beijing to turn a potential visit consistent with long-standing U.S. policy into some sort of crisis or use it as a pretext to increase aggressive military activity in or around the Taiwan Strait,” Kirby said.

The Biden administration pushed back on Beijing as Pelosi held talks with officials in Singapore on Monday at the start of her Asian tour.

While there have been no official announcements, local media in Taiwan reported that Pelosi will arrive Tuesday night, making her the highest-ranking elected U.S. official to visit in more than 25 years. The United Daily News, Liberty Times and China Times — Taiwan's three largest national newspapers — cited unidentified sources as saying she would arrive in Taipei after visiting Malaysia and spend the night.

Talk of such a visit is sparking fury in Beijing, which regards Taiwan as its own territory and has repeatedly warned of “serious consequences" if the reported trip goes ahead.

“If Pelosi insists on visiting Taiwan, China will take resolute and strong measures to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in Beijing, without giving details.

“Those who play with fire will perish by it,” Zhao said. “We would like to once again admonish the U.S. that we are fully prepared for any eventuality and the PLA will never sit idly by.” The People's Liberation Army is China's military.

Chinese President Xi Jinping also warned the U.S. against meddling in Beijing’s dealings with the island in a phone call last week with President Joe Biden.

China has been steadily ratcheting up diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan. Threats of retaliation for a visit by Pelosi have driven concerns of a new crisis in the Taiwan Strait, which separates the two sides, that could roil global markets and supply chains.

Beijing sees official American contact with Taiwan as encouragement to make the island's decades-old de facto independence permanent, a step U.S. leaders say they don’t support. Pelosi, head of one of three branches of the U.S. government, would be the highest-ranking elected American official to visit Taiwan since then-Speaker Newt Gingrich in 1997.

The Biden administration has tried to assure Beijing there was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-asia-nancy-pelosi-taiwan-john-kirby-364d56ced8e6a51f8fb302c215f675c5">no reason to “come to blows”</a>&nbsp;and that if such a visit occurred, it would signal no change in U.S. policy. Administration officials on Monday called on China to tone down the rhetoric, underscoring that there was no reason for Beijing to escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait over the potential visit. Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee were to receive a classified briefing on Taiwan from senior Pentagon and State Department officials on Monday evening.

“What I can say is this: this is very much precedent in the sense that previous speakers have visited Taiwan, many members of Congress go to Taiwan, including this year,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. “And so, if the speaker does decide to visit and China tries to create some kind of crisis or otherwise escalate tensions, that would be entirely on Beijing.”

Taiwan and China split in 1949 after the Communists won a civil war on the mainland. Both sides say they are one country but disagree over which government is entitled to national leadership. They have no official relations but are linked by billions of dollars of trade and investment.

The United States switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, but maintains informal relations with the island. Washington is obligated by the Taiwan Relations Act, a federal law, to see that Taiwan has the means to defend itself.

Washington’s “One China policy” says it takes no position on the status of the two sides but wants their dispute resolved peacefully. Beijing promotes an alternative “One China principle” that says they are one country and the Communist Party is its leader.

“We expect to see Beijing continue to use inflammatory rhetoric and disinformation in the coming days,” Kirby said. “The United States, by contrast, will act with transparency.”

On Monday, Pelosi met with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, President Halimah Yacob and other Cabinet members.

Singapore's Foreign Ministry said Lee welcomed a U.S. commitment to strong engagement with the region, and the two sides discussed ways to deepen U.S. economic involvement through initiatives such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.

Lee and Pelosi also discussed the war in Ukraine, tensions surrounding Taiwan and mainland China, and climate change, it said in a statement. Lee “highlighted the importance of stable U.S.-China relations for regional peace and security,” it added, in an apparent allusion to reports of Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.

Pelosi has said she is visiting Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan in a tour to discuss trade, the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, security and “democratic governance.”

On Thursday, Pelosi is to meet with South Korean National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin Pyo in Seoul for talks on security in the Indo-Pacific region, economic cooperation and the climate crisis, Kim’s office said in a statement.

