OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway now controls nearly 20% of Occidental Petroleum's stock after picking up another $250 million worth of shares of the oil producer this week.

 Berkshire has been investing heavily in Occidental this year, including buying more than $1.2 billion of the Houston-based company's stock so far this month. 

After the latest purchases, Berkshire now holds nearly 180 million Occidental shares worth more than $10 billion.

 Buffett has been buying stocks aggressively this year as the market fell, including investing more than $51 billion in the first quarter alone.

By Associated PressOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway now controls nearly 20% of Occidental Petroleum's stock after picking up another $250 million worth of shares of the oil producer this week. Berkshire has been investing heavily in Occidental this year, including buying more than $1.2 billion of the Houston-based company's stock so far this month. After the latest purchases, Berkshire now holds nearly 180 million Occidental shares worth more than $10 billion. Buffett has been buying stocks aggressively this year as the market fell, including investing more than $51 billion in the first quarter alone.

Warren Buffett's firm buys more Occidental Petroleum shares

By DAVID SOLL <a href="https://theconversation.com/swelling-grocery-bills-are-pummeling-the-poorest-who-spend-over-a-quarter-of-their-incomes-on-food-186980">The Conversation</a>

The cost of eggs and bread is soaring – a trend that’s particularly punishing for the poorest Americans. 

Average food prices <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm">climbed an annualized rate of 10.4% in June</a>, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on July 13, 2022. The gains were driven primarily by the cost of groceries, which <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CUSR0000SAF11#">jumped the most since the 1970s</a>, by 12.2%. Overall inflation was up 9.1% from a year earlier.

These sharp increases <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/06/10/1103995329/inflation-americans-spending-consumer-behavior-prices">have startled consumers</a>, in large part because food costs <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIUFDSL">had been rising moderately for decades</a>.

While all Americans have seen their grocery bills swell, many may not
 fully appreciate the enormous burden that rising food costs pose for 
low-income households. The reason is simple: Poor families spend a much 
larger share of their income on food than the median household. 

In 2020, the average middle-income American family <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=58372">spent roughly 12% of its earnings on food</a>. In sharp contrast, poor households spent 27% on food that year.

What explains this enormous discrepancy? The answer begins with a 
dramatic change in spending patterns among American households during 
the 20th century, which <a href="https://www.uwec.edu/profiles/solld/">I learned</a> while <a href="https://www.uwec.edu/files/7106/David-Soll-Authors-Celebration-2020-Poster.pdf">researching shifts in commuting practices</a>.

In the 1900s, the bare necessities of life, including food, were 
enormously expensive compared with today, leaving little room for 
spending on other goods or services for most Americans, according to a <a href="https://www.bls.gov/cex/csxhistorical.htm">2006 study</a> by the Department of Labor. On average, American families <a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2006/may/wk4/art05.htm">spent over 40% of their income</a> on food in 1901, 23% on housing and 14% on clothing.

But the relative cost of food and clothing decreased steadily over 
the next 100 years. By 2002, the two categories represented only 17.3% 
of a middle-class family’s expenditures and by 2020, the <a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/consumer-expenditures/2020/home.htm">figure had fallen to 14.2%</a>.

The sharp drop in the cost of food and clothing led to a massive 
reshuffling of family budgets over roughly the past century. As people 
reduced their spending on these items, they spent more on housing, 
transportation and insurance. As the country became wealthier, <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2016/03/household-expenditures-and-income">discretionary spending increased</a>, too. Most Americans had more room in their budgets for eating out, televisions and entertainment.

This revolution in household spending largely excluded poor 
Americans, who continue to devote most of their income to feeding their 
families and other necessities like shelter. As a result, they are 
particularly vulnerable to spikes in food costs.

Low-income households devote more than twice as large a share of 
their budgets to food as middle-income households. As a result, food 
inflation is around twice as burdensome for families of limited means. 
But this actually understates the burden of high food costs on the poor 
because, <a href="https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/report-americans-cutting-back-on-discretionary-spending-because-of-inflation/article_349326e4-c59c-11ec-a095-57da6f173842.html">unlike middle-class families</a>, they have little discretionary spending they can pare back to free up funds for food.

American households <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/09/consumers-changing-eating-shopping-habits-as-inflation-pushes-up-price.html">are responding to soaring food inflation</a>
 by eating out less frequently, buying generic brands and consuming less
 meat. For many, it may be the first time they’ve ever had to be so 
careful about what they spent on food.

Poor families, however, have long been forced to deploy these tactics to keep food expenditures in check. 

<a href="https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america">An estimated 38 million Americans</a>
 are food-insecure, meaning that they have insufficient means to obtain 
sufficient food. The concern is, with food inflation rising at the rate 
it is, more families will face the prospect of being unsure where their 
next meal is coming from.

David Soll is an Associate Professor of History and Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657824297211.jpg" alt="Courtesy Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>By DAVID SOLL <a href="https://theconversation.com/swelling-grocery-bills-are-pummeling-the-poorest-who-spend-over-a-quarter-of-their-incomes-on-food-186980">The Conversation</a>The cost of eggs and bread is soaring – a trend that’s particularly punishing for the poorest Americans. Average food prices <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm">climbed an annualized rate of 10.4% in June</a>, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported on July 13, 2022. The gains were driven primarily by the cost of groceries, which <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CUSR0000SAF11#">jumped the most since the 1970s</a>, by 12.2%. Overall inflation was up 9.1% from a year earlier. These sharp increases <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/06/10/1103995329/inflation-americans-spending-consumer-behavior-prices">have startled consumers</a>, in large part because food costs <a href="https://fred.stlouisfed.org/series/CPIUFDSL">had been rising moderately for decades</a>.While all Americans have seen their grocery bills swell, many may not
 fully appreciate the enormous burden that rising food costs pose for 
low-income households. The reason is simple: Poor families spend a much 
larger share of their income on food than the median household. In 2020, the average middle-income American family <a href="https://www.ers.usda.gov/data-products/chart-gallery/gallery/chart-detail/?chartId=58372">spent roughly 12% of its earnings on food</a>. In sharp contrast, poor households spent 27% on food that year. What explains this enormous discrepancy? The answer begins with a 
dramatic change in spending patterns among American households during 
the 20th century, which <a href="https://www.uwec.edu/profiles/solld/">I learned</a> while <a href="https://www.uwec.edu/files/7106/David-Soll-Authors-Celebration-2020-Poster.pdf">researching shifts in commuting practices</a>.In the 1900s, the bare necessities of life, including food, were 
enormously expensive compared with today, leaving little room for 
spending on other goods or services for most Americans, according to a <a href="https://www.bls.gov/cex/csxhistorical.htm">2006 study</a> by the Department of Labor. On average, American families <a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2006/may/wk4/art05.htm">spent over 40% of their income</a> on food in 1901, 23% on housing and 14% on clothing.But the relative cost of food and clothing decreased steadily over 
the next 100 years. By 2002, the two categories represented only 17.3% 
of a middle-class family’s expenditures and by 2020, the <a href="https://www.bls.gov/opub/reports/consumer-expenditures/2020/home.htm">figure had fallen to 14.2%</a>.The sharp drop in the cost of food and clothing led to a massive 
reshuffling of family budgets over roughly the past century. As people 
reduced their spending on these items, they spent more on housing, 
transportation and insurance. As the country became wealthier, <a href="https://www.pewtrusts.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2016/03/household-expenditures-and-income">discretionary spending increased</a>, too. Most Americans had more room in their budgets for eating out, televisions and entertainment. This revolution in household spending largely excluded poor 
Americans, who continue to devote most of their income to feeding their 
families and other necessities like shelter. As a result, they are 
particularly vulnerable to spikes in food costs.Low-income households devote more than twice as large a share of 
their budgets to food as middle-income households. As a result, food 
inflation is around twice as burdensome for families of limited means. 
But this actually understates the burden of high food costs on the poor 
because, <a href="https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/report-americans-cutting-back-on-discretionary-spending-because-of-inflation/article_349326e4-c59c-11ec-a095-57da6f173842.html">unlike middle-class families</a>, they have little discretionary spending they can pare back to free up funds for food.American households <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2022/06/09/consumers-changing-eating-shopping-habits-as-inflation-pushes-up-price.html">are responding to soaring food inflation</a>
 by eating out less frequently, buying generic brands and consuming less
 meat. For many, it may be the first time they’ve ever had to be so 
careful about what they spent on food.Poor families, however, have long been forced to deploy these tactics to keep food expenditures in check. <a href="https://www.feedingamerica.org/hunger-in-america">An estimated 38 million Americans</a>
 are food-insecure, meaning that they have insufficient means to obtain 
sufficient food. The concern is, with food inflation rising at the rate 
it is, more families will face the prospect of being unsure where their 
next meal is coming from.David Soll is an Associate Professor of History and Environmental Studies, University of Wisconsin, Eau Claire.<div><iframe src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/186980/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-advanced" width="1" height="1"></iframe></div>

Food costs pummeling the poor, who spend over a quarter of income on food

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The lawyer for an Indiana doctor at the center of a political firestorm after speaking out about a 10-year-old child abuse victim who traveled from Ohio for an abortion said Thursday that her client provided proper treatment and did not violate any patient privacy laws in discussing the unidentified girl's case.

Attorney Kathleen DeLaney issued the statement on behalf of Indianapolis obstetrician-gynecologist Caitlin Bernard the same day Republican Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita said his office was investigating Bernard's actions. He offered no specific allegations of wrongdoing.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-indiana-indianapolis-8708e35d637dd9aa83681113250e0875">27-year-old man was charged</a>&nbsp;in Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday with raping the girl, confirming the existence of a case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-indiana-newspapers-938874e6b63b13e17f9d6f153915ec08">initially met with skepticism</a>&nbsp;by some media outlets and Republican politicians. The pushback grew after Democratic President Joe Biden expressed empathy for the girl during the signing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-government-and-politics-0e6496122de46f1039cbb2b5145d6d60">an executive order last week</a>&nbsp;aimed at protecting some abortion access in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling overturning the constitutional protection for abortion.