It declined to provide further details about her itinerary, including when she is arriving in South Korea and how long she’ll stay. Pelosi’s schedule for Wednesday remains unclear and there were no details on when she will head to Japan.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The White House on Monday decried Beijing's rhetoric over an expected visit by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan, vowing the United States “will not take the bait or engage in saber rattling” and has no interest in increasing tensions with China.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F786259825841593%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=373" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby underscored that the decision on whether to visit the self-ruled island that China claims as its own was ultimately Pelosi's. He noted that members of Congress have routinely visited Taiwan over the years.Kirby said administration officials are concerned that Beijing could use the visit as an excuse to take provocative retaliatory steps, including military action such as firing missiles in the Taiwan Strait or around Taiwan, flying sorties into Taiwan's airspace and carrying out large-scale naval exercises in the strait.“Put simply, there is no reason for Beijing to turn a potential visit consistent with long-standing U.S. policy into some sort of crisis or use it as a pretext to increase aggressive military activity in or around the Taiwan Strait,” Kirby said.The Biden administration pushed back on Beijing as Pelosi held talks with officials in Singapore on Monday at the start of her Asian tour.While there have been no official announcements, local media in Taiwan reported that Pelosi will arrive Tuesday night, making her the highest-ranking elected U.S. official to visit in more than 25 years. The United Daily News, Liberty Times and China Times — Taiwan's three largest national newspapers — cited unidentified sources as saying she would arrive in Taipei after visiting Malaysia and spend the night.Talk of such a visit is sparking fury in Beijing, which regards Taiwan as its own territory and has repeatedly warned of “serious consequences" if the reported trip goes ahead.“If Pelosi insists on visiting Taiwan, China will take resolute and strong measures to defend its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian said in Beijing, without giving details.“Those who play with fire will perish by it,” Zhao said. “We would like to once again admonish the U.S. that we are fully prepared for any eventuality and the PLA will never sit idly by.” The People's Liberation Army is China's military.Chinese President Xi Jinping also warned the U.S. against meddling in Beijing’s dealings with the island in a phone call last week with President Joe Biden.China has been steadily ratcheting up diplomatic and military pressure on Taiwan. Threats of retaliation for a visit by Pelosi have driven concerns of a new crisis in the Taiwan Strait, which separates the two sides, that could roil global markets and supply chains.Beijing sees official American contact with Taiwan as encouragement to make the island's decades-old de facto independence permanent, a step U.S. leaders say they don’t support. Pelosi, head of one of three branches of the U.S. government, would be the highest-ranking elected American official to visit Taiwan since then-Speaker Newt Gingrich in 1997.The Biden administration has tried to assure Beijing there was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-asia-nancy-pelosi-taiwan-john-kirby-364d56ced8e6a51f8fb302c215f675c5">no reason to “come to blows”</a>&nbsp;and that if such a visit occurred, it would signal no change in U.S. policy. Administration officials on Monday called on China to tone down the rhetoric, underscoring that there was no reason for Beijing to escalate tensions in the Taiwan Strait over the potential visit. Members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee were to receive a classified briefing on Taiwan from senior Pentagon and State Department officials on Monday evening.“What I can say is this: this is very much precedent in the sense that previous speakers have visited Taiwan, many members of Congress go to Taiwan, including this year,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said. “And so, if the speaker does decide to visit and China tries to create some kind of crisis or otherwise escalate tensions, that would be entirely on Beijing.”Taiwan and China split in 1949 after the Communists won a civil war on the mainland. Both sides say they are one country but disagree over which government is entitled to national leadership. They have no official relations but are linked by billions of dollars of trade and investment.The United States switched diplomatic recognition from Taipei to Beijing in 1979, but maintains informal relations with the island. Washington is obligated by the Taiwan Relations Act, a federal law, to see that Taiwan has the means to defend itself.Washington’s “One China policy” says it takes no position on the status of the two sides but wants their dispute resolved peacefully. Beijing promotes an alternative “One China principle” that says they are one country and the Communist Party is its leader.“We expect to see Beijing continue to use inflammatory rhetoric and disinformation in the coming days,” Kirby said. “The United States, by contrast, will act with transparency.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our delegation met with Singapore’s Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean. In our meeting, our Members saluted Singapore’s commitment to a free &amp; open Indo-Pacific &amp; advancing security &amp; stability in the region. We also learned about Singapore’s efforts to address the climate crisis. <a href="https://t.co/bhLoqrEtjw">pic.twitter.com/bhLoqrEtjw</a>&mdash; Nancy Pelosi (@SpeakerPelosi) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerPelosi/status/1554149967882862595?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Monday, Pelosi met with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, President Halimah Yacob and other Cabinet members.Singapore's Foreign Ministry said Lee welcomed a U.S. commitment to strong engagement with the region, and the two sides discussed ways to deepen U.S. economic involvement through initiatives such as the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework.Lee and Pelosi also discussed the war in Ukraine, tensions surrounding Taiwan and mainland China, and climate change, it said in a statement. Lee “highlighted the importance of stable U.S.-China relations for regional peace and security,” it added, in an apparent allusion to reports of Pelosi's visit to Taiwan.Pelosi has said she is visiting Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and Japan in a tour to discuss trade, the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, security and “democratic governance.”On Thursday, Pelosi is to meet with South Korean National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin Pyo in Seoul for talks on security in the Indo-Pacific region, economic cooperation and the climate crisis, Kim’s office said in a statement.It declined to provide further details about her itinerary, including when she is arriving in South Korea and how long she’ll stay. Pelosi’s schedule for Wednesday remains unclear and there were no details on when she will head to Japan.

🎥Taiwan expects visit from Pelosi despite warning from China

WASHINGTON (AP) — When asked if he’d support legislation to protect same-sex marriage, one conservative Republican senator was almost nonchalant.

“I see no reason to oppose it,” Ron Johnson of Wisconsin told reporters, bringing Democrats one vote closer to an unexpected victory as they move to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-race-and-ethnicity-gay-rights-marriage-social-issues-77ec6e2a60b5990ceaf7c396fee42016">safeguard same-sex marriage</a>&nbsp;and other rights after the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned Roe v. Wade</a>, which legalized abortion nationwide.

Johnson’s answer, which came after 47 Republicans voted for the bill in the House last week, was reflective of a stark shift in GOP positioning after decades of fighting same-sex marriage. Ten years ago, most Republicans proudly espoused that marriage could only be between a man and a woman. Now, a federal law protecting same-sex marriage is within reach in an election year, with some Republican backing.

The signal of possible support from Johnson — arguably the most vulnerable Republican senator up for reelection this year — comes as Wisconsin’s other senator, Tammy Baldwin, is the lead Democrat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-marriage-congress-government-and-politics-b500cb024ea5776c4e8ebca228c22480">charged with persuading</a>&nbsp;the necessary 10 Republicans to vote for the bill. Baldwin, who is the first openly gay senator and has been working on gay rights issues since she first entered state politics in 1986, says the “world has changed,” especially since the Supreme Court’s 2015&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-courts-marriage-supreme-court-of-the-united-states-united-states-government-9e1933cd1e1a4e969ab45f5952bbb45f">Obergefell v. Hodges decision upholding gay marriage</a>.

A Gallup poll conducted in May showed broad support for same-sex marriage, with 71% of U.S. adults saying they think such unions should be recognized by law, including 55% of Republicans. Polling in Wisconsin mirrors that national survey, with 54% of Republicans in the state saying that they favor same-sex marriage in a Marquette Law School poll from April. In May 2014, the state poll found support from only 23% of Republicans.

“People began to see that the sky has not fallen," Baldwin said in an interview, and that the 2015 decision gave legal protections to families who did not previously have them. She says every member of Congress now has friends, family or staff who are openly gay.

“That probably has the biggest impact on where people land,” she said. “This is a vote of conscience.”

The bill pending in the Senate would repeal the Clinton-era Defense of Marriage Act that allowed states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages and instead require states to recognize all marriages that were legal where they were performed. The new Respect for Marriage Act would also protect interracial marriages by requiring states to recognize legal marriages regardless of “sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin.”

A vote could come as soon as next week, but it will more likely be in September when Congress returns from the August recess.

Republican Sens. Rob Portman of Ohio, Susan Collins of Maine and Thom Tillis of North Carolina have also said they will vote for the legislation; Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski has also supported same-sex marriage in the past. Several other Republicans have said they are undecided, including Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst and Indiana Sen. Mike Braun.

Notably silent is Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who has declined to comment until Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer holds a vote.

Baldwin and other advocates say more GOP senators are quietly contemplating the bill. Democrats need 10 Republican votes to overcome a filibuster and get a bill through the 50-50 Senate.

A range of Republicans voted for the bill in the House, including New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, the No. 3 House Republican; Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry, the chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus; and all four Republican members of Utah’s congressional delegation.

Still, the majority of House Republicans voted against it, and a similar dynamic is expected in the Senate.

Republicans opposing the bill give a variety of reasons, with most arguing that the Supreme Court is unlikely to overturn Obergefell and that Senate Democrats are playing politics by putting the bill on the floor. Democrats point to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-gun-politics-gay-rights-marriage-b9062feb4f80c49de088c36b0f17aa7c">Justice Clarence Thomas</a>&nbsp;’ concurring opinion to the June ruling overturning Roe in which he said that high court rulings protecting same-sex marriage and the right for couples to use contraception should also be reconsidered.

Asked about their opposition, many Republicans have focused on the process rather than the substance.

Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who is up for reelection this year, told CNN last week that he thinks the bill is a “stupid waste of time.” He said later that he believes “there is zero chance, below zero chance, that the Supreme Court or anyone is going to outlaw gay marriage in this country."

Even Johnson blamed Democrats as he said he was unlikely to oppose it, arguing that it was settled law and the vote is unnecessary. He said he still believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman. But “society has pretty well accepted it and moved on,” he said.

Other Republicans have made similar arguments, shifting from the more ideologically rigid statements of years past.

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who will vote against the bill, said he recognizes that “reasonable people can disagree" with him that marriage should be between a man and a woman, “and there is room for a diversity of views on that question.”

North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer says he will vote against it “unless I can be compelled somehow." He says he believes because of his evangelical Christian faith that marriage is between a man and a woman, but “it’s not like I feel super strongly about it, either.”

Cramer said he thinks the Senate will get the 60 votes needed to pass the bill. “It’s more that people are ambivalent about it,” he said.

Portman, who is pushing to get more votes from his party, notes that public opinion has changed substantially over the years. He has supported same-sex marriage since 2013,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bf4088a3b84a4d3888724f2ffd92875e">when he announced that one of his sons is gay</a>&nbsp;and that he believes people should be respected for who they are.

He faced criticism from some fellow Republicans at the time, but he says people now come up to him frequently to thank him for his support.

It’s not just Republicans who have evolved on the issue. Former President Barack Obama didn’t&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/63f51fcd69bb4ce18ed6b7306d1b3c89">publicly support same-sex marriage</a>&nbsp;until 2012, pushed in part by then-Vice President Joe Biden, who had come out in support a few days earlier. When the Defense of Marriage Act passed the Senate in 1996, only 14 Democrats opposed it.

David Stacy, a lead lobbyist for the Human Rights Campaign, says advocates for same-sex marriage faced many setbacks in the early 2000s, including state ballot measures to ban gay marriages. But he says he believes Republicans created a backlash of sorts by trying to use the issue against Democrats.

While the advocates lost many of those fights, “we were educating the public and moving public opinion,” Stacy says.

WASHINGTON (AP) — When asked if he’d support legislation to protect same-sex marriage, one conservative Republican senator was almost nonchalant.“I see no reason to oppose it,” Ron Johnson of Wisconsin told reporters, bringing Democrats one vote closer to an unexpected victory as they move to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-race-and-ethnicity-gay-rights-marriage-social-issues-77ec6e2a60b5990ceaf7c396fee42016">safeguard same-sex marriage</a>&nbsp;and other rights after the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned Roe v. Wade</a>, which legalized abortion nationwide.Johnson’s answer, which came after 47 Republicans voted for the bill in the House last week, was reflective of a stark shift in GOP positioning after decades of fighting same-sex marriage. Ten years ago, most Republicans proudly espoused that marriage could only be between a man and a woman. Now, a federal law protecting same-sex marriage is within reach in an election year, with some Republican backing.The signal of possible support from Johnson — arguably the most vulnerable Republican senator up for reelection this year — comes as Wisconsin’s other senator, Tammy Baldwin, is the lead Democrat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-marriage-congress-government-and-politics-b500cb024ea5776c4e8ebca228c22480">charged with persuading</a>&nbsp;the necessary 10 Republicans to vote for the bill. Baldwin, who is the first openly gay senator and has been working on gay rights issues since she first entered state politics in 1986, says the “world has changed,” especially since the Supreme Court’s 2015&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-courts-marriage-supreme-court-of-the-united-states-united-states-government-9e1933cd1e1a4e969ab45f5952bbb45f">Obergefell v. Hodges decision upholding gay marriage</a>.A Gallup poll conducted in May showed broad support for same-sex marriage, with 71% of U.S. adults saying they think such unions should be recognized by law, including 55% of Republicans. Polling in Wisconsin mirrors that national survey, with 54% of Republicans in the state saying that they favor same-sex marriage in a Marquette Law School poll from April. In May 2014, the state poll found support from only 23% of Republicans.“People began to see that the sky has not fallen," Baldwin said in an interview, and that the 2015 decision gave legal protections to families who did not previously have them. She says every member of Congress now has friends, family or staff who are openly gay.“That probably has the biggest impact on where people land,” she said. “This is a vote of conscience.”The bill pending in the Senate would repeal the Clinton-era Defense of Marriage Act that allowed states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages and instead require states to recognize all marriages that were legal where they were performed. The new Respect for Marriage Act would also protect interracial marriages by requiring states to recognize legal marriages regardless of “sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin.”A vote could come as soon as next week, but it will more likely be in September when Congress returns from the August recess.Republican Sens. Rob Portman of Ohio, Susan Collins of Maine and Thom Tillis of North Carolina have also said they will vote for the legislation; Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski has also supported same-sex marriage in the past. Several other Republicans have said they are undecided, including Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, Missouri Sen. Roy Blunt, Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst and Indiana Sen. Mike Braun.Notably silent is Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell, who has declined to comment until Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer holds a vote.Baldwin and other advocates say more GOP senators are quietly contemplating the bill. Democrats need 10 Republican votes to overcome a filibuster and get a bill through the 50-50 Senate.A range of Republicans voted for the bill in the House, including New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, the No. 3 House Republican; Pennsylvania Rep. Scott Perry, the chair of the conservative House Freedom Caucus; and all four Republican members of Utah’s congressional delegation.Still, the majority of House Republicans voted against it, and a similar dynamic is expected in the Senate.Republicans opposing the bill give a variety of reasons, with most arguing that the Supreme Court is unlikely to overturn Obergefell and that Senate Democrats are playing politics by putting the bill on the floor. Democrats point to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-gun-politics-gay-rights-marriage-b9062feb4f80c49de088c36b0f17aa7c">Justice Clarence Thomas</a>&nbsp;’ concurring opinion to the June ruling overturning Roe in which he said that high court rulings protecting same-sex marriage and the right for couples to use contraception should also be reconsidered.Asked about their opposition, many Republicans have focused on the process rather than the substance.Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, who is up for reelection this year, told CNN last week that he thinks the bill is a “stupid waste of time.” He said later that he believes “there is zero chance, below zero chance, that the Supreme Court or anyone is going to outlaw gay marriage in this country."Even Johnson blamed Democrats as he said he was unlikely to oppose it, arguing that it was settled law and the vote is unnecessary. He said he still believes that marriage should be between a man and a woman. But “society has pretty well accepted it and moved on,” he said.Other Republicans have made similar arguments, shifting from the more ideologically rigid statements of years past.Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, who will vote against the bill, said he recognizes that “reasonable people can disagree" with him that marriage should be between a man and a woman, “and there is room for a diversity of views on that question.”North Dakota Sen. Kevin Cramer says he will vote against it “unless I can be compelled somehow." He says he believes because of his evangelical Christian faith that marriage is between a man and a woman, but “it’s not like I feel super strongly about it, either.”Cramer said he thinks the Senate will get the 60 votes needed to pass the bill. “It’s more that people are ambivalent about it,” he said.Portman, who is pushing to get more votes from his party, notes that public opinion has changed substantially over the years. He has supported same-sex marriage since 2013,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bf4088a3b84a4d3888724f2ffd92875e">when he announced that one of his sons is gay</a>&nbsp;and that he believes people should be respected for who they are.He faced criticism from some fellow Republicans at the time, but he says people now come up to him frequently to thank him for his support.It’s not just Republicans who have evolved on the issue. Former President Barack Obama didn’t&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/63f51fcd69bb4ce18ed6b7306d1b3c89">publicly support same-sex marriage</a>&nbsp;until 2012, pushed in part by then-Vice President Joe Biden, who had come out in support a few days earlier. When the Defense of Marriage Act passed the Senate in 1996, only 14 Democrats opposed it.David Stacy, a lead lobbyist for the Human Rights Campaign, says advocates for same-sex marriage faced many setbacks in the early 2000s, including state ballot measures to ban gay marriages. But he says he believes Republicans created a backlash of sorts by trying to use the issue against Democrats.While the advocates lost many of those fights, “we were educating the public and moving public opinion,” Stacy says.