Bernard's attorney said the physician “took every appropriate and proper action in accordance with the law and both her medical and ethical training as a physician.”

“She followed all relevant policies, procedures, and regulations in this case, just as she does every day to provide the best possible care for her patients,” DeLaney said in a statement. “She has not violated any law, including patient privacy laws, and she has not been disciplined by her employer.”

Bernard reported a June 30 medication abortion for a 10-year-old patient to the state health department on July 2, within the three-day requirement set in state law for a girl younger than 16, according to a report obtained by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/news/health/2022/07/14/ohio-abortion-10-year-old-indiana-todd-rokita-dr-caitlin-bernard/65373626007/">The Indianapolis Star</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://fox59.com/indiana-news/abortion-report-confirms-indiana-doctor-followed-law-after-ag-vowed-investigation/">WXIN-TV of Indianapolis</a>&nbsp;under public records requests. The report indicated the girl seeking the abortion had been abused.

DeLaney said they are considering taking legal action against “those who have smeared my client,” including Rokita, who had said he would investigate whether Bernard violated child abuse notification or abortion reporting laws. He also said his office would look into whether anything Bernard said to the Star about the case violated federal medical privacy laws. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services would not say whether any privacy law complaints had been filed against Bernard, nor would Indiana University Health, where Bernard is an obstetrician. But the HIPAA Privacy Rule only protects most “individually identifiable health information,” the department’s website said.

The prosecutor for Indianapolis, where the abortion took place, said his office alone has the authority to pursue any criminal charges in such situations and that Bernard was being “subjected to intimidation and bullying.”

“I think it’s really dangerous when people in law enforcement start trying to launch a criminal investigation based on rumors on the internet,” Democratic Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said.

Some Republicans who have backed stringent abortion restrictions imposed in Ohio after the Supreme Court ruling, including Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, initially questioned whether the story relayed by Bernard to the newspaper was real. After telling Fox News on Monday that there was not “a whisper” of evidence supporting the case's existence, Yost said his “heart aches for the pain suffered by this young child" and his investigative unit stands ready to support police in the case.

On Thursday, Yost faced intense backlash for his public statements, including a claim that medical exceptions in the Ohio&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-ohio-tennessee-0056dcfb4e5fe1590f07b5993c52078a">“fetal heartbeat” abortion ban</a>&nbsp;would have allowed the girl to receive her abortion in the state.

Apparently in response, he released a “legal explainer” detailing the law’s medical exceptions. Abortion rights advocates and attorneys said the law’s medical exceptions – for the life of the mother, dire risks of bodily harm and ectopic pregnancies – would not have protected an Ohio doctor who performed an abortion for the girl from prosecution.

Bernard did not reply to email and text messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657888010685.png" alt="Abortion-rights activists rally at the Indiana Statehouse following Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, on June 25, 2022 in Indianapolis. The lawyer for an Indiana doctor who has found herself at the center of a political firestorm after revealing the story of a 10-year-old girl who traveled from Ohio for an abortion says her client provided proper treatment. (AP Photo/AJ Mast, File)" />
 <figcaption>Abortion-rights activists rally at the Indiana Statehouse following Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, on June 25, 2022 in Indianapolis. The lawyer for an Indiana doctor who has found herself at the center of a political firestorm after revealing the story of a 10-year-old girl who traveled from Ohio for an abortion says her client provided proper treatment. (AP Photo/AJ Mast, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ASSOCIATED PRESSINDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The lawyer for an Indiana doctor at the center of a political firestorm after speaking out about a 10-year-old child abuse victim who traveled from Ohio for an abortion said Thursday that her client provided proper treatment and did not violate any patient privacy laws in discussing the unidentified girl's case.Attorney Kathleen DeLaney issued the statement on behalf of Indianapolis obstetrician-gynecologist Caitlin Bernard the same day Republican Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita said his office was investigating Bernard's actions. He offered no specific allegations of wrongdoing.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-indiana-indianapolis-8708e35d637dd9aa83681113250e0875">27-year-old man was charged</a>&nbsp;in Columbus, Ohio, on Wednesday with raping the girl, confirming the existence of a case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-indiana-newspapers-938874e6b63b13e17f9d6f153915ec08">initially met with skepticism</a>&nbsp;by some media outlets and Republican politicians. The pushback grew after Democratic President Joe Biden expressed empathy for the girl during the signing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-biden-us-supreme-court-government-and-politics-0e6496122de46f1039cbb2b5145d6d60">an executive order last week</a>&nbsp;aimed at protecting some abortion access in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling overturning the constitutional protection for abortion.Bernard's attorney said the physician “took every appropriate and proper action in accordance with the law and both her medical and ethical training as a physician.”“She followed all relevant policies, procedures, and regulations in this case, just as she does every day to provide the best possible care for her patients,” DeLaney said in a statement. “She has not violated any law, including patient privacy laws, and she has not been disciplined by her employer.”Bernard reported a June 30 medication abortion for a 10-year-old patient to the state health department on July 2, within the three-day requirement set in state law for a girl younger than 16, according to a report obtained by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/news/health/2022/07/14/ohio-abortion-10-year-old-indiana-todd-rokita-dr-caitlin-bernard/65373626007/">The Indianapolis Star</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://fox59.com/indiana-news/abortion-report-confirms-indiana-doctor-followed-law-after-ag-vowed-investigation/">WXIN-TV of Indianapolis</a>&nbsp;under public records requests. The report indicated the girl seeking the abortion had been abused.DeLaney said they are considering taking legal action against “those who have smeared my client,” including Rokita, who had said he would investigate whether Bernard violated child abuse notification or abortion reporting laws. He also said his office would look into whether anything Bernard said to the Star about the case violated federal medical privacy laws. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services would not say whether any privacy law complaints had been filed against Bernard, nor would Indiana University Health, where Bernard is an obstetrician. But the HIPAA Privacy Rule only protects most “individually identifiable health information,” the department’s website said.The prosecutor for Indianapolis, where the abortion took place, said his office alone has the authority to pursue any criminal charges in such situations and that Bernard was being “subjected to intimidation and bullying.”“I think it’s really dangerous when people in law enforcement start trying to launch a criminal investigation based on rumors on the internet,” Democratic Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said.Some Republicans who have backed stringent abortion restrictions imposed in Ohio after the Supreme Court ruling, including Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, initially questioned whether the story relayed by Bernard to the newspaper was real. After telling Fox News on Monday that there was not “a whisper” of evidence supporting the case's existence, Yost said his “heart aches for the pain suffered by this young child" and his investigative unit stands ready to support police in the case.On Thursday, Yost faced intense backlash for his public statements, including a claim that medical exceptions in the Ohio&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-health-ohio-tennessee-0056dcfb4e5fe1590f07b5993c52078a">“fetal heartbeat” abortion ban</a>&nbsp;would have allowed the girl to receive her abortion in the state.Apparently in response, he released a “legal explainer” detailing the law’s medical exceptions. Abortion rights advocates and attorneys said the law’s medical exceptions – for the life of the mother, dire risks of bodily harm and ectopic pregnancies – would not have protected an Ohio doctor who performed an abortion for the girl from prosecution.Bernard did not reply to email and text messages from The Associated Press seeking comment.

Doctor's lawyer defends steps in 10-year-old girl's abortion

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secret Service agents deleted text messages sent and received around the Jan. 6, 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">attack on the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;even after an inspector general requested them as part of an investigation into the insurrection, the government watchdog has found.

The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, in a letter obtained by The Associated Press, said the messages between Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, 2021, were erased “as part of a device-replacement program.” The erasure came after the watchdog office requested records of electronic communications between the agents as part of its probe into events surrounding the Jan. 6 attack, the letter said.

Additionally, Homeland Security personnel were told they couldn’t provide records to the inspector general and any such records would first have to be reviewed by DHS attorneys.

“This review led to a weeks-long delays in OIG obtaining records and created confusion over whether all records had been produced,” states the letter, which was dated Wednesday and sent to leaders of the House and Senate Homeland Security committees.

Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi objected to the letter Thursday night, saying: “The insinuation that the Secret Service maliciously deleted text messages following a request is false. In fact, the Secret Service has been fully cooperating with the OIG in every respect — whether it be interviews, documents, emails, or texts.”

He said the Secret Service had started to reset its mobile devices to factory settings in January 2021 “as part of a pre-planned, three-month system migration.” In that process, some data was lost.

The inspector general has first requested the electronic communications on Feb. 26, “after the migration was well under way,” Guglielmi said.

“The Secret Service notified DHS OIG of the loss of certain phones’ data, but confirmed to OIG that none of the texts it was seeking had been lost in the migration,” he said.

The allegation that officials at the inspector general’s office were not given timely access to the material because of a review by Homeland Security attorneys had been raised by the inspector general before and is also not true, he said.

“DHS has repeatedly and publicly debunked this allegation, including in response to OIG’s last two semi-annual reports to Congress,” Guglielmi added.

The agency said it provided a substantial number of emails and chat messages that included conversations and details related to Jan. 6 to the inspector general and said text messages from the Capitol Police requesting assistance on Jan. 6 were preserved and provided to the inspector general’s office.

The erasure of the messages is sure to raise new questions for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-ivanka-trump-biden-election-2020-elections-83fe7ee399bf9c374f8e90106dc2f93c">House panel</a>&nbsp;investigating the Jan. 6 attack, which has taken a renewed interest in the Secret Service following the dramatic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-elections-donald-trump-government-and-politics-04b8570726ca6ccb8713cf90594afee2">testimony of former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson</a>&nbsp;about former President Donald Trump’s actions the day of the insurrection.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-cassidy-hutchinson-205e494cea6fc8c91b548d83ebd82593">Hutchinson</a>&nbsp;recalled being told about a confrontation between Trump and his Secret Service detail as he angrily demanded to be driven to the Capitol, where his supporters would later breach the building. She also recalled overhearing Trump telling security officials to remove magnetometers for his rally on the Ellipse even though some of his supporters were armed.

That account, however, was quickly disputed by those agents. Robert Engel, the agent who was driving the presidential SUV, and Trump security official Tony Ornato are willing to testify under oath that no agent was assaulted and Trump never lunged for the steering wheel, a person familiar with the matter told the AP. The person would not discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The erasure of the text messages was first reported by&nbsp;<a href="https://theintercept.com/2022/07/14/jan-6-texts-deleted-secret-service/" target="_blank">The Intercept</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1654808700580.png" alt="Photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Secret Service agents deleted text messages sent and received around the Jan. 6, 2021,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">attack on the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;even after an inspector general requested them as part of an investigation into the insurrection, the government watchdog has found.The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, in a letter obtained by The Associated Press, said the messages between Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, 2021, were erased “as part of a device-replacement program.” The erasure came after the watchdog office requested records of electronic communications between the agents as part of its probe into events surrounding the Jan. 6 attack, the letter said.Additionally, Homeland Security personnel were told they couldn’t provide records to the inspector general and any such records would first have to be reviewed by DHS attorneys.“This review led to a weeks-long delays in OIG obtaining records and created confusion over whether all records had been produced,” states the letter, which was dated Wednesday and sent to leaders of the House and Senate Homeland Security committees.Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi objected to the letter Thursday night, saying: “The insinuation that the Secret Service maliciously deleted text messages following a request is false. In fact, the Secret Service has been fully cooperating with the OIG in every respect — whether it be interviews, documents, emails, or texts.”He said the Secret Service had started to reset its mobile devices to factory settings in January 2021 “as part of a pre-planned, three-month system migration.” In that process, some data was lost.The inspector general has first requested the electronic communications on Feb. 26, “after the migration was well under way,” Guglielmi said.“The Secret Service notified DHS OIG of the loss of certain phones’ data, but confirmed to OIG that none of the texts it was seeking had been lost in the migration,” he said.The allegation that officials at the inspector general’s office were not given timely access to the material because of a review by Homeland Security attorneys had been raised by the inspector general before and is also not true, he said.“DHS has repeatedly and publicly debunked this allegation, including in response to OIG’s last two semi-annual reports to Congress,” Guglielmi added.The agency said it provided a substantial number of emails and chat messages that included conversations and details related to Jan. 6 to the inspector general and said text messages from the Capitol Police requesting assistance on Jan. 6 were preserved and provided to the inspector general’s office.The erasure of the messages is sure to raise new questions for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-ivanka-trump-biden-election-2020-elections-83fe7ee399bf9c374f8e90106dc2f93c">House panel</a>&nbsp;investigating the Jan. 6 attack, which has taken a renewed interest in the Secret Service following the dramatic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-elections-donald-trump-government-and-politics-04b8570726ca6ccb8713cf90594afee2">testimony of former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson</a>&nbsp;about former President Donald Trump’s actions the day of the insurrection.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-cassidy-hutchinson-205e494cea6fc8c91b548d83ebd82593">Hutchinson</a>&nbsp;recalled being told about a confrontation between Trump and his Secret Service detail as he angrily demanded to be driven to the Capitol, where his supporters would later breach the building. She also recalled overhearing Trump telling security officials to remove magnetometers for his rally on the Ellipse even though some of his supporters were armed.That account, however, was quickly disputed by those agents. Robert Engel, the agent who was driving the presidential SUV, and Trump security official Tony Ornato are willing to testify under oath that no agent was assaulted and Trump never lunged for the steering wheel, a person familiar with the matter told the AP. The person would not discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.The erasure of the text messages was first reported by&nbsp;<a href="https://theintercept.com/2022/07/14/jan-6-texts-deleted-secret-service/" target="_blank">The Intercept</a>.

Watchdog says Secret Service deleted Jan. 6 text messages

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Trade 
Commission will sponsor a free webinar designed to help everyone 
recognize and combat tax scams and tax-related identity theft.

The webinar will also explain how any individual taxpayer can receive
 an added layer of identity protection by applying for an Identity 
Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN) from the IRS.

The one-hour webinar will take place on Wednesday, July 20, at 2 p.m. 
Eastern Time. Open to all, the webinar will cover the following topics:

The webinar will be closed captioned and feature a question-and-answer session. To register for the webinar, visit the <a href="https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/1148/45915">Internal Revenue Service Webinar Registration</a> page on IRS.gov. For questions about the webinar, send an email to <a href="mailto:cl.sl.web.conference.team@irs.gov">cl.sl.web.conference.team@irs.gov</a>.

Whether attending the webinar or not, anyone can get more information about recognizing and combating tax-related ID theft at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-central">IRS.gov/identitytheft</a>. To apply for an IP PIN or for more information about the Identity Protection Personal Identification Number program, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin">IRS.gov/ippin</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service and the Federal Trade 
Commission will sponsor a free webinar designed to help everyone 
recognize and combat tax scams and tax-related identity theft.The webinar will also explain how any individual taxpayer can receive
 an added layer of identity protection by applying for an Identity 
Protection Personal Identification Number (IP PIN) from the IRS.The one-hour webinar will take place on Wednesday, July 20, at 2 p.m. 
Eastern Time. Open to all, the webinar will cover the following topics:<ul>
 <li>Common consumer and tax-related identity theft scams.</li><li>Methods for reporting and recovering from identity theft.</li><li>How identity thieves trick their victims into providing personally identifiable and financial information.</li><li>IRS's Identity Protection Personal Identification Number Program.</li><li>How to avoid unscrupulous tax return preparers.</li><li>Resources to protect against identity thieves.</li><li>How the Security Summit is working to protect taxpayers.</li>
 </ul>The webinar will be closed captioned and feature a question-and-answer session. To register for the webinar, visit the <a href="https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/1148/45915">Internal Revenue Service Webinar Registration</a> page on IRS.gov. For questions about the webinar, send an email to <a href="mailto:cl.sl.web.conference.team@irs.gov">cl.sl.web.conference.team@irs.gov</a>.Whether attending the webinar or not, anyone can get more information about recognizing and combating tax-related ID theft at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-central">IRS.gov/identitytheft</a>. To apply for an IP PIN or for more information about the Identity Protection Personal Identification Number program, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/identity-theft-fraud-scams/get-an-identity-protection-pin">IRS.gov/ippin</a>.

Free IRS/FTC webinar to focus on scams, ID theft and IP PINs

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/14/big-ambitions-high-fives-and-the-ev-revolution-kansas-leaders-celebrate-panasonic-plant/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran was eager get back to Washington, 
D.C., after the announcement Wednesday night that Panasonic would 
partner with Kansas to “power the revolution” of electric vehicles.

He joined Gov. Laura Kelly and other officials who celebrated the 
announcement at the Townsite Tower ballroom in downtown Topeka, where 
they addressed a crowd of more than 200 politicians, lobbyists and 
business leaders.

“I’m anxious to return to Washington, D.C., because I’m going to 
experience a pat on the back, the handshake, the high five,” Moran said.
 “And it’s something I think our state has missed out on too often.”

With an $829.2 million incentive package and bipartisan enthusiasm, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/13/kansas-wins-panasonic-competition-for-worlds-largest-vehicle-battery-manufacturing-plant/">Kansas persuaded Panasonic to build a $4 billion vehicle battery manufacturing plant in De Soto</a>.
 The facility will employ 4,000 workers with an average hourly wage of 
$30 and create an estimated 4,000 more jobs for suppliers and businesses
 in the region.

“Innovations happening right here in Kansas will accelerate the 
future of electric vehicles on a global scale,” Kelly said. “We will be 
the production epicenter for batteries that will power the increasing 
demand for EVs and a more sustainable world.”

Moran said one of the lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic was the need
 for more manufacturing production in the United States. Panasonic’s 
investment is important for the country as well as Kansas, he said.

“This helps make us less dependent upon China,” Moran said. “It 
improves our job capabilities, and increases our national security. But 
to see my colleagues read in the Wall Street Journal, or see in the 
national news, that Kansas was selected, it highlights for me that 
places in this country that have been thought to be the most desirable 
have become a lot less so than Kansas, and we’ve been found.”

Kris Takamoto, the executive vice president of Panasonic’s North 
America division,&nbsp;said the facility in De Soto will expand battery 
production in the U.S. “at a time when the automotive industry is 
reinventing itself, and more batteries for EVs are desperately needed.”

Panasonic, Takamoto said, is “literally powering the revolution in the shift to electric vehicles.”

“With the people of Kansas, we will provide critical production 
capacity to one of the fastest-growing and most exciting industries in 
the world,” Takamoto said.

The investment is also part of the company’s strategy to reduce Co2 
emissions to net zero by 2030 and build products that are more energy 
efficient.

Takamoto said Panasonic emits 2.2 million tons of Co2 annually as a 
result of its business operations. Emissions from the company’s supply 
chain are estimated to be more than 110 million tons, or 1% of the total
 emissions from global electricity consumption, Takamoto said.

“We are proud of our innovations,” Takamoto said. “But those 
technologies will have little opportunity to improve people’s life if we
 don’t also protect our environment.”

Commerce secretary and Lt. Gov. David Toland said the governor 
outlined her vision for economic development when she took office three 
years ago.