Some Republicans see good politics in same-sex marriage bill

By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/07/28/facebook-parent-company-meta-continues-growth-in-nebraskas-sarpy-county/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — The Sarpy County campus of 
social media giant Meta has been on continuous growth since it broke 
ground five years ago on two buildings in Papillion.

What started as 1 million square feet
 of data center has expanded to the point that construction crossed into
 another city — requiring a more inclusive name change.&nbsp;

A highway overpass was even built earlier to connect parts of the spreading complex.

On Thursday, the parent company of 
Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and other apps announced yet another 
expansion plan to add a ninth structure in Sarpy County. That will 
increase the facility’s sprawl to beyond 4 million square feet of data 
center space in Papillion and Springfield.

“This has continued largely unabated 
since 2017,” said Matt Sexton, the company’s community development 
manager. “It’s Meta’s only data center in the world that includes two 
municipalities.”

Collectively, he said, the total investment into the “Sarpy Data Center” is expected to exceed $1.5 billion.

Currently, more than 150 full-time 
employees work among the six operational buildings that all are in 
Papillion, Sexton said. When the three Springfield structures are fully 
constructed and operational (including the most recent one announced), 
that employee count is expected to double, he said.

Sexton said that doesn’t include 
construction and skilled trades workers who will have work through 2024.
 At peak construction, Sexton said, about 2,000 construction workers, 
many local, were at the site.

Sexton describes the Sarpy Data 
Center as the “physical backbone and infrastructure that powers our apps
 and services worldwide.”

He said that at some point, users of 
the apps likely interface with the Sarpy servers and computers that are 
used to transmit and store data globally.

An announcement shared on the Sarpy 
Data Center Facebook page said that since 2017, Meta has moved over 3 
million cubic yards of dirt and erected more than 6,000 tons of steel.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659367105128.png" alt="Rendering of the Meta campus, to include the latest planned addition, a ninth building, in the foreground. (Courtesy of Meta)" />
 <figcaption>Rendering of the Meta campus, to include the latest planned addition, a ninth building, in the foreground. (Courtesy of Meta)</figcaption>
 </figure>By CINDY GONZALEZ <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/07/28/facebook-parent-company-meta-continues-growth-in-nebraskas-sarpy-county/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — The Sarpy County campus of 
social media giant Meta has been on continuous growth since it broke 
ground five years ago on two buildings in Papillion.What started as 1 million square feet
 of data center has expanded to the point that construction crossed into
 another city — requiring a more inclusive name change.&nbsp;A highway overpass was even built earlier to connect parts of the spreading complex.<h2>4 million square feet</h2>On Thursday, the parent company of 
Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp and other apps announced yet another 
expansion plan to add a ninth structure in Sarpy County. That will 
increase the facility’s sprawl to beyond 4 million square feet of data 
center space in Papillion and Springfield.“This has continued largely unabated 
since 2017,” said Matt Sexton, the company’s community development 
manager. “It’s Meta’s only data center in the world that includes two 
municipalities.”Collectively, he said, the total investment into the “Sarpy Data Center” is expected to exceed $1.5 billion.Currently, more than 150 full-time 
employees work among the six operational buildings that all are in 
Papillion, Sexton said. When the three Springfield structures are fully 
constructed and operational (including the most recent one announced), 
that employee count is expected to double, he said.<h2>Worldwide reach</h2>Sexton said that doesn’t include 
construction and skilled trades workers who will have work through 2024.
 At peak construction, Sexton said, about 2,000 construction workers, 
many local, were at the site.Sexton describes the Sarpy Data 
Center as the “physical backbone and infrastructure that powers our apps
 and services worldwide.”He said that at some point, users of 
the apps likely interface with the Sarpy servers and computers that are 
used to transmit and store data globally.An announcement shared on the Sarpy 
Data Center Facebook page said that since 2017, Meta has moved over 3 
million cubic yards of dirt and erected more than 6,000 tons of steel.

Facebook parent company continues growth in Nebraska

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 for a third straight day, in a case of “rebound” following treatment with an anti-viral drug.

White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor says in a letter Monday that the third positive test was anticipated.

"The president will continue his strict isolation measures."&nbsp; 

&nbsp;After Biden tested positive on Saturday, he canceled upcoming plans to travel and hold in-person events. He's isolating for at least five days in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. 

The 79-year-old Biden first tested positive on July 21. He was treated with the anti-viral drug Paxlovid and he had ended his isolation on Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1659220712719.png" alt="President Biden was treated with the anti-viral drug Paxlovid and he had ended his isolation on Wednesday before he tested positive again Saturday-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>President Biden was treated with the anti-viral drug Paxlovid and he had ended his isolation on Wednesday before he tested positive again Saturday-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID-19 for a third straight day, in a case of “rebound” following treatment with an anti-viral drug.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659365430199.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>White House physician Dr. Kevin O’Connor says in a letter Monday that the third positive test was anticipated."The president will continue his strict isolation measures."&nbsp; &nbsp;After Biden tested positive on Saturday, he canceled upcoming plans to travel and hold in-person events. He's isolating for at least five days in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. The 79-year-old Biden first tested positive on July 21. He was treated with the anti-viral drug Paxlovid and he had ended his isolation on Wednesday.