“At the highest level, the governor’s directive meant that we would 
ground ourselves in the principle that economic development is about 
people — that young people shouldn’t have to leave our state after 
graduation for better economic opportunities in Dallas or Denver or 
Nashville, that people should know what incentives the state invested in
 the new company that’s coming to their town, that people should see 
real growth, not just companies moving a few blocks or a couple of 
miles.”

The administration’s framework for economic growth focused on quality
 of life, which led to historic investments in broadband and rural main 
streets.

Toland said he rebuilt his agency’s staff with “top-notch” 
professionals from the state and across the country, and reinvested in 
international recruitment.

“We shifted our focus from recruiting companies across a state line 
to recruiting companies across the international dateline,” Toland said.
 “And most importantly, the governor said that in the Kelly 
administration, we will not play small ball.”

The approach helped the state secure billions of dollars in new business investments in addition to the Panasonic deal.

“It’s clear Kansas is no longer an ‘aw shucks,’ humble sort of flyover state,” Toland said. “We can compete with anyone.”

Kelly, who grew up in a military family that moved around the world, 
told the crowd she wanted to share something that might surprise them.

She lived in Japan, she said, when she was very young, and her first language was actually Japanese.

The governor then stumbled through an attempt to deliver a message in
 Japanese — “I was saying this so well,” she said — before introducing 
Takamoto.

“You know, governor, your Japanese was perfect,” Takamoto said.

Kelly praised the cooperation between local governments, legislators,
 higher education institutions, utility partners, the congressional 
delegation and diplomatic teams that helped bring the deal together to 
build a facility big enough to transform	
    



	 the surrounding area, and even the entire state.

The state expects new jobs created as a result of this plant to 
generate $500 million in annual income, “helping more Kansas families 
create better lives for themselves and for their children,” Kelly said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657822171769.png" alt="Kris Takamoto, the executive vice president of Panasonic’s North America division, says the company is proud of its innovations, “but those technologies will have little opportunity to improve people’s life if we don’t also protect our environment.” (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Kris Takamoto, the executive vice president of Panasonic’s North America division, says the company is proud of its innovations, “but those technologies will have little opportunity to improve people’s life if we don’t also protect our environment.” (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/14/big-ambitions-high-fives-and-the-ev-revolution-kansas-leaders-celebrate-panasonic-plant/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran was eager get back to Washington, 
D.C., after the announcement Wednesday night that Panasonic would 
partner with Kansas to “power the revolution” of electric vehicles.He joined Gov. Laura Kelly and other officials who celebrated the 
announcement at the Townsite Tower ballroom in downtown Topeka, where 
they addressed a crowd of more than 200 politicians, lobbyists and 
business leaders.“I’m anxious to return to Washington, D.C., because I’m going to 
experience a pat on the back, the handshake, the high five,” Moran said.
 “And it’s something I think our state has missed out on too often.”With an $829.2 million incentive package and bipartisan enthusiasm, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/07/13/kansas-wins-panasonic-competition-for-worlds-largest-vehicle-battery-manufacturing-plant/">Kansas persuaded Panasonic to build a $4 billion vehicle battery manufacturing plant in De Soto</a>.
 The facility will employ 4,000 workers with an average hourly wage of 
$30 and create an estimated 4,000 more jobs for suppliers and businesses
 in the region.“Innovations happening right here in Kansas will accelerate the 
future of electric vehicles on a global scale,” Kelly said. “We will be 
the production epicenter for batteries that will power the increasing 
demand for EVs and a more sustainable world.”Moran said one of the lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic was the need
 for more manufacturing production in the United States. Panasonic’s 
investment is important for the country as well as Kansas, he said.“This helps make us less dependent upon China,” Moran said. “It 
improves our job capabilities, and increases our national security. But 
to see my colleagues read in the Wall Street Journal, or see in the 
national news, that Kansas was selected, it highlights for me that 
places in this country that have been thought to be the most desirable 
have become a lot less so than Kansas, and we’ve been found.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657822225790.png" alt="U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran addresses a crowd gathered in downtown Topeka for the announcement that Panasonic will build a $4 billion vehicle battery plant in De Soto. Moran said the news will bring recognition to Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran addresses a crowd gathered in downtown Topeka for the announcement that Panasonic will build a $4 billion vehicle battery plant in De Soto. Moran said the news will bring recognition to Kansas. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Critical production capacity’</h2>Kris Takamoto, the executive vice president of Panasonic’s North 
America division,&nbsp;said the facility in De Soto will expand battery 
production in the U.S. “at a time when the automotive industry is 
reinventing itself, and more batteries for EVs are desperately needed.”Panasonic, Takamoto said, is “literally powering the revolution in the shift to electric vehicles.”“With the people of Kansas, we will provide critical production 
capacity to one of the fastest-growing and most exciting industries in 
the world,” Takamoto said.The investment is also part of the company’s strategy to reduce Co2 
emissions to net zero by 2030 and build products that are more energy 
efficient.Takamoto said Panasonic emits 2.2 million tons of Co2 annually as a 
result of its business operations. Emissions from the company’s supply 
chain are estimated to be more than 110 million tons, or 1% of the total
 emissions from global electricity consumption, Takamoto said.“We are proud of our innovations,” Takamoto said. “But those 
technologies will have little opportunity to improve people’s life if we
 don’t also protect our environment.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657822263156.png" alt="Lt. Gov. David Toland, who also serves as commerce secretary, says the state has shifted its focus from recruiting companies across a state line to recruiting companies across the international dateline. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Lt. Gov. David Toland, who also serves as commerce secretary, says the state has shifted its focus from recruiting companies across a state line to recruiting companies across the international dateline. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Compete with anyone’</h2>Commerce secretary and Lt. Gov. David Toland said the governor 
outlined her vision for economic development when she took office three 
years ago.“At the highest level, the governor’s directive meant that we would 
ground ourselves in the principle that economic development is about 
people — that young people shouldn’t have to leave our state after 
graduation for better economic opportunities in Dallas or Denver or 
Nashville, that people should know what incentives the state invested in
 the new company that’s coming to their town, that people should see 
real growth, not just companies moving a few blocks or a couple of 
miles.”The administration’s framework for economic growth focused on quality
 of life, which led to historic investments in broadband and rural main 
streets.Toland said he rebuilt his agency’s staff with “top-notch” 
professionals from the state and across the country, and reinvested in 
international recruitment.“We shifted our focus from recruiting companies across a state line 
to recruiting companies across the international dateline,” Toland said.
 “And most importantly, the governor said that in the Kelly 
administration, we will not play small ball.”The approach helped the state secure billions of dollars in new business investments in addition to the Panasonic deal.“It’s clear Kansas is no longer an ‘aw shucks,’ humble sort of flyover state,” Toland said. “We can compete with anyone.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657822307366.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly answers reporters’ questions following her announcement of the Panasonic deal on July 13, 2022, at the Townsite Tower ballroom in downtown Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly answers reporters’ questions following her announcement of the Panasonic deal on July 13, 2022, at the Townsite Tower ballroom in downtown Topeka. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘Create better lives’</h2>Kelly, who grew up in a military family that moved around the world, 
told the crowd she wanted to share something that might surprise them.She lived in Japan, she said, when she was very young, and her first language was actually Japanese.The governor then stumbled through an attempt to deliver a message in
 Japanese — “I was saying this so well,” she said — before introducing 
Takamoto.“You know, governor, your Japanese was perfect,” Takamoto said.Kelly praised the cooperation between local governments, legislators,
 higher education institutions, utility partners, the congressional 
delegation and diplomatic teams that helped bring the deal together to 
build a facility big enough to transform	
 

	 the surrounding area, and even the entire state.The state expects new jobs created as a result of this plant to 
generate $500 million in annual income, “helping more Kansas families 
create better lives for themselves and for their children,” Kelly said.

Kansas leaders celebrate $4 billion Panasonic plant

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The deadline for President Joe Biden to intervene and keep 115,000 railroad workers from going on strike and disrupting deliveries of cars, crops, containers of imported goods and countless other products and raw materials is looming.

Biden is widely expected to name a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-government-and-politics-e579d80010954632d5da3977c02de90c">board of arbitrators</a>&nbsp;to review the contract dispute and make recommendations on how to settle it before Monday's deadline. Once he does that, any strike or lockout will be delayed 60 days under the federal law that governs railroad contract talks.

A White House official said the Biden administration is going through the standard process to decide whether to appoint this special board to intervene in the contract talks.

Businesses that rely on railroads have urged Biden to appoint that Presidential Emergency Board to try to bring the freight railroads and workers together to reach a deal. Groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and major trade groups of railroad shippers all wrote to Biden over the past month since the talks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-2669e8de879a3ffe11f8c51be045e3e1">deadlocked</a>&nbsp;and mediation officially ended to say a rail strike could cause catastrophic disruptions in the economy.

“Any strike is bad," said Rob Benedict with the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers group that represents refineries and other chemical companies. "We want to avoid that at all costs especially when we are in a precarious situation like our nation is now in kind of our current supply chain crisis.”

Adding to the supply chain worries is a separate labor dispute involving 22,000 West Coast dockworkers at ports that handle roughly 40% of U.S. imports. Both sides in those negotiations have said they plan to keep cargo moving until a new agreement is reached even though their contract expired at the beginning of July. The ports rely on railroads to deliver many of the goods they handle.

The presidential board can only make nonbinding recommendations on the railroad contracts, but those will serve as the basis for a new round of negotiations that could yield a contract that has eluded the railroads since talks began more than two years ago.

Even if those efforts fail, Congress would likely intervene to prevent a strike. Lawmakers could impose terms on the railroads and their 12 unions at that point or take other action to keep the trains moving.

The National Carriers’ Conference Committee that represents Union Pacific, BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern, Kansas City Southern and other railroads said it believes the wage increases railroads are offering are fair based on other recent major labor agreements, but the unions say none of the offers so far do enough to offset inflation or reflect the current worker shortages. Plus, the railroads want workers to pay more of their health insurance costs, which the unions say would eat up most, if not all, of the proposed raises.