Biden continues to test positive for COVID in rebound case

(AP)-Dave and Erica Harrig stayed true to their values when they won a lottery jackpot of more than $61 million in 2013. It made all the difference.

The couple from Gretna, Nebraska, a community on the outskirts of Omaha where Dave Harrig now is a volunteer firefighter, allowed themselves to buy a new home, some vintage automobiles and a few ocean cruises after they both quit their jobs.

But nine years later, they still live much as they always did, remaining in their community, keeping up with church, family and friends, and teaching their children to work hard to make a living despite any financial windfall that might come their way.

Many other winners haven’t been as lucky, suffering personal setbacks and lawsuits or becoming the victims of scams. The latest winner of a big jackpot came Friday, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lotteries-iowa-e986a2da15c75b1e2228499ea90a6530">a single ticket sold in Illinois matched the numbers for a $1.337 billion Mega Millions prize.</a>&nbsp;Illinois is among the states where winners of more than $250,000 can choose to not reveal their names.

Dave Harrig, an Air Force veteran who worked in aircraft maintenance, says keeping things simple probably saved him and his family from the kind of hassles and tragedies that have befallen other big winners.

Almost overnight, the Harrig family mailbox was filled with letters full of hard luck stories: sick children, lost jobs, burned out homes.

Dave Harrig said they ignored them all and focused on their own family and charities.

They didn't even touch the principal on their winnings until just a few years ago, when they tapped into it to fund a new museum of firefighting in Gretna that will open soon.

“We have nicer things, a bigger house, and more than we ever had in the past. But we are the same, and my wife and I keep each other in check,” Dave Harrig said, encouraging future lottery winners to invest wisely, choose a national investment adviser rather than a local one, and to avoid advisers who try to sell financial products.

They've ignored false rumors that have swirled about them, suggesting that his wife at one point ran off with a doctor and that he had a lawyer girlfriend. Their four children endured teasing at school.

“We're still learning, but it has helped to stay working together as a team,” he said of himself and his wife.

He acknowledged the struggles of some past winners, saying the experience of winning a jackpot “can really accentuate your character and any addictions.”

The late Andrew Whittaker Jr., of West Virginia, suffered lawsuits and personal setbacks after he claimed a record $315 million Powerball jackpot on Christmas night in 2002.

At the time, it was the largest U.S. lottery jackpot won by a single ticket. People harassed him so much with requests for money he was quoted several times saying he wished he had torn up the ticket.

Before dying of natural causes in 2020 at age 72, he struggled with alcohol and gambling problems and had a series of personal tragedies, including the death of his granddaughter.

Winning the lottery brought other kinds of headaches for Manuel Franco, of West Allis, Wisconsin, who claimed a $768 million lottery jackpot in April 2019.

Then just 24, Franco excitedly held a news conference to discuss his win, but later reportedly went into hiding amid harassment by strangers and the news media.

The Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin began warning people in 2021 about messages from scammers who claimed to be the multimillion-dollar winner.

Using Franco’s name, the scammers sent text messages, social media messages, phone calls and emails phishing for personal information, telling recipients they had been chosen to receive money.

The BBB said scammers got more than $13,000 from people they tricked, including people in Alabama and Colorado.

Despite the problems encountered by the winners, lottery officials favor publicly identifying winners to instill public trust in the games.

That's in large part because some past drawings have been rigged. Former Multi-State Lottery Association information security director Eddie Tipton&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/4d6bedd2f2b347d68a3be15c2761b577">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;in 2017 to manipulating software so he could predict winning numbers on certain days of the year. He and his brother rigged jackpots in numerous states for a combined payout of some $24 million.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659353957353.jpg" alt="Image courtesy of Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy of Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS(AP)-Dave and Erica Harrig stayed true to their values when they won a lottery jackpot of more than $61 million in 2013. It made all the difference.The couple from Gretna, Nebraska, a community on the outskirts of Omaha where Dave Harrig now is a volunteer firefighter, allowed themselves to buy a new home, some vintage automobiles and a few ocean cruises after they both quit their jobs.But nine years later, they still live much as they always did, remaining in their community, keeping up with church, family and friends, and teaching their children to work hard to make a living despite any financial windfall that might come their way.Many other winners haven’t been as lucky, suffering personal setbacks and lawsuits or becoming the victims of scams. The latest winner of a big jackpot came Friday, when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lotteries-iowa-e986a2da15c75b1e2228499ea90a6530">a single ticket sold in Illinois matched the numbers for a $1.337 billion Mega Millions prize.</a>&nbsp;Illinois is among the states where winners of more than $250,000 can choose to not reveal their names.Dave Harrig, an Air Force veteran who worked in aircraft maintenance, says keeping things simple probably saved him and his family from the kind of hassles and tragedies that have befallen other big winners.Almost overnight, the Harrig family mailbox was filled with letters full of hard luck stories: sick children, lost jobs, burned out homes.Dave Harrig said they ignored them all and focused on their own family and charities.They didn't even touch the principal on their winnings until just a few years ago, when they tapped into it to fund a new museum of firefighting in Gretna that will open soon.“We have nicer things, a bigger house, and more than we ever had in the past. But we are the same, and my wife and I keep each other in check,” Dave Harrig said, encouraging future lottery winners to invest wisely, choose a national investment adviser rather than a local one, and to avoid advisers who try to sell financial products.They've ignored false rumors that have swirled about them, suggesting that his wife at one point ran off with a doctor and that he had a lawyer girlfriend. Their four children endured teasing at school.“We're still learning, but it has helped to stay working together as a team,” he said of himself and his wife.He acknowledged the struggles of some past winners, saying the experience of winning a jackpot “can really accentuate your character and any addictions.”The late Andrew Whittaker Jr., of West Virginia, suffered lawsuits and personal setbacks after he claimed a record $315 million Powerball jackpot on Christmas night in 2002.At the time, it was the largest U.S. lottery jackpot won by a single ticket. People harassed him so much with requests for money he was quoted several times saying he wished he had torn up the ticket.Before dying of natural causes in 2020 at age 72, he struggled with alcohol and gambling problems and had a series of personal tragedies, including the death of his granddaughter.Winning the lottery brought other kinds of headaches for Manuel Franco, of West Allis, Wisconsin, who claimed a $768 million lottery jackpot in April 2019.Then just 24, Franco excitedly held a news conference to discuss his win, but later reportedly went into hiding amid harassment by strangers and the news media.The Better Business Bureau of Wisconsin began warning people in 2021 about messages from scammers who claimed to be the multimillion-dollar winner.Using Franco’s name, the scammers sent text messages, social media messages, phone calls and emails phishing for personal information, telling recipients they had been chosen to receive money.The BBB said scammers got more than $13,000 from people they tricked, including people in Alabama and Colorado.Despite the problems encountered by the winners, lottery officials favor publicly identifying winners to instill public trust in the games.That's in large part because some past drawings have been rigged. Former Multi-State Lottery Association information security director Eddie Tipton&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/4d6bedd2f2b347d68a3be15c2761b577">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;in 2017 to manipulating software so he could predict winning numbers on certain days of the year. He and his brother rigged jackpots in numerous states for a combined payout of some $24 million.