NCCC Chairman Brendan Branon said the railroads are disappointed a deal hasn't been reached yet, but they're hopeful the presidential board will help.

“It remains in the best interests of all parties – and the public – for the railroads and rail labor organizations to settle this bargaining round by entering mutually acceptable agreements that provide prompt pay increases to the nation’s hard working rail employees and prevent rail service disruptions,” Branon said in a statement.

The unions say a better contract would likely help ease the railroads' struggles to hire more workers to reduce delays in deliveries and improve service in response to complaints from shippers and regulators. The railroads have been having&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-omaha-7824a3d4042a757755ea76f55e51f641">significant problems</a>&nbsp;keeping up with demand this year as the economy improves — forcing some businesses to slow production while waiting for trains — and they say hiring hundreds more workers is key to improving service.

Many of the companies who ship goods on the rails, labor groups and regulators blame the railroads’ current shipping problems on those deep worker cuts while the railroads say the nationwide worker shortages and difficult hiring environment has kept them from hiring enough workers to handle all the shipments as the economy recovers.

In the contract talks, the unions also adamantly oppose railroad proposals to cut train crews down from two people to one.

Union officials say they don't&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-texas-strikes-a234df38fb36335dab3ceac02f45c95a">want to strike</a>&nbsp;but they appear ready to act if it does come to that. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen said this week that more then 99% of its members voted to authorize the union to go on strike if a deal can't be reached.

“In the end, the question of whether or not any of the rail industry’s union-represented employees want to legally strike is secondary to what they truly want,” BLET President Dennis Pierce said. “They want a contract with meaningful wage increases and good benefits. They want jobs that give them the ability to have a life outside of work. To be clear, there would be no need for a strike vote if any of that had happened in these negotiations.”

The workers who kept the railroads running throughout the pandemic are frustrated they haven't had a raise since 2019, and they're fed up with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lawsuits-5123fda3d039543700b23d939e0bdda2">the working conditions and schedules</a>&nbsp;they have to endure after the major freight railroads cut nearly one-third of their jobs over the past six years as they overhauled operations.

“With a stale contract that has been in effect since prior to inflation taking hold, the workers have nothing to show for their blood, sweat and tears, as well as the sacrifices they and their families have made,” said Jeremy Ferguson, president of the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers — Transportation Division union that represents conductors.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657820726024.png" alt="A BNSF rail terminal worker monitors the departure of a freight train, on June 15, 2021, in Galesburg, Ill. President Joe Biden is widely expected to name a board of arbitrators to intervene in a freight railroad contract dispute before a Monday, July 18, 2022, deadline, and that will prevent 115,000 workers from going on strike for at least 60 days. (AP Photo/Shafkat Anowar, File)" />
 <figcaption>A BNSF rail terminal worker monitors the departure of a freight train, on June 15, 2021, in Galesburg, Ill. President Joe Biden is widely expected to name a board of arbitrators to intervene in a freight railroad contract dispute before a Monday, July 18, 2022, deadline, and that will prevent 115,000 workers from going on strike for at least 60 days. (AP Photo/Shafkat Anowar, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ASSOCIATED PRESSOMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The deadline for President Joe Biden to intervene and keep 115,000 railroad workers from going on strike and disrupting deliveries of cars, crops, containers of imported goods and countless other products and raw materials is looming.Biden is widely expected to name a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-business-government-and-politics-e579d80010954632d5da3977c02de90c">board of arbitrators</a>&nbsp;to review the contract dispute and make recommendations on how to settle it before Monday's deadline. Once he does that, any strike or lockout will be delayed 60 days under the federal law that governs railroad contract talks.A White House official said the Biden administration is going through the standard process to decide whether to appoint this special board to intervene in the contract talks.Businesses that rely on railroads have urged Biden to appoint that Presidential Emergency Board to try to bring the freight railroads and workers together to reach a deal. Groups including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and major trade groups of railroad shippers all wrote to Biden over the past month since the talks&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-2669e8de879a3ffe11f8c51be045e3e1">deadlocked</a>&nbsp;and mediation officially ended to say a rail strike could cause catastrophic disruptions in the economy.“Any strike is bad," said Rob Benedict with the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers group that represents refineries and other chemical companies. "We want to avoid that at all costs especially when we are in a precarious situation like our nation is now in kind of our current supply chain crisis.”Adding to the supply chain worries is a separate labor dispute involving 22,000 West Coast dockworkers at ports that handle roughly 40% of U.S. imports. Both sides in those negotiations have said they plan to keep cargo moving until a new agreement is reached even though their contract expired at the beginning of July. The ports rely on railroads to deliver many of the goods they handle.The presidential board can only make nonbinding recommendations on the railroad contracts, but those will serve as the basis for a new round of negotiations that could yield a contract that has eluded the railroads since talks began more than two years ago.Even if those efforts fail, Congress would likely intervene to prevent a strike. Lawmakers could impose terms on the railroads and their 12 unions at that point or take other action to keep the trains moving.The National Carriers’ Conference Committee that represents Union Pacific, BNSF, CSX, Norfolk Southern, Kansas City Southern and other railroads said it believes the wage increases railroads are offering are fair based on other recent major labor agreements, but the unions say none of the offers so far do enough to offset inflation or reflect the current worker shortages. Plus, the railroads want workers to pay more of their health insurance costs, which the unions say would eat up most, if not all, of the proposed raises.NCCC Chairman Brendan Branon said the railroads are disappointed a deal hasn't been reached yet, but they're hopeful the presidential board will help.“It remains in the best interests of all parties – and the public – for the railroads and rail labor organizations to settle this bargaining round by entering mutually acceptable agreements that provide prompt pay increases to the nation’s hard working rail employees and prevent rail service disruptions,” Branon said in a statement.The unions say a better contract would likely help ease the railroads' struggles to hire more workers to reduce delays in deliveries and improve service in response to complaints from shippers and regulators. The railroads have been having&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-omaha-7824a3d4042a757755ea76f55e51f641">significant problems</a>&nbsp;keeping up with demand this year as the economy improves — forcing some businesses to slow production while waiting for trains — and they say hiring hundreds more workers is key to improving service.Many of the companies who ship goods on the rails, labor groups and regulators blame the railroads’ current shipping problems on those deep worker cuts while the railroads say the nationwide worker shortages and difficult hiring environment has kept them from hiring enough workers to handle all the shipments as the economy recovers.In the contract talks, the unions also adamantly oppose railroad proposals to cut train crews down from two people to one.Union officials say they don't&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-texas-strikes-a234df38fb36335dab3ceac02f45c95a">want to strike</a>&nbsp;but they appear ready to act if it does come to that. The Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen said this week that more then 99% of its members voted to authorize the union to go on strike if a deal can't be reached.“In the end, the question of whether or not any of the rail industry’s union-represented employees want to legally strike is secondary to what they truly want,” BLET President Dennis Pierce said. “They want a contract with meaningful wage increases and good benefits. They want jobs that give them the ability to have a life outside of work. To be clear, there would be no need for a strike vote if any of that had happened in these negotiations.”The workers who kept the railroads running throughout the pandemic are frustrated they haven't had a raise since 2019, and they're fed up with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lawsuits-5123fda3d039543700b23d939e0bdda2">the working conditions and schedules</a>&nbsp;they have to endure after the major freight railroads cut nearly one-third of their jobs over the past six years as they overhauled operations.“With a stale contract that has been in effect since prior to inflation taking hold, the workers have nothing to show for their blood, sweat and tears, as well as the sacrifices they and their families have made,” said Jeremy Ferguson, president of the Sheet Metal, Air, Rail and Transportation Workers — Transportation Division union that represents conductors.

Deadline to block freight rail strike looms before Biden

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/07/14/proposal-for-states-largest-feedlot-getting-bigger-seeking-new-site-in-southwest-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN —
 A group of veterinarians seeking to build the state’s largest feedlot 
for cattle is now proposing an even larger facility in a new location in
 Dundy County.

Blackshirt Feeders, headed by Eric Behlke, a
 Canadian veterinarian who grew up in Benkelman, is now eyeing a 
location north of Haigler, Nebraska, near the Colorado border.

The proposed feedlot would eventually feed 
150,000 head of cattle at a time, which is 50,000 head larger than 
planned at a feedlot site 23 miles north of Benkelman that was <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/10/states-largest-feedlot-gets-countys-ok-despite-worries-about-whether-bigger-is-better/">approved by the county for Blackshirt Feeders in June.</a>

That location, which hugged the Dundy-Chase 
County line, had drawn complaints about being too close to a residence. 
Critics also said the plan &nbsp;threatened groundwater quality and quantity.
 Several contentious meetings of the Dundy County Planning Commission 
and County Board preceded the 3-0 vote in June to approve the facility.

The application for the relocation noted 
that the site north of Haigler “will address several of the concerns” 
raised about the initial location.

“It is critical to Blackshirt Feeders that we are good neighbors,” Behlke told the Benkelman Post newspaper this week.

One member of the Dundy County Board, 
Richard Bartholomew of Benkelman, told the Examiner on Wednesday that 
the new location is much more palatable to him because it impacts fewer 
neighbors.

All of the property tax benefits, Bartholomew added, will go to Dundy County schools via the new location.

Blackshirt’s application for a conditional 
use permit for the feedlot notes that the new location is farther away 
from nearby residences and cemeteries and requires&nbsp;only about 1/4 of a 
mile of county road, which Blackshirt Feeders will pay to pave.

The feedlot will also invest an additional 
$125 million, the application stated, to build a methane digester, to 
turn the manure produced by the cattle into fuel.

A hearing before the Dundy County Planning Board about the project is scheduled for July 25.