Winning lottery jackpot is lucky for some, tragic for others

SHELTON, CT (AP) —The maker of Banana Boat sunscreen is recalling a scalp spray because it contains trace amounts of benzene, a chemical which can cause cancer with repeated exposure.

<a href="https://edgewell.com/">Edgewell Personal Care Co.</a> <a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/edgewell-personal-care-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-banana-boat-hair-scalp-sunscreen-due">announced the voluntary recall </a>over the weekend.&nbsp;It said benzene was detected in internal reviews of Banana Boat Hair and Scalp Spray SPF 30.

Three batches of the spray are included in the recall, with lot codes 20016AF, 20084BF and 21139AF. Edgewell said no other batches of this spray, and no other Banana Boat products, are included in the recall.

Edgewell didn’t say how many cans it is recalling. The Associated Press left a message with the company seeking comment.

Shelton, Connecticut-based Edgewell said it hasn’t received any reports of adverse events related to the recall. The company has directed retailers to remove the spray from their shelves. It’s also offering to reimburse customers who have already bought the product.

The recall comes a little over a year after Johnson &amp; Johnson recalled five sunscreens because they were found to contain benzene. That recall included Aveeno and Neutrogena products in aerosol cans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659351249723.png" alt="Three batches of the spray are included in the recall-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Three batches of the spray are included in the recall-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SHELTON, CT (AP) —The maker of Banana Boat sunscreen is recalling a scalp spray because it contains trace amounts of benzene, a chemical which can cause cancer with repeated exposure.<a href="https://edgewell.com/">Edgewell Personal Care Co.</a> <a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/edgewell-personal-care-issues-voluntary-nationwide-recall-banana-boat-hair-scalp-sunscreen-due">announced the voluntary recall </a>over the weekend.&nbsp;It said benzene was detected in internal reviews of Banana Boat Hair and Scalp Spray SPF 30.Three batches of the spray are included in the recall, with lot codes 20016AF, 20084BF and 21139AF. Edgewell said no other batches of this spray, and no other Banana Boat products, are included in the recall.Edgewell didn’t say how many cans it is recalling. The Associated Press left a message with the company seeking comment.Shelton, Connecticut-based Edgewell said it hasn’t received any reports of adverse events related to the recall. The company has directed retailers to remove the spray from their shelves. It’s also offering to reimburse customers who have already bought the product.The recall comes a little over a year after Johnson &amp; Johnson recalled five sunscreens because they were found to contain benzene. That recall included Aveeno and Neutrogena products in aerosol cans.

Popular sunscreen spray recalled for cancer risk

WASHINGTON (AP) —A deal on Capitol Hill that could cut prescription drug costs for millions of Medicare beneficiaries was cautiously cheered by older Americans and their advocates this week even as many worried it might never come to fruition.

The health care and climate agreement struck by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin includes landmark provisions that could help senior citizens, including a cap on out-of-pocket Medicare drug costs and a requirement that the government negotiate prices on some high-cost drugs.

Some of the issues addressed in the deal have been talked about for decades and proved elusive. But Manchin's backing brought new optimism to many who have lobbied and prayed for relief.

“We worry constantly, ‘Will we be able to afford this?’” said Becky Miller, a 67-year-old retired teacher from Bradenton, Florida, who spends thousands of dollars each year for drugs to treat epilepsy, heart problems and an inflammatory disease that affects her spine.

She is afraid the powerful pharmaceutical lobby might still thwart the plan, but said, “If this goes through, it will help a lot of people.”

Several prongs of the proposal have the potential to bring relief to millions of people:

— It would cap out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,000 a year for Medicare beneficiaries. No such limit exists today, and some older people on costly drugs can run up bills of tens of thousands of dollars.

— It would give Medicare, for the first time, the ability to directly negotiate with pharmaceutical companies over the price of drugs, though the number of medications subject to the provision would be limited.

— It would create a new “inflation rebate” requiring drug companies to give refunds to Medicare beneficiaries for increases in prescription drug prices that exceed the rate of inflation.

— It would provide coverage of vaccines for senior citizens. Some Medicare beneficiaries have had to pay out of pocket for recommended immunizations, such as the one against shingles.

Earlier proposals were more generous and, along the way, provisions to pay for senior citizens’ glasses, hearing aids and dental care were trimmed. But news of a possible deal still drew applause.

“This would nonetheless be transformational, just not as transformational," said David Lipschutz, associate director of the nonpartisan Center for Medicare Advocacy. “It might not have been everything that everyone hoped for from the beginning, but this is nonetheless a huge step.”

Tricia Neuman, a Medicare expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, was likewise optimistic, saying, “Congress is on the cusp of making major changes to the Medicare drug benefit that could provide significant help to people struggling with their drug costs."

If passed, an estimated 4.1 million Medicare beneficiaries would start getting free vaccines as soon as next year, Neuman said. Drug companies would also be required to start giving the rebates next year.

Other proposals would take longer to kick in. The cap on out-of-pocket spending — estimated to help 1.45 million people — would start in 2025. And in 2026, the government would be able to start negotiating prices, beginning with 10 drugs and increasing to 20 by 2029.

The Senate is expected to vote on the wide-ranging measure next week, but with the chamber divided 50-50 and the Republicans staunchly opposed, the Democrats will have no votes to spare. A House vote would follow, perhaps later in August.

One key vote, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., was still reviewing the agreement, a spokeswoman said. Sinema backed Manchin last year in insisting on making the legislation less expensive but objected to proposals to raise tax rates.

Pamela Stevens, a 69-year-old from San Dimas, California, pays around $10,000 annually in out-of-pocket expenses for drugs to treat diabetes and other conditions. She is a retired nurse and her husband a retired accountant, and said that while they aren't poor, drug costs leave them little wiggle room. They never go out to eat or on vacation, and she sometimes goes without cholesterol drugs to cut costs.

Passage of the proposal, Stevens said, would give her some freedom and a chance to do more than just sit home watching TV. But she is not convinced it will happen.

“I am not going to hold my breath,” she said. “My hopes have been dashed too many times.”

In Oakland, California, 67-year-old Gay Cohen will pay $14,000 this year out of pocket for a generic version of the cancer drug Revlimid. Cohen, who worked on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in the Obama administration, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2020.

“It’s scandalous to pay that much money for something that is literally keeping me alive,” Cohen said. The cap on out-of-pocket costs would help him once it kicks in.

He added: “I’m really excited it’s happening. I wish it were coming sooner.”

WASHINGTON (AP) —A deal on Capitol Hill that could cut prescription drug costs for millions of Medicare beneficiaries was cautiously cheered by older Americans and their advocates this week even as many worried it might never come to fruition.The health care and climate agreement struck by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin includes landmark provisions that could help senior citizens, including a cap on out-of-pocket Medicare drug costs and a requirement that the government negotiate prices on some high-cost drugs.Some of the issues addressed in the deal have been talked about for decades and proved elusive. But Manchin's backing brought new optimism to many who have lobbied and prayed for relief.“We worry constantly, ‘Will we be able to afford this?’” said Becky Miller, a 67-year-old retired teacher from Bradenton, Florida, who spends thousands of dollars each year for drugs to treat epilepsy, heart problems and an inflammatory disease that affects her spine.She is afraid the powerful pharmaceutical lobby might still thwart the plan, but said, “If this goes through, it will help a lot of people.”Several prongs of the proposal have the potential to bring relief to millions of people:— It would cap out-of-pocket drug costs at $2,000 a year for Medicare beneficiaries. No such limit exists today, and some older people on costly drugs can run up bills of tens of thousands of dollars.— It would give Medicare, for the first time, the ability to directly negotiate with pharmaceutical companies over the price of drugs, though the number of medications subject to the provision would be limited.— It would create a new “inflation rebate” requiring drug companies to give refunds to Medicare beneficiaries for increases in prescription drug prices that exceed the rate of inflation.— It would provide coverage of vaccines for senior citizens. Some Medicare beneficiaries have had to pay out of pocket for recommended immunizations, such as the one against shingles.Earlier proposals were more generous and, along the way, provisions to pay for senior citizens’ glasses, hearing aids and dental care were trimmed. But news of a possible deal still drew applause.“This would nonetheless be transformational, just not as transformational," said David Lipschutz, associate director of the nonpartisan Center for Medicare Advocacy. “It might not have been everything that everyone hoped for from the beginning, but this is nonetheless a huge step.”Tricia Neuman, a Medicare expert with the nonpartisan Kaiser Family Foundation, was likewise optimistic, saying, “Congress is on the cusp of making major changes to the Medicare drug benefit that could provide significant help to people struggling with their drug costs."If passed, an estimated 4.1 million Medicare beneficiaries would start getting free vaccines as soon as next year, Neuman said. Drug companies would also be required to start giving the rebates next year.Other proposals would take longer to kick in. The cap on out-of-pocket spending — estimated to help 1.45 million people — would start in 2025. And in 2026, the government would be able to start negotiating prices, beginning with 10 drugs and increasing to 20 by 2029.The Senate is expected to vote on the wide-ranging measure next week, but with the chamber divided 50-50 and the Republicans staunchly opposed, the Democrats will have no votes to spare. A House vote would follow, perhaps later in August.One key vote, Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., was still reviewing the agreement, a spokeswoman said. Sinema backed Manchin last year in insisting on making the legislation less expensive but objected to proposals to raise tax rates.Pamela Stevens, a 69-year-old from San Dimas, California, pays around $10,000 annually in out-of-pocket expenses for drugs to treat diabetes and other conditions. She is a retired nurse and her husband a retired accountant, and said that while they aren't poor, drug costs leave them little wiggle room. They never go out to eat or on vacation, and she sometimes goes without cholesterol drugs to cut costs.Passage of the proposal, Stevens said, would give her some freedom and a chance to do more than just sit home watching TV. But she is not convinced it will happen.“I am not going to hold my breath,” she said. “My hopes have been dashed too many times.”In Oakland, California, 67-year-old Gay Cohen will pay $14,000 this year out of pocket for a generic version of the cancer drug Revlimid. Cohen, who worked on the implementation of the Affordable Care Act in the Obama administration, was diagnosed with multiple myeloma in 2020.“It’s scandalous to pay that much money for something that is literally keeping me alive,” Cohen said. The cap on out-of-pocket costs would help him once it kicks in.He added: “I’m really excited it’s happening. I wish it were coming sooner.”

Deal on Capitol Hill could ease seniors' health costs

WASHINGTON (AP) — Higher mortgage rates have sent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-market-cools-6618d543a9c0ac4ff6562b586cf96c9f">home sales tumbling</a>. Credit card rates have grown more burdensome, and so have auto loans. Savers are finally receiving yields that are actually visible, while crypto assets are reeling.

The Federal Reserve's move Wednesday to further tighten credit raised its benchmark interest rate by a sizable 0.75 percentage point for a second straight time. The Fed's latest hike, its fourth since March, will further magnify borrowing costs for homes, cars and credit cards, though many borrowers may not feel the impact immediately.

The central bank is aggressively raising borrowing costs to try to slow spending, cool the economy and defeat the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-prices-consumer-74e1a5c9bced40460e4079f62e980095">worst outbreak of inflation</a>&nbsp;in two generations.

The Fed's actions have ended, for now, an era of ultra-low rates that arose from the 2008-2009 Great Recession to help rescue the economy — and then re-emerged during the brutal pandemic recession, when the Fed slashed its benchmark rate back to near zero.

Chair Jerome Powell hopes that by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fed-interest-rates-inflation-be1b698e48327d3a33847be25aba3e3d">making borrowing more expensive</a>, the Fed will succeed in slowing demand for homes, cars and other goods and services. Reduced spending could then help bring inflation,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-prices-consumer-74e1a5c9bced40460e4079f62e980095">most recently measured at a four-decade high of 9.1%</a>, back to the Fed's 2% target.

Yet the risks are high. A series of higher rates could tip&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-covid-health-gross-domestic-product-economy-89cbfc145ad34a91679ffa43e617c896">the U.S. economy into recession</a>. That would mean higher unemployment, rising layoffs and further downward pressure on stock prices.

How will it all affect your finances? Here are some of the most common questions being asked about the impact of the rate hike:

I’M CONSIDERING BUYING A HOUSE. WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH MORTGAGE RATES?

Higher interest rates have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-market-cools-6618d543a9c0ac4ff6562b586cf96c9f">torpedoed the housing market</a>. Rates on home loans have nearly doubled from a year ago to 5.5%, though they've leveled off in recent weeks even as the Fed has signaled that more credit tightening is likely.

That's because mortgage rates don’t necessarily move in tandem with the Fed’s increases. Sometimes, they even move in the opposite direction. Long-term mortgages tend to track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which, in turn, is influenced by a variety of factors. These factors include investors’ expectations for future inflation and global demand for U.S. Treasurys.