Behlke and the two other veterinarians who 
are the prime owners of Blackshirt Feeders, Kee Jim and Calvin Booker, 
have a combined 70 years experience in the cattle feeding business, 
according to the company’s application.

The vets are proposing to use a roller 
compacted concrete floor for all of the livestock pens, which they 
maintain will make it easier to clean, will reduce odors and flies and 
will improve livestock performance.

Some cattle producers question the need for 
such large feeding operations, contending that they push out smaller 
feedlots and make it harder for smaller producers to market their 
cattle.

Bartholomew said he’s not a fan of “bigger is better” but is resigned to the fact that agriculture is moving in that direction.

“I want it to be successful. I hope it’s a showplace,” he said, adding that a lot of experience went into the planning of the facility.

<h2>Group seeking new site in SW Nebraska</h2>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/07/14/proposal-for-states-largest-feedlot-getting-bigger-seeking-new-site-in-southwest-nebraska/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN —
 A group of veterinarians seeking to build the state’s largest feedlot 
for cattle is now proposing an even larger facility in a new location in
 Dundy County.Blackshirt Feeders, headed by Eric Behlke, a
 Canadian veterinarian who grew up in Benkelman, is now eyeing a 
location north of Haigler, Nebraska, near the Colorado border.The proposed feedlot would eventually feed 
150,000 head of cattle at a time, which is 50,000 head larger than 
planned at a feedlot site 23 miles north of Benkelman that was <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/06/10/states-largest-feedlot-gets-countys-ok-despite-worries-about-whether-bigger-is-better/">approved by the county for Blackshirt Feeders in June.</a><h2>Old location drew complaints</h2>That location, which hugged the Dundy-Chase 
County line, had drawn complaints about being too close to a residence. 
Critics also said the plan &nbsp;threatened groundwater quality and quantity.
 Several contentious meetings of the Dundy County Planning Commission 
and County Board preceded the 3-0 vote in June to approve the facility.The application for the relocation noted 
that the site north of Haigler “will address several of the concerns” 
raised about the initial location.“It is critical to Blackshirt Feeders that we are good neighbors,” Behlke told the Benkelman Post newspaper this week.One member of the Dundy County Board, 
Richard Bartholomew of Benkelman, told the Examiner on Wednesday that 
the new location is much more palatable to him because it impacts fewer 
neighbors.<h2>Tax benefits to Dundy County</h2>All of the property tax benefits, Bartholomew added, will go to Dundy County schools via the new location.Blackshirt’s application for a conditional 
use permit for the feedlot notes that the new location is farther away 
from nearby residences and cemeteries and requires&nbsp;only about 1/4 of a 
mile of county road, which Blackshirt Feeders will pay to pave.The feedlot will also invest an additional 
$125 million, the application stated, to build a methane digester, to 
turn the manure produced by the cattle into fuel.A hearing before the Dundy County Planning Board about the project is scheduled for July 25.<h2>Concrete base for feedlot</h2>Behlke and the two other veterinarians who 
are the prime owners of Blackshirt Feeders, Kee Jim and Calvin Booker, 
have a combined 70 years experience in the cattle feeding business, 
according to the company’s application.The vets are proposing to use a roller 
compacted concrete floor for all of the livestock pens, which they 
maintain will make it easier to clean, will reduce odors and flies and 
will improve livestock performance.Some cattle producers question the need for 
such large feeding operations, contending that they push out smaller 
feedlots and make it harder for smaller producers to market their 
cattle.Bartholomew said he’s not a fan of “bigger is better” but is resigned to the fact that agriculture is moving in that direction.“I want it to be successful. I hope it’s a showplace,” he said, adding that a lot of experience went into the planning of the facility.

Proposal for Nebraska's largest feedlot getting bigger

LINCOLN, Neb.-One lucky player who bought a Nebraska Pick 5 ticket for the Wednesday, July 13 drawing is holding a ticket worth $150,000.

The Nebraska Lottery has confirmed that one ticket sold for Wednesday’s Nebraska Pick 5 draw matched all five winning numbers for the $150,000 jackpot. The ticket was sold at Russ's Market #07, 611 N Burlington St, in Hastings. The winning numbers from Wednesday’s Nebraska Pick 5 draw were 04, 11, 15, 27, 29. Players are encouraged to check their tickets at any Nebraska Lottery retailer, online at nelottery.com, or by calling the Lottery office at 402-471-6100.

Winning Nebraska Lottery Lotto tickets expire 180 days after the drawing. Prizes of $20,000 or more must be claimed in person at Lottery headquarters in Lincoln. Additional information about claiming prizes can be found at the Nebraska Lottery website, nelottery.com, or by calling 800-587-5200.

During the month of July, the Nebraska Pick 5 jackpot will increase by $10,000 each time it is not won, up from $4,000, so the jackpot will grow faster than before. See nelottery.com for details.

Nebraska Pick 5 is Nebraska's unique Lottery game: all the proceeds from Nebraska Pick 5 stay in Nebraska, and all the winning tickets are sold in Nebraska at Nebraska Lottery Lotto game retailers. The odds of winning the Nebraska Pick 5 jackpot, which starts at $50,000 and grows each drawing that it is not won, are 1 in 501,942. The overall odds of winning any Nebraska Pick 5 prize which has drawings seven nights a week, are 1 in 8.

The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. Over $880 million has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery’s beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.

<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/2022/7/1657805306270.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>News Release Nebraska LotteryLINCOLN, Neb.-One lucky player who bought a Nebraska Pick 5 ticket for the Wednesday, July 13 drawing is holding a ticket worth $150,000.The Nebraska Lottery has confirmed that one ticket sold for Wednesday’s Nebraska Pick 5 draw matched all five winning numbers for the $150,000 jackpot. The ticket was sold at Russ's Market #07, 611 N Burlington St, in Hastings. The winning numbers from Wednesday’s Nebraska Pick 5 draw were 04, 11, 15, 27, 29. Players are encouraged to check their tickets at any Nebraska Lottery retailer, online at nelottery.com, or by calling the Lottery office at 402-471-6100.Winning Nebraska Lottery Lotto tickets expire 180 days after the drawing. Prizes of $20,000 or more must be claimed in person at Lottery headquarters in Lincoln. Additional information about claiming prizes can be found at the Nebraska Lottery website, nelottery.com, or by calling 800-587-5200.During the month of July, the Nebraska Pick 5 jackpot will increase by $10,000 each time it is not won, up from $4,000, so the jackpot will grow faster than before. See nelottery.com for details.Nebraska Pick 5 is Nebraska's unique Lottery game: all the proceeds from Nebraska Pick 5 stay in Nebraska, and all the winning tickets are sold in Nebraska at Nebraska Lottery Lotto game retailers. The odds of winning the Nebraska Pick 5 jackpot, which starts at $50,000 and grows each drawing that it is not won, are 1 in 501,942. The overall odds of winning any Nebraska Pick 5 prize which has drawings seven nights a week, are 1 in 8.The mission of the Nebraska Lottery is to generate proceeds for good causes while providing quality entertainment options to Nebraskans. Over $880 million has been raised for the Nebraska Lottery’s beneficiary funds since the Lottery began in 1993. All 93 counties in Nebraska have benefited from projects funded with these Nebraska Lottery proceeds.<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://lh3.googleusercontent.com/wNqBhbDjdQfiBw9ZsEupcsfxrfyLh9FL4Kgw9ywDgXNm0l8bAuha5N36fAHOhl8IKpAEM1_LB4eK7UEetK1tj4axOKYMM13WX43qwmUuqP5LNHnQHJ1yIPBr-49tSUinGgXDz1oTcPuZheaXZg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Winning $150K Nebraska Pick 5 ticket sold in Hastings

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals will be without 10 of the 26 players on their active roster for their upcoming trip to Toronto due to Canadian restrictions on travelers who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19.

Manager Mike Matheny said Wednesday the club will be without hitters Andrew Benintendi, Hunter Dozier, Cam Gallagher, Kyle Isbel, MJ Melendez, Whit Merrifield and Michael A. Taylor along with pitchers Dylan Coleman, Brad Keller and Brady Singer.

The team is set to play four games in Toronto. The 10 players will be placed on the restricted list and forfeit four days of pay and major league service time in accordance with the terms of MLB’s collective bargaining agreement.

“It’s an individual choice,” Matheny said. “The organization’s done a real good job bringing in professionals and experts to talk guys through tough conversations and then put it in their hands to make the decisions they believe is best for them and their families.”

Benintendi will lose $186,813, Merrifield $153,846, Keller $106,044 and Dozier and Taylor $98,901 each. Among the others, the lost pay for Gallagher will be $19,451, Singer $15,962, Isbel $15,426, Coleman $15,399 and Melendez $15,385.

The club will name their replacements Thursday, along with an announcement about other staff who won’t be traveling with the club.

“Now what it presents is an opportunity for some young guys to step in who wouldn’t normally be here,” Matheny said. “It will affect what we’re doing rotation-wise and that will be another question that we’ll have to answer later. I’m excited about some guys coming in and getting a chance.”

Players cited personal decisions for themselves and their families behind their reasoning to not be vaccinated.

“It was a choice I made talking with my family, talking with my wife,” Merrifield said. “I didn’t think that the risk was worth it, honestly.

“I don’t feel like COVID is a threat to me,” he added.

The unvaccinated players said they felt teammates supported their decisions.

“We’ve talked to these guys, they’re not judging us at all,” Dozier said. “They have our backs. I don’t think we’ve ever dealt with something like this, where we’re being forced to take a vaccine just to go play over in Toronto. It’s just a weird situation. It’s unfortunate.”

“(The) staff, owner, GM, everybody, it’s been really cool to see how they’re handling it,” Coleman said. “Not like forcing it. I feel like we all have our own opinion, so it’s been really good that the higher-ups respect that.”

Merrifield had the majors’ longest active games played streak at 553 before a foot injury kept him out of action Sunday. He said he might change his mind if a similar circumstance presented itself later in the year.

“That might change down the road,” he said. “If something happens and I happen to get on a team that has a chance to go play in Canada in the postseason, maybe that changes. As we sit here right now, I’m comfortable with my decision.”

John Schneider, the Blue Jays’ new manager, said his team won’t take Kansas City lightly.

“A little bit surprising, but the rules are the rules. We live by them and the rest of the league lives by them,” Schneider said in Toronto. “Definitely not a series you’re going to take lightly going into the break. You kind of see who they have, you game plan accordingly, and hopefully build off this two-game series (sweep) against the Phillies.”

Schneider was promoted from bench coach to interim manager for the remainder of the season when Toronto fired Charlie Montoyo on Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/5/1621778673766.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals will be without 10 of the 26 players on their active roster for their upcoming trip to Toronto due to Canadian restrictions on travelers who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19.Manager Mike Matheny said Wednesday the club will be without hitters Andrew Benintendi, Hunter Dozier, Cam Gallagher, Kyle Isbel, MJ Melendez, Whit Merrifield and Michael A. Taylor along with pitchers Dylan Coleman, Brad Keller and Brady Singer.The team is set to play four games in Toronto. The 10 players will be placed on the restricted list and forfeit four days of pay and major league service time in accordance with the terms of MLB’s collective bargaining agreement.“It’s an individual choice,” Matheny said. “The organization’s done a real good job bringing in professionals and experts to talk guys through tough conversations and then put it in their hands to make the decisions they believe is best for them and their families.”Benintendi will lose $186,813, Merrifield $153,846, Keller $106,044 and Dozier and Taylor $98,901 each. Among the others, the lost pay for Gallagher will be $19,451, Singer $15,962, Isbel $15,426, Coleman $15,399 and Melendez $15,385.The club will name their replacements Thursday, along with an announcement about other staff who won’t be traveling with the club.“Now what it presents is an opportunity for some young guys to step in who wouldn’t normally be here,” Matheny said. “It will affect what we’re doing rotation-wise and that will be another question that we’ll have to answer later. I’m excited about some guys coming in and getting a chance.”Players cited personal decisions for themselves and their families behind their reasoning to not be vaccinated.“It was a choice I made talking with my family, talking with my wife,” Merrifield said. “I didn’t think that the risk was worth it, honestly.“I don’t feel like COVID is a threat to me,” he added.The unvaccinated players said they felt teammates supported their decisions.“We’ve talked to these guys, they’re not judging us at all,” Dozier said. “They have our backs. I don’t think we’ve ever dealt with something like this, where we’re being forced to take a vaccine just to go play over in Toronto. It’s just a weird situation. It’s unfortunate.”“(The) staff, owner, GM, everybody, it’s been really cool to see how they’re handling it,” Coleman said. “Not like forcing it. I feel like we all have our own opinion, so it’s been really good that the higher-ups respect that.”Merrifield had the majors’ longest active games played streak at 553 before a foot injury kept him out of action Sunday. He said he might change his mind if a similar circumstance presented itself later in the year.“That might change down the road,” he said. “If something happens and I happen to get on a team that has a chance to go play in Canada in the postseason, maybe that changes. As we sit here right now, I’m comfortable with my decision.”John Schneider, the Blue Jays’ new manager, said his team won’t take Kansas City lightly.“A little bit surprising, but the rules are the rules. We live by them and the rest of the league lives by them,” Schneider said in Toronto. “Definitely not a series you’re going to take lightly going into the break. You kind of see who they have, you game plan accordingly, and hopefully build off this two-game series (sweep) against the Phillies.”Schneider was promoted from bench coach to interim manager for the remainder of the season when Toronto fired Charlie Montoyo on Wednesday.

No COVID vaccination; 10 Kansas City Royals can't play in Toronto 

JERUSALEM (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday opened his first visit to the Mideast since taking office by offering anxious Israeli leaders strong reassurances of his determination to stop&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-iran-nuclear-united-nations-51cb62796ace2c64ba9278197d9b5464">Iran’s growing nuclear program,</a>&nbsp;saying he’d be willing to use force as a "last resort."

The president's comments came in an interview with Israel's Channel 12 taped before he left Washington and broadcast Wednesday, hours after the country's political leaders welcomed him with a red-carpet arrival ceremony at the Tel Aviv airport.

“The only thing worse than the Iran that exists now is an Iran with nuclear weapons,” Biden said. Asked about using military force against Iran, Biden said, “If that was the last resort, yes.”

U.S. ally Israel considers Iran to be its greatest enemy, citing its nuclear program, its calls for Israel’s destruction and its support for hostile militant groups across the region.

The U.S. and Israel are expected Thursday to unveil a joint declaration cementing their close military ties and strengthening past calls to take military action to halt Iran’s nuclear program. A senior Israeli official said before Biden arrived that both countries would commit to “using all elements of their national power against the Iranian nuclear threat.” The official spoke on condition of anonymity pending the formal release of the statement.

Israeli leaders made clear as they marked Biden’s arrival that Iran's nuclear program was the top item on their agenda.

“We will discuss the need to renew a strong global coalition that will stop the Iranian nuclear program,” said Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, as he greeted the Democratic president at the airport ceremony in Tel Aviv.

Biden said he would not remove Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from the U.S. list of terrorist organizations, even if that kept Iran from rejoining the Iran nuclear deal.

Sanctions on the IRGC, which has carried out regional attacks, have been a sticking point in negotiations to bring Iran back into compliance with the agreement meant to keep it from having a nuclear weapon. Iran announced last week that it has enriched uranium to 60% purity, a technical step away from weapons-grade quality.

Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes, though United Nations experts and Western intelligence agencies say Iran had an organized military nuclear program through 2003.

Biden's visit to Israel follows the collapse of a coalition-led government headed by Naftali Bennett. The president was greeted by Lapid, the caretaker prime minister who is hoping to hang on to power when Israelis hold their fifth election in three years this fall.

Lapid reminded Biden of when they first met roughly eight years earlier. Biden was vice president and Lapid was finance minister.

“You said to me, ‘If only I had hair like yours, I would be president' to which I answered, 'And if only I had your height, I would be Prime Minister,” Lapid said.

Biden made reviving the Iran nuclear deal, brokered by Barack Obama in 2015 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-iran-cead755353a1455bbef08ef289448994">abandoned by Donald Trump in 2018</a>, a key priority as he entered office. Biden said Trump made a “gigantic mistake” by withdrawing the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal.

“There are those who thought with the last administration we sort of walked away from the Middle East, that we were going to create a vacuum that China and or Russia would fill, and we can’t let that happen," he said.

But indirect talks for the U.S. to reenter the deal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-iran-dubai-nuclear-united-arab-emirates-cb297fc7bbe0f59acf5b20cdefe352a7">have stalled</a>&nbsp;as Iran has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-iran-nuclear-united-nations-51cb62796ace2c64ba9278197d9b5464">made rapid gains</a>&nbsp;in developing its nuclear program. That's left the Biden administration increasingly pessimistic about resurrecting the deal, which placed significant restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

At the airport, Israeli President Isaac Herzog thanked Biden for championing Israel during his more than 50 years in public office. He then reminded the U.S. president of the “security challenges emanating directly from Iran and its proxies, threatening Israel and its neighbors and endangering our region.”

Israelis seemed determined to underscore the imminent threat from Iran. Soon after he arrived, Biden was briefed on the country’s “Iron Dome” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-naftali-bennett-israel-middle-east-946f3744cfb6afd59a6ce1b053999ae1">new “Iron Beam” missile defense systems.</a>

The president later visited the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-international-news-israel-ap-top-news-f9158489b5c24b0c80473e8f2fc329dc">Yad Vashem</a>&nbsp;memorial to Holocaust victims in Jerusalem.

Biden, wearing a skullcap, was invited to rekindle the eternal flame in the memorial's Hall of Remembrance. Two Marines placed a wreath on the stone crypt containing the ashes of Holocaust victims and Biden listened as a cantor recited the remembrance prayer.

He then greeted two Holocaust survivors, kissing the women on their cheeks. His eyes welled with tears as he chatted with them.

“My mother would say ’God love you, dear,'” Biden told the women.

One of the survivors, Rena Quint, 86, later said she told Biden how her mother and brothers were killed in a death camp. Quint, who was born in Poland, said she was reunited with her father in a male slave labor factory, where she pretended to be a boy. Her father also was murdered. She later was adopted by a childless Jewish couple after she arrived in the United States in 1946.

“Did you see the president hug me?” she asked “He asked permission to kiss me and he kept on holding my hand and we were told not to touch him.”

Biden is set to meet Thursday with Israeli officials, including Lapid, Herzog and opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He'll meet Friday Friday with Palestinian officials.

Biden said he will emphasize in talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders his continued support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but acknowledged that outcome likely wouldn't be feasible “in the near term.”

He maintained that a two-state solution is the best way to ensure a “future of equal measure of freedom, prosperity and democracy for Israelis and Palestinians alike.” His national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said Biden would not offer any proposals during the trip aimed at restarting talks.

The White House has also been frustrated with repeated Iran-sponsored&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-israel-middle-east-iraq-iran-5c6273b14cc07ef68c6a5f4b57645647">attacks on U.S. troops based in Iraq</a>, though the administration says the frequency of such attacks has dropped precipitously over the last two years. Tehran also backs the rebel Houthis in a bloody war with the Saudis in Yemen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-yemen-middle-east-35773313fc24f039977c670376818077">A U.N.-brokered cease-fire</a>&nbsp;has been in place for more than four months, a fragile peace in a war that began in 2015.