Investors expect a recession to hit the U.S. economy later this year or early next year. This would force the Fed to eventually cut its benchmark rate in response. The expectation that the Fed will have to reverse some of its hikes next year has helped reduce the 10-year yield, from 3.5% in mid-June to roughly 2.8%.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/home-sales-prices-mortgages-05b7ad48a6c13727ed160bae415d3baa">Sales of existing homes</a>&nbsp;have dropped for five straight months, while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/construction/nrs/pdf/newressales.pdf">new home sales</a>&nbsp;plunged in June. If you're financially able to go ahead with a home purchase, you're likely to have more choices than you did a few months ago.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Higher mortgage rates have sent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-market-cools-6618d543a9c0ac4ff6562b586cf96c9f">home sales tumbling</a>. Credit card rates have grown more burdensome, and so have auto loans. Savers are finally receiving yields that are actually visible, while crypto assets are reeling.The Federal Reserve's move Wednesday to further tighten credit raised its benchmark interest rate by a sizable 0.75 percentage point for a second straight time. The Fed's latest hike, its fourth since March, will further magnify borrowing costs for homes, cars and credit cards, though many borrowers may not feel the impact immediately.The central bank is aggressively raising borrowing costs to try to slow spending, cool the economy and defeat the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-prices-consumer-74e1a5c9bced40460e4079f62e980095">worst outbreak of inflation</a>&nbsp;in two generations.The Fed's actions have ended, for now, an era of ultra-low rates that arose from the 2008-2009 Great Recession to help rescue the economy — and then re-emerged during the brutal pandemic recession, when the Fed slashed its benchmark rate back to near zero.Chair Jerome Powell hopes that by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fed-interest-rates-inflation-be1b698e48327d3a33847be25aba3e3d">making borrowing more expensive</a>, the Fed will succeed in slowing demand for homes, cars and other goods and services. Reduced spending could then help bring inflation,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-economy-prices-consumer-74e1a5c9bced40460e4079f62e980095">most recently measured at a four-decade high of 9.1%</a>, back to the Fed's 2% target.Yet the risks are high. A series of higher rates could tip&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-covid-health-gross-domestic-product-economy-89cbfc145ad34a91679ffa43e617c896">the U.S. economy into recession</a>. That would mean higher unemployment, rising layoffs and further downward pressure on stock prices.How will it all affect your finances? Here are some of the most common questions being asked about the impact of the rate hike:___I’M CONSIDERING BUYING A HOUSE. WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH MORTGAGE RATES?Higher interest rates have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/housing-market-cools-6618d543a9c0ac4ff6562b586cf96c9f">torpedoed the housing market</a>. Rates on home loans have nearly doubled from a year ago to 5.5%, though they've leveled off in recent weeks even as the Fed has signaled that more credit tightening is likely.That's because mortgage rates don’t necessarily move in tandem with the Fed’s increases. Sometimes, they even move in the opposite direction. Long-term mortgages tend to track the yield on the 10-year Treasury note, which, in turn, is influenced by a variety of factors. These factors include investors’ expectations for future inflation and global demand for U.S. Treasurys.Investors expect a recession to hit the U.S. economy later this year or early next year. This would force the Fed to eventually cut its benchmark rate in response. The expectation that the Fed will have to reverse some of its hikes next year has helped reduce the 10-year yield, from 3.5% in mid-June to roughly 2.8%.WILL IT BE EASIER TO FIND A HOUSE?<a href="https://apnews.com/article/home-sales-prices-mortgages-05b7ad48a6c13727ed160bae415d3baa">Sales of existing homes</a>&nbsp;have dropped for five straight months, while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.census.gov/construction/nrs/pdf/newressales.pdf">new home sales</a>&nbsp;plunged in June. If you're financially able to go ahead with a home purchase, you're likely to have more choices than you did a few months ago.In many cities, the options are few. But the number of available houses nationwide has started to rise after falling to rock-bottom levels at the end of last year. There are now 1.26 million homes for sale, according to the National Association of Realtors, up 2.4% from a year ago.I NEED A NEW CAR. SHOULD I BUY ONE NOW?The Fed's rate hikes typically make auto loans more expensive. But other factors also affect these rates, including competition among car makers, which can sometimes lower borrowing costs.Rates for buyers with lower credit ratings are most likely to rise as a result of the Fed’s hikes. Because used vehicle prices, on average, are rising, monthly payments will rise too.WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO MY CREDIT CARD?For users of credit cards, home equity lines of credit and other variable-interest debt, rates would rise by roughly the same amount as the Fed hike, usually within one or two billing cycles. That’s because those rates are based in part on banks’ prime rate, which moves in tandem with the Fed.Those who don’t qualify for low-rate credit cards might be stuck paying higher interest on their balances. The rates on their cards would rise as the prime rate does.The Fed's rate increases have already sent credit card borrowing rates above 20% for the first time in at least four years, according to LendingTree, which has tracked the data since 2018.HOW WILL THIS AFFECT MY SAVINGS?You can now earn more on bonds, CDs, and other fixed income investments. And it depends on where your savings, if you have any, are parked.Savings, certificates of deposit and money market accounts don’t typically track the Fed’s changes. Instead, banks tend to capitalize on a higher-rate environment to try to boost their profits. They do so by imposing higher rates on borrowers, without necessarily offering any juicer rates to savers.But online banks and others with high-yield savings accounts are often an exception. These accounts are known for aggressively competing for depositors. The only catch is that they typically require significant deposits.HOW HAVE THE RATE HIKES INFLUENCED CRYPTO?Like many highly valued technology stocks, cryptocurrencies like bitcoin have sunk in value since the Fed began raising rates. Bitcoin has plunged from a peak at about $68,000 to $21,000.Higher rates mean that safe assets like bonds and Treasuries become more attractive to investors because their yields are now higher. That, in turn, makes risky assets like technology stocks and cryptocurrencies less attractive.All that said, bitcoin is suffering from its own problems that are separate from economic policy. Two major crypto firms have failed. The shaken confidence of crypto investors is not being helped by the fact that the safest place you can park money now — bonds — seems like a safer move.WILL MY STUDENT LOAN PAYMENT GO UP?Right now, payments on federal student loans are suspended until Aug. 31 as part of an emergency measure that was put in place early in the pandemic. Inflation means that loan-holders have less disposable income to make payments. Still, a slowed economy that reduces inflation could bring some relief by fall.Depending on the state of the economy, the government may choose at the end of summer to extend the emergency measure that's deferring the loan payments. President Joe Biden is also considering some form of loan forgiveness. Borrowers who take out new private student loans should prepare to pay more. Rates vary by lender but are expected to increase.