Sullivan said this week that the administration believes Russia is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-iran-jake-sullivan-4a9f1b2749893d8f1ed9f039869cf119">turning to Iran</a>&nbsp;to provide it with hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles, including weapons-capable drones, for use in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">its ongoing war in Ukraine</a>. Sullivan said Wednesday that Iranians showing a willingness to assist Russia is something that should be of great concern to the Israelis, Saudis and other Gulf allies that Biden will be meeting with this week.

“We think that this is of interest, to put it mildly, to countries we will be visiting on this trip,” Sullivan said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657763232824.png" alt="The U.S. and Israel are expected Thursday to unveil a joint declaration cementing their close military ties.-White House photo" />
 <figcaption>The U.S. and Israel are expected Thursday to unveil a joint declaration cementing their close military ties.-White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday opened his first visit to the Mideast since taking office by offering anxious Israeli leaders strong reassurances of his determination to stop&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-iran-nuclear-united-nations-51cb62796ace2c64ba9278197d9b5464">Iran’s growing nuclear program,</a>&nbsp;saying he’d be willing to use force as a "last resort."The president's comments came in an interview with Israel's Channel 12 taped before he left Washington and broadcast Wednesday, hours after the country's political leaders welcomed him with a red-carpet arrival ceremony at the Tel Aviv airport.“The only thing worse than the Iran that exists now is an Iran with nuclear weapons,” Biden said. Asked about using military force against Iran, Biden said, “If that was the last resort, yes.”U.S. ally Israel considers Iran to be its greatest enemy, citing its nuclear program, its calls for Israel’s destruction and its support for hostile militant groups across the region.The U.S. and Israel are expected Thursday to unveil a joint declaration cementing their close military ties and strengthening past calls to take military action to halt Iran’s nuclear program. A senior Israeli official said before Biden arrived that both countries would commit to “using all elements of their national power against the Iranian nuclear threat.” The official spoke on condition of anonymity pending the formal release of the statement.Israeli leaders made clear as they marked Biden’s arrival that Iran's nuclear program was the top item on their agenda.“We will discuss the need to renew a strong global coalition that will stop the Iranian nuclear program,” said Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid, as he greeted the Democratic president at the airport ceremony in Tel Aviv.Biden said he would not remove Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps from the U.S. list of terrorist organizations, even if that kept Iran from rejoining the Iran nuclear deal.Sanctions on the IRGC, which has carried out regional attacks, have been a sticking point in negotiations to bring Iran back into compliance with the agreement meant to keep it from having a nuclear weapon. Iran announced last week that it has enriched uranium to 60% purity, a technical step away from weapons-grade quality.Iran insists its program is for peaceful purposes, though United Nations experts and Western intelligence agencies say Iran had an organized military nuclear program through 2003.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1657763210542.png" alt="Officials show President Biden where to walk as he arrives in Israel on Wednesday- White House&nbsp; photo" />
 <figcaption>Officials show President Biden where to walk as he arrives in Israel on Wednesday- White House&nbsp; photo</figcaption>
 </figure>Biden's visit to Israel follows the collapse of a coalition-led government headed by Naftali Bennett. The president was greeted by Lapid, the caretaker prime minister who is hoping to hang on to power when Israelis hold their fifth election in three years this fall.Lapid reminded Biden of when they first met roughly eight years earlier. Biden was vice president and Lapid was finance minister.“You said to me, ‘If only I had hair like yours, I would be president' to which I answered, 'And if only I had your height, I would be Prime Minister,” Lapid said.Biden made reviving the Iran nuclear deal, brokered by Barack Obama in 2015 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-iran-cead755353a1455bbef08ef289448994">abandoned by Donald Trump in 2018</a>, a key priority as he entered office. Biden said Trump made a “gigantic mistake” by withdrawing the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal.“There are those who thought with the last administration we sort of walked away from the Middle East, that we were going to create a vacuum that China and or Russia would fill, and we can’t let that happen," he said.But indirect talks for the U.S. to reenter the deal&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-iran-dubai-nuclear-united-arab-emirates-cb297fc7bbe0f59acf5b20cdefe352a7">have stalled</a>&nbsp;as Iran has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-iran-nuclear-united-nations-51cb62796ace2c64ba9278197d9b5464">made rapid gains</a>&nbsp;in developing its nuclear program. That's left the Biden administration increasingly pessimistic about resurrecting the deal, which placed significant restrictions on Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.At the airport, Israeli President Isaac Herzog thanked Biden for championing Israel during his more than 50 years in public office. He then reminded the U.S. president of the “security challenges emanating directly from Iran and its proxies, threatening Israel and its neighbors and endangering our region.”Israelis seemed determined to underscore the imminent threat from Iran. Soon after he arrived, Biden was briefed on the country’s “Iron Dome” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-naftali-bennett-israel-middle-east-946f3744cfb6afd59a6ce1b053999ae1">new “Iron Beam” missile defense systems.</a>The president later visited the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-international-news-israel-ap-top-news-f9158489b5c24b0c80473e8f2fc329dc">Yad Vashem</a>&nbsp;memorial to Holocaust victims in Jerusalem.Biden, wearing a skullcap, was invited to rekindle the eternal flame in the memorial's Hall of Remembrance. Two Marines placed a wreath on the stone crypt containing the ashes of Holocaust victims and Biden listened as a cantor recited the remembrance prayer.He then greeted two Holocaust survivors, kissing the women on their cheeks. His eyes welled with tears as he chatted with them.“My mother would say ’God love you, dear,'” Biden told the women.One of the survivors, Rena Quint, 86, later said she told Biden how her mother and brothers were killed in a death camp. Quint, who was born in Poland, said she was reunited with her father in a male slave labor factory, where she pretended to be a boy. Her father also was murdered. She later was adopted by a childless Jewish couple after she arrived in the United States in 1946.“Did you see the president hug me?” she asked “He asked permission to kiss me and he kept on holding my hand and we were told not to touch him.”Biden is set to meet Thursday with Israeli officials, including Lapid, Herzog and opposition leader and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. He'll meet Friday Friday with Palestinian officials.Biden said he will emphasize in talks with Israeli and Palestinian leaders his continued support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but acknowledged that outcome likely wouldn't be feasible “in the near term.”He maintained that a two-state solution is the best way to ensure a “future of equal measure of freedom, prosperity and democracy for Israelis and Palestinians alike.” His national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said Biden would not offer any proposals during the trip aimed at restarting talks.The White House has also been frustrated with repeated Iran-sponsored&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-israel-middle-east-iraq-iran-5c6273b14cc07ef68c6a5f4b57645647">attacks on U.S. troops based in Iraq</a>, though the administration says the frequency of such attacks has dropped precipitously over the last two years. Tehran also backs the rebel Houthis in a bloody war with the Saudis in Yemen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-yemen-middle-east-35773313fc24f039977c670376818077">A U.N.-brokered cease-fire</a>&nbsp;has been in place for more than four months, a fragile peace in a war that began in 2015.Sullivan said this week that the administration believes Russia is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-biden-iran-jake-sullivan-4a9f1b2749893d8f1ed9f039869cf119">turning to Iran</a>&nbsp;to provide it with hundreds of unmanned aerial vehicles, including weapons-capable drones, for use in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">its ongoing war in Ukraine</a>. Sullivan said Wednesday that Iranians showing a willingness to assist Russia is something that should be of great concern to the Israelis, Saudis and other Gulf allies that Biden will be meeting with this week.“We think that this is of interest, to put it mildly, to countries we will be visiting on this trip,” Sullivan said.

Biden delivers tough talk on Iran as he opens Mideast visit

KANSAS CITY —A judge sentenced a Kansas City man to prison for his murder conviction in the February 2019 fatal shooting of Michael E. Bryan outside a Downtown Kansas City store, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

In April, a judge convicted 45-year-old Timothy Fernandez of Second Degree Murder and Armed Criminal Action, after a bench trial in April. 

On Friday, the judge sentenced Fernandez to 27 years on the Murder conviction and five years on the conviction for armed criminal action.

&nbsp;According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched to 17th and Grand on the morning of Feb. 5, 2019, regarding a shooting. The victim Michael Bryan was found deceased on the sidewalk. He had suffered gunshot wounds. Surveillance video showed the shooting.

Fernandez and the victim were on the north side of the business. Bryan walked away and the Fernandez drew a gun and shot at him.

 The video also showed the suspect throwing away a tissue after blowing his nose before the shooting. Police recovered the tissue and tested for DNA. 

Police also found a backpack and jacket nearby. DNA from the tissue, and a fingerprint from an item found in the backpack were linked to the suspect and ammunition from the backpack was the same caliber as a bullet recovered from the victim's jacket.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/10/1603659651049.png" alt="Fernandez-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Fernandez-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A judge sentenced a Kansas City man to prison for his murder conviction in the February 2019 fatal shooting of Michael E. Bryan outside a Downtown Kansas City store, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.In April, a judge convicted 45-year-old Timothy Fernandez of Second Degree Murder and Armed Criminal Action, after a bench trial in April. On Friday, the judge sentenced Fernandez to 27 years on the Murder conviction and five years on the conviction for armed criminal action.The sentences are to run concurrently.&nbsp;According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched to 17th and Grand on the morning of Feb. 5, 2019, regarding a shooting. The victim Michael Bryan was found deceased on the sidewalk. He had suffered gunshot wounds. Surveillance video showed the shooting.Fernandez and the victim were on the north side of the business. Bryan walked away and the Fernandez drew a gun and shot at him. The video also showed the suspect throwing away a tissue after blowing his nose before the shooting. Police recovered the tissue and tested for DNA. Police also found a backpack and jacket nearby. DNA from the tissue, and a fingerprint from an item found in the backpack were linked to the suspect and ammunition from the backpack was the same caliber as a bullet recovered from the victim's jacket.&nbsp;